The tour was great, but the staff was better. From what I gathered we got a little unlucky with how few whales we saw but it was still so much fun. Everyone was so kind and helpful, especially Justin! Thank you guys! (Also they do warn you to layer up... but I'm double warning you. It was much colder than I thought it would be) read more

Puget Sound Express - Boat, wind. - Whale Watching Tours Near Me - Edmonds, Washington

Whether your interest is in seeing whales in the wild, birds from eagles and osprey or puffins, or seeing the wonders of Puget Sound and the Salish Sea, family-owned Puget Sound Express will bring you an amazing experience. The crew is professional and welcoming. The naturalist shares in picture and word, background for species and individual whales that enhance and educate. I get express strongly enough my recommendation for such an enriching experience. read more

Very cool & awesome experience. You never know what you'll see as nature has its own agenda. We saw 1 humpback, and 4 grays. The guides were knowledgeable & friendly. The bottomless mug seems like a very good deal (hot chocolate, coffee), and they even were washing mugs at the end of the trip so it would be clean for customers. I just wish the mug design was slightly cuter haha read more

Puget Sound Express - Thidwick, a gray whale fluking - Whale Watching Tours Near Me - Edmonds, Washington

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We did a gray whale watching tour in puget sound--the captain mentioned early on that every trip is different, like a safari on the water--we found gray whales feeding in shallow water off Whidbey Island across from Camano. Very cool trip, great boat, awesome staff and good coffee to boot! Definitely recommend! read more

I've been on tours with Puget Sound Express out of Edmonds three times and every trip was fantastic. Two of the trips were bird / puffin cruises and the third was whale watching. We saw puffins both years I went. The captain and their onboard naturalist were really knowledgeable about local wildlife. And did a great job of spotting whales / birds / wildlife and stopping for unexpected sightings. Not to mention the crew has always been super nice. You can purchase parking in advance for the Edmonds Marina, which we did. In the summer we like the mid week tours because they are less crowded. read more

Puget Sound Express - Humpback whale we saw in Puget Sound. - Whale Watching Tours Near Me - Edmonds, Washington

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what an incredible experience!! the boat was very comfortable and nice, staff members were knowledgeable and friendly, and we saw many orcas breaching and swimming!! the next time i'm back in town i will absolutely be back read more

Smooth ride on the Swiftsure. Funny, outgoing and helpful team. Naturalist and captain were terrific. Saw an Orca pod and a grey whale along with sea lions, sea birds and beautiful mountains. Fun day! read more

Puget Sound Express - Orca pod T-137! - Whale Watching Tours Near Me - Edmonds, Washington

This was our favorite water excursion of our Pacific Northwest adventure. We booked well in advance online directly through the company, purchasing our tickets, parking, Vibero boxed lunches, and baked-on-board blueberry buckles. EJ was our captain, and Kyla was our naturalist, narrator, and photographer. During our 47 nautical mile, 4-hour tour, we saw four killer whales, four grey whales, four sea lions, one bald eagle, and one pelagic cormorant. You must arrive 30 minutes before boarding, so ensure you're on time. Our vessel holds 150 passengers, but we had only 42. Please dress for the weather, and remember it gets cold on the water, especially when moving at 45 knots! It will be an unforgettable experience and is worth read more

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We had an amazing trip, comfortable boat, saw a humpback breaching and one just cruising along! We were hoping to see some Orca's but we didn't, but we had fun! The blueberry buckle was amazing! The crew was so friendly and attentive! Would recommend and would totally go again!! read more

Perfect day. We saw 11 whales, 3 different species. Perfect weather. The captain and crew were knowledgeable, friendly, and attentive. The boat was spotless and comfortable. Bathrooms were clean and smelled nice. It feels good when your experience beats your expectations. I recommend this company. My wife was pleased. read more

What an awesome adventure! We saw whales almost every five minutes the entire boat ride. We saw humpbacks, two pods of orcas, and a buoy full of fighting harbor seals. Kayla was a great naturalist on the microphone and took some great photos and shared with us. Captain Brian is so so funny, his introduction was practically a stand-up comedy show. The boat is extremely well designed and very comfortable and really planned so carefully maximum viewing for everyone. They thought of everything. read more

