All Reviews for Food & Dining Experiences

This was a unique experience for me because I have never been on any sort of cruise ship before. Although the waves were a little choppy, overall I had a great time. The food is great (one star), service is good, and the atmosphere is satisfying. Just a little advice for all the couples out there who want a special "one-on-one" type of evening, spend the extra money to get a table for two. If not, you may end up sharing a table with another couple. I lucked out and the couple that was supposed to show, didn't. This is also a type of outing that is geared more towards tourists. So this may not be so entertaining for many of the locals. It also does get a little chilly, so bring some sort of jacket (for the men), or a jacket/shawl (for women). Overall, I enjoyed the quality and experience this activity had to offer. I would definitely do it again sometime.

I am just letting yoou know that The Polynesian Culutural Center was
soooo much fun!!!!!!! That was the best thing we did in Hawaii. We were
in Hawaii last year with our daughters and our schedule didn't work so
well for us to attend. When we went this year we felt bad that our girls
had to miss out on such a wonderful time. Everyone working there was so
helpful and very nice, and friendly. We are very glad that we did it this
year. IT WAS AWESOME!!!!!!!!!!!

The transportation to the Cultural Center was great and the driver amazing. He was very friendly and the drive was gorgeous - including a view of the famous 'China-Man's hat'. He was helpful once we arrived as well. We had a great experience on the canoe but wished we would have had more time to actually visit the individual villages before dinner began. I felt like we missed out a lot not being able to visit the exhibits. The dinner was wonderful although we had a toddler with us and opted out a bit early to roam the grounds and get some energy out rather than finish watching the dinner show. The evening show was amazing and made the whole trip worth it. We slept on the way home and were very happy with the experience.

Great boat, wonderful crew and a delicous meal just the icing on the cake to the most beautiful sunset we have ever seen. Hawaii sunsets are pretty sitting on the beach but you can't beat the beauty of seeing it out on the water. This tour is out in west Oahu (Koolina) far away from waikiki which is exactly what we were looking for!

I had been to the center over 20 years ago & wanted to go back.
It was a nice way to spend the day. All the staff was great! The luau was really good food.
Had a great time & would recommend to anyone who is interested in this culture.
Thanks for the great show too!

Overall, it was fun to run a lot, but my butt got chafed and hurt.

ともかく、たくさん走れて面白かったがお尻がすれて痛かった。

Very informative and sobering experience.

This was fantastic - recommended by friends, enjoyed by us parents and the teenagers.

The dinner was great, with foods I've never heard of living in the lower 48. The shows are well done, and very unique.

I've never seen anything like it, and if I have the opportunity, I will certainly return.

we had a very small group that went out, so i don't know how things go for the larger groups, but everything was a blast. very laid back and relaxing trip, the sights were spectacular and the crew was a lot of fun.

The first ride of 2009 was on January 2 at Gunstock Ranch on Oahu. We drove from Waikiki via H1 → R63 → R83 heading north, passed the Polynesian Cultural Center, and just a few minutes further on the left, we saw the sign for Gunstock Ranch. It takes a little over an hour from Waikiki. On the way, we stopped by Cloverleaf Ranch. Two summers ago, my family of four, including the kids, had our first trekking ride there, which made it a memorable ranch for us. After that, my husband and I started attending lessons at the riding club Crane, where we experience ups and downs in a small arena while practicing canter.

Oahu has a couple of beginner-friendly trekking options, but Gunstock Ranch offers an advanced trail ride, which we eagerly signed up for. Due to poor conditions from the rain the day before, we were suggested to switch to a safer scenic ride. However, after discussing our riding experience with our young and cute guide Stephanie, who had a wonderful smile, we were allowed to canter in a safe area. TAKA had just ridden 15 kilometers along the coastline at Frontier Riding Club in Hokkaido last fall. However, for MAMI, who was on her first outdoor ride, it started with a trot, but by the second and third times, she was able to do a more dynamic canter, which was a thrilling experience compared to the small arena.

The group that rode before us consisted of a mix of three and two people, and it seemed they were trekking at a beginner's pace. They likely make efforts to accommodate as many requests as possible for the riding tour based on group composition and negotiations. I am especially grateful to Stephanie, our guide this time!

