All Reviews for Marine Wildlife Encounters

Great things were the weather, water and warmth of the staff. Whale sightings were unfortunately few and at a great distance such that mostly splashes and puffs of water were seen only. Boat was nice, top deck offers the best views. Kids had fun.

The boat was tied up and swayed more than I expected because people were moving inside the cage. Even I, who have never been seasick, ended up vomiting. My friend felt so sick even after taking three motion sickness pills that they couldn't participate. Several others also vomited. Aside from that, it was the best experience. The sharks showed no interest in us and were not scary at all. Next time, I want to take motion sickness pills and try again.

船は止まった状態でケージにつながれており、ケージの中で人が動くため、想像以上に揺れます。船酔いしたことのない私でも吐きました。友人は酔い止め3錠のんでも気分が悪すぎて、参加できずでした。他にも何人か吐いていました。それ以外は最高の体験でした。サメは全くこちらに興味はなく、怖くありません。今度は酔い止めを飲んで、やってみたいです。

The price is a bit high, but I was very satisfied with the breakfast and whale watching. It was a bit cold in January, so I think it's a good idea to bring a hoodie or something similar.

少々値段ははりますが、朝ごはん、ホエールウォッチング大満足です
一月でしたので少々寒かったです。
パーカーなど持って行くといいと思います

Our whale watching cruise was incredible. The staff was so kind and very informative. The crew knew the answers to all of the questions that guests were asking about the whales and their lifestyles.

Our departure location changed due to weather and the staff made sure to contact us multiple ways to ensure that we were aware of the changes. Very helpful!

The only disappointment is that we weren't served cinnamon rolls, which had been advertised as the menu for the morning departure.

I was very excited to see a real whale right in front of my eyes for the first time. Since the tour was in English, there were many things I didn't understand, but overall, I was satisfied with the tour.

初めて自分の目で本物の鯨を目の前で見れて、とても興奮しました。
英語案内だったので、わからないことも多々ありましたが、
ツアー自体は問題なく満足できました。

I was torn about which boat to choose, but since I had already taken a dinner cruise on the Star of Honolulu, I opted for the slightly smaller Majestic. The weather was nice, and the contrast between Diamond Head and the ocean was beautifully visible.

After heading out for a while, I spotted a whale's spout and was able to see its back and tail. After that, I saw quite a few spouts, but I couldn't confirm their full appearance. The boat was rocking quite a bit, and it seemed like many people were feeling a bit worn out, so it might be a good idea for those who are prone to motion sickness to take some medication beforehand. I bought motion sickness pills at ABC and was fine. If you're worried about foreign medication, it's better to bring extra from Japan!

どの船にするか悩みましたが、スターオブホノルル号にはディナークルーズで乗ったので、少し小さめのマジェスティック号にしました。天気も良く、ダイヤモンドヘッドと海のコントラストがキレイに見えました。
沖に出てしばらくすると、クジラの潮吹きが見え、背中、尾びれと見ることが出来ました。その後は潮吹きは結構見えましたが、姿を確認するまでには至りませんでした。結構揺れが激しく、ぐったりしている方も多かった様なので、酔いやすい人は薬を飲んでいった方が良いようです。私はABCで酔い止めを買って飲んだので大丈夫でした。海外の薬が不安なら日本から多目に買っていった方がいいですよ！

I went with my second-grade daughter and my partner. Initially, we were set to depart from Kaanapali Beach, but due to weather conditions, it changed to Lahaina Harbor. We received an email the day before, but since we were without Wi-Fi, we couldn't reply, and then we got a phone call. It cost about $17 by taxi from our hotel, Sheraton Maui, to Lahaina Harbor. Upon arriving at the harbor, there were several whale watching tour counters, and it took a little time to find the company, Trilogy. In the end, there wasn't a counter, but I noticed a Trilogy staff member standing there calling out "Trilogy?" and we were able to board safely. They mentioned to look for a small white lighthouse, but we weren't directly under it; we were nearby. When I asked at the counter close to the lighthouse, I received a heartbreaking response of "That's not it!" so be careful.

