Reviews for FRS Clipper (Clipper Vacations)
1375 reviews
I took the Victoria Clipper round trip from Seattle to Victoria in March, 2025 and it was a smooth and pleasant trip both ways! The journey through the Straight of Juan de Fuca is beautiful and the ferries are clean and staffed with friendly, helpful people. I had been considering flying directly into Victoria Airport but flights on my dates were $600 more than flying to Seattle. So the ferry ride, which for me came to less than $200, (and that included splurging for the Comfort Class upstairs, which has an included self-service snack area you can enjoy!) STILL saved me $400 compared to flying. The other big advantage? You leave and arrive right in downtown Seattle and the Inner Harbour in Victoria, so you save on taxi fares too! I highly recommend this efficient ferry service between two of the most beautiful cities of the Pacific Northwest, and if you're really lucky, you may even see an orca or two during the two-hour trip! Book ahead, as the ferry does sell out in peak season.
Product: FRS Clipper (Clipper Vacations)
Very nice way to go from Victoria to Seattle. Beautiful scenery. Relaxing. We saw orcas!
Product: FRS Clipper (Clipper Vacations)
Whale watching review. Disclaimer: did see one pod of orcas - so we saw whales. Honest review..TLDR at the bottom: Boat: 1/5 Boat does not have free standing space up front, unless they open the door and allow you up front. Everyone crowds the top level and not much space up there. The boat is not unsafe or gross, it just leaves a lot to be desired for a whale watching boat Seat: 5/5 Super comfy. No complaints Staff: 1/5 They were a bit snappy and just seemed angry to be there today. Had two separate negative interactions with staff and decided to not talk to anyone else from that. One interaction with my group was to one of the staff: Grown adult woman asking with general interest:“What kind of whales are we going to see at the inlet?” Staff member: “Big ones.” No further follow up. Very dismissive and rude. Experience: 2/5 We did see a pod of Orcas. But…it felt as if we went incredibly slow each direction, as if the company was just killing time (especially on the way back to port). I have been on a different company’s tour (not going to name drop as I am not advertising - just comparing), near Edmonds, and the experience was polar opposite. The other company’s entire experience was fast paced with the goal to find multiple pods, or different types of whales. It felt like to me, FRS accomplished their one goal and didn’t try much after that. TLDR: booked this tour, saw a pod of whales. Staff was unfriendly, tour seemed to just target one type of whale and then slow ride back home without the intent to find any other whale groups or pods while consistently trying to sell their concessions and whale photos.
Product: FRS Clipper (Clipper Vacations)
The seats on the boat are comfortable and we did see a pod of orcas from kind of far away but considering our previous whale watching experience with another tour company we were kind of disappointed at the slow pace and focus on seals and birds. The staff was kind of unfriendly too and we didn’t feel like we got our money’s worth as the tour ended after 4 hours instead of 5 as advertised.
Product: FRS Clipper (Clipper Vacations)
Cancelled
Me and my family were excited to be going to Canada and I get a Email stating your trip canceled. I did ask why on the text app they have but never got a response. I understand things happen but at least communicate something. If your booking tho trip be prepared for disappointment one day prior to your trip.
Product: From Seattle: Daytrip by High Speed Ferry to Victoria, BC
Product: FRS Clipper (Clipper Vacations)
Was really great...
Was really great experience seats was very comfortable and service was excellent!! Would recommend got to see alot of great things along trip.
Product: Seattle: Half-Day Wildlife and Whale Watching Cruise
Worth it
Naturalist narrative was very insightful. We saw 2 different pods of orcas and seals. Food was surprisingly good. The thumb drive with pictures was worth it.
Product: Seattle: Half-Day Wildlife and Whale Watching Cruise
Fantastic ride upstairs. Staff was friendly and the seats were comfortable. No bad boat feeling at all. The dock situation was a little sketchy but that is due to changes and improvements.
Product: FRS Clipper (Clipper Vacations)
Product: FRS Clipper (Clipper Vacations)
Péssimo
Que grande desilusão. Nunca comi um bacalhau à brás tão mau. Para além de não ter praticamente bacalhau, as batatas de pacote eram moles e sabiam a farinha, parece-me que nem ovo tinha. Serviram a sopa, um creme de legumes que só sabia a batata, em simultâneo com o prato do dia, péssimo. O outro prato que foi serviço, eram duas fatias de lombo assado exageradamente grossas em cima de puré com uma folha de couve a decorar, horrivel. Além disso o barulho na sala é por demais exagerado. Não voltarei concerteza. De salientar um aspecto positivo, a simpatia das meninas que nos atenderam.
