All Reviews for Marine Wildlife Encounters

This time it was rainy, so we couldn't see any whales. It's a natural occurrence, so there's nothing we can do about it, but it's disappointing.

I'll try again next time.

今回は雨で、ホエールも観れませんでした。
自然なものなので仕方ありませんが、残念でした。

次回再チャレンジします。

It was unfortunately rainy, but we were able to see a lot of whales! We got as close as possible according to the regulations, turned off the engine, and it was lucky when the whales came closer on their own. The announcements were in English, and when a whale was spotted, they indicated the direction using the clock hands.

There were only two groups of Japanese participants, but having a Japanese guide was really helpful. They taught us a lot about the whales and pointed out good viewing spots, so I didn't have to feel uncomfortable as a Japanese person who eats whales. If you're not completely comfortable with English, I definitely recommend requesting a Japanese guide.

生憎の雨でしたが、鯨はたくさん見られました！
規則でギリギリ近づける場所まで近づいて、エンジンを止めて鯨が自分からもっと近づいてくるとラッキー♪
アナウンスは英語で、鯨を発見すると、時計の針の方向で教えてくれます

日本人の参加は二組だけでしたが、
やはり日本人のガイドさんがいてくれると、鯨のこともいろいろ教えてくれるし、見やすい場所等も教えていただき、鯨を食べる日本人という肩身の狭い思いもしないで済みました
英語で全然大丈夫！という人でなければ、日本語ガイドをぜひリクエストするといいと思います

Each diver is assigned to you individually. At first, I was anxious, but once I tried it, it was very easy! When I shook the bait attached to the bike, a lot of fish came close. It was my first time touching fish up close like that.

I was also able to see two turtles! I was very satisfied with the ample snorkeling time during the free periods!

I went in February, and it was freezing cold when I got out of the water due to the wind! But once you're in the sea, it's fine! I recommend bringing a few larger towels.

ダイバーが1人ずつ付いてくれます。最初は不安でしたが、やってみるととても簡単！バイクについている餌をふると魚が沢山寄ってきます。魚をあんなに間近で触れたのは初めてでした。

亀も2匹見れることができました！空き時間にはたっぷりシュノーケリングができて大満足です！

2月に行ったのですが、海から上がったときは風で激寒でした！でも海に入ってしまえば大丈夫！大きめのタオルを何枚か持っていくことをお勧めします。

Most of the participants seemed to be foreigners, with only two Japanese people. Throughout the tour, there is narration, but it's all in English, so those who understand it will likely enjoy it more. Light snacks are available on board, including pretzels, fruits, and coffee. Alcohol can also be ordered separately.

At first, a few dolphins appeared, followed by whales about three times. It lasted around five minutes. Just when I was about to give up because they weren't showing up, I was moved when I saw the dorsal fin. It was the moment when everyone's wishes were fulfilled.

From what I heard around me, it seems that dolphins are seen more frequently in places like Oahu and Okinawa, so I think this tour is more suitable for those who are looking for a cruise experience rather than just whale watching. Although it was a large ship, there was quite a bit of rocking, so I recommend that those who are sensitive to motion sickness prepare some medication.

ほとんどの参加者が外国の方のようでした。日本人は別に2人ほど。
ツアー中、ずっとナレーションが入りますが全て英語のため、分かる方はより楽しめると思います。
船内では軽食が食べられます。ブレッツェルなどのお菓子、フルーツ、コーヒーなど。お酒も別途注文できます。

最初にイルカが数頭出てきて、
そのあとくじらが3回ほど。時間にすると5分程でしょうか。
なかなか出てこず、諦めかけた矢先でしたので、背ビレが見えた時は感動ものでした。皆の願いが届いた瞬間でした。

周囲の話を聞いていると、オアフ島や沖縄ではもっと頻度良く見られるとのことで、ホエールウォッチング以上に、クルーズを目的にされる方に適しているツアーだと思いました。
また大きい船でしたが、揺れが結構大きかったので、弱い方は酔い止めをご準備された方が良いと思います。

I signed up for whale watching for the first time. The guide spoke English and explained everything very clearly, so I was able to enjoy the time until we reached the point where we could see the whales without getting bored. We happened to encounter a mother and baby whale, and since they were right beneath the boat, I was lucky to see the whole thing. It was great that there were drinks available, including alcohol.

