All Reviews for Marine Wildlife Encounters

I participated in whale watching during my mother and aunt's first trip to Hawaii, as it was the season for it. If you're expecting the spectacular jumps often seen in whale photos, you might be disappointed. However, if you approach it with the mindset of leisurely enjoying a cruise in Hawaii, you might feel lucky and satisfied to see some whales as a bonus.

They made sure we could see the whales well by moving around to chase them, and with lunch included, I think the price is reasonable.

I chose this tour because it was offered in Japanese, and while there were Japanese announcements during the cruise, it was disappointing that the staff's explanations about the whales right after departure were only in English.

母と叔母の初めてのハワイ旅行でホエールウォッチングのシーズンだったので参加しました
よくクジラの写真であるような　豪快なジャンプを期待していたらだめです。
ハワイのクルーズをのんびり楽しむくらいの気持ちで参加すれば、おまけにクジラが見られてラッキーと満足できるかも

ちゃんとクジラが良く見られるように、クジラを追いかけ移動もしてくれたし、ランチもついてこの値段だったらＯＫなのではないでしょうか

ただ、日本語対応コースだったので参加したのですが、航行中のテープアナウンスは日本語もありましたが、出航直後のスタッフのクジラの説明など英語のみだったのが残念でした

I saw the tail fin while the water was splashing and the back was moving. Considering that there are times when you can't see anything at all, I think I was lucky, but it still feels unsatisfying if you can't see the whole jump. Even though the time is long, around 2 to 3 hours, it can get sleepy since there isn't much movement. It might be nice for enjoying a leisurely time on the sea.

潮吹きと背中が動いているところ、尾びれが見えました。全く見えないこともあることを考えるとラッキーだったのだと思いますが、やはりジャンプなど全体が見れないと物足りないです。時間が２~３時間と長い割に、特に移動をしないので眠くなります。のんびり海の上の時間を楽しむにはいいかも。

We have never been whale watching before - we loved this first time experience! Captain Ryan and crew were great! They not only managed to help us see several whales (one baby just kept breaching - we have great pictures!) but we also were treated to turtles and spinner dolphins! When they lowered their microphone into the water and we heard the whales talking - it was just a huge bonus to a wonderful trip! We will definitely look them up if we get back to Oahu!!

The dolphins were incredibly cute, and it was so much fun to hold onto their dorsal fins and give them kisses! Although the time was short, it was truly a valuable experience that moved me. I also bought photos separately, which became a wonderful keepsake. It was so healing.

Sea Life Park has various shows, and the dolphin show was creatively arranged and very impressive. It was amazing to see the instructor riding on top of a dolphin like a surfboard! When I come to Oahu again, I want to visit Sea Life Park and touch the dolphins again.

イルカがすごくかわいくて、背びれにつかまったりキスをしたりすごく楽しかったです！！
時間は短いですが、本当に貴重な体験で感動しました。
写真も別売りで買ったのですが、すごく良い記念になりました。癒されます。
シーライフパークにはいろんなショーがやってて、
イルカショーは工夫をこらしてあって見ごたえがありました☆
イルカの上にインストラクターがサーフボードのように乗っているのがすごかったです！
オアフにきたらまたシーライフパークに来てイルカに触りたいです。

While it was a very successful trip, viewing is still somewhat limited. I love your having a professional photographer on board who got us great pictures of the whales. I would like to be able to get a flashdrive or have the pictures emailed to me for printing on higher quality paper. But overall a very good experience.

The last time I used this service, I only saw a breach at the very end, but this time it was amazing!! After departing and finishing breakfast at the buffet, when I went out on deck, one of the crew members told me, "There’s a whale over there." I hurriedly called my family out to the deck, and there were three pairs of mother and baby whales surrounding our boat.

For over 30 minutes, we could see whales in every direction. The crew was excitedly saying, "It's rare to see this many. Plus, the baby whale is breaching multiple times." There was a Japanese staff member among the Navatek crew, so after the English explanation, they translated it into Japanese, which helped us understand a lot.

Relatives who went on another tour the next day said they only saw a tail once. Whether you encounter whales or not is a matter of luck, but the view of Waikiki and Diamond Head from Navatek is very beautiful. I definitely recommend it as a cruising experience.

