All Reviews for Marine Wildlife Encounters

Our family enjoyed the entire crew and had a fantastic time.

The program picks you up around 8:30 AM from major hotels in Waikiki via a private large bus. You will depart at 2:30 PM and return to your original hotel.

It takes about 30 minutes to Sea Life Park, enjoying the coastal scenery along Diamond Head and Coco Marina, so it wasn't a burden even with children.

At the Dolphin Encounter, there is a pre-explanation for Japanese visitors by Japanese staff as soon as you enter (the activities will be in English). The changing room is spacious, so changing is not an issue, but the showers afterward do not have hot water, so bringing a larger bath towel to dry off properly might be necessary as it could be a bit cold.

With about eight people in one group, the time spent playing with the dolphins felt shorter compared to my previous experience in Mexico, and I found it a bit lacking.

You can enter the space in front of the pool with a stroller, so while my wife watched our 0-year-old, I took photos and videos from there. The entire Sea Life Park is stroller-friendly, so if you're unsure, I think it's better to bring one.

After the activities, there are dolphin shows, a turtle pool, children's play equipment, and souvenir shops, which provide plenty of time to kill before the return bus.

For meals, there are light snacks like hot dogs and pizza. However, many of the hot dogs are spicy, so caution is needed as they might be too hot for children.

プログラムは8:30位にワイキキの主要ホテルから専用の大型バスにてピックアップ。
現地14:30の出発で元のホテルに戻ります。

シーライフパークまでダイヤモンドヘッドやココマリーナなどの海岸沿いの
景色を楽しみながら30分程ですので子連れでも苦になりませんでした。

ドルフィンエンカウンターは、入場してすぐに日本人スタッフにより日本人向けの
事前説明があります。(アクティビティーは英語になります。)
更衣室は広く着替えは問題ないですが、終わった後のシャワーはお湯が
でないので大きめのバスタオルを持参してしっかり拭かないとちょっと寒いかも知れません。
8名くらいで1グループなので以前体験したメキシコと比べるとイルカと遊ぶ時間は短く、
少し物足りないと感じました。

プールの手前のスペースまでベビーカーで一緒に入って行けますので
0歳児は妻に見てもらいながら、そこから写真、ビデオの撮影をしました。
シーライフパーク全体がベビーカーで回れるので、迷っている場合は
持って行った方が良いと思います。

アクティビティー後は、イルカショーやウミガメのプール、子供用の遊具、お土産店
があって、帰りのバスまでは十分に時間潰しになります。

食事は軽食中心にホットドッグやピザがあります。ただしホットドッグ類は
スパイシーなものが多くて子供には辛いので注意が必要です。

I must admit, I was a bit apprehensive about this adventure as the fateful morning arrived. We were in Oahu visiting our Son and his wife, she was particularly interested in the shark tour. My wife, on the other hand, would have none of it, fortunately, they have an 'Observer' option available. We boarded the Kai Ou after removing our shoes and headed out. The Captain explained that the sharks had become accustomed to the sound of the engines since there had been crabbing done in the past and they would not need to chum the water...we were going to be the bait. The water was absolutely beautiful, a bit on the choppy side, however, which made entering the cage a little more adventurous. It was really amazing being in the water with the sharks all around, there were between 8 and twelve, plus a few other fish, including some very large Trumpet Fish. I think my wife got the worst end of the deal as she was sea sick when we got back in the boat. The crew members were awesome, I would definitely recommend this adventure!!!

It was a good experience, but the waves were intense and I got seasick. It might be a bit tough for those who are sensitive to seasickness. Also, it's better to pay the crew to take photos for you! I saw some beautiful photos taken by others. It's quite difficult to take them yourself.

いい経験できましたけど、波がすごくて船酔いしました。船酔いに弱いかたにはちょっと…。
また、写真はお金を払ってクルーにとってもらったほうがいいですよ！他のかたが撮ってもらった写真を見ましたがとても素敵でした！
自分でとるのはなかなか難しいです

Seriously guys, this is a must. There was a whole bunch of sharks circling around us, and we saw a school of fishes too! I mean come on, you could finally say you swam with the Sharks! Tip: take motion sickness pills. The boat ride there could make you feel a little sick

This time, I participated with my 3-year-old child.