初めてホエールウォッチングに申し込みました。
英語のガイドでしたが、とても分かりやすく説明してくださって、クジラが見えるポイントまで飽きずに過ごせました。
たまたま親子のクジラにも遭遇出来て、船の真下にいたので、全体も見えてラッキーでした。
飲み物もアルコールがあって、とても良かったです。

This was my first time in Maui during this season, so I thought whale watching was a must and signed up for it. Initially, I had booked a tour departing from Kaanapali Beach, but it was changed to Lahaina at the last minute. I was a bit confused, but since we boarded from the pier instead of the beach, it was nice not to get wet while boarding. (I received several emails from Veltra regarding the change, which was helpful.)

The frequency of whale encounters was higher than I expected, so in that sense, I was satisfied. However, I think it would have been even better if we could have gotten a bit closer to see them. The explanations about the whales' ecology were in English, but they were detailed and easy to understand.

The meeting time was 7:45, with the tour starting at 8:00. Veltra advised us to arrive by 7:30, but in the end, there was no guidance until just before 8:00, and participants seemed to be gathering in the designated area looking a bit lost, which made me somewhat anxious. The light snack was a ham and cheese croissant sandwich (which tasted good). There was also fruit available, but it felt more like a self-service situation rather than being fully catered.

During this season, there are a considerable number of whales near the coast, and for those who are sensitive to being on boats, you can also see them at the scenic point in Maalaea Bay.

この時期のマウイは初めてでしたので、ホエール・ウオッチングは外せないと思い、申込みました。
当初カアナパリビーチ発を申し込んでいましたが直前にラハイナ発に変更となり、少し戸惑いましたが、ビーチからでなく桟橋からの乗船だったため乗船時に濡れることなく良かったです。（ベルトラさんからは変更につき事前に何度かメール連絡をいただき助かりました）
思ったよりもクジラに遭遇する頻度は高く、そういう意味では満足でした。
ただ、もう少し近づいて見ることが出来たら、なお良かったと思います。なおクジラの生態等について英語でしたが詳しくわかりやすい説明でした。
集合は７：４５、ツアースタート８：００で、ベルトラさんからは７：３０までには現地へとのアドバイスがあったのですが、結局８：００ぎりぎりまで
案内はなく、参加者らしき人たちが指定場所で所在なげに集まっていたので、やや不安ではありました。軽食はハム・チーズのクロワッサンサンド（味は良かったです）。果物もありましたが、必要な人は自分で取にいく感じで至れり尽くせりという感じではありませんでした。
この時期は沿岸近くに相当数のクジラがおり、船に弱い方はマアエラア湾のscenic poitでも見ることはできます。

According to the reviews, it seemed that only about 30% of people were able to see them, so I didn't have high expectations, and it turned out to be true. After that, I received advice that if I wanted to see whales, Maui or the Big Island would be better, and I thought it was rare to see them off the coast of Waikiki Beach on Oahu.

口コミ情報では約3割程度の人しかが観ることができたようでしたので、あまり期待はしていませんでしたが、その通りになってしまいました。その後クジラを観るなら、マウイ島かハワイ島が良いとアドバイスを受け、オアフ島のワイキキビーチの沖合で観えること自体が稀ではないかと思いました。

This was my first time participating. In the end, I didn't get to see any manta rays... However, this company offers a free tour next time if you don't see manta rays. I participated in this tour on the Big Island, but since the company also has a branch on Oahu, I signed up for a snorkeling tour to see turtles there, which was really free. They provided transportation to and from the hotel, which was very accommodating. The entire crew was energetic and kept the participants entertained from start to finish. During snorkeling, I was able to observe turtles right in front of me, explore the seabed while free diving, and play on a waterslide and trampoline on the water—such a satisfying experience! They also provided warm drinks, which was helpful. The pineapple was super delicious. Chanel from the Oahu branch, it became a wonderful memory of Hawaii! Thank you. And to the crew on the Big Island, you were all handsome with your Kansai dialect! Thank you.

