All Reviews for Toddler Friendly (Ages 2-4)

I booked a trip with Dolphin University, but I received a call the evening before saying that they couldn't secure my reservation because they were busy. They asked if I could change my pickup time from 5:30 PM to 11:00 AM. Since I had plans in the afternoon, I inquired about cancellation fees, and the response was vague, saying, "It's not decided yet." I was left waiting for a call without knowing when it would come, and when I called back internationally, they told me to switch to Dolphin Junior High. I was informed that the boat would not have a slide and that swimming with dolphins would be different.

Since I had a 4-year-old and a 6-year-old with me, I was anxious about how the changes would affect us, but they said, "The children's feelings will determine if they can swim."

When we actually went, the boat was quite small, and the waves were high, making it impossible for the kids to swim with the dolphins, so we ended up watching from the boat. Additionally, the dolphins were in the middle of raising their young and swam away. (This is understandable, but the dolphin swim at Dolphin University should have ended by the end of October.)

Fortunately, the child who is prone to seasickness did not get sick, but it was disappointing that the 4-year-old couldn't enjoy it much due to the small boat.

Also, the instructions for entering the water were all in English, possibly because our family was the only Japanese group, which made me anxious as I had to act as an interpreter.

I wouldn't recommend this tour for those who are not used to such experiences or who are not comfortable with sudden changes. Personally, I was satisfied to see the dorsal fins of the dolphins and to go snorkeling, but I can't help but wonder how it would have been at Dolphin University. Given the size of the boat and the scale of the tour, I felt the price was high (even considering the weak yen).

イルカ大学を予約しましたが、前日夕方に電話があり、遊んでいたために取れなかったため、折り返すと、5時半ピックアップではなく、11時のものに変更できないかという打診でした。午後の予定を入れていたため、キャンセル料がかかるのかなど聞くと、「まだ決定したわけではないから」と歯切れの悪い返事。また、電話すると言われていつ頃かもわからない電話を待ち、また取れずにこちらから国際電話で再度折り返すと、「イルカ中学に変更してください。」と。スライダーがない船になることと、イルカと泳げるという点が異なると言われました。
4歳と6歳が一緒だったので、変更がどうなるか不安でしたが、「お子様の気持ち次第で泳げます」と。
実際行くと、かなり小さなボートで波がかなり高い場所でイルカと泳ぐのは子供は無理そうだったため、船から見学した。また、イルカは子育て中であり、逃げてしまった。（これは仕方ないが、そもそもイルカ大学のドルフィンスイムは10月末で終わっていたはず）
酔いやすい子供が酔わなかったのは幸いだったが、船も小さく、4歳はあまり楽しめていなかったのが残念だった。
また、入水時の説明が、日本人が私達家族だけだったからか、全て英語で、私が通訳のように説明しなければならなかったのが不安だった。
このようなツアーに慣れていない方や、突然の変更に慣れない方にはおすすめしません。
個人的にはイルカの背鰭が見学できて、シュノーケリングができて満足しましたが、イルカ大学だったらどうだったのか・・・と考えてしまいます。また、この内容（ボートの大きさやツアー規模）だとしたらダイビングでもなくこの値段はお高く感じました。（円安を考慮しても）

The food was, of course, excellent, and the service and hospitality were top-notch. The rich pasta was exquisite! The flavors of the fresh ingredients spread throughout, filling my heart as well. I will definitely be coming back.

料理は勿論、サービスや接客も質が高く
最高でした。
濃厚なパスタが絶品！新鮮な食材の旨味が広がり、心まで満たされました。
リピート確定です。

Since I joined the 7:20 tour, there were still few people at the beach, and I was able to find a good spot. The seawater in November is cold, and on this day, the wind was strong and it even rained at times, making it feel even colder. I was glad to see a lot of fish.

Although it's not due to this tour, it's unfortunate that Hanauma Bay has become reservation-only, which means you can't decide to go based on the weather on the day of your visit. By the way, it was sunny during my stay except for the day of the tour.

