Guest Comments

Hello Vic--
I had the most wonderful dolphin swim with Dolphin Excursions on March 27, 2007 and have told many friends and co-workers about it. They have been amazed at the photos I took with a disposable underwater camera.

The dolphin/snorkeling trip was great fun. I enjoyed being a guest in the dolphin's habitat, hearing and seeing their natural behavior. I found the information you had to share interesting (my background is in biology). A couple of times you sounded a bit apologetic about asking us not to chase or unintentionally disturb the dolphins. In my opinion, you needn't be apologetic at all. $70 is worth the expenditure for a mainlander who has never had such an opportunity (I knew what I was paying for when I payed it). My partner was treated to a new experience, he had never gone swimming much over his head before. He lost his fear and really enjoyed the morning.

In fact, for the very reason that you kept explaining to us how not to harrass the dolphin, and the importance of their resting period, I would not hesitate to recommend your tours to my friends and family.

David Hasselhoff is right! Dolphin Excursions is the only thing worth doing on O'ahu. Captain Vic does not lie: his boat ride is the best you'll ever have. Everything about D.E. is absolutely top notch.

Victor,
Hi, you are hearing from the female passenger who asked, " Do whales vomit? "

Tom and I just wanted you to know that out of all of our trips to Hawaii, our dolphin/whale experience was one of the best times we have ever had on the islands. Seeing these wonderful animals in their environment was such a pleasure. While I realize the purposes of places like Sea World, etc., I feel that your trip is the true harmonious way to see and appreciate sea life.

Thank you so much!

Hi, Victor and Maheaoani (sp),

Just wanted to say how much the 3 of us appreciated your excellent excursion. It is the best we have ever taken, counting all our excursions, everywhere (except maybe barging in France, but there were no dolphins or whales there).

Thanks again for a friendly, enlightening and professional job well done.

Hey Victor & Dianne,
Just a short note to thank you so much for the AWESOME day that you entertained us with while on our honeymoon. By far it was the best thing that we did while we were in Hawaii for the 12 days. We got some great photos and enjoyed your knowledge about the dolphins, the sea , the flying fish (in the boat), the surfers and all the other things. We reccommended the trip to everyone that we saw before we left. We even ran into a couple (also from Canada) that we had told about your tour that actually did go on the excursion they both had a great time (even though his wife got sea sick).

We've passed your pamphlets to our travel agent and she said she will promote your trip. After we showed her the pics, she put it on her top 10 things to do list while in Hawaii. Again Vic, we thank you for your profesionalism and helping to make our honeymoon much more memorable.

Victor and Stephanie were two of the most sincere guides I've ever been with; it was obviously important to them that we all have a wonderful experience. I'm so appreciative that they stayed out even longer than our scheduled time when we happened to run into a school of bottlenose dolphins.

What a day! I will recommend you to anyone I know coming to Hawaii. Worth every penny! You are very friendly, relaxed and knowledgable. It is very obvious you love what you do. The experience of being in the water with the dolphins (the TOW) is something I will never forget!

Dear Victor and Stephanie: I was very happy & appreciate to you & dolphins. Also, whales!! And sandwich was good! When I come to Hawaii next time, I'll call you again. Please, take me to Yokohama bay again!

Great fun! The raft is a great way to watch the whales, dolphins and turtles; you're right on the water's surface with them. The larger boats are high off the water and you don't really feel part of the sea life. Vic's a good captain and Stephanie provides a lot of info.

Aloha Victor,
I wanted to take advantage of my sister-in-law's computer while we were still in town to send you an enormous THANK YOU! My husband, Tim, & I had a fabulous time on Tuesday's excursion. Ever since I was a little girl I have dreamed of "swimming" with dolphins. Thanks to you, I have fullfilled that dream! Being towed and seeing those dolphins was the most fantastic event (outside of my son's birth) that I have ever witnessed!

My brother & sister-in-law host numerous family and friends here in Honolulu & we will certainly brag on your expertise. Hopefully they will send a little business your way!

Victor and Brandi -
We are the Greene/Hardtman family and you took us on our dolphin excursion on Friday, July 21. (Our daughter Dayna is the one who accidentally waved at you instead of pointing to her head to let you know she was ok, and you had to dash into the water needlessly!)

