All Reviews for Marine Wildlife Encounters

I thought it would be difficult to catch it due to timing, and that turned out to be true. I'm glad I was able to see a bit of it towards the end. I appreciate the crew for their efforts.

なかなかタイミングが合わないと見れないと思っていたがその通りでした。終盤に少し見れたのでよかったです。クルーの方々には感謝したします。

The optional tour we had planned was suddenly canceled due to bad weather, so we made a last-minute reservation to participate that morning. The sea was very pleasant, and we enjoyed the beautiful scenery. After a while, we encountered a mother whale and her calf, along with a pod of dolphins! They were very close, and we could hear the sounds they made when they spouted water. They stayed near the surface for a long time, allowing us to watch them for quite a while, which was incredibly moving! While the whale was diving, we enjoyed watching the dolphins jump, making for a very fulfilling experience.

予定していたオプショナルツアーが天候不良により急遽中止になってしまったため、当日朝に予約しての参加でした。
海上はとても気持ち良くキレイな景色を楽しめました。
しばらく船を進めるとくじらの親子とイルカの群れに出会える事が出来ました！
とっても近かったので、潮をふく時の音も良く聞こえ、海面付近にずっといてくれたので長い時間見ている事が出来てとても感激しました！
くじらが潜っている間はイルカのジャンプを楽しめ、とても充実した時間でした。

I was able to see whales a few times, and the view from the ocean near Waikiki and Diamond Head was amazing. The top observation deck is great, but the lower level had fewer people and might have been even better.

鯨が何回か見れて、ワイキキやダイアモンドヘッドの海上からの眺めは最高でした。一番上の展望デッキもよいけれど、下の階も人が少なくよりよかったかも。

The weather was nice, and I was glad to be able to see whales.

Even though it's always summer in Hawaii, the sea was cold in February. I wore warm clothing and a hood, so I managed to stay comfortable. It's necessary to prepare for the cold.

I quickly realized that whales were visible thanks to the announcements from the guide and captain.

The whales that appeared repeatedly flapped their tails, almost as if they were waving.

天気も良くて、クジラも見ることが出来て良かったです。

常夏のハワイとは言え、2月の海上は寒かったです。
防寒着を着てフードを被っていたので、どうにか快適に過ごすことが出来ました。
寒さ対策は必要です。

ガイドや船長のアナウンスでクジラが見えた事は直ぐに分かりました。

現れたクジラはテールフラップを何度も繰り返してくれて、まるで手を振っているようにも感じました。

At first, I was a bit discouraged when I saw the full down dive and it didn't come back after 10 minutes, but when another whale appeared and I witnessed it slapping its tail multiple times, I was so moved that tears came to my eyes! I'm really glad I participated.

初めはフルークダウンダイブする姿を見て、10分過ぎても出てこず、少し諦めていましたが、もう一頭のくじらが出現し、何度もテールスラップする姿を見たときは感動して涙が出て来ました！
本当に参加してよかったです。

The ship was fine, but the trip was disappointing, since we didn't see any whales. We did the trip in the second half of January in 2018.

I could only see it from a distance. It was disappointing that they didn't accept American Express cards for purchasing onboard commemorative photos.

遠くに見えたくらいです。
船内記念写真の購入では、ｱﾒｯｸｽカードの取扱いがないのは残念でした。

This was my ninth trip to Hawaii, but it was my first time traveling in February, so I made a reservation. I was able to see both whales and dolphins, and the view of Waikiki from the boat was incredibly beautiful, creating wonderful memories.

９回目のハワイでしたが、２月に旅行が初めてだったので、予約しました。
クジラもイルカも見れて、また船からのワイキキもすごく綺麗に見れて
思い出になりました。

When the weather is nice, you can clearly see Waikiki and Diamond Head, which feels great. At first, I couldn't see anything at all and almost gave up, but they finally appeared towards the end. However, while I did see whales, they were far away, so it wasn't as impressive as what you see in the brochures; it was more like, "Is that it?" Well, since it was a large ship, I didn't experience any seasickness, so I think that was a good thing.

