All Reviews for Whale Watching Tours in Oahu

I will be boarding the Star of Honolulu, which I've always admired! It's a very beautiful and large ship, and the restrooms are really clean and comfortable.

I opted for the buffet, and I heard that on the day of the cruise, you can add an extra person for $12 for more food. The buffet was very delicious, and I went back for seconds on the sausages! The drink options are plentiful, and you can buy tasty alcoholic beverages if you're willing to spend a little more.

I'm the type to get seasick, and I forgot to bring my motion sickness medication, so I was a bit anxious. However, the ship is large, so it didn't sway much, and I had no problems at all.

The only disappointing thing was that we didn't see any whales. I was excited to join because it was said that there was a high chance of seeing them, but we didn't see any whales, sea turtles, or dolphins—nothing at all. We just ended up staring at the horizon for the entire time.

For those who didn't see anything, there is a free return ticket for the next time, but it seems that it’s only valid for this season and must be used by April of this year. Also, it doesn't include hotel pick-up or the buffet.

Since I only go to Hawaii about once a year, I can't use such a short-term ticket! Moreover, the explanations were given in English, so we, who only understand Japanese, were confused about where to collect the tickets. It seemed that many people returned home without receiving their tickets.

I think it would be helpful if there were a few more staff members who could speak Japanese.

憧れのスターオブホノルル号に乗車します(^ ^)とっても綺麗な大きい船でトイレもすごく綺麗で快適です^ ^

ビュッフェ付きにしましたが、当日にプラス1人12ドルで料理を追加できるとのことでした(*^◯^*)ブュッフェもとても美味しくてウインナーは何回もおかわりしました(^ ^)♡
飲み物も充実していますし、お金を出せば美味しいお酒も買えます！
船酔いするタイプの私ですのですが酔い止めを忘れて乗ってしまい不安でした。ですが船自体が大きいのでそこまで揺れず全く問題なかったです。

ただ一つ残念だったのが、ホエールが見えなかったことです。高い確率で見られるとのことでワクワクして参加しましたが、ホエールは勿論。ウミガメもイルカも何も見えませんでした。
見えないのをただただひたすら海の水平線を眺めて終わりました。

見えなかった方には次回の無料乗船券がもらえるのですが、今期のみで今年の4月までに行かなくてはならないそうで、ホテルへの送迎やブュッフェは付属しないとのことでした。

ハワイに行くのは一年に一度程度ですので、そんなに短い期間の乗船券だと使えません！！
しかも英語で説明されるので日本語しかわからない我々はどこでチケットをもらっていいかわからず戸惑いました。
チケットをもらわずわからないまま帰宅した方も大勢おられたようでした。

もう少し日本語ができるスタッフがいてくれると助かると思います。

At the very last moment, a whale appeared.
I wondered if it would show up again.
The moment I tried to go inside the boat,

it spouted!
It appeared.
Thank you, whale.

I couldn't take a photo of the whale.

最後の最後にクジラあらわる。
もうあらわれないかな？
船内に入ろうした瞬間、

潮吹き！
出現。
ありがとう クジラさん

クジラの写真は撮れませんでした。

I was worried about whether I would see any whales on my long-awaited whale watching tour, but I was able to meet many whales.

At first, they were far away, and I couldn't see them up close, so I thought maybe that was all there was. Just as I started to relax and have lunch, I was able to see a whale jumping through the glass! It was from the side, so it was beautifully visible, and everyone on board applauded enthusiastically. So, I realized that even when the sea is calm, we should never let our guard down!

I also participated with my 3-year-old child, and there were plenty of activities, plus meals with rice and noodles that my child enjoyed. There were both paid and free drinks, which was great!

Even after leaving the whales, the scenery, the color of the sea, and the color of the sky were all wonderful, making it a very satisfying tour!

I definitely plan to participate again when I go to Hawaii!

