All Reviews for Luau, Shows & Entertainment

I have to say that The Polynesian Culture Center is my favorite memory about Hawaii. I learned so much with this experience. We adored our Tour Guide "Cousin ViVii" she was very informative and a pleasure to be around. Not only is it my favorite memory of Hawaii, but a favorite memory of my life.

The activity is about an hour and being such a wide vessel motion sickness is not an issue. The shoreline was amazing and the fireworks were nice. It is petty much what you'd expect being on a catamaran.

After reading so many reviews, we expected this experience to be great; however, we found most of the evening to be okay at best. The prime rib and seafood, "prime" dining, is not good. Much of the hot food was luke-warm, the roast beef...I mean prime rib...although pretty sure it was roast beef, was way overcooked and just gross, and much of the food was slimy and just inedible. There was one hot seafood item which was somewhat hot/somewhat still frozen, and my husband said was disgusting. It was not prime dining. I would suggest skipping dining there altogether.

We had some time to walk around; however, most of the exhibits are just artifacts or movies/shows. The Samoa live show was interesting and entertaining, but the videos were boring and I can't imagine what you could spend an entire day there doing (we went late at 4 PM and had plenty of time). The "Ha, Breathe of Life" show was the best part for sure. The show was entertaining; however, it was very long. We went to another luau and show earlier in our trip, booked through the cruise line, and I would say that show was better. "Ha, Breathe of Life" was very long and had a lot of repetitive dancing. They do a part of the show for each Island, so after awhile the dancing gets repetitive. Some aspects were really neat: fire dancing, a few of the dances with props, etc, but it would have been better if it hadn't been so extremely long and repetitive.

Overall, I can't say that I would recommend this experience. If I did, I would recommend the show, without eating dinner. Additionally, be prepared to pay extra for everything and have things that cost money constantly offered to you (I understand, it is a vacation destination, but for the Polynesian Cultural Center, which doesn't allow tipping and is all about culture, it just seemed weird after awhile). Next time we go to Hawaii, we will try a luau closer to the resort area, and skip the Polynesian Cultural Center.

This time, I attended a dinner show for the first time in Waikiki.

It was a standard plan, but I was able to enjoy the dance performances and the food was reasonably delicious.

However, the time between receiving the welcome drink and going to the buffet was too long, which was quite exhausting.

Depending on the seating order, some guests were served a bit earlier, but it would have been better if they could have accommodated us sooner.

Since I had an alcoholic welcome drink, I ended up getting tipsy before going to get the food.

The show itself was very satisfying.

今回ディナーショーはワイキキで初めて行きました。

スタンダードのプランでしたが、
十分にダンスを知覚で見れて料理もそれなりに美味しくいただきました。

ただ、ウェルカムドリンクがきてから、ビュッフェをとりにいくまでの時間が長過ぎてしんどかったです。

席の順番によってはやや早い方もいましたが、もっと早めにたいおうしてもらえると良かったです。

アルコールいりのウェルカムドリンクをいただいたので、料理をとりにいくまでに酔っ払いました。。

ショー自体はとても満足のいくものでした。

The dinner was amazing, the filet was cooked perfectly and the crab legs kept on coming. We got a complimentary mai tai that was actually a very good drink (not that pre-mixed yucky stuff) and also ordered the $40 bottle of champagne. When dinner was finished, they put on a Polynesian show within the cabin that was loads of fun. Unfortunately the sunset was blocked by cloud cover but the show made up for it. The waitress was fantastic and the room supervisor was very attentive. Would definitely do this again! An additional note: they took the usual souvenir photo and charged $27 which we thought was way over the top...but it was framed beautifully (book-bound style) and ended up being the best photo of our entire honeymoon!! Worth every penny!

This was our first luau experience and it was fantastic. Transportation was included, the bus was on time and comfortable. When we arrived, they took a photo that had a beautiful back drop (amazing scenery with the mountain and the ocean), photo was $10 and quite decent quality. There were fun pre-show activities and drinks available. The buffet was good, we paid for the middle of the road package which was worth it. The emcee was funny and personable and the show was very entertaining, the woman sitting next to us said that they had been to several luaus and this was by far the best fire show they'd seen. We were called onto stage because it was our honeymoon and they gave me a nice flower bouquet. Overall it was really a great experience! The whole staff worked hard to make the night a good one. Worth every penny!

