All Reviews for Whale Watch Tours in Maui

The boat was an ordinary one. There was also a catamaran, but it seemed to be from a different company. The price was about $10 cheaper if purchased on-site. It was available even on the day of. In conclusion, it's better to go to the port on the day and buy the tickets.

船は普通の船でした。双胴船もありましたが、ちがう会社のようでした。
値段も現地で購入したほうが10USDほど安いです。当日でも空いていました。
結論は当日港に行きチケット購入された方がいいです。

Since we were staying in Kaanapali, we had booked a departure from Kaanapali Beach. However, I had seen in a previous review from someone who had booked here that due to strong winds, the departure port was changed on the day of the trip. We received a call at our hotel room and headed to Lahaina Harbor. All the calls were in English, so I could somewhat understand, but I had the hotel’s Japanese desk contact them for confirmation. There was no Japanese guide on board, so all the explanations were in English, but we were able to see several whales. On the way back to the harbor, they played the theme song from Pirates of the Caribbean. We got quite wet, but if you sit in a spot that doesn't get splashed, you can stay relatively dry, so we had a great time. However, I think a jacket might be necessary. It’s fine while the sun is out, but when the sun goes behind the clouds or the wind blows, it can get quite cold, so I think it’s needed. We had fun with turkey sandwiches and Mai Tais!

カアナパリに宿泊していたので、カアナパリビーチ発を予約していたのですが、以前こちらで予約していた方の体験談の中に強風で、当日出発する港が変更になったというのを見ていて、私達の所にも、ホテルのルーム宛てに連絡が入りラハイナ港に向かいました。電話は全て英語だったので、何となく聞き取れたもののホテルの日本語デスクの方に連絡して頂き、再度確認して頂きました。日本人のガイドの方は乗っていないので、全て英語での説明でしたが、クジラも何頭か見れて、港に帰る時にはパイレーツオブカリビアンのテーマ曲を流してくれて、かなりお水をかぶりましたが、ちゃんと濡れない席にいればそんなに濡れずに済むので私達は楽しかったです。ただ、上着は必要かなと…。お日様が出ている間はいいですが、お日様が陰ったり風が吹くと、とても寒いので、必要かと思います。ターキーサンドにマイタイを手に楽しかったですよ～！！

We were hopeful to see whales but knew we were in late so expectations were hopeful at best. However, once we got to the area there were 3 whales (mom, baby & male hopeful) and what a great show they gave. Tons of pictures and memories.

For an April end of season whale cruise it was great to see whales and cruise the harbour in sunshine! saw a whale breaching out on the horizon,a mother and calf quite close to our boat,an escort flapping his tail, a lovely wave from a whale and lots of water spouts!! Fun afternoon

This was my fifth whale watching experience, but it was the first time I saw a jump.

In fact, I think it jumped about five or six times. It was incredibly impressive.

In the second half, we got really close to a parent and child with their kids, making it a fulfilling whale watching experience.

The Japanese staff were also kind, and they provided information about the announcements on board and the whales.

今回で5回目のホエールウォッチングでしたがジャンプを見たのは初でした。

しかも5、6回はジャンプしたでしょうか
大迫力でした。

後半には子連れの親子と大接近もあり充実したホエールウォッチングとなりました。

日本人スタッフの方も親切で船内アナウンスの内容やクジラの事を教えて貰いました^^;

We had a fun time exploring everything at the Ocean Center and also seeing all the great whales... it was a fabulous time and well done.

The tour started great. The captain of the boat was taking us as close as she can near the whales. The whale expert was giving more details about the whales. Watched a lot of breaches towards the end of the tour. Am amazing unforgettable experience .

We went to Maui specifically to see the whales and this tour didn't disappoint. The captain and his crew were fantastic, the food and the drinks served were very tasty. The whales provided us with quite the show. If you're thinking of taking this trip you must go on this tour.

we went in the morning, and was a beatiful experience.

I was worried about seasickness, but I thought whale watching in Maui during winter was a must, so I participated. It seems to depend on the weather, but that day we were able to see whales breaching up close right away, and I quickly forgot my worries. They jumped several times in different places, so I was busy watching them. Since we had a Japanese guide during our time slot, we received detailed explanations about the whales' behavior and how to observe them, which made it even more interesting. I was more satisfied than I expected, and it truly became a wonderful memory.

船酔いが心配でしたが、冬場のマウイでホエールウォッチングははずせないと思い参加しました。
お天気に左右されるそうですが、その日はすぐに鯨のブリッジが間近に見ることができ、不安要素はすぐに忘れてしまうぐらいでした。
あちらこちらで何度もジャンプしてくれるので、見るのに忙しいぐらいでした。
私たちの時間帯は日本人ガイドさんがついて下さったので、鯨の生態や見方など詳しく説明してもらえ、さらに興味深く見ることができました。
期待以上に満足で、本当に楽しい思い出になりました。

We had a really good time. It was whale season and we saw many. The crew was very friendly. When we ran out of our wine they loaded us up on vodka drinks.

