West Oahu Snorkel Cruise with Dolphin Watch, Kayak, SUP, Waterslide & Lunch
Overall Rating
4.72
Family fun
Reviewed by: Amanda L, 2023/08/30Family of four, including one, four-year-old and one two year-old. First time for the kids on a boat and we had a blast. The staff is extremely friendly, courteous, and personable. They made sure my kids were safe and comfortable. The time frames were very appropriate, the staff kept everyone engaged and entertained. Some staff shout outs for Brandon, Jeremy Natalie, Faith, the guy holding the mike (sorry I forgot his name!!) . And yes we saw TONS of dolphins.
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| Attended as: | Families with Young Children |
| Activity Date: | 2023/08/28 |
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Fantastic trip
Reviewed by: Adrienne and Tim, 2023/03/14If you are looking for the best you have found it. Captain Mark handles the boat like a pro. The staff is the best in the world. The trip and experiences are phenomenal. My husband loved the water slide. I had an amazing time snorkeling. Seeing sea turtles, trigger fish and more. Whales were supper cool. The views are breath taking.
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| Attended as: | Couples |
| Activity Date: | 2023/03/12 |
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Dolpin Watch and Snorkel
Reviewed by: addy, 2022/09/12It was very nice experience to watch dolpin and snorkel
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| Attended as: | Families |
| Activity Date: | 2022/08/17 |
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Exceptional Customer Service and Tons of Dolphins!
Reviewed by: Karen K, 2022/07/01The crew was incredible! We loved seeing so many dolphins up close and got to see a few sea turtles too! The crew ensured everyone stayed safe while in the water which helped us relax knowing they were there if any of us needed a little help. We also loved the Hawaiian traditions included. Highly recommend this tour!
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| Attended as: | Families |
| Activity Date: | 2022/06/29 |
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So Rad!
Reviewed by: BLC Reno NV, 2021/05/29Worth every penny, We will be doing this again when we return to the islands. The crew was friendly, interactive with everyone, and also very caring and attentive to the folks that didn’t have their sea legs. The day we went, we swam with 3 spinner dolphins, and some bottle nose, then on the way to the coral reef we saw a pod of over 500 dolphins. The snorkel, slide, paddle board spot was rad as well, legit like diving into a nature film. Getting to see a sea turtle in nature was just an amazing end to an already awesome day! To the crew and cpt. Mahalo for such a great adventure!
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| Attended as: | Couples |
| Activity Date: | 2021/05/07 |
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Dolphin snorkel
Reviewed by: Anthony , 2019/08/25Best snorkel trip I’ve ever done. Crew was great and entertaining and would definitely book again.
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| Attended as: | Families |
| Activity Date: | 2019/08/03 |
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It was an amazing time
Reviewed by: Matt B, 2019/08/11The crew was very attentive and accommodating. We saw dolphins 2 out of the 3 drops and it was just amazing! We highly recommend this excursion ;) Our group ranged from 13 yrs old to 34 and we all enjoyed ourselves
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| Attended as: | Families |
| Activity Date: | 2019/08/08 |
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Swim with Wild Dolphins Cruise
Reviewed by: Tammy Jarvis , 2019/07/31Our activity was rescheduled by the company for a 3 days later which we received a gift for our inconvenience. When we arrived we quickly realized that there were going to be many people going. I was expecting a much smaller group. Our family of 5 decided to ride on the upper deck and had the best time. Our main guide was Oliver who was very friendly and funny. He made our experience very enjoyable. The entire crew was friendly as well. The Captain proceeded to try to find dolphins. Much to our dismay he was unable to locate them but he drove all over trying his best to locate them. With the changes in the water with the hurricane 1300 miles away the dolphins had retreated to deeper waters. This didn't take away from our very fun experience. We were able to snorkel for a good amount of time where we did see a turtle. Other water activities were available as well. There were 2 photographers on board.. 1 which was in the water as well. We were fed lunch very efficiently and the staff made sure we had everything we needed. We were treated to 2 hula dancers which was a lot of fun. I would recommend this experience to anyone. A great
crew and a fun adventure!