Now, regarding the whale watching itself, I initially sat at the back of the boat, but wanting to see the whales, I moved to the front. There were no seats, but I positioned myself right in the middle at the front to search for whales. Shortly after we set sail, we spotted a spout of water and some splashes that seemed to indicate a jump. The further we went offshore, the more we were able to see tails and jumps. We were thrilled to see whales swimming gracefully close to the boat and the impressive jumps! We were able to see many whales. After returning to the hotel, the tour guide mentioned that "this year, since El Niño has ended, there are a lot more whales," so the chances of seeing them have definitely increased compared to last year. During El Niño, fewer whales travel down to Hawaii from the Gulf of Mexico. Also, it seems that more whale jumps can be seen in the cooler morning and evening waters. We were on the afternoon tour, so we were worried, but fortunately, we were able to see many whales.

Onboard, they served drinks, including alcoholic beverages, ham sandwiches, cookies, and potato chips as light snacks. The crew didn't speak Japanese, but we had no issues and had a great time. I definitely want to visit Maui again in February and participate in the whale watching tour. By the way, I only took photos with my smartphone, so they were far from the impressive shots you see in guidebooks. Some people had DSLRs, but it might be risky since you never know when a splash might come. In the vast ocean, it's hard to know where the whales will appear, so it feels like a waste to look through the viewfinder while trying to spot them.

小２の娘と親子3人で利用しました。当初は、カアナパリビーチから出航でしたが、天候によりラハイナ港発に変わりました。前日にメール連絡ありましたが、wifi環境下におらず返信できずにいたら、電話連絡がありました。宿泊先のシェラトンマウイからラハイナ港まではタクシーで片道17ドル程度。港に着くといくつものホエールウォッチングツアー窓口があり、主催会社のトリロジーを探しあてるのに少々手間取りました。結果としては、窓口はなくトリロジーのお兄さんが立っていて「トリロジー？」と声をかけていたのに気づき無事乗船となりました。白い小さな灯台を目印にとのことでしたが、その真下にいるのではなく、近くにいました。灯台すぐ近くの窓口で聞いたときは、「違います！」との切ない回答だったので、注意が必要です。
さて、肝心のホエールウォッチングは、乗船時こそは後ろのほうで座っていましたが、やはりクジラが見たくてヨットの前方に移動し、椅子はなかったけどど真ん中の真ん前に陣取りクジラを探しました。出航からほどなく沖合に、潮を吹く姿を見つけたり、ジャンプの後らしき波しぶきを見つけたり。だんだん沖に進めば進むほど、しっぽを確認できたり、ジャンプも見られました。船のすぐ近くをクジラが悠々と泳いでいく姿や、迫力のジャンプに大興奮！　多くのクジラを見ることができました。ホテルに戻ってからツアーガイドさん曰く、「今年はエルニーニョが終わったのでクジラがとても多い」とのことで、去年より断然みられる確率が高まったとのことです。エルニーニョの間は、クジラがメキシコ湾にとどまりハワイまで南下するクジラが少ないのだとか。また、クジラのジャンプがより多くみられるのは、海水温の低い朝夕だそうです。私たちは、午後からのツアーだったので、心配していましたが、幸運にもたくさんのクジラを見られました。船上ではアルコールを含むドリンク、ハムサンド、クッキー、ポテトチップスなど軽食とドリンクが供されます。クルーの方々は、日本語は通じませんが、特に問題なくとても楽しめました。また、ぜひ2月のマウイに行き、ホエールウォッチングツアーに参加したいと思います。　ちなみに、写真はスマホ撮影のみでしたので、ガイドブックのような迫力あるショットとは程遠く・・・。一眼レフを持っていた方もいましたが、いつ波しぶきがかかるかも分からないのでリスキーかもしれませんね。広い海の中で、どこからクジラが姿を現すかわからないので、ファインダーをのぞきながらだと見つけにくいという点でももったいない気がします。

흑동고래많이봤어요.
주차를 위해서는 한시간 일찍도착하세요
시간이 충분해서 고래 실컷봅니다.
You want to parking You need more time.
3Hour park zone near by there.

