All Reviews for Marine Wildlife Encounters

My daughter told me about this tour when I was planing my trip to Hawaii. I booked it through hawaiiactivities.com website and I had no problems. They even called me one day prior to my activity to remind me of my pick up time and location.

The shuttle was there on time to pick me up and during the drive and took us the check-in location. After the safety briefing we started the tour.
The crew was really nice and informative. They are very professional and committed to provided us a unforgettable experience.

While waiting for our turn to go, we spend some time snorkeling and relaxing on the boat, Maunalua Bay is a paradise.

Once underwater you have a guide taking care of you during the whole time. It's so wonderful to see all the marine life coming right next to you, I saw dozens of colorful fishes and a lot of turtles.

The underwater scooter was for sure one of the coolest thing I have ever done.

I participated with my 5-year-old and 1-year-old children. It was a rare experience to interact with dolphins, and both of them were very happy. There aren't many activities available for children starting from 1 year old, so it was definitely the right decision to make a reservation from Japan. However, I had booked for 9:30, but for some reason, it was changed to 11:00 when I checked in on-site. I thought it might be related to not having a shuttle service and going by rental car, which made me a bit anxious. However, it actually allowed us to take a light look around the park before that, and we were able to navigate the park efficiently, so I recommend 11:00 for those who are going by rental car.

5歳と1歳の子供を連れて参加してきました。
イルカと触れ合うなんてなかなかできない体験で、二人ともすごく喜んでくれました。
1歳から参加できる、アクティビティはあまりないので、日本から予約をして参加して大正解でした。
ただ9:30で予約していましたが、現地でチェックインした際になぜか11:00に変更されてしまいました。今回送迎なしで、レンタカーで行った関係かなと思い、少し不安がありましたが、逆にそれまでにパーク内を軽く見ることができ、効率よくパークを回ることができたのでレンタカーで行かれる方は11:00がおすすめです。

Could not have been better; we specifically chose this shark encounter since they book fewer people on the boat and it was just what I had in mind. We had 10 total on the boat. The captain and mate were both knowledgeable and professional but definitely made it fun. Took a few extra minutes to show us the whales also. Highly recommend these guys.

During the bus ride, they talked about various things related to Hawaii, so I wasn't bored at all. I only saw a few dolphins, but it was still quite fun. We moved by boat in search of dolphins → spotted dolphins and jumped into the sea → chased and swam after the dolphins!! → moved by boat again → jumped into the sea and swam!! It was quite physically demanding with all that repetition.

バスの移動中から色々とハワイのことをお話してくださったりして退屈しませんでした。イルカはボチボチくらいしか見れませんでしたけど、まぁまぁ楽しかったです。船でイルカを求めて移動→イルカ発見で海へ→ひたすらイルカを追いかけ泳ぐ!!→また船で移動→海へ飛び込み泳ぐ!!の繰り返しで結構、体力的にしんどいです。

I was worried about seasickness, but since it was a large boat, I was completely fine, and the view of the hotels in Waikiki and Diamond Head from the sea was wonderful.

In the reviews, it mentioned that whales could only be seen from a distance, so I didn't have high expectations, but when we went out to sea and stopped the boat, a mother and baby whale swam right next to us, and we were able to see them up close. I was so moved when I saw them spouting water and their backs and tails that I couldn't help but cheer.

Since there was a campaign where one child could join for free with each adult, I was able to have this valuable experience at a great price, and I'm glad I participated in this tour.