天気が良いとワイキキやダイヤモンドベッドがクッキリと見えて気分が良いかと。最初は全然見えなくて諦めかけましたが、最後の方でやっと現れました。でも、確かにクジラは見えたけど遠かったので、パンフにあるような迫力ではなく、あれか、という感じです。まあ、大型船なので船酔いもなかったので、良かったかなと思います。

The ship was large and there was little rocking. However, it was a bit disappointing that I could only see the whale briefly as it moved from starboard to port. But since I did see it, I hope to see more next time. I was able to take photos of the dolphins.

船が大きくて揺れも少なかったです。
ただクジラが現れてから右舷、左舷と移動していたら
少ししか見えなかったのは残念です。
でも見えたので次回はもっと見たいですね。
イルカは写真撮れました。

**[Experience Review]**
I participated at the end of January, having seen reviews beforehand, and thought, "If I get to see it, that would be lucky☆". As the reviews said, I couldn't see it, but since it was raining until the boat departed, there was a rainbow throughout the tour. Once we got out to sea, there wasn't a single cloud in the sky, and we were able to see a very magical rainbow (and it was a double rainbow! Plus, it was huge!) against the blue sky and vast ocean. Personally, since I got to see the rainbow, I found it quite enjoyable (laughs).

**[What I Liked About This Tour]**
The breakfast was more delicious than I expected. There were bread, white rice, scrambled eggs, sausages, and more... I thought it was very Japanese-friendly with ketchup and soy sauce available.

**[Advice for Future Participants]**
I recommend boarding the boat as soon as possible after getting off the bus. The window seats are popular, so everyone was vying for them. They take your picture before boarding and come around to sell it during the trip. I don't remember the exact amount, but it seemed to be around $20 to $30. By the way, we prepared a tip before disembarking, but there was no tip box, and we didn't have a chance to meet the staff or captain when getting off, so there was no timing to give it.

【実際に体験した感想】
1月末に参加しましたが先に口コミを見ており
「見れたらラッキー☆」くらいで参加しました。
口コミ通り見ることは出来ませんでしたが
船の出発まで雨が降っていたこともありツアー中ずっと虹が出ており
沖まで行けば雲一つない快晴でしたので青い空と広大な海に
とても幻想的な虹（しかも２重！そしてデカい！）が見れました。
私的には虹が見れたので、まぁまぁ楽しかったです（笑）


【このツアーで気に入ったところ】
思っていた以上に朝食が美味しかったです。
パン・白ご飯・スクランブルエッグ・ソーセージなど・・・
ケチャップやしょうゆもあり日本人好みだな～と思いました。


【これから参加する人へのアドバイス】
バスから降りたあとはなるべく早めに乗船することをオススメします。
やはり窓際の席は人気があるためみなさん取り合いでした。
乗船前に写真を撮ってくださり乗船中に売りに来てくれます。
はっきりとした金額は覚えてませんが20ドル～30ドルくらいだったような。
ちなみに私たちはチップを用意して下船しましたが
チップを入れる箱もなく下船の際にスタッフやキャプテンとも
顔を合わせることがなかったため渡すタイミングがありませんでした。

**[Experience Review]**
I participated at the end of January, but the maximum temperature was 22 degrees, and it was very cold. Right after boarding, I was able to see sea turtles and whales, but we struggled to find dolphins for four hours while being rocked by the boat. Finally, we spotted dolphins, but by then, I was down due to the cold and seasickness. In the end, I didn't get to enter the water and just watched the dolphins from the boat.

**[What I Liked About This Tour]**
The staff's determination to find dolphins is impressive! True to their word, while other tours were turning back to the harbor due to the lack of sightings, they took us here and there in search of dolphins.

**[Advice for Future Participants]**
If you are prone to seasickness, please make sure to take anti-nausea medication! They cannot sell medication on board, but they do sell seasickness prevention wristbands for $20. However, even with the medication and the wristband, I still felt nauseous. I wore a wetsuit for an additional fee (was it $10 or $20?), but it was really cold. Being exposed to the north wind for four hours was truly freezing. After coming out of the water, a man from another group became so pale that it was concerning, and he couldn't stop shaking.