It was very helpful to have a plan where we could interact directly with the dolphins in front of the dolphin tank without getting into the water.

While there are other plans that involve entering the pool, for children who are not comfortable in the water or for those who would prefer to interact with dolphins without going into the pool, this was a highly recommended plan, which is why I signed up. I think it was the best option for families with small children.

However, since we traveled from Waikiki to the park, considering the time until the return bus, I felt a bit unsatisfied. The actual time for the activity was about 30 to 40 minutes... It seemed like this plan was not an official one at the park (the staff's somewhat spontaneous handling suggested this), so it felt like it ended abruptly. After the interaction with the dolphins, I felt like the wait for the shuttle was longer than expected.

During that time, there were also penguins, an aquarium (with a shark tank), and a birdhouse where you could feed birds for free, as well as a dolphin show that you could watch at certain times. Plus, the view of the open ocean from the overseas side was fantastic! So, we were able to stroll around the park.

If possible, it would be great if the explanation for the plan included more information about these activities, as it could have helped us enjoy that time even more.

Overall, the plan to interact with the dolphins was very good, but as it stands, there is a risk of misunderstanding that you will be with the dolphins the entire time upon arrival. I actually felt that way.

However, I was fortunate to have a conversation with a Japanese woman at the park, who kindly accompanied us and translated the explanations given by the foreign staff about the dolphins. I am very grateful for that!

今回は、子供（3歳）の子供連れにて、参加させていただきました。

水に入らず、イルカ用の水槽前で、じかに触れ合うことができる、プランにてとても助かりました。

ほかのプランで、プールに入る企画も良いのですが、水になれない子供や出来れば、プールに入らなくてもイルカとふれあいたい！って、方には、とってもオススメ！な企画だったので申し込みしました。
ちっちゃい子が、いるプランではベストな、企画だったとは思います。

ただ、今回は、ワイキキからパークへの来園だったので、帰のバスまでの時間を考慮すると、ちょっとだけ物足りなさが残ったかもしれませんでした。
実質時間、３０～４０分程度の、企画だったので。。。
こちらの企画自体が、パークでの正規プランで無いようにも（ちょっとだけスタッフの急な企画チックな対応が。。。）見受けられたので、あっけなく終わったような。。。？。ほぇ？っと、イルカちゃんとのふれあい終了後、なんとなく送迎までの時間が長く感じられたのも、状況でした。

まぁ、そのあいだにも、園内には、ペンギン、水族館（サメさんの水槽）や、間近でのカメさん（しこたまいました。）とか、インコかな？の無料で入れて餌付けまでできる鳥小屋もあり・イルカショウも時間によっては見ることも出来、また、これがまた、海外線から望む外洋の景色も最高♪と、なんだかんだ、ブラブラと園内を散策することもできました。

出来れば、当該のプラン説明にも、そこら辺是非、説明文入れていただいてもらえれば、もっと事前情報とし、収集しいろいろとその時間をもっと楽しめたかもしれないですね。

全面的に、イルカと触合うとの企画はとても良いのですが、そのままだと、登園時、終始イルカといるものと誤認識してしまうおそれが出てきます。実際そう感じました。

でも、パークには唯一日本の方が、一名（女性）の方とたまたま、お話することができ、いろいろと、同行していただきながら説明やら、ご配慮いただけてイルカのイロハを説明された外人さんの説明をわざわざ訳して頂いたりととてもお世話になりました。感謝です！

I am 58 years old, but Julie kindly taught me how to use the snorkel and tips on how to get close to the dolphins, so I was able to meet the dolphins and the sea turtle professor without any issues. The person who took our photos was also very kind and attentive to everyone, which made it easy to relax and enjoy myself. I'm really glad I participated.

