Reviewed by: Kara
What an enchanting evening out on the water experiencing the wonderful manta rays of the Big Island!
| Rating: | |
|---|---|
| Packages: | Manta Ray Night Snorkel |
| Attended as: | Families |
| Posted on: | 2025/11/23 |
| Activity Date: | 2025/08/16 |
Reviewed by: Kara
This evening offered stunning sunset views over Kealakekua Bay, with live entertainment that added a festive, relaxing vibe!
| Rating: | |
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| Packages: | Dinner Cruise |
| Attended as: | Friends |
| Posted on: | 2025/11/23 |
| Activity Date: | 2025/08/17 |
Reviewed by: Kara
We got to explore the upper slopes of Hualalai Volcano, exploring ancient craters and crawling through a lava tube!
| Rating: | |
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| Packages: | Hidden Craters Hike |
| Attended as: | Friends |
| Posted on: | 2025/11/23 |
| Activity Date: | 2025/08/18 |
Reviewed by: Kara
The guides shared geology, Hawaiian history, and local plant life in a way that felt really genuine. The group was also small so it never felt rushed.
| Rating: | |
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| Packages: | Hidden Craters Hike |
| Attended as: | Friends |
| Posted on: | 2025/11/23 |
| Activity Date: | 2025/07/12 |
Reviewed by: Kara
The manta rays are graceful, peaceful, and totally mesmerizing. On the ride back, we enjoyed hot cocoa and tea, which made for the perfect ending to a truly unforgettable evening!
| Rating: | |
|---|---|
| Packages: | Manta Ray Night Snorkel |
| Attended as: | Friends |
| Posted on: | 2025/11/22 |
| Activity Date: | 2025/07/14 |
Reviewed by: Kara
the manta rays glided beneath and around us, often coming within just a few feet, the tour felt very respectful and peaceful all at once.
| Rating: | |
|---|---|
| Packages: | Manta Ray Night Snorkel |
| Attended as: | Friends |
| Posted on: | 2025/11/22 |
| Activity Date: | 2025/07/09 |
Reviewed by: Kara
Snorkeling with manta rays was absolutely unforgettable The boat was well-maintained, the sunset cruise beforehand was a beautiful bonus. Highly recommend this unique Big Island adventure.
| Rating: | |
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| Packages: | Standard Package: Moonlight Manta Snorkel (Seasonal) |
| Attended as: | Families |
| Posted on: | 2025/11/22 |
| Activity Date: | 2025/07/07 |
Reviewed by: Chris
Wonderful crew, great boat, dolphins, and the ocean. What could be better?
| Rating: | |
|---|---|
| Packages: | Sunset Cocktail Cruise |
| Attended as: | Friends |
| Weather: | Cloudy |
| Posted on: | 2025/11/07 |
| Activity Date: | 2025/11/05 |
Reviewed by: アキムゲンキ
We were the only Japanese participants. It truly felt like an overseas trip. The guide is also focused on environmental protection, practicing the balance between nature conservation and tourism on the Big Island.
Additionally, they pay attention to the safety of tour participants, allowing us to enjoy the experience with peace of mind. There were plenty of fish swimming around, and the water clarity was high, making it a fun tour.
Lunch and breakfast were simple but delicious. I would love to participate again when I come back to the Big Island.