On the way there, the bus provided explanations and taught us about Hawaiian history, so it wasn't really a relaxing atmosphere (in both good and bad ways). However, on the way back, there was an announcement about photo sales as soon as we got on, but after that, the bus was quiet enough for a nice nap. I forgot the price of the photos, but payment was either on the bus or at the office, so if you don't have any business at the office, I recommend bringing a bit of cash. I ended up needing quite a bit of cash for the seasickness band, wetsuit, photo costs, and tips. I'm glad I had it on me (laughs). Regarding tips, there was an announcement before disembarking saying, "If you think it was good..." and my husband and I paid $20, but it seemed that many people either didn't tip or only tipped around $5.

【実際に体験した感想】
1月末に参加しましたが最高気温が22度でとても寒かったです。
乗船後すぐにウミガメやクジラは見れたのですが
肝心のイルカがなかなか見つからず船に揺られること4時間。
ようやくイルカが見つかりましたが、その頃には私は寒さと船酔いでダウン。
結局、私は海に入ることはなく船上でイルカウォッチングになりました。


【このツアーで気に入ったところ】
必ずイルカを見つけます！というスタッフさんの意志がすごいです。
その言葉通り、ほかのツアーはあまりの見つからなさに港へ引き返している中
イルカを見つけるためにあっちへ行きこっちへ行きしてくださいました。


【これから参加する人へのアドバイス】
船酔いする人は必ず！本当に必ず酔い止めの薬を飲んでください。
酔い止めの薬を販売することは出来ないので・・・と
船酔い防止のリストバンド（20ドル）を販売してくれますが
酔い止めの薬+リストバンドでも私は酔いました。
追加料金（10ドル？20ドル？）でウェットスーツを着てましたが
とにかく寒いです。4時間も北風に打たれると本当に寒いです。
海から上がったあとは別の組の男性が、こちらが心配になるくらい
血色がみるみる悪くなり震えが止まらなくなってました。

行きのバスは説明＆ハワイの歴史を教えてくださっており
とても寝られる雰囲気ではありませんでしたが（いい意味でも悪い意味でも）
帰りのバスは乗ってすぐに写真販売の案内がありましたが
その後はゆっくり寝られるくらい車内が静かでした。
写真の値段を忘れてしまいましたが、バス車内でのお会計
もしくはオフィスにてお会計でしたのでオフィスに行く用事のない方は
少しばかりの現金を持ってくることをオススメします。
私は船酔いのバンド+ウェットスーツ+写真代+チップを支払ったので
結構な現金が必要になりました。持っててよかった～（笑）
チップに関しては下船前に「よかったと思ってくださる方は～」と
アナウンスがあり私と主人とで20ドル支払いましたが
意外とみなさん払われてないor5ドル程度の方が多かった印象です。

During the first half of the cruise, I was able to see whales in the distance from the top deck, although they appeared small. While I was having lunch on the first floor, a whale suddenly appeared much closer. I've heard that whale watching can be a matter of luck, but I think we were definitely lucky that day. The scenery was breathtaking, and the buffet and cultural experiences were great as well.

クルーズ前半は最上階からクジラが遠くに小さくですが何度も見れました。そして一階でランチを食べていたら、突然クジラが大きく見えました。ホエールウォッチングは運不運があると聞きますが、その日はきっと運が良かったのだと思います。景色も最高の眺めでしたし、ビュッフェや文化体験も良かったです。

It was farther away than I had expected, but I'm glad I was able to see it safely. I felt like not being able to see the first half at all was part of the performance, though.

期待していたよりは遠距離からではありましたが、無事に見られてよかったです。前半全く見れなかったのは、演出のような気もしもしましたけど。

I arrived at the pickup location earlier than the scheduled time, but since it was just after 10 AM, it was extremely crowded. It was difficult to find our bus among the crowd. I think it would have been helpful if the staff had held a sign that said "Veltora," and it also took time to find the bus because it was parked a bit far away. Although I was told that the voucher was not needed, I was instructed to hand it to the staff member who came to pick us up.

The tour itself was very interesting, and I was thrilled when we spotted a whale. I was on the third deck of the boat, but the snacks were only available on the second deck, which was a hassle since I had to go down the stairs each time to get something. I think it would have been better if there were snack stations on both the upper and lower decks. I would have also liked some drinks other than water.

