All Reviews for Marine Wildlife Encounters

This was exactly what we were hoping for. It would have only been better if we saw dolphins as well. The staff was friendly and knowledgable, the food was great, and the whales were perfect!

Great job!

It was an amazing time !! Was more than we could have ever hoped for !! We highly recommend this to anyone who comes to hAwaii

This was a great experience. Very knowledgable naturalist. The first cruise out we didn't see any whales, but they guarantee sightings, so they gave everyone a voucher for a free second trip. I went right back out on the lunch cruise and we saw a bunch of whales! We even followed (at a respectful distance) a mom and baby for about an hour. She breached right in front of our boat! The food was very good (especially because I originally signed up for the breakfast cruise so I wasn't counting on eating). Staff was great, I'd recommend this to anybody!

the hosts were very entertaining and friendly

they made the guests feel like they were trying to make the experience as positive and special as possible

went out of their way to get us to some dolphins - which was the highlight of the tour

I was able to see dolphins and sea turtles up close! It was truly moving. They were really close, almost within reach. I want to go again.

イルカもウミガメもこれでもかといくぐらい観れました!!
感動します。
ホント触れそうな距離にいます。
また行きたいです。

It was an amazing way to spend the day out on the bay! I have heard so much about how beautiful whale watching is, and they are not wrong. The captain and the naturalists on board knew everything and anything there is about humpback whales. They even have library books on their tables for everyone to read and learn. Lunch was great with an endless buffet of local food. The whales were awesome! They were flapping their tales every 5 minutes. We found a pod of about 6 whales. None of them however jumped or stood out of the water, but that is not a problem. We were fortunate to have found them in 20 minutes of departure. We had a good 2 hours of observing and trying to take as much pictures as we could.

Excellent tour with very friendly & informative guide (Bob). Wish we would have seen more of upcountry Maui, but other than that was great! Fabulous views, comfortable bus, great experience. Would recommend to anyone, so nice not to have to drive that windy road, could enjoy the ride in comfort and safety!

Two mantas came to visit and were incredible. It was definitely something everyone should experience at least once in their life. The crew was friendly and did a wonderful job keeping everyone safe and comfortable.

I enjoyed a leisurely breakfast while searching for whales and relaxing by the shores of Waikiki. There were staff members who took photos for us, making the experience even more enjoyable.

のんびり朝食を食べクジラを探したりワイキキの海岸沿いを眺めながらゆったりゆらゆら　写真を撮ってくれるスタッフさんもいたりして気持ちよく過ごせました

I intentionally chose the Navatek and participated. It was a great decision! The number of people was just right, and I think we were in a spot where everyone could see well. When someone spotted a whale, we quickly moved to that position. We even encountered a large group of dolphins that felt almost like a performance! Although we couldn't see the whale in its entirety (is that how it usually is?), I was able to confirm it with my own eyes!

あえてナバテック号を選んで、参加しました。
大正解！
人数的にもちょうどよく、みんなが見えやすい場所にいたと思います。
誰かが、クジラの気配を見つけると、割と小回り良くそのポジションに移動しました。
演出？！と思うくらいのイルカの大群にも出会え、、、肝心のクジラも姿丸ごとは観れませんでしたが（そうそうそういうもの？）
この目でしっかりと確認できました！！

Roy and I really enjoyed ourself, the guys were all great, we have been on a few different whale watch tours thru out the years, and by all means this was the best, we got to experience at least 40 sightings of whales, was simple wonderful. Will tell all our friends that visit Oahu, while we were on the boat we first saw several turtles, had to laugh cuz the guys said to look for trash cans lids, that was the green sea turtles and we saw about five of them, also the snacks they served were great I ate a lot of the fresh fruit and had a beer that they had available on tap. We will be sure to pass the word on of the great time we had and have passed out a few of the extra business cards we had. Great time.
Mahalo. Roy and Trish brooks

This was not a good experience for me because one of the crew members was rude at the beginning so it kind of ruined my trip. There was no lunch, they had some chips, an assortment of drinks and granola bars. We did not see too much whales but I guess it's not up to the crew, it is whenever whales want to get out of the water which in our case there wasn't that much to see. The boat was nice and I like the nets in the front, it was kind of fun to sit and watch the ocean from there. Drinks were good too. Captain was very good at maneuvering the boat. The boat was clean and acceptable. I think they could work on better manners for the crew and it won't be too bad.

