The Clipper is really the only reasonable way to get from Victoria to Seattle. But for a service with a bit of a monopoly market, the standard of customer service and care does not suffer. Even if the boat has to be cancelled for weather-related reasons, passengers are offered the option of rescheduling for the next day at no additional cost or being bussed to their destination via BC Ferries (at no additional cost - and with an accompanying voucher for 50% of another booking with the Clipper). The staff routinely go above and beyond the call of duty, are pleasant and helpful as a rule, and travelling on the boat is probably one of my favourite ways to get anywhere. Why fly when you can hop on the Clipper and get Harbour-to-Harbour transit with an on-board duty free shop, a great variety of snacks and generously poured bar specials? Booking your ticket online will save you considerably in the price department, with online rates sometimes as much as half of the price of tickets booked through an agent. There are also routinely special discount fares during the late fall and winter months, as well as great package deals with hotels in both Victoria and Seattle (though the company is geared toward American tourists). As a helpful hint, using the promo code 'THANKS' will save you 10% off your regular fare at any time of the year. They also have the "Commodore's Club" which entitles frequent travellers to a free round-trip cruise after 7 or so round trips on the Clipper. read more

Very disappointed. When we arrived on Victoria, it took an hour before the bus actually left for the gardens. The bus is very cramped. The gardens were nice, but definitely not the best we have seen. The major bummer is that we are super delayed for the return trip. And, we have an early booking in Seattle tomorrow. It may be midnight before we get to the hotel. Plus, we have to check in and sit in the waiting room for several hours, without being able to leave. Poor planning, Clipper Vacations! It got worse. We didn't arrive back at the dock until 1:15 am. Pathetic. read more

We booked a ferry trip from Seattle to Friday Harbor that was cancelled less than a week before our trip due to mechanical issues. Instead of a nice open ferry ride, we got packed into a bus for a 2hour ride up I-5 to the Anacortes ferry. No alternatives because we already had airfare and hotel reservations we couldn't change. We were told we would receive a 50% refund for the "inconvenience" (as opposed to not getting what we paid for). But didn't even get the refund--paid full price for a miserable bus. read more

Every couple of years, we go to Victoria for a pleasant weekend; we always drive and always love it. This time, we decided to try Victoria Clipper. Big mistake!!! Even though the actual sailing takes 3 hrs, the check-in/luggage/boarding/customs procedures make it a 5 hour deal, that is extremely overpriced and for some reason extremely crowded. Seattle to Victoria leg was not pleasant, but at least it was well-organized. But Victoria to Seattle was miserable. Even though they list a Boarding Group numbers on the boarding passes, no one boards by groups, because the immigration process that starts at the time that boarding was supposed to have started takes too much of the unplanned time. If you come on time, you will end up walking all over the boat looking for the available seats, as all of them are already occupied by the people who knew better and came to stand in waiting line for an hour BEFORE the actual boarding time that your boarding pass states. Which adds another hour to your total travel time. To make a long story short, if you can drive a car between Seattle and Victoria, by all means do that. It will be faster, more pleasant, you will not have to stand in line multiple times, be seasick and surrounded by hundreds of people for 5 hours, and only pay a fraction of the cost. read more

Easy way to get to and from Seattle, although it took about 15 mins after we arrived to be allowed to leave the boat and we are about 45 mins late on our departure. read more

In organized , onboard food is just junk, bring your own if you have to travel on this liner. Staff is rude and very inconsiderate. Ore board their own group so you get the left over seats. More than an hour delay till now and counting. I don't think I will ever repeat on this line. read more

People are really nice, crew is great. My only complaint...THEY DON'T BOARD BY FIRST COME FIRST SERVE, as they advertise. You show up early, no matter they board by group numbers. Expect to stand around for hours!! read more

The Clipper is a pretty awesome way to travel the scenic route from Seattle to Victoria. The wait is reasonable to board and to get through customs, though it was a little late leaving Victoria due to the high season. They board in group numbers, and they only announce on the speaker system who shall board; it would be helpful to have a screen in English and French with this information. They are a cashless system, with the one exception being the motion sickness medication for a quarter. The snack packs and sandwiches are pretty spartan, and not worth the money. Bring your own food; but alcohol is very reasonable. read more

