All Reviews for Star of Honolulu Cruise

The initial orientation took place in a room inside the ship, so I felt a bit nauseous since I couldn't see the scenery. However, about 30 minutes after going out on deck, I was able to see whales about four times. On the way back, I stayed out on the deck the whole time, and it was a great memory to see Diamond Head and the city of Waikiki from the sea.

最初のオリエンテーションは船の中側の部屋での待機なので景色が見えない分少し酔いましたが、デッキに出てから約30分後にクジラを計4回くらい見ることが出来ました。
帰りはずっとデッキに出ていたので、海からダイアモンドヘッドやワイキキの街を見られて良い思い出になりました。

Very good experience had a great time, very good food, great crew

We had a great experience on this dinner cruise. The entertainment was outstanding and the firework show was just the icing on top. The waitress and staff went beyond expectations to make sure we were having a great time. The food was good but I wish they would give an option for the lobster. I do not care for lobster and therefore did not eat it. I just wish the steak would have been a larger portion since we did not eat the lobster. Other than that, excellent time!

I booked this for a family trip in April, and first, I was surprised by the size of the ship, which was larger than I expected.

As soon as we set sail, breakfast was included, and I enjoyed it while having a great time on the cruise.

Unfortunately, we couldn't see any whales, but the weather was nice, and the view of Honolulu from the sea was amazing, which made me very satisfied.

I plan to use this service again next time and hope to see whales in person.

４月に家族旅行で申し込みました、まず、予想しては船より大きな船でビックリでした。
出航してすぐに朝食付きでしたので、美味しく頂いてクルーズを楽しみました。

残念ながらホエールは見ることは出来ませんでしたが、天気もよくて、海から見るホノルルの景色は最高で満足できました。

次回も利用予定してホエールをリアルで見てみたいです。

I have lived in Hawaii since 1985. My niece from Indiana visited for a week. I took her on the Star of Honolulu Sunset Dinner Cruise, having never been on it myself. I didn't know what to expect. It was awesome! We both loved it. The pre-boarding hula & Hawaiian music, the on-board entertainment, the food, the views and the friendly staff were all very enjoyable. When other friends and family come to visit, I will be sure to take them. It was the highlight of my niece's visit!

Love, love, loved the dinner cruise. This was our first time in Hawaii and I must say I am happy that we chose this as one of the activities to attend to. From the very beginning when we got picked up from the hotel, welcoming at the cruise ship, dinner, entertainment and fireworks, this is definitely a night that will be forever cherished. The staff was amazingly helpful and attentive especially our table server Rosey, she constantly made sure we had enough crab (purchased steak and all you can eat crab meal) and glasses were filled with drinks. Just AWESOME!!! The music and performers were great as well. At the end of the night we watched fireworks out on the deck. Overall my husband and I had a most memorable evening and recommend if you have not already done so this is one of the a Hawaii activities you don't want to miss!!!

I participated with my family on April 4, 2015.

The weather was nice, and it was a pleasant time with the sea breeze, but according to the staff, whales are returning to the Arctic during this period, so it's common not to see them.

Although we didn't see any whales, there were various events on the ship, such as hula dancing experiences, so we weren't bored.

Next time, I think I'll participate during the season when the whales are present.

2015/4/4 家族で参加しました。

天気もよく潮風が気持ちいい時期でしたが、
スタッフの方が言うには、この時期はクジラが北極圏に帰っているので
会えない事が多いとのことでした。

クジラに会えませんでしたが、船内でフラ体験など、いろいろイベントがあり
退屈しませんでした。

次回は、クジラのいる時期に参加したと思います。

Great experience, had very good time, food was awesome

The ship was large, and I was worried about the swaying, but it wasn't too bad. They announced the direction where the whales were, so I was able to see them well. However, it seems that due to wildlife protection, we couldn't get too close, so I couldn't really grasp the size of the whales. At first, I even thought they might be dolphins.