船酔いが心配でしたが、大きな船だったのてぜんぜん大丈夫で、海側からのワイキキのホテル群やダイヤモンドヘッドの景色も素晴らしかったです。

口コミでは、遠くでしかクジラがみれなかったとあったのであまり期待はしてなかったのですが、沖にでて船を停めてると親子のクジラが船のすぐそばを泳いで行き間近でみれました。
潮を吹いて、背中、尾びれが見えた時は思わず歓声をあげてしまうほど感動しました。

大人一人につき子供一人無料のキャンペーンだったので、お得に貴重な体験をさせてもらいこのツアーに参加してよかったです。

I participated in this tour seeking to interact with dolphins. It’s a popular tour, and since there were no openings at my preferred time, I joined the 9:30 start course. However, we arrived at Sea Life Park after 9:30, and perhaps to shorten the program time, the distance we swam with the dolphins was shorter than expected, which was disappointing. (Those in the later program swam a longer distance with the dolphins.) Aside from that, I was satisfied to swim with the dolphins. Two dolphins pushed against the soles of my feet, and I was able to hold onto their dorsal fins while swimming. As a 55-year-old man, I felt a bit shy about kissing a dolphin. My wife took some great photos of the moment. The Royal Swim program is a bit pricey, but you can't swim with them in other programs. I recommend the later time slots.

イルカとのふれ合いを求めてこのツアーに参加しました。
人気ツアーで、希望時間に空きが無かったので、９:３０スタートのコースに参加しましたが、シーライフパーク到着は９：３０を過ぎてしまっており、プログラムの時間短縮を目指してなのか、イルカと泳ぐ距離が短かく残念でした。（遅い時間のプログラムの人は長い距離をイルカと泳いでいた。）
その点を除き、イルカと一緒に泳ぐことができ満足でした。
２頭のイルカが足の裏を押してくれたり、２頭の背びれにつかまって泳いだりできました。
５５歳の男にとっては、イルカとキスをするのは照れました。写真は家内にしっかり撮ってもらいましたが・・・。
ロイヤルスイムのプログラムは少し高価ですが、その他では一緒に泳げません。遅い時間のプログラムがお勧めです。

this was a great value for money tour, nice people running trip with loads of knowledge, reasonably priced snacks.... All ages loved it.

I participated alone, but I had a great time! I was able to see whales a few times (although they were quite far away (ー_ー)!!). It was a wonderful experience.

一人参加でしたが、とても楽しめました!
クジラも何度か見る事が出来ました（ただ、かなり遠くて(ー_ー)!!）
いい体験でした

This was exactly what my husband and I had hoped for in a whale watching experience. By being on a sailing craft we were able to enjoy a sail as well as watching for those amazing humpback whales. The crew was fantastic and very informative. Our driver Shannon picked us up at our hotel and was delightful. Chad the captain of the catamaran was most interesting and had a lot to share about the island and the activities.
After hearing that Hawaii was the place to see the humpbacks during the winter months this was a "must do activity", we were not disappointed.
Great Experience - We would do it again.

We participated in an early morning tour. Since we don't understand English, we were hoping for a tour with a Japanese guide, but we were told, "It's the next tour." I wish we had known when the Japanese guide would board.

For now, we boarded the ship. We were the only Japanese people on it.

A crew member was explaining something about whales, but we couldn't understand at all. However, we did understand when she said, "Wow! Splash!" when the whale spouted water. It was amazing to see the tail and pectoral fins flapping up close.

When we went, it was the best season, and we were able to see whales probably within 15 meters of the boat. I think we could have enjoyed it even more if we understood English.

早朝のツアーに参加。英語がわからない私たちは、日本語ガイドさんがいるツアーだ、と期待指定して行ったけど、「次のツアーです」と言われました。いつ日本語ガイドが乗船するのかわかるようになっていればよかったなぁ。と。
とりあえず、乗船。日本人は私たちだけ。
クルーのお姉さんが何やらクジラの事を説明してくれているのだけどさっぱりわからない。。
くじらが潮を吹く時に「うぁ〜おぉ！スプラ〜シュッ！！」と言うのはわかりました。尾びれや胸びれをばたつかせるのが間近で観れて感動☆
行った時は最高のシーズンで船のたぶん15m近くでクジラを観る事が出来ました。
英語がわかればもっと楽しめたと思います。

The pickup was smooth without any waiting, and the boat was average. Since it was a no-meal course, my main goal was to see whales, but in the end, I could only see the whales' backs. The locals mentioned that there have been fewer sightings this year, and I didn't see any jumping. It's partly luck, and it's understandable since they are wild animals.

