All Reviews for Whale Watching Tours in Oahu

We woke up early and went, and we were able to see whales beautifully, so the whole family was satisfied and came back. If we have the chance to come to Hawaii again in winter, I would like to participate again.

朝早起きして行きましたが見事にクジラを見ることが出来て家族全員満足して帰ってきました、また冬にハワイに来る機会が有れば参加してみたいです。

I couldn't see it.
There are about two days like that in a month.
It's disappointing, but there's nothing we can do about it.

I received a ticket to ride again during this season.

見られませんでした。
１ヶ月に２日くらいはそういう日もあるということ。
残念でした。こればっかりはしょうがないですね。

今シーズン中にもう一度乗れるチケットをいただきました。

My husband and I booked this spur of the moment the last day we were in Honolulu in late February. Very friendly staff, boat is catamaran style but has indoor and outdoor decks. Large enough so anyone concerned about being on the ocean in a small boat needn't worry. They serve lunch and also do dinner cruises but we didn't partake in those. They guarantee you will see whales and we were so excited to see four! We were able to float along with a mother and a week old calf. Mother breached the water twice and the baby spent the entire time jumping exuberantly trying to imitate. Such beautiful and graceful animals. Humpback whales go to Hawaii to mate and give birth so it's a perfect place for a whale watch! Great activity for couples and families. Definitely recommend Navatek/Atlantis activities (they do whale watches plus glass bottom boat & submarine tours).

wonderful experience.
However, Lunch was not so good.

When it comes to Hawaii, whale watching is a must! I was really looking forward to it and signed up! The boat was large and had many Japanese and foreign tourists, which was great! Unfortunately, we didn't see any whales. There are certainly whale watching tours every day, and when I think about it, it's not guaranteed that you can see them every day. I had somehow convinced myself that whale watching meant you would definitely see whales, but it seems there are many days when you don't. I received a ticket for the next trip, but I wonder when I will be able to visit Hawaii again... It turned out to be just a cruise instead of whale watching. Well, the scenery was nice, but it got a bit boring after a while. I think I would have preferred to go snorkeling instead, even though there’s a chance of seeing whales, and it would be amazing if we did!

ハワイといえばホエールウォッチング！
楽しみに申し込みしました！
日本人も外国の観光客も多く乗った船も大きくて良かったです！
ただ残念ながらクジラは見られませんでした。たしかに毎日のようにホエールウォッチングツアーはあるだろうし、よく考えたらその毎日が毎日見れるわけじゃないですよね。 ただ、なんでかホエールウォッチングと聞いたら完全クジラに会えるもんだと思い込んでましたが、、見られない日も多いようでした。次回乗船券をいただきましたが、次にハワイに訪れられるのはいつのことか、、、
ホエールウォッチングではなく、ただのクルーズになりました、、まぁ、景色は良かったですがずーっとはちょっと飽きてしまいました。これなら、クジラじゃないけど、シュノーケリングとかしたかったかな、、ただクジラが見られるかもしれないし、見られたら最高だと思います！

I was satisfied to see both dolphins and whales. However, the tour had a Japanese guide whose Japanese was written in romaji on the script, and they were reading it in broken Japanese. I wonder which country the guide is from. When I asked a question, they said, "I don't understand." With this level of quality, a Japanese guide was unnecessary.

イルカもクジラも見えて満足。
但し、日本語ガイド付きのツアーで、案内の日本語が、原稿にローマ字が書いてあって、カタコトの日本語で、読み上げている状態。何処の国のガイドなのか。
質問すると『ワタシ ワカリマセン』と言われた。
このクオリティなら日本語ガイドは必要無かった。

My husband and I had a great time! Cousin K was awesome!

I participated on February 15th. We were able to see parent and child whales, but more than anything, the silence while waiting for the whales really enhanced the atmosphere. The English announcements on the ship also did a great job of building excitement.

2/15日に参加しました
親子の鯨を見る事が出来ましたが何より鯨を待つ間の静寂が雰囲気を盛り上げていました。船内の英語の放送も上手く盛り上げてくれました。

When I looked in the direction I was told, I caught a glimpse of the tail fin. Next, I saw a spout of water and a glimpse of its back. I hope to see it jump someday.

いたよー、と言われた方向を見ると、尾びれがちらりと見えました。次は、プシューッという潮吹きと背中がちらりと見えました。いつかジャンプする姿を見たいものです。。

The crew were very pleasant and helpful, somewhat informative. Drinks were available to anyone who wanted them that early in the morning, and there were many who did. Unfortunately,only a few tails sighted. Boat/captain only went about 3 miles out, where every other boat had gone to whale watch - and no one had any luck. I'm guessing a combination of too many boats, too much noise, and the slight delay in migration everyone talked about b/c of el Nino.

