All Reviews for Marine Wildlife Encounters

I participated in the morning cruise (around 9 AM). I had signed up for a Japanese tour, but unfortunately, it turned out to be an English tour. It seems there were many explanations about whales, but since I'm not fluent in English, I only managed to listen to "in the direction of ○ o'clock" f(^^;

February is the peak season, and as the local guide mentioned, "there are a lot of them," we could see spouts in various places. Unfortunately, we couldn't see any breaches like in the images, but we did catch glimpses of whales waving goodbye with their fins and their tails several times. Perhaps because it was a relatively large boat for whale watching, it seemed like we kept a certain distance from the whales and didn't get too close. This might be due to regulations regarding whales or safety considerations. I had hoped to see them a bit closer, but I guess it depends on luck. (Or maybe I should choose a tour with a smaller boat...?)

Fortunately, it was a calm day, and since I had taken motion sickness medication, I hardly noticed the rocking of the boat.

朝のクルーズ（9時台）に参加しました。
日本語ツアーを申し込んだのですが、残念ながら英語ツアーになりました。
鯨についての説明が沢山流れていたようですが、英語は堪能ではないので「○時の方向」というのだけ頑張って聴いていました f(^^;

２月はシーズンのピークで、ツアーの現地ガイドの方が「うじゃうじゃいます」とおっしゃっていた通り、あちこちで潮吹きしています。
画像にあるようなブリーチは残念ながらみることはできませんでしたが、遠目ながら鰭でのバイバイや、尾びれは何度かみることができました。
ホエールウォッチングツアーの中では比較的大きめのボートのせいか、あまり鯨に近寄らず、ある程度の距離を置くようにしていたように思えます。
鯨に対する規定や、安全に考慮しているのかもしれません。
もう少し間近に見ることができるのかと思っていましたが、そのあたりは運もあるのでしょうね。
（もしくはより小型の船のツアーを選ぶようにするか・・・？）

幸いなことに波が穏やかな日で酔い止め薬を飲んでいたこともあり、船の揺れはほとんど気になりませんでした。

I was satisfied to see both dolphins and whales. However, the tour had a Japanese guide whose Japanese was written in romaji on the script, and they were reading it in broken Japanese. I wonder which country the guide is from. When I asked a question, they said, "I don't understand." With this level of quality, a Japanese guide was unnecessary.

イルカもクジラも見えて満足。
但し、日本語ガイド付きのツアーで、案内の日本語が、原稿にローマ字が書いてあって、カタコトの日本語で、読み上げている状態。何処の国のガイドなのか。
質問すると『ワタシ ワカリマセン』と言われた。
このクオリティなら日本語ガイドは必要無かった。

The captain worked hard to search for whales, but we could only see them from a distance and had a hard time spotting them up close.

When we were turning the boat back, we saw a pod of whales breaching, and the other passengers told the captain, but it seemed like we were out of time, which was very disappointing.

船長さんが頑張ってクジラを探し回ってくれましたが、遠くからしか見れず近距離ではなかなかみることができませんでした。

船を引き返すときにクジラの群れが飛び上がる様子が見えたのでほかの乗客たちが船長に伝えたのですが、もう時間切れみたいでとても残念でした。

I really looked fwd to seeing a magnificent show under water of the colorful fish that swim in the area. I just sat on the wrong side of the SUB. Who knew????

My husband and I had a great time! Cousin K was awesome!

Encountered 50 dolphins! The mother dolphins and baby dolphins welcomed us. The little dolphins jumping were so cute!
We swam with sea turtles and even got to see whales. Not only that, but we were also able to see the heart-shaped tails of whales, which are said to bring happiness just by looking at them. It was a wonderful time! ✩

50頭のイルカと遭遇！親イルカや子イルカが私たちをお出迎えしてくれました。小さいイルカのジャンプはとってもキュートでした！
ウミガメと一緒に泳いだり、クジラにも会うことができました。それだけでなく、見れば幸せになれると言われている、クジラのハート型のしっぽも見ることができて、幸せな時間でした✩

I participated on February 15th. We were able to see parent and child whales, but more than anything, the silence while waiting for the whales really enhanced the atmosphere. The English announcements on the ship also did a great job of building excitement.

2/15日に参加しました
親子の鯨を見る事が出来ましたが何より鯨を待つ間の静寂が雰囲気を盛り上げていました。船内の英語の放送も上手く盛り上げてくれました。

When I looked in the direction I was told, I caught a glimpse of the tail fin. Next, I saw a spout of water and a glimpse of its back. I hope to see it jump someday.