５８才の私でしたが、ジュリさんが、シュノーケルの使い方や、イルカ先生と近づけるコツを、丁寧に教えてくれたので、全然うまくイルカ先生やウミガメ大教授に会えました。写真を撮ってくれた人も、親切で、全員に気配りしてくれて、安心して楽しみ過ぎちゃいました。参加してよかったです。

The waters were choppy but that didn't stop us! The crew was very polite and professional. You can watch the sharks from the boat while the other groups go too so you aren't bored. I do a lot of snorkeling and diving around the island, but this was a very unique experience. I will be bringing any other people who visit me to your company, thank you for an unforgettable time!

I participated with my mother in her 60s and my daughter who is 1 year and 10 months old. During the pre-activity briefing, we were informed that if the child cried, the dolphins would get startled and we would have to leave the pool, which made me a bit nervous as we entered the water. Thanks to the dolphins' charm, my daughter was full of curiosity! She reached out her hand to touch the approaching dolphins and was even actively giving them kisses. My mother, who had always dreamed of interacting with dolphins, was very happy as well.

60代の母、１歳１０ヶ月の娘と３人で参加しました。
事前の説明で、子供が泣いたらイルカがビックリするからプールから出てもらうと説明があり、少しドキドキしながらプールに入りました。イルカパワーか娘は興味深々！
近づいてくるイルカに自ら手を伸ばして触ったり、イルカとチューも積極的にしてました。
母もイルカと触れ合うことが夢だったらしくとても喜んでくれました。

I participated in Dolphin Adventure. Besides the three points on the schedule, you can touch the dolphins multiple times and even feed them. It's a lot of fun! However, since bringing my own camera is not allowed, I think I will have to purchase the photos taken at the park. They are quite expensive (laughs) - $36 for two photos, and you can also buy a DVD for $55.
After that, we spent time in the park until the bus departure time, which was about three hours.
We had lunch, watched the dolphin show, fed the parrots, fed the turtles, rolled around on the grass, and went to look at the photos to pass the time. While it’s definitely not cheap, I’m glad I did it!

ドルフィン・アドベンチャーに参加しました。スケジュールにある３点以外にも何度もイルカに触れさせてもらえますし。エサもあげれます。楽しいです！ただ自分のカメラの持ち込みが不可のためパークで撮ってもらった写真を購入する事になると思います。それが高いんです(笑)2枚で36＄、DVD（55＄）も購入出来ます。
　その後は、バスの時間まで園内で過ごします。約3時間ほどでした。
私たちは、ランチを食べて→イルカのショーを見て、インコのえさやり、カメのえさやり、芝生でゴロゴロ、写真を見に行って、時間をつぶしました。金額的には決して安いものではありませんが、やって良かったです！

I booked this for a family trip in April, and first, I was surprised by the size of the ship, which was larger than I expected.

As soon as we set sail, breakfast was included, and I enjoyed it while having a great time on the cruise.

Unfortunately, we couldn't see any whales, but the weather was nice, and the view of Honolulu from the sea was amazing, which made me very satisfied.

I plan to use this service again next time and hope to see whales in person.

４月に家族旅行で申し込みました、まず、予想しては船より大きな船でビックリでした。
出航してすぐに朝食付きでしたので、美味しく頂いてクルーズを楽しみました。

残念ながらホエールは見ることは出来ませんでしたが、天気もよくて、海から見るホノルルの景色は最高で満足できました。

次回も利用予定してホエールをリアルで見てみたいです。

I wanted to try riding a underwater scooter, so after considering various options, I decided to sign up for this tour. However, I was a bit anxious because it was going to be in English. I had seen a Japanese DVD explaining the underwater scooter, and one of the staff members was a fourth-generation Japanese woman, so I felt reassured as I could have normal conversations in Japanese and enjoyed myself.

You can breathe normally while using the underwater scooter, making it easy to enjoy the underwater world. A support diver is nearby to guide you towards the fish and sea turtles, and seeing a sea turtle swimming so close is truly an unknown world!