念願のホエールウォッチングで、見れるか心配だったけど、沢山のクジラたちに会えました。

始めは遠くにいてなかなか近くで見れなかったので、もうこのくらいなのかなぁと油断してランチを始めたら、ガラス越しにジャンプするクジラを見ることが出来ました！！それも、横からだったのでキレイに見れて参加者全員拍手喝采でした❇
なので、海面が穏やかでも油断大敵だなと思います！

また、3歳の子どもと参加しましたが、アクティビティも沢山あったし、食事もライスも麺もあったので食べてくれましたし、飲み物も有料や無料があってどちらも良かったです！

そして、クジラたちたちと離れても景色も海の色も空の色も素晴らしいので大満足なツアーでした！

また、ハワイに行くときは必ず参加しようと思います！

I was able to encounter a whale! The explanations were thorough, and they were very kind when I forgot something. It was a great experience. I would love to participate again if I have the chance.

クジラには、なんとか遭遇できました！
説明もしっかりしてくださったし、
忘れ物をしてしまった時の対応も親切でしたし、
とても良かったです。
機会があればまた参加したいです。

We participated as a family of four. It was greatly appreciated that the children's fees were free. We didn't know if we would see whales until we boarded, but we joined with the expectation that if we didn't see any, we could still enjoy cruising on the Star of Honolulu! Fortunately, we were lucky enough to see whales three times. While we couldn't see the whales' faces, we were able to see their spouts and impressive tails, which left both the kids and adults very satisfied.

家族4人で参加しました。子供の費用が無料だったのは大変ありがたかったです。
鯨が見れるかは乗船してみるまでわからないけど、まあ見れなかったらスターオブホノルルでクルージングを楽しむ！という期待感で参加しましたが、ラッキーなことに3回も鯨を見ることができました。
さすがに鯨の顔を見ることはできませんでしたが、潮吹きと立派な鯨の尻尾を見ることができて、子供も大人も大満足でした。

As soon as we boarded, we had a buffet-style lunch. After finishing, we went out to the deck and felt the wind while heading out to Waikiki. The view of the hotels in Waikiki and Diamond Head was stunning, and just that alone made me feel great and glad to have participated.

The long-awaited whales appeared, with a pod of about four spouting water and showing their backs and tails repeatedly.

And then, one finally jumped! It leaped vertically, showing us its white and black mottled belly. Lucky!

During the latter part of the cruise, many participants had returned inside the ship, so it was worth staying outside. It was sudden and brief, so I couldn't take a photo, but it was a whale watching tour that left a lasting impression and was very satisfying.

乗船してすぐブッフェ式のランチ。食べ終えて外のデッキへ出て風に吹かれながら、ワイキキ沖へ出て行くと、ワイキキのホテル群、ダイヤモンドヘッドの景色が素晴らしく、まずはそれだけでも気持ちよくて、参加してよかったと思いました。

待望のクジラは、四頭ほどの群れが潮吹き、背中や尻尾を何度も何度も見せてくれました。

そして、ついに一頭がジャンプ！
縦に垂直に上半身あたり(？)まで飛んで、こちらに白っぽくて黒いまだら模様のあるお腹側を見せてくれました。ラッキー！

クルージング後半で、参加者の多くは船内に戻っていた時間帯、外で頑張っていた甲斐がありました。突然で、一瞬だったので写真は撮れなかったけど、目に焼き付けて大満足のホエールウォッチングツアーとなりました。

Unfortunately, we couldn't see any whales. However, we had a beautiful view of Waikiki and Diamond Head. They were distributing free tickets (without meals) when we got off. We didn't order any meals, but it was possible to order meals on the day of the event.

残念ながら、クジラは見れませんでした。でも、ワイキキの街とダイヤモンドヘッドがとてもきれいに見れました。降りる際に、無料の券（食事はつかない）を配布していました。私たちは、食事を申し込みませんでしたが、当日でも食事の申し込みは出来ました。

VERY FRIENDLY STAFF BOTH AT SUTTLE PICK UP AND ON THE CRUISE. THE MAJESTIC (ATLANTIS) SHIP IS VERY CLEAN AS EXPECTED WITH VERY GOOD CREW MEMBERS. THE NATURALIST EXPLAINED WHAT WHALES ARE DOING IN THE HAWAII AREA. FOR ALL OF MY FAMILY THE SEAS AND WEATHER WAS NO PROBLEM WITH THE SIZE OF THIS VESSEL. SEAS WERE ABOUT 3 TO 4 FEET WITH TRADE WINDS AT 15 MPH. SO FOR ALL OF US VERY NICE. REMEMBER THIS IS HAWAII. WARM YES.

