10/10!!!! SO EXCITED I SAW GREY WHALES & ORCAS!!! (&ETC) Based on the reviews we were a little scared to try this company BUT it turned out so amazing! I think people only leave bad reviews when they don't get what they exactly want! Anyway- the workers were so welcoming! The process was very easy from buying the tickets to the end! We got there just in time (not the 45 min ahead like it said) and it was perfect! (Maybe before we were the first boat of the day?) Once in the charter it didn't take long for us to leave. While they are taking us out towards where the whales are... They told us a bunch of stories a bunch of scientific facts and a bunch of tips and tricks! We also saw a bunch of sea life just heading out to the whale areas! (Seals, starfish, birds, fish, jellyfish , etc) The ride was smooth and beautiful- DEFINITELY COLD (even if it's 90F in Seattle)! But the views are beautiful- both of the sea and Seattle!! It didn't take very long to get to the areas but once we did everyone had the same goal - SPOT THE WHALES!!! It didn't take us too long because we got lucky! There was a lot of activity that day! We ended up seeing 6 different orcas and 1 grey whale!! Super fun start to our day and now I can say I saw whales(: read more

See all

Not a bad way to go if you plan on visiting Victoria BC. We booked an 8 am departure and grabbed some window seats. Voyage took about 3 hours but seemed to go by fairly fast. Check-in was simple and going through Customs in Victoria was painless. Ferry does have an on-board cafe for snacks and drinks. read more

Who wouldn't want to take a fast ferry to another country? Start your morning in Seattle and end up having an early lunch in the Victoria harbor with on the Victoria Clipper. We just did one upgrade to get window seats in the economy area, which was totally worth it. The boat was less than half full - if it had been fuller I would have gone for more of an upgrade as the seating in economy is a bit narrow if someone is near you. Staff were friendly and on and off boarding was easy. Food looked edible and it was nice to have servers come through the cabin - they also passed out motion sickness pills - although our ride was smooth. Nice views of the water and mountains all the way there and back. I wouldn't recommend parking in the Bell Street Garage. Although it was ten bucks a day we ended up locked in the garage upon return for more than an hour due to a broken machine and limited staffing. Clipper was not responsive or helpful when we offered feedback on this partnership, which makes me dock a star. read more

FRS Clipper - Clipper - Travel Services Near Me - Seattle, Washington

See all

If you can, this is the way to go to Victoria B.C. from Seattle. It's so convenient and not expensive, relatively speaking. They have great package tours or you can just get the boat trip. You do pass the into Canada and have to go through customs. Also the leave time in the A.M. can be quite early if you're not a morning person. In the terminal they do have plenty of seating as well as food and beverages while you are waiting to board. You get off in a fairly convenient location in Victoria, pretty walkable to most spots and to hotels. Why not five stars? The experience just wasn't as "nautical" as I was hoping. I felt like I was on a bus - the interior of the vessel gives that impression. read more

I booked a trip on the clipper and scheduled a garden tour through them and stayed at a recommended hotel. The ride to Canada was very rough, no fault of the ship as the waters were rough. They were ready to handle it though with plenty of ginger chews and other supplies. The boarding service and checking in process went smoothly. The boat docked right near the tour bus and also near the hotel we stayed in the Hotel Grand Pacific. The ride back to Seattle was a lot more calm. read more

FRS Clipper - Travel Services Near Me - Seattle, Washington

See all

I have been on multiple whale watching excursions. This one showed Orca's in every advertisement etc. it was like they did not even look for Orca's. We saw a few whales, but nothing like any other tour I have gone on. Clean boat, nice crew but limited action. Also cost a lot more than any other one I have been on. And a security fee just to bump the price. Parking is a problem as well. read more

Update on my previous review. Thinking about it, checking weather, etc. the cruise should not have been because it's weather, I think that is BS (weather great) I figure they didn't have enough passengers to make their profit so they said screw the customer, cancel the trip. read more

This is definitely the nicer way to go from Seattle to Victoria. You avoid the hassle of airport security and the immigration lines at the border when traveling by car. You still have to show passports, but everything is SO much more chill. The staff were friendly. The boat itself is significantly smaller than a car ferry to Bainbridge or one of the other islands. There is less walking around to do, which can make entertaining kids more challenging. The steerage seats are good enough, though no luxury. The tickets were remarkably expensive - it may be that I purchased them too late. Over $700 for round trip with two adults and three kids! read more