We just wanted you to know how much we enjoyed our day - and that we think your excursion is by far the best and most reasonable of any excursion on the island! We went to the concierge of the Hilton and told her of our experience with you - I have no idea if they will add it to their list or not, but we sure think they should.

After our day with you, we were amazed at the costliness of several other excursions that we took that just could not compare in quality to yours (eg, the Swim with the Dolphin package that Sea Park offers, which our daughters found, uh, well, uninspiring for lack of a better word.)

At any rate, we just wanted to wholeheartedly thank you for giving us such a wonderful day that we will never forget! Please feel free to refer anyone to us who would like to hear from one of your happy customers.

Hi Vic
Just thought I' d drop a line to tell you that your operation bar none is the best , the personal attention of your skipper and guide are exemplary of the aloha spirit

ps the dolphin sex my son saw will give his mother on the mainland a night mare till the day he comes to live with me, mahalo, a north shore malahini/ just a joke

Dear Dolphin Excursions & especially Ale:

Thanks for the awesome excursion on May 1.
My husband and I celebrated our 20th anniversary that day and we could not have asked for a more beautiful way to start the day then your early bird tour. Captain Ale and my husband traded jokes and laughed all morning. His knowledge of area and the sea life provided countless opportunities to be as close as one could get to ecstasy. He saw to it that everyone of us had an chance to see the dolphins. He was patient and persistent. His piloting of the Naia I brought us incredible sites and sounds. He and the girls took very good care of us.

We would also like to thank Chuck for being such a great photographer and for being in the 'zone' that day. He is a 'dolphin magnet' as it seemed that they were drawn to him by some mystical force; the images he captured that day were spectacular.

David Hasselhoff's Tips on Where to Go... We talked with David Hasselhoff on the set of Baywatch Hawaii... He tells "This Week" readers his favorite things about Hawaii: A must - the number one thing you must do when you are here is Dolphin Excursions in Waianae. You can get wet with the dolphins, but the best part is really Victor, the guy who leads the excursions. His personality is so great. He tells you all about the dolphins and really enjoys it!

Our trip off the coast last week was piloted by Ale. We enjoyed his company so much, we decided to include him in our engagement announcement. (Ale - I'm the one you reminded about dolphins promiscuous behavior when you heard I thought "naia" was a pretty name for a girl!) Thanks for playing a part in a wonderfully memorable trip!

My family took advantage of the prime time dolphin and whale tour and it was the highlight of the trip. Nothing the entire week could compare with the fun we had on the boat. The boat ride alone was worth the time. It was awesome. Captain KK kept it interesting the whole time and we had a blast trying to stay in our seats as we bounced along the waves. We got some great photos and videos of the dolphins and whales. We didn't get the chance to swim due to the weather, but had fun outrunning the squall that hit. The guide on our tour was extremely friendly and very knowledgable. She had us laughing the entire trip. Overall, it was an awesome tour and I will highly recommend it to anyone who asks. Keep up the great work and I look forward to another visit.
the George family
Texas

Last Sunday, we were on the 10:30am excursion -- what a great trip! I could go on and on about it, we had such a great time.

What I didn't expect was the attention that was shown to us by Captain Ale and Jean Marie after the trip was over. We had driven ourselves to the dock from Kailua, and after eating lunch we were headed back to our car when Captain Ale stopped us to let us know about the telephone poles that were down on the Farrington Highway in Nanakuli, and that we would not be able to get back to Kailua. Initially they thought we might be stuck there for quite some time, and tried to make hotel arrangements for us. While Captain Ale prepared the boat to take the other passengers over to Ko Olina, Jean Marie stayed with us until we heard that the Kolekole Pass had been opened, and she knew we would be able to make it home.

I'm sure you know what a wonderful crew you have, but we just wanted you to know that we certainly appreciate them too!

Vic,

Two of my friends and I came to Hawaii for the first time in March. We hiked, did the tours, went surfing, participated in some cultural events and on the last day decided to come to Dolphin Excursions. After five days of being a tourist and seeing all there was to see, Jeanne-Marie and KK gave us the PERFECT ending to our visit. We unintentionally saved the best for last. I don’t think I’ve laughed so hard, learned so much and had so much fun in four hours time as I did on your tour! Thank you Jeanne-Marie and KK, y’all are top notch!