初参加です。
結果的にはマンタは見られなかったです・・・
がしかし、ここの会社はマンタが見られなかったら次回のツアーは無料。
今回はハワイ島での参加でしたがオアフ島にも会社があるので後日オアフ島でカメを見に行くシュノーケリングツアーへ参加申し込みして本当に無料。ホテルまで送迎してくれて至れり尽くせり。クルー全員元気が良くて参加者を最初から最後まで楽しませてくれました。シュノーケリングでは目の前でカメを観察できたり素潜りで海底を散策！？出来たり海の上での滑り台やトランポリンで遊んだり大満足！！温かい飲み物も出してくれて助かりました。パイナップル超美味しかったです。オアフ支社のシャネルちゃん、良きハワイの思い出になりました！ありがとう
そしてハワイ島のクルーの皆様、関西弁でイケメンさん！ありがとう

This shark cage tour was awesome. Started off the morning with a nice north shore cruise to the cage drop spot. The crew is very laid back and give you all the information you need along the way. Very friendly and knowledgeable and answered all and any questions we had. Spent a good chunk of time in the cage and saw a few different sharks able to collect some pretty sweet GoPro footage. Even saw some whales along the way and you are able to hear them singing underwater which is pretty cool. The boat is spacious and comfortable and they provide bottled water. They also have a fresh water hose so you can rinse off when you are done in the cage. This tour was 100% safe and professionally ran. I would recommend it for anyone looking to have a good time for a few hours on the island.

We have a 5-year-old, so we couldn't go diving, which is why we had to take a submarine to see the underwater world. The boat that takes you to the submarine was cool, and my son, who loves vehicles, was very satisfied to see the moment the submarine surfaced and when the boat docked next to it! After that, we boarded the submarine and began our dive. The visibility wasn't as clear as advertised, but we saw four sea turtles around a sunken ship, which was amazing! The captain was kind enough to go back and forth a few times to help us see the turtles. For the Japanese commentary, you need to set the headphone channel to 1. I was a bit flustered at first because it was in Chinese. Also, as mentioned in reviews, it was cold, so a light windbreaker is necessary. The crew was very friendly. Thank you for a wonderful experience!

うちは５歳がいてダイビングなどできないので潜水艦に乗らないと海の中は見れませんでした。潜水艦まで行く船もかっこいいし、潜水艦が浮上する瞬間やボートが横付けする瞬間など見れて乗り物大好き息子は大満足！その後潜水艦に乗りいざ潜水開始。なかなか透明度は広告くらいありませんでしたが沈没船にホヌが4匹もいて最高でした！ホヌを見るためにキャプテンが何回か行き来してくれて優しかったです。日本語解説は、ヘッドホンのチャンネルを1に設定が必要です。最初中国語であせりました。また、寒いという口コミ通り寒かったので薄いシャカシャカなど必要です。クルーの対応も親切でした。素敵な体験ありがとうございました。

I parked at Pier 5.6 an hour ago, thinking there was a whale watching booth there, but it turned out that the Star of Honolulu was a five-minute walk from there, so I was cutting it close on time. The whale watching at Pier 5.6 is operated by a different company called Atlantis, so be careful about that. The parking fee is a maximum of $30, and I paid $27, so it wasn't much different. Once on board, we listened to the explanation and then went outside to look for whales, but in the end, we couldn't find any. The scenery was amazing.

1時間前からピア5.6の駐車場に停めてそこにもホエールウォッチングのブースがありそこかと思っていたらスターオブホノルルはそこから徒歩5分のところだったので時間ギリギリでした。
ピア5.6のホエールウォッチングはアトランティスという別会社なので注意が必要です。
駐車場はMAX 30ドルで、私は27ドルだったので対して変わりませんでした。いざ乗船して説明聞いてから外に出てクジラを探しましたが結局クジラはみつかりませんでした。景色は最高でした。

It was a bit chilly with the wind, but as we started searching for the whales' spouts, we became so focused that it didn't matter anymore. As we ventured further out, we spotted the whales' tails and spouts! Everyone was moving from right to left, shouting excitedly. It was truly moving to see whales in this vast ocean.

