This is a boat ride....not a whale watching tour. It would be a whale watching tour - or a wildlife viewing excursion - if the animals in question positioned themselves on the path (or bee line) that the boat makes to Friday Harbor. It's great for a boat ride. the food was actually quite good and the kids on the boat were nice. There's a snack bar to keep your mouth busy -- because you won't be seeing whales. The 90% success rate would be utter nonsense. The "fully narrated tour" isn't, altho the captain does point out some points of interest, it's difficult to understand because of the way he speaks into the mic. Think "fast food restaurant ordering speaker". It's much like that. (Yes, I did ask the staff about this - to no avail.) Go for the boat ride. It's great. Go for the lunch. It was quite good. But don't go for the whale watching. You will see a huge elephant seal -- but only because he's positioned himself on a buoy that the ship drives past. Bring binoculars. You will need them to see anything else. read more

We had the pleasure of being on Capt. Jeff's boat yesterday. I was a bit unsure of what to expect. Most of the reviews for the whale cruises are good, but the few negative ones made me wonder which to believe. First off, the boat is clean, and well cared for. It is wheelchair accessible, even one of the two restrooms has an extra large bathroom, and had a changing table in it. I will preface my review by saying that our cruise wasn't sold out. I can't tell you how many people were on board, but I doubt we were more than 2/3 full, if not more like 1/2. That will be reflected in my experience. I can understand it being a less enjoyable experience if the boat were overly packed with people. We were able to move around the boat and see the whales without any trouble. The all day whale cruise includes lunch, but the boat sells plenty of snacks and beverages as well. The lunch was plentiful and tasty. It was distracting to smell the BBQ chicken cooking all morning. :) I had no problem hearing the speakers regardless of where we were on the boat, even outside, although it's more difficult to hear with the boat engine and waves. Capt Jeff gave a great overview as we passed by various wildlife and islands - he was a knowledgeable tour guide. We were lucky enough to go right by a harbor seal, which pleased my little seal lover. Our group was very lucky, and had an amazing whale show. It was everything I'd hoped it would be. Shortly thereafter, we pulled into Friday Harbor. The trip back was uneventful. Aside from the whale show and the brief seal sighting, we didn't see much else besides eagles and other birds. Be prepared (especially if you have kids) for there to be a lot of boating/travel time. If the weather is nice, you can sit on one of the outside areas and enjoy the sunshine and views. My 8 and 5 year old enjoyed sitting in the very front outside of the boat. It's a great spot! Some tips: - Bring sunscreen. Even on an overcast day, you will need it. - Dress in layers and prepare for wind. Yesterday was sunny and 70s but the first few hours on the boat were super chilly. By afternoon, everyone was hot. - If you have kids, bring a few activities for them. My 5 year old brought a journal and drew pictures of things she saw. Our crew was all super helpful and nice. The price is a bit steep for a family day outing, but if you consider the included lunch and what the cost alone is for a ferry to Friday Harbor (plus the drive to Anacortes) it's really a great experience to get to spend the day out on the water. I'm really glad we went, and my kids enjoyed themselves as much as we did. read more

Marvelous! I went once on a 4th of July cruise and once for a fundraising event for Whatcom Humane Society. Pros? Pricing is reasonable Lots of diverse seating Friendly staff Clean boats Safe but not overly controlled environment Good food and beverages on trips Cons? It can get a little crowded on the boat in different areas read more

New facts learned thanks to San Juan Cruises: 1.) Southern Island Orcas are on the struggle bus, because they're competing with us for the same food source (King Salmon). 2.) Research shows that the older mamas and papas remember the days of being hunted by Sea World. Such resilient mammals. Tear* The staff, as you can see, were very informative but not in a didactic manner. Super warm and accommodating. They even explained that they weren't advocating for us to not eat any salmon -- just the King Salmon, since its the Orcas SOLE food source. Yea, that's ALL THEY EAT. Didn't know Orcas were foodies. The office staff is also very flexible, even allowing us to house our belongings while we explored the island/ waited for our charter. They were also upfront with us about the likelihood of spotting orcas. read more

My goal is to take every boat/ferry over to Victoria possible. I will be reviewing them all as I get to them. I really like the Victoria San Juan cruises. I have taken it twice along with their side trip to the Butchart Gardens. It's a cozy little vessel. The crew is nice, the Captain gives a great narration both there and back. There is plenty of free parking for the day and no lines. They have a salmon buffet you can pay $10 extra for on the way back that I recommend. It's not gourmet, but it's better than the pre-packed junk food for sale and breaks up the ride home. We even saw whales, and the Captain stopped for a few minutes for us to enjoy. It's worth the hour or so drive up to Fairhaven. The ride is a little longer than other vessels going to Victoria, but it's pleasant. Of course, the side trip to the Butchart Gardens was great! Thumbs up for Victoria San Juan Cruises! read more