日本人の参加は我々のみ。まさに海外旅行です。ガイドは環境保護にも注力しており、ハワイ島の自然保護と観光の両立を実践しています。
また、我々ツアー参加者の危険行為にも注意を払っており、安心して楽しむことができます。魚も沢山泳いでおり、透明度も高く、楽しいツアーでした。
ランチ、朝食も手軽だけど美味しかったです。
また、ハワイ島に来る時には参加したいです。
参加者もアメリカ各地、ヨーロッパからと、様々。
海外旅行の雰囲気を存分に楽しめます。
Aloha, thank you very much for posting such a wonderful review. We sincerely appreciate that you joined us and had a great time on the water. We look forward to your next visit. Mahalo~
Aloha, 素敵なレビューを投稿していただき、誠にありがとうございます。ご一緒にお越しいただき、水上で楽しいひとときをお過ごしいただけたことに、心より感謝申し上げます。またのお越しをお待ちしております。Mahalo~
| Rating: | |
|---|---|
| Packages: | 08:30出港 |
| Attended as: | Couples |
| Weather: | Sunny |
| Posted on: | 2025/10/23 |
| Activity Date: | 2025/09/17 |
Reviewed by: Joe
Nice cruise with excellent staff, especially the captain
| Rating: | |
|---|---|
| Packages: | Morning Kealakekua Snorkel Tour [4.5 hours] |
| Attended as: | Families |
| Weather: | Sunny |
| Posted on: | 2025/10/15 |
| Activity Date: | 2025/10/13 |
Reviewed by: Deb
A great trip. Staff , boat and equipment was excellent. Fun for first time snorkeling
| Rating: | |
|---|---|
| Packages: | Deluxe Snorkel & Dolphin Watch Cruise |
| Attended as: | Friends |
| Weather: | Sunny |
| Posted on: | 2025/09/28 |
| Activity Date: | 2025/09/27 |
Reviewed by: M. LANEY
I have a gluten allergy and it was SO incredibly helpful to have everything clearly labeled. The show was outstanding, the crew was friendly and helpful, the food was absolutely delicious. All around 10s
| Rating: | |
|---|---|
| Packages: | Royal Kona Resort Luau - Standard Seating Package |
| Attended as: | Others |
| Weather: | Sunny |
| Posted on: | 2025/09/22 |
| Activity Date: | 2025/09/19 |
Reviewed by: Kara
Hot at first with the sun coming down, but the sunset views are phenomenal!
| Rating: | |
|---|---|
| Packages: | Dinner Cruise |
| Attended as: | Families |
| Posted on: | 2025/09/20 |
| Activity Date: | 2025/07/03 |
Reviewed by: Shawnda Starr
I was a little nervous with my mom being 70 need to get into the submarine. They were very accommodating for her. Words cannot describe how amazing it was to be in this submarine. The picture that I posted of my sister and my husband with the most wonderful look, enjoying their selves Beyond words. This is my absolute favorite memory from our big island vacation 2025.
| Rating: | |
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| Packages: | Kona Submarine |
| Attended as: | Families |
| Weather: | Sunny |
| Posted on: | 2025/09/20 |
| Activity Date: | 2025/08/31 |
Reviewed by: Cali Girl
Wonderful boat & crew- with full bar & fruit. The location was pristine. The snorkelling was great- they have all the equipment. Very safe for kids. Fantastic afternoon.
| Rating: | |
|---|---|
| Packages: | Afternoon Snorkel Cruise |
| Attended as: | Families with Young Children |
| Weather: | Sunny |
| Posted on: | 2025/08/30 |
| Activity Date: | 2025/08/07 |
Reviewed by: ツナミエバキュエーター
It was disappointing that the visibility at the location wasn't great despite taking an hour to get there. However, it was nice to see a manta ray swimming from the boat when we returned! ♪
1時間かけて行ったのに、その場所での透明度が今ひとつだったのが残念でした。ただ戻ってきた時、マンタが泳いでいるのを船の上から見ることができたのは良かったです♪
アロハ、
視界がご満足いただけなかったと聞き、申し訳ありません。毎晩異なる体験がありますので、満足できない点があればぜひお知らせください。私たちは、滞在中に再度ご満足いただけるような夜にお出かけいただけるよう最善を尽くします。今後、再度お試しいただけることを願っています!