少し風が冷たかったのですが、クジラの潮吹きを探し始めると必死になるため、そんなことは関係なくなってしまいました。沖に出るにつれてクジラの尾びれや潮吹きを見つけると！みんの右に左にと移動して、みんな声を出して騒いでいました。この広い海でクジラが見えるのは感動でした。

The weather was nice and sunny on the day, but unfortunately, we didn't see any whales. I was told there was a 95% chance of seeing them, which was disappointing. The interior of the boat was clean, the cocktails were delicious, and the scenery was beautiful.

当日は晴れて天候は良かったのですが、
ホエール見えず　見える確率95%と言われましたが残念でした。船内は綺麗でカクテルは美味景色も良かったです。

As soon as the ship set sail, we started to see whale spouts here and there. I thought we might not see any whales up close and that the tour would end like this, but then one whale approached and kept surfacing around the boat, showing its face and fluke. We also got to see other whales breaching.

I am very satisfied!

船が出港してからすぐにあちこちでし鯨の潮を吹いていました。
近くで姿は見れず、このままツアー終了かなと思っていたら、一頭の鯨が近づいてきて、ずっと船のまわりで顔を出したりおびれを出したり。
さらに他の鯨のブリーチングも見れました。

大満足です！

This sunset cruise had an amazing staff who were very helpful! The drink and food were perfect! We were able to see whales which was a great addition to the already perfect view! Highly recommend!

The ocean floor was much darker than I had imagined, giving me a strong impression of blue! However, I could still distinguish objects, and the transparent blue sea was indeed very mysterious. I had a great experience seeing sharks resting under a sunken airplane and sea turtles taking a break!

想像していたよりも海の底は光が届かないので、とにかく青！青！という印象でした。
ですが物の判別はできますし、透き通った青色をした海はやはりとても神秘的でした。
沈んだ飛行機の下でサメが寝ていたり、ウミガメが休憩していたり…とても楽しい体験をさせてもらいました！

We were able to see a lot on the 7:30 departure. I can only say we were lucky. A curious whale happened to come by and swam around the boat for over 15 minutes. The English-speaking tour had more than 90% American guests, and it was a big hit. To borrow the words of an American girl nearby, "Best $30 dollars than ever!"

7：30出港便でガッツリ見れました。
運が良かったとしか言いようがありません。
たまたま好奇心旺盛なクジラが来てくれたので、
15分以上も船の周りをぐるぐる回ってくれました。
英語ガイド便は9割以上がアメリカ人客で、大盛り上がり。
近くにいたアメリカ人の女の子の言葉を借りると、
Best $30 dollars than ever !

I was happy to see the whale's spout and tail in the distance, but I was disappointed with the food on board, which was just light snacks and not very good in terms of quality or taste. The only thing I enjoyed was the strawberries, which were delicious, and I kept eating those. I wish the coffee had been good at least, but unfortunately, that was also disappointing.

鯨は、遠くで潮吹きと尾ひれが見えただけでしたが、それでも嬉しかったですね。ただ船内での食事は軽食とのことで、内容も味も良くなくがっかりでした。唯一フルーツのイチゴが美味しくそればかりをいただいていました。せめてコーヒーが美味しければ良かったのですが、それも残念ながらの状況でした。

It’s not that I couldn’t see them, but I thought I would be able to see them much closer. Upon further inquiry, I learned that during the afternoon, the whales are napping, so they are not very visible unless you go in the morning or around evening.

Also, when I tried to book, I wanted to sign up for the Tuesday evening tour, but I could only click on Wednesday evening. So, reluctantly, I clicked on Wednesday night, but I couldn’t make a reservation and was instead offered Tuesday afternoon, which I accepted... but I really wanted to go in the evening.

