All Reviews for Marine Wildlife Encounters

First, before departure, we enjoyed drinks and delicious cake, followed by an explanation from the captain, and soon after, we set sail. As soon as we departed, I went up to the deck and was greeted by the stunning views of Waikiki that are usually not visible. With explanations from the captain in Japanese, we were able to see whales about five times from various angles: the front of the boat, the port side, and the starboard side. It was a quick two hours that flew by.

まず、出航前にドリンクと美味しいケーキ、そして船長からの説明があり、程なくすると出航です。
出航してからすぐにデッキにあがり、普段見ることができないワイキキの景色が目に入ります。船長からの説明および日本語で説明を受け、船の前方、左舷、右舷様々な角度からクジラを５回ほどみることができました。
アッとゆう間の２時間でした。

The first time I couldn't see any whales, but I received a return ticket and went back later for a second chance. That day, I spotted a whale as soon as I boarded, which was great!

初めての時はクジラが見られなく、再上船券を頂き後日リベンジ、その日は乗船してすぐにクジラ発見よかったです。

This is my third time. I always participate in the program where I can touch dolphins, but this time I stayed by the poolside (the previous two times I went into the pool).

I got to see the dolphins. Since I was by the poolside, I didn't need to change clothes, which was convenient.

I would love to go again if I have the chance! (The garlic shrimp was delicious.)

今回は3回目。いつもイルカに触れるプログラムに参加していますが、今回はプールサイドから（過去2回はプールの中に入るもの）。

会えました、イルカ。プールサイドからなので着替えは要らないし楽でした。

また機会があれば行きたい！
（ガーリックシュリンプ美味しかった）

I arranged for a pickup to the port, making the travel easy.

After the ship set sail, I enjoyed the view from the boat and thought, "I wonder if they'll come out today? When will they come out?" I had seen something like a spout once, so I was hopeful, but they didn't show up for a while. Just when I thought it was over, they jumped out in succession.

I'm really glad I got to see them. I appreciate the captain for extending the trip a bit since they came out towards the end!

港まで送迎付きにして楽に移動。
船が出航してしばらくは船からの景色を楽しみ、「今日は出てきてくれるかな？　いつ出てきてくれるのかな？」なんて思っていました。
一度潮吹き、のようなものを見たので期待しつつも、その後もなかなか出てきてくれず、最後ダメかなと思ったら、連続でジャンプしてくれました。

とにかく見られて良かったです。
最後の方に連続だったので、少し運行を伸ばしてくれた船長さんに感謝！

Thank you very much.
I made wonderful memories.
I saw whales about eight times in total... I wish I could have seen them a bit closer.
I was very happy to see dolphins and sea turtles as well.
The meeting place was a bit hard to find, and I would have liked to go closer to Diamond Head if possible.

ありがとうございました
素敵な思い出ができました
くじらは全部で８回くらい・・・もう少し近くでみれるとよかったですが
イルカと海がめもみれたのでとてもうれしかったです
集合場所がわかりにくかったのと
できればダイアモンドヘッドの近くまで行ければと思いました

It was a family outing. Unfortunately, we didn't see any whales, possibly due to bad timing, but we enjoyed the boat trip with drinks we received as a service.

家族での参加でした。
タイミングが悪かったのか残念ながらクジラは見れずでしたが、サービスでいただいたドリンク片手に船旅を楽しみました。

The underwater scenery is great, but I was moved by being able to see the diving and surfacing up close. Since submarines are long, the view of the seabed differs from the front to the back. If you're confident in your English, it's better to be near the guide.

海底も良いが、潜水、浮上が近くで見ることができて感動した。潜水艦は長いので前方と後方では海底の景色が異なる。英語に自信があるなら、説明者の近くが良い。

There was a meeting point about a 10-minute walk from the hotel where I was staying. I was able to reach the meeting point relatively smoothly. Once on the submarine, I was able to see sea fish and a sunken ship, which made for a very satisfying experience.

