Administrative items first: Some of their guided tours can be purchased at a discounted rate online. Once you’ve signed up, ensure you read the details in the email confirmation; it provides parking locations which may or may not be where check in occurs. We parked across from the Maria Lanakila Church on the corner of Dickenson St. and Wainee St.; it is paid parking and requires a 3-5 min walk to the check in location. The check in location, which is also a gift/souvenir shop, then directs you to another location near the boat where you’ll wait for further instructions.
They do have binoculars for rent and take a photo of your group when boarding. The photo is available once you debark the boat, for a price.
Now for the whale watching. WoW! What a GREAT experience. The boat seemed to be newer and very well taken care of. There was plenty of unassigned seating available and once the boat was outside of the harbor, guests were authorized to stand up and walk around. We lucked out; literally 15 minutes into the ride, just outside the harbor, we encountered a mother and baby humpback whale. What an incredible opportunity to see them! After some time, we continued along our way in search of more and we sure did find them! Many were seen far in the distance when they would exhale… you could see the mist from miles away. Not long after that, we came across another mother humpback whale, her baby, and 2 dolphins just enjoying each others company; the dolphins swam right up to the boat! At one point, one of the crew dropped a microphone/receiver in the water so we could hear the whales and it was a unique experience. The speaker system seemed to work very well so hearing the details, instructions, and marine biology facts was easy to hear; this isn’t always the case on boats.
If you enjoy wildlife, I highly recommend participating in this tour, and even more so, with the Pacific Whale Foundation, who seem to genuinely care for these creatures and the environment. The Captain and crew were professional, knowledgeable, and really positively amplified the trip! The organization even offers a guarantee that you’ll see a whale OR you can return, at no additional cost, within a year to try your luck again. Fret not, they boast a 97% sighting success rate during their season!!