Reviews of SpringTide Whale Watching & Eco Tours (Zoo)

Fernando Bayuga

This tour is worth every penny. The staff know their stuff. They are safety aware and the naturalists on board provide excellent details about the marine life you see while out there. The captain and crew work very hard to gi e the best …

Martin Bureau

We had a great time watching lots of whales, the guides provided good explanations and plenty of information. And extra coats and pants to keep us warm because the wind was strong and cold!

Kaity Gervais

We had a wonderful time showing our parents the beautiful Pacific Ocean! From check-in with Erin, Izzy’s witty puns, Heather’s knowledge, and captain Ian’s expert whale tracking, we couldn’t have asked for a more perfect trip. I have been a couple other times with other whale watching companies, and I thought it was normal to spend over an hour (out of a 3 hour trip) just to get out on the water to where the whales are... it was such a relief to be able to spend most of our tour time ACTUALLY watching humpback whales! They even provided free buffs for all passengers during COVID, and the boats were at less than half capacity, which made for the ultimate viewing experience— no competing for views with other passengers! It felt very comfortable and like they were properly following procedure. All in all, I definitely plan on coming back to SpringTide again; I can’t explain just how impressed I was with their services, especially compared to other companies in the harbour.

Dave Vanlaar

We had an amazing tour. We saw a lot of humpback whales and even some porpoises! The crew was great and very friendly. We’d definitely take this tour again.

Deborah Davy

Fantastic experience , staff were friendly , knowledgeable and very enthusiastic. We saw about 20 whales humpbacks and orcas Everyone was masked and socially distanced. Very dedicated team all they wanted was to ensure all passengers were enjoying themselves

Rebecca Singh

What a great experience! Saw a bunch of orca whales! Didn't get great pictures myself but SpringTide has their own photographer on boat who posts pictures on their website and Facebook per ride so you can't get great quality pictures every time even if you don't have a professional camera! Definitely recommend!

Susan Barre

Was an amazing trip we saw about five or six killer whales and they were very close enough to the boat to take some beautiful videos and pictures. Staff were very knowledgable and friendly. Was my son’s first whale watching experience and he thoroughly loved it!!! Would definitely use them again and recommend them highly!!

Gregory Montgomery

This was a fantastic guided trip, the crew were super friendly and it was really cool because they kept the tour interactive, I spotted some whales and the crew confirmed it and they brought us up nice and close. Our ship had 3 viewing platforms an upper deck, rear and front deck. Honestly a bang on tour and would definitely go with these guys again. Check out their Instagram it has photos the tours they take you on!

Robert Abbott

These guys were great. Originally told me no because I was traveling with my parents (70+) and my 8 year old and we wanted to go in November but when the day came and the weather was good they actually called me. Then we missed the early feet from Vancouver so they waited for us to arrive. Ian was the captain, made us feel all very welcome and safe, they put us in giant full body flotation suits an doff we went. 3 hours out to Race Rock off the point of Vancouver island, out into the middle of the Strait if Juan de Fuca, back to the Trial Islands and back to Port. Lots of sea lions, seals, bald eagles, and even got to chase some porpoises. It was cold... but the suits did a good job of insulating you so it wasn't feeling and a bit wet... But that was all expected right? We were on the open ocean in November!! Highly recommend experience!

shaun sloan

Amazing! Spent the morning with captain Ian, he took us out and we saw humpbacks and sea lions, and killer whale. He took the time to talk to us and give us some info on these amazing animals. They work closely with other tour groups to find the animals, This is a once in a lifetime experience and a must.

Paul Henderson

We had a great time with SpringTide Whale Watching, definitely one of the highlights of our visit to Victoria. These people make sure that you are exposed to as much wildlife as possible during the experience. We chose to go on the Marauder IV yacht but still were able to see just as much as the zodiacs - although going on the zodiaks looks really fun! Great service all the way from booking through to docking.

Josie K Byington

My friend and I enjoyed an amazing whale watch on October 31, 2020. Our naturalist, Heather, was so knowledgeable and enthusiastic! Captain Ian made sure the boat was well-positioned so we had the best views of the whales. And there was SO much wildlife that day! We saw at least 15 humpback whales and spent lots of time with the different groups. It was a treat to see the Dall's porpoise playing in the boat wake as we travelled. There were so many of sea lions at Race Rocks! I highly recommend SpringTide Whale Watching & Eco Tours to anyone who is considering getting out on the water to enjoy the marine life around Victoria. It is a safe experience and really fun! You'll be glad you went!

Caitlin McMorrow

Incredible staff, super friendly, made the experience above and beyond!!! Got to see 2 humpback whales and was one of the best parts of my trip. Highly recommend taking this tour!