Aloha,
We are sorry to hear the visibility was not to your satisfaction. Every night is always different, we encourage our guests to reach out with any unsatisfactory notations as we will always do our best to get you out on another evening that is to your satisfactory with in your stay out here. We hope you'll give it another try in the future!
| Rating: | |
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| Packages: | 14:00出港 |
| Attended as: | Couples |
| Weather: | Sunny |
| Posted on: | 2025/08/24 |
| Activity Date: | 2025/07/31 |
Reviewed by: Derek
Crew was fantastic and so were the drinks. The vessel is very spacious and comfortable! Came aboard as part of my Bachelor party and it was an unforgettable and super fun time!
| Rating: | |
|---|---|
| Packages: | Sunset Cocktail Cruise |
| Attended as: | Friends |
| Weather: | Sunny |
| Posted on: | 2025/08/16 |
| Activity Date: | 2025/08/14 |
Reviewed by: yuki
I was worried because I hadn't received a confirmation email for the tour (I contacted VELTRA and they followed up for me).
However, on the day of the tour, I was about 20 minutes late for the meeting time, but they kindly said, "It's okay!" and allowed me to join (I did call ahead). After boarding the boat, they provided a briefing on the sizes of the snorkeling equipment and how to use the camera correctly. They also prepared Japanese instructions, so even though my conversational skills are very basic, I felt comfortable participating.
The waves felt a bit high, but they designated a snorkeling area, and during the snorkeling, staff members were patrolling on a paddleboard, which showed they were very attentive to safety. It seemed like the tour was fully booked, but there were plenty of floatation devices and life jackets available. Although I could see to the bottom, there weren't many fish, likely due to the high waves, but we still had a great time as a family!
Since it was a large boat, I didn't experience seasickness, and the cruising to and from was enjoyable. I felt from our conversation that they have a great respect and consideration for the ocean. After getting wet, the cruising felt cold, so I think it would be good to have a separate towel that doesn't get wet. I found the free water a bit difficult to drink. Also, since there were no warm drinks available, if you're worried about getting cold, it's better to bring your own.
The staff were kind, and they were accommodating even with my limited English skills. It was fun!
ツアーまでは、予約確定のメールが来ていなかったりで心配でした(ベルトラさんに問い合わせして、フォローいただきました)。
が、ツアー当日、集合時間から20分ほど遅れてしまったのですが、『大丈夫よ!』と言ってくださり心よく参加させてくださいました(事前に電話はいれました)。
船に乗った後は、シュノーケルの物のサイズや、正しい動画の使い方をレクチャーしてくれます。日本語の案内も用意してくれるので、すごく簡単な会話しかできない私でも安心して参加できました。
波は少し高いように感じましたが、シュノーケルエリアも指定してくださり、シュノーケリング中も職員の方がサップに乗って巡回されていたりして、安全にはすごく気を配っているのが伝わりました。
ツアーは満席だったように思いますが、浮き輪や救命胴衣も十分に用意されてました。
波が高かったからか、底まで見渡せたもののお魚はそんなに多くみられませんでしたが、それでも充分家族で楽しめました!
大きなボートだったので、船酔いもなく、行き帰りのクルージング楽しかったです。
海への敬意や配慮もすごくされているのだとお話しから感じました。
濡れた後のクルージングは寒く感じるので、羽織るタオルは濡れてしまうのと別にあると良いと思いました。
フリーで用意されているお水が少し飲みにくいと感じました。あと、温かい飲み物はないので、冷えてしまうことが心配なら自分で用意して行った方がいいと思います。
スタッフの方も親切ですし、拙い英語力でも対応してくださいます。楽しかったです!
I couldn't use the reef-friendly sunscreen I bought in Japan... However, they provide free sunscreen on the ship that we can use. Be careful when buying sunscreen in Japan.
日本で買って行ったリーフフレンドリーの日焼け止めが使えず…でも、船にフリーで使っていい日焼け止めを用意してくれています。
日本で日焼け止めを買っていく場合は要注意です。
| Rating: | |
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| Packages: | 14:00出港(シュノーケル1.5時間) |
| Attended as: | Families |
| Weather: | Cloudy |
| Posted on: | 2025/08/14 |
| Activity Date: | 2025/08/09 |
Reviewed by: Ryu
I was able to see a lot of fish, and it was a wonderful experience. My son really remembers how delicious the chips we had on the boat were, to the point that he wanted seconds.
