MANA sunset cruise from Ko Olina - the absolute highlight of our trip!!!…read more We are no strangers to Catamaran excursions - trips in the British Virgin Islands, Greece, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. By far, Captain Travis and First Mate Taylor were exceptional, leaving no detail to chance. We were warmly greeted with a drink and were given a very thorough safety briefing. Both were meticulous in their duties to their craft as well as to their guests. The catamaran was immaculate, an outstanding demonstration of the care and maintenance it receives - impressive for a 2008 Cat. Thanks MANA and crews for your care and concern. We had only 5 of us aboard ( they allow a maximum of only 6) which really enhanced the experience. As we got underway drinks were served and then came what I thought was going to be a sampling of local snacks. No, it was a full dinner made by Taylor that was some of the freshest, best food we have had on the Island, followed by a dessert second to none. The other guests dietary restrictions were taken into consideration and we sailed (and for a portion of the trip we were under full sail & not motoring) around with soft Hawaiian reggae playing. The two hours flew by.... We were regaled with stories of the Islands and some very interesting facts. Sure there are less expensive, far more crowded sunset tours... but NOTHING compares to this one. It was worth every cent. When we return we will have already booked this trip before we board our again! Do yourself a favor, splurge on a really personal Hawaiian experience and book this trip. You will be richly rewarded & have memories for years to come! There may be no traffic jams on the extra mile... but you will find on this excursion, Captain Travis & First Mate Taylor are on the extra mile & demonstrate what the extra mile should look like! A very important note - we recommend if you are coming from the Waikīkī area that you plan on leaving early and planning a light lunch at Ko Olina - the Monkeypod, or one of the restaurants in the hotels. The traffic leaving Waikiki in the afternoon is horrible in the afternoon and could take several hours to navigate to Ko Olina.

Wow!!!! What an amazing experience! Captain Travis and Andie treated us to an amazing sunset…read morecruise. It has been the highlight of our trip. We were able to see giant turtles and flying fish, they kept great drinks coming and treated us to a delicious dinner. We had our 7 year old daughter and 4 adults, and they were sure to treat her with thoughtfulness - her dinner was catered to her as well as a selection of juices and chips. Well with the money.

All female crew, a first for us, and a nice smooth sail with Tamiko @ the helm. Courtney, Mariam,…read moreand Kaley (fingers crossed on spelling) were all very attentive, friendly, and made for a very pleasant experience. Snacks were individually packaged, MAJOR bonus cos it's nasty when you get passengers clamoring for cheese 'n stuff off of a tray. And, rather tasty, I might add. Didn't partake in the drinks cos we've had plenty leading up to sunset cruise. Big lot for parking and seamless check-in. Save time, a tree, and sign your waiver online.

The staff was incredibly friendly, which really made the adventure worthwhile. We spent a good…read moreamount of time snorkeling, it was actually more than enough since the majority of the passengers returned to the boat before the time was up. The buffet at the end of the trip was absolutely delicious. Unfortunately we did not see any dolphins or whales, but that is not their fault. I love the fact that the boat was not that packed and there's plenty of room to lounge and sit. They could've packed more people, but they didn't which is a huge upside. Don't forget the open bar!!!!

We had a great time. Early April - we saw a turtle, some whales, two pods of spinner dolphins, and…read morea school of flying fish. Well worth the early wakeup call! Thanks crew.

Amazing! The staff…read morewere so nice and welcoming. Their rapport with each other was great and they made us feel like part of their family during our time with them. I did a sunset cruise with a group of friends where we got to snorkel. I had never snorkeled and was planning on skipping that part but the staff provided us with safety equipment and knew what they were doing. So they made me feel safe and I am so glad I did it. The Food was surprisingly good! We did not expect much but we enjoyed all of the food very much. We were staying at Aulani and we were so close to where the cruise departed. I would recommend anyone that goes to Oahu to make Ocean Joy a part of their trip. It was so great and definitely worth the money.