See all

Loved it! Was so amazing. Would definitely recommend it. Give it a try at least once. Great way to get around

My partner and I had a great time whale watching! We saw lots of humpback whales. :) The staff was efficient and knowledgeable about the surrounding marine life. I would absolutely do this again (and hopefully see some orcas). I reccomend reserving an upper deck seat that's close to the outside decks in case you'd like to wander. There's snacks, coffee, & food available for purchase! Just make sure you show up at least 15 mins before departure! read more

The crew went above and beyond to ensure we got to see the whales. The weather was not conducive due to the heavy fog but they called in another boat to assist with spotting the whales. At the end, we got to see our fair share of these beautiful mammals. The only thing I was not a fan of was their seating arrangement. We sat facing backwards so we spent most of our time standing or on the upper deck. read more

The FRS Victoria Clipper is one of the nicest ways to get from Seattle to Victoria. We arrived around 7 am for our 8 am ferry, and were done with our checkin by about 7:30. After a short wait, we onboarded and were shown to our seats. The Comfort class cabin we were in cost $596 for four passengers, but we almost broke even as it came with free snacks (chips, pretzels, nuts) and drinks (soda, tea, coffee), plus we had priority boarding and were able to check in four bags for free. They had other food like fruit cups, yogurt parfaits, cheese and fruit plates, wraps and sandwiches available for purchase. The trip took almost 3 hours, and we spent it alternating between relaxing indoors in our comfy chairs and bracing against the wind and choppy waves outdoors on the deck. The last part of the leg, where we approached Victoria, was the prettiest and smoothest part of the trip. Customs and immigration was at the Victoria end of the journey after we picked up our checked luggage. This took about an hour, but was uneventful. Happy to ride the FRS Victoria Clipper again! read more

See all

We have a gift card for a boat ride and back by plane. Unfortunately they didn't honor it. There reason is prices has increase! It would be nice to have two different menu one for Victoria and one for Seattle read more

We had a wonderful cruise ( August 2025) ! Very comfortable ..our host Hank in Comfort Class was fantastic! We had a lovely tour of Victoria BC..lots to do! I highly recommend this day cruise ..don't forget your passports! read more

See all

They literally do not reply. I have reached out at least 10 times about broken luggage and they just simply do not care.

TLDR: Horrible customer service and harmful microaggression. I've taken the Clipper for a few years and it has always been a pleasure. But this recent trip was the worse travel experience I've ever had and makes me not want to travel with them again. The first incident was that our first trip was changed to another date without a confirmation. I had requested a change of date but did not hear back from them. I arrived at the ferry terminal thinking they were unable to change the date only to find out that they went ahead and changed it. At the terminal, I realized they called the day before, minutes before they closed, and said to call back "to TALK about my request." There was NO mention that they cancelled my trip and changed the date. Furthermore, I did not receive any confirmation email. At the terminal, the supervisor, DASHA, who claimed she is the highest person to speak to, was not helpful. She was rude, condescending, and kept saying the trip was not cancelled but the date was changed. Semantics. When I kept asking why the agent did not state this in the voicemail or why she did not send a confirmation about the change of date, she had no answer. Typically, a business would apologize for the miscommunication and offer some sort of compensation for the inconvenience. We prepared for the trip and took an Uber to the terminal. It was only after arguing for 20 minutes, and after I left the terminal, that she saw that I may be calling the company, that she offered a whale tour. Once in Victoria, a month later, we needed to change our return. The first agent did not inform us that the ferry on Thursday runs on a different schedule. Again, I did not receive a confirmation email and only found out when I logged on to check the seat number. I called again and was routed to DANA who was incredibly rude on the phone. When I called to say that we needed to change our departure she responded, "So what's your reference number? What do you want me to do without it?" I was shocked and asked to be transferred to a different operator. She said I could hang up and call again. The second operator was GAYLE who was just as rude. She informed me that we needed to be downgrade because there were no available seats in our section. When I asked her if that meant we needed to sit downstairs, she yelled "It's a downgrade! Not downstairs!" I do not know why they expect customers to know names of each sections. It would have been helpful for her to just say that the downgrade meant we would still sit upstairs but just not near the windows. She also didn't have to yell and be condescending. Lastly, as a POC, I encountered micro aggressive behavior. I also wonder if the interactions above were similar. One incident was at Victoria when the agent handing out the paper tickets asked the people in front of us and behind us if they wanted to check their luggage for free. She did not even greet us with the same hello as she did with the others and did not offer the complimentary luggage check-in. The lack of proper greeting was consistent on the Victoria side. As you can see in the other comments, incompetent customer service is the biggest compliant. There were a couple agents in the Seattle side at check-in and a few on the ferry who were very pleasant. But clearly, there needs to be a serious reevaluation with the agents on the phone and the supervisor. read more