7:20の回で入れたので、まだビーチに人が少なくていい場所が取れました。
11月の海水は冷たく、この日は風が強くて途中雨も降っていたので尚更寒く感じました。
魚はたくさん見れたので良かったです。

このツアーのせいではないのですが、ハナウマ湾自体が予約制になったことで当日の天気で行くことを判断できなくなってしまったのが残念です。
ちなみに参加日以外の滞在期間は晴れていました。

Crew was amazing and very helpful in every way. Went for a snorkeling tour and even if you don't know how to swim they'll help you. Would come again

I boarded three times before the COVID-19 pandemic. The atmosphere was nice, and there were staff members who could speak Japanese. I was really looking forward to this trip to Hawaii after a long time, but the staff prioritized foreign guests and were not friendly towards Japanese guests. The drinks I ordered took over 30 minutes to arrive, and they didn't even ask if I wanted a refill on the bread. The only saving grace was the beautiful fireworks from Hilton. Overall, I'm just disappointed.

コロナ禍前に3回乗船しました。
雰囲気も良く、日本語も出来るスタッフもいました。今回久しぶりのハワイでとっても楽しみにしてましたが、スタッフは外人のゲストファーストで、日本人には愛想無し。頼んだドリンクは30分以上来ない。パンのおかわりさえ聞かない。唯一ヒルトンの花火が綺麗だった事が救い。
とにかく残念の一言

The sudden downpour soaked my pants, but it actually boosted my spirits. I was half in a reckless mood... haha.

夕立ち、大雨でパンツまでビショビショでしたが、かえってテンション上がりました。
半分ヤケクソで‥‥　笑

we had an amazing time at The Sandbar. we enjoyed playing volleyball. The staff was amazing! and the captain was absolutely awesome. it was our favorite excursion of our trip in Hawaii.

Hanauma Bay itself was a small beach, but I felt the importance of coexistence with nature as there were seals, and the fish didn't swim away. It was a wonderful experience. Additionally, I was able to communicate with people from various countries and generations, which made for enjoyable memories.

ハナウマベイ自体はこじんまりとしたビーチでしたが、　あざらしがいたり、魚は逃げないし、自然との共存、大切さを感じられました。
素晴らしい体験でした。
また、現地喉方対応で様々な国の方、世代の方達とコミュニケーションが取れて楽しい思い出となりました。

I really enjoyed the tour. The tour guider is so nice, and organized very well, cared every person in the group, answered questions patiently. Also, the tour planned itself is excellent, no hurry, enough time for each activities, especially for seniors.

Thank you!

Eine sehr beeindruckendes Erlebnis!
Kann ich allen empfehlen.

The beautiful ocean and Diamond Head. Just seeing the buildings of Waikiki from the boat felt great. I couldn't see the seabed very well through the glass, though.

綺麗な海とダイヤモンドヘッド ワイキキのビルを船から見るだけでも気持ち良かった
ガラス越しに海底はそれほど見えなかったかな

The guide was friendly, and it turned out to be a very enjoyable tour! The food was delicious, and we had a great time. We were also able to see sea turtles, which made us very satisfied.

案内人の人も気さくでとても楽しいツアーになりました！
ご飯もおいしく、楽しい時間になりました。
ウミガメも見ることができ、大満足です。

Actually this was our first time coming to Oahu.
We were late for our reservation time but they had arranged for a Captain who was very nice and friendly to take us by speed boat to meet the group, the captain even shared some knowledge of green turtles with us, (sorry I'm not good at remembering people's names
The whole adventure was great we had a fun time and the crew was very nice and friendly, even the green boat crew, highly recommend it.

I went in with somewhat low expectations, so I was pleasantly surprised by how much I was able to interact with the dolphins!

We experienced it alongside other Japanese groups, and the friendly Japanese staff were always there to explain things, which was very helpful.

Although there was no dolphin show happening during our visit, we had quite a bit of free time. It felt very homey, as there were staff members who spoke broken Japanese and checked in on us while we were exploring!

少し期待値低めで行ったためか、思った以上にイルカに触れることができてよかったです！

私たちは他の日本人グループの方たちと一緒に体験し、気さくな日本人のスタッフの方が常に説明してくださりとても助かりました。

園内はイルカショーもしていないタイミングで時間はかなり持て余しましたが、カタコトで日本語を話す方が散策中も会うと気にかけてくださったりアットホームなところでした！

The sea was beautiful, and I encountered many fish and turtles. The playful captain caught a seahorse and showed it to us. Although I'm not a strong swimmer, during snorkeling, the female staff member stayed close by, guiding and encouraging me. I was moved by their warm hospitality. I often use Veltra for my travels, and I've never had a bad experience!