いたよー、と言われた方向を見ると、尾びれがちらりと見えました。次は、プシューッという潮吹きと背中がちらりと見えました。いつかジャンプする姿を見たいものです。。

The crew were very pleasant and helpful, somewhat informative. Drinks were available to anyone who wanted them that early in the morning, and there were many who did. Unfortunately,only a few tails sighted. Boat/captain only went about 3 miles out, where every other boat had gone to whale watch - and no one had any luck. I'm guessing a combination of too many boats, too much noise, and the slight delay in migration everyone talked about b/c of el Nino.

This was a great excursion. Saw lots of whales, food was great, fun activities, great crew.

3 whales about 100 yards away. I wish I could post some whale pictures.

I recommend going with someone who understands English! The staff was very kind and provided thorough explanations. Since I participated in February, there were whales everywhere. (The captain mentioned that it was a very lucky day.) We could see the whales' breaches from a distance, and the pineapple juice and cinnamon rolls were delicious! The group size of about 30 people was just right! I was able to enjoy it slowly while having some snacks!

英語がわかる人と行くならオススメ！スタッフもとても親切で丁寧な説明でした。参加が2月だったのでいたるところにクジラがいました。（船長はその日はとても運がいいと言ってました）クジラのブリッジは遠くの方で見る事も出来きパイナップルジュース、シナモンロールも美味！人数も30人ほどとちょうどいい！軽食を食べながらゆっくり楽しめました！

We had a great day along with our 2 year old daughter
Saw whales quite a few times along with some calves
Even the boat ride was great to get in the views
Taking a camera is a must

I participated with the mindset that it was understandable not to see whales since they are wild creatures, but I was able to confirm several spouts and tails from a distance. What excited me the most was when a pod of dolphins appeared and swam alongside the boat for a long time. I was sitting at the best position at the bow, watching them up close! The staff members were also so engrossed in dolphin watching that they set their work aside—such a laid-back vibe in tropical Hawaii (laughs). I wonder if this is a really rare occurrence.

It felt like the dolphins and whales were welcoming me to Hawaii, and it made me feel so happy.

The Japanese guide's Japanese was quite questionable, though (laughs). At the hotel and restaurants, everyone spoke fluent Japanese, so it stood out even more (laughs). It might not have much meaning if the explanation isn't in Japanese. But I was very satisfied, so I give it ★5!

自然の生き物なのでクジラに会えなくても仕方ないと心づもりして参加しましたが、
遠目とはいえ、何度も潮吹きや尾びれを確認できました。
何といっても興奮したのはイルカの群れが現れ、ずっと船と並走してくれたこと。
ベストポジションの船首に座っていたので、かぶりつきで眺めていました～～
スタッフの人たちもお仕事そっちのけでイルカウォッチングしてて
さすがおおらかな南国ハワイ（笑）もしかしてすごく珍しいことなんでしょうか。

ハワイにようこそ！ってイルカやクジラたちに歓迎してもらったようで、
幸せな気分になりました。

日本語ガイドさんの日本語はかなり怪しかったですけどね（笑）
ホテルでもレストランでもみなさん流暢な日本語を駆使されるので
際立つ怪しさ（笑）解説が日本語でないとあまり意味がないかな。
でも大満足でしたので★５つ！

Due to regulations, you can only see from a farther distance than expected. However, I was able to see the spouts and tails. It would be nice to have binoculars, but since they are small, if you lean in to look, you might lose sight of them.

I accidentally watched from the lower deck the whole time, but I think I would have seen more if I had gone to the top. Even if you can't see whales, it's a pleasant cruise where you can enjoy the view of Waikiki from the clear sea.

Actually, on the dinner cruise, I happened to see whales, and they were closer there. It's all about luck.

By the way, I opted for the breakfast option, but it might be fine without it. The contents were lettuce, tomato, sausage, scrambled eggs, orange, and pineapple.

規定があるので、思ったより遠くからしか見られません。
でも、潮吹きや尾が見えました。双眼鏡があるといいですが、小さいので、覗きこんでいると、見失ってしまいます。
うっかり下のデッキからずっとそのまま見てしまいましたが、一番上に上がったらもっと見えたと思います。
クジラが見えなくても、晴れた海からワイキキを眺められて気持ちいいクルーズです。
実はディナークルーズでも、偶然クジラが見られて、そちらの方がクジラは近かったです。運次第ですね。
なお、朝食付きにしましたが、なしでもいいかも。
内容は、レタス･トマト･ソーセージ･スクランブルエッグ･オレンジ･パイナップル、以上でした。

My friend and I were completely freaking out before we went out on this tour, but afterwards, we just wanted to go again and again! There is nothing as strangely calming and thrilling than to be in the open ocean with what seems likes hundreds of sharks swimming below you.

