All Reviews for Marine Wildlife Encounters

The dolphins were incredibly cute, and it was so much fun to hold onto their dorsal fins and give them kisses! Although the time was short, it was truly a valuable experience that moved me. I also bought photos separately, which became a wonderful keepsake. It was so healing.

Sea Life Park has various shows, and the dolphin show was creatively arranged and very impressive. It was amazing to see the instructor riding on top of a dolphin like a surfboard! When I come to Oahu again, I want to visit Sea Life Park and touch the dolphins again.

イルカがすごくかわいくて、背びれにつかまったりキスをしたりすごく楽しかったです！！
時間は短いですが、本当に貴重な体験で感動しました。
写真も別売りで買ったのですが、すごく良い記念になりました。癒されます。
シーライフパークにはいろんなショーがやってて、
イルカショーは工夫をこらしてあって見ごたえがありました☆
イルカの上にインストラクターがサーフボードのように乗っているのがすごかったです！
オアフにきたらまたシーライフパークに来てイルカに触りたいです。

On January 1, 2011, I participated with my family of four. It was great to see a whale for the first time in my life. However, since it was a large boat, I thought it would be difficult, and I was a bit disappointed that we were a little far from the whale, so I couldn't fully experience its size. I also wished we could have spent a bit more time watching the whales. Nonetheless, it was a relatively easy tour, and I don't think you can have this kind of experience in Japan, so I would recommend this tour to anyone who wants to see whales.

2011年1月1日の元日に家族4人で参加しました。生まれて初めて鯨を見ることができたので良かったです。ただ大きな船なので難しいとは思いますが、ちょっと鯨との距離が離れていたので大きさを体感することができなかったのは残念でした。またもう少し鯨を見る時間をとってほしかったなと思いました。でも比較的手軽なツアーだし、日本ではこのような体験はできないと思うので鯨を見てみたい人にはオススメのツアーだと思います。

This was one of my and my husbands favorite things we did our first time out to Hawaii. We were thrilled we were in whale infested waters and it was super cool to have the whales literally swimming under us, as we saw and heard them. It was awesome one whale swam right under our guide (Griff) who got amazing photos of the whole experience!

Would definitely do this again during whale season! Snorkeling to see the green sea turtles was amazing too. And all by getting a little exercise, rowing. Nice!

Thanks Griff and South Pacific Kayak!

While it was a very successful trip, viewing is still somewhat limited. I love your having a professional photographer on board who got us great pictures of the whales. I would like to be able to get a flashdrive or have the pictures emailed to me for printing on higher quality paper. But overall a very good experience.

Despite the rain, we set sail and spent about an hour searching diligently for whales, but unfortunately, we didn't see any. However, at the end, we encountered a pod of dolphins! We spent quite a long time moving through the sea together. Several dolphins swam around the boat, and we were able to see them up close. They jumped repeatedly, putting on a great show for us. The disappointment of not seeing any whales was completely blown away. I definitely want to participate in a whale watching cruise again next time and hope to see whales.

雨が降る中、 出航し１時間程、一生懸命に鯨を探し回って下さったのですが、残念ながら鯨の姿は見えませんでした。
でも最後にイルカの群れが！
かなり長い時間一緒に海を進みました。何頭ものイルカが船の周りを泳いでくれて、すごく近くで見ることができました。ジャンプを何回も繰り返して大サービスしてくれましたし。鯨を見られなかったショックも一度に吹き飛びました。
次回も是非ホエールウオッチング・クルーズに参加し、鯨の姿を見たい思っています。

I didn't expect to see so many whales. I was worried about seasickness, so I opted for a whale watching tour on a relatively large boat. I imagined that on a big boat tour, I would see the whales from a distance, so I was amazed to see them up close! I was filled with surprise and emotion. Although the announcements were in English, there was a Japanese staff member who was very considerate and attentive. I highly recommend this tour.