2009年の初乗りは1月2日オアフ島のガンストック牧場でした。ワイキキからレンタカーでH1→R63→R83と経由北上し、ポリネシアンカルチャーセンターを過ぎさらに北上、5分も行かないところに左手にガンストック牧場の看板があります。ワイキキから１時間ちょっとってとこでしょうか。行きに途中クロレア牧場に立ち寄りました。2年前の夏、子供たちとともに家族4人で初トレッキング常歩乗馬し、乗馬にはまった記念すべき牧場です。その後、乗馬クラブのクレインに夫婦で通い狭い馬場で駈歩のレッスンに一喜一憂しています。オアフの乗馬ツアーは初心者向けのポコポコトレッキングは２~３ありますが、ガンストック牧場はアドバンスド・トレイル・ライドがあり勇んで申し込みました。前日の雨による悪コンディションのため、安全なシーニック･ライドへの変更を提案されましたが、とっても若くてキュートで笑顔の素敵な女性ガイドのステファニーに乗馬経験を話し、セーフティーな場所でキャンター（駈歩）ＯＫってことになりました。TAKAは昨秋北海道のフロンティア乗馬クラブで海岸線を15キロ走ってきたところです。しかし初外乗のMAMIは最初トロット（速歩）でしたが、２回目３回目とどんどんダイナミックなキャンターが出て狭い馬場との違いに感動充実の時間となりました。私たちの前の時間に乗馬したグループは３＋２人の２組の混合でしたが、ビギナーのペースでのトレッキングだったようです。グループ編成と交渉次第で可能な限りの希望通りの乗馬ツアーの実現に努力してくれるのでしょう。とくに今回ガイドをしてくれたステファニーには大感謝ですっ♪

On Christmas Day, the only place where horseback riding was available was Gunstock Ranch. Although the prices were elevated for the holiday, considering the Christian culture, it was quite appreciated.

There was no shuttle service from the hotel, so we rented a car with a navigation system and challenged ourselves to drive on the right side for the first time. The navigation guided us to our destination without any issues when we entered the address, and by being mindful of the central lane always being on the left, we found that driving wasn't too different from Japan. (I felt it was convenient to have the postal code handy since the navigation I used didn't have a search function by phone number, etc.)

Now, regarding the horseback riding, besides our family of four, there were also four family members from California and two couples participating.

The owner of Gunstock Ranch led the way, with his wife at the midpoint and his daughter (around elementary school age) bringing up the rear as we set off.

It was the first time for my husband, daughter, and son to ride horses, but there were no issues at all. The very smart horses followed commands for right, left, and gallop, taking us along nicely.

While it's common to see guides leading horses in enclosed areas, riding through the great outdoors while enjoying the scenery was truly delightful.

All instructions were in English, but they were easy to understand. We had a lot of fun participating.

I highly recommend it!

クリスマスの25日に唯一、乗馬が可能だったのがガンストック牧場でした。クリスマス料金になっていたのでコストパフォーマンスが良いとはいえませんでしたが、クリスチャンのお国柄を考えれば、ありがたいことしきりです。

ホテルとの送迎はありませんので、ナビ付きレンタカーを借り、初めての右側車線にもチャレンジ。
ナビは、住所の入力で目的地まで問題なく案内してくれましたし、常に左側に中央車線があることを意識して運転をすると、以外と日本と変わらずに運転ができます。
（ナビの利用には、郵便番号を控えておくと便利だと感じました。私が利用したナビは、電話番号などでの検索機能がなかったので･･･）

さて、肝心の乗馬ですが、私たち４人家族以外にも、４名のカリフォルニアから来た家族と、２名のカップルが参加していました。

ガンストック牧場のご主人が先導し、中間地点に奥さん、そして一番後ろには、娘さん（小学校中学年ぐらい）が付いて出発です。

主人、娘、息子は馬に乗るのは初めてでしたが、何の問題もなく、とても賢い馬は、右・左・ギャロップなどの指示に従ってちゃんと私たちを乗せてくれました。

柵の中で、管理者が引き馬をしてくれるケースはよく見ますが、大自然の中、景色を楽しみながらのお散歩乗馬、とても気持ちが良かったです。

説明は全て英語ですが、十分に聞き取りは可能です。
楽しく参加することができました。

お勧めですよ♪

We really enjoyed this tour!! Our guide was very knowlegable and experienced. Everyone visiting Oahu should visit the Arizona at least once. The Missouri was also very interesting, as was the Punchbowl.