This was a great excursion. Saw lots of whales, food was great, fun activities, great crew.

3 whales about 100 yards away. I wish I could post some whale pictures.

We had a great day along with our 2 year old daughter
Saw whales quite a few times along with some calves
Even the boat ride was great to get in the views
Taking a camera is a must

I participated with the mindset that it was understandable not to see whales since they are wild creatures, but I was able to confirm several spouts and tails from a distance. What excited me the most was when a pod of dolphins appeared and swam alongside the boat for a long time. I was sitting at the best position at the bow, watching them up close! The staff members were also so engrossed in dolphin watching that they set their work aside—such a laid-back vibe in tropical Hawaii (laughs). I wonder if this is a really rare occurrence.

It felt like the dolphins and whales were welcoming me to Hawaii, and it made me feel so happy.

The Japanese guide's Japanese was quite questionable, though (laughs). At the hotel and restaurants, everyone spoke fluent Japanese, so it stood out even more (laughs). It might not have much meaning if the explanation isn't in Japanese. But I was very satisfied, so I give it ★5!

自然の生き物なのでクジラに会えなくても仕方ないと心づもりして参加しましたが、
遠目とはいえ、何度も潮吹きや尾びれを確認できました。
何といっても興奮したのはイルカの群れが現れ、ずっと船と並走してくれたこと。
ベストポジションの船首に座っていたので、かぶりつきで眺めていました～～
スタッフの人たちもお仕事そっちのけでイルカウォッチングしてて
さすがおおらかな南国ハワイ（笑）もしかしてすごく珍しいことなんでしょうか。

ハワイにようこそ！ってイルカやクジラたちに歓迎してもらったようで、
幸せな気分になりました。

日本語ガイドさんの日本語はかなり怪しかったですけどね（笑）
ホテルでもレストランでもみなさん流暢な日本語を駆使されるので
際立つ怪しさ（笑）解説が日本語でないとあまり意味がないかな。
でも大満足でしたので★５つ！

Due to regulations, you can only see from a farther distance than expected. However, I was able to see the spouts and tails. It would be nice to have binoculars, but since they are small, if you lean in to look, you might lose sight of them.

I accidentally watched from the lower deck the whole time, but I think I would have seen more if I had gone to the top. Even if you can't see whales, it's a pleasant cruise where you can enjoy the view of Waikiki from the clear sea.

Actually, on the dinner cruise, I happened to see whales, and they were closer there. It's all about luck.

By the way, I opted for the breakfast option, but it might be fine without it. The contents were lettuce, tomato, sausage, scrambled eggs, orange, and pineapple.

規定があるので、思ったより遠くからしか見られません。
でも、潮吹きや尾が見えました。双眼鏡があるといいですが、小さいので、覗きこんでいると、見失ってしまいます。
うっかり下のデッキからずっとそのまま見てしまいましたが、一番上に上がったらもっと見えたと思います。
クジラが見えなくても、晴れた海からワイキキを眺められて気持ちいいクルーズです。
実はディナークルーズでも、偶然クジラが見られて、そちらの方がクジラは近かったです。運次第ですね。
なお、朝食付きにしましたが、なしでもいいかも。
内容は、レタス･トマト･ソーセージ･スクランブルエッグ･オレンジ･パイナップル、以上でした。

I participated this morning.

The description stating that there would be an explanation by a marine biology expert about whales in Japanese is completely false. All explanations on the Navatic were in English from the pickup bus. I wouldn't have chosen this tour if there was no Japanese explanation, so I would like a refund. I wonder why I compared various tours...

I feel like the experience has been ruined not just on the day of the tour, but from the preparation period leading up to it.

今日の午前中に参加しました。

クジラについての海洋生物専門家による解説（日本語）というのは、まったくの嘘の表記です。
ピックアップのバスから、ナバティック号での説明全てが英語です。
日本語の説明がないなら選ばなかったツアーなので、返金してほしいです。
何の為に色々なツアーを比較したのだか、、、

ツアー当日だけでなく、その前の準備期間から台無しになった気分です。

I was able to see it multiple times! Although we didn't get to see the upper body completely emerge, it was exciting to watch several whales, which appeared to be a mother and her calf, spouting water and floating on the waves with their tails out. Since we had a hotel pickup plan, it was smooth and we didn't have to worry about finding the boarding area.

何回も見ることができました！
上半身がザパーンと出るまでは行きませんでしたが
親子と思われる複数頭が潮吹きをしたり波に浮かんで尻尾を出したり、終始エキサイティングでした。
ホテルに送迎のプランだったので乗り場も迷うことなくスムーズでした。

Since it's near Honolulu, I thought it would be lucky if we got to see whales, and if not, we could enjoy the cruise, so I made a reservation. There are colorful fish in the harbor where the boat docks, so definitely check them out before boarding! The various sizes of yellow and blue fish really get you excited.