船も大きく心配していた揺れもあまりありませんでした。
鯨がいる方向をアナウンスしてもらえるのでよく見ることが出来ました。ただ、野生生物の保護上あまり近くに寄ることは出来ないようで実際のところ鯨の大きさを実感することは出来ませんでした。イルカかなと最初は思ったほどです。

It's my 3rd time with Star of Honolulu and they never fail to amaze me!
I was greeted with a beautiful smile by Kathleen at the ticket office. She was very nice, friendly, and it seems like she was enjoying her job. Before we boarded, the dancers are always very entertaining, a unique way to welcome their guests (yes, I've been to other dinner cruises and only Star of Honolulu has this great idea).
At the boat, here comes the cheerful and very energetic Freddie, who took us to our table. He didn't realize there were eight (8) of us but he was able to accommodate us right away having our own table by the window! He is the Assistant Floor Manager and I was really impressed with his friendliness and bright personality, he is funny too! The couples that we were with are visitors from Canada, celebrating their Silver Wedding Anniversary. I forgot to mention this special occasion when I made the booking so I told Freddie if there’s a way he can announce it after dinner. Knowing how busy they were, I never expected it to happen but I was extremely happy and grateful that he didn't forget. After the Polynesian entertainment, he immediately pulled my couple family towards the stage to make their dance. All the other couples, honeymooners, anniversary celebrants, followed. It was an honor!! Thank you so much Freddie for that, it was a memory of a lifetime for my family.
I would also like to give credit to Jay, who was our server that night, in fact all the crew members because they know how to take care of their guests, they're fast and attentive! The One Star package is not bad at all, I actually like this better than the Three Star believe it or not and IT'S ALL YOU CAN EAT CRAB LEGS!! Yummy! The steak was delicious also, so tender and juicy!
Will definitely cruise with Star of Honolu again and again! True "Aloha" spirit..good impression for those visiting the islands for the first time...greatly satisfied with the services they offer. Thumbs up SOH!!

I have done dinner cruise before in Honolulu many times. This time was the best ever experience. From time arrived at dock until returned to hotel was amazing . Everyone was friendly, food good, service amazing.

# couple booked but we ended up going as 2 1/2 couple3s as one was sick. Great atmosphere interaction was supurb from the multi national public all guided by a great host. Buffet dinner was excellent and then the show topped it off for a great evening awesome value for money here.

Third time on my dinner cruise - it was excellent!!!!

We participated as a family. I think more than half of the guests were Japanese. After we set sail for a while, the captain stopped in an area where whales might be and made announcements in English about which direction they were located. Everyone then rushed over to that side, straining their eyes and holding their breath, staring at the sea. (That silent moment felt strange.)

In my case, there were about 5 or 6 instances like that, but I hardly saw anything. (The photo was taken with a super telephoto lens.) Even if a whale spouted water occasionally, it was hard to tell where it would appear in the vast ocean, and most of the time it was either very far away or a fleeting moment that I missed. No matter how brief or distant it was, if a whale appeared, it would count as an "encounter," so it seems we wouldn't receive a free ticket for the next time.

However, it really seems to be a matter of luck. A lady I met on the boat said that the last time she went, a whale came very close, and it was an impressive sight!

家族で参加しました。お客さんの半分以上は日本の方だったと思います。出港してしばらくすると、船長さんが鯨のいそうなあたりを探して泊まり、英語でどこの方角に居ますとかアナウンスが入ります。すると皆一斉にそっちへ行って目を凝らして海をジッと固唾をのんで目つめます。（そのシーンとした時間が変な感じでした）
私の場合はそういうのが5～6回あって、ほとんどが見れなかった。（写真はカメラの超望遠です）たまに潮ふいたとしても、広い海のどこに出るかわからないし、すんごい遠くにだったり、一瞬の出来事で見逃してしまうのがほとんどかも。どんなに一瞬でも、どんなに遠くでよく見えなくても、現れれば「遭遇した」となるので、次回の無料券はもらえないみたい。
でも、ほんとに運みたいで、船上であったご婦人は、前に乗ったときはすぐ近くに鯨がきて迫力だったわ！なんて仰っておりました。

It was the right choice to select the largest boat in Hawaii since our family is prone to seasickness. There was absolutely no rocking, so we had no worries about seasickness and thoroughly enjoyed the lunch buffet. While eating lunch, we were able to see many humpback whales spouting, dorsal fins, and tail fins, which got the kids really excited. Onboard, we made leis using orchids that were sized to be worn on our heads, and my daughter had the opportunity to present in front of everyone after taking a hula dance lesson, which made her very happy. The men who took the ukulele lesson also had a performance, and the host sang famous songs from the area where the American guests were from, playing the ukulele and really engaging the guests onboard. It was truly entertaining. For the Japanese guests, they played and sang "Ue o Muite Arukou" on the ukulele, and it was really fun.