　以前利用した際は最後の最後にブリーチングが見えただけでしたが、今回は最高！！
出発して朝食のバイキングを食べ終わり、デッキに出たらクルーの一人が「あっちにクジラがいるよ。」と教えてくれました。急いで家族を呼んでデッキに出たら、三組もの親子クジラが私たちの船を囲んでいました。
それから３０分以上どの方向にいても、クジラが見える状態。
クルーも「こんなに見れるのは珍しいよ。しかも赤ちゃんクジラがブリーチングを何度もしているなんて。」と興奮気味に語っていました。
ナバテックのクルーの中に日本人スタッフがいたので、英語の説明のあと日本語に翻訳してくれたので色んなことがわかりました。
次の日に他のツアーで行った親戚は尻尾が一度だけしか見れなかったと言っていました。
クジラと出会えるかどうかは運次第ですが、ナバッテックから見るワイキキやダイアモンドヘッドはとてもきれいです。
クルージングも兼ねて是非おすすめします。

We participated as a family.
The sea was rough, so it was very rocky.
Many people were feeling unwell.
I recommend bringing motion sickness medication.
There was a Japanese staff member, but their service was not very attentive, which was disappointing.
It was great to see a lot of whales.

家族で参加しました。
海が荒れていたので、とても揺れました。
気分が悪くなっている人が多かったです。
酔い止めを持参する事をすすめます。
日本人のスタッフの方がいましたが、あまり丁寧な対応ができていませんでした。それが残念でした。
鯨は、たくさん見れて良かったです。

At a depth of 30 meters, I was able to see four turtles. I had some difficulty taking photos from inside the submarine, but since opportunities to ride a submarine are rare, I definitely think you should experience it! Even on the boat to the point where you transfer to the submarine, the deck on the second floor is refreshing, and if you're lucky, you might see a whale!

水深３０ｍで、カメに４匹も会えました。やや艦内からの撮影がうまくできませんでしたが、なかなか潜水艦に乗れる機会はないので、是非、体験したら良いと思います！潜水艦に乗り移る地点までの船上でも、２階でデッキが爽快で、運が良ければ、クジラに会えます！

On February 4, 2011, I participated in a whale watching tour with a friend and my friend's mother, making it three of us.

I had joined a dinner cruise on the Star of Honolulu last summer, so this was my second time on this ship.

Since the season and time of day were different from my last visit, I was deeply moved by the view of Waikiki and the lush Diamond Head from the sea.

Even when I thought I could enjoy this scenery without seeing any whales, a whale appeared, and I was further touched to see dolphins swimming alongside the whale, playing together.

I would love to book a tour with Alan1 again.

Thank you for the wonderful memories!

2011年2月4日に友人と友人のお母さまと私という３人でホエールウォッチングに参加しました。

私は昨年の夏、スターオブ・ホノルル号でディナークルーズに参加したので、この船は２回目の乗船でした。

前回とは季節も時間帯が違うので、海からのワイキキや緑の多いダイヤモドヘッドの眺めに大変感動しました。

クジラが見えなくてもこの景色で十分楽しめたなぁと思っていたら、クジラが現れ、さらにイルカもクジラと遊ぶように一緒に泳ぐ姿が見られて心から感動し、癒されました。

またalan1でツアーを予約したいなぁと思いました。

良い思い出をありがとうございました！

I participated in the morning cruise, but I didn't see any whales. I immediately used the re-participation ticket I received and joined the afternoon cruise, where I was thrilled to see whales. I think that in terms of season, March to April might be better for seeing young whales as they are growing and easier to spot.

午前のクルーズに参加しましたが、クジラは見えず。
頂いた再参加の券を直ちに利用して、昼のクルーズに参加したところ、クジラを見る事ができ感激しました。
季節的には、３-４月の方が、子供のクジラが成長していて見やすいのではないでしょうか～

Awesome experience! Nothing like it. Plenty of parking and in an awesome area, Haleiwa. The ride out to the cage was not long, before a short safety brief. Once in the cage, it's a unique feeling to know one of the oceans apex predetors are swimming around you. They get pretty close, and is well worth price of the tour. A definite must do if visiting the island!