We had a hiccup with the third party that we booked through but Karen who works at Captain Bruce…read morewas AMAZING. she made sure that we were taken care of and received what we originally booked. It was hectic given we had to board right away but she was so helpful and kind when I was feeling under pressure. I really wish I can give more than 5 stars just for her service itself. As for the rest of the trip, everything was SMOOTH sailing. Casey, Jared and Mahiki were WONDERFUL as well. I highly recommend this to everyone wanting a great experience. To note, we had 4 kids with us too!

We booked this Kaneohe Sandbar snorkeling tour after seeing many reviews describe it as…read morebeginner-friendly. As first-time snorkelers traveling with a child, our experience did not align with those expectations. Equipment distribution was poorly handled. Masks were handed out with little to no instruction, and basic questions were met with a rude and dismissive attitude. Overall communication and service were lacking. Once in the water, guidance was minimal and inconsistent. The experience felt rushed and disorganized, with limited support for guests who were new to snorkeling. The tone and treatment we received also made us uncomfortable as Asian guests. After sharing feedback, the company clarified in writing that they do NOT advertise or position this as a beginner-friendly snorkeling tour. Based on both that clarification and our experience, I would strongly recommend that beginners or families looking for clear instruction and attentive guidance consider other operators. Sharing this to help future guests set accurate expectations before booking.

Awesome captain and crew! The boat is new and amazing!I highly recommend this company! My captain…read morewas JR Chalker

Great boat. Large and spacious. Captain was a great easy going guy. Only downside to my trip was…read morewe had no catch.. As disappointing as that was, it is called fishing n not catching. Oh well maybe next time.

We had such an incredible experience with Dolphin Excursions in O'ahu! From start to finish, the…read moreentire crew was friendly, professional, and clearly passionate about what they do. They made everyone feel comfortable and excited before we even got in the water. Seeing dolphins in their natural habitat was absolutely unforgettable. The guides were knowledgeable and respectful of the animals, which made the experience feel even more special and responsible. We never felt rushed, and they made sure everyone had a chance to enjoy the moment. The boat was clean, well-organized, and the overall vibe was fun and relaxed. They also pointed out other marine life along the way, which was such a bonus. If you're visiting O'ahu, this is a must-do experience. It was easily one of the highlights of our trip, and we would do it again in a heartbeat!

I highly recommend Dolphin Excursions Hawaii because the team who operates it are highly organized,…read morethoughtful, experienced, intelligent, friendly, and helpful. They do their utmost best to address any needs and answer questions during the entire time. Plus, with their knowledge of the area, we spotted dolphins, a whale, a rare Hawaiian Monk Seal (who actually surfaced to watch us). During our two dives, we even swam near beautiful turtles. Our guide, Morgan, was especially fabulous! Big gratitude to him and to the rest of the crew who help make such a positively memorable experience!

The guides were fun and informative, and made sure everyone had a chance to see what they saw…read more(including a submarine resurfacing). Thanks so much for taking care of us! Mahalo

Ian and stone were amazing tour guides and super respectful and knowledgeable in the different fish…read moreand aloha culture.

Aloha! This morning, my daughter and I did a spontaneous boat ride on the Ko'olina Glass Bottom…read moreBoat. Captain Kai and Tristan were extremely knowledgeable and personable. We prefer to support not only local, but Kānaka as well. Checked off those boxes, as well as having a much needed peaceful time out on the ocean. We saw some nai'a and honu. The Wai'anae mountains ranges were so majestic and lush today too. Will go again soon in the hopes of seeing whales next time. Keiki and kūpuna friendly.