OMG had a great time. the boat was half full and was a gorgous out. we we're surrounded by whales. first we had mama and baby then another pair then even another pair.wow. then as we we're going back to harbor because time was up and i think the whales were bord of us. we had a treat a female was being corted 7 males.OMG they went under the boat then around the boat. the crew said this was treat and we stayed out extra longer till the whales left us. that was very nice of the crew to that for us. thanks crew for making the day special

I participated in the morning cruise (around 9 AM). I had signed up for a Japanese tour, but unfortunately, it turned out to be an English tour. It seems there were many explanations about whales, but since I'm not fluent in English, I only managed to listen to "in the direction of ○ o'clock" f(^^;

February is the peak season, and as the local guide mentioned, "there are a lot of them," we could see spouts in various places. Unfortunately, we couldn't see any breaches like in the images, but we did catch glimpses of whales waving goodbye with their fins and their tails several times. Perhaps because it was a relatively large boat for whale watching, it seemed like we kept a certain distance from the whales and didn't get too close. This might be due to regulations regarding whales or safety considerations. I had hoped to see them a bit closer, but I guess it depends on luck. (Or maybe I should choose a tour with a smaller boat...?)

Fortunately, it was a calm day, and since I had taken motion sickness medication, I hardly noticed the rocking of the boat.

朝のクルーズ（9時台）に参加しました。
日本語ツアーを申し込んだのですが、残念ながら英語ツアーになりました。
鯨についての説明が沢山流れていたようですが、英語は堪能ではないので「○時の方向」というのだけ頑張って聴いていました f(^^;

２月はシーズンのピークで、ツアーの現地ガイドの方が「うじゃうじゃいます」とおっしゃっていた通り、あちこちで潮吹きしています。
画像にあるようなブリーチは残念ながらみることはできませんでしたが、遠目ながら鰭でのバイバイや、尾びれは何度かみることができました。
ホエールウォッチングツアーの中では比較的大きめのボートのせいか、あまり鯨に近寄らず、ある程度の距離を置くようにしていたように思えます。
鯨に対する規定や、安全に考慮しているのかもしれません。
もう少し間近に見ることができるのかと思っていましたが、そのあたりは運もあるのでしょうね。
（もしくはより小型の船のツアーを選ぶようにするか・・・？）

幸いなことに波が穏やかな日で酔い止め薬を飲んでいたこともあり、船の揺れはほとんど気になりませんでした。

I recommend going with someone who understands English! The staff was very kind and provided thorough explanations. Since I participated in February, there were whales everywhere. (The captain mentioned that it was a very lucky day.) We could see the whales' breaches from a distance, and the pineapple juice and cinnamon rolls were delicious! The group size of about 30 people was just right! I was able to enjoy it slowly while having some snacks!

英語がわかる人と行くならオススメ！スタッフもとても親切で丁寧な説明でした。参加が2月だったのでいたるところにクジラがいました。（船長はその日はとても運がいいと言ってました）クジラのブリッジは遠くの方で見る事も出来きパイナップルジュース、シナモンロールも美味！人数も30人ほどとちょうどいい！軽食を食べながらゆっくり楽しめました！

Fantastic crew, great food and drinks and a few whale sightings. Since the captain can't control that too well, Overall it was a wonderful experience.

This was my first time participating. It was a Japanese tour, but the explanations were thorough and easy to understand.
I heard that 70% of the whales from Alaska come to Hawaii, and 90% of those come to Maui.

Since they are living creatures, the chances of encountering them are quite unpredictable, but I think we saw quite a few. When I went on another snorkeling tour, I also saw many whales, so I believe that riding on the boat more than twice increases satisfaction.

I heard that the peak is in February.

初めて参加しました。日本語ツアーでしたが、説明が丁寧で分かりやすかった。
アラスカから7割のクジラがハワイにやってきて、そのうちの9割がマウイに来るそうです。

生き物なので出会える確率はなかなか読めないのですが、結構見られたと思います。
別のシュノーケリングツアーに出かけたときもたくさんクジラが見られたので、2回以上船に乗ると満足度が高いと思います。

ピークは2月だそうです。

However, I understand English, so it's not a problem for me... If I were someone who didn't understand English, I would definitely give it one star. I have no particular complaints about the whale watching itself.

でも、英語分かるので問題ないですが、、、。もし私が英語わからない人なら、迷わず星は１つですね。ホエールウォッチング自体は特に不満はありません。

I decided to book online the day before and received a confirmation by evening. I took my 10-month-old son with me, and the boat was large enough, so there were no issues. However, the chairs on the second deck are fixed and a bit cramped. We were able to see whales multiple times, which was satisfying. The early morning tour is reasonably priced and refreshing, so I highly recommend it. The English guide only mentioned which direction we were facing, so I think it’s not a problem.

