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Monday 8am - 5pm Tuesday 8am - 5pm Wednesday 8am - 5pm Thursday 8am - 5pm Friday 8am - 5pm Saturday 8am - 5pm Sunday 8am - 5pm

San Juan Cruises

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Bellingham, WA
San Juan Cruises

The only whale watching tours out of Bellingham, Washington. With a variety of other summer cruises. All prepared fresh just before we start boarding passengers.
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Deluxe Whale Watching Adventure Cruise:

Welcome aboard the San Juan Islands best cruising adventure! Departing from the charming Fairhaven Historic District in Bellingham you will immediately enter the eastern edge of the 172 island San Juan Archipelago. Enjoy the sights and sounds of the incredible wildlife that abounds including; Bald Eagles, Seals and Sea lions, Porpoise, Seabirds and of cours

e – Orca Whales. After a morning of wildlife and pristine coastlines you'll enjoy a delicious Northwest salmon & chicken lunch, served with several side dishes and dessert. After your meal, we'll make a 2-hour stop in Friday Harbor on San Juan Island. It's a chance to stretch your legs, stroll among the many shops and galleries or take in the Whale Museum. Soak in the afternoon sun on the cruise home, enjoying a beverage from our full bar stocked with a selection of Northwest beers & wines. Trip Overview:
• Fully narrated whale watching tour through the San Juan Islands.
• We are part of a local whale spotting network, helping us have one of the highest whale sighting success rates in the state.
• Guaranteed whales or your next tour is 50% off.
• Complimentary Northwest salmon / chicken lunch, with side dishes & dessert.
• 2 hour shore visit in Friday Harbor.
• Deluxe 100’ tour vessel with lots of indoor & outdoor seating.
• Onboard breakfast & lunch options.
• Full bar with Northwest wines, beers and cocktails.

2016 Schedule / Pricing:

Departing from Bellingham at 9:30 am returning at 5:30 pm

Low Season (May / June / September)
• $99.00 Adult ($5 off with advance booking)
• $49.50 Child (6-17)
• Under 6 Free! High Season (July / August)
• $109.00 Adult ($5 off with advance booking)
• $54.50 Child (6-17)
• Under 6 Free! May 7 - May 22 | Saturdays & Sundays Only
May 28 - September 25 | Daily

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Chuckanut Bay Cracked Crab Dinner Cruises:

A feast for the senses. Savor an old-fashioned cracked crab and baked chicken feast while enjoying a Bellingham Bay sunset after cruising along the beautiful Chuckanut Coast aboard the Victoria Star 2. Feast on the Northwest's finest Dungeness Crab served with Baked Chicken, our signature Broccoli Salad, Old-Fashioned Potato Salad, locally baked French Bread and dessert. The Victoria Star 2 offers a selection of Northwest wines, beer from local microbreweries, well drinks and unique cocktails, and a variety of juices and soft drinks, for an additional charge.

2016 Schedule/Pricing:

Fridays and Saturdays from June 10 through September 18 - 6:30pm to 9:00pm

• $59.00 Adult
• $29.50 Child (6-17)
• Under 6 Free! Reservations: (360) 738-8099 or 1-800-443-4552
Online: http://www.whales.com

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Bellingham Bay BREWS Cruise - Wednesday Beer Tasting Cruise Series

Stay cool this summer with our new series of beer tasting cruises on Wednesday evenings in July, August and early September aboard the Victoria Star. Each week Boundary Bay Brewery will serve a variety of their award-winning beers, joined by 2 other Northwest breweries serving up their best brews. Snacks that complement the beers will be available during the cruise. It's just $35/adult for this cruise, which includes tastings of 3 different beers from each brewery and snacks. These cruises will sell out quickly - you can reserve online, or by calling 1-800-443-4552 or (360) 738-8099.

6:30 - 8:00 pm

Adults - $35 (Must be 21 or older)

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unWINEd On The Bay - Thursday Wine Tasting Cruise Series

Join us this summer for one of our new "unWINEd On The Bay" wine tasting cruises aboard the Victoria Star 2. We'll be featuring wines from around the world, as well as locally produced wines from the Pacific Northwest. Tickets are available online, or by phone:l (360) 738-8099 or 1-800-443-4552

Local experts and representatives from participating wineries will join us on board to serve and discuss the featured wines. Snacks and hors d'oeuvres that complement the wines will also be served during the cruise. Make the middle of the week something to look forward to this summer with one of our wine tasting cruises.

6:30 - 8:00 pm

Adults - $35 (Must be 21 or older)

12/12/2024

We will be adding more cruises in May next year!
Whale watching Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays, and Mondays in May 2025.
We will also be doing Crab Cruises out of Bellingham Fridays and Saturdays in May, as well as on Mother's day!
Book now for spring at whales.com

12/05/2024

Time to pick your favorite photo from passengers in 2024!
Click the link to vote for your favorite:
https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/ZRM8X5K

12/05/2024

Watch the lighted boat parade leave from Fairhaven Saturday eve!