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| Attended as: | Families |
| Activity Date: | 2019/07/26 |
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Swim with Dolphins and Snorkel Review
Reviewed by: John, 2019/07/26Overall this was not one of the better snorkel experiences. The boat was too crowded, with 61 snorkelers. The right size for the boat should have been about 40. Especially crowded at the start where people were not allowed on the top deck when leaving port.
The crew try their best to provide a good time. They are energetic and enthusiastic.
Food option was another issue. Basically you get either a cheeseburger or veggie cheeseburger. No other choices. I hate cheese. Since food is pre-made, there is no opportunity for a simple hamburger. Drinks are either water or watered down lemonade, served in tiny cups. Should have had more variety and larger cups. You also can get a bag of chips.
Swimming with the dolphin is basically everyone jump in the water, look down to see a couple dolphins swim by, and then jump right back in the boat.
Snorkeling was not rushed, but the site did not have many fish or varieties of fish.
Water slide was fun. Much more fun than snorkeling.
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| Attended as: | Families |
| Activity Date: | 2019/07/21 |
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Wonderful experience!
Reviewed by: Kibby Pearce, 2019/05/20Swimming with wild dolphins was AMAZING! We struggled to find spinner dolphins early May 15, but Danielle and the entire crew were patient and determined to spot other types of dolphins. We found spotted dolphins, in deeper waters, which are faster but amazing to see in the wild. The crew including Yogi, Tyler, and a couple others helped our ship of 25 or so passengers stay safe and calm in the water knowing exactly what to do as the dolphins and wild life swam all around us. Making sure the swimmers and dolphins stayed safe was at the forefront of our dive. We relocated to another swim spot to see fish and turtles in shallow waters and we got to play on the slide and use paddle boards the crew provided us with. Jade, the photographer/ videographer, was amazing in capturing our time on the boat and in the water. This crew was fantastic and my fiancé and I would recommend this excursion 10/10 as a MUST DO. The feeling iI got seeing this animals in their natural environment, so willing to let us be close to them , is something I will never forget. We purchase the pictures from Dolphins and You and I can’t wait to get home to upload them!
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| Attended as: | Couples |
| Activity Date: | 2019/05/15 |
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Great time!!!
Reviewed by: Jyl Dowd, 2019/04/17The trip was fabulous! The crew is friendly, fun and knowledgeable. They keep you informed, entertained and fed (I liked the burger, chips and fruit). The equipment & boat were in excellent shape.
There isn't a lot of down time which I appreciated (activities/entertainment happening thru out the trip). Tyler was an amazing hula dancer! Make sure you bring cash to tip the crew, they work hard to show us tourists a great time!!
When we initially jumped in the water, we saw dolphins immediately! The second jump we saw more dolphins, a sting ray, and a sea turtle! (And fish, if course). It was amazing.
We didn't rent the wet suit and we were fine (mid April). We took Dramamine because of all the warnings in other reviews, so we had no motion sickness, but neither did anyone else. :)
My only advice would be that guests should be sure to sit under the covered area when the crew is making announcements. We were sitting at the very back of the boat (behind the speaker) and couldn't hear them at all. You'll also get a better view of the dancer.
Also, the slide was not available on our trip, so if that's important to you, you should double check?
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| Attended as: | Friends |
| Activity Date: | 2019/04/13 |
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Fantastic Morning Dolphins and You Ocean Fun Cruise!
Reviewed by: Cathy, Pittsburgh, 2018/07/03We had a great morning cruise with Dolphins and You. The local crew (certified life guards and professional entertainers!) were very friendly and full of energy. They explained everything in both English and Japanese since there were quite a large number of Japanese tourists on our 40 person tour. There was music and dancing on the way to the spinner dolphin site. We sat at the back of the boat and enjoyed the sun and sea air; thank goodness we had lots of sunscreen! I wear glasses and there were prescription masks on the boat so I could see everything clearly.