I had a tour scheduled to arrive at Honolulu Airport on February 7th at 7:30. Since I couldn't check into the hotel until after 1 PM, I was wondering what to do because of jet lag, when I found this tour departing at 12:00. I was picked up from the airport around 9:00 and took the Red Line to Aloha Tower, where I boarded the ship without any issues. I'm glad I was able to make good use of my time.

二月７日、７：３０にホノルル空港に到着予定のツアーでした。ホテルには午後１時過ぎでないと入れないとの事でしたので、時差ぼけだし、どうしようかと思っていたところ、１２：００発のこのツアーを見つけました。空港からホテルに送ってもらったのが、９：００頃で、レッドラインで、アロハタワーに行き無事乗船しました。有効な時間の使い方が出来て良かったです。

The captain and crew were excellent. We saw many mom's with there baby's. We also got to hear a male singing.

After enjoying the dolphin show at the park, we headed to the pool at the back of the park! We listened to the final explanation from the Japanese staff and entered the pool with the dolphins! Three women in their 50s participated, and two of them couldn't swim! Everyone wore life jackets, so even though we couldn't swim, we managed to make our way to the deep part in the center of the pool and waited for the dolphins to come to us. The dolphins swam on their backs, allowing us to ride on their bellies! We touched the dolphins and fed them fish, and before we knew it, time flew by! The photos were taken as an option for purchase later, but there were only three shots, so I wished they could have taken more pictures!

パークでイルカのショーを楽しんだ後パーク奥のプールへ！日本人スタッフの最後の説明を聞きイルカのいるプールの中へ！50代女３人で参加、２人は泳げない！皆ライフジャケット着用なので泳げなくてもプール中央の深い所まで何とか進みそこでイルカが迎えに来てくれるのを待っているとイルカが仰向けになりお腹の上の乗せて泳いでくれる！イルカにタッチしたりお魚を食べさせたりとあっという間に時間が過ぎてしまった！写真はオプションで後で買うため写してくれるが３カットしかないので、もっと色々写真を撮って欲しかったと思う！

I participated with a friend.
We didn't see any whales.
Therefore, they were distributing re-boarding tickets towards the end of the cruise (it's a system where you have to go get it yourself, so be careful not to forget!).

Although we didn't see any whales, I had fun just being on the boat!!
However, since it was just simple scenery unless any creatures appeared, I noticed a few children looking bored.
It might be a bit tricky for those with small children...

After disembarking, there was someone who seemed to be the captain, and I was able to take a photo with him (＾V＾).
I was grateful that he was friendly and posed for the picture.

友人と参加しました。
クジラは見られませんでした。
そのため、クルーズの終わりごろに再乗車券を配布していました（自分でもらいに行くシステムなので忘れないように注意！）。

クジラは見られませんでしたが、私は船に乗るだけで楽しかったです！！
しかし、生き物が出ない限り単純な風景が続くだけなので、退屈そうにしているお子さんがチラホラいました。
小さいお子さんがいらっしゃる方は微妙かもしれません…

下船後、船長さんらしき方がいらっしゃったので一緒に写真を撮っていただきました(＾V＾)
気さくに写ってくださってありがたかったです。

I received a polite email from the VELTRA representative informing me that the departure point was changed to Lahaina the day before due to bad weather. At Lahaina Harbor, I had trouble finding parking and almost missed the meeting time, but I was advised about free parking on Front St and Prison St, and I was able to board safely! As others have mentioned, the crew was attentive, bringing drinks, fruit, and snacks to each person, allowing us to focus on enjoying whale watching. I thought the number of passengers was just right. It was exciting when everyone spotted a whale together. I was moved when a whale came close while we had the engine off. I recommend this experience as you can enjoy it regardless of the weather.