I went out today on a one and a half hour whale watching tour from Ko Olina harbor, and it ended up…read morebeing way better than I expected. The crew took us out on a small glass bottom boat and once we got moving it felt like we were heading straight into our own ocean show. The weather was spot on with bright sun, calm water, and a comfortable breeze that made the whole ride easy and really enjoyable. Before we left, the captain and his assistant very politely warned us that we might not see whales because it is still the early part of the season. They gave us the choice to go anyway, and thank goodness we did because these whales clearly had no interest in hiding. We saw several of them breach like they were trying to win style points, splash around like they were in a water park, and show off just enough to make every single person on the boat start cheering. Ian and Kai were our guides and both deserve a medal for top tier ocean adventure hosting. They explained what to watch for, gave some fun knowledge about the island, tossed in whale facts that made us feel like instant marine biologists, and most importantly they actually found the whales. They kept the whole thing fun, relaxed, and full of moments that made this our first Hawaiian whale watching cruise and one we will never forget. I would absolutely do this tour again. Highly recommend it to anyone staying in Ko Olina. The short walking distance to Aulani is the cherry on top.

We love seeing and snorkeling near turtles in Hawaii and for an upcoming trip to Oahu we weren't…read moresure we were going to be able to see them. I read about the excursions off Waikiki that all but promised seeing Honu. I did some research and chose to book with Captain Max Boat Tours and their Turtle Canyon Snorkel. I read reviews and what really attracted me to this outfitter was the fact they ran semi-private boat tours with only 6 guests. Correspondence (email) leading up to the excursion was clear and helpful. We arrived a few minutes early and visited their small shop while checking in. We waited just a few minutes and then were walked over to their boat dock, meeting both the guide, Sophia and the boat captain, Stephanie. They gave us safety information and prepared us for the short boat ride out to "Turtle Canyon". Our craft was a zodiac type inflatable raft with a mounted seats and a windscreen for the captain. We glided out to the snorkel zone with Waikiki beach before us, a grand ocean view of this famous beach. Sophie helped the other guests get their snorkel gear (included in the price) except for us - we bring our own snorkel equipment. We put in the water and after all guests were in, Sophia called in the direction she was leading us. On the way over we swam through schools of fish. This was an awesome experience we did not expect - we snorkel a lot and love seeing the marine life. We learned that some outfitters feed the fish out here and so they stick around instead of swim away, which we're used to experiencing. In about 20 feet of water our guide pointed out several turtles on the bottom. Lucky for us, one of them swap up for air - and stayed near the and stayed near the surface for quite a few minutes (longer than we usually see) which allowed us to get a great view of this beautiful creature (all the while, maintaining a safe distance to protect the turtle). Sophia led us to two other spots nearby, seeing fish on the reef below and several more turtles. Once again we were fortunate to have another turtle swim up to the surface for a few breaths. I'm very glad we chose Captain Max as some of the other outfitters that bring larger groups would have been a very different experience with a group clamoring for views of the few turtles that were out there. Our guide was knowledgeable, approachable, and friendly - and ensured we were all safe (and the marine life were also protected). On our way back to shore we were treated to another great view of Oahu, with Waikiki and Honolulu in the foreground and the mountains behind. Thanks Sophie and Captain Stephanie for a memorable excursion! NOTE: We know that early in the morning is generally the best time to snorkel as the water tends to be calmer, visibility better and fish ore active. We had a 930 start but next time would be the early time (730) as I learned there are even fewer other outfitters out on the water at that time.

So glad we went with Capt Max! The small group was key to…read morethe best dive. Wiki wiki boat got us to dive spot fast for more dive time. Great crew helped and made the experience awesome. Thanks Again! Will be back soon!

This place is beautiful and not as crowded as other locations on Oahu. Parking is limited though…read morebut there is staff that help control the parking situation. I like that this spot is not too busy considering what's around the area. There are several attractions all within walking distance from here. When on this side of Oahu, be sure to visit and expect to spend a few hours at the least. It's no wonder there are several high end resorts here. It's less touristy and more local here but very comfortable and relaxing.

Loved this little public spot. I liked watching the ships come and go. The party boats and…read morecommercial boats for tourists sounded like they were having a lot of fun. I found a quiet spot on the rocks where I could read a book, watch the ships and planes and best of all be close to the water.