The clipper got us there faster than expected. They pointed out the orcas on the boat ride and told us facts about them. The crew members were extremely polite, helpful, and kind. The only downside was that the basic economy seating is disgusting. The fabric looked absolutely disgusting and like it hadn't been cleaned in a a few years and the fabric itself looked at least a decade old; if not three. It's frustrating that you have to upgrade to get a clean seat. read more

Comfort class was very nice. Seats were great. Staff was attentive and helpful. However I would recommend bringing your parka, hats and mittens. We traveled on very warm day in August and we absolutely froze in the comfort class. A/C was cranked and there was no turning back. Beware and bring a warm winter coat - even in the summer. read more

Comport class very nice. The seats was great. The staff was nice. I will come back with my family . Thank you for my friend recommended .

A large catamaran holds between 250 and 320 passengers. Trip costs about $182. They board by boarding number in increments of 50 i.e. 1-50 then 51-100. The trip is 3 hours and we had internet connection for most of the trip. The last 20 minutes or so it switches to Canadian internet, so be sure you add an international data package to avoid costly charges. The vessel has multiple bathrooms and they serve food onboard. They are cashless so be sure to have your credit card ready. You can buy packages of tours onboard. We took the early trip from Seattle to Victoria, arrived at 10:30 and while onboard we bought the Butchart Garden and City tour combo for $54 (gardens are a must see attraction). The bus picked us up from the pier, loaded our luggage, took us thru town and to the gardens. Allows 2 hours at the gardens and then they drop you off at your preferred hotel downtown, just in time for check in time. We left the pier at 11 and were dropped off at our hotel at 3 pm. All in all a great experience and would definitely use the Victoria Clipper again read more

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We took the Clipper from Seattle to Victoria recently, as it is the easiest way to get between the two places. I was very pleased with the service both on the boat and at the terminals. The signage is a little confusing at the terminals, so pay attention! The food options at the Seattle terminal were actually much better than I had expected - so if you take the early boat out, breakfast is a reasonable option at the terminal while you wait. The Clipper is a bit expensive, but if it's an irregular trip it's worth it just for the experience. read more

This was a good way to get back to Seattle from Victoria. Not as fast as flying, but it gets you there

The weather was dicey this weekend and the staff did all they could to insure all passengers safety including the option of plan B. Gratefully we left on the clipper, 1.5 hours behind schedule but again briefed us about conditions. With anti nauseous pills, some tea & ginger candy, the crossing of San Juan de Fuca wasn't horrible. With a good attitude it turned out just fine. Looking forward to doing the trip again! read more

took the ferry from seattle to victoria and also to the san islands. i do remember there being an issue with my reservation but its been awhile. it was resolved. experience on the boat was good read more

The Victoria Clipper is an excellent way to travel between Seattle and Victoria BC! The staff is extremely organized and that makes for an easy trip! Granted we went off season (I'm on the ferry now and it's October!) and it's not jammed. However they still have to put 200 people on a ferry and also check their passports and luggage too. This was seamless both on our way to Victoria and now back to Seattle. The food on board is surprisingly good! Both ways we had the fruit and cheese plate that had Brie, Gouda, cheddar, crackers and sliced apples. Yum! The prices aren't bad either! There's plenty of room for carry on luggage under your seat. The staff at the duty free counter gives you tips on things to do either way, whether heading to Victoria or Seattle and they're super friendly! I highly recommend this ferry. You do not need your car in Victoria, trust me! Why deal with all that when you can just take a piece of luggage and yourself? Also we did a package that included Butchart Gardens which was well worth it. The bus picked us up at the ferry terminal and we headed on over. A great time. Thanks to all!! read more

Really nice inside. Fast check-in and bag check in's available. Everything cost money (except water and nausea pills), and all of their announcements involve them earning money. Ticket pretty pricey at $100 for 1-way (cheaper round trip options available), but it's pretty comfortable inside & looks like the inside of an airplane. The middle aisle has seats that face together with tables between them, which is great for groups. Friendly staff. Outside deck not too elegantly kept, but accomplishes its job as a deck read more