Just as we were returning to the port, there was a tsunami due to an earthquake in the Kamchatka Peninsula, which made us a bit anxious, but they safely returned us without any issues. I feel like I want to participate again.
魚もたくさん見られて、とても良い体験をせて頂きました。
息子は、船上で頂いたチップスが美味しくてお代わりしてしまうほどだったことがすごく記憶に残っているようです。
丁度港に帰る頃にカムチャッカ半島の地震の影響で津波が来たタイミングで、多少慌てましたが、問題なく送り返して頂きました。
また参加したいと感じています。
The ship was larger than I expected, and there were many people participating. Since there was no Japanese support, there were fewer Japanese people, but it was great for us to experience the overseas
思っていたより船が大きくて、たくさんの人が参加されていました。日本語対応ではないので、日本人は少なめでしたが、私たちにとっては海外の感覚を味わえて良かったです。
| Rating: | |
|---|---|
| Packages: | 14:00出港(シュノーケル1.5時間) |
| Attended as: | Families |
| Weather: | Sunny |
| Posted on: | 2025/08/02 |
| Activity Date: | 2025/07/29 |
Reviewed by: Mama Bear
I was disappointed with this tour for lack of hospitality, communication and false advertising. The tour guide is not an astronomer or someone who writes articles for astronomy mazagines or even a local Hawaiian. They are very knowledgeable, patient and friendly guides but also lack communication with the tour company. For instance, we had 10 people in our tour and they were told only 6 so he wasn’t prepared with enough hot chocolate or parkas. It may also be the reason he didn’t offer snacks or water to anyone and tried to get more people to drink coffee at 9 pm! I was also disappointed that we didn’t go to the Kona coffee farm as advertised in the itinerary and confirmed when they called. You also have to select your meal prior to arrival or seeing the options which is undesirable. Finally, when they called to confirm they told me not to bring anything - no water, jacket, hiking boots etc since all would be provided and tennis shoes were enough. First off, I came prepared with everything in my luggage but since they said not to bring a big bag or too many items we were underprepared. My son was freezing because the parkas are huge and they were passed out but left for people to get when they were freezing. Our tennis were covered in dirt and sand because we stopped at a beach and walked the sand. I would have to be informed in advance that we’re going to a beach and not the coffee farm and to have proper attire. The stargazing was nice and we saw a lot of stars and constellations but it was not pleasant because of the lack of preparation. I do not recommend this tour. If you book, don’t listen to their advice and come prepared with attire, water and snacks on top of the exorbitant price you pay. Or you could ask to go with the tour that matches the advertisement but I tried that already. Heed the warning. I didn’t and while we don’t regret it we regret the company.
All of the above. Confirm, confirm, confirm!
| Rating: | |
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| Packages: | From Kona & Waikoloa - Solar Viewing & Stargazing with Dinner |
| Attended as: | Families with Young Children |
| Weather: | Rainy |
| Posted on: | 2025/08/01 |
| Activity Date: | 2025/07/31 |
Reviewed by: Rebecca
We’ve been with family. Children 12 and 10 years old. All of us were so excited and totally happy with this experience!
| Rating: | |
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| Packages: | Swim with Mantas |
| Attended as: | Families |
| Posted on: | 2025/07/23 |
| Activity Date: | 2025/07/21 |
Reviewed by: Maria
This cruise was outstanding! The crew was polite and attentive. The dinner was excellent! There was live music as well as someone giving us a little history of the island in between songs. I would definitely recommend this to anyone. We also were lucky enough to see the spinner dolphins put on a little chauffeur for us. We saw flying fish. Overall, it was an excellent experience!
We are thrilled that you had a great time! Providing an outstanding experience is exactly what our goals are! Thank you for joining us! We hope to see you again someday soon! Best regards!
| Rating: | |
|---|---|
| Packages: | Dinner Cruise |
| Attended as: | Families |
| Weather: | Cloudy |
| Posted on: | 2025/07/22 |
| Activity Date: | 2025/07/20 |
Reviewed by: Steph
We are a family of 4 with 2 teenagers, we had a great time with our guide at the stargazing tour. Our highlights were the lava caves, watching the sunset as well as stargazing. The sky was unbelievable and we learned a ton with our very knowledgeable guide.