This experience will change your perspective on the world!

水中スクーターに乗ってみた〜い！と思いいろいろ検討した結果このツアーに参加申込。でも、英語での対応とのことでしたので少し不安がありました。水中スクーターについての説明は日本語のDVDで視れたことと、スタッフの一人は日系4世の女性で、普通の会話は日本語OKでしたので安心して楽しめました。
水中スクーターは普通に呼吸ができるので、手軽に海中の世界を楽しめます。サポートのダイバーが側にいて、魚や海亀のいる方向をガイドしてくれ、手の届く近さで海亀が泳いでいるのは正に未知の世界です！
この体験は世界観が変わりますよー!!

This was great!!! 1st class all the way!!! I recommend these guys hand down!!!

Tight seating. Hard time hearing due to other loud people

We went on moonlight snorkeling tour and saw four manta rays, two quite big, they are so graceful dancing in the water below the light and passing inches from our bodies without touching us and without any fear. This experience is one to be remembered for the lifetime.
Said that, the service given is below expectations.
Let's start from pricing, no reduced price for the one that is not going off board snorkeling.
We arrived on time for the check in and the boat wasn't in the water yet, due to a problem with the truck. Maybe the info on the tour had been already given to the other participants, but nothing more for us. I recieved the wet suit, even though there was no locker room to change, only the marina restrooms.
Anyhow the boat went in the water just in time to go onboard, no gangboard, assuming people is used to jump on and off board.
We went quite fast to the point where manta rays are usually seen, there was already another boat from a different charter, we stood just aside them.
Gear provided by them, good quality, no water entered during all the visit.
Just few basic rules, do not dive, do not touch them, do not kick them, lay horizontally and stay attached to the plastic board, which hosts lights to attract plancton.
As said at the beginning, the experience is really wonderful and makes me almost forget the service part.
Returning onboard, just a minute to remove the wet suit, get dry, have a glass of hot soup and go back as fast as possible to the harbour.
A formal and quick goodbye and that's it.
Overall you cannot miss the mant rays snorkeling experience, but consider also other service providers with respect to this one.

A childhood dream, taking a submarine cruise. Recommending others to have and enjoy the exceptional tour and see the ever hidden bed of a ocean and the variety of life. Lovely entertaining staff and great customer care. Our 1st dive had to be cancelled because of strong current. Immediately they offered rescheduling or refund. Great.

This was an incredible experience. This had to have been my favorite excursion that I have ever done in Hawaii. The staff was great and being able to purchase the video and pictures that you can watch over and over was wonderful. This is definitely one activity that I would do again.

I participated because I wanted to touch a dolphin! I was already happy just to meet a dolphin up close, but I was very satisfied to be able to touch them a lot and even get a kiss♪ The park isn't very large, so we had some extra time since we only participated in one program, but we relaxed and enjoyed watching the birds and turtles. It became a very nice memory!

イルカに触ってみたい！と参加しました。間近でイルカに会えただけでも嬉しかったですが、沢山触らせてもらったり、チュウもしてもらって大満足です♪園内は広くないので１つしかプログラムに参加しなかった私達には時間が余ってしまいましたが、鳥や亀などを見てのんびりしてました。とても良い思い出になりました！

I participated with my family on April 4, 2015.

The weather was nice, and it was a pleasant time with the sea breeze, but according to the staff, whales are returning to the Arctic during this period, so it's common not to see them.

Although we didn't see any whales, there were various events on the ship, such as hula dancing experiences, so we weren't bored.

Next time, I think I'll participate during the season when the whales are present.

2015/4/4 家族で参加しました。

天気もよく潮風が気持ちいい時期でしたが、
スタッフの方が言うには、この時期はクジラが北極圏に帰っているので
会えない事が多いとのことでした。

クジラに会えませんでしたが、船内でフラ体験など、いろいろイベントがあり
退屈しませんでした。

次回は、クジラのいる時期に参加したと思います。

I encountered a pod of dolphins twice!