Efficient, friendly, helpful event planning! My fiance & I considered booking San Juan Cruises for our wedding this September. While we ended up choosing another venue, I have to give San Juan Cruises, and especially Sean, who handles guest services and rentals, 5 stars. Sean answered each question thoughtfully and thoroughly. He was able to provide additional details and photographs on the largest of San Juan Cruises' boats, the Victoria Star II, and provided all the necessary information we needed to proceed with wedding planning. While it ended up not being quite the right fit for us, I imagine that San Juan Cruises does their utmost to provide a spectacular vessel, food, and service for a wedding or large event. Thank you so much! read more

We took 15 family members on the San Juan Islands cruise to Friday Harbor in August 2012. The captain narrated points of historical and natural interest along the way as we motored out to view the orcas of J Pod. As with all wildlife-watching, we knew a sighting was not guaranteed, but we were happy when we were able to spend at least half an hour viewing two different groups of whales. We had very nice opportunities to take photos, and at the same time, the captain was careful not to interfere with the orcas' natural behaviors. Then we spent two hours enjoying picturesque Friday Harbor before motoring back to Bellingham. The captain was knowledgeable, the crew friendly and enthusiastic, the food excellent, and the chance to see the islands and whales well worth the price. I would take this cruise again and recommend it to others. read more

Really nice cruise, the food was great, and they got us as close to the whales as possible. Really great experience

My mom informed me that she was visiting from New York. Instant panic. How can I entertain both of us and our significant others without blood shed? You may think that trapping the group on a boat in the middle of the ocean would be pretty low on my list, but a few Gilligan Island jokes later and we booked our tickets (thanks to Yelp for the 10% discount). I choose San Juan Cruises because they offered lunch on the boat and time to spend in Friday Harbor. It was really killing three metaphorical tourism birds with one stone. I'm hoping you can relate this story, because it's hard to convey how grateful I am to San Juan Cruises for entertaining my out of town visitors. We truly had a blast! We loved meeting the other people on the boat as well. It was a very social experience. Here's the thing: we didn't even see any whales! It was so nice to just hang out on the ocean and have the whole day planned out for us. It's not five stars because I thought the speaker system could be improved, I was shocked that they don't use sonar to find the whales, and I thought the lunch felt a little "cafeteria-y." I still recommend it and plan to go when the in-laws inevitably inform me that they are visiting. PS: I recommend buying the mug for the coffee if you're a coffee drinker because it's unlimited refills for you (and the bandits in your group that take a sip) and a sweet mug to keep. read more

This whale watching tour was amazing. The ship was clean, the staff were very helpful, and the captain was super knowledgeable. The two hours spent at Friday Harbor was just the right amount of time to explore. The most exciting part was when we were tracking down a pod of orcas and ended up nearly in Vancouver! The captain stated that this was the farthest northwest the boat had gone all season. The longer boat ride was well worth it... The pod we saw was very active--breaching up out of the water, slapping tail fins, waving pectoral fins, and being quite playful. It made for some awesome photos and video footage. The lunch buffet was tasty, too. Could not have asked for a better experience. Will definitely do this again in the future. read more

Living in our glorious maritime town has it's benefits, namely the availability of multiple sailing excursion companies. My favorite is San Juan Cruises. They offer so many choices. I've been on their Brews Cruise, Sunset Crab Dinner Cruise and most recently, the Oktoberfest Cruise. Each of these cruises was aboard the Viking Star. The ship itself is a basically a sea going party house and there's a lively crew of young mates to keep the party going! The Brews Cruise was especially fun, so many local breweries were represented along with delicious appetizers. There's an ongoing raffle of Ale related goodies (I haven't won anything yet, guess I need to go on more cruises lol). Oktoberfest Cruise was similar but with less snacks. Drinking beer on a boat is fun in case you haven't guessed, just watch your step, the stairs are wicked steep. The Crab Dinner Cruise was scrumptious. Unlimited Dungeness crab, need I say more? Then there's the scenery. Gorgeous Chuckanut bay and Eliza island...I love this area. Climb aboard landlubbers! Hoist a pint and enjoy the views! read more

San Juan Cruises - Hoisting a few ales on the Brews Cruise. Cheers! - Boating Near Me - Bellingham, Washington

Alaska Ferry Terminal Information 4.0 star rating 6/21/2014 2 photos 1 check-in here Very nice terminal that provides cruises to all the neighboring San Juan Islands as well as ferry service to Alaska. The ferry service enables it's travers to take along their cars which travel below the deck which I though was awesome. We took a nice crab and chicken dinner cruise from Bellingham Bay to Chuckanut Bay and back, which lasted about 2 hrs. The views were beautiful. read more