I participated in a morning tour without breakfast. It's convenient because you can go shopping in the afternoon after joining the morning tour. However, the tour only had explanations in English, which was very inconvenient. We saw the tails of three whales. The journey took about two and a half hours out at sea.

早朝の朝食なしツアーに参加しました。早朝のに参加すると午後ショッピングに出かけられるので便利です。ツアー自体は英語の説明だけでしたのでとても不便でした。クジラは3頭テール（尻尾）が見れました。海に出て約2時間半くらいの行程です。

We didn't saw much of the whales as hoped for, but the skipper plus his mate were entertaining enough to make the tour memorable, also we and other family had practically the entire tour for ourselves.

The entire experience was FANTASTIC! The tour guide was fun, happy and so very informative. He played music, there was plenty of humor and attended to all ages! The boat was clean and loads of fun to be on! We saw a few whales in the distance, saw lots of turtles and even got to swim way out in the ocean as we sailed along! Our 4 yr old son LOVED the boat and couldn't get enough of swimming in the ocean all around the boat! December 2016

It was the rainy season in Honolulu, but we were blessed with good weather and spent a fun few days there. On the last day, we participated in this tour. Unfortunately, we didn't encounter any wildlife, but as everyone has mentioned, it's nature, so there's nothing we can do about it (^^;

However, at the end, we received a compensation slip. Since it was the last day, I thought it would be nice to offer a small refund or even a commemorative postcard for those who missed out. It would change the feeling of disappointment and make us more excited to come back and see them next time!

But all the staff members were great♪ Thank you very much!

雨季のホノルルでしたが、天候に恵まれ
楽しい数日間を過ごし、最終日にこのツアーに参加しました。
あいにく遭遇できませんでしたが、皆さん書かれているように、自然の生き物ですから仕方ないですね(^^;

ただ最後に、補償の紙をいただきましたが
最終日でしたし
そういう人のためには少しでも返金
もしくは記念のポストカード１枚でもあると
残念感が違うし、今度は見るぞ！という気分にさせるのでは？と思いました。

でも、staffの方はみんな良かったです♪
ありがとうございました

I participated for the first time with my uncle, aunt, and my 4-year-old child. We saw a whale for the first time. My child was very moved as well. I want to participate again next time.

おじとおば、4歳の子供の4人で初めて参加しました。初めてクジラに会えました。子供もとても感動してましま。次回もまた参加したいです。

I thought I would be able to see whales up close, so I imagined a dynamic experience. However, due to conservation measures, there was quite a distance, which was different from what I expected. Still, the weather was nice, and I enjoyed a morning meal, and it was fun to stick to the deck and watch the surface of the sea. We were also able to take photos with Diamond Head in the background. I thought it was great for those with children, as it wasn't dangerous at all. As someone who enjoys swimming with dolphins and diving, this is our impression. It wasn't that we couldn't see them at all, and it was nice to encounter a mother and calf whale. However, we could only see their backs and fins popping up in the distance.

クジラを間近で見れると思っていたので、ダイナミックな感じを想像していました。
でも、保護の観点からかなりの距離があって、思っていたものとは違いました。
でも、お天気も良くて、モーニングも頂けましたし、甲板にへばりついて海面を見ているのも楽しかったですよ。
ダイアモンドヘッドバックに撮影も出来ましたしね。
お子様をお連れの方は、危なくありませんしいいなと思いました。
イルカと一緒に泳いだり、ダイビングをするのが好きな私達の感想です。
全く見れないって事ではなかったし、親子のクジラに遭遇出来たのも良かったです。
でも、遠くにポコポコって背中やひれが見える程度ですよ。

My younger brother, who loves whales, strongly wanted to participate, so our family of five joined in.

We were told that we would likely see them, but unfortunately, due to the bad weather, we weren't able to see any whales, which is quite rare. Even so, the guide did their best to announce flying fish and other marine life.

