Puget Sound Express

This tour was the absolute highlight of our Pacific Northwest trip and truly deserves every single one of its five stars. Puget Sound Express delivers an unparalleled whale watching experience, combining thrilling speed, expert knowledge, and unmatched customer comfort. The Hunt for Whales: What sets PSE apart is their experience and speed. We sailed on the Swiftsure (or Saratoga), one of the fastest boats in the fleet, which allowed the captain to quickly cover large distances across the Salish Sea to wherever the whales were feeding—ensuring we maximized our viewing time. We were fortunate enough to witness a pod of Bigg's Orcas (Transient Killer Whales) actively hunting, and later spotted a Humpback whale breaching in the distance. The whale guarantee gave us peace of mind, but honestly, the crew's dedication made spotting them feel inevitable. Beyond the Whales: The crew was phenomenal. The naturalist on board provided incredibly detailed and engaging commentary, not just about the whales, but also the sea lions, seals, porpoises, and local history. It wasn't just a boat ride; it was a fascinating floating classroom. Comfort and Cuisine: The boats are modern, spacious, and comfortable, with tiered outdoor viewing decks and large heated indoor cabins. Crucially, you absolutely cannot miss the famous, homemade Blueberry Buckle coffee cake from the galley—it’s legendary and worth the price of admission alone! If you want the best possible chance of seeing whales in the Puget Sound area with a professional, family-run company that clearly cares deeply about both their guests and the marine life, book with Puget Sound Express. It's a truly magnificent and memorable day on the water.

This was an incredible adventure! Beautiful newer boat that ran ever so quietly. Plenty of room inside the cabin and on the deck. There's a nice selection of snacks for purchase on board. There's several items available in the on board gift shop to help commemorate your trip as well. The crew was friendly, funny and informative. Everyone was willing to answer any questions. One of my favorite parts of the tour was my family and I standing dead front center on deck, at the front of the boat, holding the rails while we sped towards open waters in search of whales.

Amazing time with great hosts. Learned so much about whales from the naturalists. Got to see orcas hunt a sea lion and they appeared right in front of seattle! They also support local orca research through their tours! Truly a once in a life time experience!

If you’re looking for a great whale watching tour, look no further than Puget sound express! We loved this tour! We saw plenty of wildlife, including orcas but what really made the trip was the amazing staff. They were so attentive, friendly, and knowledgeable. The wildlife expert on board for our tour, Bert, was also amazing! The blueberry bramble was absolutely delicious, so please get it. The boat itself (we were on the swiftsure) was incredibly spacious and clean. Everyone got great views throughout. We couldn’t recommend PSE enough and we can’t wait to go again!!!

One of the most incredible experiences I’ve had in a long time! I had the pleasure of joining a morning, half-day whale-watching excursion today (June 18, 2025) with Puget Sound Express, departing from their Edmonds location aboard the Swift Sure. From start to finish, the experience was exceptional. The crew was welcoming, knowledgeable, and truly went above and beyond to make the trip special. Our group was nearly at capacity, but the service never faltered. The boat was clean, comfortable, and perfectly equipped for sightseeing. What made the trip unforgettable was the encounter with a pod of transient orcas. Not only did we get to see them up close, but we actually witnessed a hunt—something the crew explained is a rare and remarkable event. Watching these majestic animals in the wild, in such an intimate and respectful setting, was simply awe-inspiring. I can’t thank Puget Sound Express enough for such a well-run and breathtaking excursion. Highly recommend to anyone visiting the area or looking for a world-class whale-watching experience!

The crew is amazing! And so friendly, the entire trip they kept a smile and interacted with the guest. While navigating the waters they would either be giving fun facts about the local nature or cracking jokes lol. They have a person on board taking photos and narrating the whale encounters (informing us the names and feeding patters, just fun facts) The boat is huge and has plenty of room, 3 restrooms and a cafe for food and drinks (though you’re allowed to bring your own) Dress accordingly, when the boat is moving it’s very very windy and can be cold. Also make sure you have a good camera but if not no worries. They have a photographer taking photos of the whales and will send a digital copy of your pay for the package. Please remember when you arrive the check in is a read the street from the waiting area.

Such an amazing experience with Puget Sound Express! We saw four different pods of killer whales, including some incredible breaches that left everyone speechless. The crew was knowledgeable and super friendly, and they made sure we were in the best spots to see all the action without disturbing the wildlife. The boat was comfortable, the views were stunning, and it was hands down one of the highlights of our trip. Highly recommend it to anyone visiting the area!