お迎え場所には時間より早く着いていたのですが、朝10時過ぎということもあり大変な混雑でした。その中から自分たちの乗るバスを見つけるというのは難しかったです。担当者がベルトラと書いた看板でも持っていてくれたら良かったと思いますし少し離れたところにバスが停まっていたせいもあり見つけるのに時間がかかりました。またバウチャーはいらないとの事でしたが迎えに来た担当者に渡すように言われました。
ツアー自体は大変おもしろくクジラが見えた瞬間には興奮しました。
船の中では3階にいたのですが、軽食が2階にしか置いてなくいちいち階段を降りて取りに行くのが面倒でした。上と下の２か所にあればよかったと思いました。水以外の飲み物も欲しかったです。

This is my third time participating. I always join when I go to Hawaii because I find healing with the dolphins and turtles. I was able to see the dolphins and turtles again this time, but since the schedule is tailored to them, the early morning pickup is tough (of course). If you plan to use this program, you need to adjust your schedule before and after to avoid getting unwell.

今回で3回目の参加です。
イルカとカメに癒されるのでハワイに行くときは必ず参加しています。
今回もイルカとカメに会えましたが、彼らに合わせたスケジュールなので、(もちろんなのですが)朝のピックアップが早いのが大変です。
このプランを利用する場合は前後のスケジュールを調整して臨まないと、体調を崩します。

It was a lovely afternoon on the boat where we saw and followed 2 pairs of whales-- one of which was a mama and a baby whale! The team was experienced and knowledgeable and also showed us other ocean wildlife while we were waiting for the whales to resurface. Excellent activity-- I would do again.

I used to get seasick and wasn't good at swimming in the ocean, but the beauty of the sea and sky made me forget my discomfort. I was thrilled to swim with sea turtles, which I had always dreamed of. I was also surprised by the pod of dolphins. I have come to love the ocean, which I once found difficult.

船酔いもするし、海で泳ぐことは苦手でしたが、海と空の綺麗さが酔いを忘れさせてくれました。
念願のウミガメと一緒に泳ぐことも出来て感動しました。イルカの群れにはビックリです。
苦手だった海が大好きになりました。

This time, I was a bit disappointed that I couldn't see the whales jumping from afar, but on the way to the whale watching spot, I encountered dolphins, which made me feel lucky. It was great that breakfast was included on the boat. The reservation through Veltra was the cheapest among the sites I checked.

今回はクジラが遠くジャンプも見れなかったので少しがっかりでしたがクジラスポットに向かう途中にイルカに遭遇し、得した気分でした。船内で朝食も付けれて良かったです。ベルトラからの予約が見たサイトの中では一番安かったです。

My child said they wanted to see whales, so we joined in. I was also looking forward to it since I had never seen them before. I felt reassured because it was mentioned that if we couldn't spot any whales, we would receive a free reboarding ticket.

There were about four announcements saying, "We see them now!" but most people missed the chance to see them. Although there were announcements, we didn't see any whales at all, so we couldn't reboard.

As for lunch, there wasn't much to eat, so I just snacked on potato chips. It's disappointing because encountering whales is also a matter of luck.

クジラを見たい！と子供が言うので一緒に参加しました。私も今までに
見た事がなかったので期待していました。
クジラの確認ができなかった場合は、再乗船できる無料乗船券を配布する
との記載もあるので安心していました。
「今、見えました！！」と４回ぐらいアナウンスがあったのですが
見るタイミングを逃した方がほとんどでした。
全く見えなかったけどアナウンスがあったので、再乗船は出来ません。。。
ランチはまともに食べれるものがなく、ポテトチップスをつまみました。
遭遇出来るかは運もありますが残念です。

I participated in this tour before and had a great experience, so I invited a friend to try it as well. The weather was nice, and the turtles were swimming comfortably, making me realize that I am currently in Oahu. The food was delicious, and I recommend it. It's safer to have motion sickness medication on hand.

このツアーは以前にも参加して良かったので友人を誘いましてトライしまし。
天気も良く、カメも気持ち良く泳いでいて、このツアーでオワフ今いるんだなと実感できます。
食事も美味しいのですすめです、船酔いの薬はあった方が安全ですね。

While looking at past experiences, I participated with a bit of worry, thinking that I might not be able to see any whales. In reality, I didn't feel any presence at all until the very end, but I was able to see the spouts (breath) and tails of two whales at the last moment. I was so happy! Also, the view of Oahu from the sea was very beautiful, and I was able to take some lovely photos. I managed to take some pictures of the whales as well, but since there was a distance, if you want impressive photos, it would be best to prepare a telephoto camera or purchase photos from the ship's dedicated photographer.