On the way back, I wanted to walk to downtown instead of taking the bus, so I communicated that to the driver, who kindly agreed and even guided me along the way.

ピックアップも待つことなくスムーズで船も普通で食事なしコースだったので鯨を見るだけが狙いでしたが…結局鯨の背中しか見ることができませんでした。今年は少なくジャンプしてる姿は見ていないと地元の方もおっしゃっていました。半分は運ですね。自然の生き物だから仕方ないですね。
帰りもバスに乗らず歩いてダウンタウンに行きたかったからドライバーさんに伝えると気持ちよくOKして道案内までしていただきました。

Saw more whales than we had ever seen before. Our guide was very informative and knew his stuff.

I participated on March 9. While I didn't see any spectacular jumps from the whales, I was able to catch glimpses of their backs and tails. I originally joined with the mindset of "It would be nice to enjoy the view of Waikiki from the ocean while also seeing some whales," so I was satisfied to see the beautiful scenery from offshore and get a close look at the whales. It was also great to see Diamond Head from a direction I had never seen before.

I chose a plan without meals, but since the boarding time wasn't very long, it felt like a waste to spend time eating, so I think it was a good choice. The price with transportation included is very reasonable, and I was glad to make good use of my morning. I recommend bringing binoculars.

3月9日に参加しました。
クジラそのものは豪快なジャンプが見られたわけではなく、背中や尻尾をみることができたくらいではあったのですが、元々「船に乗って沖からワイキキを眺め、ついでにクジラも見られるといいな」というくらいの気持ちで参加したので、沖合からの素敵な景色も見られてクジラも近くで見ることができて満足でした。
ダイヤモンドヘッドも見た事のない方向から見ることができてよかったです。
食事なしのプランを選びましたが、乗船時間があまり長くはなく食事をしている時間はもったいないような気がしますので、これでよかったのではないかと思います。
送迎付きでこのお値段はとてもお得ですし、午前中の時間を有意義に使えたので参加してよかったです。
双眼鏡を持って行くことをお勧めします。

I booked a whale watching tour on the last day of March. The boat itself seemed to have little rocking, and it looked like those participating in wheelchairs were comfortable. There were plenty of observation spots on the deck, and the weather was nice, so I had high hopes, but unfortunately, we didn't encounter any whales. The guide even came to let us know that we could try again that afternoon or on another date, but I had to decline this time due to scheduling constraints. I hope to try again someday.

3月の最終日にホエールウォッチングを申し込みました。
船自体は揺れも少なかったように思います。車椅子で参加されている方も快適にされているように見えました。
デッキでの観察場所も十分ありお天気も良かったので期待しましたが、残念ながらクジラには出会えませんでした。
ガイドの方がわざわざ同日午後や別日程で再チャレンジできることも伝えに来て下さったのですが、今回は日程に余裕がなく断念しました。いつか再チャレンジしてみたいと思います。

We had a very good time, we got to see many whale while we were out on the ocean.

My husband and I had such a great experience! The catamaran was huge and very clean. The crew was very knowledgeable and always made sure your drink was full (did I mention that beer and wine drinks were only $1?? Can't beat that!) We felt that we were on a private, luxury tour the way that we were treated! Not to mention that we got up close and personal with an entire family of humpback whales!!! We followed them for awhile, watching them play and jump. It was the best tour we did in Hawaii and will definitely be doing it again next time we visit Hawaii!

I really enjoyed this trip! The boat was comfortable and crew very nice. It was a great experience with whale sightings that even the crew was excited to run out and see! Unfortunately, not easy to capture on camera. The whole trip was well organized and easy for the attendees.