The annual lighted boat parade departs from Fairhaven at 5:30 this Saturday the 7th!
Perfect time and place to enjoy a fish n chips dinner and see the parade commence.

12/03/2024

Give the gift of summer cruises for the holidays! 🎄

Purchase a gift certificate for a $ amount or a specific cruise, by visiting or calling our office at 800-443-4552 or online at:
https://whales.starboardsuite.com/gift-certificates

Whale watching starts back up in May, and summer will be here before we know it!

Breathtaking sights on the horizon... There are many ways to get on the water with us - whale watching tours, trips to Friday Harbor, crab dinner cruises on Chuckanut Bay or in the Swinomish Channel, beer & wine tasting cruises, picnics on Sucia Island, and private charters. Come aboard for an adven...

11/22/2024

Sweet shot of the pass!

Deception pass reflections 🌲

@: Robert Chism

11/22/2024

We tallied up our whale sighting counts for 2024. What a great season it was! We were lucky enough to see whales on 94% of trips this year!

On 68% of trips we saw transient orcas, 26% of trips we saw humpbacks, grays on 5% of trips, and minke whales on 4% of trips.

Take another look at some clips of incredible breaches, rolls and other fun activity, from one of our luckiest trips this past season. While this action is relatively rare, and impossible to predict, we got to see some sort of above water activity almost weekly this year!

11/18/2024

No way! 🤞

Here are all the possible new emoji and when you could see them.

11/13/2024

The 2025 season is live and available to book at whales.com! All the SJC classics: daily whale watching AND Friday Harbor trips this year, as well as Sucia Island tours, bird watching, and beer and wine cruises.

11/09/2024

We wanted to showcase some shots from passengers on this year's tours via a photo competition. Winner gets a free cruise for 2025!

Thumb through the photos already chosen, and leave some feedback on your favorites. Submitted by Jim Bachman, Kurt Leipold, Leo Soloman, Matt Nobles, Andre Dionne, Tony Austin, Betsy Stewart.

If you'd like to throw your shots in the ring, submit them to [email protected] by Thanksgiving for consideration. Voting will be announced soon after. Photos must be taken on one of our cruises, be your own work, and in high resolution.

11/05/2024

La Conner Channel Lodge is putting a screen in their lobby and requested a promo video. We thought we might share what we came up with, to share in a little bit of looking forward to spring. You can book now for 2025 at whales.com!

10/16/2024

$5 Draft special at Fish n Chips! And still open daily til 7!
Oktoberfest isn't over in our eyes, with a festbier and a pilsner on tap.
Come enjoy a beverage with our new fish sandwich, or maybe some chowder for cozy season.

10/14/2024

Check out some great shots from Jim Bachman's trips on two of our final whale watch tours. Also the link to our final wildlife recap of the season: https://whales.com/thats-a-wrap/

We got to see a transient T-Party of at least 20 orcas at once, a big group of porpoise playing in our wake, and a couple of humpbacks being especially active and visible. We've had an excellent season with lots of impressive whale activity. We already can't wait for next season!

09/28/2024

Oktoberfest Cruises continue Friday, October 4th and Saturday, October 5th! Join us for the final cruises of the 2024 season and enjoy beers from six local breweries along with a bratwurst buffet dinner with pretzels, mac n cheese and more! Tickets are still available and are $49 per person!

https://whales.starboardsuite.com/

09/23/2024

09/19/2024

Here is a bigger set of shots from our run in with the T37's getting excited about a catch. What a show! The blog on last week's sightings is live here: https://whales.com/lucky-ferry/

09/13/2024

A little sample of yesterday's amazing sightings with 6 different orca pods.
The M/V Chelan lucked out with viewing the peak of T37 pod's hunting activity, along side the T101 & 100's cruising through Guemes Channel. The captain was great about going idle in respect for the whales. You could see the huge ferry listing with everyone clamoring for a view.
More photos from the day coming soon.

Address

355 Harris Avenue Ste 104
Bellingham, WA
98225

Opening Hours

Monday	8am - 5pm
Tuesday	8am - 5pm
Wednesday	8am - 5pm
Thursday	8am - 5pm
Friday	8am - 5pm
Saturday	8am - 5pm
Sunday	8am - 5pm

Website

http://www.whales.com/

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Videos

Happy Orcas!

We tallied up our whale sighting counts for 2024. What a great season it was! We were lucky enough to see whales on 94% of trips this year! On 68% of trips we saw transient orcas, 26% of trips we saw humpbacks, grays on 5% of trips, and minke whales on 4% of trips. Take another look at some clips of incredible breaches, rolls and other fun activity, from one of our luckiest trips this past season. While this action is relatively rare, and impossible to predict, we got to see some sort of above water activity almost weekly this year!

La Conner Tours

$49 for beer and brats on an evening cruise from Bellingham!

