The industry’s best guarantee
More than 20 years ago, Island Adventures was one of the first whale watching companies to offer a whale guarantee. We're so proud of our success rate that we're the only operator to post reports from every single tour. Due to our quick vessel speeds, strategic departure locations, and extensive whale spotting network, Island Adventures holds the #1 whale sighting success rate in the Pacific Northwest!
Whale Guarantee
Every Tour
If you don't see at least one type of whale with us - orca, minke, gray, or humpback - you can come again for FREE, for life, on any tour until you do. This is not a gimmick — it is a passion to show our guests whales. Unlike other companies that make similar claims, with Island Adventures there is no fine print and this is not a standby pass. Just give us a call and your next tour is on us until you see a whale - it’s that simple!
3 Day Orca Guarantee
May - September
We understand that many of our guests are particularly passionate about orcas. If you book three days in a month from Anacortes and do not see orcas specifically, you can come again for free (for life) until you see an orca. Island Adventures is the only company to guarantee orcas if you book three tours! This is not an attempt to sell more trips. If you see orcas on your first trip and want to cancel your remaining reservations, you can at no charge — no questions asked. You must enter “3 day orca guarantee” into the notes field at the time you make your three reservations. You must book and pay for all three of your tours at the same time in order to qualify for this guarantee.
5 Day Money-Back Orca Guarantee
May - September
If you book five days in a month from Anacortes and do not see orcas specifically, we will refund you in full and you can ride again for free (for life) until you see orcas. If you see orcas on any of your five booked tours, you may cancel the remaining tours (if you wish) at no charge. You must enter “5 day orca guarantee” into the notes field at the time you make your five reservations. You must book and pay for all of five of your tours at the same time in order to qualify for this guarantee.
We're serious about finding whales.
Did you know that orcas, humpbacks, gray whales, and minke whales can travel more than 100 miles in a 24 hour period? To increase our chances of seeing whales each day, Island Adventures uses a variety of tools. Over the past 20 years, our spotting network has evolved into the most sophisticated sightings network on the entire west coast. We work with other whale watch vessels, land-based spotters, researchers, dive boats, early morning fishermen, water taxis, tug boats, and ferry boats to help locate whales in the area. If the whales are here, we know it. We understand our guests’ passion to see whales in the wild — that’s why we’ve developed three different guarantee options.
On each and every tour, we guarantee that you'll see at least one type of whale (orca, minke, humpback, or gray) or you ride again free - for life - until you do! Many of our guests are passionate about orcas and travel to the Pacific Northwest specifically to see this iconic species. For orca enthusiasts we offer multi-day orca guarantees. This is not a ploy to sell more tickets, we simply want to maximize your chances of viewing orcas in the wild. As soon as you see orcas, you can cancel any remaining tours at no charge — no questions asked. We are able to offer these orca-specific guarantees because Island Adventures has the highest success rate in the region of finding orcas.
Please remember that we cannot control what the whales do or where the whales go each day. What we can give you is the highest possible chance of seeing whales due to our quick vessel speed and convenient departure locations. No company sees whales more than Island Adventures — the proof is in our whale report.
Whale Sighting Records
Our 97% success rate since 2002 speaks for itself. Check out what we've been seeing lately with our daily Whale Report.
- 2019: 532 of 540 tours – 98.5%
- 2018: 587 of 600 tours – 98.4%
- 2017: 571 of 603 tours – 94.7%
- 2016: 515 of 525 tours – 98.1%
- 2015: 429 of 433 tours – 99.1%
- 2014: 363 of 375 tours – 96.8%
- 2013: 260 of 266 tours – 97.7%
- 2012: 212 of 225 tours – 94.2%
- 2011: 262 of 266 tours – 98.5%
- 2010: 477 of 488 tours – 97.7%
- 2009: 239 of 248 tours – 96.4%
- 2008: 258 of 264 tours – 97.7%
- 2007: 244 of 256 tours – 95.3%
- 2006: 479 of 505 tours – 94.9%
- 2005: 269 of 274 tours – 98.2%
- 2004: 205 of 210 tours – 97.6%
- 2003: 221 of 230 tours – 96.1%
- 2002: 193 of 198 tours – 97.5%
Online Reservations
Make a reservation online with our secure system and receive an immediate email confirmation.
Whale Report
See what we've seen on the water. There's a detailed account from every tour since 2003!