I went with my girlfriend. I was expecting a large ship for the cruise, but I was surprised it was smaller. However, this small size actually made it easier to communicate with the foreign guests around us. We had an amazing time! The Mai Tais on the boat were delicious, and I had about five of them. Of course, the sunset was beautiful, and seeing the rainbow near Diamond Head was very soothing. Initially, I was worried about the weather, but it held up, and we were able to end our last day in Hawaii on a high note! I highly recommend it! 😊

彼女と行きました。クルーズということで、大きい船を予想していましたが、小さめでびっくり。
でもこの小ささが、周りの外国の方とのコミュニケーションが弾む結果に。めちゃくちゃ楽しかったです！船で飲むマイタイはおいしく、5杯くらい頂きました。
もちろんサンセットも綺麗で、ダイヤモンドヘッド近くにできた虹を見て、とても癒されました。
当初天気が心配されましたが、なんとか持ち堪えてくれて、ハワイ最終日を最高な気分で終えることができました！！
オススメです(^ ^)

We participated as a couple. This sunset cruise offers unlimited drinks, and they serve Mai Tais as cocktails. The boat initially uses the engine to head out to sea, but once we are offshore, it sails solely with the sails. Since it was dusk, we enjoyed a very cool breeze, which was refreshing. I felt so good that I ended up drinking several Mai Tais. We were able to see the sunset clearly, and it was an unforgettable cruise experience.

夫婦で参加しました。このサンセットクルーズでは飲み物が飲み放題。カクテルはマイタイを出してくれます。船は最初エンジンを使って沖に出ていきますが、沖に出た後は、帆だけで海原を疾走します。夕暮れ時なので、大変涼しい風にあたれ、気分が爽快になります。私はあまりの気分の良さにマイタイを何杯も飲んでしまいました。
日が沈むところもしっかりと見え、これ以上ないクルーズが楽しめました。

Participated on the first day in Honolulu. It's perfect for feeling the essence of Hawaii.

Viewing Waikiki Beach and Diamond Head from the sea while enjoying a Mai Tai with the waves and wind is the best. I put my sandals and bag in the boat's storage box and boarded barefoot.

The front of the boat has a net, and the splashes of water are quite thrilling and enjoyable. You can move freely between seats, and it's also free to stand and feel the wind. Surrounded by foreigners, you really feel like you've come to Hawaii. This is definitely one of the activities I want to repeat next time.

ホノルル初日に参加。ハワイを感じるのに最適です。
ワイキキビーチ、ダイヤモンドヘッドを海から眺め、波と風を感じながらマイタイって最高です。サンダルとバッグは船の収納ボックスに入れ、裸足で乗り込みます。
船の前方はネットが張ってあり、水しぶきがけっこう迫力があり楽しめます。席は自由に移動でき、立って風を感じるのも自由。周りは外人さんばかりでハワイに来たーと実感できます。次回もリピートしたいアクティビティのひとつです。

When we first booked this tour it was at the recommendation of my parents who had visited a few years previously. My husband and I were originally going to explore the center on our own, however, after spending an hour on the bus with Jermaine (hope I spelled that right) and learning that he was giving the tour, we decided to pay a little extra and join the tour group. Best investment we made on our vacation. Not only was Jermaine knowledgeable, friendly, and seriously hilarious, but he got us to all the shows and we saw more than if we had tried to navigate the center ourselves. Highly recommend this place to everyone, and pay the extra for a guide. Well worth it.

This was our first booked activity and it was amazing. Our captain was the best and the sunset was gorgeous. A relaxing, fun, and beautiful sail at sunset. The perfect introduction to Hawaii.

So happy I selected this cruise! Our flight was delayed getting to Oahu on our scheduled sail day and Island Magic was able to accomodate us by rescheduling us for the next day! On first meeting, crew was friendly and professional! The drinks flowed as promised and Chris, the drink captain was attentive and entertaining!
I only wished they served some vodka on board! But I was ok with the white wine served! Beautiful sunset, great views, awesome time!! Hope to have time to do it again before we leave!!

We had a great time with the whole family after the ceremony! We were able to go up on stage and participate together, and I got to dance with my husband. It became the best memory!

挙式後に家族みんなで利用して楽しい時間を過ごせました!!ステージに上がって一緒に参加できたし、旦那さんとダンスできたし、最高の思い出になりました！

It was my first time in Hawaii, so I wanted to see something like a traditional dance, and after searching around, I chose this one as it seemed convenient. We went in mid-September, just the two of us.

- Food…★★★ It was a buffet style, but we could only go once to get food before the show started, and getting a second helping was nearly impossible (the plates were cleared away quickly). However, the plates were larger compared to Japan, so it wasn't a problem in the end. There was a separate kids' buffet available. The taste was decent.
- Drinks…★★ The ticket included two drink vouchers; one was for a welcome drink (you could choose between juice or one of two cocktails), and the other was for after the meal (you could choose from several cocktails, wine, beer, or soft drinks). The welcome drink was almost forced upon us. The free water was gone by the time we had our meal, so I wished they had included another drink voucher.
- Show content…★★★★ The final fire dance was very impressive. Various traditional dances from places other than Hawaii were also showcased. Each had slightly different costumes, which was quite interesting.