For those without meals included, we were guided to the third floor where we received explanations about the whales and the boat before departure, but everything was in English and honestly, it was content you could take or leave. Later, a file with explanations in Japanese was placed on the stage, which was sufficient. Since there was time, many people were having breakfast with the rice balls and bread they brought. Since it was early in the morning, having a meal here might be enough.

Once we set sail, we had free time, so I quickly went up to the observation floor on the fourth deck. About 30 minutes after departure, when we could see Ala Moana, dolphins started swimming alongside the boat!!! Everyone was super excited to see about 20 dolphins! They swam alongside the boat, jumped a little away, and then came back... just this alone felt worth the price, and I was already very satisfied.

After about 45 minutes, we arrived off Diamond Head and stopped. An announcement was made to look for whales. However, during the announcement, we already saw a spout, and when we focused our eyes, we spotted a large tail! It was a bit far, but we could see it perfectly! After that, we spent about an hour and a half moving and stopping while searching for whales, and we were able to see them more than 15 times, which was amazing! In the end, we even saw a mother and calf swimming leisurely about 50 meters from the boat, and I was grateful for the generous spirit of the whales.

After seeing the whales perfectly, we returned to the harbor and were thrilled to also see a turtle swimming smoothly beside the boat during the 4-hour trip!

By the way, I spoke with someone who booked a tour with meals included after disembarking, and they mentioned that during their meal, there was an announcement saying, "A whale has appeared over there," so they kept going back and forth and hardly got to eat, nor did they see the whales. Announcements are made after a whale has already appeared. I think it’s unlikely you’ll see them if you run over after hearing the announcement... it seems like you have a higher chance of spotting them by focusing your eyes on the spouts yourself. Also, I wouldn’t really recommend it for children. Since you can’t approach the whales (but it’s okay if they come close), the whales are far away, and I wonder if they understand when you say, "Over there!"... Many kids seemed to get bored and fussy.

It might be good to participate with the mindset of "If we see them, great; if not, we’ll cruise around Waikiki and Diamond Head." That said, it was fantastic as a cruise! Whether you see whales or not might be a matter of luck, but it was a fun experience worth more than the price♪ I highly recommend it for those going to Hawaii during whale season!

ホノルル近郊だし見れたらラッキーくらいで、見れなかったらクルージングとして楽しもうと予約。
船の停泊している港にはカラフルな魚がいるので乗船前にぜひ見てください！黄色や青の大小さまざまな魚でちょっとテンション上がります

食事無しの人達は３階へ誘導され出港前にクジラや船の説明をされますが、すべて英語だし特に聞いても聞かなくても…という内容。後ほど日本語で書かれた説明ファイルがステージに置かれるので、それで十分。時間があるので、持ってきたおむすびやパンで朝食をしている方が結構いました。朝も早いのでここで食事で十分かも

出港してしまえば自由行動なのでさっそく展望フロアの４階へ。出港して３０分、アラモアナが見えてきた頃船と並走するようにイルカが！！！
２０頭ほどのイルカにみんなで大興奮！！船と並走したりちょっと離れて飛んだりまた近づいてきたり・・・これだけで値段以上のいいものが見れた気がしてすでに大満足ｗ

45分ほどするとダイアモンドヘッド沖まで来て停泊。ここでクジラを探すとアナウンスが。
が、アナウンス中にすでに潮吹きが見れ、目を凝らしてると大きな尻尾！
ちょっと遠くでしたがバッチリ見れました！
そこからは１時間半ほど動いたり停まったりしながらクジラを探してましたが、１５回以上は見れて感動！最後には船から５０ｍ先くらいにのんびりと親子で泳ぐクジラまで見れ、サービス精神旺盛なクジラに感謝です

ばっちりクジラを見て港へ帰還中、船の横をすぃーっと泳ぐカメまで見れて感動の4時間でした！！

ちなみに下船後食事つきのツアーで申し込んだ方と話したのですが、食事してる時に「あっちにクジラが出た」とアナウンスがかかるため、見に行ったり戻ったりで食事もほぼ出来なかったし、クジラも見れなかったと。
クジラが出る度にアナウンスはかかるのですが、クジラが「出た」あとにかかります。アナウンスを聞いてからそっちへ走ってもほぼ見れないと思います…自分で目を凝らして潮吹きを探した方が確立高いような気がします。
あと、お子様にもあんまりおススメできないかも。クジラに近寄ってはいけない為（クジラが近寄ってくるのはOK）、クジラは遠くだし、「あそこあそこ！」と言ってもわかってるかなぁ・・・って感じです。結構飽きちゃってグズッてるお子様多数でした

「見れたらラッキー、見れなかったらワイキキやダイアモンドヘッドを巡るクルージング」として参加してみたらいいかな。
とは言え、クルージングとしても最高！見れるか見れないかは運かもしれないけど、お値段以上の楽しい体験でした♪
クジラのいる時期にハワイへ行く方にはかなり！おススメです！

The ship and crew are lovely and we saw a pod of 3 whales come up 3 times, but it felt too brief. We were in one location the whole time and before you knew it we were heading back. Maybe thats what all whale watching tours are like. If there was a longer option I'd do that next time.

