BirmanCrazy Posted June 19, 2017 #1 Share Posted June 19, 2017 I will be in Victoria on Sept 28th on the Explorer of the Seas from 10am to 6pm. I was hoping to do both Butchart Gardens and Whale watching .....is this possible? I don't want to miss the ship! Thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare martincath Posted June 19, 2017 #2 Share Posted June 19, 2017 Yes - but it's tight and I personally wouldn't recommend trying. There are multiple whale-watching companies offering approx 3 hour tours - but by the time you get there from the ship, even if it docks on time, you're realistically looking at an 11am or noon tour. Back on land at 2-3pm with a car rental prearranged or jumping right in a cab will get you to Butchart in <40mins, just about enough time to see most of the gardens and hustle back to the ship (NB: all-aboard time will be 5:30pm for a 6pm departure). You'd have to eat lunch on the boat to make this work, and you'd be hustling through the gardens, and probably worrying about making it back in time = a stressed group of people, not conducive to a nice day out on port. I'd pick one or t'other - or split your group if there's a difference of opinion what would be best. You can do another whale-watch in at least one additional port on any AK cruise - at least one of Juneau and ISP seem to be included on every cruise - while Butchart is harder to find equivalent 'garden time' for unless you're spending time in Vancouver. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BirmanCrazy Posted June 20, 2017 Author #3 Share Posted June 20, 2017 Thanks for the info.....looks like a leisure day at the Gardens it is! That's the main thing I HAVE to see in Victoria is Butchart Gardens. I haven't seen Orcas on my past 2 Alaska cruises. I was hoping to try to squeeze it in. This is a Pacific Coastal cruise and I don't think wild Orcas can be seen in San Francisco or Astoria, Oregon. I definitely don't want the stress of trying to do both. Thanks again! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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