We participated as a family of four on Christmas Day. This has been our annual tradition of traveling to Hawaii for the past ten years, and for the last two or three years, we had been really interested in the dolphin tour. I'm so glad we decided to sign up this time. My daughters (22 and 20 years old) were truly thrilled to see such cute dolphins so close... They were really impressed, saying it was a tour that perfectly matched the name Dolphin You "Dolphins and Me"! When we got on the boat, it was incredibly cold, but the warm hospitality from the staff and the delicious cheese taro burgers we had, along with sweet cakes for Christmas, made us feel pampered. Everyone was very satisfied with Dolphin You. If we have the chance, we would love to join this tour again! Thank you very much.

家族4名でクリスマスの日に参加。10年前からの、毎年恒例のハワイ旅行で、ここ2、3年、ずーっと気になってたイルカツアー。思い切って今回申し込んでよかったです。娘達は（22歳、20歳）可愛いいイルカがあんなに直ぐ側で見られるなんて・・・とホントに大感激しておりました。まさに、ドルフィンユー「イルカとわたし」のネーミングにぴったりなツアーだ！と妙に感心しておりました~♪船にあがると、ものすごく、寒かったですけど、暖かいスタッフの皆様のおもてなしと、美味しいチーズたろいものバーガーをいただいたり、クリスマスということで、甘いケーキまで、ご馳走になり、何から何まで、至れりつくせりのドルフィンユーにみんな大満足でした。機会があれば、また、このツアーに参加したいです！！ありがとうございました。

Nothing is more fun than this show on Hawaii. Loved it completely, excellent arrangements, very good timings for each show so that you will not miss a single one, excellent staffs and lastly superb shows..kudos to them.
If you have time, also take the temple trip and visit the church.

We had a great time on our kayak trip, however our originally scheduled trip was cancelled due to heavy rains. Unless you love lots of RAIN... do not visit Hawaii in December! My husband is not a strong swimmer, so we avoided any waves near the islands. The water was not as clear as I expected, but it was very fun, none the less!

This time, my husband and our sons, who are in first and sixth grade, participated. They seemed very happy to see a pod of wild dolphins up close, which they had been looking forward to. They were also impressed by the sea turtles, beautiful fish, and the clear ocean. They happily talked about how delicious the hamburger made with taro bread was, which they ate on the boat, and how they danced the hula after getting off the boat.

During this trip, I let the kids experience various activities, but the most fun thing they both said was the "dolphin tour!" I'm glad we participated.

今回、夫と小１・小６の息子たちが参加しました。
楽しみにしていた野生のイルカの群れを間近に見ることができて、とてもうれしかったようです。
また、海ガメやきれいな魚たち、透き通った海に感動していました。
また、船の上で食べたタロイモのパンで作ったハンバーガーがとても美味しかった事、船を降りてからフラダンスを踊ったことを楽しそうに話してくれました。

今回の旅行では子供達にいろいろ体験させたのですが、一番楽しかったことは「イルカツアー！」と二人揃って言っていました。参加させてよかったと思います。

the sun was shining, the wind was blowing, the dolphins were swimming, the reef was closer to the surface. But it wasn't, not any. No sailing because of no wind. No sun. No dolphins. I'm near sighted, so the reef, in the sunless water, was too darn deep for me to really see. Got a re-ride ticket - but what good is that going to do me? This was a once in a lifetime trip. I didn't score it worse, cause the "catatonics" helped my mood, and I absolutely love the ocean, no matter what.

Despite the poor conditions, I was able to encounter many dolphins, and it was really fun. I could see that all the staff were making great efforts to ensure the participants enjoyed themselves. I was a bit nervous since I easily get seasick and can't swim, but the friendly atmosphere created by the staff, the encounters with the dolphins and turtles, and the delicious hamburgers made it a wonderful experience! I'm glad I participated. If I have the opportunity next time, I would like to join again in good weather conditions during a better season.