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We attended an afternoon whale watching tour on July 4th! The weather was really nice. The boat held about 150 people, and it was new, clean, with fancy cushioned seats and big windows. The staff members were very friendly and helpful. I'm not sure how, but some people had reserved their seats in advance, allowing them to sit next to the windows. I wish I had known how to reserve seats. We were lucky to see two pods of orcas, but about 30 minutes of whale watching came with almost 2-3 hours of travel time. During travel, the boat was very fast, so it wasn't really possible to stay on the deck for long because it was extremely windy and cold. Therefore, we basically stayed indoors, waiting until we saw whales. A nice touch was that on the way back, the naturalist showed us photos he took of the whales we saw and spent time telling us about the whales. He is very knowledgeable. We also saw some bald eagles and sea lions on the way back. I understand that starting from Edmonds instead of San Juan Island means we need to travel further to see whales, but I wish I had known this beforehand. My previous whale watching tours in CA allowed me to stay outside the whole time, seeing nature, birds, dolphins, etc. This tour definitely had fewer activities. read more

I'm not sure if you can see orcas and not give 5 stars but I'd still give it to them. Definitely a fun experience! Not far out of Seattle. We booked the day before for 9:30 AM, packed lunches and were good to go. We were also some of the last ones on the boat and were happy with our seats but get there early if you want first pick, I did notice some tables were marked reserved, so maybe that's an option too. Pack layers, expect to be cold and windy outside, while moving especially. We not only got to see orcas but got to witness them hunt a porpoise, pretty cool experience! From whale watching to bird watching at Protection Island. Elephant seals. Bald eagles. And so many more! With the guides pointing out and giving a little teaching lessons - and taking photos, which were available for purchase, all from trip. Definitely recommend this experience with this business! read more

Beyond highly recommend going on this tour! Went yesterday and saw lots and lots of killer whales, as well as otters, and all kinds of wonderful unusual seabirds. The crew was astonishingly, accommodating and full of information all along the way about what you were saying out there in our wonderful environment. The boat was great also. Oud give it a 10. It is a class act operation. Captain Tony worked incredibly hard for all of us. read more

We went on our first whale watching tour out of Edmonds. We had a great experience from start to finish. We saw one gray whale and a pod of Orca's. We were educated about whales while on the tour and it was worth the cost. read more

Puget Sound Express - Whale Watching Tours Near Me - Edmonds, Washington

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I thoroughly enjoyed my trip with Puget Sound Express. Captain Brian & Avery were great & entertaining and very knowledgeable. The boat was very clean which is important to me. I also appreciated that the safety briefing was just that...brief, i understand it's necessary but Captain Brian made it easy to go through when you're excited to get to the fun stuff. It did take a couple hours for us to see any whales, but we ended up seeing 2 humpbacks. I was a solo traveler on the first/ morning trip, so I did get a little tired/ bored since in that waiting time. I would maybe suggest going on the afternoon tour because ours started around 10 am and by 12 ish the sky really cleared up and made the experience that much better. I did add on the blueberry buckle which was just okay in my opinion but a fun thing to add on and have in the morning. I think if you don't get it, you'd feel like you're missing out since everyone else around you has one. I also added on the lunch where the sandwich was good but the girl did not give me an option of drink or chip. Overall, I did lost hope of seeing anything since it took a while but of course that Is out of their control, and I ended up having a really great time. I would return. read more

Fantastic whale watching trip! They not only took us to see gray whales, but also located another spot to see Orcas. The entire crew was so friendly and incredibly knowledgeable. Safe and clean boat. Such a memorable time. I'd definitely go again! read more

Me and my family came from our comfort suites hotel(see previous review) and we were excited to see some whales. We walked up onto the "swiftsure" to see 3 of the most amazing crew members:Tony, Brian, and EJ. (shoutout) We sat in the comfy, spacious boat and listened to rules, how to flush toilets, and how to look for whales. we traveled around the puget sound looking for whales. We found 2 different species of whales which is super cool and rare! Killer Whales(orcas) and a Gray whale. it was so very windy, i almost blew away! It was also a bit chilly, but definitely worth it. This was the best! thanks so much EJ, Tony and brian for not kidnapping us! read more

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We took the morning whale watching tour and it was a great experience. The boat is amazing, the staff is very knowledgeable and we saw a pod of killer whales midway in the strait of Juan de Fuca. read more