海は美しく、たくさんの魚や亀に出会いました。いたずら好き？な船長さんがたつのおとしごを捕まえて見せてくれました。
泳ぎが得意ではないですが、シュノーケリングではスタッフの女性がずっとそばにいてくれて、声をかけて誘導してくれました。
ホスピタリティ溢れる対応に感動しました。
旅行ではよくベルトラさんを利用させていただきますが、ハズレは全くないです‼️

Overall is very good. The lobster is very tasty, the steak is great, the view to the fire work is amazing, the crews are super friendly, the dance performance is fantastic. We enjoyed the dance at the end with a lot of laughs & funs together. Highly recommended.

It was not crowded because it was the rainy season, and there was no waiting at all. However, it didn't rain during the day, so I was able to enjoy it thoroughly!

雨期だったため空いていて、全く並びませんでした。でも、日中は雨が降っていなかったので、十分に楽しむことが出来ました！

Heavenly sea. I went with high expectations. The beauty of the sea is truly wonderful. You can definitely encounter turtles. While snorkeling, I experienced a fantastic view with many beautiful fish swimming around the coral. However, the wind is strong on the sea, and during the rainy season, it rains quite a bit, making it very cold. Since you're on the sea, you can't warm up. I wouldn't recommend going on rainy days during the rainy season. If it's a sunny day, I think you can have a wonderful experience.

天国の海。期待大でいきました。
海の綺麗さはホントに素晴らしい。
亀にもしっかり遭遇出来ます。シュノーケリングは、珊瑚の周りに沢山の綺麗な魚が泳いでいて、素晴らしい眺めを体験できました。
ただ、海の上は風が強く、雨季は結構長く雨が降るので、寒くて寒くて。海の上なんで暖もとれず。雨季の雨の日はお勧め出来ないですね。
晴れあがった日であれば、素晴らしい体験が出来ると思います。

Such a fun night. The food options were delicious. The activities and vendors were interesting and informative. The show is very entertaining and fun to watch. The host, Paul, was fantastic and he made it special for my fiancé and l as he heard we got engaged a few days prior. We got to get our own dance along those who were celebrating anniversaries. That was such a sweet surprise and totally unexpected. I highly recommend luau! The transportation was also fantastic and super easy.
Hyatt

It was a pool that is not very common in Japan.
I think similar pools can only be found at Fuji-Q or Nagashima Spa Land.
There were a lot of slides, and it was fun.
You might get caught in traffic on the way back, so please be careful.

日本にはあまりないプールでした。
似たプールは富士急かナガスパにしかないかな？
たくさんスライダーがあって楽しかったです。
帰りは渋滞に巻き込まれるかもです。お気をつけて。

In the morning, a heavy rainstorm hit Waikiki, and I was anxious about whether the tour would still take place. By the time we arrived at Kaneohe Bay, it was drizzling, but it cleared up by the end of the tour, and I wished it had improved a few hours earlier.

We had about 15 minutes of waiting time after arriving at the port of Kaneohe Bay, but since it was drizzling and there were hardly any covered areas, I regretted not bringing an umbrella as there wasn't much to see.

Before reaching the sandbar, we stopped at a sea turtle spot and were able to see around 10 to 20 sea turtles. That alone was impressive, but during snorkeling, I got to see a few turtles up close. The staff were all very kind, and there were several who could speak Japanese fluently, which made for a very enjoyable time. I definitely want to participate again on a sunny day.

There was one disappointing point... On the way back, we had to ride the bus without changing clothes, and the air conditioning on the bus was very strong. Even though I wrung out my wet swimsuit, it wasn't completely dry, and putting on dry clothes over it made me increasingly wet, to the point where I was shivering from the cold.

午前中雷がなるほどの豪雨がワイキキを襲い、ツアーをやるのかどきどきしました。カネオへ湾到着時は小雨、ツアー終了時に晴れたためもう数時間早くよくなればなーと思いました。
カネオへ湾の港に到着してから15分ほど出発まで時間があったのですが、小雨で屋根があるところもほぼなく特に見るものもないため傘を持ってくればよかったと思いました。
サンドバー到着前にウミガメスポットに寄り、10~20匹くらいのウミガメを目撃することが出来ました。それだけでも感動しましたが、シュノーケル時には数匹のウミガメを間近で見ることが出来ました。スタッフも皆さんとても親切でカタコトでは無い日本語を話せるスタッフが複数人いたためとても楽しい時間を過ごす事が出来ました。今度は是非晴れた日に参加したいと思います。
残念な点は1点…
帰りが着替えることなくバスに乗るのですが、バスの冷房が強いことです。水着を着たまま絞ったものの完全ではないため、乾いた服を上から着てもどんどん濡れてしまい唇がガクガク震えるレベルで寒くなりました。

Our group was looking forward to our first luau and as we arrived at the destination it started raining. While the hosts were quick to hand out rain ponchos, the rain affected the event.

