All Reviews for Marine Wildlife Encounters

The ship was heaving too much. My family got seasick. But I could watch whales.

The weather was cloudy and bad, which might be why the boat was rocking so much that even I, who usually doesn't get seasick, felt like I was going to die from seasickness. As soon as I confirmed that the boat was small, I took motion sickness medication, but it didn't help at all. It was no time to be worried about sharks. We were in a cage to see the sharks, but the waves were strong, and the cage was shaking so much that I hit my head multiple times. My husband said it felt like being put in a washing machine. There were quite a few large sharks swimming around. I think it would have been fun if we had gone on a day when the waves were calmer.

曇りで天気が悪かったためか船が揺れまくりで普段船酔いしない私も船酔いで死にそうでした。船が小さいのを確認した瞬間に酔い止めを飲んだのに全然効きませんでした。サメどころではなかった。檻の中に入ってサメを見るのですが、波が強くて檻がぐらんぐらんして頭を何回も打ちました。旦那はまるで洗濯機に入れられたようだと言っておりました。サメはかなりデカいのがウヨウヨとおりました。波が静かそうな日に行ったら楽しかったと思います。

The weather was cloudy with occasional rain, which may have contributed to the slightly high waves that caused the boat to rock significantly. While the rest of my family seemed to struggle with seasickness, I was able to see a baby whale perfectly! The last time I went, I saw several adult whales, but this time there was only one baby. It was small and adorable.

天気は曇り時々雨でよくなかったためか、海の波が少し高くて船が大きく揺れました。わたし以外の家族は船酔いで大変そうでしたが、わたしはクジラの赤ちゃんをバッチリ見ました！前回乗った時は大人のクジラが数頭見られたのですが、今回は赤ちゃん1頭のみでした。ミニサイズで可愛かったです。

Since I was staying in the Ala Moana area, there was a shuttle service to Waikiki, and from there, we transferred to a large bus to go to Sea Life Park. The facility wasn't too big, and we had enough free time to explore everything. We enjoyed the dolphin show, a special talk about penguins, and feeding the parrots. All the animals were very cute.

The Dolphin Adventure, which I was most looking forward to, allowed us to kiss the dolphins and ride on their bellies. I was really happy to interact with the dolphins. Since there were seven of us in the group for each dolphin, we had to wait in the water while others interacted with them. I think we spent about 30 minutes in the water in total. The actual interaction with the dolphins was brief, and it ended so quickly that I felt a bit disappointed, but the dolphins were smart and truly adorable. I'm glad I had this unique experience, and it became a wonderful memory. During the experience, we could have three photos taken per person. The photos could be purchased about an hour after the experience. I received one photo for free with a coupon, so I got one at no cost. If I wanted to buy the other photos, I could get all of them for $40, and they were available for download as well. Since it was a special occasion, I decided to purchase all of them. They also came with a small photo frame.

We arrived at Sea Life Park around 9:00, and the bus departed at 14:30, which I thought was just the right amount of time. I wasn't sure about the return trip, and after getting off the bus in Waikiki, there was no shuttle back to the Ala Moana area, so we took the bus back ourselves.

アラモアナエリアに宿泊していたので、ワイキキエリアまで送迎があり、そこから大きなバスに乗り換えてSea Life Parkまで行きました。施設はそこまで大きくなく、自由時間で十分回りきることができました。イルカのショーやペンギンのスペシャルトーク、インコにエサやりなどしました。どの動物もとてもかわいかったです。
1番楽しみにしていたドルフィンアドベンチャーでは、イルカとのキス、ベリーライドをすることができました。イルカとのふれあいをすることができてとてもうれしかったです。一頭のイルカに対して7人のグループでのふれあいだったので、他の方がふれあっているときなどは水中で待っている状態でした。水の中にいる時間は全部でだいたい30分くらいだったと思います。イルカとの実際のふれあいは一瞬で、あっという間に終わってしまったことが少し残念でしたが、イルカは賢くて本当にかわいかったです。なかなかできない体験ができてよかったし、素敵な思い出になりました。体験中に1人につき3枚の写真を撮ってもらえます。その写真は体験1時間後くらいから買うことができます。写真1枚無料のクーポンがついていたので、1枚は無料でもらえました。他の写真も買いたい場合は40ドルで全て買うことができて、ダウンロードすることもできました。せっかくなので、私は全て購入することにしました。小さな写真立てもついていました。
9:00ごろにSea Life Parkに着いて、14:30にバスが出発でしたが、時間的にはちょうどよかったかなと思います。
帰りのことがよくわからず、ワイキキエリアでバスを降りた後、アラモアナエリアまでの送迎はなく、自分たちでthe busを使って帰りました。