Puget Sound Express - Whale Watching Tours Near Me - Edmonds, Washington

Oh my goodness! I can't say enough good things about this whale watching tour. To start, I had originally booked this tour a few years ago but got covid a couple days before I was supposed to go and was unable to travel. They saved my order number and allowed me to use it to book the tour multiple years later when I rebooked my trip to Washington. I really appreciated it! As you board, a wave of freshly baked blueberry buckles swells the cabin making it such a pleasant experience. The tour guides were phenomenal. They were very funny and interactive. They were able to answer all questions about the wildlife and surrounding areas. The boat was new and very comfortable. I watched as the crew catered to an elderly couple who were not able to leave the cabin to go to the deck to watch the whales. They made sure the couple was informed of where to look out their window to have a great experience and see the whales. It was great to see. While out we saw about a dozen humpback whales, which was absolutely incredible!! Whale sights are not guaranteed since they can't control where the whales swim and stop to hunt for food, so we were very lucky. It was such a special day. I highly recommend. read more

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We saw one humpback and 3 orcas in 2 sightings. I had an audiobook for the downtime and suggest you bring something as well. I got some good photos and they offered pictures and videos from the onboard photographer. The pictures are of the whales you saw on your trip. They were a little expensive but not outrageous. For our trip it was $40 for 400+ photos/videos with probably 20 of them being useful. They do a slide show so you know what you are buying. We saw other whale tour ships that were probably much less expensive but I recommend this company. The ship was faster and you could sit inside while we searched for whales, the other boats did not have an inside cabin. read more

Puget Sound Express - Humpback whale fin - Whale Watching Tours Near Me - Edmonds, Washington

Everything was awesome!!! Orcas are my favorite animal and we saw at least 20 that day. The crew and captain were amazing as well. read more

Puget Sound Express - Orcas - Whale Watching Tours Near Me - Edmonds, Washington

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We had an amazing time at the Puget sound express. We saw orcas and Brian was a very fun tour guide. The mug deal on ship was a great deal! Everyone was nice and friendly. It was a great day. read more

Had a great experience. Captain was very knowledgeable about where to locate a couple different areas for viewing. We saw orcas and a grey whale in May. Staff was friendly, boat was clean and comfortable. No concerns at all. Great trip read more

Whale watching in the Seattle area has never been so fun, and comfortable. The whole experience from the departure to return is absolutely fabulous. Seeing orcas, or as some people call them, "killer whales", up close is something I always wanted to do. This company does it right. A comfortable and classy boat, a captain with great know-how and a child-like enthusiasm for whales, super intelligent naturalists (of all the whale watching trips I have taken to date, this company by far has the smartest crew), and a fun tour make this six hour tour go by really, really fast. It also helped the seas were very calm on my tour, but bring yourself some Dramamine or wear some sea bands just in case. Most people who take this tour have never seen a whale in their life, and they know this. This is why they take every opportunity to pull out every stop to ensure everybody gets to see these majestic mammals, while making every guest feel safe and comfortable throughout the entire time out at sea. The orcas (the primary whale spotted on our trip), appear fairly quickly and are quite active! They provide awesome entertainment; we got to see them on full display on why they are nature's "blackfish", why indigenous peoples worship them, and why they truly are the "wolves of the sea". The way they hunt their prey is remarkable. Whales aside, what else can one expect? Well, they show you around the Salish Sea, showing you birds and seals and sea lions, all the while hoping for other whales or sea life to appear. Taking in the sights of the Pacific Northwest is truly a wonder; as someone who visited Vancouver earlier this year, it was great to see it all again, this time from the vantage point of the United States. Hungry? No need to fear. They have food on board for you to buy, but I recommend pre-ordering before your trip. Their famed blueberry buckle is a huge reason why. It is basically a coffee cake meets a blueberry cobbler, and this treat alone is fantastic. Time it right so you are not waiting too long to get it! I highly recommend this company for whale watching. Thank you Puget Sound Express crew for making it a wonderful day! read more

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Wow what an amazing experience this was! I was a bit hesitant with the cost, I grew up whale watching in Southern California, it was much cheaper... but I was going with a group of friends so I decided it was worth a shot. First of all, the boat is amazing! Way different than my experience in California. It was so nice! Has a huge indoor area to hang out in when you are in route to find whales. The staff was so friendly and kept up the excited energy the entire trip. We saw orcas, a hump back whale and even a puffin! Such a great experience! read more