I was able to actually touch and ride dolphins that I had only seen before, and it became a really great memory.

今まで見たことしかなかったイルカに実際に触れたり、乗ることができて、かなりイイ思い出になりました。

Our travel agent suggested this tour and she did a great job! The boat is wonderful as was the staff. We had a delicious breakfast and did see whales surfacing and diving, which was very unique and special to us. Thanks agian!

The sub ride was what we expected. It started with a nice boat ride out to the sub. On the sub ride the guide was very good, we were able to see a huge sea turtle and were able to take very good pictures. All in all very good.

I participated in a whale watching cruise on the large cruise ship Star of Honolulu, with about 200 people on board, including around 20 Japanese passengers.

I thought it would be a group activity with Japanese staff, but there were no Japanese staff on board. The staff explanation about the activities in the cabin before departure was only in English. After departure, we went out on deck to wait for the humpback whales while enjoying the view of the sea and Waikiki. During this time, a recorded explanation about whale ecology was played over the speakers, alternating between English and Japanese. It was mentioned that there were staff who understood Japanese on board, but they advised to ask questions individually.

The whale sighting rate is said to be over 90%, but if you happen to be in a direction where whales are not appearing or if the timing doesn't work out, you can self-report if you didn't see any whales, and they will issue a certificate allowing you to board again for free during the season.

I heard that whales appeared about twice during the trip, but I thought they were too far away to see, so I got the certificate. The staff were friendly and accommodating, always smiling.

大型客船スターオブホノルルを利用したホエールウォッチングクルーズで、２００人程度が乗船、日本人は２０人程度でした。

日本語スタッフと一緒のグループアクティビティと思っていたのですが、日本人スタッフは乗船せず、出航前のキャビン内でのアクティビティについてのスタッフ説明は英語のみです。出航後は、甲板に出て海やワイキキを眺めながらザトウの出現を待ちます。その際に鯨の生態についての録音説明がスピーカーから流れ、これが英語と日本語の交互説明というもの。日本語がわかるスタッフも乗船しているとのことですが、そちらは個別に質問してください、ということでした。

鯨出現率は９０％以上、とのことですが、出現方角でないところにいたり、タイミングが合わなかったりと、個人的に見られなかった場合は、自己申告で、シーズン中に無料で再度乗船できる証明書を発行してもらえます。

今回２回ほど出現したそうですが、私にはあまりに遠くで見えないと思ったので、証明書をもらってきました。スタッフの方々は笑顔親切に気持ちよく対応していただけました。

Staff were a crack up and made the whole trip full of laughs. From the moment we got out on the boat we saw dolphins and whales so it was a bonus. Sharks appeared right away when you travel a bit further out so it was good there was no waiting around or searching like other tours. The experience was amazing. The staff kept the nature of the sharks a mystery untill you finish your turn. Only then do they tell you that the sharks are complete pussy cats and have never attacked anyone. This added to the adventure and adrenalin rush of the experience. Inside the cage you see LOTS of LARGE sharks. We had 6 sharks surrounding us. Highly recommended!

It was a large ship, so there was no rocking, and it was a comfortable cruise. At the point where we could see whales, I was nervously staring at the surface of the water when one of the crew shouted, "Whale!" When I looked in the direction he pointed, I saw two whales jumping and showing their tails as they dove. I was thrilled to see "real whales" for the first time.

大きな船だったので揺れもなく、快適なクルーズでした。
クジラの見えるポイントで、ドキドキしながら海面を凝視していたら、クルーの一人が、”ホエール！”と叫んで指差した方向をみると、２頭のクジラが、ジャンプし、潜る際に尾びれも見せてくれました。初めての”リアルクジラ”に感激しました。

I participated in a cruise that departed at 8:45 AM just a few days ago.

On our boat, there were relatively few Japanese people, and most of the participants were foreign families and groups of friends, but I felt very comfortable joining.

There were friendly foreign staff who spoke Japanese, and they helped with anything that was difficult to understand. The whale watching guide was provided in both English and Japanese.

Since it was a plan without meals, coffee and sandwiches were available for an additional charge of $3. Water and hot water were free.