We participated in an event with my husband during the New Year. We were picked up near the hotel and set sail from a marina about 30 minutes away by car. An interpreter was also on board the boat. We anchored in just the right spot and took turns diving in. Wearing yellow helmet-like capsules, we rode sea scooters into the underwater world, which was like a dream. By chance, we encountered a sea turtle, and it was truly moving! There was also a photographer who captured our moments. By the time we returned to the boat, a double rainbow appeared, which was even more touching! I want to go again!

お正月に、主人と二人で参加させて頂きました。
ホテルの近くでピックアップして貰い
車で30分程のマリーナから船に乗り出航しました。
船には通訳さんも乗船
丁度良い場所に停泊し、順番に潜り込ました
黄色いヘルメットのようなカプセルを被り、seaスクーターに乗り海中へ
夢のような世界が広がっていました。
偶然にも海亀にも遭遇できて、感動しました！
カメラマンさんもおり、その姿を撮影して頂けます。
船に戻る頃には、ダブルレインボーが出ていて、更に感動しました！
また行きたい！

The boat was beautiful and nice, but the important thing, the whale, was only seen a little bit of its back. It's understandable since it's nature, but it does lower your spirits when you can't see them. Well, it's a gamble.

船は綺麗で良かったけど、肝心のクジラは背中がちょこッと見えただけ。自然相手だからしょうがないけど、会えないとテンション下がります。まぁ、賭けですね。

We had a wonderful time with this scuba scooter adventure. The crew was awesome and really looked after us. I loved every minute of it!

Unfortunately, we were unable to see any whales. However, the breakfast buffet on the ship was very delicious, and we were able to relax while enjoying the vast ocean view. I look forward to the next opportunity.

残念ながら鯨を見ることはできませんでした。
しかし船の上での朝ご飯バイキングはとても美味しく、広大な海を眺めてのんびりとした時間を過ごすことができました。
また次の機会に期待します。

Don't expect a giant whale to appear right in front of you. We were picked up at the Ko Olina Marriott with about ten others and headed to Waianae Harbor. There were already some participants lined up, probably around 40 to 50 people, and I think we were the only two Japanese. Unfortunately, I could only understand about 80% of the guide's explanations, but I got the gist of it.

We enjoyed a large catamaran yacht cruising at engine speed. Since it was a yacht, we were close to the water, and although the weather was cloudy with occasional sunshine, we had a great time cruising. Once we got offshore, we encountered a small whale that spouted water a few hundred meters away. We saw it several times, and each time there were cheers. I think the sight of a giant tail appearing right in front of us is just a picture from the brochure.

After that, the boat headed to the dolphin area. The dolphins swim in groups and are very curious, coming close to the boat, so we could see them well. However, I had previously participated in a dolphin watching cruise from the same harbor in the summer, and I felt that the dolphins were more energetic and jumping around at that time.

The nearly two-hour cruise included all-you-can-eat rice crackers that looked like persimmon seeds and one drink (including alcohol) for just under $100. I thought it was a bit pricey, but my wife was very impressed. Besides encountering whales and dolphins, she also enjoyed the scenery and the cruising itself.

We were also taken back to the Ko Olina Marriott afterward. Additionally, you have to take off your shoes when boarding, and it's barefoot inside the boat. You just throw your shoes into a container box on the dock, so if you're concerned about that, it might be a good idea to bring a plastic bag or something to carry them inside. We didn't mind since we were wearing flip-flops and sneakers, but my wife found it a bit troublesome to take off her socks.