Puget Sound Express - Boat - Whale Watching Tours Near Me - Edmonds, Washington

Second time going to Seattle. This time around I wanted to experience nature give the weather was more favorable than the last time I visited. I heard of whale/orca watching tours and I never had seen any in my life out in the wild, so really my hopes weren't up. This family owned business takes their abilities above and beyond going as far s refunding you if you don't see any wildlife. WOW! That's really backing their word and dedication. I was almost in tears by this experience. Yes it's expensive, especially as a broke college student who also took her little sister on this life experience. But would I do it again?? YOU BET I WOULD. the sighting of any wild life especially the Orcas had me almost crying like a baby. The beauty that we experienced throughout the whole tour! It's 5 hours long, and almost every 15 minutes we were seeing animals. Besides the beauty of the nature. Let me tell you, their blueberry dessert was heaven sent!!! And they share the recipe with you!!!! I'm sure I can't replicate it even with the recipe. I'm not a cake/dessert person but wow the smell was too much to ignore and I had to try and I only regret not getting another. read more

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Captain Brian never disappoints! This was a great trip - a trifecta of seeing Gray Whales, Orcas, and Humpbacks. The tour was guided by Kyla a Marine Biologist. She is well versed on all the whale activity in the area and gave fascinating details on the whales and was able to identify them individually. This was my second time with Puget Sound Express Brian was my captain both times. The first one was on one of their bigger boats - if you can book on that one it is preferable because of the deck space. This tour was on their original smaller boat where only the front and back are open. It was harder for everyone to get a good view without others in the way. Albeit the interior had some great views out the side. All in all, I would highly recommend. Side note if all four species of whales are spotted on a tour the crew will jump in the water at the end of the tour. read more

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Wow! Today was the MOST AMAZING experience!! I cannot recommend this tour enough! The staff was amazing and so gracious-they alerted us to everything we were seeing throughout our journey! We saw an orca pod, humpback whales, minke whales, dolphins, sea lions-it was insane! On our way back they also shared family lineage of the orcas we saw today! I will definitely be rebooking! This is a must!!! read more

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Obviously there is no way to guarantee you will see whales, but the wonderful crew will do everything they can to make your tour worthwhile! The boat provides both indoor and outdoor seating on the upper and lower decks to make sure you're as comfortable as you'd like to be while taking in the sights. Our crew, Tony, EJ, and Laura, were so great at sharing their knowledge of the wildlife and scenery around us. Their enthusiasm and love for what they do is evident. Our trip was highlighted by orca and humpback whale sightings, along with seals, a puffin, and even an aircraft carrier! Make sure to start your trip with a warm plate of grandma's fresh baked blueberry buckle from the galley! read more

Puget Sound Express - Whale Watching Tours Near Me - Edmonds, Washington

We've done two whale tours and one puffin / bird tour with PSE and they were all excellent! The boat is very comfortable. The guides are very knowledgeable. You ride inside the boat on the way out and back, and then there is theater standing area at the front of the boat for viewing. We've seen gray whales, orcas, and puffins. We've seen what we were supposed to see each time out. Great trips. We'll go again when we are in Seattle again next year. Also, do yourself a favor and get the blueberry buckle (crumb cake)! read more

5 STARS for: - Customer service and crew - Vessel / boat - Experience - Food and Beverage This experience was a dream come true event for me and my family. Our experience was part was luck and part was our awesome crew being on top of where the whales were spotted. This crew gets notified when whales are spotted by other boats. They would jam straight over (keeping good distance) from migrating pods. Our boat was idled and the pods came straight up to us. It was truly a dream. I hope this is everyone's first experience whale watching. Following our trip, me and my family talked about the importance of water conservation, reducing our garbage in new ways, reuse as much as we can and more. This was an unforgettable experience. Thanks to the crew Bryan, Kyle and crew behind the concession stand!!! read more

On our trip to Seattle, we absolutely had to go whale watching. I found Puget Sound Express via Google and they were reasonably priced and came with add-ons like warm beverages and sandwiches. We probably wouldn't do the sandwiches again, but they allow you to bring your own lunch as well! While we only got to see a single whale, that was of no fault of the crew as they were courteous and did everything within their power to ensure we enjoyed our time onboard. We've kept our reusable mugs and fully intend to bring them back with us for our lifetime refills the next time we're in Washington. We documented the experience on the Destination Debrief YouTube channel. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y5zcF8hJFpI read more