条件の悪い中でしたが、
たくさんのイルカと出会うことができて、
とっても楽しかったです。
スタッフの皆さんいずれも参加者を楽しまそうと
大変努力してくださっているのが良くわかりました。
船に酔いやすく泳げない私は多少緊張してましたが、
スタッフの皆さんの和やかな雰囲気とイルカやカメとの遭遇
それに美味しいハンバーガーで
ずいぶんと楽しませていただきました！
参加してよかったです。
次回機会があれば天候のよいシーズンによい条件の中でもう一度参加してみたいです。

Everything was amazing!! The dolphins, snorkeling at the coral reef, the cheeseburgers, and the hula dancing were all wonderful♪ It was so much fun. I want to participate again!!

何もかもが最高でした！！
イルカも珊瑚礁のポイントでのシュノーケルもチーズバーガーもフラダンスも♪
とても楽しいです。また参加したいです！！

Wonderful tour. Very moving. Something everyone from the United States should see and respect the memory of those that died there.

Was not a full half day tour. Not enough time to see most attractions. Dinner and show only. Upgrade to prime rib/seafood buffet does not include luau setting. Shell lei was not as good as a flowered lei and no rememberance picture taken. Food and show were excellant.

I had been curious about the tour where you can swim with dolphins for a long time. Previously, I participated in a "dolphin watching tour" where I could only see dolphins from a boat. It was enjoyable, but just watching felt a bit unsatisfying, so I definitely wanted to join a tour where I could swim with dolphins next time.

After considering various tours, I was drawn to this one not only because you can swim with dolphins, but also because it includes a "chant" (prayer) before entering the water and hula lessons, allowing me to experience Hawaiian culture. I decided to sign up. I was a bit anxious about participating alone, but once I got into the water, I forgot all about that, and when I saw the dolphins up close, all my worries disappeared!

They picked me up early in the morning from a nearby hotel, and after about an hour, I was moved by the sunrise over Diamond Head that I could see from the car. My anticipation for the tour grew. As soon as we arrived at the harbor, we boarded the boat. The staff welcomed us with ukulele music. After chanting and offering flowers to the sea, dolphins quickly gathered around the boat, and we jumped into the water right away.

I was truly amazed to see dolphins swimming so close! There were about 30 of them, including mother and baby dolphins. The water was beautiful, and I could see all the way to the bottom just with snorkeling. At that time, I was also able to see honu (sea turtles) and rays!

On the boat, the staff entertained us with various performances.

This experience will definitely be unforgettable in my life. I truly felt it was worth participating.

ずっ~と前から気になっていたイルカと一緒に泳げるツアー。
以前、単なる船上からイルカを見る「イルカウォッチングのツアー」に参加した事があったのですが、楽しくはあったけど、見るだけではなんだか物足りなさを感じ、次回は絶対自分も一緒にイルカと泳げるツアーに参加したいと思っていました。
そして色々なツアーを検討した結果、こちらのツアーの、イルカと一緒に泳げるのはもちろん、海に入る前に「チャント(お祈り)」をするところや、フラレッスン等、ハワイの文化にも触れられる事に魅力を感じ、申し込みする事に決めました。
今回は一人での参加で楽しめるのかどうか不安もありましたが、実際に海に入ってしまえばそんな事は気にならず、イルカを目の前にしたら、そんな不安も吹き飛びました!

早朝近くのホテルまで迎えに来てくれ、そこから約１時間、
途中、車の中から見えたダイアモンドヘッドの朝焼けにも感動。これからのツアーの期待が膨らみました。
港に着きすぐに乗船。スタッフがウクレレを演奏し私達を迎えてくれました。
そして、チャントを唱えお花を海に捧げると、すぐにイルカ達が船の周りに集まっていて、早速海に飛び込みます。

本当に間近をイルカ達が泳いでいるのに感動!!
しかも30頭ぐらいの大群。親子のイルカもいました。
海も綺麗で、シュノーケルだけでも充分海の底まで見えます。
この時は、イルカの他にホヌ(海亀)や、エイなども見ることができました!!