巨大なクジラが目の前に現れて・・なんて期待してはいけません。
コオリナマリオットで10名ほどピックアップしてもらって、ワイアナエハーバーへ。すでに先客組が並んでいて４０~５０名ほどの参加者でしょうか、日本人は我々2名だけだったと思います。残念ながらガイドさんの説明は８０％は理解できなかったけれど、それなりに分かるものです。
大型のカタマランヨットを機走（エンジンで進む）で楽しみます。ヨットなので海面も近く、参加日は曇り時々晴れでしたがクルージングも楽しめました。沖合に出ると数百メータ先に「プシュッ！」と潮を吹いて泳ぐ小さなクジラに遭遇しました。何度か出くわしますが、そのたびに歓声が上がります。目の前を巨大な尾びれが現れて・・というのはパンフレットの写真だけだと思います。
その後、イルカのエリアにも船は向ってくれました。イルカは群れを成すし好奇心豊かで船にも近づくのでよく見えます。ただ同じハーバーから以前夏にイルカウォッチングクルーズに参加したことがあるのですが、その時のほうがジャンプしたりイルカも元気だったような気がします。
2時間近くのクルーズで、柿の種みたいなあられ(食べ放題？）とワンドリンク（アルコールもあり）で$100弱。ちょっと高いかななんて思ったのですが、カミさんはとても感激。クジラやイルカの遭遇以外にも景色やクルージング自体も楽しかったようです。
帰りもコオリナマリオットまで送ってもらえました。
あと、乗船時に靴を脱ぎ船内は裸足です、脱いだ靴類は桟橋のコンテナボックスに投げ入れるだけなので気になる人はビニール袋等持参して船内に持ち込むのも一考かもしれません。我々はビーサンとスニーカーだったので気にしませんでしたが、カミさんが靴下脱いだり面倒くさがっていました。

We went out to sea to board a submarine, but on the day of the trip, the waves were high, and my wife ended up with severe seasickness. According to her, "I didn't have any opportunity to see the fish at all..." Personally, I found it to be a simple yet enjoyable experience of boarding a submarine, and the fish were beautiful. I was very happy to see a turtle swimming.

潜水艦に乗るために、沖合へ出るのですが、当日は波が高かったせいか、妻がひどい船酔いになってしまいました。本人曰く、「全く魚などを見る余裕はなかった・・・」との事でした。
個人的には潜水艦の乗艦を簡易的に体験できるし、魚もきれいでした。泳いでいる亀を見ることが出来たのはとても嬉しかったです。

I got seasick on the boat to the submarine. I'm prone to motion sickness, so I prepared by bringing a bag for vomiting, but I ended up not needing it. There were plenty of bags for vomiting inside the submarine, but it hardly swayed, so I didn't feel nauseous. I saw three turtles and two sharks. It's all about luck, really.

潜水艦まで行く船で酔いました。元々酔いやすいので覚悟はして嘔吐用の袋をもって行きましたが使用せずにすみました。
潜水艦の中に嘔吐用の袋が沢山ありましたが、ほとんど揺れないので気持ち悪くなりませんでした。
亀は3匹、鮫は2匹みられました。
こればっかしは運ですね。

The weather was a bit unpredictable with rain coming and going, but the conditions on the day turned out to be quite good. The contrast of the rainbow with the planes taking off from Honolulu Airport and the view of Diamond Head and the streets of Waikiki from the sea was very uplifting. The open sea had surprisingly high waves, and everything from my clothes to my belongings got soaked, but the pleasant climate made it feel like being sprayed with water at Disneyland. Unfortunately, we didn't see any whales, but we received a pass to ride again for free within the season, so I felt quite satisfied. A couple in their 50s who could only speak basic English like "Thank you" somehow joined a tour that only had an English-speaking guide (there were about 20 participants, and only one other Japanese group besides us), but even without understanding the language, we had a pretty good time. Just keep in mind that there are no life jackets, so any activities outside the boat are at your own risk.

雨が降ったり止んだりで天候に気を揉みましたが、当日の天気はまずまずのコンディションでした。虹とホノルル空港から離陸した飛行機のコントラスト、海上から見るダイヤモンドヘッドやワイキキの街並みは、とっても気分を高揚させます。外海は意外に波が高く、服から何から‘べしょべしょ‘に濡れましたが気候も良いので、言ってみればディズニーランドで放水を浴びているようなものですね。鯨は残念ながら見れなかったけど、シーズン内ならもう一度無料で乗れるパスも貰えるし、満足感は十分ありました。「Thank you」ぐらいの英語しか喋れない５０代夫婦が何を血迷ったか英語ガイドしかいないツアーに参加しましたが（２０組ぐらいの参加者のうち日本人グループは我々ともう一組だけでした）、言葉はわからないなりに結構楽しめますよ。ただ救命胴着はありませんので船外の行動は自己責任となります。

I'm glad I had the opportunity to experience being on a submarine. It was great to see sea turtles. There weren't any surprising events, but you can enjoy a relaxed time.