We were with a group of 20 and had the most wonderful time on this day cruise! The seats are comfortable and the crew is absolutely helpful and polite. The food and drink prices are great considering we are in Seattle and the menu is great! The Puget Sound is beautiful, and our naturalist was fantastic. We learned about the surrounding wildlife and were extatic to see a pod of Orca whales! Was a wonderful experience and will probably go again! read more

This high speed ferry is a convenient way to travel to Victoria BC and takes about 3 hours to complete the crossing. The departure/arrival times are perfect for a quick day trip to Victoria BC. Here are some of my recommendations and observations when traveling with FRS Clipper: Online Seat Selection There are 3 classes to choose from during the booking process. I recommend choosing the Comfort VIP class, which will be located on the front upper level of the vessel. This section does board before other classes and offers passengers a complimentary glass of prosecco and snack bar. The seats offers greater leg room and excellent views of the front of the vessel. Carry On Luggage Stowage racks are located on the lower deck of the vessel. I recommend using the racks immediately by the rear exit. I found the center racks to be harder to retrieve luggage during disembarking. Disembarking The disembarking process is semi-chaotic. We were divided into 2 groups. Group 1 are passengers with only carry on luggage. Group 2 are passengers with check-in luggage. The disembarkation felt like a mad rush to clear customs. Perhaps FRS Clipper should consider calling by section for a more seamless experience. Overall, this is a great alternative to driving or flight to Victoria BC. read more

The tour was amazing! We loved the naturalist who provided information on the wildlife throughout the tour. We got to see several families of orcas as well as a couple gray whales throughout the excursion. And some seals!! I would say don't spend extra for the premium seats as we spent the vast majority of our time on the top deck of the boat where you are standing mostly and seating is otherwise unassigned. - The one concern we had was we did not begin boarding until around 11:00am and the staff did not provide any updates to us as to why we were delayed until it was time to board. This is quite late as we were told to arrive at the pier at 9:30am (with departure scheduled for 10:30). Side note: May I suggest the naturalist pause speaking during the intimate moments with the wildlife? Otherwise, great job! read more

See all

On a trip to Seattle, we decided to take a trip to Victoria, Canada and Booked the FRS Clipper on September 2, 2025 - it was the best experience I had, even though I had my concerns, being a disabled person but since the moment we got there, staff was very attentive and kind, they considered my needs and help me on board, I want to thank all the crew starting with Captain Carr, First officer Pratt, Engineer Christian, Engineer Tom, AB Dave, Supervisor Ashley, Krista, Victoria, Tess, Jessica and special thanks to Judy chair assist and to Jack AB and chair assist. you all are the best and FRS clipper Company is very lucky to have this kind of staff that gives you a higher quality because of the staff that represent you. Thank you, Jack, for going above and beyond in helping me. Do not hesitate to travel with them, this crew are the best. Regards Martha P. read more

The good was planning the trip 9 months in advance. The bad was the trip never happened. Never got an email or notice that the boat leaving Seattle was cancelled. So we get up early, all packed & excited, go all the way downtown Seattle to find no one there. A construction worker informed us that the boat does not operate on Tuesdays or Wednesdays. There was no one to call at that time. We had to go back home sad. When I called a little later, I was told we could fly up there. That was not happening. We did not get a sorry but we did get a full refund . Customer service with this company does not exist and after reading some other complaints I'm positive of that. I am not the type of person to complain or find a reason to either. I just wish there was some kind of compensation for a future trip. Now I think I may find a different rout. read more