Jordan Nordstrom-Young

Staff was awesome. Very friendly, very knowledgeable. Unfortunately, I had a life changing experience with them and I don't know if I'll ever recover, but then again, do I want to go back to the old me? I guess if we're not changing and growing then we're dying. Simply magical.

Cameron Self

Totally the highlight of our holiday. Can’t say enough great things about our trip with Springtide whale watching. The Captain and crew are super knowledgeable and happy to share their experiences and knowledge of the marine life and whales. We went out first stop to see the sea lions on the rocks that was amazing. Then 30 minutes later our captain found a pod of 5 Orcas which he diligently but carefully stayed with for 1.5 hours them along side of us . So awesome. We would highly recommend taking a trip with them. Thanks

Shannon Doidge

Saw quite a few humpbacks yesterday. The crew were awesome asking if I needed gloves or a jacket etc. They were happy to answer lots of questions for all of the customers. Would have liked to have gone more along shore areas on way back to see if we could find orca. Trip said 3.5 + for how long trip would be......it fell short at about 3 hours.spend much time just going straight to where he knew a few humpbacks were and chased them around a bit.....which I thought was no allowed. Four stars for the crew and humpbacks...lost a star with the shortened time and with the lack of searching. Also will add....they said they take pictures so we don't have to...and put on their website Yet I see their website has nothing updated for August never-mind September....wondering if yesterday will even ever have pics....taking it down another star.

Kate Schutz

My first whale watching trip and a treat for my 6 year old’s birthday. The crew were incredible and so informative and kind to my daughter. They answered her many questions and ensured she could see. We had a great experience with many humpbacks and sea lions. Even if we had seen no whales it would have been worth it for the boat ride, gorgeous scenery, and interesting stories and info. Easy to book online and I called to confirm and received great customer service and excitement for my bringing a child. Very safe on the water and with Covid precautions. Highly recommend!

Sara

My mother , aunt and I went whale watching October 1st. I had never been and it couldn’t have been a better experience. The staff are incredibly nice and extremely knowledgeable. We saw two pods of orca whales and also got to see a humpback whale near the end! I would 100% recommend them!

Miranda Guzzo

What an incredible day out on the water!! The staff was so amazing getting us suited up and were so friendly. The captain was so knowledgeable of the whales, different environments and cool secret spots. The boat was so fun and fast.. and safe! We saw SO MANY Whales and saw whales jumping out of the water. It was truly an unforgettable experience! Not only did we see tons of whales, we saw eagles, seals, and sea lions. Even as a Victoria local, I HIGHLY RECOMMEND this tour!!!

Elena Panizo

We loved it today! We could see some orcas and a family of orcas together ! It was an amazing experience! We highly recommend whale watching with them, staff is so friendly and knowledgeable, they explained so many things about nature, whales and seals. They made the experience so worthy. Thank so much!

Izhar Mohammed

They're very good and we were able to spot humpback whales and their team was persistent enough to take us further into sea when we didn't find them at the first spot, journey was around 3hrs. Heather was a good guide and the entire team was wearing smile all times and helping people on board.

Renee Mellody

Great staff. Sure knowledgeable and friendly. Really enjoyed the team and trip. We did see a whale but he/she was only just sticking his fin out so no breaching which was sad. Nit the company's fault obviously. Only complaint is for parents out there, don't bring your toddlers! The trip is about 3 hours. At was windy and choppy. Toddlers do not care about whales or the boat ride. They get cranky and scream/cry. They get tired/hungry/sea sick. Just leave them home and come back when they are about 7. I've got kids so not a kid hater at all. I just found a ton of little kids on this trip and by the end they were less than impressed.

Farrah S

We saw an orca! The team is amazing really helped answer questions during the booking process. Sophia was terrific. She gave us her food for our kids and helped us as we were running late. She was super kind and generous. We really recommend this company as the highly experience and truly caring. Thank you ????

Rae H

Pros Staff: Kind, friendly, informative. Passenger comfort: Extra jackets on board to help passengers keep warm. Sighting: 5 killer whales. Stayed with them about 30 minutes. Captain did an excellent job of keeping pace with where whales would come up next. Cons Tour Length: 2hrs 45 mins (was advertised as 3-4 hour tour and told likely 3.5 hrs). Hydrophones: Not mentioned by staff onboard, so I asked about listening to whales once we spotted them. Was told wouldn't hear much and not offered the opportunity to try. I would have liked to try for a bit anyways. Other whales: Wish tour operator had searched for other whale types (I believe a grey was also spotted by other operators in the area, but our tour operator didn't try for that one), especially as we returned early.