I must give "kudos" and a tremendous, heartfelt "thank you" to Captain Ale, Jenna and Keeley. I was on your phenomenal Island for the first time and it has always been a dream of mine to be able to "swim" with the dolphins. In the wonderful hands of your crew, it was MORE than I could have ever dreamed of. First thing out, Jenna spotted a Humpback whale (my absolute FAVORITE)and Ale stopped the boat in hopes of having another look. He explained that they had not seen a whale in over two weeks as the whale season was over. Next thing we knew, the whale did a COMPLETE jump out of the water off the side of the boat. It was the most amazing thing I have ever seen. We then spend an incredible time swimming with the dolphins and they got so close to me I could have touched them. Being eye to eye with a pod of dolphins is a
feeling that I just can't explain to my family but I can relive it every day thanks to your excursion. Keeley was amazing with information during the drives to and from the hotel. She even recommended a place to eat on the North Shore for us that served the best shimp I have ever eaten in my 49 years. She even gave me her cell phone number in case we got lost getting to Haleiwa from Honolulu. I guarantee you that the 4 hours I spend on the
water with your crew was the best time I have ever had in my life and I promise, word will be spread to let EVERYONE I talk to that they HAVE to take your excusion when they are on Oahu. Thank you for doing what you do and doing it in such a remarkable way. You truly made my trip a once in a lifetime experience. Please give my best to KEELEY and tell her the
"Cholos" ladies think she is amazing and I hope Dustin's surgery on his hand went well.

We sure enjoyed our swim with the dolphins & turtles. The photos on Chuck's
CD are incredible.

Hi Victor,

I am one of your former passengers from 1999 (you know, when we got to ride the rubber dingys?) That was so much fun. :-) I have a friend that is getting married and couldn't remember the name of your company, but remembered your name. So of course, I was able to find Dolphin Excursions and the owner, Victor.

When I talk about my trip and how fortunate that we were to have seen more than one pod of dolphins, it always feels like I was just there. It was so refreshing to read the testimonials by your other passangers. What they express in their testimonials about you and your crew regarding your knowledge and hospitaliy, and love of the ocean is what I have experienced as well. Nice to know that some things never change. I hope to make it back sometime soon.

Anyway I visited the website and I am so glad that the company is doing well. Everytime someone tells me that they want to come or go to Hawaii, I am always sure to mention your tour. I wish you continued success with your business and for all of your crew who makes every visitor and resident's tour a special and memorable trip.

I just wanted to tell you how incredibly AWESOME our day with the dolphins was. First of all, your staff was so friendly, informative and helpful. My husband and I brought our four children (ages 7, 10, 13, & 15) and what could have been a stressful event for a worrisome mom like me, was actually relaxing and extremely exhilerating. We swam with DOLPHINS!!!!! My kids had the time of their lives. They will never, ever forget that wonderful day, and neither will I. I will definitely insist that when visiting Hawaii, our friends and family put your excursion at the top of their list. Also, we told colleagues, who were in Hawaii with us, about your company and they went with us - they loved it and thanked us over and over for telling them about it. You guys ROCK!!!!

Hey Vic, or Whoever reads these,
Just wanted to let you know I am a repeat client. I have been doing this wonderful experience for about 7 years. Back in the old days when the only captain was Vic. I come to Hawaii at least 1-2 times a year and I never miss your excursion. I have recommended it to others and they have enjoyed it as well. The last trip I did with you all, was in April '06.

I went on the 7:30 am excursion on October 31st. Thank you to the crew...they were so entertaining and incredibly knowledgeable. Thanks to Olley, Jenna, Christina and Tonya for making it our best tour ...we will spread the word.

Dear The crew of Dolphin Excursions;

What a great activity in Oahu it was!! That was the most wonderful and exciting experience, even though that was the fourth trip to Hawaii for me and my husband.
We've seen dolphins just in aquarium, so we were so impressed with such a lively dolphins. We also enjoyed the colorful fish at the snorkeling point.

I haven't done swimming with snorkel and fins for 10 years, and it was the first swimming with snorkel and fins for my husband. So we couldn't control ourselves well, but all of you watched us carefully and took care of us. All of you were so sweet.
Thank you for your hospitality.