With only six passengers, we all got lots of attention and assistance, and during the ride out, our safety guides told us all about the sharks and other creatures we would see as well as what to do while we are in the water. There was not a moment after I boarded the boat that I felt uneasy or unsafe. I knew that the captain and crew had not only our best interests at heart, but the sharks as well.

It was a humbling experience to be in the shark's home and it is something that I will treasure forever!

I participated this morning.

The description stating that there would be an explanation by a marine biology expert about whales in Japanese is completely false. All explanations on the Navatic were in English from the pickup bus. I wouldn't have chosen this tour if there was no Japanese explanation, so I would like a refund. I wonder why I compared various tours...

I feel like the experience has been ruined not just on the day of the tour, but from the preparation period leading up to it.

今日の午前中に参加しました。

クジラについての海洋生物専門家による解説（日本語）というのは、まったくの嘘の表記です。
ピックアップのバスから、ナバティック号での説明全てが英語です。
日本語の説明がないなら選ばなかったツアーなので、返金してほしいです。
何の為に色々なツアーを比較したのだか、、、

ツアー当日だけでなく、その前の準備期間から台無しになった気分です。

I participated in the 11 o'clock session at the end of January with my 2-year-old child.

Since we rented a car and there was no shuttle service, we arrived around 10 o'clock. At the entrance reception, we showed our voucher and received a wristband to confirm our participation.

By 11 o'clock, we had to buy a locker key at the souvenir shop located deep in the park, fill out a waiver, and change into our swimsuits, so it was quite hectic, so please be careful.

Including other families, the children were surprised by the size, height, and atmosphere of the pool, and some started crying or were reluctant. I had to carry my child and distract them with the dolphins to get in.

We entered the pool with the dolphins and took photos in three different poses, and we were able to touch their backs, bellies, and fins a lot. It was a great experience for my child, and I was satisfied.

In the back, there was a course where we could swim together, and it looked like fun. Once my child is a bit older, I would like to try the swimming course together.

1月末に2歳の子供と11時の回に参加してきました。

レンタカーで送迎無しなので、10時ごろ着いて、エントランスの受付でバウチャーを見せると参加者を証明するバンドをつけてくれます。

11時までにパーク奥にあるお土産屋さんのカウンターでロッカーの鍵を買い、誓約書を書いて、水着に着替えなければならず、結構バタバタなので、お気をつけください。

他の家族も含めて子供はプールの大きさ、高さ、雰囲気にビックリして、泣き出したり、嫌がったりしましたね。そこは抱っこして、イルカで気をそらしながら、入りました。

イルカと同じプールに入って写真を3パターン撮って、背中やお腹、ヒレなどたくさん、触る事が出来きました。子供にも良い経験になって、満足です。

奥では一緒に泳ぐコースをやっていて、楽しそうでした。もう少し大きくなったら、一緒に泳ぐコースをやってみたいです。

I was able to see it multiple times! Although we didn't get to see the upper body completely emerge, it was exciting to watch several whales, which appeared to be a mother and her calf, spouting water and floating on the waves with their tails out. Since we had a hotel pickup plan, it was smooth and we didn't have to worry about finding the boarding area.

何回も見ることができました！
上半身がザパーンと出るまでは行きませんでしたが
親子と思われる複数頭が潮吹きをしたり波に浮かんで尻尾を出したり、終始エキサイティングでした。
ホテルに送迎のプランだったので乗り場も迷うことなくスムーズでした。

Since it's near Honolulu, I thought it would be lucky if we got to see whales, and if not, we could enjoy the cruise, so I made a reservation. There are colorful fish in the harbor where the boat docks, so definitely check them out before boarding! The various sizes of yellow and blue fish really get you excited.

For those without meals included, we were guided to the third floor where we received explanations about the whales and the boat before departure, but everything was in English and honestly, it was content you could take or leave. Later, a file with explanations in Japanese was placed on the stage, which was sufficient. Since there was time, many people were having breakfast with the rice balls and bread they brought. Since it was early in the morning, having a meal here might be enough.

Once we set sail, we had free time, so I quickly went up to the observation floor on the fourth deck. About 30 minutes after departure, when we could see Ala Moana, dolphins started swimming alongside the boat!!! Everyone was super excited to see about 20 dolphins! They swam alongside the boat, jumped a little away, and then came back... just this alone felt worth the price, and I was already very satisfied.