船酔いし易い親子なので、ハワイで一番大きな船を選んで正解でした。
全く揺れず船酔いの心配は皆無で、ランチバイキングも存分に満喫できました。
ランチを食べながら沢山の親子のザトウクジラの潮吹き、背びれ、尾びれ等が見られ、子供達も大興奮。
船上では蘭を使って頭に乗せるサイズのレイを作り、フラダンスの講習を受けた娘の頭に乗せて、皆の前で発表もする機会があり、娘も大満足。
ウクレレ講習を受けた男性陣の発表もあり、司会進行役の方はアメリカのお客さんが来た地区に合わせて、その地区の有名な歌をウクレレで唄い、凄く上手に船内のお客さんを盛り上げてくれていて、本当にエンターテイナーでした。
日本人に対しては、ウクレレで「上を向いて歩こう」をウクレレで弾きながら唄い、本当に楽しかったです。

I participated in the tour on April 11. I opted for the shuttle service, but there was only one other group besides my child and me. The bus driver was very pleasant and made sure to check if the air conditioning was too cold for us. The tour guide was also very nice.

When we arrived at the port, it seemed that the other tour guests had come on their own, and I thought we could have taken The Bus as well. Once on board, we were given a file with explanations about the ship and whales in English, Japanese, Chinese, and Korean, and we were instructed to wait in the cabin until the captain's speech was over.

Until we reached the viewing point, announcements about whales and viewpoints on Oahu were made in Japanese as well. When we stopped at the point, we were able to see some whales after a while, but only a little bit of spouting, backs, and tails were visible from the waves. If you’re not carefully watching the surface of the water, you might miss them, so if you're expecting to see big jumps like in photos, you might be disappointed. However, it was great to see the large cruise ships, Waikiki, and Diamond Head from the sea.

Once we were out at sea, the wind was strong, and there were moments when the boat rocked quite a bit, so if you tend to get motion sickness, it might be a good idea to take some medication beforehand. On the way back, I asked the driver to drop us off at the Ward Shopping Center near the port instead of our hotel in Waikiki, which helped shorten our travel time, and that was great.

4月11日にツアー参加。
送迎有りにしましたが、利用したのは私達親子の他、もう一組のみでした。バスのドライバーさんは感じがよく、エアコンが寒くないか等気遣って頂きました。
添乗員さんもすごく感じが良かったです。
港まで行くと他のツアー客は自力で来た様で、ザ・バスでも行けたなと思いました。
乗船すると、船やクジラの説明が記載された（英語、日本語、中国語、韓国語）ファイルを渡され、船長のスピーチが終わるまで船室で待つようにとのことでした。
ポイントに着くまで、クジラやオアフ島でのビューポイント等の説明が日本語でもアナウンスされていました。
ポイントで停泊し、しばらくするとクジラは見れましたが、波間からほんの少し潮吹きや背中や尾ビレが見えるくらいでした。
注意深く海面を見ていないと見逃してしまいそうな程でしたので、写真で見る大ジャンプ等を期待して行くとがっかりします。
でも海上から大型クルーズ船やワイキキ、ダイアモンドヘッドを見れたのは良かったです。
沖に出ると風が強く、大きく揺れる場面もあったので、乗り物酔いする方はあらかじめ薬を飲んでおいた方がよいかもしれません。
帰りはドライバーさんにお願いして、ワイキキのホテルではなく、港近くのワードショッピングセンターで降ろしてもらいましたので、移動時間を短縮する事ができ、良かったです。

Since it's nature, I prepared myself for the possibility that I might not see any whales (but deep down, I really wanted to). The weather was nice, so I thought just seeing the hotels in Waikiki from the ocean would be a good experience. However, I did get to see the whales! (I’m not sure how low my expectations were, but it felt like I encountered more than I had anticipated. Once they started appearing, they were quite visible almost continuously.) I didn’t get to see the dynamic jumps like in the tour's promotional photos, but I did see them spouting water, and I enjoyed watching what seemed to be a mother and calf taking breaths in succession multiple times.

