Called and made a reservation the day prior for a 5am taxi to catch the 5:40 ferry…read more NO TAXI!!!, NO call to say they were late or not coming. NO call or text or email to appologise for not showing up or ruining our plans!! Bob's taxi new owner is not the same dependable service as the old owner, they have kept the Bob's taxi name and reputation which will run out soon!!! Use someone else!!

Very disappointed!! I am on crutches. And we called at 5:40 for a ride to catch at our 6:30 ferry…read more Bob said no problem. Came up to wait for Bob heard a very loud man calling for a taxi. Bob got here at 6:20. And let the very loud man have his cab. So he was late rude. And caused us to miss our ferry. Because he said it was hectic. Ridiculous!!! Don't over book your self. And then leave the people who called you first

Great experience flying from Vancouver to Victoria. Waiting for our flight back now. Both of the…read moreseaports are well appointed and comfortable. The checkin process easy. We did change our flight last minute and it was a $25 Canadian charger per person, not terrible and it was nice to be accommodated.

Flying SaltSpring out of Maple Bay to get back to downtown after coming into Nanaimo Harbour via…read moreHarbour Air I offer basically the same review as I did for Harbour: Yes, five stars. Yes, there are still things I could complain about but in general here are the reasons for the five stars: The flights seem to be really on time when the weather is good. I totally understand that wind, fog, rain, etc, can really screw things up but let's forget about that for now. The flight over to island, wherever you are going, is really quite beautiful. If you ask you may get the co-pilot seat and of course they seem to take special preference to those who may have never been on a seaplane before. As to the seaplanes themselves -- yes, they are small, luggage could be a problem (but if it is -- take the ferry), and to my surprise being in a seaplane really felt no different then landing or taking off on land and when the water is as smooth as glass I think this might actually be a smoother experience on both landing and takeoff. Further -- the big point of smoothness comes from this being more like private air than commercial flight. I have no idea what the domestic rules are in Canada but for a person from the US to get on a flight with a generic boarding card, off the island because their name was on a list the pilot was holding, with basically zero TSA screening hassle of any kind is pure joy. This thing might have a propeller and wings but the service feels as simple as a bus. So, no, not much flash to the experience but a whole lot of convenience -- and if you need to make a dash to and from the island without dragging a week's supply of personal items with you this is simply awesome.

We took the ferry from Port Angeles to Victoria. The ride itself was nice, though a tad rough. In…read moreorder for you to make the crossing, you need to bring travel ID, like a passport, passport card, or NEXUS card, as you are crossing into another country. The ferry ride itself was about 90 minutes. It took another 30-45 minutes to get off the ferry and go through Canadian customs (border patrol). The ferry drops you off in a great location in the Victoria Harbor. We liked the ferry and the ride. Dealing with customs, whether USA or Canada is always rough.

August 8 & 11, 2025 - Port Angeles/Victoria…read more As booked months ahead for our vehicle on the Black Ball Ferry from Port Angeles to Victoria ($218 round trip). Boarding was smooth--staff guided us through every step, from passport and pet vaccination checks to parking on the ferry. The vessel was clean, comfortable, and had indoor/outdoor seating, snacks, and spotless restrooms. Crossing took about 90 minutes each way. Customs in both directions was quick and straightforward. Before our return, we got an email about a cycling event closing nearby roads--appreciated the heads-up so we could plan an alternate route. Overall, an efficient, well-organized, and stress-free experience for first-time ferry travelers.

Booked a tour with this company to visit Butchart Gardens last Summer in 2019 while visiting the…read morecity of Victoria on a 1 day stop on a cruise ship They have a small booth in front of the Empress Hotel to reserve tours and to be picked up by their buses. We waited for over an hour on the street for their tour bus to come pick us up and were reassured it was "coming soon". After 1 hour we gave up and asked for a refund and wasted time standing around waiting for nothing. They said their tour bus broke down, but we later found out this company went to pick up and take care of cruise ship booked tours. Bottom line is they will simply drop you or leave you stranded if more lucrative or more profitable tours come their way...Buyer beware.

REVIEWER #18…read more Visiting Victoria? Want to head to Butchart Gardens or the Butterfly Garden without renting a car? If you answered yes to all of these questions then CVS tours is definitely the way to go! Super easy, convenient and no driving necessary- for you atleast. I was looking into tour buses that will take me to Butchart Gardens as I was visiting Victoria for two days. I came across CVS Tours on the website: Viator as an option. For less than $55 you get a ride to and from Butchart Gardens, as well as entry in. Can't beat that, right? The buses pick you up right in front of the Empress Hotel, which is located on Government Street, right downtown! They advise you to arrive 10 minutes before your departure time to check in and receive your tickets. I love that the bus that are double decker! It makes the ride so much more fun and interesting as you're able to see the view from up high. Once you get to your destination, the buses drop you off right in the front. You're able to venture out on your own and the buses leave from the destination upon every hour of the hour. The last bus leaves Butchart Gardens at 5 p.m. The ride to The Butchart Gardens was great! The buses are very comfortable and doesn't seem to fill up quickly. During the ride, the drivers usually provide history and helpful information about the Gardens. For the price that you pay and the comfortable seats on the bus, it definitely makes the pricing all worth it! I would for sure recommend that you book through CVS if you plan to visit Butchart Gardens!