We had an AMAZING time!!!! My mom and I went on the half day Whale watching tour out of Edmonds with Captain Tony, Grayden, Casey, Kate. They were all so sweet and amazing and informative!! They were very sweet about the questions I asked about where to see otters and other wildlife. We saw 2 different pods of orcas, a bunch of seals on a beach and a humpback whale! I would highly recommend this company!! Tony was so patient waiting for the humpback who kept diving to reappear.

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

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.

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.

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!

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.

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!!

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.

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.

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.

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

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!!!

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!

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.

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.

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!

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!

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)!

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

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.

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!!!

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!

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

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.

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.

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.

so worth it was so amazing! the captain brian and his crew was up to beat had lots of info and answered questions. we seen jack and his sister hunt their prey chase it play with it then eat it! experience i never had and was nervous at first but was calm and relaxing as well as exciting!

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).

Great family excursion! The boat was comfortable and warm. The crew tries their best to make it a fun experience!

I highly recommend them. We enjoyed a beautiful day out on the water. The boat was not overly crowded. The crew and captain were both funny and accomodating. And most importantly we saw whales! Humpback and Transient Orcas. We stayed around and watched a Humpback whale for awhile. And then we went on and followed a pod of Orcas that actually hunted down a Harbor Seal. I have always wanted to see an Orca in the wild, and Puget Sound made that happen. Oh and definitely get a slice of warm Blueberry Buckle. Soooo good.

4 hour Edmonds tour Note:booking early allows you to reserve a specific seat, we found out after boarding We had a terrific experience. Despite a bit late of a start (off the dock at 945) and plunging onto the deep fog, they had monitored previous sightings and drove straight to the whales. We followed a.pack of orcas for ~40 mins. As if that wasn't enough, we also encountered a pod on the way back to port for another 15-20 mins, finally watching one kill and eat a seal (in the distance) Seals, birds, fog, all kinds of natural amazing sights. Extremely knowledgeable staff and constant And on point commentary. Well worth it and would def go back

My two daughters and I had a great day with PSE. Although a bit pricey, I'd do it again in a heartbeat! The ship is beautiful, clean and comfortable. Every member of the crew was friendly and knowledgeable. The bottomless coffee cups were great, as it got a bit chilly out on deck. We saw a couple of juvenile humpbacks, some harbor porpoises and hundreds of seals. I wish we'd seen some orca, or some other whales, but all in all it was a great day!

Amazing and once in a lifetime experience! The boat is modern, clean, and warm and much more spacious than expected. I would recommend coming earlier to queue up to get your first pick of seats. We had a full boat and some parties had to be separated. We saw orcas within the first hour and in two hours, we came across another pod where we saw one of the orca breach. Truly incredible to witness in person. We traveled around the sound. Come prepared and bring snacks as well as weather appropriate clothing. It's windy on the boat and raining at times. Definitely worth! Really friendly staff as well. Thank you!!

Truly an amazing experience to bring friends and family to. We did a afternoon tour on Sunday that was full however, the ship was spacious and accommodating making it a smooth ride. There's many food and drink options too! We saw about 15+ total whales and they were pretty close to our boat. Staff were super attentive and knowledgeable. Bring sunglasses, sunscreen and a light jacket.

Absolutely delivered! T99 pod entertained for over an hour. Crew was so knowledgeable and friendly. Truly an experience we won't forget.

This is a great whale watching tour. You get a great boat ride and amazing view of the Puget Sound. It's approximately a five hour tour and the guides are amazing, they do a great job explaining the wildlife and the history of the Puget Sound and waterways around Washington. They also have great snacks and desserts offered during the tour. They have a dessert called the Blueberry Buckle for purchase, which is a kicked up coffee cake, it is delicious. I really enjoyed the tour and seeing the whales, I highly recommend this tour.

We're parked in there parking lot for $15. We did the 2:30PM tour. We returned by 6:45PM. Once we got out to the strait we saw some transient orcas!! It was amazing!! +Plenty of snacks & food available to purchase. +Complimentary binoculars to borrow. +Complimentary informative booklet about wildlife you'll see on the tour +Very clean and comfortable boat +Non-smoking and no alcohol sold on the boat. Very informative tour. We were able to also go by Discovery Bay, Protection Island, and Port Townsend Bay.

Well worth it. All the employees were so friendly and passionate about what they do. This tour was well worth it as we saw multiple orcas and 2 grey whales!