Unfortunately, they didn't play with us... But I guess just being able to see them was lucky. I really wanted to dive down to the dolphins without a life jacket!

At first, my wife was hesitant to go into the ocean, but once she got in and saw the dolphins and sea turtles, she was thrilled! However, while watching the turtles, she got seasick and had to throw up... (laughs)

Even with a green face, she was excited. As for me, even though I'm over sixty, I successfully graduated from Dolphin Middle School!

The guide was a lively woman, which was great!

I have one complaint. There was no mention that reconfirmation was necessary, but there was a message at the hotel, so I called the contact number, but they said it wasn't in use... I wish the information was updated accurately.

イルカの群れには2回遭遇！

残念ながら、一緒に遊んではもらえなかったけど・・・。
まあ、遭遇できただけでもラッキーなのかな・・・。
できればライフジャケットなしで、イルカのところまで
潜りたかった！

最初、妻は沖の海に入るのが怖いとしり込みしていたが、
いざ入ってイルカやウミガメを見たら大感激！！
ただ、カメを見ているうちに波酔いして、撒き餌・・・。（笑い

青い顔しながらも感激していた。
私自身、還暦過ぎだけど私立イルカ中学を無事卒業！！

ガイドも元気な女性でよかったよ！！

一つだけクレーム。
リコンファーム必要な旨の記載がなかったけど、ホテルに
伝言があったので、連絡先の電話をしたが、使われていない
とのことだったけど・・・。情報は正確にアップして欲しい。

After fellowship in Honolulu, my co fellows & I decided to try the Atlantis submarine as our final activtity! All worth it & my daughter who is with us enjoyed the Waikiki underwater. Great to see Waikiki underwater!

I was able to experience the wonderful world of marine blue. I could admire various types of fish and see sea turtles resting on a ship that was sunk for the purpose of creating a reef. I also saw them swimming afterward... The Japanese commentary was witty and added to the fun. I highly recommend it to everyone.

マリーンブルーのすばらしい世界を体験できました。さまざまな種類の魚が鑑賞できまた、魚礁用に沈めた船の上で海がめが休んでいる姿を見ることができました。その後で泳いでいる姿も、、、。日本語の解説もウィットに富み、楽しさ倍増です。皆さんにお勧めします。

This submarine cruise was amazing!! The crew was so friendly and our guide was funny. It was obvious everyone loved their job. Our guide was obviously an experienced diver because he knew so much about all the various fish we saw and had lots of great stories involving the different fish/coral.

The visibility was amazing the day we went. I think I took almost 200 pictures. We were so surprised when we saw 2 shipwrecks on the cruise. Such a fun bonus!

My husband is very outdoorsy and was a little whiny about doing the submarine over an actual snorkel day cruise. He loved the submarine and thought it was so much fun. We will definitely do it again when we're back.

I was amazed at how close I could see the manta rays! I was told not to touch them, but the manta rays came close on their own, and I ended up touching them… it really felt like an exhilarating attraction! However, on the way back, I felt like I was going to freeze to death from the wind hitting my wet body after getting seasick. I think it would have been nice to have a bit more explanation about the manta rays from the guide.

びっくりするほどマンタが近くで見れました！触らないようにと言われてましたが、マンタが勝手に近づいてきて触れてしまうことも…ほんとに迫力満点のアトラクションのようでした！
ただ帰りは船酔いと濡れた体に風があたり極寒で死にそうでした。
ガイドからマンタに関する説明がもう少しあってもよかったかなと思います。

Stand-up paddleboarding was more difficult than I expected due to the strong winds. There were three groups with two participants each, but we only had two paddleboards for six people, so I think it would have been better to have one more board.
The underwater scooter was easy to use, and I enjoyed the sea enough. I was very satisfied to see a turtle swimming nearby, hold a starfish, and have many fish come close to me.
When we got back on the boat, many people were exhausted from the cold and seasickness, and although I wanted to go snorkeling, I gave up. If there had been less wind, I think we could have enjoyed it more, but the weather is beyond our control.
I was anxious because I don't understand English, but Judy, who was a fourth-generation guide, was very friendly and kindly explained everything, so there were no issues at all.