I think taking photos is quite challenging. By the time you think, "There it is," they dive back down, so with a smartphone camera, by the time you press the shutter, it’s almost guaranteed that you’ll only capture waves (laughs). My mother was using a compact camera, but when I looked at the photos later, it was like, "Hmm?? Where??" Unless you have the right skills and a camera (with zoom and continuous shooting), I recommend just imprinting the experience in your memory.

I didn’t fully understand what "English guide" meant, and I was actually a bit anxious, but I think it probably means that the guide who assists during pickup will only speak English. It seems that as long as you can say your name (the applicant's name) at the reception, there won’t be any issues. After confirming the name, I was given a sticker as a boarding pass. I boarded a large shared bus (like a tour bus) at the Sheraton, and after getting on, a video with announcements in Japanese played inside the bus. Once on board, the captain and guide greeted us and provided information, all in English. They explained how long we would be traveling, when lunch would start, and which direction to look for whales. After the explanations, a recorded announcement in Japanese was played.

The announcements regarding the whales were also in English, but since everyone else on board looked in the same direction, it was okay even if you couldn’t catch everything in English.

I brought my grandmother, who has difficulty walking, but even without going out to the third-floor observation deck, we could see the whales (spouting water) well from inside the cabin.

My 11-year-old son was so excited that he forgot to eat. I even thought it might have been fine without a meal.

As we approached the time to return to land, an experience program started on the boat. I participated in a lei-making experience, which was a great experience. In the hula class, the little hula girls were dancing with all their might. The ukulele class seemed popular with the fathers, and at the end, there was a collaboration with the little hula girls that turned into a mini showtime, allowing even the other passengers who weren’t participating to enjoy it together.

This tour, where you might get to see humpback whales that you can't see at an aquarium, is definitely worth participating in. I didn’t need it, but for those who might be anxious, I think it would be good to bring motion sickness medication.

対、自然のことなので、クジラには会えないかもという心づもりで（でも本心は会いたい）臨みました。
天気がよかったので、滞在しているワイキキのホテル群を沖から見るだけでもいい経験だと思います。
ですが、ちゃんとクジラたちには会えました！
（どんだけ期待値低かったのかはわかりませんが）思っていたよりたくさん遭遇できたように感じます。見えだしたらけっこう絶え間なく見えます。
ツアーの商品紹介の写真のようなダイナミックなジャンプを見ることはかないませんでしたが、潮を吹くところも見れましたし、親子でしょうか立て続けに息継ぎをする様を何度も楽しむことができました。
写真を撮るのは至難の業だと思います。
「出た」と思ったらすぐに潜ってしまうので、スマホのカメラですとシャッターを押すころにはほぼ間違いなく波しか写っていません（笑）
母はコンデジで撮っていましたが、後から見ましたら「う～ん？？どこ？？」な感じでした。
それ相応のテクとカメラ（望遠・連写）をお持ちの方でないならば自分の目に焼き付けることをお勧めします。

＜英語ガイド＞というのがよく理解できていなくて、実は内心不安でしたがおそらく送迎時に対応してくれるガイドの方が英語しか話せませんよという意味でしょうか。
受付の時に自分の（申込者）名前さえ言えれば問題ないようです。
名前のチェックが済むと乗車券がわりのシールを渡されました。
シェラトンで乗合の大型バス（観光バスのようなもの）に乗ったのですが、乗車後に車内のビデオで日本語の案内が流れます。
乗船してから船長やガイドの方があいさつや案内があります。これはすべて英語です。
今からどれくらい移動するとか、何時ごろランチが始まるとか、クジラが見える方向はガイドが教えますとか、そういったことを説明しているようです。
一通り説明が終わると日本語で録音されたアナウンスが流れます。