The crew-led Hawaiian chant and orchid offering when we entered the dolphin site brought us good luck. The crew went in the water with us and pointed out several pods of dolphins swimming right by. I wanted to stay with the dolphins longer, but we had another scheduled stop. At the snorkeling site, a sea turtle swam right under our group and there were lots of fish all around. The inflatable water slide, “surfboard” and kayak added to the fun. For lunch we had cheeseburgers on taro buns with bags of chips — very tasty. The crew sang and danced a couple of hulas on the way back; a perfect ending to a great morning!
We drove from our hotel, arrived at the Waianae Boat Harbor early, and were a little concerned when we didn’t see any signs for Dolphins and You. However, a bus with Dolphins and You on the side pulled into the parking lot right where they said to meet at the specified meeting time. Be sure to take Dramamine if you think you might get motion sickness. Several people on the cruise got sick, even though I didn’t think it was very rough. I took a Dramamine before we left on the Dolphins and You cruise and was fine (I had gotten sick on a previous snorkel trip to Molokini off of Maui). Definitely APPLY SUNSCREEN early and often...the sun is very strong on the water.
Aloha Cathy, and mahalo for your 5-star review! We appreciate you taking the time to share your detailed and thoughtful review of our tour! And we're so glad that you appreciated the extra dose of Aloha that is unique to Dolphins and You :).
We could not agree more with your suggestions of Dramamine and sunscreen use. That's the best way to stay comfortable on the water. We also recommend reef-safe sunscreen (which we offer in our office in Waikiki) to protect both your skin AND Hawaii's fragile coral reefs! Thank you again for your review. Please come again some day!
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| Attended as: | Families |
| Activity Date: | 2018/06/27 |
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A morning on the *Swim with Dolphins Ocean Fun Cruise.*
Reviewed by: Bruce Randolph, 2018/06/30We’ve been on snorkeling cruises in the past (some out of Waianae Boat Harbor) but never with this company. We visit Hawaii often (my wife was born and raised in the islands) we view island activities with a critical eye. This was a super dolphin/snorkel trip. The cruise is on a smaller boat, which has the advantage of offering a smaller group of people, a more intimate experience, and a little more adventurous ride - I like all three. Staff on these boats are there to 1. Offer safety 2. Offer service and 3. Offer fun and adventure. The Dolphin’s and You staff were excellent on all counts. I’ve seen the “fun” part on other boats get a little smarmy, but the staff on this boat really did a great job of encouraging people to participate and enjoy themselves without being overly “slick” or pushy. They also had some talented people who shared music I found enjoyable.
I take my own pictures with underwater stills and video. The videographer/photographer on the trip did a super job and was kind enough to show me some great shots while still attending to everyone on board. I wish I could say that about all the snorkeling/watching tours we’ve been on.
Overall I’d say this was a really good trip - for anyone - experienced or novice. Tips: If you have motion sickness, or aren’t sure if you have motion sickness, take dramamine. Do it. Take sunscreen - Use it. If you’re not familiar with photography (above and below water) leave your gear at home. Experience the trip and allow the professional the ship provides offer you some of the best shots you’ll ever see - most likely better images than you can take yourself. Fooling with gear and worrying about taking pictures, will detract from the memories you can make just being in the water and seeing the amazing things the crew will show you.
There are lifetime memories you can take away from a half-day trip like this. It might *seem* pricey to some, but I assure you that it is worth every cent and you’ll be ready for more.
Aloha Bruce! Thank you so much for your sincere 5-Star review.
We so appreciate you taking the time to offer this genuine feedback and to provide tips for other guests. We agree with your suggestions on all counts! Coming from a guest who has been on many tours and a photographer, this review means a lot. We invite you to come and try out our waterfall hike tour Nature and You or our circle-island tour Island and You on one of your trips back to the island, as well!