It's not a full-fledged luau with a whole roasted pig, but I think it's good for those who want to see traditional dances in a convenient way. By the way, surprisingly (?), about 30% of the audience was Japanese, with many Westerners present.

初ハワイだったので、一度は伝統舞踊のようなものを見てみたいと思い、色々探してお手軽そうなこれにしました。行ったのは9月中旬、夫と2人です。

・料理…★★★　ビュッフェ形式ですが、ショー開始前に一度取りに行けただけでお代わりはほぼ無理です（お皿が早々に片づけられてしまいました）。ただし、お皿が日本と比べて大きかったので結果問題なし。キッズ用ビュッフェが別に用意されていました。味はまずまずです。
・飲み物…★★　チケットにドリンク券が2枚ついていて、1枚はウェルカムドリンク（ジュースorカクテルの2種から選択）、もう1枚は食後（数種のカクテルかワイン、ビール、ソフトドリンクから選択）に使いました。ウェルカムドリンクはほぼ強制的に回ってきます。無料の水は、食事の時にはなくなっていたので、もう1枚ドリンク券つけてほしかったと思いました。
・ショーの内容…★★★★　最後のファイヤーダンスが大迫力。ほかはハワイ以外にも様々な伝統舞踊が披露されました。それぞれ衣装も少しずつ異なり、なかなか興味深かったです。

豚丸焼きが出るような本格的なルアウではありませんが、伝統舞踊をお手軽に見たい方にはよいかと思います。ちなみに、日本人は意外に（？）全体の3割くらいで、欧米人が多かったです。

Food ia not that good!! The dinner tables are not that gate

Awesome experiemce! The food is no that good! Interesting history

A fun relaxing evening to put it simply. First there's the no hassle boarding right off the beach as the catamaran comes right up onto the beach. There may be a line but boarding is quick with lots of room for everyone once on board. You get underway very quickly, a brief safety talk, and then your motoring out past the waves to station yourself for the fireworks show. Drinks are as free flowing as you want distributed by the crew of one in a very efficient manner. The fireworks show looking back at the beach is pretty good - how can it not be- your on a boat in the Pacific, looking at skyline of Waikeke and it's 82 degrees!!! After the fireworks the captain raises the sails and you cruise along the coast. BUT - the best part of the trip is talking with the other passengers- my family met a group from New Zealand and we spent the time talking about differences between the two cultures as similiar as they may be to each other. We have 17 year old twins (boy & girl) and they also had lots of fun !! The price was a very good value, the time at sea was about right- Highly recommended!!

It was a tour with my parents, and the food was delicious, and the show was fun, so I'm glad my parents seemed satisfied.

両親を連れてのツアーだったのですが、料理も美味しかったですし、ショーも楽しかったので両親も満足してくれた様で良かったです。

I had only been on large ships in Hawaii until now, so the catamaran, which allowed me to feel the ocean up close, was absolutely fantastic. My children also had a great time and were very happy. It was interesting to see surfers riding the waves up close. The crew was friendly as well. However, the boat does sway quite a bit due to the wind, so your clothes may get wet, and I wouldn't recommend it for those who are prone to seasickness.

いままでハワイで大型船にしか乗ったことがなかったので海を一番身近に感じられるカタマランは最高に楽しかったです。子供もとても楽しかったと喜んでいました。サーファーの波乗りもかなり近くでみることができ面白いです。クルーもフレンドリーです。ただし、船は風によってかなり揺れますので、お洋服は濡れますし、船酔いをする方にはあまりお勧めできません。

The Island Magic is the perfect name for the perfect Sunset Catamaran Cocktail Sail we had. The crew, drinks, and MUSIC was great. The sunset was spectacular but the bonus was the full moon over Diamond Head. It was an amazing night. Mahalo for the wonderful memories.

It was sunset time. The captain was very friendly, and it was a lot of fun. The sunset viewed from the beach is beautiful, but the sunset seen over the vast ocean is also wonderful. It was worth more than the price. This was my first catamaran experience in Hawaii, despite it being my sixth visit.