Our whale excursion was a great experience. Our crew, Anthony, Carlos and Bret were very knowledgeable, friendly and fun. We saw two pods of whales. All in all, it was a great day. I would highly recommend this activity to anyone.

I felt安心 (at ease) participating since I had used it before. I didn't get seasick last time, but for some reason, despite taking motion sickness medication this time, I ended up feeling nauseous (+_+). However, I encountered a group of about 30 cute dolphins, and I saw plenty of turtles, so I was very satisfied! I want to go to Hawaii to swim with dolphins using Dolphin Academy again in the future☆ Next time, I will definitely take stronger motion sickness medication!

以前にも利用したことがあったので安心して参加しました。
以前はボートで酔わなかったのですが、酔い止め飲んだにも関わらず今回はなぜか酔ってしまいました(+_+)
でもかわいいイルカ30頭くらいの群れに遭遇できたし、
カメもいっぱい見れたので大満足！
今後もイルカ中学を利用してイルカと泳ぎにハワイに行きたいです☆
次回は強めの酔い止め必須で行きます！

I was able to see a lot of whales! The prior explanation by the tour guide was in English, and then there was an announcement in Japanese, which made it easy to understand.
The reason for the four-star rating is the weather. Unfortunately, it happened to be cloudy with rain, which was disappointing. Thanks to the meal plan, I was able to warm up my chilled body with coffee and tea, which was a great help!

たくさんくじらを見ることができました！事前の説明も添乗員さんが英語でした後に日本でアナウンスが流れ、分かりやすかったです。
☆４の理由は天気。たまたま天気が曇りのち雨と悪かったのが残念でした。食事付きプランにしたおかげでコーヒーや紅茶で雨で冷えた身体を温めることができ、助かりました！

I was able to see the tail fin and spouting a few times, but it was disappointing that I couldn't see them well because they were far away. I didn't know there was a rule that you can't get closer than 100 meters. It's understandable since it's nature. The sea was calm, and I enjoyed the cruise. The photo sales were a bit too expensive, so I didn't buy any.

尾ビレと潮吹きが何回か見れましたが、遠くて良く見えなかったのが残念でした。100m以内迄近づくことができないルールがあるとは知らなかった。自然相手なので仕方無し。海は穏やかでクルーズは楽しめた。写真販売はちょっと高過ぎて買わず。

On February 6, we went on the late morning whale watching tour. The winds had been 20 - 30 MPH earlier that week and the water had not settled down. In spite of this, Captain Josh and the crew gave us a great time. We were close enough to the humpback whales that I could catch their bodies with my camera. Plus it was fun seeing the whales blow water into the air.

I was impressed by the captain knowing both fluent English and Japanese and being very safety conscience.

The Crew was great. They pointed out whales, got us drinks and gave us great info on the whales. I also appreciated the shuttle picking us up and dropping us off.

All in all, it was a great trip. If I go Back to Hawaii, I will probably book another trip on this boat. I would highly recommend this captain and crew to anyone who wants a great day on the water.

They were awesome! It was a great day! Even if we had never seen whales we still would have enjoyed the trip. Our captain Anthony and crew members Brett and Carlos were great hosts, informative and relaxed just as we like it.

The weather was very nice, but I couldn't see any whales. I did see dolphins, but it was disappointing. I would have liked a more detailed explanation based on my level of knowledge.

天気は非常によかったのですが、クジラには会えませんでした。イルカには会えましたが、残念でした。解説の方も自分が知っている知識レベルで、もう少し詳しい解説が聞きたかったです。

I was able to see the whale's tail, back, and spouting. Four dolphins were jumping. It was moving.