潜水艦に乗る機会はあまりないので経験できてよかったです。ウミガメが見れたので良かったです。ほかはびっくりするようなイベントは有りませんがゆったりとした時間を味あえます。

I participated on December 31st, New Year's Eve. The staff were bright and friendly, and I had a great time on the bus! The day I joined, it seemed like the highest waves of the year were coming in, so I was worried about seasickness, but out in the open water, the waves weren't that bad, and I was fine. However, I think taking motion sickness medication is a must. Also, bananas are not allowed.

You can rent a wetsuit for $10, and I highly recommend doing this. Almost everyone rented one, and those who didn't ended up borrowing one after getting cold from being in the seawater. Make sure to bring cash.

As for the dolphins, they didn't show up for a while (they said they don't feed them at all), and it took some time to finally see them. However, they didn't swim close like in other people's photos; they just glided by at the bottom. This is something that can't be helped when dealing with nature.

It was a bit disappointing that we couldn't go snorkeling at the spot we were supposed to due to rough seas, and we spent a lot of time searching for dolphins, leaving us with very little time for snorkeling. However, all the staff were really nice, and I had a great time, so I'm very satisfied.

I definitely want to try again!

12月31日の大晦日に参加しました。
スタッフさんが明るく親切で移動のバスの中でも楽しく過ごせました！
参加した日は今年1番の高い波がきてたらしく船酔いを心配しましたが、沖の方はそれほど波もなく自分は大丈夫でした。ただ酔い止めは必須だと思います。
あとバナナは持ってきたらダメです。

ウェットスーツを10ドルでレンタルできるのですがこれは絶対した方がいいです。ほぼ全員レンタルしており、してなかった人も一度海水から上がると冷えてきたのか結局借りてました。
現金持参しておきましょう。

肝心のイルカですが中々姿を現してくれず(餌付けは全くしてないそうです)時間かけてやっと見れましたが他の方の写真のような直近で泳いでたわけではなく、底の方をスーと通りすぎる感じでした。こればかりは自然相手なので仕方ないと思います。

海が荒れており本来行くはずだったスポットでシュノーケリングが出来なかったのと、イルカ捜索に時間かかっ
たのでほとんどシュノーケリングの時間がなかったのは少し残念でした。
ただスタッフさんみんないい人ばかりで楽しく時間過ごせたので大満足です。

またリベンジしたいと思います！

Meeting Teacher Dolphin and Professor Turtle was wonderful, and the smiles from Maki and the staff, along with this rainbow! It was the best day ever.

イルカ先生にカメ教授に出会えたことはもちろん、マキさんやスタッフの笑顔に、こんな虹まで❗最高の１日でした。

I was disappointed that I couldn't see any whales. However, the weather for the cruising was perfect, so I felt good.

クジラが見えなかったことが残念でした。しかしクルージングには最高の天気だったので、気分は良かったです。

We had the perfect day to Watch Whales and go to see several in the bay. Great Cruise and Crew and the Buffet Lunch was pretty tasty.

On the day of the trip, the weather was nice and the waves were calm, so neither the ferry nor the submarine rocked. The underwater visibility in Hawaii was excellent, allowing us to see far into the distance. By chance, we were able to see three sea turtles, which was great. It might have been coincidental, but during the early hours, there were many Japanese tourists, so the main guide conducted the tour primarily in Japanese. I appreciated that the staff discreetly explained to the few non-Japanese passengers before boarding that the main guide would be in Japanese.

　当日は天気が良く波が静かで、渡し船も潜水艇も揺れませんでした。ハワイの海底は、透明度が非常によく遠くまで見ることが出来ました。偶然にも、海亀を３匹見ることが出来よかったです。たまたまかもしれませんが、早い時間帯は日本人が多いのでガイドもメインは日本語でした。スタッフが日本人以外の少数派に、乗船前にメインのガイドは日本語でやることをこっそり説明しており好感できます。

On January 2nd, I participated in the first day of the whale watching season. The weather was perfect, and I was excited to join, but unfortunately, we didn't see any whales. It seems that sometimes days like this happen, but if you don't see any whales, you can show a re-participation ticket (issued at the ticket center after disembarking) to get on another boat for free during that season. However, you must make your own way to the boarding area.