Highly recommend.
I would skip the boiling pots when water level is low as there is nothing to see.
| Rating: | |
|---|---|
| Packages: | From Hilo - Rainbow Falls, Kaumana Caves, Solar Viewing & Stargazing with Dinner |
| Attended as: | Families |
| Weather: | Cloudy |
| Posted on: | 2025/07/20 |
| Activity Date: | 2025/07/18 |
Reviewed by: AJH
Pros: pig roast being done onsite, got to witness uncovering and presentation of the pig. (my son hated this portion!). menu and performances were both great! I liked different island nations being represented in music and dance and a little bit of story telling/history to tie it together. performance was good length and sunset was gorgeous! desserts and beverages were also delicious.
Cons: attempted to check in entire luau at one time slot. made for a lot of time waisted waiting in hotel lobby check in line. check in inside and then second check in outside felt redundant. we arrived at 5:22, email confirmation had suggested 5:30 check in, but spent several (20+ minutes) waiting to check in. by the time we arrived in luau area, we missed the 'activities' portion of the luau. we also missed the royal entrance of the luau show. we did however have great seats so first-come-first-seated wasn't an issue.
brief meet and greet with performers after the show felt rushed -- they were spread along exit sidewalk and available for a quick picture but were ushering us along immediately, without any chit chat -- which is a huge difference compared to other luaus.
professional photography of your party was an additional $25 for digital download. fresh lei's were an additional $10 each, which in my opinion were reasonably priced but I've had digital photography and leis included at other similarly-priced luaus.
having dined at this marriott the night before and spoken to several guests in the week it seems this particular marriott has become quite overpriced for the level of service and age of property it's become. it has an outstanding location, but is overpriced for the level of service or hospitality i've experienced at other similarly priced marriotts in the islands. pool and restaurants were crowded and bonvoy perks were lacking/zero. kids meals were reasonable, but got charged $10 each for kids scoop of vanilla icecream.
go earlier than confirmation email suggests if pre-show activities or royal entrance are important.
| Rating: | |
|---|---|
| Packages: | Ohana Package |
| Attended as: | Families |
| Weather: | Cloudy |
| Posted on: | 2025/07/19 |
| Activity Date: | 2025/07/15 |
Reviewed by: AJH
Captain and crew of Ocean Encounters 1 dove in ahead of guests, made a plan, and navigated us there. Honestly, we had a great viewing spot and several other boats' guests were eager to move into our spot upon our exiting. Boats are staggered and have a neighborly way of communicating where/when/how each group will be staggered but I would have been disappointed to be in one of the peripheral groups. These are wild animals, so no telling what each evening will look like, but was glad to have a captain who led the charge.
Tips: It is a bit of a rough ride for 20 mins out and approx 20 minutes back. If you are someone who suffers from carsickness or seasickness, highly recommend treating for that before you leave. We had 2 of 30 guests puking over the sides. I gave my carsick kiddo dramamine about an hour before-- no issues.
Do have inexperienced family members practice snorkeling ahead of tour so that they can spend the entire 45 minutes head down in the water enjoying the fish and rays and the learning is done in a pool or bay ahead of time. There were zero swimming skills necessary on this trip but knowing how to calmly enjoy breathing through a snorkel for an extended period was the difference between guests who really enjoyed and guests who didn't. There was a surfboard with handles that the group held on to, which was pulled into position by the guides.
Do warn your kiddos that these rays are HUGE. My youngest expected small 3-4 foot rays like we have in our aquarium and was initially very surprised (terrified) by the 12-15 wingspan on some of these beautiful creatures. They got right up in our personal bubble/faces/immediately underneath bellies and legs so do be ready for up-close amazing experience.
Do not bring a bunch of stuff/items as they end up dripped on and/or in the way. If the weather is warm all you need is shoes that are okay getting wet/dripped on, and a towel. They provided water and light packaged snacks on the return trip.