Beautiful ride through the sound and definitely the best deal for getting to victoria from Seattle. On board duty free has a good selection and great prices. We drank quite a few of the champagne splits at $6 a pop. The cheese plate was tasty for $4. We got lucky and has a sunny and calm day with beautiful sweeping views. read more

The Victoria clipper was a great way to get from Seattle to Victoria. The ride was really nice. The seats were comfy and the workers were very friendly. We took the 7:30 am ride up to Victoria and it was very easy to check in and get seated. There were plenty of empty seats. When we left for Seattle on our way back, the boat was sold out so the lines were a lot longer to check in and get on and off of the boat. My only complaint is that they need to deep clean the boat. Along the walls and tables there is a lot of dirt/stains. read more

Great time. Better if u stay a few days. Sit near emergency exits or middle of boat for extra leg room. Get there early!! Expired passports seem to be a minimal issue, don't ask...I know you won't. Tour of Victoria and the gardens were fun, maybe too short if you have high tea there. Stick your pinky out and then drag your tired ass back to the ship or hotel. read more

What a nice way to travel. The boat was very accommodating and comfortable. You can order food and champagne with a sever that comes to your seat. It's only a 2.5 hour boat ride to Victoria, BC. They also offered a lot of information on what to check out on our stay in BC. We'll take the Clipped as often as Possible. Great way to travel. They also offered "sea sickness" medicine for only $.25. I'm sure that's valuable to many people.;) read more

Great service. Nice ride to Seattle. I did the trip at sundown so we got a lovely sunset. They also have packages which are pretty good.

Our hostess "Katie" was the best. She gave us personal treatment and was very knowledgeable. Very nice experience on board, we were treated very nicely even though the ship was quite full. Really recommend this for the next traveler. read more

We are heading back to Seattle tonight. Our boat is only 1/5th at capacity. Before we even walked through the check-in doors a very rude woman was hassling me and my husband about our carry on luggage. We carried them on just fine 3 days ago on this very same boat. Our luggage has detachable front so we offer to remove them to make them fit the box and she then explained that if we did that we would have too many small personal items (by one very small camera bag). So fine, we checked them in, reluctantly. But as we sit down after CBP we noticed SEVERAL other bags larger than ours being carried on. Not to mention most people had several personal items. I literally counted 12 people in the immediate area with a bag that would've never fit that box or they had 3 plus items. Now, the part that hurts is that my a husband and I are the only two people on the boat of color. Were we singled out? Because I have to tell you, that is exactly what it feels like. These boats don't even have cubbies. It's literally a rack that would fit a full size luggage if that was allowed. So why were they so strict with the rules to the only two people of color? I am not normally one to play the race card, but we feel very singled out and very hurt. We've taken this boat 2 other times with the same luggage and it was just fine then. I will be leaving a review on Yelp and making sure I don't recommend this company to people we associate with. read more

Unfortunately, bad weather caused our 8am ferry crossing (the only departure of the entire day) to Victoria to be cancelled. But rather than end it there, the entire crew banded together to get 3 charter buses to our pier by 10am, and they drove us up to the ferry from Vancouver, B.C. to Victoria. Throughout the entire process and passenger grumblings, the crew remained incredibly helpful, cheery, and kind. These people went above and beyond to get us to our destination safely. Sure, we lost a few hours. But I'm incredibly thankful that they saved our trip! read more

I like the Clipper for a lot of reasons. It's actually faster to take the Clipper to downtown Seattle than it is to take transit all the way from downtown Victoria to downtown Vancouver, so if a band you want to see is touring, it's better to hop on the Clipper and go to Seattle. Because it's not a vehicle ferry, they serve alcohol, which is nice. The food basket are pretty decent too. I also like the fact that sell you Gravol tabs (Dramamine for you Americans) before the voyage, in case you are prone to seasickness. read more

We had a round trip ferry trip from Seattle to Victoria B.C on Wednesday, June 29, 2016. the trip from Seattle to Victoria was very smooth with no issues. However, upon showing up to the terminal on our return trip we were advised the ferry had been cancelled due to a "weather advisory"..? Keep in mind the sky in and around Victoria was crystal clear. I find this explanation hard to believe and seems to me the Victoria Clipper Co. was being evasive as to the true reason for the cancellation? I understand things happen, however the Victoria Clipper staff should have contacted their passengers via email or phone calls to advise the trip was cancelled so if needed we could have made other arrangements for transportation? They do after all have this information! This lack of respect for their passengers is unacceptable and should be reviewed by the BBB..! read more

Agree with some of the previous posts. Must be a better process for both boarding and disembarking!!!!