Due to our schedule, we couldn't try again during our stay this time, but if you're really eager to see whales, it might be a good idea to plan for a backup day in case you don't see any.

However, we did get to see a pod of dolphins, and the staff were all very kind.

1月2日、クジラウォッチングシーズンの初日に参加。
最高のお天気でワクワクしながら参加しましたが、残念ながら、クジラは見れませんでした。
たまにはこんな日もあるようですが、見れなかった場合、再参加のチケット(船を降りてからチケットセンターで発行)を見せればその年のシーズン中は再度船に無料で乗せてくれるみたいです。
但し、船乗り場までは自分で来ることが条件です。
私達は今回はスケジュールの都合上、滞在中に再度トライはできませんでしたが、どうしてもクジラを見たい方は、もしも見れなかった時の為に予備日も考えていたらいいかもしれません。

でも、イルカの群れを少し見ることができましたし、スタッフの方は皆さんとても親切でした。

I participated on the first day of the season. I was looking forward to it, but unfortunately, we couldn't see any whales. It was disappointing since the kids were also looking forward to it, but I understand that it's all about luck. If I have the chance to come back in winter, I would like to try again.

シーズン初めての日に参加しました。
楽しみにしていましたがクジラを見ることができませんでした。こればっかりは運もあるので仕方がなかったのですが、子供達も楽しみにしていたので残念でした。
冬に来る機会があればリベンジしたいと思います。

The sea was a bit rough, but I encountered many dolphins and a lot of sea turtles. It would be a waste not to go snorkeling.

ちょっと海荒れていたんですが、イルカもたくさん出会え、ウミガメもたくさん。シュノーケリングしないのもったいない。

【What I Liked】
It's not just exaggerated promotional phrases; you can really swim with the sea turtles. I was also able to see dolphins up close. The sea turtles and dolphins in the area we were taken to seemed to be quite relaxed and accustomed to humans. They were truly adorable...
Additionally, the Japanese staff were extremely kind, attentive, and helpful. I participated in a couple of other marine activity tours, but this one stood out for its exceptional kindness. I highly recommend it!

【Advice for Future Participants】
Definitely take motion sickness medication. I usually have a strong sense of balance and have never experienced seasickness, but I got quite seasick on this tour... I don't usually exercise, so swimming was very tough for me, and I think that contributed to it. In any case, it's better to take the medication, so make sure to do so!!

【気に入ったところ】
　大袈裟な宣伝文句ではなく、本当にホヌといっしょに泳げるところです。イルカもかなり近いところから見ることができました。連れて行っていただいた海域のホヌやイルカは警戒心が薄く、人間に慣れている感じがしました。本当にかわいかったです……。
　また、日本人スタッフの方が非常に親切で、面倒見が良く、助かりました。ほかにも２か所ほどマリンアクティビティのツアーに参加しましたが、飛び抜けて親切でした。おすすめです！
【これから参加する方へのアドバイス】
　酔い止めは絶対に飲みましょう。三半規管はかなり強い方で、船酔いをしたことはなかったのですが、このツアーではしたたかに酔いました……。ふだん運動をしないので、泳ぐのが非常につらく、そのせいもあると思います。とにかく飲んで損はないので酔い止めを飲みましょう！！

We had really high expectations, looking at the pictures and reading some of the reviews. Unfortunately, it did not turn out anything like we had expected.
The whole thing took over 6 hours, from the time we were picked up and dropped back. Mind you the actual underwater scooter experience was just 10 minutes of these 6 hours.
We were made to wait on the boat for about 3 hours and obviously lot of people got sea sick.

I'm glad I got to see the ocean in Hawaii! I had the impression that there were many families around, and it might depend on the sea conditions, but I was a bit disappointed that there were fewer fish.