Product: From Victoria: One-Way High-Speed Ferry to Seattle, WA
Whale watching tour
I went on the wildlife and whale watching tour from Seattle, and it was such a fun and memorable experience! The boat was clean and comfortable, with great views from both inside and outside. The crew was friendly and shared lots of interesting facts about the animals we saw. We were lucky enough to spot a pod of orcas and a few humpback whales, which was absolutely incredible! We also saw sea lions, porpoises, and even a bald eagle. The scenery of the Puget Sound and the surrounding islands was stunning, making the trip even more special. This tour is perfect for anyone who loves nature or wants to see whales up close. I highly recommend it—it’s a must-do if you’re in Seattle!
Product: Seattle: Half-Day Wildlife and Whale Watching Cruise
Awesome tour
This a great tour to share with family and friends. Family friendly and educational. The crew was exceptional. Highly recommend
Product: Seattle: Half-Day Wildlife and Whale Watching Cruise
The crew really nice and...
The crew really nice and knowledgeable. Amazing to see whales in natural habitat. Had a great day out on the water.
Product: Seattle: Half-Day Wildlife and Whale Watching Cruise
Je recommande!
Facile et très agréable. Belle façon d'entrer au Canada. Très léger tangage, le trajet passe vite. La vue est superbe!
Product: From Seattle: One-Way High Speed Ferry to Victoria, BC
A Few Tips About the FRS Clipper
Looking at other reviews, it seems problems arise when a sailing date is cancelled or if there are rough seas. In our two sailings, one in 2017 and the other in July of 2024, the services were excellent. Our 2 pieces of luggage were taken at the Seattle port. We had upstairs seating and having to carry luggage would have been a problem. We did upgrade to a better seat and location in 2024. My wife thought the seat was far better than what you get in an airline. She did not want to leave. Paying the extra monies was worth it for us. The views leaving Seattle are majestic. We did see where the cruise terminal is located north of Seattle. The Clipper's terminal is along the downtown waterfront, Pier 69. Coming into Victoria’s harbor was interesting too with the breakwater, Ogden Point, flying float planes coming and going, and finally the majestic Parliament and the Fairmont Empress Hotel to view. It did take about three hours from point to point. We had a large side window. An Orca was spotted in front of the ship. Those that were seated in the front of the ferry got to see the Orca; we missed it. There was a small café on the ferry. We did have a good cup of coffee. The ferry left on time, the day after July 4th, and arrived exactly as scheduled. As expected, getting off the ship did take time as we had to go through customs. In 2017 we did have a number of areas with rougher seas. Some people did get sick. The ferry was smaller in 2017. Overall, we would do the ferry again given another opportunity. There is a chance, however, of a rare ferry cancellation and encountering rough seas. Most people enjoy smoother sailing on the newer ferries. If you found this review helpful in any way, please click “thumbs-up” icon to let me know.
Product: From Seattle: One-Way High Speed Ferry to Victoria, BC
All around pleasant trip
It was a smooth and pleasant trip both ways - although the changes in customs procedures made for a very challenging return to Canada, as I am unable to carry luggage up stairs. A very helpful Customs agent accommodated my needs by processing me with the travellers identified as needing assistance ( no stairs, using typical car lanes outdoors) and I would have self identified in advance, had I known that there would be these changes coming up. First day of the new process so I understood, but earlier notification would have helped me avoid a bit of a tricky moment!
Product: FRS Clipper
Trip to Victoria
All of the staff were extremely friendly and very helpful. For some reason, we were not assigned seats when I booked the trip and we had to see the attendant to get our seats. She made sure that we sat together and were seated in a very good spot. We decided we wanted to do high tea at the Empress hotel so they went ahead and booked our reservation for us. They were very attentive and made sure that we had drinks, food, and we’re comfortable. The whole trip was very seamless and I highly recommend it.
Product: From Seattle: Daytrip by High Speed Ferry to Victoria, BC
Daytrip from Seattle to Victoria on the Victoria Clipper
Highly recommended
A wonderful place to visit with an amazing view from the top to the city. It’s a unique experience to not be missed. **** I recommend it !
Product: From Victoria: One-Way High-Speed Ferry to Seattle, WA