宿泊していたホテルから歩いて10分位のところに待ち合わせ場所がありました。比較的スムーズに待ち合わせ場所までたどり着くことができました。潜水艦に乗ると海の魚や沈没船を見ることができ、大満足の体験となりました。

I didn't get seasick, perhaps because there were no waves. I also enjoyed the scenery of Waianae. Since it takes quite a while to navigate to the whale watching point, it's better for those who are prone to seasickness to take medication beforehand. Check-in is just before departure, so if you arrive early, there’s nothing to do while waiting.

波がなかったせいか、船酔いはしませんでした　ワイアナエの景色も堪能
クジラのポイントまではかなり航行しますので、船酔いしやすい方は薬を飲んで行った方が良いです
出航間際にチェックインです　早く行くと待ち時間まで何もすることありません

I took a special By One Get One ticket deal for the early bird whale watching tour and it was phenomenal. We had the pleasure of standing by the naturalist, Alyssa for most of the trip and she was very informative and a joy to be around. We saw a momma and her calf breach, and several fluke tail breach’s. The star itself had a ton of space to allow families to spread out and was clean. What a great experience!

At the end of the cruise, we spotted a whale, which we caught a glimpse of. The cruise on a sunny day was nice. I don't think I'll repeat it as a whale watching experience.

クルーズの最後にクジラが見つかり、チラッと見えました。晴天の中のクルーズは良かったです。
ホエールウォッチングとしてのリピートはないかな。

Just friendly crew who delivered what they said they would.

I was prepared for everything to be in English, but the speaking speed was fast and it was hard to hear due to the sound of the waves, so it was quite challenging to understand. Despite that, the crew members were very kind and listened to my broken English questions. It was an interesting experience to ride in a traditional canoe. I was also glad to see several mantas!

全て英語なのは覚悟の上でしたが、話すスピード早い&波の音でよく聞こえないので理解するのがなかなか大変でした。そんななかでも、つたない英語の質問を聞いてくれたり親切にしてくださってクルーの方はとても良い方でした。
伝統的なカヌーにも乗れて面白い体験でした。
マンタも何匹も見れて良かったです！

I didn't want to go into the ocean, but my elderly mother did, and since it was our first time in Hawaii, I wanted to see the underwater world while snorkeling. The glass-bottom boat made both of our wishes come true.

While we didn't see a wide variety of colorful corals, the water was clearer than we expected, and we were able to see quite a few fish. We even encountered dolphins! Although we only saw their fins.

The staff were cheerful and kind, and even though we hardly spoke any English, we had a great time.

海に入りたくない高齢の母と、せっかく初めてのハワイ島だからシュノーケルで海の中を見てみたい私。どちらの希望も叶えてくれたのがこのグラスボートでした。

色とりどりの珊瑚〜とまではいきませんでしたが、予想より水の透明度が高く、そこそこ魚も見られました。イルカも遭遇しましたよ！ヒレしか見えませんでしたが。

スタッフも明るく親切、英語のほとんど話せない私達でも充分楽しめました。

The Star of Honolulu crew knows exactly what they are doing. The night before our trip they called to ensure that we knew exactly where to begin our adventire. At 200 feet, the Star is steady in the morning sea. The crew is knowledgeable and helpful. We were given a brief lesson in whale anatomy, diet, and behavior before we set out. We understood the challenges and likely outcomes of our trip. We did see whales. We would have liked to have seen more, but we were well prepared for the visit we received. This was a a grest start to our vacation

This was our favorite excursion of all times!! The crew were awesome and very patient with our whole group. The water was cold but once I got use to it i was fine. There were 10 of us. I highly recommend doing this!!! 10 out of 10

As soon as we boarded, we had banana bread and coffee. It was really delicious! We were able to see whales about four times. They were a bit far away, though!

乗船してすぐにバナナブレッド、コーヒーをいただきました。すごくおいしかったです！
クジラは4回ほど見ることができました。遠目ではありましたが、、！

It was amazing.
I think it would have been even more enjoyable if I understood English.
The kind and attentive service made it a lot of fun for everyone on board as well.

