Orcas Island Eclipse Charters & Whale Watch Tours

I am so glad I booked with this company. From the moment I checked in, I was greeted warmly by the crew and owner. The naturalists on board are incredibly knowledgable about the islands, the trees, seals and of course the whales! The boat is stocked with binoculars which came in handy! We followed a group of transient orcas for about an hour. We got to see them breach & spyhop! It was amazing! As we were watching the orcas several others whale watching boats were around — some from Orcas Island, some from other San Juan island and BC. We definitely had the best boat! This boat has a great deck so you’re above everyone. There’s also plenty of indoor seating. We never felt crowded, the boat had plenty of space. My husband & I both said if we weren’t leaving Orcas Island today, we’d book with them again! It was a wonderful experience & the crew had a lot to do with that.

WOW!!!
I booked a tour for my niece as a graduation present and took the whole family (grandparents, two 5year olds, my niece and then my husband and I). From the moment of booking to the end it was an AMAZING experience. Amazing customer service!
They truly take care of you while on the boat with extra coats, hats, and things to entertain the boys. Top notch!!!
The tour was amazing as well with them pointing out and educating all the way. Truly an amazing experience. I would give them 10 stars and will return someday for another trip!

After quite the adventure getting off the ferry, we were running late and managed to get lost (which is impossible) still, they were soooo sweet and even walked out to meet us, held the boat for us and had a table ready when we boarded. The sights were beautiful and we even got to see two humpback whales swimming together. We could not believe how friendly and personable everyone was. Can’t wait to go back! Worth the trip from Texas.

I had an amazing day on the water! Great service and the two naturalists were extremely knowledgeable. We saw 2 adult Humpback whales, sea lions, seals, bald eagles & harbor porpoises. The Captain knows where to go to see the whales. THIS is how you see lovely animals… in the WILD. Highly recommended.

Had a great time today! The crew was awesome and we saw some transient whales feeding and having fun! Definitely recommend to anyone!

My girlfriend and I were very impressed with the vessel and the courtesy of staff and captain. We initially only found 1 Orca but after hearing from other vessels in a near by area we quickly headed their direction and ended up seeing about 10 – 12 whales (J-​pod). Seeing the whales in their natural habit is the way to go.

Awesome orcas watching experience!
Since it’s the first day of the whale watching season, we technically had no expectation spotting any orca. But we got to see the whole family, and they came right up to us, so close! Captain Dan and all the crews are super friendly and knowledgeable, we learned a lot about the orcas.
Highly recommend if you are looking for spotting some beautiful orcas in San Juan Islands.

What a great tour! When our family came to Washington for vacation my eight year old son had only one request — see an orca in the wild. We knew there were no guarantees, but wanted to try. Fortunately for us, my BIL had previously taken a whale watching tour with Eclipse and had a great experience. We had a truly amazing day! I think we saw over 20 orcas — one even came right up next to the ship! The naturalists on board were terrific! Very patient and knowledgeable. Our group included grandparents, parents, elementary school aged children, and a baby. We had a great time and would recommend Eclipse to anyone looking for a great and memorable experience. Bring your windbreakers, your camera, and a sense of adventure!

Everything about this tour is excellent.
The tour guides, the naturists, the actual boat, the boarding process– everything was perfect.
You don’t have to travel far to see the Orcas. We saw a ton of whales, seals, bald eagles.
The boat is large and nice and stable. The boat wasn’t completely full– so lots of room to move around. You can stay indoor the whole time– or venture up on to the roof deck.
Pro tip– we used a Groupon and saved some money.
I would do this tour again for sure. If you are hoping to see Killer Whales/​Orcas– I highly recommend using Orcas Island Eclipse charters.

A great outfit. A comfortable boat with lots of space and shelter from the elements. Very experienced friendly crew. I have been out with these guys several times as I live on Orcas Island and when friends and family visit and we want to go see Orca Whales I take them out with Eclipse. We have always found whales and lots of other cool wildlife to watch. I recommend this outfit for a fun half a day adventure whole heartedly!

Our trip with them was just… bananas! They are a great crew; warm, funny and knowledgeable. They’re boat it’s really well suited for the task with lots of indoor but LOADS of outdoor viewing decks. We ended up seeing maybe 15 orcas, 2 humpback whales, a harbor porpoise, bald eagles, seals, etc (results may vary of course). And little things… like that they don’t gouge you on the snacks they sell aboard the boat… sets them apart from most businesses around here. Keep up the good work guys.

Very knowledgeable staff. The captain, mates, and naturalists have a deep understanding of the different pods, their movements, and history. They had been monitoring the location of the whales all day and drove full speed up way north to Canadian waters to meet them when they came out of a pass. Sure enough there were about 25 of them, jumping and splashing.
Very well run operation. They have jackets and binoculars for people who need them. They think of everything.
Clean boat, runs a few knots faster then the other operators so they can go father in the allotted time. Got some great pictures.

We made lifelong memories on our trip with Eclipse Charters. So many beautiful whales, a perfect day, knowledgable & friendly crew. Couldn’t have asked for more.

Trip was fantastic… great crew. Our boat seemed to always predict and have the best knowledge of where the Orcas would be. The boat size was great for my 6 year old niece and 63 year old mother… We had a comfortable interior cabin location with table and the the top deck was fun! Highly recommend this trip!

