FAQ
Answers to your Frequently Asked Questions about our Tours
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Dolphins and You FAQ
We suggest you have on hand:
- Flip flops
- A bathing suit
- A towel
- Sunscreen
- A rash shirt and/or swim shorts if you’re looking for more protection from the sun. We also offer wetsuits for rent for $10 per person.
- A light jacket
- Cash or card for wetsuits or photo packages
- Seasickness medication. You can pick up seasickness tablets cheaply from local drugstores, or, if you only ever experience very mild motion illness, ginger-based drinks can help stave it off. We also offer reusable PSI bands for purchase on the bus for $25 (pack of two).
- A waterproof camera. Without a camera? Dolphins and You provides professional photography and videography for an additional $79
Please try to limit your belongings to one bag per person for the sake of space onboard.
The following are provided by Dolphins and You, so there is no need to bring along:
- Snorkel mask and fins
- Hydration (water and lemonade)
- Expensive jewelry or electronics*
- Camera**
* We do not recommend bringing expensive jewelry or technology that is not waterproof. Dolphins and You is not responsible for lost, stolen or water-damaged items.
**While you can bring a camera, we do not recommend it. Our professional photographers can capture your entire tour with us so you can fully be in the moment with the dolphins.
Please see the schedule for each tour’s pickups below. More detailed pickup information will be included in your tour confirmation email.
7 AM Tour
Aqua Palms Waikiki: 5:15 AM
Ala Moana Hotel: 5:20 AM
Prince Hotel: 5:25 AM
Ambassador hotel: 5:30 AM
DFS T. Galleria: 5:35 AM
Hyatt Regency: 5:40 AM
Waikiki Marriott: 5:45 AM
Meet at Waianae Boat Harbor at 6:45 AM
11 AM Tour
Aqua Palms Waikiki: 9:15 AM
Ala Moana Hotel: 9:20 AM
Prince Hotel: 9:25 AM
Ambassador hotel: 9:30 AM
DFS T. Galleria: 9:35 AM
Hyatt Regency: 9:40 AM
Waikiki Marriott: 9:45 AM
Meet at Waianae Boat Harbor at 10:50 AM
Our guides are great with guests of all abilities, and every guest is outfitted with a life vest to stay afloat. But we recommend some prior swimming and/or snorkeling for the best experience.
It’s best to let our guides know in advance if you would like extra attention or assistance while in the water.
In the interest of safety, we are unable to take guests who are 2 years old and under at this time.
We recommend that only guests who are 2 years and older join our tours.
There is no max age.
Hawaiian Spinner Dolphins are wild marine animals, so we cannot guarantee with absolute certainty that we will encounter them. However, the vast majority of our tours (more than 90 percent) do see dolphins.
No. Touching marine life and coral is illegal by Hawaii state law. Contact with human skin can make marine animals more susceptible to disease and cause them stress.
But the animals often come close by our guests, and simply being in their presence is incredible.
Hawaiian waters range from about 77 degrees F (25 degrees C) in the wintertime to 82 degrees F (28 degrees C) in the summertime.
Though this is much warmer than the natural ocean temperature in most parts of the world, you still may feel cold in the shade or rain in just a swimsuit. We offer wetsuits for rent at $10 per person.
You may bring your own camera onboard at your own risk. But we recommend letting our professionals capture your experience so that you can fully enjoy your tour without worrying about getting the shot!
Dolphins and You offers professional photography and videography for an additional $79. The photo packages usually contain around 300 over- and under-water shots of everyone on board (aiming for at least 10 of each group), and the video is usually around 20 minutes long. We document the experience from beginning to end.
Bus transportation to and from select locations within Waikiki is included in your trip price.
Alternatively, you may meet us at the Waianae Boat Harbor if you would like to provide your own transportation. There is no decreased rate for guests who opt out of transportation.
In Hawaii, we are lucky to have dolphins in our bays year-round and throughout the morning. Both of our tours have an equal likelihood of encountering dolphins. We cannot guarantee dolphin sightings.
Though not guaranteed, it is possible to see whales on our tours during peak months of December and March!
If our captain spots whales, we will get as close as possible by federal regulations.
It is incredibly rare to encounter any sharks at all in Oahu’s coastal waters. The reason is that sharks (and other apex predators, such as killer whales) prefer much colder, nutrient-rich waters. Hawaii is simply too warm! We sometimes encounter small reef sharks or white tip sharks, but these only grow a few feet long and are more afraid of you than you would be of them.
But in the rare event that a shark was to be encountered, our team of experienced Hawaii-raised crew are there to keep everyone safe and protected.
There is a public restroom in the harbor, and there are two full restrooms on board the boat. There is no restroom on the tour bus.