最高でした。
英語がわかればもっと楽しいと思います。
親切丁寧な対応で、同乗されていた方もかなり楽しんでおられたと思います。

This was a very enjoyable experience from beginning to end. Getting to see whales was the icing on the top of a scenic and informative trip.

All of the staff on the boat, from the Captain to the servers were all very nice, accommodating and service minded. Joshua did a great job answering questions and adding nuggets of knowledge about the trip. The ship was in great condition and prepared for the cruise, and it made for a very relaxing and comfortable voyage.

Unfortunately, we didn’t see any whales on this tour, but as a fisherman, I understand the difference between fishing and catching, and sometimes the fish just aren’t cooperating and ya just need to relax and enjoy the beauty. But, the most important thing is, as Larry Fleet says in the song “Where I Find God”, “you can’t find Peace Like this in a bottle or a pill”.

I would do this trip again in a heartbeat, and if we see a whale, that would just be lagniappe!

I had previously used the Star of Honolulu for the sunset dinner cruise, but this was my first time participating in another activity. I was able to see whales from a distance. Even if you don't understand English, they provide simple explanations like "at 3 o'clock," so there's not much to worry about.

From the boat, I could enjoy the urban skyline of Waikiki alongside the natural beauty of Diamond Head, which truly felt like a Hawaiian landscape. The light snacks, like pineapple banana bread and Kona coffee, were delicious, making this activity enjoyable both as a whale watching experience and simply as a cruise.

スターオブホノルルはサンセットディナークルーズで利用したことはありましたが、それ以外のアクティビティで参加するのは初めてでした。
クジラは少し遠目からですが見ることができました。英語がわからなくても◯時の方向と簡潔に説明してくれるのであまり心配はありません。
船上から見るワイキキの都会的なビル群とダイヤモンドヘッドの大きな自然の部分がハワイらしい景色を感じることができました。
軽食のパイナップルバナナブレッドやコナコーヒーもおいしく、ホエールウォッチングの体験としても、シンプルにクルーズ体験としてもとても楽しめたアクティビティでした。

We participated with four adults and a 0-year-old and a 3-year-old, bringing a foldable stroller. The elevator was available, so moving to the deck was not an issue, but we couldn't change diapers (we used the stroller to do that). The stroller was necessary for our subsequent plans, but we could leave our belongings at the table we were initially guided to, so it was great that it didn't get in the way while watching the whales.

I thought seeing the whales was completely a matter of luck, but in February, we were fortunate to see them! Two whales happened to swim back and forth quite close to the surface multiple times, allowing us to capture them with our eyes, not just on video or in photos, which was lucky! The captain announced in English, "They're at 10 o'clock!" or "Look to the 9 o'clock direction!" and we moved based on that and hints from those around us. There was one person who could speak a little Japanese, so for those who are not confident in English, it might be a good idea to stick with that person. By the way, my family also saw dolphins and turtles… I'm envious!

The guides on the way there and back were English speakers and very cheerful. Especially on the way back, they were flexible, changing our drop-off point and accepting requests for unexpected stops. Since the tour ended before noon, I was thinking about going to Ala Moana Shopping Center afterward, but I was unsure how to get there. However, I learned that it was possible to get off the bus along the way, which I wanted to take advantage of, but due to various circumstances, we ended up getting off at our hotel.

I want to come back again when the kids are older!