Then, two days later, while I was taking a walk on the hotel beach, I saw whales... (crying)

見れなかったわけではないのですが…
もっともっと近くで見れると思ってました。
よくよく聞くと、お昼頃はホエールはお昼寝中なので朝もしくは夕方ごろじゃないとあまり見えないそうです。

あと、予約時に火曜日の夕方のツアーに申し込みたいのに水曜日の夕方しかクリックできなかったので仕方なく水曜日の夜をクリックしたら予約できず火曜日のお昼をすすめられたので火曜日のお昼にしましたが…やっぱり夕方に見に行きたかったです。

そして、2日後にホテルのビーチをお散歩してたらホエール見れました…(泣)

I booked a breakfast buffet plan for the "Whale Watching Cruise - Star of Honolulu" with a choice of cultural experiences.

I didn't include transportation and took an Uber taxi from the hotel to Pier 8.

At that time, the weather in Hawaii was consistently "cloudy with occasional rain and strong winds," resulting in high waves.

<Breakfast>
You can freely choose from bread, rice, scrambled eggs (steamed eggs), American sausage, and cereal, along with coffee, tea, green tea, milk, and orange juice.

Around the time we finished breakfast, they provided an explanation about whale watching. Those who didn't have breakfast had to wait until we finished. The explanation was entirely in English, so I somewhat understood it while reading the translations from Google Translate's microphone mode.

<Cruise>
Announcements like "Let's work together to find the whales!" and "The ecology of whales is..." were continuously made in English. At first, I was full of enthusiasm, but the waves were intense, and the wind was strong. It was rocking a lot. As expected, I got seasick, and it became difficult to focus on whale watching. I usually don't get car or airplane motion sickness, but this was a different dimension. (The foreign guests around me seemed fine.) I couldn't spot any whales, and with the seasickness, it turned into quite a heavy activity.

However, those who couldn't see any whales are issued a ticket for another free cruise.

Due to my travel schedule, I didn't use the ticket, but I think it's great that they offer a chance.

Since this activity depends on nature, I recommend understanding that aspect and being prepared to accept the possibility of not seeing whales when making a reservation.

Also, I recommend bringing motion sickness medication.

「ホエールウォッチングクルーズ　スターオブホノルル号　選べるカルチャー体験」の朝食ビュッフェ付きプランを予約しました。

送迎は付けず、ホテルからpier8までUberタクシーで移動しました。

この時のハワイの天気は、連日「曇時々雨で一日中強風」というタイミングも重なり、波が高かったです。

<朝食>
パン、ごはん、スクランブルエッグ(スチームエッグ)、アメリカンソーセージ、シリアル
コーヒー、紅茶、緑茶、牛乳、オレンジジュース
これらから自由に選べます。

朝食を食べ終わる頃にホエールウォッチングの説明がされます。
朝食を食べ終わるまでの間、朝食なしの人は待っていることになります。
説明は全篇英語なので、Google翻訳のマイクモードで翻訳されたのを読みながら、なんとなく理解しました

<クルーズ>
「みんなで協力しあってくじらを見つけよう！」「くじらの生態は…」というようなアナウンスが終始英語で流れています。
最初はやる気に溢れていたのですが、なんせ波が、すごい。風も、すごい。揺れる。
案の定船酔いしてしまい、途中からホエールウォッチングどころではなくなってしまいました。
車酔いや飛行機酔いはしない方ですが、船は別次元でした。
(周りの外国人の方々は平気そうでした。)
くじらはを見つけることはできず、船酔いをし、なかなかヘビーなアクティビティになりました。

ただ、くじらを見れなかった人にもう一回無料でクルーズできるチケットが発行してもらえます。

旅程の都合でチケットは利用しませんでしたが、チャンスをもらえるのはいいと思います。

自然とのお付き合い次第のアクティビティなので、その点は理解し、諦めを覚悟して予約することをおすすめします。

それと、酔い止めをご持参されることをおすすめします。笑

We found this trip rather disappointing. It was supposed to last for an hour but we returned to the pier after 50 minutes. In the event we had probably seen all there was to see after 20 minutes. You see rather dull brown/grey coral, some small blue and yellow fish and some sea urchins - No wrays or sharks or anything unusual. In fact the guide started to describe the history of the buildings on the shoreline as we headed back. Not worth the money.