My family and I went to a afternoon 2 hours whale watching. We couldn't see whales this time but we all enjoyed on catamaran cruise.
I love this catamaran, we sat on front of boat most of the time. We saw great views of the ocean, harbor, beach, diamond head,
coco head, and building of waikiki city. We also saw beautiful rainbow.
The captain and crew were very friendly and knowledgeable. They provided us free snack and soft drinks, you can get beer if you pay $1 that is good deal.
The captain gave us a free ride ticket because we did not see whales. So, we definitely come back to tour again when we come back to Hawaii!!
I also satisfied customer service of Hawaii activities when I book this tour. They also called me for remind the tour the day before,which is help us.
I definitely recommend this whale watching tour book by Hawaii activities.

I was told that the ship had already departed when I arrived at Ticket Street at 2 PM. I was surprised. The receptionist felt sorry and changed my reservation to a dinner cruise starting later that night, but it was a few hours later, and since I wanted to go whale watching, it felt like a waste. It was disappointing.

ここは、チケット通りの午後2時に行ったら、何んと船が出港済みですと言われました。びっくりでした。受付の人が気の毒がって、夜からスタートのディナークルーズに変えてくれましたが、数時間後スタートであり、且つ、自分が行きたかったのはホエールウォッチだったので、無駄にしました。残念でした。

SPECTACULAR, HOWEVER I WISH WE COULD HAVE SEEN SOME DOLPHINS ALONG WITH THE WHALES.

There were not many fishes as I thought, but I saw two sea turtles.

This is by far the best whale watch in Honolulu. I've been on both Navatek and Star of the Sea whale watches and they do not compare to the experience you get with this whale watch. The catamaran is very clean and the crew was great! They were not only observant to everyone's safety on board they were hilarious! My family (including a two year old toddler) had an amazing time. I was very fortunate to have found this activity through Veltra. I was hosting a friend who had never been on a whale watch and it was an amazing experience. We chose the late morning tour and it was perfect. The boat went out and the crew was able to find whales within 30 minutes from take off. There were an estimated 5 male humpback whales swimming together and we circled them while they dove. They were so magnificent and during the time we were watching them the crew members told us much about their behaviors. they told us why it wasn't unusual that a group of males would be traveling together and they also told us what would've been different if we had spotted a mama and her calf. Although none breached out of the water we saw them come to the surface many times. It was so amazing to see so many of them at once! At one point we saw all five come to the surface and blow water from their backs at the same time. Talk about a magical vacation moment!

I'd book this again in a heartbeat!!

Great afternoon with a wonderful crew. The boat was wonderful, the crew was very nice and helpful and we totally enjoyed ourselves. Would give the whole experience and A+++. Enjoyed the drinks and snacks. Drinks very very affordable and snacks were free and good. We also got to see whales so that made it even better.

The cruise before boarding the submarine was enjoyable, and once we were on the submarine, the waves were calm, allowing us to see many fish, which was great. It was brief, but I was lucky to see a sea turtle swimming.

Inside the submarine (especially at the feet), it was cold due to the air conditioning, so I thought it would be good for those who are sensitive to cold to have something to wear.

Next time, I want to take my parents with me.

潜水艦に乗るまでのクルーズも楽しかったですし、
潜水艦に乗ってから、波も穏やかで沢山の魚など見れて良かったです。
一瞬でしたが、ウミガメも泳いでるのがみれてラッキーでした。

潜水艦の中（特に足元）はクーラーで寒かったので、寒がりの人は
何か羽織るものがあれば良いかなっと思いました。

次回は親を連れて行ってあげたいです。

we just went to this activity last Wednesday 8.30 am and it was great! We arrived a bit early and just took a walk around the park. very nice area. They have easy parking next to the Marina where you can park for $1.00/ hour. The crew on the cruise was very nice and made us feel welcome right away. We were only 6 on the cruise witch made it very intimate. I think that is one of the great advantages of the morning cruise, We took a drink and sat on the front nats until we saw turtle and dauphins and finally on the way back a couple whales. The whales were the least impressive as you stand far away and they don t really jump out of the water as you see on TV. It was one mother and one maybe and they basically just came up to the surface to breath every so often. Everything considering, this was a great way to spend morning. Maybe a bit overpriced but the crew and amenities were great.
Compare to the huge ships, I would choose this one every time just so you actually feel like you are on a boat .
Snacks could use improvement and the way back to marina was a bit rushed

Great whale watching cruise!! nice crew ,good food and we saw whales !!!

