Prince of Whales Adventures

A family-run whale watching company in 3 BC harbors

Prince of Whales Adventures runs its own whale watching and marine wildlife tours in British Columbia, Canada, from 3 locations: Vancouver, Victoria and Telegraph Cove. The homepage says it offers tours "From our waterfront downtown departure locations," and describes the company as "family-owned and operated since day one." It builds and sails its own boats, and its about page presents the team as "mariners, educators, entertainers, scientists, and conservationists." The company sums up its aim as "sharing the beautiful and breathtaking coastal waters of British Columbia, its vibrant wildlife, and its rich history." Victoria, the homepage notes, sits near the Juan de Fuca and Haro Straits, home to killer whales, humpback whales, minke whales and grey whales; Telegraph Cove is on the northeast coast of Vancouver Island, where the company works Johnstone Strait. The homepage headline is "BC's Best Whale Watching," which is the company's own slogan.

Boats and tours

The about page's timeline doubles as a fleet list. The company began in 1993, when Inter-Island Launch was incorporated to courier newspapers to the Gulf Islands, and in 1996 it designed its first zodiac-style Rigid-Hulled Inflatable Boat with Titan Boats. In 2005 it opened a second location in Vancouver at the Westin Bayshore Hotel and built its first cruiser, Ocean Magic, followed by Ocean Magic II in 2006; in 2007 it began sailing Ocean Magic between Vancouver and Victoria. The catamarans came later: Salish Sea Dream in 2017, which the page calls "our 95-passenger catamaran and largest boat"; its sister Salish Sea Eclipse, which began running half-day whale watching tours from Victoria in 2019; Salish Sea Freedom, the third, launched in Vancouver in 2021; and Salish Sea Glory, the fourth, added in 2026 alongside 2 new RHIB boats, the Joker and the Secret.

The tours built on that fleet include the Ultimate Day Tour, which the page says was recognized as a Canadian Signature Experience in 2009, and trips to The Butchart Gardens, which the company says makes it "the first (and only) whale watching tour operator to offer an unforgettable adventure between Vancouver, Victoria, and The Gardens." In Telegraph Cove it continues what the page calls "a 40 year old tradition of responsible whale watching in Johnstone Strait from Telegraph Cove Resort with the Ocean Magic II."

The company also runs sister businesses: Sea Vancouver, launched in 2014 for zodiac sightseeing from Vancouver's downtown harbor, and North Island Kayak in Telegraph Cove, bought in 2020, which the page says has offered kayaking with whales and marine wildlife since 1991. A Granville Island retail store opened in 2015. The menu lists Groups & Charters and Gift Cards.

On the water

The homepage banner says "Catamaran tours are open until November!", which marks the season for the larger boats.

Education is part of every trip in the company's telling: "We educate our guests about why it is important to protect the environment, where these animals live, and how safe and responsible whale watching aids in the sustainability of these waters." The homepage and blog carry that material ashore, with explainers on whales as mammals, orcas as apex predators, whale communication and the point that killer whales belong to the dolphin family, plus recent posts such as "How the Rain Affects Whale Watching (Hint: It Doesn't!)" and "Inner Harbour vs. Fisherman's Wharf: Where Should You Start Your Tour?", which points to more than one Victoria departure point. There is also a Prince of Whales podcast and a media gallery. The orca explainer is a fair sample of the tone: it describes the Salish Sea's 2 main killer whale ecotypes, Residents and Bigg's, with Residents feeding mainly on salmon, and notes that some females live over 90 years while males average around 30.

The blog headlines also show where conservation money goes. Recent posts announce a $40,000 donation to the Pacific Salmon Foundation for herring research, a $30,000 Giving Tuesday match for Sea Smart launched with North Island Kayak, sponsorship of Ocean Wise fieldwork in the Salish Sea and Johnstone Strait, and a Gorge Waterway cleanup with Transport Canada and the Surfrider Foundation that removed over 670 pounds of garbage.

At check-in, a notice on the site says the company "reserves the right to ask that the credit card used in the booking be presented at check-in as well as matching photo ID."

Booking, certifications and awards

Booking runs through Book Now buttons on every page, with a Contact Us page in the menu. Beyond the whale watching, the company leans on its sustainability record. It joined 1% for the Planet in 2015, pledging at least 1% of revenue to environmental organizations; became a Climate Positive designated marine adventure company in 2022; and announced Biosphere Certification across all 3 locations in 2024, which the announcement ties to "the 17 Sustainable Development Goals of the United Nations' 2030 Agenda." Its Sales and Marketing Manager, Nik Coutinho, is quoted saying the certification means "we're proud to standardize sustainable practices at every operational level," with measures aimed at cutting the carbon footprint and eliminating single-use plastics. In 2025 it obtained Rainbow Registry certification for its commitment to the 2SLGBTQAI+ community. The about page also lists a Tourism Vancouver Island Power of Partners award for tours run with The Butchart Gardens and CVS Tours, and 2023 as the company's 30th year.

The homepage includes a territorial acknowledgement naming the nations on whose lands and waters it works in each of its 3 locations.

What the site leaves open, and who it suits

The homepage and about pages do not list tour prices, durations, departure times or passenger caps for individual trips (only the Salish Sea Dream's 95-passenger capacity is given), and they do not set out cancellation or refund terms. The site does not say which languages guides speak or give accessibility details for each boat. Groups & Charters and Gift Cards are menu items without details on the site above.

Prince of Whales suits visitors to Vancouver, Victoria or northern Vancouver Island who want a whale watching trip from a long-established local operator, with a choice of larger catamarans or smaller RHIBs, and who value the education and conservation side. Those who want to compare prices and trip lengths before clicking through will need to go into the booking pages.