All Reviews for Marine Wildlife Encounters

We participated as a family of three.
We were invited by our children to a trip to Hawaii to celebrate my 60th birthday.
Swimming with wild dolphins was amazing! We also encountered sea turtles.
(In Okinawa snorkeling, my sea turtle encounter rate is about 30%.)
The staff was efficient and the photographer was cheerful.
We had a great time.
Mahalo

親子三人で参加しました。
子供たちから還暦の記念に招待されたHAWAII旅行。
野生のイルカと泳げて感動！　　ウミガメにも遭遇
（沖縄のシュノーケリングでは私のウミガメ遭遇率３０％位です）
スタッフはテキパキ　そして　明るいカメラマン
楽しく過ごせました。
　　 　Mahalo

It was a tour that set off with great enthusiasm at 8 AM, but unfortunately, we were unable to encounter any whales. The cruiser stayed out on the water until the very end, perhaps out of determination. I had no complaints about the tour itself. However, due to the strong winds that day, the cruiser rocked quite a bit, and one of my family members got seasick.

Still, considering that we got to see the cobalt blue sea and view Honolulu from the ocean, I think it’s an experience worth having at least once.

朝の８時から意気込んで出発したツアーでしたが、とても残念なことにクジラに遭遇できませんでした。クルーザーも最後まで粘ってくれたのか、時間ギリギリまで海上にいてくれました。ツアー自体に不満はありませんでした。当日は風が強かったせいか、クルーザーが大きく揺れて家族の一人が船酔いをしてしまいました。
でもコバルトブルーの海が見れたこと、ホノルルを海から見れたことを考えると一度は体験をしておくべきかなと思いました。

There is no Japanese guide, but the staff did their best to explain in Japanese. When you see the whales, you completely forget about the language barrier. It was a wonderful experience.

日本語ガイドはないですが、スタッフの方が頑張って日本語でも説明してくれてました。
クジラを見れば、言葉のことなんて全く気にならないです。
素敵な体験をさせてもらいました。

You can also apply for the Dolphin Quest right before, but this option is a bit more economical! I would like to apply through Veltra again next time. Thank you very much!

直前ドルフィンクエストに申し込むこともできますがこちらの方が少しお得です！次もveltraさんから申し込みさせて頂きたいです。ありがとうございました！

Excellent service, great crew, great experience and at the end spotted a whale

Last Saturday I had the opportunity to do the sharks cage with some friends. Honestly, I was a little concerned about how the sharks are attracted, and if we were putting them in any distress by trying to see them in their natural habitat. Shortly after boarding the boat, my concern was put to rest-the sharks are not harmed in any way!.. Although it was late in the morning, and a swell was filling in, me and a couple friends all had a blast, gripping the bars of the cage, riding the swells as they rolled through and watched 10-12 sharks circle around us with such grace and ease. They were so close, we could see the pupil of their eyes!! Such an amazing experience, reminding me of my tiny existence on land.

This was such a neat experience that I'll never forget. We were so close to the sharks, which was somewhat scary, but mostly serene watching them swim by, really not caring about us humans in a cage. They come up to the sound of the boat because the area is usually filled with crabbers and they've become accustomed to eating the scraps. It was so neat being surrounded by these beautiful creatures and close enough to see the small barnacles attached to their bodies.

We did the 11am tour, which resulted in quite rocky waters (hence it being the latest option). The earlier times are much calmer waters and generally better visibility. The later time is not ideal for anyone sensitive to motion sickness, or nervous about the experience as it enhanced the intensity getting in and out of the cage. While in the water, we all had to hold on tightly to avoid hitting and kicking one another.

All that said, it was way worth it. Again, the earlier times and much calmer and even more enjoyable - highly recommend the tour, the earlier the better!

Perhaps the season has come to an end. I was on the boat for about an hour, but that was all. I also couldn't receive the reboarding ticket. Since it is valid only during the same season, I wouldn't have been able to use it anyway... In any case, I didn't do enough research on my part.

おそらくシーズンは終わってしまったのかもしれませんね。
1時間ほど船に揺られたということでそれ以上にはなりませんでした。
再乗船チケットも受け取れませんでした。
同一シーズン中有効とのことですので受け取っても使えませんでしたが・・・。
いずれにしても自分の下調べが足りませんでした。

The meeting point was within walking distance from the hotel where we were staying, making it easy to get to. Since it finished in half a day, we were able to make good use of the afternoon as well.

集合場所も宿泊していたホテルから徒歩圏内で行きやすかったです。
半日で終わるので午後からの時間も有効利用できてよかったです。

I boarded on March 23, 2017, but I didn't see any whales at all. Therefore, I received a re-boarding ticket valid until January 31, 2018. I plan to come back to Hawaii again before the expiration date! ♬

2017/3/23に乗船しましたが、鯨は全く見れませんでした。そのため、2018/1/31まで有効な再乗船券をもらいました。期限内までにまたハワイに来ようと思いました♬

I couldn't see any whales.
I guess the season is probably over.