0歳3歳大人4人、折り畳めるベビーカー持参で参加しました。エレベーター完備なので、デッキへの移動は問題ないのですが、おむつ替えは出来ませんでした(ベビーカーを使って換えました)。その後の予定のために必要だったベビーカーですが、最初に案内されるテーブルに荷物を置いて行けるので、鯨を観る時には邪魔にならず良かったです。

鯨は完全に運だとは思いましたが、流石に2月！しっかり会えました。たまたま2頭が結構近くの海面を何度も行ったり来たりしてくれたお陰で、ビデオや写真だけに追われず肉眼でも捉える事ができて、ラッキーでした！船長さんが、10時にいるよ！とか9時方向だ！とか英語でアナウンスしてくれるのと、周りの人をヒントに移動しました。お一人、日本語が少し話せる方もいたので、英語苦手な方はその方にくっついていくのもありかもです。
ちなみに、私の家族はイルカとカメも見たとの事…羨ましい

行き帰りは英語のガイドさん。行きも帰りも、陽気な方達でした。特に帰りは、降りる場所を変更してくれたり、予定外の停車場所もリクエスト受け付けてくれたりと、臨機応変に対応していました。ツアーが昼前に終わるので、その後はアラモアナショッピングセンターでと考えていましたが、どうやって行くか悩んでいました。でも、バスの途中下車が可能との事でこちらを上手く活用…したかったのですが、色々あって結局自分達のホテルで降りました。

子供が大きくなったらまた来てあげたいです！

I was able to meet dolphins up close, and it was incredibly moving. Usually, they swim by quickly, but this time the dolphins swam slowly right next to us. 🥰 Last time I participated, I encountered a rare number of dolphins, but this time, my 6-year-old grandchild was also very moved by the dolphins swimming so close to us. 💕 With the support of the staff, I was able to snorkel safely and even meet a sea turtle, making it the best tour experience. 🥰 Thank you very much! 💕 I definitely want to participate again. 👍

とっても近くでイルカさんたちに出会えて
すごく感動しました。
いつもは早く通り過ぎてしまうそうですが
すごく近くをゆっくり泳いでくれたイルカさんたち🥰
以前参加させていただいた時もすごいレアな数のイルカさんたちと出会えたのですが
今回は、とても近くで泳ぐイルカさんたちとの遭遇で6歳の孫もとても感動していました💕
スタッフの皆さんにサポートしてもらって
安心してシュノーケルもできてウミガメにも会えて最高のツアーを満喫できました🥰
ありがとうございました💕
また、ぜひ参加したいと思います👍

There is a regulation that prohibits approaching whales, so the boat does not get close to them. Therefore, it is not possible to take photos from a close distance like those on the explanation page. All announcements regarding whales are in English, so I do not recommend this for those who are not proficient in the language. Snacks and drinks are explained in English, so I couldn't figure out where they were located. Even with sunglasses and a hat, please be careful as the sunlight is very intense.

クジラに近づいてはいけないという条例があるので船はクジラに近づきません。よって説明ページのような至近距離からの写真は撮れません。
クジラに関するアナウンスなどは全て英語なので堪能でない方はオススメしません。
スナックや飲み物類は英語で説明があるのでどこにあるか分からず取れませんでした。
サングラスや帽子があっても日差しがとてもキツいので気をつけて下さい。

On the cruise departing from West Oahu at 1:30 PM, our family was the only Japanese participants. The crew only spoke English.

What was great was that we saw whales quite close right after departure, which was lucky. Of course, it wasn't as spectacular as the photos in the advertisements. The crew was friendly and even spoke to us, taking family photos for us. The views from the boat were also fantastic.

A bit disappointing was that we only saw whales three times in the first 30 minutes of the two-hour cruise, and the rest of the time was spent staring at the ocean surface. Considering that there are times when you might not see any whales, I might be being a bit greedy.

With the mindset that seeing whales is just a bonus, I think it would be perfect to enjoy a leisurely cruise off the coast of West Oahu as long as the weather is good.