Additionally, they provided free tickets for another day in case we didn't see anything, so my brother tried again the next day, but unfortunately, he didn't see any whales again.

I think we just had bad luck... but I definitely want to try again!

クジラ好きな弟の強い希望で、家族5人で参加しました。

ほぼ見れるとのことでしたが、あいにくの悪天候の為珍しく見れなかったようです。
それでも、ガイドさんは必死でトビウオ等のアナウンスをしてくださいました。
また、見れなかった場合には別日に無料で乗れる券を配布していたので
翌日弟が再挑戦したのですが、残念ながらまた見れなかったそうです。

運が悪かっただけだと思いますが・・・
またリベンジしたいです！！

We used this service with our family during the New Year. Unfortunately, we didn't encounter any whales during our trip, so it ended up being just a regular cruise. It's something that can't be helped, but it might be tough for those who can't accept that. The kids were quite disappointed. I wish we had explained beforehand that "there might be times when we won't see any whales."

正月に家族で利用しました。私たちが参加した時は鯨に遭遇出来ませんでした。よってただのクルージングに。こればかりは仕方ないですね。って気持ちで参加できる方でないと厳しいかも。子供たちは結構ガッカリしてました。事前に「クジラには逢えない場合もあるからね」と説明しておけばよかったと、思いました。

I felt refreshed! The breakfast was a buffet, and I enjoyed it deliciously! After the meal, I went up to the deck, lay down on a chair, and relaxed while feeling the sea breeze—it was the best! I was also able to see whales in the distance! I would like to participate again when I go to Hawaii in the winter!

気分爽快でした！朝食もバイキングでしたが、おいしくいただきました！食後は甲板に上がり、イスに横になり、海風にあたりながらまったり最高でした！クジラも遠目でしたが見ることができました！また冬時期にハワイに行くときは参加したいと思います！

I participated in the morning whale watching tour. Perhaps due to the cloudy sky, the whales didn't show up. Since I was returning home that day, I couldn't use a rain check. It's unfortunate, but it's nature, so there's nothing to be done. However, as a birdwatching enthusiast, I was relieved to see the rendezvous flight of the white tern from the boat.

午前のホエールウォッチングに参加しました。曇り空のせいか、クジラさんは出てくれませんでした。その日に帰国するので、レインチェックも使えず。自然が相手なのでしかたないのですが、残念でした。バードウォッチングが趣味なので、船上からシロアジサシのランデブー飛翔が見られたのが救いでした。

Shortly after setting sail, we spotted a whale in the distance! After that, we were able to see multiple whales several times, which left us very satisfied. While they didn't jump, we were thrilled to see them emerge from the water's surface.

出航後まもなく、遠くにクジラの姿が見えました！
その後も何度も、複数のクジラの姿を見ることができて大満足でした。
ジャンプはさすがにしなかったですが、大きく水面に現れる姿も見れたりして
感激しました(^-^)

My husband and I went on this cruise on one of the last days of our vacation. We did not see any whales or dolphins, but we still had a fantastic time! Since we did not see any whales we received a voucher for a free cruise for both of us. The crew was very knowledgeable and energetic. My only wish was that we would have picked to do this cruise earlier in our vacation so we could have used the voucher for the return cruise to hopefully see some whales.

I was excited to see the morning whales and set out. It was drizzling a bit, but I boarded the ship. First, we had a morning brunch (buffet), which felt a little lacking. When we arrived along the coast of Diamond Head, I got my camera ready and waited. However, unfortunately, the boat returned. They said they would give us a free ticket to try again during the period, but I can't stay in Hawaii that long. I'll try again next year!

朝鯨がみれるとワクワクでかけました
小雨ぱらついていましたがいざ乗船
最初にモーニングランチ（バイキング）少し物足りない感じ
ダイアモンドヘッド沿岸に到着いざカメラを構え待機
でもあられず(; ;)ﾎﾛﾎﾛ船は戻りました
期間中の再挑戦無料チケットをくばりますといわれましたが
そんなにハワイにいれない
来年再度挑戦(*^o^*)

The transportation was smooth, and despite the strong winds, the boat didn't sway much, which was great. However, unfortunately, we weren't able to see any whales.