Fly high with us, free birds. Whales.com

Some fun whale activity captured by our deckhand Hanna on Sept 5th. Check out a summary of excellent whale sightings last week: https://whales.com/orcas-and-humpbacks-all-week-some-in-the-same-day/

Come search for whales before the season ends. whales.com

Stunning Juvenile Breaching Orcas

We were incredibly lucky to catch a pretty stunning show of dozens of breaches, rolls, spyhops, and lots of other youthful activity on 7/10/24. These were the T109A2 pod of Biggs Killer Whales, a branch off of younger whales from the original T109A pod. We caught up with them between Spieden Island and San Juan Island in San Juan Channel.

Transient Orca Pod with new Calf

Here's some clips from a slightly choppy day, cut to the least shaky parts. The T124A transient orca pod with new (2024) calf were lots of fun to watch, in a feeding pattern near Orcas Island, Washington. 5/25/24

Whale watching weekends are back in two weeks. whales.com

La Conner tours happening daily now!

From Rainbow Bridge to Deception Pass, it’s a lovely weekend for a trip on the water.

Shortcuts

San Juan Cruises - Tours From Bellingham, Washington

We offer a variety of tours, departing from the Alaska Ferry Terminal in Bellingham, WA, ranging from short 1.5 hour evening tours to full-day excursions in the San Juan Islands: Deluxe Whale Watching Adventure Cruise Departing from the charming Fairhaven Historic District in Bellingham you will immediately enter the eastern edge of the 172 island San Juan Archipelago. Enjoy the sights and sounds of the incredible wildlife that abounds including; Bald Eagles, Seals and Sea lions, Porpoise, Seabirds and of course – Orca Whales. The tour includes a shore visit in Friday Harbor and a delicious wild salmon and BBQ chicken lunch served while cruising the scenic San Juan Islands. Trip Overview: • Fully narrated whale watching tour through the San Juan Islands. • We are part of a local whale spotting network, with one of the highest whale sighting success rates in the state. • Guaranteed whales or your next tour is 50% off. • Complimentary Northwest salmon / chicken lunch, with side dishes & dessert. • Shore visit in Friday Harbor. • Deluxe 100’ tour vessel with lots of indoor & outdoor seating. • Onboard breakfast & lunch options. • Full bar with Northwest wines, beers and cocktails. Other Tours Available: Half-Day Whale Watching Tour On Saturdays and Sundays join us aboard our newest vessel, the Chinook, for a narrated afternoon whale watching tour in the San Juans. While underway you'll enjoy a warm lasagna lunch (meat & veggie options available), with salad and dessert. Sunset Whale Watching Tour Come aboard our sunset whale watching tour aboard the Salish Sea. Departing Wednesday, Thursday and Friday evenings this summer, you'll have an excellent chance of viewing a variety of whales and local wildlife, and dine on our delicious lasagna and Caesar salad dinner. Chuckanut Cracked Crab Dinner Cruise Cruise the diversely scenic Chuckanut Coast while enjoying a feast featuring the Northwest's finest Dungeness Crab. The Victoria Star 2 has indoor and outdoor seating, and a full bar featuring a variety of Northwest beers & wines. Cruises go Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays through the summer. Bellingham Bay BREWers Cruise Wednesday evening beer tasting cruises on Bellingham Bay, featuring 3 Northwest microbreweries and 9 craft beers on every cruise. A variety of delicious snacks and hors d'oeuvres are included. Over 30 breweries in all will be aboard throughout the 2018 summer season. unWINEd On The Bay Wine Tasting Cruise Thursday evening cruises featuring wines from around the world, as well as locally produced wines from the Pacific Northwest. Each week is a different theme, paired with delicious snacks and hors d'oeuvres Sucia Island Picnic Cruise Bring your friends & family for a beach picnic and nature walk on this stunning state park island, only accessible by private boat. There's time to explore on your own, or join our naturalist for a beach walk, viewing tide pools & unique geological features. Saturdays & Sundays in 2018. La Conner & Deception Pass Cruise This tour gives you an opportunity to visit the unique waterfront town of La Conner, and cruise through Deception Pass, well known for its stunning scenery and the oft-photographed Deception Pass Bridge. The crew will serve up a hearty lasagna and Caesar salad lunch while underway.

Brunch On The Bay Cruise Join us aboard the Salish Express for our Sunday morning 2-hour brunch cruise on Bellingham Bay. You’ll enjoy a delicious, freshly prepared feast while taking in spectacular scenery. Enjoy a mimosa or choose one of our other libations, enjoy the company of family and friends, or sit back and watch the scenery unfold as we cruise these scenic waters. Bird Watching Cruise Our naturalists will help you view an amazing variety of birds as we cruise through Bellingham Bay, the San Juan Islands and the Skagit coast. In June and July we'll go to Smith Island in search of Tufted Puffins, and other amazing sea birds on a fully narrated tour.