All Reviews for Snorkeling Cruises & Tours

I was recommended Hanauma Bay as a great spot in Hawaii by a friend, but I learned that reservations are required for entry. Since I can't drive, I was looking for an all-inclusive plan and found this tour.

I had only snorkeled once before, so I was a bit anxious, but the small group and the attentive guidance in Japanese made it a wonderful experience. I was really happy to see sea turtles!

Hanauma Bay has more waves than I expected, so while floating, my body was swaying, and I was glad I took motion sickness medication. (There were others who got seasick as well. I tend to get motion sickness easily, but thanks to the medication, I had no issues at all.)

I heard that it's difficult to reserve entry tickets for Hanauma Bay, so I'm really glad I booked this tour considering that aspect too.

友人からハワイのおすすめの場所としてハナウマ湾を教えてもらいましたが入場に予約が必要とのことで、車も運転できないので全て込み込みのプランを探しておりこのツアーを見つけました。
シュノーケルは一回しか経験がなく少し不安でしたが、日本語で少人数で丁寧に進めてもらい、ウミガメも見ることができて本当に良かったです！
ハナウマ湾は思ったより波があるので、浮いている間に身体が揺れるので酔い止めを服用していってよかったです。(波酔いしてしまっている方もいました。自分もかなり乗り物酔いしやすいですが、薬の服用のおかげで全然問題なかったです)
ハナウマ湾の入場チケットは予約困難らしく、その点も含めてこのツアーを予約してよかったなと思います。

The staff members are amazing, and the food was delicious, but it would have been perfect if there were more play equipment! The staff doesn't go down to the sea, so it feels like you have to enjoy it on your own. However, the boat was beautiful, there were plenty of fish, and we even got to see turtles, so it was a lot of fun!

スタッフさん達は最高ですし、食事も美味しかったけどもう少し遊具が充実していれば完璧でした！
スタッフさん達は誰も海に降りないので自分たちで楽しむ感じです。でも船は綺麗で魚も沢山いて亀にも会えましたしとても楽しかったです！

All crew was perfectly friendly and amazing experience

We had a great transportation to and from the boat. The driver was friendly, pleasant, and knowledgeable about the area.I loved being able to snorkel, swim and just be on the platform. There was musical entertainment on the boat, which was nice on the way to and on the way back from the sandbar. The crew made everything fun and made sure that everyone was safe. I would do it again, for sure, and maybe next time I will have the courage to try the stand up paddle board.

Mantas can be seen in other countries as well, but the encounter rate on the Big Island of Hawaii is overwhelmingly high, so I definitely recommend experiencing it. During the session I participated in, several large mantas swam right in front of me, providing a truly valuable experience. The Japanese-speaking guide was very attentive, making it a reassuring tour.

For those who will be participating:
- The boat will speed towards the destination for a while, and it can be quite bumpy. If you're worried about seasickness, it's recommended to take motion sickness medication before joining.
- It gets chilly after coming out of the water. Bringing a large towel can be useful as it can also serve as a wrap.
- Since it's a popular tour, seats can fill up quickly, so it's advisable to keep your belongings to a minimum (if you don't want to place them on the floor). A waterproof bag is recommended as a lot of seawater comes into the boat.
- There is only one Japanese-speaking guide, and of course, they won't be able to provide individual attention to everyone. Especially for beginners in snorkeling, it's safer to familiarize yourself with how to wear the snorkel, how to fit it, how to put on a wetsuit, and how to enter the water beforehand.

マンタは他の国でも見られるそうですが、ハワイ島での遭遇率は圧倒的に高いそうなので、ぜひ体験することをお勧めします。私が参加した回も、大きなマンタが何匹も目の前でくるくると回ってくれて、とても貴重な体験をすることができました。
日本語対応ガイドさんもきめ細やかに対応してくださって、安心できるツアーでした。

これから参加する方に向けて
・爆速のボートをしばらく走らせて目的地に向かいます。かなり揺れます。船酔いが心配な方は酔い止めを服用してから参加するのがおすすめです。
・海から出た後は冷えます。大きなタオルを持参すると羽織にもなるので良いと思います。
・人気なツアーで席が埋まることも多いそうなので、荷物は最小限がおすすめです(床に置きたくなければ)。海水が船内にかなり入ってくるので、防水対応の袋に入れると安心と思います。
・日本語ガイドさんは一名で、もちろん自分たちだけにつきっきりでケアしてくれるわけではありません。特にシュノーケリング初心者の方はシュノーケルの装着方法や合わせ方、ウェットスーツの着方や海への入り方等々、事前に知識を入れられるものは入れてから望んだ方が安心です。

The most perfect day ever. Captain Robin was beyond amazing and hannah was so lovely. The whole experience was a 10/10 it was my favorite day on the trip. I was with a party of 6 and the attention to making sure we all had a great time was so amazing. The snorkel was so ethereal we saw so many turtles and fishes. The sandbar activities were so fun. Would recommend to everyone !!