過去の体験談を見ていたら、くじらを見れないことも多いのかなと少し心配しならがら参加しました。実際途中まで全く気配を感じることもできませんでしたが、最後の最後に２頭のくじらの潮吹き(呼吸)や尾びれを見ることができました。うれしかったです。また海上から見るオアフ島はとてもきれいで素敵な写真を撮ることができました。くじらの写真もとりあえず撮ることができましたが、やはり距離があるので迫力ある写真がほしければ、望遠タイプのカメラを準備するか船の専属カメラマンの写真を購入するのが良さそうです。

I participated in a Japanese language guided tour starting at 10 AM, and not only was I able to enjoy the beautiful underwater scenery, but I also learned about the types of fish, the history of the reefs, and how colors appear underwater. It was a lot of fun!

10時からの日本語解説ツアーに参加したため、美しい海底の景色を眺めるだけでなく、魚の種類や漁礁の歴史や海底での色の見え方等の話が聞けて、とても楽しめました。

The weather was bad, and I couldn't see much because of the waves. By the time I noticed, I could only see the tail for a brief moment.

On the other hand, I was glad to see a beautiful rainbow. I ended up taking a lot of photos of the rainbow.

天気が悪かったのもありますが、波に隠れて
あまりよく見られませんでした。気づいた時には尾が少し見られたぐらいで、ほんの一瞬、、

そのかわりといってはなんですが、虹が綺麗に
見られて良かったです。虹の写真ばかり撮って
しましました

I was able to encounter many dolphins. The Japanese staff, local guides, and photographers all had a wonderful attitude towards entertaining the guests! I hope to enroll again!

多くのイルカ達と遭遇できました。日本人スタッフさんも、現地ガイドさんも、カメラマンさんも、ゲストを楽しませようとするスタンスが素敵でした！再入学希望です！

It was my first time in Hawaii and my first whale watching experience. Towards the end of the cruise, I finally saw a couple of small, cute spouts and just a glimpse of one tail. It seems some people missed the tail. During the cruise, they provided commentary about the whales and the scenery, which kept us entertained. We also got to see a big rainbow after a light rain, so that was a nice bonus.

初ハワイの初ホエールウォッチングでした。
クルーズ後半にやっと小さめの可愛らしい潮吹き(２匹のよう)と、１匹の尾びれだけチラッと見えました。尾びれは見逃した方もいたよう。クルーズ中は、鯨の生体や景色の事を放送し、退屈しないようしてくれてました。小雨後の大きな虹見れたのでとりあえず○

My first winter in Hawaii, and I was really looking forward to whale watching. It rained and was a bit cold for Hawaii, so at first, we could only catch glimpses of the whales. However, the captain extended our time a bit, and then, ta-da!!! From that point on, we were amazed as mother and baby whales leaped out of the water, making us feel like we were seeing dolphins! It was truly thrilling. We also learned hula dancing on the way back on the boat, and I thoroughly enjoyed my time in Hawaii! Next time, I want to go dolphin watching. Thank you!

初めての冬のハワイで、ずっと楽しみにしていたホエールウォッチング。
雨が降ったり、ハワイにしては寒かったりと、最初はクジラさんがちらちら見えるくらいでしたが、キャプテンが少し時間延長して下さり、そうすると、ジャーンプ！！！
もうそこからは、「え？イルカ？」と思うくらい、親子クジラが飛び跳ねてくれて、もう大感激でした。
フラダンスも帰路の船内で教えて頂き、もうハワイ大満喫でした！
今度はドルフィンウォッチングに行きたいです。
ありがとうございました！