Mahalo and A Hui Hou Kākou!
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| Attended as: | Families |
| Activity Date: | 2018/06/27 |
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Swim with Dolphins is Real!!!
Reviewed by: Ms. Ems, 2018/06/04It was my day off and kids were at school so I figured, why not do a "me" just for a day! I invited my friend to join me since she happened to have the same day off. We booked the Morning Cruise at 7:00am since the water is usually warmer and calmer, and we decided to drive ourselves to the harbor. What's good is that there is a restaurant at the harbor where you can buy coffee or breakfast before heading out.
Upon check-in, we were already given our snorkeling equipments, and an option to rent their body suits, which we rented for $10 each. They asked us to sign the liability waiver, and I think' it's cool that they even take your instagram information so they can tag you photos (if you're in it) that they upload at the end of the tour.
The staff and crew are very funny and entertaining! As we were heading out to the ocean, they peformed Polynesian dancing, and playing ukulele. They also performed traditional Hawaiian prayer for our safety. As we were getting closer, we could already see the pod of dolphins, af the signal from the crew members, we jumped to the water and started to swim with these beautiful dolphins!!! I never swam with dolphins in the open water before and this was really exciting!! There were lootsss of them!!
We hopped back on to the boat for our next snorkeling location and that before jumping in the water again, we were given some activity options to take such as stand-up paddle boarding, canoe ride, water slide, and many more!! It was just an awesome experience!!
Their lunch burgers were delicious too which were served as we were headed back to the harbor. It was long day but it was all worth it!!
Oh by the way, make sure to take seasickness pills if you get nauseous easily!
Aloha Ms. Ems,
Thank you so much for your 5-Star Review! We are so great you got some great pictures from your day off. And we appreciate you calling attention to the fact that our tours are open to locals and visitors alike! It's a great way to have a little 'staycation.' We're so glad you enjoyed all aspects of the tour. Mahalo for sharing your experience :).
We would like to note for outside readers that giving Instagram or other private profile information is entirely optional. Anyone who does not want to provide this information does not need to.
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| Attended as: | Friends |
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Must do!
Reviewed by: Victoria, 2018/05/21I went with a group of friends and we had a blast! The staff was amazing and explained everything to us. They also reminded everyone of the importance of treating the animals with respect which made us very happy!
Aloha Victoria,
Mahalo for your 5-star review! We're so happy you had a good time and appreciated our respect of the marine wildlife we encounter!
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| Attended as: | Friends |
| Activity Date: | 2018/05/18 |
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Fabulous Day on the Water
Reviewed by: Holly - from MN, 2017/04/03The trip was a lot of fun. The crew was great and fun to enteract with throughout the day. The only downside was the dolphins were not participating that day.
We did get to swim with the turtles and snorkle in beautiful waters. The crew was very energetic and the photo package was definately worth the money. I was happy to get the great shots of me and my son playing in the water. A big thanks to Melissa.
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| Attended as: | Families with Young Children |
| Activity Date: | 2017/03/30 |
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Aloha
I am sorry that conditions were less than ideal on your tour.
Our boat is actually certified for 97 passengers. We will talk to our staff about openinig up the top deck from the begining. Usually for larger groups we do allow that. There should be room for everyone to move around comfortably from the onset.
We have a no cheese option for both the beef and veggie burger. We are constantly trying to improve our program. We actually just got our Liquor License and have been discussing different beverage options.
The swim with the dolphins and snorkeling vary based on conditions and their behavior. Ideally we like to have longer, closer views of the animals in their natural enviornment. Usually we see turtles and a variety of fish. Occassionally other cool sea life like eels, rays and even monk seals.
We are glad you enjoyed the slide. And hope you can come back with us sometime so we an make the experience and memory better for you.
Kind regards