Victoria Clipper

Written by Scott Messmore

While the sites and sounds of Seattle's fish markets, pier attractions and music scene are well known, a city with Old World charm and architecture is only two hours away with the fast boats of the Victoria Clipper cruise line. Victoria Clipper offers a wide range of services including travel packages, vacations and luxury cruising to Victoria, British Columbia, San Juan Islands, the Canadian Rockies, Portland, Oregon and Vancouver Island. Victoria still has the British style double-decker buses, a European Parliament building and British inspired gifts and crafts. The original Victoria Clipper was launched in 1986 and can carry passengers on day trips at speeds up to 30 miles per hour. Responding to the success of the ship, the Victoria Clipper IV was bought from a Norwegian shipbuilder and refitted with gas turbine engines. While both the Victoria Clipper and Victoria Clipper IV are catamaran hulled ships, Victoria Clipper IV can reach speeds in excess of 50 miles per hour. Victoria Clipper IV is the fastest passenger vessel in North American waters today. If you would like to make the trip to Victoria on Vancouver Island, boarding is in Seattle at Pier 69 along the waterfront. Victoria Clipper ships will take you on a scenic voyage out of Elliot Bay, past Double Bluff, Fort Flagler, Point Wilson and Protection Island into the Strait of Juan De Fuca. The Victoria Clipper III takes a trip past Cattle Point on San Juan Island, circles the island from the north and the sails into Victoria. Victoria Clipper ships offer the best of the Pacific Northwest's scenery combined with a trip to beautiful Victoria.

Victoria Clipper Tours

Victoria Clipper offers several package tours to several Pacific Northwest cities and attractions. For trips from Seattle to Victoria, you can stay overnight or add special additions such as whale watching, golf options or high tea at the Fairmont Empress Hotel in Victoria. Trips to Vancouver include stops at the Vancouver Aquarium and Stanley Park. Visiting the beautiful San Juan Islands might bring sightings of Killer Whales or playing in tidal pools teeming with marine life, once ashore. There is plenty to see and do in the San Juan Islands; depending on how high the tide is, there are anywhere from 400 to 740 islands. Most of the San Juan Islands have yet to be named even today. Winter visitors can travel to the ski resort of Whistler, British Columbia. To see the magnificent Canadian Rockies, Victoria Clipper offers a five-day train ride through the mountains. Another seven-day train ride takes you through Whistler, Prince George, Prince Rupert, down the coast to Port Hardy and back to Victoria. Historical and cultural stops such as the Two Rivers Art Gallery, Pacific Western Brewery and the Fort George Museum are included.

Hours of Operation and Location

Victoria Clipper is headquartered in Seattle at Pier 69, 2701 Alaskan Way. In Victoria, Victoria Clipper is at the Belleville Terminal, 254 Belleville Street, British Columbia. Trips leave Seattle for Victoria at either 8 or 8:30 a.m. depending on time of year. Round trips start at: adults $99 to $109; groups or senior citizens, $89 to $99; children are $49.50 to $54.50. Call for exact trip departure times and prices.

For more information about the travel packages and fleet of Victoria Clipper, call 206- 448-5000. From outside Seattle or Victoria, call 800-888-2535.