Took a quick getaway from Seattle to VIctoria with a Clipper Package. Left early morning and all was well until we hit unexpected waves outside the San Juans. It was miserable but the staff jumped into action and passed out ginger candies and escorted people outside for fresh air. Arrived in Victoria and seamlessly boarded a bus for a tour of Victoria then on to Butchart Gardens. Our tour guide was great very upbeat and professional. He dropped hints such as converting celsius to farenheit (double the celsius temp and add 30) as well as facts about the City. Got to the gardens and had plenty of time to see the beautiful gardens. Boarded bus for more tour of the City. Arrived back in Victoria and he pointed us to the Empress. He definitely earned a tip, which is optional. Stayed overnight then boarded the Clipper back to Seattle. What can I say. We enjoyed happy hour as the sun set over the San Juans. It was amazing. The trip was smooth as glass, the staff came to our seats to take our order and were very professional. The other passengers were all very nice. It was a great way to travel between Seattle and Victoria. Tips: sit near windows so you can see the horizon when you hit choppy waters. Will keep you from getting sick. Or go outside. The food is pretty good, I recommend the turkey croissant sandwich. Drinks are cheap, cheap, cheap and strong. Bring a carry on, preferably a small bag to stow under your seat. You can get on and off and through customs quick. Bring your headphones, listening to your favorite jams while taking in the view of the San Juans, Olympic mountains and waves is magical. read more

The RUDEST booking staff in the world. You luggage allotment is less than a carry on and the cancellation policy is non-existent. You buy it - it's yours. No exchanges/no cancellations. Beware the fine print and the full on attitude. read more

We just returned home from a trip to the Pacific Northwest, that included a trip from Victoria, BC to Seattle, WA on the Victoria Clipper. I have to admit that I was incredibly nervous about this trip, especially after reading multiple reviews from people warning about rough seas/seasickness! I'm already a nervous traveler who is prone to motion sickness, so I was less than excited. However, our journey from Victoria to Seattle was much better than expected. My husband and I did both take advantage of the free meclizine (motion sickness medicine), but we had incredibly smooth seas. The only rough spot was where the Strait of Juan de Fuca met the Puget Sound, but even this was fairly smooth. My only complaint would be about the lines waiting to go through customs on both ends, but I suppose this is just due to the times we live in, and not much can be done to spare travelers from these cattle-call like lines that, at times, do not even move. We left from Victoria at 11:30 and arrived in Seattle at 2:15, but did not get through customs for another 45 minutes. This is after going through customs on the Canadian side as well. If you take the free seasickness medicine and be prepared to stand in a couple of ridiculous lines, I don't see how you can't enjoy this trip. We had beautiful weather for the trip, and we even saw some marine life -- one whale, some dolphins, and some seals. The bathrooms on board are spacious and seemed clean enough. Overall, a nice trip, and a great option to get from Vancouver Island to Seattle. read more