I participated on January 28, 2019.
This boat didn't have a Japanese guide, so it was mostly foreigners, but in the end, this tour was great.
The pick-up was handled by a cheerful and friendly lady, and there were no particular issues. The boat was smaller compared to other whale-watching boats, which made it easier to see the whales.
There was a large cruise ship in a similar area, but it was crowded with people and far away, so a smaller boat is definitely more comfortable for viewing. Well, if you really want to see them up close, going to Maui would be the best option...
It might be a bit warmer when it's sunny, but since it was somewhat cloudy, it got cold if you were exposed to the wind for too long. Warm clothing is essential. Foreigners seemed to handle the cold well, even in short sleeves, but ordinary Japanese people would definitely need a thick jacket.
I took motion sickness medication just in case, but it was at a level where I thought it might be okay without it. However, this depends on the sea conditions, so I think it's better to have it just in case.
It seemed like there were 2 to 3 whales, and they occasionally showed themselves. They were found relatively quickly, which was a bit surprising. The timing might have been good as well; January to mid-February is said to be the best season. I hope this information is helpful for those planning to go.

2019.1.28に参加しました。
この船は日本語ガイドがないので外国の方ばかりでしたが、結果的にはこのツアーで良かったです。
送迎も明るく気さくなお姉さんで特に問題はなく、船は他のホエールウオッチング船に比べて小さめだったので鯨たちが見やすかったと思います。
似たような場所に大型客船がいましたが、人は鈴なりになっているし距離は遠いしで、小型の船の方が絶対快適に見れますね。まあ、本当に間近で見ようと思ったらマウイ島に行くのがベストでしょうが…
晴れているともう少し暖かいかもですが、やや雲っていたので長く風に吹かれていると寒いです。防寒着は必須です。外国の方は寒さに強いので半袖でも平気そうでしたが、普通の日本人は厚手の上着がないと無理だと思います。
酔い止めは念のため飲んで行きましたが、無くても大丈夫かな？という程度でした。でもこれは海の状態に寄るので、持っておいたほうがいいと思います。
鯨達は2〜3頭いるようで、時々姿を見せました。割とすぐに見つかったので、拍子抜けする位でした。時期も良かったのかもしれません。1月-2月中旬がベストシーズンだそうです。これから行かれる方の参考になれば嬉しいです。

The weather was cloudy, and it started to rain after we set sail, so I had given up on seeing whales. However, we were able to see them spouting water multiple times and even catch a glimpse of their tails. The weather gradually improved, allowing us to enjoy our time comfortably on the second and third decks.

Perhaps due to the family discount, there were many foreign families with children, creating a lively atmosphere that felt like being on a kindergarten field trip. After lunch, I noticed some adults who had been moved by the whale sightings were taking naps. Since we cruised from 11:30 AM until after 2 PM, it seemed some adults were getting bored.

We entered from the first floor and had to move between the second and third floors via stairs. When I asked about how wheelchair users would manage, I was told they would have to stay on the first floor. The lunch menu included ham, cheese, fruit, lettuce and tomato for mini hamburgers, and slices of roast beef. Cookies were also provided. Coffee was $1, and alcoholic drinks were $10.

天気が曇りで、出航してからは雨が降り出しましたので、クジラの出現は諦めていたのですが、何度も潮吹くのを見たり、尾びれも見ることが出来ました。
天気は徐々に回復して、２階や３階のデッキで気持ち良く過ごすことも出来ました。
ファミリー割引があるためか、外国人の子供連れが多く、幼稚園の遠足の中にいるような感じで、ものすごく賑やかでした。
ランチを頂いた後、何度かクジラの出現に感動していた大人の中には、昼寝に入っている人も見掛けました。
１１時半出航２時過ぎまでクルージングなので、大人の中には飽きる人もあるようです。
１階部分から入り、２階～３階への階段の移動があります。
車いすの人はどうするのか聞いたところ、１階のみで過ごすことになるとの事でした。
ランチメニューは、ハムやチーズ、フルーツ、ミニハンバーガー用に挟む、レタスやトマト、ローストビーフのスライス。クッキーなどが用意されていました。コーヒーは１ドル。お酒は１０ドルでした。

Unfortunately, I couldn't see any whales, and it was disappointing that I didn't receive any tickets afterward. However, I was glad to see a rainbow. I'm curious to know what the actual probability is.

鯨には残念ながら会えず、そのあとチケットもくれなくて残念でした。
ただ虹は見れたのでよかったです。実際どのくらいの確率が知りたいです。