西オアフから13時30分発の出航のクルーズで参加者の日本人は私たち家族だけでした。クルーも英語しかしゃべりません。
良かったのは、出発してすぐにかなり近くでクジラが見えたこと、これはラッキーでした。もちろん、広告の写真のようにはいきませんが。また、クルーもフレンドリーで日本人の私たちに声をかけてくれて、家族の写真を撮ってくれました。船上からの景色も最高でした。
少し残念だったのは、クジラが見えたのは2時間のクルーズのうち最初の30分くらいに3回だけで、残りは海面と睨めっこで終わったことでしょうか。クジラが見えないこともあるということを思えば、欲張りかもしれませんが。
クジラは見えればラッキーくらいの気持ちで、のんびり西オアフ島沖のクルーズを楽しむには、天候さえ良ければ最高だと思います。

The conditions were windy with high waves, so it felt like an experience similar to Splash Mountain... I was able to see the whale's spray and tail, and on the way back, I was also able to see dolphins and honu, which was great. I couldn't take any photos, but the views of Honolulu and the departing airplanes were full of highlights, and the captain's guided announcements were entertaining.

風が強くて波も高いと言うコンディションでしたのでスプラッシュマウンテンのような体験出来ました…
鯨のしぶきとシッポが見れて帰りイルカやホヌも見れて良かったです。写真は撮れなかったですが
ホノルルの景色や離陸して行く飛行機等見所満載で船長さんのガイドアナウンスも面白かった

I participated in mid-February!
It was rainy, but thanks to that, it wasn't too hot, and I was able to look for whales from the deck.

During the ride to the meeting point, the guide talked a lot about the area and sightseeing, making the trip enjoyable.

On the boat, we were served delicious original cake and coffee before departure, which served as a nice breakfast. The original pineapple banana cake was moist and tasty.

During the whale watching, the guide indicated where the whales were based on the direction of the clock, so there was a high probability of seeing whales multiple times.

Not only did we see whales, but we were also lucky enough to see sea turtles up close!

The view from the boat was also amazing, and I was moved by the beauty of Diamond Head and the horizon.

It became a wonderful memory, and I am very satisfied.

2月中旬に参加しました！
雨模様だったのですがそのおかげで暑すぎることなく、デッキでクジラを探すことが出来ました。

お迎えの車中ではガイドさんがエリアや観光についてたくさん話して下さり、移動も楽しかったです。

船では美味しいオリジナルケーキとコーヒーが出港前に食べられるので、朝ごはん代わりになりました。オリジナルのパイナップルバナナケーキはしっとりしてて美味しかったです。

ホエールウォッチングの最中は時計の方向でクジラがどこにいるかを教えてくれるので殆どの確率で何度かクジラを見ることが出来ます。

クジラだけではなくウミガメも近くで見ることが出来たのでとても幸運でした！

そして船上からの景色も素晴らしく、ダイヤモンドヘッドや水平線の美しさに感動しました。

とても素敵な思い出になり、満足です。

Had an amazing trip. Kind and friendly, locally owned and operated. Would highly recommend.

I took TheBus to the meeting point. It was $7 round trip (since it's $7 for unlimited rides in a day). It's necessary to check in advance how to ride TheBus and how to find routes (you can find bus stops using Google). Upon arriving at the meeting point, you will present your voucher (which is sent via email after booking) for check-in.

Once on board, there was an unlimited supply of fruit cake and coffee (though I couldn't eat that much). As for finding whales, the spouts are a good indicator. I witnessed a few spouts, but they rarely appeared above the water. I participated with the image from the last attached photo in mind, but this time we only managed to see the tail fin to some extent during the whale watching.

集合場所にはTheBusで行きました。往復＄7でOKです（一日＄7で乗り放題なので）。TheBusの乗り方や経路（Googleでバス停が案内可能です）の調べ方は事前に確認が必要です。集合場所に到着するとバウチャー（予約完了後にメールで送られる）を提示して受付となります。
乗船後はフルーツケーキやコーヒーなどは食べ放題、飲み放題でした（そんなに食べられませんが）。クジラの探し方としては、潮吹きが目印となります。何回か潮吹きを目撃しましたが、海上に現れることは少なかったです。添付の最後の写真をイメージして参加しましたが、今回は尾びれを確認できる程度のウォッチング結果でした。

What we signed up for was a nice sunset cruise, and that was wonderful with drinks and food. What was the added bonus was up close and intimate whale watching! Such an incredible time!