A great experience this past week with Puget Sound Express out of Edmonton. The captain (Rich, I think) was very personable and funny. He's been doing this for a while. Never asked but I can tell by the way he runs his boat, he is VERY well-versed on the waters. We lucked out and saw two sets of orcas (one family pod and one SUPER pod...multiple pods). Both sets were very active and the family appeared to be celebrating a lunchtime snack. Also encountered a humpback on the way back to dock. This is our 2nd time whale watching in Seattle. We were lucky on both trips to see a super pod. But tbh, seeing any orca in the wild is worth the trip. The boat is very comfy and can haul a$$...somewhere around 40 mph. Hold on to your hats, sunglasses, and loose clothing because they are subject to flying off in the wind. Our Naturalist (Bart) was also very knowledgeable and provided a lot of good info during our orca encounters. And the whole crew is very friendly and helpful...especially those running the galley.

I've been to four different whale watching outfitters in the Puget Sound and can say PSE is five stars for several reasons: - the boat is the only one of its kind designed specifically for whale watching. Several tiers make whale watching all along the boat very easy and you will be able to see the whales even with 100 people on board with you. - humor & on board entertainment. Yes, you will not only see whales but learn about them, how to look for them, and how to protect them - complimentary binoculars!!! First I've seen this. - onboard amenities. Restrooms, pre-ordered food, drinks, coffee and hot tea. - keeping a respectful and safe distance from the whales. Thank you for an unforgettable wonderful tour. As a local I appreciate operators that so clearly love their work and sharing the unparalleled beauty of the Puget Sound.

Great experience! Boat is a great size, big enough to not be cramped, small enough to be able to visit every part of the boat easily. We saw Otters which I wasn't expecting to be able to see them from a boat. Show stopper was the Orcas. They were decently close to the boat, the captain did a excellent job of keeping up with them while also allowing them their space. I'll be back 110% I highly suggest anybody going on a whale watch the first time to expect to wear a coat if going on the decks to view. Wind blocking jacket and gloves are also recommended. I would also bring your own binoculars (if you have them, there are several pair on board for passengers to borrow)

My wife and I had an absolutely wonderful time whale watching on our trip to Seattle in October. The staff were very entertaining, personable, and extremely informative. The boat itself was comfortable and smooth. We also had the benefit of spotting whales very early and got to see a mother orca teaching her young ones to hunt a seal. And followed that up with seeing multiple other pods of killer whales including one group that surfaced right by the boat and proceeded to swim underneath us. We saw a total of around 20 orcas on our excursion. I think we probably lucked, but it was definitely fantastic and the highlight of our visit to the Seattle area.

This crew was wonderful and the Flagship Swiftsure was perfect!!!! We saw all kinds of wildlife (birds, whales, and seals). We even saw a Minke Whale and it was so special to see this rare species in the world... oh you must have the coffee cake!

Our whale watching tour yesterday was extremely crowded, and almost no one was wearing masks. (We wore masks while we were indoors in the boat and when social distancing was not possible, we didn't wear masks outdoors when we were able to socially distance from others.) I have such mixed feelings about our experience yesterday. I really wanted to give them 5 stars, but I have to be honest, this was not a five star experience for me. I completely understand and support the reasons for our boat staying really far away from the orcas. I also totally get that no one knows exactly when and where the orcas will show up. That being said, I have perfect 20/20 vision, and the closest we got to the orcas was when they appeared as tiny specks in the water. I could *barely* see them and I really had to squint and scan the water for movement. I included a photo of the closest that we got to the orcas, and we magnified that photo 5 times. I just really couldn't see the whales very well. Also, I understand the reasons for this too, but about 20 minutes of our trip consisted of viewing the orcas, and we were on the water for over 4 hours. I do love being on the water, but it was a little long of a trip for me personally, especially because most of it was kind of boring honestly, which is actually not something I usually say if I'm on a boat (being on a boat is one of my favorite places to be, in general). No one enforced the "no running" policy, and I loved that the boat went fast, and we were warned to be careful, but a tiny kid ran right in front of me and tripped me, and I almost fell down. I'm glad no one (me or the kid) was hurt, but this kid was running FAST on the outdoor boat deck for a good portion of the entire trip. After the kid tripped me (RIGHT in front of the captain), still no one made any attempt to speak to the kid's parents about the no running policy (as far as I'm aware), and this kid just kept running fast around the boat deck for another good 30 - 45 minutes. I'm very grateful that no one was seriously hurt, the kid or anyone else. It was very windy and this was not a smooth ride, which we were warned about in advance. There were several times when it was all I could do to keep my footing. That kid could've really hurt someone. Also, I enjoyed the wind on my face for the first hour or so, after that I wanted to get out of the wind, but I didn't feel comfortable going in to the indoor part of the boat for more than a couple of minutes, due to the fact that probably 80 - 90% of the other passengers were not wearing face masks, and it was basically impossible to socially distance in the indoor part of the boat during our particular tour. There are some chairs at the back of the boat on the upper deck for outdoor seating, but once I got sick of the wind, and did not want to go and sit in the extremely crowded indoor section of the boat, I braced myself against the side of the lower deck at the back of the boat (on which there was no seating, but much less wind) and positioned myself into a weird half-sitting, half-standing, uncomfortable stance, for over an hour. This experience cost $340 for 2 people, and no food is included in that cost - if you want any food, you have to buy it separately. I am guessing, but there must have been at LEAST 120 people on board for our particular trip, which means that I'm guessing they made over $20K (minus costs of course) for a 4 - 5 hour trip, NOT including what they made for selling food at extra cost. Honestly I really love wildlife and I also really love being on the water, but I wish I would've spent my money (and my time, which I value even more than my money) some other way. This trip was a birthday present for me. 6 or 7 years ago, my husband and I did a different whale-watching trip with a different company out of Whidbey Island, and we were both happy with that experience. I've been happy with the vast majority of my wildlife viewing experiences in my life. Maybe part of this is that I'm just feeling cranky, but I waited over 12 hours after getting home after this trip to write this review, to see if I would be able to say nicer things about my experience, and I'm still feeling this way. I am sorry to say that I would not go on a whale-watching tour with this particular company again, nor would I recommend this company to others.