こんなにたくさんのクジラにあえると思っていませんでした。
船酔いを心配して比較的大きな船のホエールウォッチングを希望し、このツアーにしました。大きな船のツアーでは遠くからクジラを見る想像をしてましたので、こんなに近くで見れるとは！驚きと感動でいっぱいです。
英語のアナウンスですが、日本人のスタッフの方がいらして何かと気を遣ってくださりました。
是非お勧めのツアーです。

My family and I totally agree that this was the best tour that we did while we were in Hawaii. A friend of mine had told me about the rays on the big island, but I totally didn't think that it was going to be that amazing. The crew members were really attentive and once we got into the water, it was like being in some alien planet with the rays around us and the plankton glowing under the lights. Doing this again if I ever get back to Hawaii!!!!

The last time I used this service, I only saw a breach at the very end, but this time it was amazing!! After departing and finishing breakfast at the buffet, when I went out on deck, one of the crew members told me, "There’s a whale over there." I hurriedly called my family out to the deck, and there were three pairs of mother and baby whales surrounding our boat.

For over 30 minutes, we could see whales in every direction. The crew was excitedly saying, "It's rare to see this many. Plus, the baby whale is breaching multiple times." There was a Japanese staff member among the Navatek crew, so after the English explanation, they translated it into Japanese, which helped us understand a lot.

Relatives who went on another tour the next day said they only saw a tail once. Whether you encounter whales or not is a matter of luck, but the view of Waikiki and Diamond Head from Navatek is very beautiful. I definitely recommend it as a cruising experience.

　以前利用した際は最後の最後にブリーチングが見えただけでしたが、今回は最高！！
出発して朝食のバイキングを食べ終わり、デッキに出たらクルーの一人が「あっちにクジラがいるよ。」と教えてくれました。急いで家族を呼んでデッキに出たら、三組もの親子クジラが私たちの船を囲んでいました。
それから３０分以上どの方向にいても、クジラが見える状態。
クルーも「こんなに見れるのは珍しいよ。しかも赤ちゃんクジラがブリーチングを何度もしているなんて。」と興奮気味に語っていました。
ナバテックのクルーの中に日本人スタッフがいたので、英語の説明のあと日本語に翻訳してくれたので色んなことがわかりました。
次の日に他のツアーで行った親戚は尻尾が一度だけしか見れなかったと言っていました。
クジラと出会えるかどうかは運次第ですが、ナバッテックから見るワイキキやダイアモンドヘッドはとてもきれいです。
クルージングも兼ねて是非おすすめします。

I participated with my wife and our third-grade son. Shortly after departure, we encountered a mother and baby whale. We were able to see them quite a few times while keeping our distance. One of those times, we were lucky enough to witness the mother whale jumping and showing her massive body above the water's surface. However, the distance was generally far, so the emotional impact was somewhat diminished. Also, since we could mostly only see the whales' backs, we had to concentrate on the surface of the water to catch the exciting moments like when they jump or elegantly raise their tails above the surface. That can be quite challenging.

This was my first time whale watching, so I might have underestimated it a bit. On the other hand, a pod of dolphins came quite close to the boat and swam alongside us, and when the boat picked up speed, the sea breeze felt pleasant. If you can think of it as mainly enjoying the cruising experience, it could be quite happy.

The staff was cheerful and friendly, and the captain was impressively talkative, providing explanations (though in English). There were snacks and fruits available, but no substantial meals. Coffee and water were unlimited, but cocktails were available for an extra charge.