My fiancé and I had a great time on our Orcas Island Eclipse whale watching trip. We went on the 5÷3÷2014 tour. The staff was great — very friendly and helpful! Everyone was happy to answer questions and help in any way they could. The boat was very comfortable — nice cushy fabric covered seats around tables. The water was smooth, except for about 15 minutes are the way back that were pretty rough. We were told the rough water was unusual. They offered concessions on the boat such as hot drinks, nuts, and chips, all for $ 1. We got our tickets through Groupon for around $ 50 a ticket. It was definitely cold outside on the boat when it got going, but they have jackets and gloves and hats that they provide in case you didn’t bring enough layers.
And, of course, we see some whales and other creatures! We saw harbor seals and steller sea lions. The staff was very knowledgeable about the animals, their behaviors, and the time of year they were in the area. We also saw a bald eagle flying around very close to the boat. We saw a few little sea lions sticking their head out of the water, but we saw those on our own rather than pointed out by the staff. And the whales! We saw a mom and baby minke whale. It came pretty close to the boat a few times but was more farther away. No orcas — we were told they had been seen in Northern California a few days ago but no reporting in Washington yet, but should be here soon.
Note that there were two ferries coming in and leaving right around the time our 12:30 PM, when we met for our tour. Traffic and parking can be a bit crazy with that so leave a few extra minutes!

What a great way to enjoy an Easter Weekend! I took my 66 year old Mom and my 11 year old God Daughter on this cruise the Saturday before Easter.
The crew was incredible! My Mom struggles to walk and they took extra care to escort her to the boat and be sure she had a good seat for the experience and they checked on us constantly. In addition the naturalists were awesome with the kids (and the adults) telling stories and sharing information about the beauty we were experiencing. And of course the best part… whales! We saw a pod diving and frolicking for about an hour. The captain took us right to them and it was the most beautiful sight I have seen. I have lived in Washington for more than twenty years and this is the first time I have seen Orca wales, and this is my second whale watching trip.
This organization is TOP NOTCH! Comfortable boat, extra attention from the crew, and unbelievable knowledge to share. We all had a blast. THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU! Now to get my Dad up from Tucson Arizona. He was jealous to hear my Mom’s stories! :-)

What an amazing trip! I was a little hesitant because of the price, but Unilocalers convinced me. We were not disappointed. The number of repeat customers on our trip was another indicator we’d made the right choice. We liked the smaller sized boat. The captain and crew were so knowledgeable, friendly and helpful. Having warm clothing on board for everyone was a definite plus!
I know not every trip is lucky enough to see orcas, but we were! We saw a pod of four, including a baby. They were amazing to watch and even saw them hunt and eat a seal. Besides orcas, we saw a meinke whale, porpoises, dolpins, scads of seal mamas and babies. It was a wonderful experience, one of the highlights of our summer trip!

We once did a whale watching tour near Cape Cod (RI). This was a totally different expercience. Small boat and owner-​operated. And besides that, I was amazed about the amount we had to pay. I looked up different companies on Victoria (BC) for example and we had to pay the same amount a person!
Dan is a really fine guy that loves the whales. Keeping the distance the law requires and pointing out everything he sees. Because of the environment between al the islands you see deer, sheeps, sea lions and harbour seals besides the whales.
Next to Dan two ladies we’re on board that could tell you everything about the wales you could possibly think of. All together a very fine afternoon that we would definitly recommend to others.
And a bonus: everything you need is on board. Binoculars, coats, food, drinks, you name it. Free of charge or for a reasonable amount.
(Note: I’m no native speaker, so please excuse all spelling and grammar mistakes)

We had a mixed experience with Eclipse Charters. They are very, very, very close to the ferry terminal, so that is extremely convenient! But while we waited for our tour, the bees in the area were unbearable! I understand that it has to do with this time of year and there’s nothing they can do about that. However, one of them landed on my 14 month old daughter’s face and my husband and I were trying to get it off without her (or us, but mainly her) getting stung. One of the tour guides came out and told us we should use one of their brochures to swat the bee away. We didn’t want to risk getting our daughter stung, so we respectfully declined. She was very rude and said to us, «you’re getting on my nerves!» WOW! That comment was extremely rude, inappropriate (especially in front of several other people) and was totally uncalled for.
Then, while we were on the boat, this same guide also made some very inappropriate political statements like, «if you saw chickens, cows and pigs getting slaughtered, you’d want to be a vegetarian.» This was directed towards a couple of children (probably about 6 and 9 years old). While I understand her having an opinion like this, a whale watching tour is not the right platform for sharing your political views, especially to children in regards to slaughtering animals. She also interjected some personal, political opinions during a conversation between me and my husband that were also very inappropriate and unsolicited.
However, the tour itself was very good. They had complimentary binoculars for their guests to use. Though I brought my own and was glad I did because the pair I had didn’t work well at all no matter what I did to try to focus them. But I don’t know if it was just that pair or if they were all like that, as I only tried the one pair, and since they didn’t work, decided to simply use my own.
During the tour, we did get to see a pod of Orca, as well as seals, sea lions, a bald eagle, and lots of jumping salmon. The guides are very knowledgeable and helpful. They had crayons and paper for the kiddos to color with, and they had snacks available to purchase as well. Overall, I would recommend this tour, though I do think that one of their guides can be very inappropriate at times.

The captain really put his expertise and best effort into reaching the orcas (July 2010).
At his own gasoline expense, he pushed his boat at full speed both there and back to reach the whales (near Canada) and maximize our time with them.
We had at least 45−60min to whale watch and got to sit up front in the captains deck. The boat accomodates covered and uncovered whale watching. Two nature specialists were aboard to inform and answer questions.
I felt my business was just as valued using a Groupon as being a full-​paying customer, and the crew were fantastic.
Orcas in their natural habitat is an experience everyone should have. It was amazing.