肝心のクジラが見えだしてからのアナウンスも英語ですが、一緒に乗船している他の方が一斉にその方向を見ますので、英語が聞き取れなくても大丈夫でした。

足の悪い祖母を連れて行きましたが、３階の展望デッキに出なくとも、室内からでも十分クジラの姿（潮を吹く様）を見ることができました。

１１歳の息子は興奮しっぱなしで、食事をするのも忘れるほどでした。
食事なしでもよかったかもと思うくらい。

陸に戻る時間になると、船内で体験プログラムが始まります。
レイ作り体験を体験しましたが、とてもいい経験になりました。
フラ教室ではチビッコフラガールたちが一生懸命踊っていました。
ウクレレ教室はお父様方に人気のようで、最後にチビフラガールたちとコラボでミニーショータイム状態になって盛り上がり参加していない他の乗客たちも一緒に楽しめました。

水族館では見ることができないザトウクジラに会える（かもしれない）ツアー、
是非参加されると良いでしょう。
私は必要ありませんでしたが、不安な方は酔い止めを持参されるとよいと思います。

We really enjoyed the Early bird cruise with breakfast - so much so that we did it the next day too! We didn't see whales the first day and only had a few days left of our trip so used the whale check the next day and had just as good a time. The food was fine, the staff knowledgable and there were plenty of great spots to be on the boat. I enjoyed being right up the top - great view, warm from the engine vents and speakers so I could hear the commentary.

I was worried about seasickness, but since it was a large boat, I was completely fine, and the view of the hotels in Waikiki and Diamond Head from the sea was wonderful.

In the reviews, it mentioned that whales could only be seen from a distance, so I didn't have high expectations, but when we went out to sea and stopped the boat, a mother and baby whale swam right next to us, and we were able to see them up close. I was so moved when I saw them spouting water and their backs and tails that I couldn't help but cheer.

Since there was a campaign where one child could join for free with each adult, I was able to have this valuable experience at a great price, and I'm glad I participated in this tour.

船酔いが心配でしたが、大きな船だったのてぜんぜん大丈夫で、海側からのワイキキのホテル群やダイヤモンドヘッドの景色も素晴らしかったです。

口コミでは、遠くでしかクジラがみれなかったとあったのであまり期待はしてなかったのですが、沖にでて船を停めてると親子のクジラが船のすぐそばを泳いで行き間近でみれました。
潮を吹いて、背中、尾びれが見えた時は思わず歓声をあげてしまうほど感動しました。

大人一人につき子供一人無料のキャンペーンだったので、お得に貴重な体験をさせてもらいこのツアーに参加してよかったです。

I participated alone, but I had a great time! I was able to see whales a few times (although they were quite far away (ー_ー)!!). It was a wonderful experience.

一人参加でしたが、とても楽しめました!
クジラも何度か見る事が出来ました（ただ、かなり遠くて(ー_ー)!!）
いい体験でした

The pickup was smooth without any waiting, and the boat was average. Since it was a no-meal course, my main goal was to see whales, but in the end, I could only see the whales' backs. The locals mentioned that there have been fewer sightings this year, and I didn't see any jumping. It's partly luck, and it's understandable since they are wild animals.

On the way back, I wanted to walk to downtown instead of taking the bus, so I communicated that to the driver, who kindly agreed and even guided me along the way.

ピックアップも待つことなくスムーズで船も普通で食事なしコースだったので鯨を見るだけが狙いでしたが…結局鯨の背中しか見ることができませんでした。今年は少なくジャンプしてる姿は見ていないと地元の方もおっしゃっていました。半分は運ですね。自然の生き物だから仕方ないですね。
帰りもバスに乗らず歩いてダウンタウンに行きたかったからドライバーさんに伝えると気持ちよくOKして道案内までしていただきました。

We didn't get up to Diamond Head as announced as we had to head back to port for a health emergency with one of the crew.
Otherwise food was great and atmosphere fantastic!