The announcements for whale sightings indicated the direction in terms of clock positions, saying things like "There is a whale at 3 o'clock." When the announcement was made, everyone rushed to the deck to see.

We were only able to see whales twice, but we went quite far out, so the scenery was great and I was very satisfied.

I went to Aloha Tower on my own. While waiting for the bus at the Saratoga bus stop in Waikiki, the bus didn't come as expected. Just as I started to feel anxious, a female taxi driver passed by, and I was able to go from Waikiki for about $16 plus tip.

There is also a hotel pickup option, and after this tour ends, it returns to a hotel in Waikiki, so if you want to go somewhere else from Aloha Tower, I recommend going on your own.

I also easily found Pier 8.

朝8：45出航のクルーズに参加させていただきました。
つい数日前のことです。

私たちの船では、日本人も割と少なめで
外国人のファミリーや友人たちグループの参加が
多かったですが、
とても居心地良く参加できました。

日本語を話せる親切な
外国人スタッフがおり、分かりにくいことは
教えていただきました。
ウオッチングの案内の用紙も
英語、日本語両方の表記になっています。

食事なしのプランなのでコーヒー、サンドイッチのほしい方は
別料金＄3です。
水、お湯は無料です。

クジラのアナウンスも現れる位置が
時計方向の表示になっており
アナウンスが
何時方向にクジラいます。などと
アナウンスがかかります。
かかると一斉にデッキに駆け寄り
見てました。

クジラが2回だけしかみることができませんでしたが
かなり沖まで行っていただけるので
景色もよくとても満足できました。

アロハタワーまでは自分で行きました。
ワイキキのサラトガの
バス停でバスを待っていても
思うような時間に来ません。
焦りはじめたところで
女性ドライバーのタクシーが通りがかり
ワイキキから
＄16ほど＋チップで行くことができました。

ホテル送迎コースもあり、
このツアーが終了すると
またワイキキ方面のホテルに戻るので
アロハタワーから別の場所に遊びに行きたい方は、
自分たちで行く方がお勧めです。

ピア8もすぐ分りました。

We only saw 2 whales while on this tour and this was at the very end of the 3 hour boat ride. It would have been so much more fun if we saw more, but I guess the tour guides cannot control that. The boat was great and the food was wonderful and the ride along the shoreline and out into the ocean was awesome/beautiful. The guides were very informative and provided interessing information.

My husband really enjoyed the trip. We actually did have some whale sightings, so our expectations were met. I got a little sea sick but the staff was more than helpful and I would definitely recommend this excursion to everyone:)

I participated in whale watching. Right from the start, I could see splashes of water in the distance. I thought it was a motorboat, but the foreigner next to me was pointing and saying something. Upon closer inspection, it turned out to be a whale's breath. Amazing!!

We soon got closer, and I could see the whale's back. Wow, we met one!! I was so moved. For a while, the boat stayed there. Eventually, it started heading towards Diamond Head. Just as we were about to turn back, a whale swam up from the opposite side. Two of them were gracefully swimming together, right next to the boat!! It was so touching!!! Then the boat made a U-turn and followed the whales for a while. I was so happy!!

However, time was running out, and we had to head back. I was really impressed! I'm so glad I participated!!!

ウォエールウォッチングに参加しました。
スタートからすぐに沖のほうから水しぶきが見えました。
モーターボートが走っていると思っていたら、隣の外人が指をさして何か言っています。よーく見ると、クジラのブレスでした。すごーい！！
すぐにちかくになり、クジラの背中がみえてきました。
すごーい、会えた！！大感激です。
しばらく、そこで船は待っててくれます。やがてダイヤモンドヘッドに向かって走り始めました。
そろそろ引き返したとき、クジラが反対側からおよいできました。２頭のつがいで優雅に泳いでゆきます。船のすぐ横を！！感動です！！！そしたら船はUターンして、しばらくクジラを追ってくれました。嬉しい！！
しかし、時間がなくなり戻ることとなりました。
とても感激しましたよ！
参加してよかったです！！！

This was my fourth time whale watching. I got hooked on my first participation when I saw a whale jump, and now I join whale watching every time I go to Hawaii. The last three times, I only saw the back or nothing at all, which was a bit disappointing, but seeing that jump is the best. Since they are wild animals, it can't be helped. This time, I went on an early cruise without a meal, but I was able to participate very cheaply thanks to booking online, so that was great.