I went on the Brewers Cruise and it was a fantastic Check in was really easy you just walk up, say your name, and they hand you the ticket for your party. They hand you a raffle ticket when you board. I was thinking they would draw once at the end but they had drawings every fifteen minutes during the excursion giving away some pretty good prizes from the brewing companies and tickets to a local baseball team. There were 3 brewing companies on board, each one had something for everyone blondes, darks and IPA's. The boat was nice with lots of room inside and out. There was snacks out when I boarded and they put out more snacks throughout the cruise making sure everyone could have enough. The cruise is a great evening out. Long enough to try all the beers and go back for seconds of your favorite. read more

Our group of 7 from Seattle set sail on Thursday the 16th of August. This was a special trip with grandparents who had traveled in from Iowa. It was very easy to locate the terminal and the boarding process is extremely simple. We pulled away from the dock promptly at 4pm and before we knew it, were enjoying the sights and sounds of Bellingham Bay. The ship configuration made it easy to sit altogether on the main deck and see both port and starboard sights. The upper deck is the open-air sight seeing area, which provides an incredible opportunity to see everything with the added breeze in your face. We were fortunate to have spotted a mother orca and 3 males together as we followed them for nearly 2 hours. IT WAS AMAZING! The ship captain wonderfully maneuvered in and around the whales and other boats in order to provide the best view possible (and within the laws). In addition, he explained many aspects of the whales that many of us did not know. The awesome crew provided great service throughout the trip. Our dinner and drinks were marvelous. We pulled back into the terminal around 9pm. Overall, it was an outstanding, memorable experience. Thank you San Juan Cruises! read more

San Juan Cruises - Boating Near Me - Bellingham, Washington

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The San Juan Cruises whale watching tour was fabulous. The cruise to Friday Harbor was informative and the time at Friday Harbor was just right to see the town and buy t-shirts. The salmon and chicken lunch was very tasty and plenty of food for all. The whale watching was amazing. We saw three pods of whales, probably 10 Orcas. Our captain was close enough for viewing and pictures but not to close to scare the Orcas. Overall a great cruise. Thanks. read more

we really had a nice cruise. service and staff are very freindly. The boat is comfortable and clean. our buffet lunch was delicious. I hope to enjoy many more trips. oh, and we saw Whales. read more

My husband and I had a great day with San Juan Cruises in late September. Enjoyed the lunch, history of the area, and the boat. Friday Harbor was a fun stop and seeing resident Orcas and a Humpback feed on our tour was a once in a lifetime experience. Fantastic day! read more

As with every Adventure we have had with San Juan cruises it was fabulous! This is the fourth year we have done the Fourth of July trip and even without the Bellingham Bay firework display it was fantastic in fact we enjoy cruising Lummi Island and seeing all the beautiful fireworks going off more than that Bellingham presentation. I know that it doesn't make Financial sense for the company with this covid pandemic for them to have to continue to fill this ship only half full but for us it was very refreshing not to be able to elbow to elbow with people. Having room was nice, the social distance wad great and it was all in all and enjoyable trip I am so glad that they opened up even though they can't be at full capacity. We are planning a whale watching cruise in the near future because once again this experience was so fun. The food was delicious there was plenty of it and it was nice that they added the drinks for us. The crew was fun and nice and very courteous. I highly recommend this organization. read more

No whales today. No anything but some harbor seals laying on rocks and a couple of bald eagles. 5 hours of this was actually quite brutal and I wanted it over aster about 2 hours. The captain talked a lot about the history of the San Juan islands. Honestly I just wanted to take a nap. I have been wanting to see an orca for 40 yrs and so today was the biggest letdown ever. I guess I'm in the 4% that doesn't get to see whales. (So they say... I'm guessing that their 96% sighting is exaggerated). I'm giving this day 2 stars because for frozen lasagna, it wasn't that bad (but the brownie was gross) read more

San Juan whale watching tour is a very accommodating outfit out of Bellingham, Wa. Great customer service. We hope to come back. read more

I have taken several cruises with San Juan - the staff is awesome and the price was unbeatable. It's an awesome way to experience the Pacific NW! read more

Traveled on last cruise of season....seals, porpoises, unfortunately ..no whales ...but we did see interesting flora/fauna. Beautiful day, boat equipped with all conveniences including narration as we travelled through the San Juan Islands...very informative. Meal on return trip back to Bellingham from Victoria included tasty salmon, baked chicken, tossed salad as well as for dessert a choice of brownies, peach cobbler and a "light" (vs. heavy) cheesecake..ALL YOU CAN EAT ! Sailing takes 3 hours each way between Victoria and Bellingham. We had just over 4 hours in Victoria to walk around (we returned same day). The dock is located directly across from the parlaiment buildings in Victoria. Everything we wanted to see was within 10 minutes of the boat. Overall a great deal and a lovely way to spend an afternoon...thanks San Juan Cruises ! read more