We were really satisfied with the trip with you.
We'll show the photos of our excursion CD to our friends and family, and tell them about Dolphin Excursions as a "Must Do" in Oahu.

Dear Extraordinary Crew,

It is with tremendous pleasure that we write this note. On February 16, during your early bird cruise, we had the sincere pleasure to be guests on your tour. We visit often, and thought the experience would be just another, packaged, porpoise-tormented, frenzy, for our edification (It was a gift). Despite the grotesque waking hour, while on holiday (4am), the experience could not have been more different! It began with the tremendous insight, knowledge and experience of our driver/first mate, Kai'li How she maintained such an upbeat, friendly disposition at such a wicked hour, was uncanny. But that was just the beginning of her amazing skill set. She provided a wealth of information about the Islands' history, the local challenges, the environmental concerns, and a thorough overall compassion for her work (all with charm, and humor). Kai'li is a tremendous asset to the tour. We were enthralled with her passion for sailing. We found ourselves captivated by her dad's commitment to sail to Micronesia and Japan. (WARNING: Nerd disclosure) We could not wait to return to the hotel to get on the Polynesian Voyage Society's website, to track the Hokule'a voyage. I was thrilled as I researched the history of the master navigator and teacher, Mau Piailug. (later reading all of his articles). Misael and I are currently reading a book on traditional Hawaiian canoe building. (Misael is a sea kayaker) Kaili's infectious passion was rivaled only by her crew mates': Ale, was an adept, talented, mariner with enviable navigation skills. He maneuvered the small vessel with masterful precision, all while dispensing a cheeky, barrage of nautical jokes! It was clear that he was as comfortable on the sea as on land. He controlled the "Naia I" like a confident parent. In addition to being a talented mariner, he too, had a dizzying knowledge of the ocean, its' species, and local customs and traditions. It was great to have someone so wedded to nature, at the helm. We admired Captain Ale. The trio would not have been complete without the spectacular contribution of Chuck, the photographer. We purchased everything that was being offered for sale that day. Unfortunately, Chuck's computer was not functioning properly; so we were unable to view our photos, at that time. Truthfully, we expected to receive, by mail, a disk of lack lustre, stock, photos, that we would surely forget about in the coming weeks. What we got was nothing shy of spiritual. The photos so accurately captured the essence of our experience: From the majestic glide of a pod of porpoise (in sepia), to the sovereign, tranquility of a single sea tortoise. It was a pictorial nirvana! We were awe stricken. The Dolphin Excursion was etched into our psyches. So, while the photos may fade over time, the experience will remain with us, indelibly. And for that we are eternally grateful. Finally, this will certainly be a MUST each time we visit in the future. See ya soon. : ) We have shared your link with everyone! : )

Hello Victor--

I will be telling people about the excursion until I can no longer speak as it was the most thrilling thing I have ever done. (I would say that I was swimming with dolphins for all but 20 seconds or so of the 45 or so minutes I was in the water.) I guess I might drive a few people crazy in the process over the coming years... :)

Please let me know if there is any other way I can get the word out about your fantastic excursion. It was a dream come true for me and I would love to know that other people with similar life-dreams can experience swimming with dolphins in the wild.

Thank you soooooo much!!!

Lisa,

Sorry I didn't get a chance to send this earlier to you. I did want to thank you IMMENSELY for the opportunity to do the Dolphin Excursion. I told my boyfriend I could die happy now. That was one of the most exciting things I've ever done in my life!! (My only regret was that I didn't have an underwater camera with me and I kick myself for that now!!!) I will DEFINITELY recommend this excursion to others when I have the opportunity. It beats the heck out of Waikiki snorkeling!!! Thank you again SO MUCH!!! I

Aloha,

We had an awesome Hawaii trip and I wanted to thank you for the wonderful time we had during the early morning dolphin excursion on 3-29-07….it made for a great beginning to my 40th birthday. Mahalo to your staff for making the trip so enjoyable.

Just thought I’d send you a couple of the pictures we took.

Hi Victor,

Just to let you know, me and my wife had a fabulous time with Kei Kei
(dunno how to spell his name) and Chuck on the Dolphin Excursion
today!