今回で、４回目ほどのウォッチングでした。
はじめての参加で、クジラがジャンプする姿を見てはまってしまい、ハワイに行くたびにホエールウォッチングに参加しています。後３回は、見えなかったり、背だけとかで、寂しい思いをしますが、あのジャンプが見えたら最高です。自然の生き物ですから、仕方がないです。
今回は、早めのクルーズで、食事なしでしたが、インターネットでの申込みをしてからの旅行で、とても安く参加する事が出来たので、良かったです。

While I was moved by seeing the whale's blow and its back and tail for the first time, I didn't get to witness breaching or experience the true size of the whale. The timing in late December might not have been ideal. It might be better to go from late February after they give birth. If you're prone to seasickness, it's better to skip lunch. My wife ended up not eating anything. I think about 10-20% of the people couldn't eat. The buffet itself didn't have much in terms of food either.

初めて見たクジラのブロー（潮吹き）や、クジラの背中や尻尾には感動をしたものの、ブリーチング（ジャンプ）等は見られず、クジラの大きさを体感できるものではなかった。
１２月下旬という時期がいまいちだったかもしれないかな。子供を産んでからの２月下旬からがお勧めかも。。
船に弱い方は、ランチ無しにした方がいいですよ。うちの奥さんは結局何も食べられなかった。１~２割くらいの人が食事できていなかったのではないかなぁ。ブッフェ自体の料理もそうたいした物は無かったですよ。

The shaking was really intense, and it was tough. Also, I was disappointed that I couldn't see any whales.

There are staff members who can explain in Japanese, but they don't translate the other explanations, which I thought was a bit unfriendly, especially since over 60% of the tourists were Japanese. (It might be understandable since it's a foreign country, though.)

たまたまなのか揺れがすごくて大変でした。
また、クジラは見えず、がっかりでした。

日本語で説明してくれるスタッフはいるのですが、
その他の説明部分を翻訳してくれるわけでもなく、
６割以上が日本人観光客であるにもかかわらずちょっと不親切かな、と思いました。
（外国なので仕方がないのかもしれませんが）

I participated in the morning plan of the whale tour that started on the 15th. Since it was the first day, I thought we might not see any whales, but we were able to see them five times! One of those times was a close-up jump. During the times we didn't see any whales, the staff continuously engaged with us, taking photos and making us feel very welcomed. I thought the morning plan was great because the air is clear and cool, allowing us to focus on searching for whales.

15日から始まるホエールツアーの午前プランに参加しました。初日なので見れないのではと思っていたのですが、5回も鯨を見ることができました！うち一回は至近距離でのジャンピングです。
見れない時間、スタッフの人が次々と声をかけてくださり写真を撮ってくださったりとても温かみを感じました。
午前プランですと、空気も澄んでいて涼しいですし、鯨探しに集中できるのでいいなと思いました。

During my trip to Hawaii for New Year's, I went on a whale watching tour with the Star of Honolulu. I thought it would be great because even if we didn't see any whales, we could still enjoy it as a regular cruise. We did see a mother and baby whale in the distance, but it was disappointing that we couldn't see them up close or witness any jumps. However, I understand that they keep their distance for whale protection. On the boat, there was a lei-making class, which was fun. It's a good idea to take motion sickness medication beforehand.

お正月にハワイに行った時に
スターオブホノルル号のホエールウォッチングに
行きました。
もしクジラが見られなくてもリベンジできるという
ことと普通のクルーズとして楽しめるからと
思ったからです。
クジラは親子クジラが遠くに見えました
あまり近くで見れなかったりジャンプ等は見れなかったので残念ですが、クジラ保護のため
あまり近寄らないとのこと。
船内ではレイ作りのスクールがあったりして楽しかった。酔い止めの薬は飲んでおいた方がいいです

I thought it would be perfect to participate since my grandchildren (6 and 3 years old) have a turtle at home and are interested in fish. As expected, the children were thrilled and excited about the various fish and sea turtles.