I'm not sure if there was a reboarding coupon or not. I don't have it on hand, but since it's only valid during the same season, it wouldn't matter anyway.

I signed up because the price was cheap, but I didn't do enough research.

クジラ見られませんでした。
たぶんもうシーズンoffなんでしょうね。

再乗船クーポンはあったのかなかったのかよくわからんし？
手元にありませんが、まあ同一シーズン中有効なだけなのでどうせ使えません。

値段が安いので申し込みましたが、下調べが足りませんでした。

I was looking forward to the cruise, but unfortunately, no whales appeared. We participated in the morning cruise, but I later heard from locals that there is a relatively better chance of seeing them in the afternoon. Since our travel schedule was tight, we didn't need tickets for a re-boarding. The breakfast before departure was delicious.

期待して乗船したのですが、残念ながら鯨は現れませんでした。私達は午前のクルーズに参加しましたが、後から現地の方に聞いた話では比較的午後のほうが現れるチャンスがあるのだとか。。。。旅行のスケジュールがタイトだったので再乗船のチケットは不要でした。出発前の朝食はおいしかったです。

Although we did see many whales, nothing was comparable to the impressive photo's shown in add brochures. You well need a nice set of binoculars to see the detail in sales brochures. All we saw were distance tail and fin flops although some say they saw a baby come out of the water. We enjoyed just setting on the beach watching the whales in the evening as the actual tour....An underwhelmed Okie!

Understanding the boats cannot come closer than 100 yards, outs seemed to stay 200-300 yards away. Unless you have a telephoto lens, just use your eyes and retain the memory because any other camera, including phones and GoPros, will just show the whales as a small blip.

My parents in their 70s participated (I had to act separately because I have children). The weather was nice, and it seems they had a wonderful cruise. They were able to see plenty of whales and got a close view of Diamond Head.

Since it's an early morning tour, it can be tough, but you can make good use of the afternoon, so I recommend the morning tour. Even my parents, who are in their 70s and have no English skills at all, enjoyed participating. If you're considering optional tours for a three-generation trip, definitely think about this tour. It will surely create wonderful memories.

70代の両親が参加しました。(私は子供がいるため別行動)
天気も良く素晴らしいクルーズになったようです。
クジラも十分に見ることができ、ダイヤモンドヘッドも間近に見れたそうです。

朝早いツアーなので大変ですが、午後からの時間を有効に使えるので午前のツアーがオススメです。
70代の英語が全くだめな両親でも楽しく参加できました。
もし三世代旅行のオプショナルツアーに迷っていたらぜひこのツアーを検討してみてください。きっと素晴らしい思い出になること間違いなしです。

I participated in a dolphin tour with my mother. I thought Dolphin Junior High would be a hard tour with boats that make you seasick, like banana boats, but it was actually a double-decker ship. I didn't get seasick, and we got to meet Dolphin Sensei and Professor Turtle. The weather was great that day, and we received word right after departure that Dolphin Sensei was nearby. We quickly spotted them swimming around. The group of Dolphin Sensei was so cute, and I was really happy to see so many sea creatures. There were about five staff members, including a funny photographer. The staff were friendly, and I'm glad I participated in this tour. My mother had trouble using the snorkel and said she couldn't breathe in the water, so I think it would be reassuring for first-time snorkelers to receive detailed instructions before entering the ocean. Next time I go to Hawaii, I would like to participate in Dolphin University as well! The waters of Hawaii were truly beautiful.

母と一緒にイルカ中学のツアーに参加しました。イルカ中学はハードだとかバナナボートみたいな船酔いするボートで行くのだと思っていましたが、ボートではなく二階建ての船でした。船酔いもすることなく、イルカ先生、ウミガメ教授にも会えて、その日は天気も良く、出航からすぐにイルカ先生たちがいると連絡があり、あっちこっちと泳いでいるとすぐに会えました。初めてのイルカ先生の群、とっても可愛くて海の生き物にたくさん会えてよかったです。スタッフは５人ぐらいいて、一人カメラマンのおもしろい人もいました。スタッフのみなさんも気さくな方たちで、このツアーに参加してよかったです。母は、シュノーケルの使い方がわからず、海で息ができないと言っていたので、初めてシュノーケルをする人には、そういう細かいところまで教えてもらった方が安心して海に入れると思いました。また、ハワイに行った時は、次はイルカ大学にも参加してみたいです！！ハワイの海は本当に綺麗でした。

I would highly recommend this tour. It was very fun, staff were all amazing and we got amazing photos and views of Honolulu. Great short trip (a few hours). We got to see a school of dolphins swimming along the boat which was also amazing.

The seats you are guided to when you board the ship are just for the initial explanation, so don't worry if your seat doesn't have a view of the sea. After the explanation, you can freely go out to the deck. Since the wind can be cold, I recommend bringing something to wear. I was able to see the whales jumping clearly. I also saw swimming sea turtles. Everything was explained in English.

