All Reviews for Whale Watch Tours in Maui

Great dinner cruise! treated us so well! We were treated courteously by the entire crew. The food was served well spaced out and was VERY good! Both of my sons had the steak and the commented it was cooked exactly how they liked it. I had the shrimp with a delicious sauce on it- WOW! The sunset views were spectacular. The Captain also did a great job with steering us out to smooth waters and I diid not feel seasick at all! I highly recommend for anyone!

Im sorry but this was the best American boat experience ever. When they say open bar they mean it! Great staff, great experience, food icing on the cake this should be 200 per person!!!!!!

The portions were super small but meals were good. Captain was amazing and whole crew very on top of things and friendly. Drinks were good.

No sunset and it sprinkled for 2 mins so the musician hardly played any songs. . Maybe two. Another passenger
Took pic of him drinking alcohol and not playing. We picked Tuesday for the MUSIC

Also, we were not made aware the food was available. My husband walked over and saw it available.

Couldn’t have been much better experience. Wouldn’t recommend.

This was the only activity my husband requested and it did not disappoint! The rain stopped and the sun came out! Staff were attentive from the greeting to departure. Very generous drink service. The food was tasty. And the sunset. Wow! Everything was on point. Thank you for the experience.

I chose this tour thinking that a large ship would be less rocky since I was with elderly people. It was a two-story boat, and we were able to sit at the front on the second floor. The boat's rocking was minimal.

There was a complimentary soft drink service, but it wasn't distributed to everyone; instead, those who wanted it had to go get it themselves. My family was so focused on watching the whales that we didn't take advantage of it.

We were able to see many whales, but we didn't get very close to them, which was a bit disappointing. However, I was satisfied overall. On a previous whale watching tour, the boat was smaller, and we could see the whales up close, which felt more thrilling, so I was a little let down this time, but I think it's just a matter of luck.

I heard that whales can be seen at any time of day, so I think the early morning trips are a good deal.

The parking lot had information about free parking in the tour's pre-explanation document, so we parked according to that. There are several free parking areas in Lahaina.

高齢者が一緒だったので、大型船の方が揺れが少ないと思い、このツアーを選びました。2階建ての船で、2階の前方に座ることができました。
船の揺れは少なかったです。
無料のソフトドリンクサービスがついていたのですが、全員に配られるのではなく、欲しい人が取りに行くという方法でした。鯨を見るのに夢中だった我が家は利用しませんでした。

鯨は沢山見ることができましたが、すぐ近くで、という状況にはなかなかならず、でも満足でした。以前参加したホエールウォッチングツアーの方が船が小さかったせいか、鯨もすぐ近くで見られてより迫力を感じられたので、ちょっと残念でしたが、こればかりは運だと思います。
どの時間帯でも鯨は見られるとのことなので、早朝便はお得だと思います。

駐車場は、ツアーの事前説明書に無料の駐車場の案内もあるので、そちらに従って停めました。ラハイナには無料の駐車場は何か所かあります。

Loved the intimate feel of the cruise even though others are around. The captain and crew are great and it all goes to a great cause

Saw a pod of whales with babys included! I would say the tour was a success.

Great experience and fantastic crew! Learned so much about whales, dolphins and the waters of Maui! Sound several humpback whales with their babies! Highly recommend!

The cruise staff was excellent and the snorkeling was great.

Absolute must do while in Maui. We saw several whale pods, mama whales showing their young how to wave, and excellent views of the coastline and Molokai. The crew and captain were fantastic, high energy, knowledgeable, and kept the drinks flowing. Food was pretty good, definitely go with the short rib! The catamaran was pristine and well maintained. Instructions for boarding and exiting were easy to understand. I cannot express enough how much the 3 of us enjoyed this tour. We keep saying it was an epic day. So memorable and enjoyable.

Amazing service from the 3 crew members Nick, Paul and Phil. We saw a lot of whale activity in the evening. The drinks kept flowing and the food was much better than expected. Would definitely do another trip like this.