I'm glad I participated.

孫（6歳、3歳）が、自宅で亀を飼っていることと、魚などに興味があったので、ぴったりと思い参加しました。予想通り子供たちは様々な魚やウミガメに大喜びで興奮していました。

参加して良かったと思います。

I was a bit anxious about participating alone, but from the moment I got on the van during the early morning gathering, all my worries disappeared!

Our guide, Yuji, was really energetic and entertained everyone with various stories! It didn't take long to drive, maybe less than an hour? During the drive to our destination, we saw different scenery from Waikiki, and Yuji shared lots of interesting information, like the hospital where President Obama was born and the famous "this tree, that tree" spot.

Once we arrived at the yacht harbor, we boarded the boat, changed into our wetsuits, put on fins, and equipped ourselves with snorkeling gear to search for dolphins! We sang songs...♪ When we spotted dolphins, we all jumped in together! The moment I put my face in the water, I immediately heard the sound of dolphins. It was so moving... I can't even count how many dolphins we saw. We got to see them jumping up close and felt like we were in the same ocean at the same level as them.

After that, we went to a turtle spot. At a depth of about 15 meters, I saw three turtles swimming gently below. When I looked up, there was a turtle right next to me, swimming at the same level! I was a bit startled☆ but it was so cute. Although it was a dolphin tour, I was really moved to swim with the turtles.

On the way back, we enjoyed a leisurely tea time with everyone, having some tea and snacks♪ It felt like a little cruise! Participating alone was no problem at all. We were mostly in the water, and chatting on the boat was fun too. It became a wonderful memory♪

Thank you, Yuji!!!!

1人参加で少し不安はありましたが、早朝集合でバンに乗り込んだ瞬間から不安は吹っ飛びました！

ガイドのゆーじがテンション高くて♪色んなお話でみんなを楽しませてくれます！
車で1時間もかからなかったかな？到着するまでのドライブもワイキキとは違う風景を見ながら、ゆーじが色々と教えてくれます。オバマ大統領が産まれた病院とか、この木なんの木とか☆

ヨットハーバーに着き、船に乗り込んで船上でウェットスーツに着替え、足ひれを付け、シュノーケル装備をしてみんなでイルカを探します！歌をうたったり・・・♪
イルカを見つけたらみんなで飛び込めー♪
顔をつけた瞬間、真っ先にイルカの鳴き声が聞こえました。感動です・・・。
イルカは何匹見たかわからないほど見ることができました。間近でジャンプも見れて、同じ目線で同じ海でイルカを感じれました。
その後、海がめスポットに行きました。水深15mくらいのところで、下の方で海がめが3匹ほどゆらゆら泳いでました。顔を上げたらなんと！海がめが真横であたしと同じ目線で！泳いでます！ちょっと焦った☆でも可愛かったです。
イルカツアーだったけどあたしは海がめと一緒に泳げたことに感動しちゃいました。

帰りはゆっくりみんなでお茶やお菓子でティータイム♪ちょっとしたクルージングを楽しめます！
1人参加でも全然問題ないです。ほとんど海の中にいるし、船の上でのおしゃべりも楽しかったですよ。
いい思い出になりました♪

ゆーじ、ありがとう！！！！

i highly reccomend this to anyone! This was our first time doing any type of interaction with sharks, and it was one of the coolest things i have done. It is truly amazing to see sharks in their natural habitat and so close to you.

Hawaii Shark Adventure was one of my top activity during a 9 day Hawaiin vacation.activity. It does not beat sex; but I ski double black diamond runs in Colorad and Utah with over a foot of fresh powder and the Shark Adventure rivals that feeling of exhilaration and adventure. A short 15 minute boat ride from the Harbor to the location and then 20 minutes inside the shark cage. I counted over 9 Galapagos sharks swimming around (and under) the cage. Great photo oppurtunities (I got several great shots of just sharks under the water as well as looking at them from the boat). I would recommend this activity to my friends, family, and anyone in good health. My only only advise is for better viewing and photo opps; you need to take a deep breath and go to the bottom of the cage to avoid getting bumped and elbowed by the other guests (not to mention their hands of elbows getting into your photos).