船に乗り込んだときに案内される席は、
最初の説明を受けるだけの席なので
海が見えない席でも安心してください。
説明終了後に自由にデッキに出られます。
風が冷たいので羽織るものを持参されると良いと思います。
くじらのジャンプをしっかり見ることができました。
泳いでいるウミガメも見れました。
すべて英語の説明でした。

It was great to see the humpback whales swimming right in front of us multiple times and to witness them spouting water. My children and my mother-in-law were also delighted.

Since it was a live event, I was worried about various risks such as weather and the possibility of not seeing the animals, but everything turned out perfectly. Additionally, making leis at the craft event, where the whole family created the same lei to take home, became a wonderful memory.

Next time, I would like to come with my own parents.

ザトウクジラの泳ぐ姿が何度も目の前で見られたり、潮を吹くのを見れ、子供も帯同した義母も喜んでもらえ、よかったです。
ナマモノなイベントだけに、天候リスク、動物が出てこないリスクなどをいろいろと心配しながらも、すべてがパーフェクトにでき、かつ民芸イベントでのレイ作りは、家族みんなで同じレイを作り、持って帰れ、良い思い出になりました。

次回は、自分の両親と来たいな、と思います。

We couldn't have asked for a better experience. The crew and marine naturalist were great. We were fortunate enough to see a lot of activity. Would definitely recommend.

The tour was accompanied by the principal, and everyone, including the staff and the photographer, was very pleasant, making it enjoyable. It was lucky to see a pod of dolphins and turtles, but being able to see seals as well made it the best snorkeling experience.

学園長さんも同行のツアーでしたらスタッフの方もカメラマンもみな感じの良い人達で楽しめました。
イルカの群もカメも見れたのはラッキーでしたが、さらにアザラシまで見れて最高のシュノーケリング体験になりました。

This by far was one of the most exciting excursion of the vacation. We saw a ton of whales. We would definitely do this again.

Great tour! We saw male whale showing off plus momma whale with baby!

This was so fun. To top it off at the end we got to see 30+ dolphin.

We saw several manta rays and they were amazing! Some came up to the surface and could be seen from the boat. Captain Morgan and Troy were awesome! They were funny, personable and told some great stories. While in the water, Troy and Cory were always making sure everyone was doing okay. I would definitely recommend this excursion with Sea Paradise and this crew.
March, 2017

We got so lucky, getting to see a few different pods of whales! The boat was about 50 feet away, so the views of the whales (including Waikiki and Diamond Head as the backdrop) were spectacular!
The lunch buffet was excellent. Plenty of yummy options to choose from.
After lunch, activities were set up - lei making, plus ukulele and hula lessons. The cruise was a great way to spend the day!

I didn't know that winter whales come around the Big Island until I went there. I really wanted to see them, so I quickly signed up for a tour after arriving and participated with my family. I had two concerns: getting to the boarding area from the hotel and seasickness, but thanks to this tour, I managed to get through it safely. When traveling to an unfamiliar destination, even if you know the port's name, you can be troubled by not knowing the distance from the hotel or the means of transportation, but it was a great decision to have them pick us up at the hotel! Additionally, the boat was luxurious and hardly swayed, so I didn't experience the seasickness I was worried about. On top of that, I was able to see dolphins and whales, which was wonderful!

ハワイ島に行くまで冬期くじらがハワイ島周辺に来ていることを知らなかった。
是非見てみたいと思い、現地に行ってから急きょ申し込みをし、家族で参加した。
ホテルから乗船場までの足と船酔いの二つの懸念があったがこのツアーのお陰で無事乗り切れた。
慣れない旅行先では港の地名を知っても、ホテルからの距離や交通手段もわからずこまるがホテルでピックアップしてもらえたので正解!! また船は豪華船でほとんど揺れもなく心配した船酔いもなかった。
その上で、いるかやクジラも見ることができたのでよかった!

We are local and go whale watching at least once a year. We have been whale watching on four islands and on as many different boats. As for comfort and ease of viewing we enjoyed "The Majestic" the most.

There were a lot of dolphins, but the sea was in a bad mood and a bit murky. I was lucky to be able to watch a whale spouting in the distance. It's a shame that interactions with dolphins seem to be restricted now. After all, Hawaii is definitely about the marine life!

イルカがいっぱいでしたが、海の機嫌が悪く、少々濁っていました。
遠くの方に、潮を吹いているクジラまでウオッチングできでラッキーでした。
イルカとの触れ合いも規制されてしまうそうで、残念です。
やはりハワイは、マリンかなー

I came to Hawaii for the first time and was enjoying myself in Waikiki. Then I participated in a tour at Dolphin School and felt like I encountered what I was looking for in Hawaii. Waikiki is also a lot of fun, but for those who want to see the true face of Hawaii, I definitely recommend participating.

私は初めてハワイに来て、ワイキキで楽しんでいました。それからイルカ中学のツアーに参加して私がハワイに求めていた事に出会った気がしました。ワイキキもとても楽しいですが、本当のハワイの姿を見てみたいと思った方は是非参加する事を推めます。