Anam Patel

I went whale watching with SpringTide this weekend and it was an absolute delight! We watched a couple of Humpback Whales, Seals and Sea-Lions. All the crew members Captain Ian, Heather, Hayley and Captain Yves were professional, knowledgeable and super courteous. They offered the best price compared to all other competitors. I am definitely going to avail their service again. Cheers!

Barbara Bond

We were blessed with viewing three humpbacks hunting together for food. One of the humpbacks breached a good eight or more times to the enchantment and delight of all. The people running the boat and doing the commentary as well as the crew were friendly, kind and professional. The boat was immaculate and they thoughtfully offered loans of jackets for those who were not prepared for how cold it can be. I would highly recommend this company, top notch from start to finish.

Anthony D'Souza

Today we went on a whale watching tour with Springtide. We had a great time and saw a beautiful family of killer whales. What made this trip even better was the attentiveness of the staff at Springtide. Cate and Paige were very good and made sure to check on us and saw that we were comfortable and had all our questions answered. Important to note is that we got 20% off the price. Definitely go with Springtide for your Whale watching experience while in Victoria.

Samantha Kaufman

Our whale watching experience was absolutely wonderful. The staff were very informative and helpful. We all had a great time on this tour. I totally recommend this company for whale watching. We traveled with 2 adults and 2 kids. Would totally book with them again next time we are on the island!

Teressa Dyck

Sprintide definitely delivered! We saw a transient family of Orcas that were absolutely amazing!! Also saw seals and an eagle take off into flight that was stunning! Very professional, knowledgeable, a great small family owned business. Most importantly they were respectful to the beautiful killer whales that we followed at a safe distance for quite some time. The guide even shared names of the whales with us…very personable! Top notch!! Will recommend this company to all that I know! Thank you!!

Emily Rawlings

Truly enjoyed our whale watching tour! The boat is nice and spacious and the staff is amazing! We enjoyed chatting with Sophia, she had so many great recommendations for ways to spend our trip in Victoria. The captain took the time to go the extra distance to ensure we saw whales on our tour which we truly appreciated! Highly recommend-great value and overall experience!

Frances P

Staff is very knowledgeable. We saw 1 humpback whale, several Orcas and lots of sea lions. We did enjoy the tour but the boat does not get close to the whales, don’t let the photos fool you. Dropped a couple of stars because the boat was over crowded, considering we are in the 4th wave of the pandemic, probably because they try to pack it in as much as possible. Better instructions should have been given out on where to park. We looked for almost 45 minutes everything we found was for limited upto 2 hrs but we needed 3+ hrs. We kept going around in circles. I was told that an email was sent out to me but I never received anything in my inbox or junk/spam folder. We booked through viator, so not sure if that’s why I didn’t receive anything? Maybe the parking instructions could be printed on the vouchers? We ran from our parking space to the meeting location, luckily they hadn’t left without us!

Trish Powell

It was a great adventure for my grandsons first Whale watching tour. Thank you to Kate for always making sure we had everything we needed for a great trip.

Logan Fairbanks

They provided a great experience. Throughout the trip both members of the crew were incredibly accommodating and informational. We also were blessed to see quite a few humpback whales and a pod of orcas! I couldn't of imagined a better experience for my wife and I.

mathieu lalonde

What a blast we had today. Been on many whale watches before but this one definitely deserves the 5 stars with the incredible knowledge and service from both Paige and Sofia! We got to see one playful Humpback. Strongly recommend ???? Thank you again ????

Craigy301991

(Visited September 2019) My wife and I took part in the Zodiac Tour and absolutely loved the entire experience. The staff in the centre were really friendly and helpful and Alex our captain was fantastic as well. We got to see a humpback whale just out of the harbour and then got to go out and see a pod of Orca’s which was amazing.

Rafi Ha

Staff was amazing. Really good sightseeing and we spotted a number of humpback whales. Well worth the money, and a really good experience with family.

Alex Evans

This was one of the best trips I have ever gone on! Small business with really awesome and friendly staff. They said our tour was one of the best tours they had done in years because we just had such great weather to find them and they were so active. So many whales to see and very knowledgable staff. Worth the price, 100%! ????

Adam Meli

Awesome day out on the Marauder IV! We saw orcas and humpbacks, seals and sea lions etc. The crew was amazing. Paige and Kate were very friendly and informative. Captain Ian kept the boat situated perfectly for viewing. (I believe I have names correct)Definitely recommend.

Bradley Bellehumeur

We decided to book this tour and boy did we enjoy it! The staff were all very nice and enjoyable, very knowledgeable, we managed to see 3 humpbacks, little sad we didnt see orcas however thats just nature. Would recommend this company to anyone wanting a fun and wholesome experience for a great price with a great gurantee!

Graeme Cameron

Unforgettable experience ! The staff were very knowledgeable and accommodating, we even seemed to be closer to the action than the other tours. Highly recommend!