We have been on several Sunset Cocktail Cruises on Maui over the past decade but this was by far our favourite.
The captain and crew were super friendly, knowledgeable & accommodating…they serve everything right to you!
Ukulele Dave was a great addition as well!
All of this + multiple whale sightings made for a great evening and we definitely recommend.

They had a great crew and did everything to make the trip wonderful: small group and lots of fun. Well worth the price.
The only reason I gave them 4 stars is that we bought water shoes for the trip and found out when we got there it was barefoot only. Would have done things differently had I known.

It was later in their Whale season, didn't know if we would see many. We were not disappointed, at one point we were in Whale Jail (surrounded by them). We loved it.

The staff were so knowledgeable, learned so much about the Humpbacks.

Definitely would do this again.

Very impressed with their knowledge of whales. Saw many sightings! Would definitely do again! Loved that we could hear whales through under water microphone!

Best excursion during our week in Maui. The reviews were spot on about Sea Maui. The captain and crew were outstanding. You won’t be disappointed.

The tour guide took us into the ocean beyond the cruise ship (as in the picture below). We saw whales and heard a whale singing from under the Kayaks. Most beautiful experience. I’m not a pro at kayaking, but the guide was always looking out to keep us up with the more avid kayakers. He had all the answers to our questions. Could not snorkel that day as the water was murky. Had a wonderful time. I would do it all over again given the chance.

Lots of whales , good viewing and lots of knowledge

We had a great time with our crew! Saw lots of whales and informative stories from Jac! Would recommend Sea Maui to everyone.

Sat on the top deck and got the trio of a lifetime! We saw 2 whales swimming under and around the boat, and then it happened AGAIN! We saw many whales and a super unique and lucky experience! The crew was awesome, loved the option to sit on 1st or 2nd level- just don’t forget sunscreen like I did. I would do it again!

It was a relatively large boat, so I was wondering if the whales wouldn't come close, but we were able to enjoy various whales, both far and near, including spouts, jumps, and mother-and-calf pairs. The whales in Lahaina, Hawaii during winter met my expectations.

割と大型の船だったので、クジラが近くに来てくれないのかなと思ってましたが、遠くも、近くも、潮吹きやジャンプや親子連れなど、いろんなクジラさんを楽しめました。
冬のハワイのラハイナのクジラさんは、期待通りでした。

The crew was outstanding, the vessel was perfect for viewing, and the whale activity in late January '23 was second-to-none! I highly recommend this experience to both novice and seasoned whale watchers. Pro tip: if there is any shot at rain, invest in a poncho. Regardless of weather, this trip is definitely worth it.

It was a large two-story boat. The guide was in English.
I saw about 15 whales, but they were all quite far away, and I only saw them jump twice from a distance. I participated in mid-January, and right after we set sail, the captain announced, "This is the peak season," so I had high expectations... However, since it's nature, it's understandable, but it's better not to have too high expectations. The large boat made it less likely to get seasick, but the loud motor noise seemed to make the whales wary. They stuck around for about 10 minutes longer than scheduled, moving and stopping repeatedly.
The male guide talked about the ecology of whales, the history of whaling, and how they were on the brink of extinction. Since he was talking the whole time, we often spotted whales before he did. My knowledge about whales deepened.

【Parking】
The problem was the parking. Veltra mentioned that if you park in public parking for more than three hours, there’s a possibility of being towed, so they recommended paid parking. In the center of Lahaina, the parking fees are high—about $20 for 5 hours and $30 for a day. The Outlets of Maui, located about a 15 to 20-minute walk from Lahaina Harbor, offered free parking. It was very spacious, so there were no issues parking when participating in the whale watching at 9 AM. It was great because we could stroll around Lahaina while going back and forth to the harbor. We shopped at the outlet, but even without shopping, parking was free (there was no parking ticket, and you could come and go freely).
There is little information about parking in Lahaina in both Japanese and English, so I wanted to share this here.