天候が良くなかったのか前日にラハイナ発に変更との連絡を丁寧なVELTRAの担当の方からのメールで頂きました。ラハイナ港ではパーキングがすぐ見つからず集合時間ギリギリになってしまい焦りましたが、Front StとPrison Stにある無料パーキングを教えてもらい無事乗船！他の方々が書かれている様にクルーの方達は1人1人に気遣って飲み物やフルーツ、軽食を運んで下さったので、クジラを見る事に集中して楽しむ事が出来ました。乗船人数も丁度いいサイズだと思いました。皆でクジラを見つけた時には盛り上がって楽しかったです。エンジンを止めている時に近くにクジラが来てくれて感動しました。天気に左右されず楽しめるのでおすすめです。

As the title suggests, whether you can see a jump depends on luck at that moment. After waiting for two hours, I finally caught a glimpse of a dorsal fin and saw it spouting water, but I couldn't help but wish to see a more spectacular sight like in the photos. Still, when I spotted it, I was simply thrilled to see it!

Also, if you are prone to motion sickness, it's definitely better to take some medication beforehand. (I usually don't get motion sickness, but I felt a bit queasy...)

I might have just been unlucky, but I think it's better to approach it with the mindset of "I might see a whale during the cruise, how lucky!" rather than "I will definitely see a whale!"

If I could wish for something, it would be great to have more events on the boat, like experiences with Hawaiian instruments, songs, the meaning of hula dancing, and how to move your hands, etc. There seems to be a lack of connection with the participants.

タイトル通りです。ジャンプが見られるかどうかはその時の運次第。
2時間待ってようやく海面から背びれがちらっと、潮を吹いているのが分かったという程度でしたので、思わず、写真のような姿が見たかったなぁと思いました。それでも、見つけた時はいたー！と単純に嬉しかったです。
また、乗り物酔いをする方は絶対に酔い止めを飲んでおいたほうがいいです。（普段乗り物酔いしない自分が少ししましたので。。。）
自分はたまたま運が悪かっただけかもしれませんが、「絶対クジラを見る！と意気込んで行く」というよりは、「クルーズ中にクジラが見えた、ラッキー」という感覚で行くくらいがちょうどいいかなと思いました。
欲を言えば、船の中でイベント毎がもっとあるとよかったです。例えばハワイの楽器体験・歌・フラダンスの意味・手の動かし方等々。参加者との連帯感にかける所がある。

I was very satisfied to see a pod of dolphins, sea turtles, and whales. The staff were all nice, and I had a great time on the boat. I highly recommend it!

イルカの群れもウミガメもクジラも見れて大満足でした。スタッフさんがみんないい人で、船上でも楽しんで過ごせました。おすすめです！

The crew was knowledgeable and the captain found some great whale locations. We saw quite a few breaches and other amazing whale activities.

However, the boat we went out with was their dinner boat and did not include the advertised hydrophones or binoculars. Had we known this, we might have booked a less expensive excursion that also didn't have these items.

Loved this! We learned so much about whales and so many whales. Definitely would recommend and do it again!

Excellent Crew involvement, Breakfast was good. No Whale sighting due too choppy water and high winds.

Excellent experience because it was my first time going there n I totally loved it I'm definitely going back...

Would highly recommend this trip. Staff were friendly, helpful and a lot of fun. My teenage children raved about it ..... it was our best day in Hawaii... just wish we had heard about them at the start of our trip and we would've gone again.

This was my fourth time snorkeling, and the sea conditions, as well as the number of marine creatures like dolphins, turtles, and whales, were the best I've ever experienced.

About 15 minutes after departure, we encountered a pod of around 30 dolphins. The sea was calm, and the dolphins swam leisurely, making it easy to take underwater photos. It was truly enjoyable.

Even when the dolphins were out of sight, if you dove into the water, you could hear their chatter quite loudly. (laughs) While watching the turtles, we waited for the dolphins to return and were able to see them multiple times.

シュノーケルは4回目でしたが、海のコンディション、イルカ、カメ、クジラなど海の生き物たちの数、過去最高でした。
イルカは出港してから15分ほどで、30頭ほどの群に会えました。海も穏やかで、イルカたちものんびり泳いでくれたので、水中写真も撮りやすく、本当に楽しかったです。
イルカが見えなくなっても、海に潜ればイルカたちの話し声がうるさいくらいに。笑
カメを見ながらイルカたちが戻ってくるのを待って、何度も見ることが出来ました。

I participated in this on my honeymoon. I was able to see more whales up close than I expected, and I was very satisfied. The closest whale was about 90 meters away. I got to see the head of a baby whale about 20 times. (It's said that seeing so many is quite rare.) A Japanese guide also joined us on the boat. They explained the ecology of the whales and told us which direction the whales were located.