Absolutely unbelievable! I could not recommend this place enough. Everything about the experience was superb. We saw all 3 whales. The Captain (Brian) was so knowledgeable and friendly, as were the rest of the staff. We pre-ordered a mug, sandwiches and the blueberry buckle. Omg so delicious. The sandwich was big and fresh. It came with chips and a water. The blueberry buckle was made fresh on the boat and was mouth watering. The boat was clean and super fast! We spent a lot of the time outside on the deck but when we got too cold, we'd come back inside and get coffee or hot chocolate with our unlimited refills and warm up. You must add this to your itinerary!!!!

Absolutely amazing experience! My husband and I went whale watching to celebrate our anniversary and Puget Sound Express made it absolutely wonderful. I was a little bit skeptical when I saw the size of the crowd waiting to board, but the boat was incredibly comfortable with plenty of room. It's equipped with 3 bathrooms, and a small kitchen where they serve fresh blueberry buckle (a must try when you're on board). Outside, the front has a set of tiered standing areas so everyone can easily have a clear view. And the whales! We saw three types during our trip - a minke, a humpback and a pod of orcas including a mother with its young calf. Everyone on board was so great about answering any questions we had and were so knowledgeable. The on-board photographer - Barry, took some amazing photos which he shared with us on the trip back to port and explained a lot of what we had seen during the day. We're already hoping to head back for another outing with them! Small note - there were lots of people unprepared for how cold it would be on the water. Dramamine and lots of layers are a must even on a relatively warm, calm day.

Fantastic crew and boat. Fast and agile we saw several Orca pods, seals, sea lions and bald eagle on our half day tour

The naturalist, EJ, was awesome, the captain was amazing and crew were super friendly.

First of all, The staff and crew are top-notch! I was visiting Seattle and booked an Uber to get me to the dock. However the Uber canceled on me and made me late to the dock. I called the staff and they were so kind and assured me that they'd me on the boat! I'm sure they get late people all the time and it's probably irritating but they were super kind and helpful and I really appreciated it! As for the tour itself, it was outstanding. This was in July 2022 and we saw both orcas and humpbacks, as well as a pod of porpoises. The explanation of the animals we were seeing was really interesting!!! Lots of great information and opportunities to get great pictures. The crew are extremely knowledgeable. Also The food was first rate! You need to try the blueberry buckle, which is a family recipe. Whale watching is a bucket list item for some people. The crew really makes this a special event, and they put their heart in their work. I strongly recommend this experience if you are in the Seattle area!

I honestly didn't know what to expect. I was a little worried it would be freezing and smelly and...? I kinda like to be comfortable. We booked a trip for the Sunday after Mother's Day for our family of 6 to celebrate a little late. First, the boat was clean, new, well equipped and smelled like the heavenly blueberry buckle they had in the oven as we arrived. There are well designed outdoor viewing areas and an indoor area where we started out. Because we were a group of six, they reserved a table for us by the windows which was so nice and was fantastic for viewing when we wanted to be seated. The service was incredible. We were also so fortune to get a sunny, warm day with calm waters AND we saw Orcas within a few minutes of leaving the marina. We spent a good amount of time with them. It was a family of 4. So cute. After we left the orcas the captain went to find us some humpbacks. This took a little longer but we eventually found some and the ride was super fun as we stood up on the observation deck outside. Everything within control of the crew was top notch and we were so fortunate that everything else was fabulous too (weather, whales, sea). Super interesting and peaceful. The best Mother's Day gift I can remember.