I was able to interact with dolphins for the first time. It's a rare experience that you can't easily have, and I can brag about it to my friends after returning to Japan. The price is high, but I think it's worth it. There's a huge difference between doing it and not doing it.

初めてイルカと触れ合えました。こんな貴重な体験はなかなか出来ないしにほんに戻った後も友達に自慢出来ます。料金は高いですがやる価値はあると思います。やるのとやらないのでは全然違いますよ

I was disappointed because I had only seen the sea turtles once, despite reading experiences where people encountered them multiple times. Since we had to wear life jackets, I couldn't dive in, and I just watched them swim by, which felt anticlimactic.

It depends on the weather and the experience of the guide, so I understand that it's not always possible, but I had hoped to see them for a longer time. I think those who are not used to snorkeling might have seen even less.

Regarding the tip, I hadn't made any special requests, and there was no particular service provided, yet I was quite forcefully asked for a tip. I reluctantly paid, but it was the first time I had been asked for a tip on an optional tour. I was not satisfied with that.

　　【何回もいるかに会えました】の体験談を読んでいたためか、一度しか見られなかったので、残念でした。ライフジャケットを着用しなければならなかったので、潜ってみることも出来ず、海の中を通り過ぎていくのを見ただけで、あっけなく終わってしまいました。
　　当日の気候や、引率の方の経験に左右されるので、仕方のないことですが、もっとゆっくり見ていられると期待していました。シュノーケリングに慣れていない方は、もっと見られなかったと思います。
　　それからチップに関してですが、、特別なお願いもしていませんでしたし、対応もされてなかったのですが、チップをかなり強引に求められました。仕方なく払いましたが、オプショナルツアーで、チップを求められたのは、初めてです。納得できませんでした。

The catamaran was the perfect vessel to get up close to Dolphins, turtles and other sea life. From the minute we got on board the entire crew had welcomed us and made us feel comfortable. The captain explained what we would see and the rules of the vessel and was ready and willing to answer any questions or address any issues. I was impressed that they offered sunscreen to use and oil for motion sickness. It was thoughtful of them and they really cared about their passengers having a good trip. They had refreshments and juices for free. They offered beer for ($1) and mixed drinks for ($2). The drinks were strong, too. : ) We saw several pods of Dolphins, turtles and a whale. It was an awesome experience. I would take my children next time we go to Hawaii. Thank you to all the crew. You were the best!

I was worried about seasickness and the possibility of falling into the sea while traveling with my almost 2-year-old and 6-year-old, but those worries were completely unfounded. At first, we only caught a glimpse of a dorsal fin, but before we knew it, we were treated to the spectacular sight of 3 or 4 whales diving one after another! Both the kids and the adults, including the captain, were thrilled. On the way back, we were also able to see dolphins.

One thing… I would have appreciated a bit more for breakfast. However, we returned to the hotel by late morning and were able to make very meaningful use of our day.

もうすぐ2歳児と6歳の子供連れで、船酔いの心配や万が一海に落ちたら！などの心配をしてたのですが、全く杞憂でした。
最初は背びれを少し目撃するだけでしたが、気付いたら3.4頭のクジラが次々豪快なダイブを見せてくれました！子供も大人も船長さん（笑）も大興奮でした。帰りにはイルカたちも見ることが出来ました。
あと、一つ…やはり朝食が…もう少しだけ何かあれば嬉しかったです。
ですが、お昼前にはホテルに戻り、とても有意義に1日を使うことが出来ました。