First, the hosts were rushed to get folks registered and get things moving. As a result, our group was never able to get our picture taken before the event started. Knowing this was an outdoor venue and its rainy season, I would have expected that certain things would have been under cover - like the photo area, the stage and honestly even the seating.

The food was under cover and was good. Not spectacular but good. A couple of our group had raw fish and were all sick that night so having certain foods outside for an extended period was not smart.

The performance from the warriors was good. They tried to show the different dress/dance of various polynesian groups but it would have benefited from more clarity on their differences as they all stared looking the same.

The ONE performance I was looking forward to was the fire dance. It was a disappointment. I expected all the adult performers to have choreographed a phenomenal dance of fire, complete with fire twirling, throwing etc. Instead they handed the "fire dance" off to one young boy for a solo act and two young boys to show off what they learned. YES, they were very good! but the magic of a "warrior tribe" dancing the fire dance was lost. The adults did come back for a grand finale - but it seems confusing at best.

Not what I expected.

The captain, crew, boat accommodations were all good - great! But the reason for this excursion was the snorkeling and that was just OK.

First the good: The crew did a fantastic job taking care of us all on the boat. They seamlessly prepped all the food without us realizing they were doing it, and then served it very effectively! It was really good and plenty of it. Gotta be fast to ask for seconds tho as the crew is very efficient cleaning up. The boat ride was also great!

Now the OK: I fully expected the crew would extend their care to the snorkeling adventure and split us up into groups and take us around the coral reef. They did not, and we were left to swim and fend for ourselves not really knowing how to navigate a reef without coming in contact with it, not really knowing what we should be looking for. I "happened" across a turtle that came up from the depths of the coral and almost collided with me... so I saw that one, but not much else because I wasn't sure what I should be looking at.

The window-side seat on the top floor had a great view and the food was delicious. However, the size of the steak was clearly smaller than those at the surrounding tables, which was disappointing. Additionally, they did not bring water to us or other Japanese guests.

I felt a bit sad about various things, but the evening and night views were wonderful, and we could see the fireworks well, so I think it was still a good experience. I believe those who participate can enjoy it if they have a relaxed mindset.

窓際席、一番上の階で景色も良くお料理も美味しかったです。しかし、ステーキの大きさが周りのテーブルより明らかに小さく、残念な気持ちになりました。また、私たちや他の日本人にはお水を持ってきてくれませんでした。
色々悲しい気持ちでしたが、夕景、夜景は素晴らしく花火も良く観れたので良かったのかなとは思います。
参加される方は心にゆとりがあれば楽しめるとは思います。

I took a taxi to Hilton Hawaiian Village, which was fine, but I was nervous because I didn't know where the meeting place was...

I think it would be reassuring to have prior information like, "After passing through the hotel entrance, there will be a boat docked towards the beach."

On the 10:00 trip, even at a depth of 30 meters, it was bright, and I could see many fish, which was a lot of fun! I was hoping to see a honu (sea turtle), but unfortunately, that didn't happen... Since my elderly mother was with me, we didn't do any marine activities, but it was great to be able to explore underwater in a submarine, which is something you can't easily experience in Japan.

ヒルトンハワイアンビレッジまでタクシーで向かったのはいいのですが…
集合場所がわからずドキドキしました。。

「ホテルの入り口を抜けて、ビーチに向かった所に船が停まっている」
などの事前案内があったら安心だと思う。

10:00の便で、海底30mでも明るく
たくさんの魚が見れてとても楽しかった♪
ホヌに会えるのを願ってましたが…叶わず。。
高齢の母も一緒だったので、マリンアクティビティは一切なかったので、日本ではなかなか体験できない潜水艦で、水中散策ができたのでよかったです。

This tour is conducted in English, but even if your English isn't very good, they kindly assist you using translation software. When purchasing tickets or entering, the driver had informed us in advance that we should buy tickets together with the foreign guests who joined us as part of the same group, which made things really easy. Above all, it's a great value! Compared to Japanese-speaking shuttle tours, it's truly reasonable. There was plenty of time to enjoy, so we were able to relax on the beach until it was time for pickup!