Puget Sound Express - Whale Watching Tours Near Me - Edmonds, Washington

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The crew was all super friendly and the boat was lovely but we just didn't get close enough to any whales to feel like it was a special excursion and definitely was pricey for what we did see. The paid lunches are adequate and blueberry buckle was super tasty. read more

Puget Sound Express - Whale Watching Tours Near Me - Edmonds, Washington

This was a life changing experience. Everything about the whale watching your war perfectly executed. Directions for joining the tour are clear (you can buy parking for the full day for just $15), and the staff are friendly. You can purchase snacks ahead of time for onboard the tour. They have a blueberry buckle that is a family recipe and I insist that you get!! They do a great job tracking whales that they guarantee that you see a whale on your tour or you get a voucher for another trip. Not a problem though, we saw several on our journey. They have a photographer on board that takes professional photos during your trip that you can purchase. They have several research scientists on board that help identify the whales you see. There are bathrooms on board and comfy seats. Don't worry about getting the best seat on the tour, your best chance will be the stand on the deck. Bring sunglasses and a jacket! It will be a trip to remember. read more

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10/10, the boat was amazing, nice and smooth. Plenty of areas to see whales inside the cabin or out on the decks and enjoy the views. The captains/staff (Brian, Ej, and Bart) were all knowledgeable, funny, and helpful. We saw a super pod of Orca whales with a recent baby it was amazing. At one point they swam up to the boat. I would highly recommend for a fun trip just outside of Seattle read more

Puget Sound Express - Orca whales - Whale Watching Tours Near Me - Edmonds, Washington

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My son and I were on the Wednesday, September 12, 2023 cruise. I mention this because the weather was perfect. It was sunny, wind was around 4-6mph, temperature in the upper 60's. The boat is FAST! My GPS clocked us at 43mph. The boat is also super smooth. Only when we started getting into ocean swells about halfway through the Juan de Fuca straight was there any real bouncing. Our tour was a hat trick of 13 orcas from two transient pods, at least two, maybe three Humpback whales which included two raised flukes and one mouth open lunge, plus a Minke whale to top it off. The tour crew said it was their best outing of the year. We also saw porpoises, harbor seals, and sea lions while underway. What to wear: check the weather in advance. You're allowed to step out on the deck while underway, but bear in mind that a boat going 43mph makes a lot of it's own wind and anything that isn't secured might go flying. A properly fitted Tilley hat stayed on my head, but I'm not sure anything else would. A wind breaker might be a good idea, along with sweaters, etc. as needed to stay warm (again, depending on the weather). Closed toe, flat shoes with good grip won't hurt, and might save toes when everyone rushes to see the latest sighting. Pre-order food while booking the trip to be sure they bring what you desire. We opened turkey sandwiches, which were served with Sunchips. We also pre-ordered their blueberry buckle, which was yummy. Drinks are available at the galley counter, and hot teas were our choice. Allow some extra time in your schedule. If there is something to see, they will stop for it, and they might return to port later than estimated. Our trip was exceptional. I'm not sure that all of their cruises will see everything we saw, but I can say that our experience was incredible. read more

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Went on a whale watching tour last weekend and we got such a treat! Got to see some amazing killer whales and had a great time. The blueberry buckle is amazing and a MUST HAVE. read more

Highly recommended. Second time going out with PSE - first time saw transient orcas, the second went on the tour for gray whales. I've been out in Salish sea/Sound with different tours on different sized boats and PSE in particular I'd highly recommend for people from out of town (or even locals) First off the staff is great, well organized and ready and willing to answer questions. The boat is larger and very comfortable, there is a galley with food, drinks and hot coffee plus the famous blueberry buckle- all of which can make a trip much more comfortable than some of the smaller boats, which can be an important consideration for families. That being said it is still small enough with enough room that viewing of wildlife is relatively easy. There is a tiered area near the bow (front) of the boat which again will allow viewing without crowding. As far as what is being seen or may be seen on the trips, information is presented to passengers with PSE providing an on-board naturalist that gives a great general overview of the wildlife being seen and can answer specific questions through-out the trip as well (with even some "hands-on" models of the whales). read more

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We went out today with Capt Brian from Edmonds. The whole family had a blast! He made sure to make it fun for everyone and it was very educational and informative. I can't express enough how great of a time our family had while visiting from Michigan. We will definitely book with PSE again! read more

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