クジラの尾びれ、背中、潮吹き、見れました。
イルカが4頭、ジャンプしていました。
感動しました。

Wow!! We did the afternoon whale watch on February 12, 2015. First, we are so happy we booked this tour instead of one of the large cruise-like ships. Everything was fantastic and exceeded our expectations from the very start. Our crew (Jacob, Julia, David and Dave) were phenomenal! Each was outgoing, friendly and very knowledgeable. They made sure each person was attended to and were in constant contact with each other as well as the passengers. We were so fortunate to have perfect weather/sea conditions and only 7 passengers, including ourselves, for the cruise. Because of its size, the catamaran easily maneuvered to change course when we spotted whales, which was often! Not only did our crew point out sightings, but also explained why whales did certain things, their habits and shared past whale experiences. We even got to see a sea turtle when we were heading back to the marina. We were so happy we booked with this company. The cruise was intimate and fun and the drinks were great, too! If you want a top-notch, personal experience, book here!! Even if we hadn't been so lucky to see so many whales, the sailing experience with these great people would have been well worth it!

We had a great time. The boat was on the smaller side, which was good...we could maneuver and move towards sighted whales more quickly and easier than the large vessels could. there were about 12 total guest on the boat with 4 total crew members, so the tour was very intimate. We enjoyed the friendliness and knowledge of the staff. Light snacks and refreshments were provided, and alcohol was available for $1 or $2 for those who wanted it. There was plenty of room in the covered area of the boat as well as the front deck. We spent the majority out on the deck, as the views from there were remarkable. One woman got seasick and the crew did what they could to help her out. I'd recommend Dramamine beforehand just in case! Regarding the actual whale sightings, we probably saw about 6 whales in the time that we were out there. Most of the time we would see the large fin protruding from the water a few times, and then we'd see the tale come up before the whale made a deep dive into the water. We saw one turtle as well. No spinner dolphins when we were out but I believe that those are a common sighting as well. The whales we saw were anywhere from 50-100 yards away, so we felt like we were pretty close, without being on top of them (they are huge!). Overall, we had a fantastic time. Just being out on the boat was worth the price, and the multiple sightings made it a great trip. Staff does not ask for tips, but we thought it was appropriate to leave one since they were so accommodating. I would certainly recommend to a friend!

Our family had a great time!! Started with a very nice breakfast, and got to see some great up close whale activity. Worth every penny! Mahalo and Aloha!

I participated with my daughter and wife. The instructor mentioned that there have been days recently when they haven't been able to see dolphins, and many days have been canceled due to bad weather (high waves), but today the weather was nice, which was great.

Indeed, the weather was good on the day of our visit, with a clear blue sky that made the sun feel quite intense on our skin. However, it was still windy and cold, so I received advice to wear a wetsuit, and I had my daughter and wife put them on. I didn't wear one myself, but I brought enough clothing to stay warm, and I made sure to put on a jacket as soon as I got on the boat, so I was fine. In the end, my daughter and wife appreciated that I was easy to spot when we entered the water.

Of course, we were lucky enough to see both dolphins and turtles. We also spotted whales a few times... although I turned around and they were already gone.

In any case, make sure to prepare for the cold when you participate.

娘と妻と3人で参加しました。
インストラクターの方から最近イルカに会えてない日があったり、天気が悪くて（波が高くて）キャンセルになっている日が多いんですけど、今日は天気が良くてよかったですねと言われました。
確かに当日は天気が良くて、日があたっていると肌にジリジリ感じるくらいの青空でしたが、
それでも風が強くて寒いのでウェットスーツを着た方がいいですよとアドバイスをいただいて娘と妻には着用させました。自分は着なかったんですが寒くならない程度に着衣を持っていき、ボートに上がった時はすぐ羽織るようにしたので大丈夫でした。結果的には、海に入ったとき自分を見つけやすくてよかったよと言われ娘と妻には好評でした。

もちろん運よくイルカもカメとも会うことができました。
クジラも数回見ることができましたよ・・・自分は振り向いたらもういなかったですけど。

とにかく寒さ対策をしてご参加を。

Beautiful day and beautiful catamaran to follow several whales spotted. The naturalist on board was extremely informative about the trip and also answered questions about living on the Big Island. A truly memorable experience.