After about 45 minutes, we arrived off Diamond Head and stopped. An announcement was made to look for whales. However, during the announcement, we already saw a spout, and when we focused our eyes, we spotted a large tail! It was a bit far, but we could see it perfectly! After that, we spent about an hour and a half moving and stopping while searching for whales, and we were able to see them more than 15 times, which was amazing! In the end, we even saw a mother and calf swimming leisurely about 50 meters from the boat, and I was grateful for the generous spirit of the whales.

After seeing the whales perfectly, we returned to the harbor and were thrilled to also see a turtle swimming smoothly beside the boat during the 4-hour trip!

By the way, I spoke with someone who booked a tour with meals included after disembarking, and they mentioned that during their meal, there was an announcement saying, "A whale has appeared over there," so they kept going back and forth and hardly got to eat, nor did they see the whales. Announcements are made after a whale has already appeared. I think it’s unlikely you’ll see them if you run over after hearing the announcement... it seems like you have a higher chance of spotting them by focusing your eyes on the spouts yourself. Also, I wouldn’t really recommend it for children. Since you can’t approach the whales (but it’s okay if they come close), the whales are far away, and I wonder if they understand when you say, "Over there!"... Many kids seemed to get bored and fussy.

It might be good to participate with the mindset of "If we see them, great; if not, we’ll cruise around Waikiki and Diamond Head." That said, it was fantastic as a cruise! Whether you see whales or not might be a matter of luck, but it was a fun experience worth more than the price♪ I highly recommend it for those going to Hawaii during whale season!

ホノルル近郊だし見れたらラッキーくらいで、見れなかったらクルージングとして楽しもうと予約。
船の停泊している港にはカラフルな魚がいるので乗船前にぜひ見てください！黄色や青の大小さまざまな魚でちょっとテンション上がります

食事無しの人達は３階へ誘導され出港前にクジラや船の説明をされますが、すべて英語だし特に聞いても聞かなくても…という内容。後ほど日本語で書かれた説明ファイルがステージに置かれるので、それで十分。時間があるので、持ってきたおむすびやパンで朝食をしている方が結構いました。朝も早いのでここで食事で十分かも

出港してしまえば自由行動なのでさっそく展望フロアの４階へ。出港して３０分、アラモアナが見えてきた頃船と並走するようにイルカが！！！
２０頭ほどのイルカにみんなで大興奮！！船と並走したりちょっと離れて飛んだりまた近づいてきたり・・・これだけで値段以上のいいものが見れた気がしてすでに大満足ｗ

45分ほどするとダイアモンドヘッド沖まで来て停泊。ここでクジラを探すとアナウンスが。
が、アナウンス中にすでに潮吹きが見れ、目を凝らしてると大きな尻尾！
ちょっと遠くでしたがバッチリ見れました！
そこからは１時間半ほど動いたり停まったりしながらクジラを探してましたが、１５回以上は見れて感動！最後には船から５０ｍ先くらいにのんびりと親子で泳ぐクジラまで見れ、サービス精神旺盛なクジラに感謝です

ばっちりクジラを見て港へ帰還中、船の横をすぃーっと泳ぐカメまで見れて感動の4時間でした！！

ちなみに下船後食事つきのツアーで申し込んだ方と話したのですが、食事してる時に「あっちにクジラが出た」とアナウンスがかかるため、見に行ったり戻ったりで食事もほぼ出来なかったし、クジラも見れなかったと。
クジラが出る度にアナウンスはかかるのですが、クジラが「出た」あとにかかります。アナウンスを聞いてからそっちへ走ってもほぼ見れないと思います…自分で目を凝らして潮吹きを探した方が確立高いような気がします。
あと、お子様にもあんまりおススメできないかも。クジラに近寄ってはいけない為（クジラが近寄ってくるのはOK）、クジラは遠くだし、「あそこあそこ！」と言ってもわかってるかなぁ・・・って感じです。結構飽きちゃってグズッてるお子様多数でした

「見れたらラッキー、見れなかったらワイキキやダイアモンドヘッドを巡るクルージング」として参加してみたらいいかな。
とは言え、クルージングとしても最高！見れるか見れないかは運かもしれないけど、お値段以上の楽しい体験でした♪
クジラのいる時期にハワイへ行く方にはかなり！おススメです！

- If you arrange for transportation, it will be $60 per person, so you can cover the rental car cost.
- We arrived in about an hour from Honolulu.
- We had the early morning plan and departed before sunrise.
- We were the second group, but just before entering the water, the sun rose and it got warm.
- We didn't encounter anything other than the sandbar shark.
- We were packed into a cage with six people, so there were a lot of us and we couldn't move freely.