送迎もスムーズで船も風が強かったにも関わらずあまり揺れることなく良かったです。ただ、残念ながらクジラを見ることが出来きませんでした。

Magnifica mini crociera su catamarano, splendida esperienza e vista magnifica su diamond head e waikiki beach. Fantastico!!!

We participated as a couple. We boarded the boat with a mix of skepticism and high expectations about what we would see. Every time someone shouted, there was a commotion and movement, which was a bit tiring... but we did see it. Just when we thought we might not see anything, we spotted the tail... Unfortunately, we couldn't see the large body, but the view of Honolulu Beach from the sea was breathtaking. I would like to participate again during a better season.

夫婦二人で参加しました。どのくらい見えるのか、半信半疑も期待大で乗船しました。誰かが叫ぶたびにどよめきと移動で少々くたびれましたが・・・見えたんです。もう駄目かなと思っていたときに尾びれが・・・残念ながら大きなからだの部分は見えませんでしたが、海から眺めるホノルルビーチの風景は絶景でした。また季節の良い時に参加したいと思います。

1st time to Hawaii and was a little disappointed had to cancel our whale watching trip the 1st time but was able to reschedule before we left. We saw one whale but wasn't fast enough to get a picture. Just saw a little bit of the hump and tail. But we had fun while we could.

When I booked the Early Bird Whale Watch Cruise for the 15th April, it was my only opportunity to possibly see some whales. I knew it was the last day of the Star of Honolulu Whale Watch Cuises and I may not necessarily see any whales, and unfortunately we didn't. But that didn't stop me from having an absolutely wonderful time. There were not may 'tourists' on this cruise, probably because it was the end of the season, and we were allowed to wonder about the boat freely. The staff were very informative, and really made us all feel very welcome. I spent my time walking about the ship taking some wonderful photos and talking to other tourists and staff. It was a beautiful sunny day, though a bit windy. To be out on the water on such a beautiful day with some fantastic people was a joy. It was a disappointment we didn't see whales, but a gamble I took when booking. The company guarantees you will see whales, in the event that you dont, they give vouchers for a free cruise, valid for 12 months.
Next time I go to Oahu it will be in January, and I can redeem the free cruise voucher.
I would recommend the Star of Honolulu whale watch cruises, the ship is beautiful and clean, the staff are fantastic, and the scenery is beautiful.

Great family activity for all ages. The naturalist on the boat was very nice and obviously loves his job. He was very knowledgeable and was very funny as well. Even though it was almost the end of the season 4/1 we did see several whales. The boat was very smooth sailing and the lunch buffet was nice. Nice way to start out a vacation after a long day of travel.

I was looking forward to whale watching! I was worried about whether I would actually see a whale, but I was able to see them properly. I saw a mother and calf whale.

After that, a few more showed up, but they were quite far away, just showing a bit of their bodies above the surface, and there wasn't the big splash I was hoping for. However, the scenery was wonderful, and I enjoyed the cruise, so I was very satisfied.

I want to see a whale make a big splash someday, so if I have the opportunity to go to Hawaii, I definitely want to participate again.

楽しみにしていたホエールウォッチング！クジラが実際に見られるか不安でしたがちゃんと見ることできました。
親子クジラ見えました。
その後も何頭か姿を見せてくれましたが、距離的には遠く水面から少し胴体を出すくらいで、期待していた胴体を水面にザッパーンとかはありませんでした。
ですが、景色も素晴らしかったしクルーズとしても楽しめたので大満足でした。

いつかザッパーンするクジラが見たいのでハワイに行く機会があったら是非また参加したいと思います。

My wife and I decided to go whale watching and the first time out we did not see any whales. However, they have a guarantee so we went out a second time a few days later and saw lots of whales. It was fun and exciting. It was really enjoyable and the cruise back to Honolulu was relaxing. I would recommend this to anyone and I would definitely do this whale watching cruise again.

We had a great time out with a fabulous, fun and friendly crew. We loved being on this particular boat. You can stand really close to the edge or laze out in the middle over the netting. Oh and the whales were entertaining too. We even saw one breech! Will definitely do this again.