前日お昼に思い立ち現地でネット経由で申し込み、夕方には確約のお返事がきました。10が月の息子を連れて行きましたが船が大きく問題ありません。ただ二階のデッキは椅子が固定で狭いです。鯨も何回も見れ、満足です。早朝ツアーが、値段お手頃清々しくオススメです。英語のガイドでも、何時の方向に今いるよくらいにしか言ってなかったので問題ないかと思います。

I'm so happy i did the early morning whale watching. The whales came right up to our boat and we saw so many. Best tour I've done!

I participated in the 7:30 English tour. I was able to see whales. I saw spouts and tails several times, and just as we were about to head back to the port, we spotted another whale in the distance. The boat headed towards it, and this time the whale jumped and even waved goodbye at the end. I was very satisfied, especially since jumping is not something you see every day. Additionally, on the way back, we also got to see dolphins jumping up close! I think the waves were relatively calm, but when we stopped to watch the whales, the boat swayed quite a bit as we turned to face the direction where the whales appeared.

7：30の英語ツアーに参加しました。
クジラ、見れました。潮吹きと尾ひれを何度か見て、港へ戻りかけたときにまた遠くにクジラが見えたので、そちらの方に船が向かってくれて、今度はジャンプと最後にはバイバイまでしてくれました。ジャンプは毎日見れるものではないということで、なんとも演出上手なクジラで大満足でした。さらに帰りには間近でイルカのジャンプも見れました！
波は穏やかな方だったのではないかと思いますが、クジラを見るために停まっているときは、クジラの出た方向へ船先をぐいっと向けるため、その際大きく揺れました。

Like most things on maui, they are expensive for what they are, especially the tourist items. We found a discount early bird package and I think w paid just under $50 for two of us. We also tipped the crew $5 and paid for our picture $20...like real tourists do. Both the top and particularly the picture were optional but I got roped into it. It was early in the season also, just the start of the whale season. We did spot a few whales but they were a bit far away and hard to see. We were able to see a few from shore as well, but of course, even farther away. the weather was flawless and there is no reason that I saw not to take the early morning package for the reduced price. I would definitely try to sit up front in the future, but we sat in the back. The issue being best view, but there is enough to look at with the sides and rear that even the back is more than tolerable. We took some photos, which only included little blips of whales off in the distance. I think I would target this venue for prime season to be sure to see more. My understanding is about 4000-8000 whales will congregate.. We saw maybe 5.

It was early December, but we didn't see any whales at all. However, it was a relief to see dolphins. I wished we had a fish finder. For those who get seasick, please be careful as the boat is small and wobbly. When we can't see any whales, I would appreciate a voucher for the next time.

12月上旬でしたが全くクジラは見えませんでした。しかし、イルカが見れたのは救いでした。魚群探知機でもあればいいのにと思いつつ。船酔いをする方は船が小さめで揺れるので気をつけてくださいね。クジラが見れないときは次回サービス券ぐらい欲しいものです。

The whales were huge, and I was very moved. Before boarding, there was a bit of trouble, and I managed to get on the boat after some back-and-forth in my broken Japanese English. While driving around the island, I saw them jump and spout from a distance several times, but seeing them up close from the boat was a completely different level of excitement.

クジラは大きくて、とても感動しました。乗船前にちょっとしたトラブルがあり、拙いジャパニーズ英語で押し問答して何とか乗れました。島をドライブ中、何度も遠目にですがジャンプや潮吹きを見ていたのですが、やはり船上から近くで見るのとは全然迫力が違いました。

I had made a reservation for the first departure in the morning, but due to the wind, the boat couldn't set sail. I was informed at the check-in location that it would be possible in the afternoon. Since I didn't have any plans for the afternoon, I was able to accommodate it, but I wish I had received the notification a bit earlier. It was also disappointing that the whales didn't appear very close, making it a less enjoyable tour.

朝一番の出航で予約を入れていたが風の影響で船が出航出来ず、午後からなら出来ると当日受付場所で連絡された、午後の予定を入れてなかったので対応出来たが、もう少し早く連絡があればと思った。クジラも余り近くには出現してくれなかったので残念なツアーだった。

Overall, the cruising time is too long. While we could see the whales well, the time spent getting there and returning was excessive.

全体的には、クルージング時間が長すぎる。クジラはよく見えたが、見るまでの時間や
帰る時間が長すぎる。

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。

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。

The boat was decent, the ride itself was lovely and very sunny. We did see whales despite it being the end of the season. However, our guide was not very knowledgeable when it came to the actual whales. Wikipedia could have done a better job informing us. Lots of "um, and stuff" and had no answers to people's questions. Maybe a brush up on information and some note cards would help?

Had a blast on the whale watching trip - nice boat, great crew and lots of whales. Perfect for small children, too. Thanks!

Steve our guide was so knowledgeable and took us to the best places to see marine life. We saw an eel, octopus, turtles and plenty of fish! Will do it again next time we come back :)