This tour is one that you won’t forget! During our shark tour, we had 6 sharks around us for most of our time in the water. The cage allows you to get a close view of the sharks while still viewing safe being in the water. You get a beautiful view of the deep blue water that is unlike anything else. The staff was great, informing us of sharks that are often seen as well as educating us on the sharks we were seeing. The staff also gave fun facts about the island during the boat ride. I could not say enough great things about this tour!

This cruise was the perfect way to end one of our days in Maui. The staff gave fun facts about the island during the cruise and would stop along the way to get the perfect view of any wildlife you saw. The staff interacted with everybody on the boat and attended to everybody well to make sure everyone who wanted a drink had one. I highly recommend this cruise if you are wanting a relaxing way end to your day with beautiful views.

Highly, highly recommend these guys! They have bean bags on the net lounge area to sit on which was very nice and made it more comfortable. The crew was so attentive and were constantly making rounds checking on everyone and even told us not to worry about getting drinks ourselves that they would be bringing them around, so we never even had to get up for a refill! They were also so helpful with a proposal that my friend was planning. They made sure that everything went smoothly for them and I can't thank them enough for making their night so special!

I saw many fish among the wreckage of ships and airplanes. It was impressive to even see a sea turtle. It was a shame that the visibility was slightly poor due to the rain the day before, but I was able to relax and enjoy my time.

船や飛行機の残骸からたくさんの魚が見えました。ウミガメまで見えたのは圧巻でした。
前日の雨で若干透明度が悪かったのは残念だったけど、ゆったり時間を過ごせました。

Our experience started good and just got better. From pick up to drop off. The staff made the day from pick up, on the boat from service to knowledge. When we spotted the whales was the icing on the cake. Overall a fully enjoyable day.

This was my first time visiting Hawaii during this season. I signed up with the mindset of just being lucky if I could see anything, but it turned out to be an amazing memory. I could see the ocean on both the right and left multiple times, and the water was so clear that I could see reflections on the surface. My child was also very happy. I participated in a cultural experience where we had fun making flower crowns together. If I come back during this season, I definitely want to participate again.

この時期のハワイへ行くのは初めてでした。
どれくらい見れるのか？見れたらラッキーだなぐらいの気持ちでの参加申し込みだったのですが、結果は最高の思い出になりました。
右にも左にも何度も見え、海水が綺麗なので水面に姿が見えていました。
子供も大喜びでした。
カルチャー体験にも参加させてもらいました。花冠子供と楽しく作りました。
またこの季節に来たら、ぜひまた参加したいと思いました。

Before making the reservation, I was worried because there were many posts from people who didn't see any whales. However, on the day of the trip, the whales showed up as promised. The wind was strong, and my 2-year-old daughter was a bit uncomfortable, but when the whales appeared, she was completely captivated. Additionally, since it had just stopped raining, we were able to see a rainbow from the boat. I had low expectations for the meals included in the breakfast plan, and they turned out to be just as I expected...

予約前は体験談にくじらを見れなかった方の投稿が目立っていたので不安でしたが、当日はちゃんとくじらが出てきてくれました。
風が強くて2歳の娘は嫌がっていましたが、くじらが出てきたらじーっと見ていました。
また、雨上がりだったこともあり、船からは虹が見えました。
朝食付きのプランで食事は最初から期待していなかったのですが、その通りでした…

The cruise itself was very enjoyable, and I was satisfied, but unfortunately, we didn't get to see any whales. It seems that whales did appear, but we were facing the opposite direction, and by the time we moved toward where the whales were, it was too late to catch them. Since they did show up, we didn't participate the next day either. It turned out to be a bit of an unfortunate situation...

クルーズ自体はとても楽しく、満足しましたが、肝心の鯨は見れませんでした。実際には鯨は現れたみたいですが、自分たちが反対の方向にいたことや、一瞬しか現れなく鯨のある方向に移動しても間に合いませんでした。現れたことには現れたので次の日も参加には至りませんでした。ちょっと不幸なパターンになりました、、、

Passeio cumpriu com o prometido, porem a vista da baleia pode ser de longe, já que é um grande barco e chegar mais próximo poderia incomodar. Tripulação bem atenciosa. O café do buffet é ok, talvez compense ir em outro local para tomar café melhor pelo mesmo valor.