　妻と小学校３年の息子の３人で参加しました。　
出港後、ほどなくして親子のクジラに遭遇。遠巻きに見ながら追っかけて、けっこうな回数、見ることができました。　しかも、そのうち１回は親クジラがジャンプするような感じで巨体を水面に出す場面が見れたので、ラッキーでした。ただ、距離は全般的に遠かったので、感動も小さかったかな。　また、クジラはほとんど背中しか見えませんので、ジャンプするところや尾びれを優雅に水面に出すオイシイ場面を見逃さないようにするには、集中して海面を見つめていなければなりません。それがけっこう大変かも。
　私はホエール･ウォッチングは初めてでしたので、ちょっと安易に考えすぎてすぎていたかもしれません。
　その代わりにイルカの群れは、けっこう船の近くまで寄っ
てきて泳いでくれましたし、船がスピードを出すと潮風が心地よかったので、クルージングを楽しむことがメインだと思えればＨＡＰＰＹかもしれません。
　スタッフは陽気でフレンドリーだし、船長は感心するくらいしゃべりっぱなしで説明をしていました（ただし英語）。
　あと、スナック菓子やフルーツはありましたが、食事的なものはありません。コーヒーと水は飲み放題ですが、カクテル類は有料でした。

I joined a tour that departed in the afternoon. I skipped lunch expecting some light snacks, but what was served were just some snack bites and fruit, which was a bit disappointing. The drinks were free except for alcohol, but since we were on a boat, it felt awkward to go to the restroom, so I couldn't drink too much. However, I did get to see whales that I wouldn't have seen on land, so it was okay.

If you want to take good photos of the whales, you need a serious camera with a telephoto lens and shoot in burst mode, otherwise, you'll end up with photos where you can't even tell where the whale is. My IXUS was completely useless for whale photography.

午後出発のツアーに参加しました。
軽食付きに期待して昼ご飯を抜いたら、供されたのはおつまみスナックとフルーツくらいで、ちょいがっくり。飲み物はアルコール以外フリードリンクですが、船上の事、トイレに行くのも憚られるのでそうそうがぶ飲みも出来ず。
でも陸に居ては見られないクジラを見られたし、まあＯＫです。
クジラの写真をちゃんと撮って帰りたい人は、望遠レンズ付きのマジなカメラで連写しないと、どこにクジラがいるのかさっぱり判らない写真しか撮れない事になるので、ご注意を。私のＩＸＹはクジラ撮影には完璧に無力でした。

We participated as a family.
The sea was rough, so it was very rocky.
Many people were feeling unwell.
I recommend bringing motion sickness medication.
There was a Japanese staff member, but their service was not very attentive, which was disappointing.
It was great to see a lot of whales.

家族で参加しました。
海が荒れていたので、とても揺れました。
気分が悪くなっている人が多かったです。
酔い止めを持参する事をすすめます。
日本人のスタッフの方がいましたが、あまり丁寧な対応ができていませんでした。それが残念でした。
鯨は、たくさん見れて良かったです。

At a depth of 30 meters, I was able to see four turtles. I had some difficulty taking photos from inside the submarine, but since opportunities to ride a submarine are rare, I definitely think you should experience it! Even on the boat to the point where you transfer to the submarine, the deck on the second floor is refreshing, and if you're lucky, you might see a whale!

水深３０ｍで、カメに４匹も会えました。やや艦内からの撮影がうまくできませんでしたが、なかなか潜水艦に乗れる機会はないので、是非、体験したら良いと思います！潜水艦に乗り移る地点までの船上でも、２階でデッキが爽快で、運が良ければ、クジラに会えます！

Me and my wife are here for our first time and loved seeing the whales so close and the friendly staff that helped point things out before they happened.

On February 4, 2011, I participated in a whale watching tour with a friend and my friend's mother, making it three of us.

I had joined a dinner cruise on the Star of Honolulu last summer, so this was my second time on this ship.

Since the season and time of day were different from my last visit, I was deeply moved by the view of Waikiki and the lush Diamond Head from the sea.

Even when I thought I could enjoy this scenery without seeing any whales, a whale appeared, and I was further touched to see dolphins swimming alongside the whale, playing together.

I would love to book a tour with Alan1 again.

Thank you for the wonderful memories!