・送迎を手配すると６０ドル×人なのでレンタカー代が捻出できます
・ホノルルから約１時間で到着しました
・朝イチのプランで日の出前の出港でした
・２組目でしたが、ちょうど入水前に日の出があり暖かくなりました
・イタチザメ以外には出会えませんでした
・ゲージに６人詰め込まれたので、人が多く自由に動けませんでした

Fantastic crew, great food and drinks and a few whale sightings. Since the captain can't control that too well, Overall it was a wonderful experience.

This was my first time participating. It was a Japanese tour, but the explanations were thorough and easy to understand.
I heard that 70% of the whales from Alaska come to Hawaii, and 90% of those come to Maui.

Since they are living creatures, the chances of encountering them are quite unpredictable, but I think we saw quite a few. When I went on another snorkeling tour, I also saw many whales, so I believe that riding on the boat more than twice increases satisfaction.

I heard that the peak is in February.

初めて参加しました。日本語ツアーでしたが、説明が丁寧で分かりやすかった。
アラスカから7割のクジラがハワイにやってきて、そのうちの9割がマウイに来るそうです。

生き物なので出会える確率はなかなか読めないのですが、結構見られたと思います。
別のシュノーケリングツアーに出かけたときもたくさんクジラが見られたので、2回以上船に乗ると満足度が高いと思います。

ピークは2月だそうです。

I was quite moved when the whale suddenly appeared on the surface, even though it didn't show itself for a while!
The guide spoke in English, so I couldn't catch everything, but just being rocked by the large boat and looking at the vast ocean was very soothing.
We participated as a family with children, and it was great that the kids' tickets were free.

なかなか姿を見せてくれませんでしたが、突然クジラが水面に現れた時はとても感動しました！
ガイドが英語なので全ての内容は聞き取れませんでしたが、大きな船に揺られ、広い海を見ているだけでとても癒されます。
子連れ家族で参加しましたが、子供料金無料だったのが良かったです。

The ship and crew are lovely and we saw a pod of 3 whales come up 3 times, but it felt too brief. We were in one location the whole time and before you knew it we were heading back. Maybe thats what all whale watching tours are like. If there was a longer option I'd do that next time.

However, I understand English, so it's not a problem for me... If I were someone who didn't understand English, I would definitely give it one star. I have no particular complaints about the whale watching itself.

でも、英語分かるので問題ないですが、、、。もし私が英語わからない人なら、迷わず星は１つですね。ホエールウォッチング自体は特に不満はありません。

This time, unfortunately, I couldn't encounter any whales, but I was surprised by the differences in the plan's content. Despite paying a bit more for a tour that was supposed to have Japanese guidance, there was only an English explanation. Additionally, even though iced tea was listed as a beverage, it wasn't available, and I was told that while there was Japanese tea, it would be at an extra charge. I almost want a refund because, in a way, it was a memorable tour.

今回、残念ながらホエールには遭遇出来なかったんですが、それよりプランの内容に違いがありビックリしました。少し高いお金を払い日本語案内があるものを選んだにも関わらず英語オンリーの解説しかなくしかも飲み物にアイスティーが記載されているにも関わらず用意がなく日本茶なら有料だがあるとの返答。料金を返金してもらいたいぐらいある意味心に残るツアーでした。

Great buffet lunch, accommodating service staff and siting a number of whales - what could be better?

I highly recommend this tour.

My daughter has always dreamed of swimming with dolphins, and although it was a bit pricey, I'm really glad we participated because she was so happy‼︎

Not only did we get to interact with dolphins, but we also had the chance to meet seals and many birds, making it a wonderful experience☆

The timing was just right too^_^

娘がイルカと一緒に泳ぐのが夢で、ちょっと高くて迷いましたが、娘がとても喜んでいたので、参加して本当に良かったです‼︎

イルカだけでなく、アシカやたくさんの鳥たちとも触れ合うことが出来て、とてもいい経験になりました☆

時間もちょうどよかったです^_^

The breakfast was decent, but I was very moved to see the whales. There were many announcements in English on the ship, but everyone moved in the direction of the whales, so I didn't have any particular difficulties.

朝食はそれなりですが、くじらを見られてとても感動しました。
船内の案内は英語が多いですが、くじらのいる方向にみなさん動くので、特に不自由ありませんでした