スタンドアップパドルは、風が強すぎて、乗るのが思っていたより、難しかったです。2人参加で3組だったのですが、6人に2台のパドルだったので、もう一台あると良いと思いました。
水中スクーターは、耳抜きもすぐに出来て
十分海の中を楽しめました。カメが近くに泳いでいたり、ヒトデを持たせてくれたり、目の前にたくさんの魚が近寄って来てくれて、とても満足です。
船に上がると、皆んな寒さと船酔いで、ぐったりしている人が多く、シュノーケルもしたかったのですが、諦めました。
風が少なければ、もっと楽しめたのでしょうが、天候は仕方ないですね。
英語が分からないので不安でしたが、4世のジュディ？さんがとてもフレンドリーで親切に説明してくれたので、何の不都合もありませんでした。

This is amazing experience, Staff was so nice and fun.
Recommendable for everyone
I would love to do this one again!!

I chose the early morning English tour because it was inexpensive. I didn't understand the explanations very well, but I could tell there were whales from everyone's reactions, so I think that's not a problem. However, it seems that April is already the end of the season, and we didn't see many whales doing the dynamic jumps like in the photos. But it was adorable to see a mother whale and her calf swimming together nearby. I want to go again during the peak season next time. They sell a set with a commemorative photo and a disc with whale images for about 2000 yen. I thought it would sell better if they offered just the commemorative photo at a lower price.

安かったので早朝の英語のツアーにしました。説明はあまりよく分からなかったけど、クジラがいるぞ！的なことは、皆の行動で分かるので問題ないかと思います。
ただ４月はもう終わりの時期みたいで、写真の様なダイナミックなジャンプは何頭ものクジラは見られませんでした。けどクジラの親子が近くをずっと一緒に泳いでいて可愛かったです。今度はシーズンの時に行きたいと思います。記念写真とクジラの画像やらが入ったロムとセットで2000円くらいで売られてます。記念写真だけにしてもっと安くすれば売れるのになー、と思いました。

It was my mother's first time in Hawaii. When it comes to Hawaiian experiences, a submarine tour is a must! It was lucky that it was a bit cheaper. My mother seemed very satisfied to experience the essence of Hawaii.

母親にとっては初めてのハワイ。
ハワイらしい体験といえば、潜水艦！!
少しお安くなっていたのはラッキーでした。
母もハワイらしさを体験できて大満足の様子でした。

I participated with my mother, who can't swim. It seems she had heard from my grandmother that the submarine tour in Hawaii was great, so we decided to give it a try. We enjoyed the trolley ride to the pickup point, and the cruise to the submarine had beautiful scenery, which was nice. The submarine was a bit less impressive than I expected; the water looked murky and there weren't many fish. However, we did see a sea turtle, which was enjoyable. It would be better if the price were a little lower.

泳げない母と参加。母が祖母からハワイの潜水艦ツアーが良かったと何度も聞いていたようで、参加してみることにしました。お迎えのトロリーから楽しめて、潜水艦までの船でのクルーズも景色良くてよかったです。潜水艦は期待していたよりかは、水が濁ってみえるのと魚も少なかったかなーという印象でした。でもウミガメもみれたし楽しめました。お値段がもう少し安いといいのだけど。

I wasn't expecting much since the whale season was coming to an end, but I saw a lot of whales in the distance. They were splashing water and showing their tails.

In the middle of the trip, a whale passed right by the side of the boat, and I was surprised! It was a great experience that you can't have often in Japan.

クジラのシーズンも終わりに近かったのであまり期待していませんでしたが、遠くのほうでたくさんクジラが見えました。水しぶきをあげたり、尻尾がみえたり。

中ごろには、船の脇をクジラが通り、びっくりしました！
日本ではあまり出来ない体験ができて、とてもよかったです。