2011年2月4日に友人と友人のお母さまと私という３人でホエールウォッチングに参加しました。

私は昨年の夏、スターオブ・ホノルル号でディナークルーズに参加したので、この船は２回目の乗船でした。

前回とは季節も時間帯が違うので、海からのワイキキや緑の多いダイヤモドヘッドの眺めに大変感動しました。

クジラが見えなくてもこの景色で十分楽しめたなぁと思っていたら、クジラが現れ、さらにイルカもクジラと遊ぶように一緒に泳ぐ姿が見られて心から感動し、癒されました。

またalan1でツアーを予約したいなぁと思いました。

良い思い出をありがとうございました！

I participated in the morning cruise, but I didn't see any whales. I immediately used the re-participation ticket I received and joined the afternoon cruise, where I was thrilled to see whales. I think that in terms of season, March to April might be better for seeing young whales as they are growing and easier to spot.

午前のクルーズに参加しましたが、クジラは見えず。
頂いた再参加の券を直ちに利用して、昼のクルーズに参加したところ、クジラを見る事ができ感激しました。
季節的には、３-４月の方が、子供のクジラが成長していて見やすいのではないでしょうか～

On a clear day, I departed from Lahaina Harbor and participated in a whale watching tour. Due to regulations, we couldn't get within 100 feet of the whales, so we didn't encounter any big dives like you see in photos, but we were able to see quite a few. While you can see the whales from land as well, I think this tour is very reasonably priced for what you get:
- Guided by a Japanese-speaking guide
- Includes drinks and snacks
- Over 2-hour cruise

快晴の天候の中、ラハイナハーバーから出発し、ホエール・ウォッチングツアーに参加しました。
規則で鯨には100フィート以内には近づけないため、なかなか写真で見るようなビッグダイブに遭遇することはできませんでしたが、かなりの数を見ることができました。
鯨自体は陸地からも遠目で見ることはできますが、この値段で、
・日本人ガイド付き
・飲み物、スナック付き
・2時間超のクルーズ
はとってもリーズナブルなツアーだと思います。

Awesome experience! Nothing like it. Plenty of parking and in an awesome area, Haleiwa. The ride out to the cage was not long, before a short safety brief. Once in the cage, it's a unique feeling to know one of the oceans apex predetors are swimming around you. They get pretty close, and is well worth price of the tour. A definite must do if visiting the island!

I was able to actually touch and ride dolphins that I had only seen before, and it became a really great memory.

今まで見たことしかなかったイルカに実際に触れたり、乗ることができて、かなりイイ思い出になりました。

Our travel agent suggested this tour and she did a great job! The boat is wonderful as was the staff. We had a delicious breakfast and did see whales surfacing and diving, which was very unique and special to us. Thanks agian!

The sub ride was what we expected. It started with a nice boat ride out to the sub. On the sub ride the guide was very good, we were able to see a huge sea turtle and were able to take very good pictures. All in all very good.

I participated in a whale watching cruise on the large cruise ship Star of Honolulu, with about 200 people on board, including around 20 Japanese passengers.

I thought it would be a group activity with Japanese staff, but there were no Japanese staff on board. The staff explanation about the activities in the cabin before departure was only in English. After departure, we went out on deck to wait for the humpback whales while enjoying the view of the sea and Waikiki. During this time, a recorded explanation about whale ecology was played over the speakers, alternating between English and Japanese. It was mentioned that there were staff who understood Japanese on board, but they advised to ask questions individually.

The whale sighting rate is said to be over 90%, but if you happen to be in a direction where whales are not appearing or if the timing doesn't work out, you can self-report if you didn't see any whales, and they will issue a certificate allowing you to board again for free during the season.

I heard that whales appeared about twice during the trip, but I thought they were too far away to see, so I got the certificate. The staff were friendly and accommodating, always smiling.