You've got to make this trip! It is fast and fun! I wouldn't do it any other way unless I got the VIP seats on the top. I don't know what the coach people do, but we got great service. Great service by the entire crew. This is a fun way to blast your way over to Victoria, Vancouver Island! read more

See all

I am so glad I decided to try again! This time I upgraded to better seats near the window! We saw so many whales the even the crew were speechless! It was an incredible experience! Also shout out to to the staff behind the counter. When I mentioned that my daughter was seasick they handed us all kinds of things to help! read more

Of the two locations for the FRS Clipper, this location in Seattle (versus the location in Canada) is run much more efficiently and is much nicer. Our morning experience went very well for the first leg of our day trip to Canada. You walk in, check in, and then you wait in a larger open room to board. This was juxtaposed by our terrible Canada leg, where parents with strollers weren't able to enter the space because their strollers couldn't fit through the tiny aisles, which caused shoving and general other pain points. Our experience once we returned back to Seattle was basically average. It was late at night and the people working the dock gave differing directions, but once we made it into the building the process went smoothly. All in all, If the FRS Clipper experience was the same at both ports we'd likely more regularly go to Canada. read more

I had a good experience with the clipper going to Victoria on an overnight trip. I booked everything online and the hotel was high quality and everything was enjoyable. I chose the chateau Victoria hotel. I added the Butchart gardens and they take your bags to the hotel as you go sightseeing. It's a long ride of about 3 hours to get to Victoria and that's too much travel to go back in one day, so I chose overnight for more time to sightsee. I had enough time to see the downtown and the local area. I think 2 days is plenty for this trip. Onboard they have some snacks available, but I recommend bringing your own food if you want something better than packaged items. They ran out of the oatmeal on the morning ride. I also recommend getting the panoramic seats upstairs that cost a little more but it's worth it. Make sure you read the instructions and email they send before the day you board because you probably have to use the enter Canada website or app and you can print your tickets ahead of time. It's not a cheap trip but it was something we really wanted to do and I think the company did the best job possible. It's the fastest way to go to Victoria from Seattle for a short visit. We really wanted to go to Butchart gardens and have tea at the empress and see the local area. A lot of people go to Victoria and come back the same day, but it's a very long day and I personally don't think it's worth it if you go to Butchart gardens. You take a bus from Victoria to the gardens and it is another hour ride each way, so if you go back to Seattle in one day it is 2 hours on the bus and 6 on the ferry in one day with almost no time for anything else. Once you get there Victoria is a walkable city and has a nice downtown. Everything worked out well and I would recommend this for anyone who is interested in the same type of travel. read more

See all

If you don't bring binoculars, you won't see much. For very good reasons, the clipper needs to remain pretty far away from the whales and can only stay in a place where there are whales for a set time. It took us about 90 minutes to arrive a place where we say 10 whales from afar. Given the 90 minutes it took to return, we were whale watching for 50-60 minuets. read more

Nice boat, comfortable seats, friendly service, and a lovely scenic way to visit Victoria BC. But it is quite expensive! If you're not from Seattle and thinking of visiting Victoria BC as well, do not do a round trip if possible. Use this ferry for a one way trip to Victoria BC, then fly back home from Victoria's airport. Or vice versa. The ferry ride itself is 2 hours 45 minutes. But you'll want to get there 30 minutes early. Also if you checked luggage, it may take over 1 hour to fully disembark and get through Customs. Carry On folks might be half that time. So rather than taking this ferry back to Seattle, and then flying back to my hometown of San Diego, I should've just flown directly from Victoria back to San Diego which would've saved me half a day of travel time. It might cost a bit more to fly from Victoria airport, but you're also saving yourself over $100 for the ferry costs, and lots of time. read more