We were supposed to gather 30 minutes before departure, but it was a bit tough waiting in the blazing sun for those 30 minutes. I thought it might have been okay to step out of line and wait in the shade until we set sail.

新婚旅行で参加しました。思った以上にたくさんのクジラを近くで見ることができ、大満足です。クジラは一番近くて90メートル先にいるのを見ることができました。子クジラの頭を20回ほど見ることができました。（こんなにたくさん見れるのは滅多にないそうです）日本語のガイドさんも一緒に乗船してくれました。クジラの生態の説明をしてくれたり、今どの方向にクジラがいるのかを教えてくれたりしました。
船が出航する30分前に集合だったのですが、30分間炎天下の中並んで待ったのでそれが少し大変でした。出航するまでは少し列から外れて日陰で待っても大丈夫だったのでは…と思いました。

The morning trip was fully booked, so I reserved the afternoon trip. I saw a lot of whales, but it didn't feel like we were very close to them. The meeting place is a grassy area along Kaanapali Beach with just the company's sign, which might be a bit hard to find. It's recommended for those staying in the Kaanapali area since you can walk there. You board the boat from the beach, but the waves can be quite strong, so you will get soaked; it's necessary to take precautions to keep your smartphone dry. On the boat, they served sandwiches and chips. Drinks, including Maui beer, cocktails, and soft drinks, were unlimited. The tour was in English, but there were no particular inconveniences. Both the captain and the staff were very kind. I brought along a senior with mobility issues, and all the staff helped with boarding and disembarking the boat, for which I am very grateful. However, I think it would be better for those with mobility issues to avoid this trip.

午前便は満員で乗れず午後便予約しました
クジラも沢山見れましたが凄く近くで見れるって感じではありませんでした。
集合場所はカアナパリビーチ沿いで会社の看板だけたっている芝生の広場です。少しわかりずらいかも。
カアナパリ地区に宿泊している方には歩いて行けるしオススメです。
船にはビーチから乗るのですが、波も結構あるので全身濡れます、スマホ等濡れないよう対策必要です。
船上ではサンドウィッチやポテチが出ました。
飲み物もマウイビールやカクテル、ソフトドリンクと飲み放題です。
英語でのツアーでしたが特に不便はありません。
船長スタッフともにとても親切でした。
足の悪いシニアを連れて行ったのですが船の乗り降りも全スタッフで手伝っていただきとても感謝しています。
ただ、足腰の悪い方は船の乗り降りが大変なのでやめた方がいいと思いますw

This tour was very enjoyable. Even though we didn't get to see but one whale. The captain and crew made every effort to locate them. And we did encounter a whale but the whale didn't want to entertain us which is no fault of the crew. The boat ride itself was nice and relaxing. I would definitely do it again.

We had a great time on the morning whale watching cruise. The catamaran was large and comfortable. The crew was extremely knowledgeable. We saw a few whales and happened upon one bottle nose dolphin.

Such an incredible adventure! Definitely worth the money spent!

We got sent out 3 miles off shore, into a cage that was already placed in the water. We were in sharks territory! It was so fun, lasted about 20 minutes. We saw plenty of sharks and got the GoPro video as well. A great experience

It was a tour of about two and a half hours. There were explanations about whales in Japanese, and we were able to see whales as well. Since there is a meal included, I think you can enjoy it while taking breaks.

約２時間半ほどのツアーでした。
日本語でのクジラの説明等もありながら、クジラも見ることができました。
食事もあるので、休憩しながら楽しめると思います。

We had such a great time on this cruise! The bottomless drinks were awesome, the appetizers were delicious, the crew was incredibly friendly and knowledgable, and the scenery, whales, and sunset were breathtaking. I would take this tour again for sure!

FAAAAAABULOUS!! Great, casual way to spend a morning or afternoon. Plenty of snorkeling, splashing, swimming. You can relax on the boat or entertain yourself in the water while you wait for your ride. The people were fun, helpful, and organized. Fish were plentiful. The sea turtle was a special treat.