大型客船スターオブホノルルを利用したホエールウォッチングクルーズで、２００人程度が乗船、日本人は２０人程度でした。

日本語スタッフと一緒のグループアクティビティと思っていたのですが、日本人スタッフは乗船せず、出航前のキャビン内でのアクティビティについてのスタッフ説明は英語のみです。出航後は、甲板に出て海やワイキキを眺めながらザトウの出現を待ちます。その際に鯨の生態についての録音説明がスピーカーから流れ、これが英語と日本語の交互説明というもの。日本語がわかるスタッフも乗船しているとのことですが、そちらは個別に質問してください、ということでした。

鯨出現率は９０％以上、とのことですが、出現方角でないところにいたり、タイミングが合わなかったりと、個人的に見られなかった場合は、自己申告で、シーズン中に無料で再度乗船できる証明書を発行してもらえます。

今回２回ほど出現したそうですが、私にはあまりに遠くで見えないと思ったので、証明書をもらってきました。スタッフの方々は笑顔親切に気持ちよく対応していただけました。

Staff were a crack up and made the whole trip full of laughs. From the moment we got out on the boat we saw dolphins and whales so it was a bonus. Sharks appeared right away when you travel a bit further out so it was good there was no waiting around or searching like other tours. The experience was amazing. The staff kept the nature of the sharks a mystery untill you finish your turn. Only then do they tell you that the sharks are complete pussy cats and have never attacked anyone. This added to the adventure and adrenalin rush of the experience. Inside the cage you see LOTS of LARGE sharks. We had 6 sharks surrounding us. Highly recommended!

It was a large ship, so there was no rocking, and it was a comfortable cruise. At the point where we could see whales, I was nervously staring at the surface of the water when one of the crew shouted, "Whale!" When I looked in the direction he pointed, I saw two whales jumping and showing their tails as they dove. I was thrilled to see "real whales" for the first time.

大きな船だったので揺れもなく、快適なクルーズでした。
クジラの見えるポイントで、ドキドキしながら海面を凝視していたら、クルーの一人が、”ホエール！”と叫んで指差した方向をみると、２頭のクジラが、ジャンプし、潜る際に尾びれも見せてくれました。初めての”リアルクジラ”に感激しました。

I participated in a cruise that departed at 8:45 AM just a few days ago.

On our boat, there were relatively few Japanese people, and most of the participants were foreign families and groups of friends, but I felt very comfortable joining.

There were friendly foreign staff who spoke Japanese, and they helped with anything that was difficult to understand. The whale watching guide was provided in both English and Japanese.

Since it was a plan without meals, coffee and sandwiches were available for an additional charge of $3. Water and hot water were free.

The announcements for whale sightings indicated the direction in terms of clock positions, saying things like "There is a whale at 3 o'clock." When the announcement was made, everyone rushed to the deck to see.

We were only able to see whales twice, but we went quite far out, so the scenery was great and I was very satisfied.

I went to Aloha Tower on my own. While waiting for the bus at the Saratoga bus stop in Waikiki, the bus didn't come as expected. Just as I started to feel anxious, a female taxi driver passed by, and I was able to go from Waikiki for about $16 plus tip.

There is also a hotel pickup option, and after this tour ends, it returns to a hotel in Waikiki, so if you want to go somewhere else from Aloha Tower, I recommend going on your own.

I also easily found Pier 8.

朝8：45出航のクルーズに参加させていただきました。
つい数日前のことです。

私たちの船では、日本人も割と少なめで
外国人のファミリーや友人たちグループの参加が
多かったですが、
とても居心地良く参加できました。

日本語を話せる親切な
外国人スタッフがおり、分かりにくいことは
教えていただきました。
ウオッチングの案内の用紙も
英語、日本語両方の表記になっています。

食事なしのプランなのでコーヒー、サンドイッチのほしい方は
別料金＄3です。
水、お湯は無料です。

クジラのアナウンスも現れる位置が
時計方向の表示になっており
アナウンスが
何時方向にクジラいます。などと
アナウンスがかかります。
かかると一斉にデッキに駆け寄り
見てました。

クジラが2回だけしかみることができませんでしたが
かなり沖まで行っていただけるので
景色もよくとても満足できました。

アロハタワーまでは自分で行きました。
ワイキキのサラトガの
バス停でバスを待っていても
思うような時間に来ません。
焦りはじめたところで
女性ドライバーのタクシーが通りがかり
ワイキキから
＄16ほど＋チップで行くことができました。