I loved the cruise!... Sit in the back if you don't like the movement of the boat. The scenery and water was beautiful! We saw dolphins and turtles! The weather was beautiful!! Lastly, the crew was the best!!! Can't wait to go again!

Everything was great, exactly how it’s described
The timing, the staff, the photographer on board and under water was great, we saw the turtles, and dolphins, loved it
Take early time so u will be done by noon and you have another half of the day to do more or rest
My kids were excited to be in the water, they were little too small for snorkeling (4 and 2 years old) so didn’t snorkel

Our party had a great time. All of the staff was very friendly and ensured we had fun and were safe. The whole experience was amazing.

In the afternoon, the sand wasn't packed down and felt like it was floating in the sea, but I had a great time with various activities! The banana boat was also amazing!

午後の時間帯で、砂はあわられておらず海にぷかぷか浮いている感じでしたが、いろんなアクティビティができて楽しかったです！
バナナボートも最高でした

The pickup, local guidance, and snorkeling instruction were all great! However, it was a bit disappointing that the visibility was low due to the light rain and waves...

お迎えから、現地案内、シュノーケリング指導、とてもよかったです！しかし、小雨で波があったので、透明度が低く残念。。。

Turned out to be a perfect day and the crew were fabulous.

100% would do again

Overall great experience and had so much fun. This was my first time snorkeling and my first time in Hawaii. Definitely will return. The crew was outstanding.

What a great day, there was the sweetest turtle the whole time in the water

Like Sabrina Carpenter would say- short and sweet! Perfect to get out on the water and snorkeling right by the hotels!

A really lovely balance of getting to see the Na Pali and enjoying dinner while getting the gorgeous views!

For my husband and I who were not sure if we were comfortable in deeper water, this snorkel was perfect and shallow with plenty of fish!

My husband loved this boat ride so much, it made me so happy!

The water is so different over on this snorkel tour, and they pick up from hotel!

Really fabulous afternoon on the water. We loved the boat and the fish we got to see!!!

The Hanalei area was our favorite, we were so happy we got out on the river!

Liko took such great care of our group, and had so much knowledge on the history of Kauai!

An experience like we never had before, the manta rays are gentle giants and the boat guides made our tour even more easy!

Oahu had some serious crystal clear waters! Warm, sunny day of fun with my family- unbeatable.

Very friendly staffs and pick up from Waikīkī hotel is included in this price!
We saw at least 3 huge turtles! Happy!

Hayato, the Japanese guide, rode with us on the shuttle bus and provided explanations on the way to the port. The photographer was a foreigner, but he tried to communicate using a translation device and was very kind. The boat was double-decker, with foreigners on the first floor and Japanese on the second. There were two Japanese guides on the second floor to assist us. It was quite rocky, and some people felt sick, so it's advisable to take motion sickness medication. Children from the age of five can swim, but they need to jump off the boat one by one with fins and snorkel sets, so it might be scary unless the child is very adventurous.

Unfortunately, on the day we participated, we couldn't swim with the dolphins, but we were able to see them from the boat. (There are areas where swimming with them is not allowed.) In the snorkeling area, we saw turtles, so we could swim with them.

On the return bus, I tried to get off in front of the hotel, but the door closed right in front of me, and in the end, we had to stop at the hotel one more time to drop us off. The driver didn't speak Japanese and seemed hard of hearing, so I recommend that those who are not confident in their English sit in the front seats to get off quickly.

日本人ガイドのハヤトさんが送迎のバスから一緒に乗ってくださって、港にいくまでの間に説明をしてくれました。カメラマンさんは外国の方でしたが、翻訳機能を使って意思疎通をしようとしてくれて、とても良い方でした。二階建ての船でしたが、外国の方が１階、日本人は2階で振り分けられていました。2階には日本人ガイドさんが２人いてサポートしてくださいました。結構揺れて気持ち悪くなってる方がいたので酔い止めは飲んだ方がいいです。５歳からスイムも可能となっていますが、船から一人ずつフィンとシュノーケルセットをつけて飛び降りる必要があるので、よほど冒険心のあるお子さんでないと怖いのではないかなと思いました。
私たちが参加した日は残念ながらイルカと一緒に泳ぐことはできなかったのですが、船の上からイルカを見ることはできました。（エリアによって一緒に泳げないエリアがあります。）またシュノーケルエリアでは亀がいたので、亀と一緒に泳ぐことはできました。
帰りのバスでホテル前で降りようとしましたが、目の前で扉を閉められてしまい、結局最後にもう一度ホテルに寄って降ろしてもらいました。運転手さんは日本語が話せない方で耳も遠い感じだったので、英語に自信のない方は前方の席に座って素早く降りることをおすすめします。