We booked a round trip on the ferry, spent a week in Victoria, but when we when we arrived for our ride back to Seattle, we were told the ferry had left early. Because they had emailed us that morning, we were told it was our fault we had missed the ferry and we could submit a request for a refund, but no guarantees. The people at the ferry were largely unhelpful. In fact, the guy told us we were the only ones who had failed to receive the email or arrive on time. Problem with that is that 2 other parties showed up after us who had also missed the notice and ferry. Furthermore, on the ride over to Victoria, they spent about an hour selling various tour packages, duty free items, etc. but at no time did they say anything about recommending we check our emails, or check in with the ferry to confirm departure time, or that departure time can be early if there are concerns about the weather. We could easily have adjusted our plans if we had known, but in fact, other than a little wind in the afternoon, the weather was beautiful. If we had missed the ferry because we showed up too late on the advertised departure time, I can understand why we would not be compensated. However, to say that AFTER THE FACT their policy is if they email you, you have been notified seems unreasonable and not customer friendly. These guys are clearly interested in selling you add ons to tours, etc., not in providing superior customer service. We believe we should receive 1/2 of our fare back, not the difference between one way and round trip. Furthermore, that fare refunds should be made immediately and not subject to filling out "refund request forms" which are submitted to "corporate" who will then make the decision in their own good time. Additionally, their standard announcements on the ferry should include an advisement to people who booked a round trip that they should watch for emails or provide them with a good telephone number for contact if the schedule is changed. For those who do not live with their smart phone attached to their hand 24/7, their customers should be given a local number to call on departure day to check the status of the ferry schedule. read more

I had an absolutely horrendous experience with my 3 children taking the Clipper from Victoria to Seattle. We arrived more than an hour ahead of time and ended up last in line. Because there is no assigned seating, we were at the end of the line. The pre-boarding was for families with children under 3 - I had a 4 year old and 9 year old with me, and we were going to have to sit separately on what amounted to rows and rows of seats. It was awful - worse than boarding Southwest if you're at the end. We ended up having to sit on these boxes that they stored equipment in so that we could stay together. It was an awful experience. I complained at the end and received a letter that the software for assigned seating is too expensive and that everyone is emailed a confirmation telling them the boarding procedure (which I never received). I would highly suggest that they take a look at how they treat people - the facility for waiting was also horrendous. To me, they get away with this because they can - they are one of the main ways to get to Seattle from British Columbia. All I can say is if there's another way to go, take it. It's not a professionally run operation by any stretch of the imagination. read more

I booked the so-called "best deal" "best price guarantee" hotel package. However after visiting the hotel's own website, I realized that not only am I not getting any discount by booking the hotel+ferry together, I am actually being overcharged by more than $50 dollars for the hotel. I contacted clipper's customer service and the guy who answered the phone actually told me that I should've checked the hotel website before booking with them. Yeah that's right, their own employee telling a customer to avoid using their own service. Other than that he told me it's past the refund time and there's nothing he can do about it. He made absolutely zero effort at offering any form of sincere apology, excuses, or refund/coupons. I also sent in an email request and it was ignored for 2 days before someone contacted me, saying that the same hotel is now fully booked so there's no way for them to check for disparity and there's nothing they can do. Seems to me that they intentionally waited until the hotel took down the standard weekend rate offer just to scam $50 out of the customer. They calculate their rate based on the normal hotel weekday rate and/or highest rate, so when hotels offer standard, routine weekend/holiday discounts, they get to screw over the customers, and pocket the discount money offered by the hotel themselves. VERY DISHONEST AND SHADY, take their own customer service rep's advice and avoid booking packages with them at all cost. read more

Ferry was not full to capacity, which was nice. Sat up top. We came to the terminal one hour ahead in our pick-up, due to the fact that we pulled our RV and left in at the RV park. My husband dropped me off to check in while he parked. I asked immediately where he should park. I was given directions for their normal parking suggestions. He called me to tell me that he was unable to park in the garage the VC suggested to get a discount because the overhead clearance was hitting the top of our pick-up. I explained this to the woman that checked me in. She explained the directions for him to park elsewhere. He called again, couldn't park there due to no overnight parking there. We were coming back the next day. Now, she does not know where he should park. Another agent suggested parking at the hotel next to them. Due to one way streets, etc., this was very stressful for my husband as the time was now 7:45 for a 8:00 sail time! He had to run to catch the ferry with a valet ticket costing us $50 to park at the hotel. I told the agent to begin with what kind of vehicle he was parking. Two of them said no problem. It would be nice if they knew where alternative parking is available for over night returns. Would have made parking easier. The ferry was not as bad as I thought it would be. Kind of like flying, which I believe would have been comparable in cost if the reservation was made in enough advance, lol. $310 seems pretty steep for two. read more