Take more pictures and consider taking and sharing photos with fellow tour guests.
| Rating: | |
|---|---|
| Packages: | Standard Package: Sunset Manta Snorkel |
| Attended as: | Families with Young Children |
| Weather: | Sunny |
| Posted on: | 2025/07/19 |
| Activity Date: | 2025/07/16 |
Reviewed by: DanMar
Just got back from our tour, but if you're questioning of splurging, take these into consideration: these are based on my experience tonight.
1) liking the convenience of a tour guide driving to the summit. But if the sunset view is what you’re after- you can drive to the summit yourself. Everyone follows the rule of leaving the observatory after sunset. Totally understandable. STUNNNNING views. Keep in mind it’s gravel paved and quite treacherous at night- but doable.
2) huge upset: if stargazing is what you’re after- like me. I was disappointed that they only show THREE views through telescope. Three. That’s it. First was a cluster of random stars. Second, after math of a super nova. Third was millions of stars what believed to be pulled in by a black hole. Amazing stuff, but that’s all you get. I was reading other previous reviews and they seem to enjoy more bang for their buck. The tour guide did go over the constellations using a laser and showed some stars in the sky without needing the telescope- but if you’re wanting to see planets, stars up close, we were limited to three.
3) food was okay- salty lasagna. Just save some few bucks and bring your own food.
4) bundle up-long sleeve and pants, close toe shoes is a must. It gets cold at night. They do offer parkas and gloves.
Would I want to do this again? Not after tonight. It was overpriced for what they offer.
| Rating: | |
|---|---|
| Packages: | Mauna Kea Sunset & Stargazing Tour with Dinner |
| Attended as: | Couples |
| Weather: | Sunny |
| Posted on: | 2025/07/15 |
| Activity Date: | 2025/07/14 |
Reviewed by: Duncan Miller
Sam was fantastic - really gave us all an exceptional tour of the night sky and was very knowledgable and great with the kids too!
| Rating: | |
|---|---|
| Packages: | From Kona & Waikoloa - Solar Viewing & Stargazing with Dinner |
| Attended as: | Families with Young Children |
| Weather: | Sunny |
| Posted on: | 2025/07/15 |
| Activity Date: | 2025/07/13 |
Reviewed by: Kara
Watching these huge sized manta rays glide beneath us was surreal! Best experience hands down.
| Rating: | |
|---|---|
| Packages: | Manta Ray Night Snorkel with Sunset Cruise |
| Attended as: | Families |
| Posted on: | 2025/07/14 |
| Activity Date: | 2025/06/11 |
Reviewed by: Rained out
Of course you can’t predict rain in Hawaii but you can have spots to seek cover. The event did pass out rain plastic but only once at the beginning and we did not get any.
Once the rain passed there was no attempt to wipe chairs so even if the rain stopped you were still soaked.
The hurried the show to see a quick fire dancer set but that was not that good.
Even without the rain you couldn’t see. The tables in rows made it difficult. The food was ok. The drinks didn’t not taste like any alcohol was in them just super sweet drinks. Overall I was not happy with the event.
Look for a smaller venue.
| Rating: | |
|---|---|
| Packages: | Royal Kona Resort - Standard Luau Package |
| Attended as: | Couples |
| Weather: | Rainy |
| Posted on: | 2025/07/12 |
| Activity Date: | 2025/06/18 |
Reviewed by: Debo
Kool show super packed parking was crazy I recommend parking off site because 200 people plus a fishing tournament and whatever else is happening in the area leaving at the same time it took 45 min just to get out of the parking lot.
If parking is limited something else is going on in the area leaving will be not fun
| Rating: | |
|---|---|
| Packages: | Ohana Package |
| Attended as: | Couples |
| Weather: | Sunny |
| Posted on: | 2025/06/24 |
| Activity Date: | 2025/06/22 |
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Participants come from various places across the United States and Europe. You can fully enjoy the atmosphere of international travel.