The FRS Clipper is the only high speed ship that sails between Seattle and Victoria, BC. It is a 2 hour 45 minute crossing each way and runs at 1-2 times daily depending on the season. There are 3 classes. General on the lower deck, then Vista and Comfort class on the upper deck, with the former at the back and the latter upfront. There is another upgrade of the comfort class and that is VIP comfort class which encompasses only the front row seats (10 of them) and the double seats on both sides. Comfort class is separated by sliding doors from Vista, has its own restrooms (2 of them) and provides complimentary snacks and beverages (no alcohol). Other food and booze is available and can be purchased. I booked my seats in VIP Comfort class both ways and did so, months ahead of time. A few days later, I thought it better to do the trip one way only and to fly back on the return leg. When I called the Clipper office in Seattle, they refused to let me cancel my return trip without forfeiting the whole fare amount. So be aware, there are no cancellation refunds. They will only allow a change for $30. The trip to Victoria was the best, because the two assigned attendants to Comfort class made sure that the sliding doors were shut and no free loaders entered from the other areas of the vessel. We had our privacy and exclusive comfort all the way. The return journey to Seattle was another story. The two assigned attendants were unfriendly. They spent most of their time at the back of our cabin chit chatting with fellow attendants, who had made their way to the comfort class. One on one care that we were spoiled with on the outgoing journey was absent on this return trip. Advertised table service, and waste collections, only once. Furthermore, the sliding doors between Comfort and Vista classes were kept wide open during the whole voyage. Thus, with the noise level higher, privacy shattered, and comfort class passengers questioning whether paying top dollar was actually worth the price. Overall, I think the FRS Victoria clipper needs to overhaul its disembarking procedures too. If you are in comfort class and board first you should disembark first too. Just like it is with the airlines for business and first class. Anyone that gets on first needs to get out first. No ifs and buts. Some points one needs to seriously consider, if you are contemplating a trip on the FRS Victoria Clipper. read more

See all

We arrived early. The trip and everything was good. To get in and out of the clipper was super fast The only thing I didn't like was that they tell you about a great discount for parking near by... the discount is awful is just 10 dollars that's it read more

Regrettably the whales were too far up north for any sightings despite it being peak season, but we still had an enjoyable ride out to the Puget Sound. The whale watching tour had passed by Protection Island where bald eagles and cute baby harbor seals were spotted. A couple of porpoises swimming by were seen along the route too. We had booked tickets 1.5 months out in advance opting in for premium seating. After all taxes and fees, the cost was $148.72 per person compared to $137.70 for standard seating in the lower cabin. Premium seating at the upper deck offered less crowding with private rows and better views from accessible window seating. Due to the guarantee, another whale watching free of charge can be booked anytime in the next year. Instructions on travel, discounted parking, and boarding were clear from the tickets. The boat departed around 10:30 AM and had a timely arrival back to Pier 69 at 3:30 PM. Complimentary motion sickness medication was provided. Food and drinks were available for purchase, but we brought our own. Both decks had outside access and be sure to bring a jacket that is preferably wind resistant. read more

See all

Had an amazing trip, staff friendly and informative. Food was ok. Sitting is a little awkward as our premium seats were facing other guests. Parking garage was a nightmare would recommend trying to park elsewhere but overall our trip was fantastic wish it wasn't so expensive but we'd love to return someday with our kids. read more

Disappointing experience from start to end. I booked a window seat on the port side of the boat for a whale watching excursion. Apparently, their system double booked me and I was charged twice. I had to call to request a refund but left a voicemail after waiting on hold for a very long time. Instead of calling me back, I received an email stating the refund would take a couple days but the original reservation would be honored. Upon boarding, I realized my assigned seat was not the seat I booked. Instead of a window seat, I was in the aisle on the starboard side. (There was already another couple in my seat and the boat was full.) I understand the lack of whales is not in your control, but everything that made my excursion a waste of a day was due to your company. read more

See all

Went on a whale watching tour yesterday. The check-in and boarding process was smooth. We were in the lower cabin area and the seats were nice and comfortable. We packed & brought our own lunch, which is a refreshing option, as the previous reviewer stated. We saw a single humpback early in the tour, the views were stunning and we were able to observe several killer whales from 2 separate pods. It was a nice day. The only criticism I have is that the bathroom was not well maintained. There was urine on the floor and the edges/corners are filthy. Could use a deep/proper cleaning. read more

See all

Super disappointed in the whale tour. We did see ONE whale, but we stayed in his area for so long. It's like they just try to get to one animal and then give up trying to find more. It felt like we wasted a lot of time that could have included more whales. The assigned seating is great and worth paying extra for. I'd recommend sitting on the port side because they tended to keep the boat aimed at viewing from that side instead of trying to spin so us starboard people could get the good view. I did appreciate the naturalist's slideshows! Not sure how this line's Google ratings are higher than Yelp ratings. Wish I would have noticed that. read more