船上でも、スタッフの方達が色々なパフォーマンスをしてくれ、私たちを楽しませてくれました。

この感動は、人生の中でも忘れられないものになると思います。
本当に参加して良かったと思いました。

Very nice, but would have been nice to have our meal and THEN enjoy entertainment (singing, dancing) as it took too long and didn't allow anytime to visit the villages for anyone who may have finished their meal and want to see the center more than the canoe ride. Horizons was awesome!

You absolutely have to participate!! For everyone going to Hawaii!!

Even if you're hesitant because of the price, you will have an experience that is worth it, or even more than that. Don't worry if you can't speak English! It's fine to go alone!! By the way, this is my fifth time participating, and it was my first time going alone, but I thought I want to go again. Of course, I can't speak English. But I was able to communicate a lot with the boat staff and had a great time.

I definitely encountered dolphins all five times. This time, the dolphin was a bottlenose dolphin, which is different from the spinner dolphins I swam with before, but it was so impressive!! We made eye contact underwater!! They were looking at me, glancing back and forth♪ Not just one, but many!! It was moving. I could clearly hear the dolphins' voices too.

As a bonus, there is a dedicated photographer on board, so they capture great photos on the boat and underwater. It's a separate fee for purchasing, but it's the perfect keepsake for memories!!

This tour is something you can truly enjoy, whether with family, a partner, friends, or even alone like I did!! If you have even a little interest, you absolutely have to go; otherwise, you'll miss out on life!!!

　絶対に参加するべきですよ！！ハワイに行かれる皆さん！！

お値段で躊躇してしまった方もそれに見合った、いやそれ以上の体験ができます。
英語ができなくっても大丈夫！一人でも大丈夫！！
ちなみに今回で私は５回目の参加で初の一人でしたが、また行こうって思いました。もちろん英語はできません。でもボートスタッフの方ともたくさんコミュニケーションとれて楽しい時間が過ごせました。

５回全部確実にイルカちゃんに遭遇しましたよ。
今回のイルカちゃんは今まで一緒に泳いだスピナーちゃんとは種類が違うバンドーイルカちゃんでしたが、迫力満点！！海の中で目が合うの！！こっちを、ちらっちらっって♪１頭じゃなくって何頭も！！感動でした。イルカちゃん達の声もしっかり聞えるし。

おまけに、専属カメラマンさんが同乗しているのでボートの上での写真や海の中での写真などしっかり抑えてくれてます。購入する形なので別料金が必要ですが思い出には最高の品ですよ！！

家族と恋人と友達とはもちろん今回の私みたいに一人でも心から楽しめるTourですよーー！！
少しでも興味をもった方は絶対に行かないと人生損です！！！

Took my wife on the 3 star and had a great time! Our waiter was a super waiter ... the food was fancy and tasty and the entertainment was fun. The best part is going up to the top deck and watching the sun go down. You will never see a more beautiful sunset!

This was great and well worth the money. I would have liked to stay longer in a couple of areas and there were some activities that we didn't get to do because of time. I would suggest taking snacks or packing a picnic as you really didn't have time to buy a lunch. At a couple of the attractions you were offered ice cream to buy, but not anything more substantial. Both the dinner entertainment and the Polynesian show after dinner were awesome. Going back a 2nd time, I would go on my own and wander.

My family and I absolutely loved visiting the Polynesian Cultural Center while in Oahu. I highly recommend spending the extra money and getting the Ambassador All day package. You will get a very personal tour guide (we had Diliana and she was awesome!) of all the Polynesian villages. My husband gets bored pretty easily and not ONCE did he get restless during the entire day. You are kept well entertained and learn a lot about the Polynesian cultures. The luau and the food was great, and the Night Show was fantastic! Very high energy and entertaining. I highly recommend visiting the PCC !

We booked this trip before we arrived on Oahu and were slightly nervous about going as we had never snorkelled before. However, the staff on the trip were very friendly and patient, the food was good and the actual snorkelling was amazing. We would definitely recommend this trip to anyone going to the island and we will certainly be snorkelling again - thanks very much for a great day!

We went with 4 couples and had a blast at this luau. The luau grounds is beautiful - the lagoon is such a nice touch and different than other luau's we have been to previous years. The food is excellent - and the entertainment is incredible. Thank you for the perfect ending to our Hawaiian Vacation!

A very touching and meaningful experience.
Regardless of what Island you may stay at it is very easy to Island hop.