2階建ての大きな船でした。英語ガイドです。
クジラは15頭くらい見えましたが全てかなり遠くて、ジャンプもかなり遠目に2回ほど。1月中旬に参加して、船に乗った出港直後に船長から「今がピークシーズンだ」とアナウンスがあったので期待していましたが…。相手は自然なので仕方ないですが、期待しすぎない方が良いです。大きい船だと酔いづらくて良いのですが、モーター音が大きい分クジラは警戒するようです。移動と停船を繰り返して予定より10分オーバーするまで粘ってくれました。
ガイドの男性はクジラの生態や捕鯨の歴史、絶滅しつつあったことなどを話してくれました。ずっとお話ししているためか私たちの方が早くクジラを見つけることもしばしば。クジラの知識は深まりました。

【駐車場】
困ったのは駐車場。veltraから公共駐車場は3時間以上駐車するとレッカーされる可能性があり有料駐車場を勧められました。ラハイナ中心地はは駐車場代が高く有料だ5時間20ドル、1日30ドルくらい。ラハイナ港から徒歩15分〜20分にあるアウトレットオブマウイは無料でした。とても広いので9時台のホエールウォッチングに参加する場合全く問題なく駐車できました。ラハイナの街を散策しつつ港と往復できるのでとても良かったです。私たちはアウトレットで買い物をしましたが、買い物をしなくても駐車場台は無料でした（駐車券が無く出入り自由です）。
日本語も英語もラハイナの駐車場情報が少ないのでここに記載させて頂きました。

I participated in a whale watching tour that can only be experienced during this season. About five minutes after leaving the beach, we spotted spouts of water coming up from the sea! From there, we were able to see several whales. There was even a mother and calf swimming right next to the boat, which had everyone on the tour very excited. I would like to visit Maui again during the season when the whales return to Hawaii and participate in another tour.

この時期にしか見ることができないホエールウォッチングツアーに参加しました。船がビーチを出国して5分ほどのところで、海から潮が上がっているのを発見❗️ そこから何頭もののクジラを見ることができました。そして船のすぐ側で泳いでいたクジラの親子もいてツアーに参加していたみなさんは大興奮でした。またクジラがハワイに戻る時期にマウイ島に行き、ツアーに参加したいと思います。

Arrive at the port and check in at least 15 minutes before departure. The departure was on time. The weather was clear, but we only saw about ten whales from a distance. When I participated previously, we encountered several whales up close, saw them dive, and even ran alongside a pod of dolphins, so this experience was quite modest in comparison. It was disappointing that the captain kept talking not only about the whales but also engaging in small talk like a monologue, showing zero enthusiasm for actively searching for whale spots. (The previous captain was proactive, using experience and intuition to find the best spots and move quickly.) Whether you can see the whales well really depends on the captain. (You can't choose, though...)

出港15分前までに港に集合して発券。時間どおりの出港でした。天気は快晴でしたがクジラは10体弱遠目に見えた程度。以前参加したときは間近に何体も出現し、ダイブも見られたり、イルカの群れと併走したこともあって、それに比べるとかなり控えめでした。船長がずっと解説のみならず世間話も独り言のようにしゃべり続けていて、熱心にクジラポイントを探し当てるようなやる気はゼロだったのが残念でした。（以前の船長は経験と勘で次々とベストポイントを当てて積極的に移動していた。）クジラがよく見えるかどうかは本当に船長次第です。(選べませんが。。）

We loved our whale watching tour. I would highly recommend. Make sure to bring sunscreen and a hat or a shirt to cover up with as it gets hot on the boat. I plan on doing this again next time and booking though Veltra. Great price for the best tours. Tip: rent the binoculars or bring your own for close up viewing.

It was an amazing experience!
The crew was fantastic, great service
The captain gave lots of information and fun facts about whales. We got amazing viewing of the whales.

We had an excellent time.. We were looking for a casual fun experience for Christmas evening and this trip delivered. This is my 6th time in Maui and have participated on many excursions and this is on the top of my list. Crew was fabulous and attentive. Captain was experienced and knowledgeable. Felt safe the entire time. The cost was appropriate for what we received...and as a reminder, always tip the crew

Our family went on the early morning Whale Watching tour. It was worth getting up early to go! Our captain was very knowledgeable about the tour and surrounding islands. He took us a little farther out so we were able to see 3 whales! It was 2 males chasing down a female and she was leading them out on a chase! I would definitely recommend this cruise!