We showed up 2 hours before our departure and were greeted by a very rude lady working at the ticket counter. She basically forced us to check our bags (they were under size) because the boat was full. When I said that we were some of the first people there and what if we didn't want to check them she said we'd be stopped at the door and delay the boat. This will add a delay in time to us getting home and no one after us were told that they had to check their luggage, they were simply given the option. I am unsure why this lady decided to single us out and be so unkind about it-- especially since you pay for carry on bags with your ticket. **As an update, my husband and I split up so he could go get the car and I stayed back to wait for our bags-- it took me an extra 40 minutes to get off the boat and through security. read more

Loved the boat, loved the ride to and from Victoria, loved the crew. We decided on an extended trip to Seattle to spend a day or two in Canada as well. The FRS clipper does a round trip from Seattle to Victoria, Canada daily. We boarded in Seattle at 7:15am for the 8:00am departure to Victoria, sat back for 3 lovely hours, and disembarked shortly before lunchtime. The return trip is every day at 5:30pm. We came early (4:00pm) because we were warned that customs was a bit slower on the return trip, and it was. Once we got aboard the boat however, we received the same awesome service we were treated to on our voyage to Victoria. I cannot recommend the ferry ride to and from Victoria enough. It's such a pleasant way to travel, see the rugged coastline, a few whales (a total bonus!), drink a little wine, and relax. And one amazing added treat: the views of Mt. Rainier from the boat on our return trip we're BREATHTAKING! Definitely would do it again in a heartbeat if I ever vacation in the PNW again! read more

This review is only for Seattle-Victoria round trips. I feel this is the best way to get to Victoria, BC. Harbor to Harbor in 2.5 hrs. We have been taking this route over 20 years. It's consistently provided reliable service, from booking over the phone to check-in. Staff on ferry always helpful and friendly. On return trips Victoria-Seattle, we check in early so we can roam downtown Victoria before departure. Smooth process to leave bags and check in luggages. If only they will have a Seattle to Vancouver trip. Anyhow, I'll keep hoping. Meanwhile, good job FRS Clipper, until we sail again! read more

Please get better food! Menu hasn't changed in years. Options for breakfast are extra awful - nothing to make a meal out of. The included snacks in Comfort (chips, pretzels, juice, coffee) are not worth the price. Opt for Vista, which is still upstairs and has comfier seats than Economy. Bring back the Commodore frequent floater program! Bring back friendly customer service, both on land and on the boat. Your staff have all changed since the pandemic, and you've really lost your customer service magic. I now dread dealing with Clipper staff and enjoy the happier US & Canada border officers. Something really has changed. Given the short loading and unloading times, it is faster to drive via Coho, and much cheaper. read more

We enjoyed a day trip around the Puget Sound on the FRS Clipper for whale watching. The booking was online and easy enough, although the website did have a few glitches causing me to need to basically walk through the process and fill out information several times before it accepted my reservation. The instructions for arrival were very clear. You get a voucher to park in the Bell Street Pier parking garage so it is $10 flat fee. Departure was 10:30 am (they recommend you arrive about 45 minutes ahead of time for parking/boarding/etc). and we were back by 3:30 pm just as stated. The seats were comfy, and easy to get around to the various decks including the upper viewing deck outside. The crew was knowledgeable, kind, and clearly loved what they do! We saw sea lions, a bald eagle, and around 4 Biggs transient orcas and learned a lot about the wildlife during our time there. There is food available for purchase, and complimentary anti-nausea meds (which I was thankful for!). read more

See all

Went whale watching this week with them and could not be happier. At first I thought the price was a bit high, but for a five hour plus tour it was so worth it. They notified us as we got on board that the ship probably would not get back until 5:30 pm, it was originally due back at 3:30 pm. They let people rebook if this new time was inconvenient for them. The reason for the late return was that the orcas were spotted a distance away plus a front was approaching with inclement weather that they had to skirt around. Now I have been whale watching in San Diego for years and have never had a company go above and beyond as this one did. The orcas were spectacular. The ship is very stable with not one person getting sea sick. The food they sell is made by a bakery in Seattle and it went fast. The naturalist was very informative and helpful. I will go back the next time I am in Seattle. This is the only company that goes out of a pier right in Seattle. read more