こちらのツアーは、英語での案内になりますが、
英語がそんなにできなくても、翻訳ソフトなどを使って、親切に教えてくれます。実際にチケットを購入したり、入場する際も、相乗りしてきた外国人の方に同一グループとして一緒に購入してあげて欲しいと、あらかじめドライバーさんから申し伝わっているので、本当に楽でした。何よりも、コスパがいい！日本語対応の送迎ツアーと比べて本当にリーズナブル。滞在時間もたっぷりあるので、お迎えまでビーチでゆっくりできました！

I was on a tour with one Japanese person, an Asian family that seemed to be Korean (6-7 members), a group of four young white people, and a white family from America (four members).

During the tour, there were several stops, and at each stop, the driver-guide explained the location. However, the driver-guide (who was white) only provided explanations to the group of young white people and the white family, and at the end of the tour, he only said "Thank you. Have a nice day." to those two white groups. This behavior felt quite racist at times, and I experienced a strong sense of discomfort.

I can only think that if we had a good driver, it could have been a very enjoyable tour, which makes it all the more disappointing.

私（日本人1名）、韓国人と思われるアジア系家族（6〜7名）、白人の若者グループ（4名）、アメリカ出身白人家族（4名）が乗り合い。
ツアーでは何度か途中下車をする場面があり、その都度下車地点の説明をドライバー兼ガイドが行うという流れだった。
ドライバー兼ガイド（白人）は下車地点の説明を白人の若者グループ及び白人家族にしか行わず、また、ツアー終了時の"Thank you. Have a nice day."という挨拶もそれらの白人2グループにしか言わないなど、随所にRacistかと思うような対応がなされ、強い不快感を覚えた。
良いドライバーに当たればとても面白いツアーだっただろうと思うだけに、非常に残念である。

We participated in mid-October as a couple in our 60s. Among the approximately 20 participants from Japan, everyone except us were newlyweds. There were also couples from Australia who were retired.

Due to the timing, the tide was high, and the white sand was not visible until the tide went out. If you want to walk on the white sand shown in the photos, you'll need to adjust your timing for participation.

However, with the blue sky and sea, the uniquely shaped mountains visible in the distance, and the cheerful hospitality of the crew on board, I felt a sense of liberation. We also saw sea turtles and manta rays. I would like to participate again.

If you're looking for clearer water and a variety of fish while snorkeling, Hanauma Bay might be a better option.

10月中旬に60歳台夫婦で参加。日本から参加された方20名程は、私たち以外新婚さんでした。他にはオーストラリアから来たリタイア後のご夫婦もいた。
時期的に潮が高くて、白い砂が見えるまで潮が引いてはいなかった。写真にある白い砂の上を歩きたければ、参加時期の調整は必要。
でも、青い空と海、視界に見える独特の形をした山、船上クルーの方々の陽気なおもてなしがあり、心が解放された気分になった。ウミガメとマンタも見られた。また参加したい。
シュノーケリング時の海の透明度や見られる魚の豊富さを求めるなら、ハナウマベイの方が良いかも。

I was grateful for the Japanese staff, but they spoke to me in a casual tone the whole time. You could say it was friendly, but there were moments that felt condescending, which made me uncomfortable. The weather was bad, so I couldn't see the scenery like in the photos, but there were light snacks and other aspects of the service were good.

日本語スタッフがいてくれてありがたかったですが、終始タメ口でした。
良く言えばフレンドリーなんでしょうが、上から目線に感じるようなところもあり私は不快でした。
天気が悪く写真のような景色は見れませんでしたが、軽食などもあり他の対応はよかったです。

This tour includes a sandwich lunch at Tantalus after visiting Manoa Falls. I signed up mainly for the Manoa Falls hike, but the lunch sandwiches and the view from Tantalus were just as great! The guide also took a lot of photos for us, thank you.

For those participating, my advice is that there are many mosquitoes in Manoa, so I recommend bringing insect repellent and, if possible, wearing long sleeves and long pants. Also, since it's a rainy area, the ground can be slippery. Having non-slip shoes would be reassuring.

こちらのツアーはマノアの滝の後に、タンタラスの丘でのサンドイッチランチがついていて、マノアの滝ハイキングメインで申し込みましたが、同じくらいランチのサンドイッチとタンタラスの丘からの景色がとてもよかったです！
ガイドさんもたくさん写真をとってくれたり、ありがとうございました。
参加される方へのアドバイスは、マノアは蚊が多いので、虫よけの持参、できれば長袖、長ズボンをおすすめします。あと、雨が多い地域なので地面が滑ります。滑りにくい靴があると安心です。