ハワイの海の中を見れてよかったです！
家族連れが多いイメージで、海のコンディションによると思うのですが、魚が少なかったのが少し残念でした。

I participated with my wife and two daughters, but it was quite difficult because my wife got drunk. The submarine itself is stable, but the waves while transferring from the shuttle boat to the submarine are quite intense. If you're not confident on boats, it's better to take motion sickness medication just in case. As for the tour, we were able to see sea turtles this time, and the kids were thrilled. What you can see depends on luck, though.

妻と娘二人で参加しましたが、妻が酔ってしまい大変でした。
潜水艦自体は安定しているんですが、送迎線から潜水艦に乗り移る間が水面のうねりが凄いです。
船に自信がある方以外は、念のため酔い止めを飲んで挑んだ方が良いです。
肝心のツアーですが、今回はウミガメも見れて子供達は大喜びでした。
何が見れるかは、運次第ですが。

On the day of departure, I was surprised to receive an email saying, "Please change the time."

The person in charge responded sincerely, and I have no complaints about that, but I don't understand why there was a change. I felt inconvenienced by having to frequently check emails on-site and communicate regarding the schedule (like the pickup) on the day of the event.

I hope you will work to prevent this from happening again, and it would be helpful if, in the event of a change, we could resolve it with just one or two email exchanges.

出発日に、「時間変更してください」
とのメールが来てびっくりしました。

担当の方は、誠実に対応してくださり、不満はないのですが、
なぜ変更なのか分からず、当日のスケジュール(ピックアップなど)の問い合わせに、頻繁に現地でメールチェックし、やり取りをしなければならない等、煩わしさを感じた事は否めません。

二度とこのような事がないよう、再発防止に努めて頂きたいのと、
変更があった場合、一往復程度のメールやり取りで済むようにしていただけると助かります。

It was a fun cruise thanks to the smiles of everyone at Private Dolphin Middle School and the charm of Captain "Papa." At first, we couldn't see any dolphins, but they patiently searched for us. We were able to encounter a pod of about 30 dolphins. I was very satisfied.

私立イルカ中学の皆さんの笑顔と、船長「パパ」さんの魅力で楽しいクルーズでした。はじめは、イルカに会えませんでしたが、粘り強く探してくださって。30頭ほどの群れに遭遇することができました。大満足でした。

You have plenty of time on the submarine to fully enjoy the scenery underwater. I was able to see sharks and sea turtles! (Maybe I was just lucky.) The elementary school children also seemed to have fun looking for fish. The boat before switching to the submarine swayed quite a bit, so I noticed a few people feeling seasick before the main event. I recommend taking motion sickness precautions for those who are not confident on boats.

潜水艦に乗っている時間はたっぷりあり、海の中の景色を十分楽しめます。鮫やウミガメも見れました！（運が良かったのかも。）小学生の子どもたちも魚を探したり楽しそうでした。潜水艦に乗り換える前の船が結構揺れるので、メインイベントの前に船酔いしている人もちらほら見かけました。船に自信のない人は酔い止め対策をおすすめします。

Motion sickness medication is a must. The view from the boat is great, and riding in the submarine is fun, but there weren't many fish on the seabed... I thought they had artificially created a fishing ground on the sandy bottom. It's a 45-minute experience of watching the little fish gather there. Since it takes about three hours, please weigh it against other events you want to do before deciding to participate!

酔い止めは必須です。船からの眺めは良いし、潜水艦に乗るのも楽しいのですが、海底に魚は…あまりいませんでした。
もともと砂地に人工的に魚場を作ったんだなと思いました。そこに集まる小さなお魚達を見つめる45分です。
時間は３時間ほど取られるので、他にやりたいイベントと天秤かけて参加を決めて下さいね！

I participated in this when I traveled with my family. The picking in Waikiki went smoothly without any issues. The guidance was entirely in English, but it wasn't a problem even if you didn't understand it. As for the tour, I was able to see a whale spouting water at the very end, which was fantastic. I was very satisfied. However, due to the weather, the boat rocked quite a bit, so everyone felt a bit seasick, which was a little tough.

家族で旅行した時に参加しました。ワイキキでのピッキングも問題なくスムーズでした。案内は終始英語ですが、わからなくても特別問題ないです。肝心のツアーですが、最後の最後で潮を吹き上げる鯨の姿を見る事ができました。大変満足です。ただ、天候の影響か、船がかなり激しく揺れたため、全員船酔い気味で少し辛かったです。