Although this activity isn't cheap, Blue Hawaiian's prices are competitive, and the experience was completely worth it to me - it even exceeded my expectations. Everything was seamless and well-organized, from the check-in process to the safety presentation to the procedures for getting on the helicopter. Our pilot, Greg, was very warm and friendly and clearly experienced (nearly 8,000 hours in the air!). Though his voice was calm, he showed great enthusiasm for the beautiful island of Kauai. It was a nice touch that he referred to each of us by name, got to know us a bit, and made sure to include each of us at some point during the tour (for example, "Tiffany, below you can see your hotel as we fly over Princeville").
Although the service was top notch, what really blew me away was the scenery. The angularity of the mountains, the colors of Waimea canyon, the numerous waterfalls... I just couldn't believe how beautiful it was. It also struck me how undeveloped Kauai is, so I felt so fortunate to see these gorgeous places that you can't easily access any other way. Greg also played some music during the tour, and I have to say that seeing 400-foot waterfalls while listening to "Only Time" by Enya made for a pretty dramatic experience!
There were cameras inside and outside the helicopter recording the whole tour (including Greg's narration and the questions asked by the guests), and when we saw the preview of the video, the quality was really fantastic. I decided I was too cheap to purchase it, and I had taken a lot of photo and video myself (on my admittedly less fancy camera), but I do feel like it would be a great memento.
Last note - I get carsick and seasick so I was pretty nervous about the helicopter ride. They do make helpful suggestions, like taking off jackets, since staying cool helps avoid nausea. I had taken some antinausea medications before the tour and I ended up being just fine :)
I actually would love to do this again next time I'm in Kauai! The memories, pictures, and video don't compare to the experience and how incredible it feels in that moment!