サンセットの時間帯でした。船長もとても気さくな方でとても楽しかったです。そして浜辺で観る夕陽も綺麗ですが、大海原で眺める夕陽も素敵です。価格以上の満足度でした。ハワイは６回目にして始めてのカタマラン体験でした。

The crew was amazing. The fireworks were awesome!! It started out with a booking that was fast and informative. We then started out on the water. Smooth sailing, and the captain was very friendly and personable. They said that the maitais were the best on the island. They weren't kidding!! Overall very well done! A must do, must see, must experience!

I went to see it on the last night of my trip. At first, I felt very lonely being there alone, but I was able to enjoy my meal with the people at my table. The show was amazing, and if you're going to Hawaii, it's definitely something you should experience!

今回は、最終日の夜に見に行きました。はじめは1人でとても心細かったですが、同じテーブルになった人達と楽しみながら食事が出来ました。
ショーもすごくて、ハワイへ行ったならぜひ行くべきです！

I have participated in the daytime cruise twice before and had a great time, so this time I tried the sunset cruise. We were blessed with good weather, and the sunset was incredibly beautiful. The experience is completely different from viewing it from the ground. Previously, most participants were foreigners, but this time there were many Japanese people. They were a bit quieter, but we were able to take photos and enjoy ourselves casually. This makes it three consecutive years. I will definitely participate again next time.

今まで2回、昼のクルーズに参加して楽しかったので、今回はサンセットクルーズにトライしました。天気に恵まれ、サンセットは最高に綺麗でした。地上から見るのとは全然違う感動があります。参加者は今までは外国人ばかりでしたが、今回は日本人が多数でした。大人しめでしたが、写真を撮りあったり気楽に過ごせました。これで、3年連続。次も必ず参加します。

You will have your photo taken before boarding the ship after checking in. While it's not mandatory to purchase the photo when disembarking, it does add a bit of time to the boarding process. There were many foreign participants, but there were also some Japanese people. Even though we didn't communicate much verbally, it was enjoyable to share the same space and connect a little. The sunset viewed from the ship was a different experience compared to watching it from the beach, and it was truly moving. I would love to participate again next time.

受付を済ませて船に乗る前に写真を撮られます。下船時に強制ではありませんが買うシステム。そのため乗船に少し時間がかかりました。参加者は外国人の方が多いですが日本人もいました。言葉はあまり通じなくても同じ場所にいるだけで少しだけですがコミュニケーションがとれて楽しかったです。船から見る夕日はビーチから見るのとは一味違って感動しました。次回も参加したいです。

The Leis were absolutely beautiful! The looked fresh and smelled wonderful! The were also huge!! Plus for us! We received many compliments while wearing them. Our greeter was very kind and was there right when we got off our flight. She answered any questions we had and helped guide us to baggage claim. I would use this service again. Amazing!! Highly recommend!

I joined the sunset sail with my family. The views were perfect, and my Mum and Dad really enjoyed it, it is interesting to see the sunset on catamaran with a bottle of Maitai. The price is reasonable and you will not regret.

We had a blast on the catamaran from start to finish. We looked into the dinner cruises but were drawn to the quaintness and al-inclusive drinks on the catamaran. The staff were extremely friendly and helpful to show you a good time. The sail included a ride past Diamond Head and then returned toward the sunset over the Pacific. Seeing the many sailboats, paddleboarders, and surfers along the way was fun. We would definitely do it again.

I heard it's a really great facility, so I participated in the deluxe option to watch the show from a nice seat.

The guide who showed us around the park was a student from a neighboring university. I was surprised to hear that most of the people performing in the show are also students. Honestly, I could feel a difference in energy depending on the guide... (laughs)

I also recommend participating in the backstage tour, where you can see the rehearsal scenes and the costume room before the show! The show from the third row was absolutely amazing! After it ended, I was able to take photos with the dancers!

On the bus ride there, the guide provided continuous sightseeing information, making it a fun tour all the way!

とってもいい施設だと聞き
ちょっといい席でショーを見ようとデラックスで参加しました。

園内を案内してくださるガイドの方は隣の大学の学生さんたち
ショーに出る人のほとんどもそうだと聞き、驚きでした。
正直、ガイドさんによってテンションの差は感じました。。。笑

ショーの前にリハーサル風景や衣裳部屋などバックステージツアーに参加するのもおすすめです！
3列目でのショーは見ごたえ抜群！終わった後はダンサーさんと写真を撮ったりできました！

行きのバスでもガイドさんがずーーーーと観光案内をしてくれていて
行くまでの楽しいツアーです♪

Soooo Much Fun!! And they are not stingy on the drinks.lol I thought I would have to be asking for drinks but they actually go around often to refill your cup. I was never fully done with my drink. (And my friends and I were racing to finish them!) lol We were on the corner of the sailboat so we got soaked! We didn't mind getting wet though! Everyone must do this! So worth it!