Not really worth it.
Drinks are not offered until after you get out of the water. Kinda lame. But safety first, I get it. Ticket says 3 beverages. By the time you're out of the water and get a drink from the bar, you have about 15 minutes out on the water before getting back to the beach. I ordered two drinks and didn't have time to finish my second beverage. And you can't take them off the boat with you.
I saw two turtles. Water is not very clear and you are crowded by so many other tours. You are required to wear a life jacket the whole time, so you can't even dive down to take a closer look at the turtles. They're about 30 feet below you. One did surface, so that was cool.

Staff were super unenthusiastic. Yes, you're working. You live here. We're tourist, whatever. But at least smile. It's like none of them have ever traveled before. This is a bucket list adventure for some people. Maybe show some passion. The male guide couldn't project his voice whatsoever and had zero excitement in his voice when going over safety measures. The female guard also struggled with public speaking and wrapped it up with "I tried my best to make sure you all saw a turtle, if you didn't, that's your fault."
The only person on the boat who deserved part of the tip I left was the good looking thor dude. He was at least friendly. Mahalo to you.

Also. They advertise two hammock like seating areas. A couple scored the first one. The other one was occupied with thier equipment. I kindly asked if they could move it over 4 feet so I could sit there and the girl said no. I arrived early just to claim that spot. I was not the only person to ask, either. Maybe don't put the equipment in the most desirable area to sit?

Would not book again.

I had a very enjoyable time with the dolphins. I had many opportunities to touch them. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to swim while holding onto the dolphin's dorsal fin. It was listed as one of the activities, so I thought I would definitely be able to experience it, but I couldn't.

とても楽しい時間をいるかと過ごせました。たくさん触る機会がありました。残念だったのはいるかの背びれにつかまって泳ぐことはできませんでした。アクティビティのひとつに書かれていたので、必ず体験できると思っていたのですができませんでした。

The crew was excellent so friendly and so helpful. We had so much fun at the sand bar lunch was great. The snorkling was also a lot of fun. I would highly recommend this experience. Really enjoyed the movie trivia that our host shared with us on our way back to the dock. Thank you for a great time!

We gathered in front of the hotel early in the morning (5:45 AM) and watched the sunrise until our reservation time for Hanauma Bay (6:30 AM). This activity does not require a reservation for entry to Hanauma Bay, but you need to purchase tickets on-site, and you have to wait in line until it's time. I felt that time was a bit wasted, but I guess that's what you get for a cheap tour. One participant in the same tour kindly purchased tickets for everyone at the counter. Of course, we all lined up together.

If the tour included the ticket price, I suppose there wouldn't be any need to wait in line? I saw some people entering without waiting. Since everything was explained in English, there were some things I didn't understand. I heard there are lockers available, but I think it's better to take valuables to the beach. Someone needs to keep an eye on the bags. The snorkeling gear was cheap, and it was hard to breathe underwater. Some people mentioned it broke halfway through. The driver said if we called, he would help us... in English.

If you want to participate in the tour efficiently and with peace of mind, I think it's better to join a Hanauma Bay snorkeling tour guided by Japanese staff, even if it's a bit more expensive.

朝早くから(5時45分)ホテル前集合で、ハナウマ湾の予約時間(6時30分)まで朝日が昇るのを見てました。
このアクティビティーは、ハナウマ湾入場予約は不要なのだけど、現地でチケット購入しないといけないく、時間になるまでならんで待っていないとダメでした。
その時間がもったいなかったかな？安いツアーだからしょうがないです。
同じツアー参加者の一人が全員分のチケットをまとめて窓口で購入してくれました。もちろん全員同じかたまってならんでました。

チケット代金も入ったツアーならたぶんこの並ぶ　ということはないのかな？並ばないで入ってる人もいたので。
全部英語で説明させるのでわからないこともありました。ロッカーあるとのこと、でもビーチに貴重品はもっていった方がいいと思います。誰か一人荷物番が必要です。
シュノーケルも安物か海のなかで息がしづらいです。
途中で切れたという人もいました。電話してくれれば…と、ドライバーはいってました。英語です。
効率よく、安心してツアーに参加したいのであれば、少し高くても日本人スタッフが案内してくれるハナウマ湾シュノーケルに参加した方がいいと思います。