ホテル送迎コースもあり、
このツアーが終了すると
またワイキキ方面のホテルに戻るので
アロハタワーから別の場所に遊びに行きたい方は、
自分たちで行く方がお勧めです。

ピア8もすぐ分りました。

Me and my husband had SO much fun yesterday put on the boat. The staff was really friendly, the Captain got us right into the whales, too. We saw 9, 3 of which came right up next to the boat. The man who spoke during the boat rode (sorry I don't remember the name) was really knowledgeable and funny, too! We had a great time! Thank you for an experience we'll never forget.

We only saw 2 whales while on this tour and this was at the very end of the 3 hour boat ride. It would have been so much more fun if we saw more, but I guess the tour guides cannot control that. The boat was great and the food was wonderful and the ride along the shoreline and out into the ocean was awesome/beautiful. The guides were very informative and provided interessing information.

This excursion was worth the money spent. My new husband had never snorkeled before so it was nice to have an experienced guide teach us how to do it. The Kayaking portion was nice and good exercise while we got to go out further than we would have without the kayaks. The guide, Steve, knew tremendous amounts about the area, ocean, animal life and more. He was helpful and funny throughout the entire experience. It was great to see turtles in and out of the water, an octopus, urchins, as well as schools of fish. Small group, us and a family, which the made the experience that much more intimate and special.

My husband really enjoyed the trip. We actually did have some whale sightings, so our expectations were met. I got a little sea sick but the staff was more than helpful and I would definitely recommend this excursion to everyone:)

I participated in whale watching. Right from the start, I could see splashes of water in the distance. I thought it was a motorboat, but the foreigner next to me was pointing and saying something. Upon closer inspection, it turned out to be a whale's breath. Amazing!!

We soon got closer, and I could see the whale's back. Wow, we met one!! I was so moved. For a while, the boat stayed there. Eventually, it started heading towards Diamond Head. Just as we were about to turn back, a whale swam up from the opposite side. Two of them were gracefully swimming together, right next to the boat!! It was so touching!!! Then the boat made a U-turn and followed the whales for a while. I was so happy!!

However, time was running out, and we had to head back. I was really impressed! I'm so glad I participated!!!

ウォエールウォッチングに参加しました。
スタートからすぐに沖のほうから水しぶきが見えました。
モーターボートが走っていると思っていたら、隣の外人が指をさして何か言っています。よーく見ると、クジラのブレスでした。すごーい！！
すぐにちかくになり、クジラの背中がみえてきました。
すごーい、会えた！！大感激です。
しばらく、そこで船は待っててくれます。やがてダイヤモンドヘッドに向かって走り始めました。
そろそろ引き返したとき、クジラが反対側からおよいできました。２頭のつがいで優雅に泳いでゆきます。船のすぐ横を！！感動です！！！そしたら船はUターンして、しばらくクジラを追ってくれました。嬉しい！！
しかし、時間がなくなり戻ることとなりました。
とても感激しましたよ！
参加してよかったです！！！

This was my fourth time whale watching. I got hooked on my first participation when I saw a whale jump, and now I join whale watching every time I go to Hawaii. The last three times, I only saw the back or nothing at all, which was a bit disappointing, but seeing that jump is the best. Since they are wild animals, it can't be helped. This time, I went on an early cruise without a meal, but I was able to participate very cheaply thanks to booking online, so that was great.

今回で、４回目ほどのウォッチングでした。
はじめての参加で、クジラがジャンプする姿を見てはまってしまい、ハワイに行くたびにホエールウォッチングに参加しています。後３回は、見えなかったり、背だけとかで、寂しい思いをしますが、あのジャンプが見えたら最高です。自然の生き物ですから、仕方がないです。
今回は、早めのクルーズで、食事なしでしたが、インターネットでの申込みをしてからの旅行で、とても安く参加する事が出来たので、良かったです。