We had a great cruise with Captain Jeff and his crew! We did the full day Whale Watching cruise, and were not disappointed. We got a chance to see three types of whales - orcas, minke, and harbor porpoise. The lunch was OK - the only reason I can't give the experience 5 stars is because of the lunch. The king salmon was over cooked and salty, but the barbecue chicken and sides were tasty. My wife and I had a great day, and plan to do it again. read more

My wife and I and my 2 year old son went whale watching this summer on San Juan Cruises. We got to enjoy the whales for about 2 hrs and got some great photos! Then had a great lunch and got to enjoy Friday Harbor. In all, it created life long memories that I will cherish forever!!! Thank You!! read more

Cruise was OK. Food was good. Whale watching was, sadly, not so good. We saw wales but at great distance - you need very good eyesight. They seem to be restricted by environmental concerns and not by the people paying. I have seen wales off Maine much closer without any apparent "damage" to the whales. Probably a left coast thing. Be advised. read more

Had a great time on this cruise. Captain Jeff was informative with history and information about the San Juans. Early in he informed of us of a spotting of some transient whales and when we might arrive on the scene...and without fail we were first on scene and spent a great deal of time watching them. Heading into Friday Harbor there were 2 male transients right out side the harbor. On our way back they had joined the first group and we also saw a lot of porpoises on our way back. Great trip!!! read more

This company is great. Food is high quality, boats are first class and crew is professional. Anytime people visit we send them on Chuckanut bay dinner cruise. They rave about it. One of the Bellingham gems. Well worth the cost. We are fortunate to have them here. read more

San Juan Cruises provides a great way to get out on the water -- whether you join them for a tasty beer or wine sunset cruise on Bellingham Bay or head out on a longer whale watching or Friday Harbor excursion. I've done both and find the crew to be friendly, the service to be great and the trips to be very reliable. Two other fun trips they offer are nighttime cruises during the Christmas Lighted Boat Parade and during Fourth of July fireworks over Bellingham Bay. read more

I cannot express how enjoyable our whale watching tour was! My family and I were visiting from New York, and looked forward to our tour. I am the only one who had been whale watching before in Massachusetts, and after several hours on the water (in freezing temperatures), we saw but one whale and turned around and left. I was hoping this would be different...and it was! The weather was a little chilly on the way to Friday Harbor, so definitely dress in layers. By the time we left the harbor to return to Bellingham, it was hot and all I had on was a sweatshirt! My mistake! I believe we saw a total of five whales, a few porpoises, an island of seals, a couple eagles, and were able to get up close and personal with Friday Harbor's local seal, Popeye! If you're looking for souvenirs while on the island, definitely have your wallet stocked. I bought a sweatshirt that said "Friday Harbor" and the year it was established (in pretty tiny print) for $56, so yeah! Heavy prices! But completely worth the ride and experience. The lunch they served was delicious too. It consisted of barbecue chicken, salmon, coleslaw, rice pilaf, rolls with honey butter, and brownies. All while surrounded by beautiful views! read more

We have traveled on San Juan Cruises many times and have always had enjoyable trips. The office staff and crews have been excellent. And we have seen whales on almost all of those trips. We highly recommend San Juan Cruises for trips to Friday Harbor. read more

The boat was nice, the staff was friendly, and the tour was good. We didn't see any Orcas, which we understand can happen. However, I figured being a "whale watching tour" there would be more time spent whale watching. Coming all the way from Bellingham, most of the tour is driving straight out to where you look for whales. Once out there, we really only hung out for 20-30 minutes looking for whales, before we went to Friday Harbor to walk around town for 2 hours. We would have preferred more time watching whales (increasing our odds of actually seeing a whale), and less time window shopping. Next time, I would choose a tour leaving from Orcas Island or Friday Harbor, and spend more time looking for Orcas. read more

My third whale tour, but first time with this company out of Bellingham. A little late in the season and with no expectations, but we ended up rewarded! Our Captain was amazing! His stories were well told, as if he were talking to a group of old friends, and I learned some wonderful things I had no idea about. Not the usual run of the mill factoids. The weather was gloomy, but our day was brightened by an encounter with the T65A's with a calf. Lunch was excellent! Restaurant quality with a wide variety to choose from. Astounding that they cooked it up fresh onboard! We enjoyed stretching our legs in Friday Harbor, doing a little shopping and grabbing a latte before returning to Fairhaven where we had dinner with my daughter. A wonderful ending to a wonderful day. Well done San Juan Cruises! read more