I participated on March 9. While I didn't see any spectacular jumps from the whales, I was able to catch glimpses of their backs and tails. I originally joined with the mindset of "It would be nice to enjoy the view of Waikiki from the ocean while also seeing some whales," so I was satisfied to see the beautiful scenery from offshore and get a close look at the whales. It was also great to see Diamond Head from a direction I had never seen before.

I chose a plan without meals, but since the boarding time wasn't very long, it felt like a waste to spend time eating, so I think it was a good choice. The price with transportation included is very reasonable, and I was glad to make good use of my morning. I recommend bringing binoculars.

3月9日に参加しました。
クジラそのものは豪快なジャンプが見られたわけではなく、背中や尻尾をみることができたくらいではあったのですが、元々「船に乗って沖からワイキキを眺め、ついでにクジラも見られるといいな」というくらいの気持ちで参加したので、沖合からの素敵な景色も見られてクジラも近くで見ることができて満足でした。
ダイヤモンドヘッドも見た事のない方向から見ることができてよかったです。
食事なしのプランを選びましたが、乗船時間があまり長くはなく食事をしている時間はもったいないような気がしますので、これでよかったのではないかと思います。
送迎付きでこのお値段はとてもお得ですし、午前中の時間を有意義に使えたので参加してよかったです。
双眼鏡を持って行くことをお勧めします。

This dinner cruise was truly spectacular. We checked in and seemed to be upgraded from the roast beef dinner to the steak and crab dinner. Love it! We were seated at an intimate table for two on the side of the stage and were able to start eating while the rest of the guests were seated with efficiency. It didn't take long for us to be on our way and dinner was served. The steak was medium rare and delicious and the crab (if not a little cold) was wonderful. Entertainment was superb! We enjoyed the beautiful sunset and even spotted a few whales in the distance and enjoyed the Polynesian entertainment. We were able to stroll all decks and since the 2nd deck was not occupied enjoyed a quiet moment before returning to the dock. Enjoyed every minute.

SPECTACULAR, HOWEVER I WISH WE COULD HAVE SEEN SOME DOLPHINS ALONG WITH THE WHALES.

Great whale watching cruise!! nice crew ,good food and we saw whales !!!

It was a good fun thing to do as a family. My only complaint was we were to be released by tables for the food but apparently the Japan folks didn't get that and we ended up having to wait a long time. The ship was clean and the staff we nice.

I was worried about seasickness and the possibility of falling into the sea while traveling with my almost 2-year-old and 6-year-old, but those worries were completely unfounded. At first, we only caught a glimpse of a dorsal fin, but before we knew it, we were treated to the spectacular sight of 3 or 4 whales diving one after another! Both the kids and the adults, including the captain, were thrilled. On the way back, we were also able to see dolphins.

One thing… I would have appreciated a bit more for breakfast. However, we returned to the hotel by late morning and were able to make very meaningful use of our day.

もうすぐ2歳児と6歳の子供連れで、船酔いの心配や万が一海に落ちたら！などの心配をしてたのですが、全く杞憂でした。
最初は背びれを少し目撃するだけでしたが、気付いたら3.4頭のクジラが次々豪快なダイブを見せてくれました！子供も大人も船長さん（笑）も大興奮でした。帰りにはイルカたちも見ることが出来ました。
あと、一つ…やはり朝食が…もう少しだけ何かあれば嬉しかったです。
ですが、お昼前にはホテルに戻り、とても有意義に1日を使うことが出来ました。

The hotel pickup was at 7:20 AM, and we were back at the hotel by noon. It was a meaningful tour where we got to see the cruise and whales. Right near Waikiki Bay, we saw many spouts as if they were waiting for us.

朝の7時20分ホテルピックアップで、昼前にはホテルに戻れて
クルーズとクジラも見れて有意義なツアーでした。
ワイキキ湾のすぐ近くで、待っていたかのように多くの潮吹きが見えました。

The large ship was stable, and my wife and son, who are prone to seasickness, had no issues. Although we didn't see the dynamic whales like in the pictures, we were able to spot a few whales that surfaced and spouted water.

大きな船で揺れもなく、船酔いする妻と息子も問題ありませんでした。
写真で見るようなダイナミックな鯨は見られませんが、数回姿をあらわして潮を吹く鯨を見ることが出来ました。