The whales always come close to the boat, making it easy for small children to spot and enjoy them. Inside the boat, there were displays featuring whale sounds, which kept the kids entertained without getting bored. However, I found the photos available for purchase to be quite expensive. I would have liked to buy one if they were a bit cheaper. The coffee and tea were self-serve, and I appreciated that there was decaf coffee available since I was nursing. On the way back, we could get off the bus freely, so we got off at Alamoana and spent the afternoon there. Both the kids and adults had a great time!

常に船頭にクジラが来るようにしてくれるので小さな子供でもクジラが探しやすく楽しめました。
船内にはクジラの鳴き声などの展示があり子供は飽きることなく楽しめました。
ただ、自由購入の写真が高かったなぁと。もう少し安かったら買いたかったんですが。
コーヒー紅茶はセルフですが、コーヒーはﾃﾞｶﾌｪがあり授乳中の私は助かりました。
帰りのバスは自由に降りれたのでｱﾗﾓｱﾅで降りて午後の時間をすごしました。
かなり子供も大人も楽しめました！

On the day of the trip, the waves were high, and it seemed there were few whales. I was starting to think it might not happen, but finally, I was able to see a few. Perhaps because of the high waves, I started to feel a bit seasick. If you're prone to motion sickness, it might be a good idea to take some medication. Initially, I planned to take pictures of the whales, but they would dive before I could focus, so I gave up and enjoyed watching them with my own eyes. Binoculars are nice, but I realized that when there are only a few whales, they can actually make it harder to spot them.

On the way back, there were hula dance lessons and ukulele lessons, which were enjoyable. Even if you don't understand English, I think it's fine because basic information is broadcast in Japanese.

当日は波が高く、クジラが少なかったようです。なかなか見つからず、ダメかなと思っていたところ、やっと何回か見れました。波が高かったせいか、船酔い気味になりました。乗り物酔いに弱い人は酔い止めの薬は飲んだほうがいいかもしれません。当初の予定では、クジラを写真におさめようと思っていたのですが、ピントを合わせる前にもぐってしまうので、諦めて、肉眼で楽しみました。双眼鏡もいいのですが、たくさんクジラがいるときはよくても、数回しか見れないときには双眼鏡はかえって見つけにくくなることがわかりました。
帰り途中フラダンスレッスンやウクレレレッスンもあり、楽しめました。英語はわからなくても基本的な情報は日本語放送があるので大丈夫だと思います。

Within less than 10 minutes of departure, I spotted them jumping. I was inside the boat, but I couldn't help but rush to the bow to see them jump continuously. While they were diving, I found myself enjoying the anticipation of where they would come up next. It was a fleeting two hours. I guess it's just a matter of luck! It felt like I used up all my luck for the year. I was able to spend a precious time.

出航して、10分足らずで、ジャンプしている姿を目視した。船内に居たけど、立て続けにジャンプしてくれる為に、思わず船首へ。海底へ潜っている間、次はどこからでてきてくれるのか？ 楽しんで予測している自分に気が付く。あっと言う間の2時間でした。luckyの一言なのでしょうかね！ 今年一年間の運を使ってしまった感じがした。
貴重な時間を過ごせた。

Everything was perfect, which was sunny day and the pick-up car to Kewalo Basin arrived on time, actually a little early at the appointment place. It was my first whale watching excursion. I really like to recommend this tour if you are available.

The catamaran that my wife and I got on board, I think, is the perfect size for agile movement for following the humpback whales race and watching them closely and even listening to the mysterious and marvelous whale songs. I think this neat ship is much better than massive cruises to watch fast-moving whales.

Staff who are kind and informative also helped us to have a good memory of the whale watching trip. They are very friendly and kind, especially their informative knowledge will help you better understand the humpback whales traits like why they came to Hawaii and what they do and so forth.

More importantly, I think, the staff really know well about the best spot where we can watch whales. Thanks to the wonderful staff, we really enjoyed and got a lucky chance to watch dozens of whales and their competition race as well as the show of spouting water. Moreover, we could watch tremendous whale breach at the end of our trip, which was carried over the mom whale accompanying its baby. It was really an unbelievable and unforgettable moment in our life. It’s worth your every penny.

We saw whales immediately. Whales were everywhere. Beyond my expectations.