We had an amazing time out on the water. We can't wait for your next adventure to be our next…read moreadventure.

Mike and Sarah are awesome tour guides and great people. They are fun to chat with and very…read moreinformative. HIP has great equipment and will get you ready for your mini expedition. We were happy just to get out on the water and explore, but were lucky enough to witness a wealth of beautiful sea creatures. We saw humpback whales, then a playful pod of Harbour Popoise put on an amazing show. The grand finale was a pod of majestic orcas that I'll never forget. We went on a rainy cooler day and we had the best time. The boat ride alone was super fun and i had a perma smile the whole time. You can really tell that Mike and Sarah have a passion for sharing this experience with others. They also emailed us pics from our adventure. Thanks again Mike and Sarah and we hope to see you soon. Paul and Jenae

The Victoria Visitors Centre is centrally located Downtown, at the shore of the Inner Harbour, and…read morefrom the Fairmont Empress Hotel. It's a cool Art Deco building and was originally an Esso gas station. The tower vaguely looks like the Empire State Building. This is a good place to begin your explorations of Victoria and "Up Island". It's also within easy walking distance from the cruise ships and ferries and close to popular attractions (Royal BC Museum, Parliament Building, Beacon Hill Park, etc.) and shopping. The friendly folks at the Front Desk can give you good advice on places to see, tour packages, and dining options. There's also a large selection of brochures and posted information if you want something more self-directed.

This center is located dockside nearly across the famous Fairmont Empress Hotel. Easy to find…read more Restrooms are located below the Visitors Center by going down the steps towards the boat dock. I didn't see a wheelchair ramp. Talented musicians played their tunes and a budding juggler attempted an act- amusing. A food truck selling Poutin (steak fries, cheese curd, brown gravy) was located at the corner of the boat dock and the government bldg. US dollars are accepted at stores.

It was our first time traveling to Victoria B.C. and taking the ferry over. We booked through AAA…read morewhich I highly recommend. Booking directly on the Ferry's website was more expensive and the seats weren't great. It sits 2 - 4 - 4 - 2. We got the two-seater window seats. We stayed two nights in Victoria and before the trip I learned Clipper validates parking and the Bell Street Pier 69 Parking Garage. Only cost us $37 to park for 2 nights and 3 full days. We had carryon size luggage and the guy checking us in recommended we check our luggage due to space concerns. That was a mistake. When you check your luggage you place yourself in the 2nd (last) group to disembark because you have to wait for your luggage to be carried off by the crew. It's literally a big waste of time. Once onboard I noticed there was plenty of space in the cabin for us to store our carryon suitcases. I was a little annoyed but lesson learned. On the return, we didn't check our bags and was off the boat in a zip. The bathrooms are like the ones on airplanes. Small and yuck but there are plenty onboard. Food looked good but it was expensive. You can bring your own food, water, and coffee onboard. For an 8a departure that seems like a lot of work but you'll be glad you did once onboard.

Comfortable, on time, and expensive. Like airlines, charging for seat assignments and everything…read moreelse. Day trip for two to Victoria BC was north of $400. On board food was also expensive and was packaged or microwaved. Staff was hit and miss; some cordial and some not. The ride was fun, but not worth the price IMHO. Victoria itself is quaint and scenic and the Gray Line Tour was nice and affordable $114 for two.

Highly recommend making a reservation to go whale watching. Staff are super responsive to emails…read moreand calls. Everyone was knowledgeable and friendly. Captain Daven and Sara were our guides for the trip and they were the best. Few things to know: 1) there is a restroom on board with running water but it's more for emergencies as it's really small and essentially a closet 2) they provide binoculars for your use 3) Sara took and provided high quality images for our tour 4) for our trip, they stated

I am putting 3 stars just to comment since I did not take this trip…read more I was on another whale watch earlier this season and the Maya's Legacy boat was way, way too close to a humpback in a bay. It was not accidental-- they motored toward it. I was shocked. Even worse, their position was cornering the whale toward a cliff. Our boat (with Outer Island) stayed much further back and I was grateful for that. I know Mayas has a good rep, but I was upset by what I saw and tried to get a few pictures of.