This time, unfortunately, I couldn't encounter any whales, but I was surprised by the differences in the plan's content. Despite paying a bit more for a tour that was supposed to have Japanese guidance, there was only an English explanation. Additionally, even though iced tea was listed as a beverage, it wasn't available, and I was told that while there was Japanese tea, it would be at an extra charge. I almost want a refund because, in a way, it was a memorable tour.

今回、残念ながらホエールには遭遇出来なかったんですが、それよりプランの内容に違いがありビックリしました。少し高いお金を払い日本語案内があるものを選んだにも関わらず英語オンリーの解説しかなくしかも飲み物にアイスティーが記載されているにも関わらず用意がなく日本茶なら有料だがあるとの返答。料金を返金してもらいたいぐらいある意味心に残るツアーでした。

Great buffet lunch, accommodating service staff and siting a number of whales - what could be better?

I highly recommend this tour.

The breakfast was decent, but I was very moved to see the whales. There were many announcements in English on the ship, but everyone moved in the direction of the whales, so I didn't have any particular difficulties.

朝食はそれなりですが、くじらを見られてとても感動しました。
船内の案内は英語が多いですが、くじらのいる方向にみなさん動くので、特に不自由ありませんでした

We saw a family of whales on our trip! It was a good day out although I think it would be better to see them on another island....

Had a great time!! We were lucky to have lots of whale sightings, one even came up close to the ship!!

We had a very nice time on the tour. We actually had a whale come within 40 ft of the boat.
Most of the sightings of the whales were of their tail fins in the distance.
A bonus was when a group of spinner dolphins came right alongside of us swimming and performing.

Awesome Boat, great crew, good food, spent a lot of time watching whales.

I was already feeling excited before the tour even started with the bus pickup around the hotels in Waikiki. The boat was larger than I expected and spacious, so I think it would be hard to get seasick unless the waves were really rough.

We had a meal on the boat, but I wouldn't get my hopes up about it. It was just ordinary local cuisine.

Inside the boat, they showed us pictures and explained things in English. It was labeled as having a Japanese guide, but there was none at all. I think they should revise that description.

When I went out on the deck, the weather was nice and the view was amazing. I felt like it was the right time to go out, but I wish they had informed us when we could go out.

Fortunately, we were able to see three whales swimming alongside us, and we got to see a lot of spouts. We even encountered one that was flipping its large tail while diving.

There were tourists from various countries on board, and everyone had their own way of enjoying the experience. I found myself having fun too, thanks to a lady who was joyfully shouting and celebrating.

ワイキキのホテルを回りながらのバスピックアップで、参加前から気分が高揚しました。
船は思っていたより大きくて、ゆったりしているので、よほど波が荒くなければ酔いにくいんじゃないかと思います。

船の中で食事を食べるのですが、これはあまり期待しない方がいいです。
ごく普通の現地料理。

船内で、写真を見せながら英語で説明をしてくれます。日本語ガイドと表記されていましたが、それは一切ありませんでした。これは表記は改めた方がいいと思います。

甲板に出ると、天候が良く素晴らしい景色でした。
これも、なんとなく今のタイミングだと思ってデッキに出たんですが、いつから出ていいのかは言ってほしいところですね。

運よく、3匹の鯨と並走で、潮吹きはたくさん見ることが出来まして、潜る際に大きく尾びれを回しているところにも遭遇できました。

色々な国から集まった観光客が乗り込んでいて、楽しみ方も様々。
大声で騒いで喜んでいるおばさまにつられて、こちらも楽しくなりました。

The tour was professionally organised and well run. The boat provided plenty of viewing opportunities for all onboard. The staff were helpful and knowledgeable. We found some whales but didn't get really close (which was the only downside).

My husband and I took our 3 kids and we were quite impressed with how quickly we spotted the whales (we even saw dolphins!). It's safe and a great experience, I would definitely recommend it for families with young children.

Parking is convenient. Check in is across from boat. Prepare for standing and maybe even a little sea sick lol! Don't forget to bring your binoculars!

While we spent most of the time chasing the sunset vs. the whales, the experience was warm and included safe splashing and a beautiful environment. Highly recommended experience while you are visiting Haleiwa to experience the true beauty of Hawaii.