Our boat is not wheelchair friendly, and wheelchairs are not permitted on our bus transportation.
Please consult our office (808-696-4414). We have a ramp onto the boat, but it is only 19 inches wide and it does not have railings.
Yes. Please use feminine products made for swimming.
We allow pregnant women to take part in our tour, but advise that it may not be safe during later terms. Please be careful not to slip and fall on board.
Alcohol is only available for purchase on the boat after all water activities are completed for safety reasons.
Please bring cash or card if you are interested in purchasing adult beverages onboard.
Tipping the crew is appreciated but not solicited. A tip jar is made available to guests at the end of each tour.
Tour fees will be fully refunded if cancellation is made more than 24 hours prior to the start of the tour. Please note that the tour starts early in the morning (departing Waikiki at 6am HST and 9:30am HST). Fees will be refunded fully if a doctor’s note is presented for cancellations made within 24 hours before the tour.
Ocean and You FAQ
We suggest you have on hand:
- Easily removable shoes, such as Flip flops
- A light jacket for after sunset
- Cash or card for Ocean and You memorabilia
- Seasickness medication. You can pick up seasickness tablets cheaply from local drugstores, or, if you only ever experience very mild motion illness, ginger-based drinks can help stave it off. Please do not take medication if you will be consuming alcoholic beverages.
- Your camera to capture images (Ocean and You is not liable for damaged or lost items).
Please try to limit your belongings to one bag per person for the sake of space onboard.
You do not need to bring:
- Drinks. Your Ocean and You experience includes 1 drink ticket. Additional beverages may be purchased onboard.
- Shoes that are difficult to remove
We also do not recommend bringing expensive jewelry or technology that is not waterproof. Ocean and You is not responsible for lost, stolen or water-damaged items.
Yes, you may drink alcoholic beverages if you are of age and present a valid ID. Please ensure that you have safe transportation back to your hotel after your tour.
The professional DJ plays a mix of contemporary music, including house, hip hop, trap and more.
In the interest of safety and comfort, this is a 21 and up tour. We ID.
We are a bar atmosphere that is not suitable for children.
There is no max age for Ocean and You.
Please meet us at Kewalo Basin Boat Harbor Pier D Gate (1125 Ala Moana Blvd B1, Honolulu, HI 96814) 30 minutes prior to departure (5:30 pm). Kewalo Basin Boat Harbor is about 15 minutes from West Waikiki in afternoon traffic.
Please have your ID ready if you plan on having any alcoholic beverages on board.
Please call 808-696-4414 for assistance.
No, Ocean and You does not provide transportation. Uber and Lyft are readily available throughout the island if needed.
For liability reasons, Ocean and You does not allow swimming or snorkeling during this tour.
There is a public restroom in the harbor and one restroom on board the boat which can only flush organic materials.
We recommend using the restroom in the harbor before coming on board.
Tipping the crew is appreciated but not solicited. A tip jar is made available to guests at the end of each tour.
We do have a requirement of a minimum 10 guests to operate. If the minimum is not met, we can offer a rebooking to a later date.
We operate in rain or shine, so please keep this in mind when making bookings during the rainy season.
In the event of extreme surf or unsafe conditions for beach operations, we will cancel. All guests are notified prior to their cruise in the event that this occurs.
Tour fees will be fully refunded if cancellation is made more than 24 hours prior to the start of the tour. Fees will be refunded fully if a doctor’s note is presented for cancellations made within 24 hours before the tour.
Nature and You - Manoa falls hike
Here are a few things you should know before hiking the Manoa Falls Trail and visiting the Manoa Falls.
Please bring comfortable shoes and clothing. Please make sure your shoes can be in the mud, as this part of the island can receive rain. A light rain jacket and mosquito spray is also a good idea.
The tour lasts about 4 or 5 hours from pick up to drop off
Sorry, but we can only pick up at designated locations around Waikiki.
The 45 minute hike is very mild and can be done by most people, from children to the elderly. We recommend only children 4 years of age and older.
Lunch from Andy’s Sandwich shop is provided as part of the Nature and You tour. In addition to the pastrami sandwich, guests also have their choice of a vegan sandwich, or acai bowl.
It is not recommended to swim on this tour.
If you’d like to swim, then be sure to check out our Dolphins and You tour!
Tipping is an American custom. It is appreciated but not solicited. It’s all up to you.
Nature and You - Waimea falls hike
Here are a few things you should know before hiking the Waimea Falls Trail and visiting the Manoa Falls.
Please bring comfortable shoes and clothing. A light rain jacket and mosquito spray are also a good idea. If you are planning to swim at a waterfall, please bring swimsuits and towels.
The tour lasts about 7.5 hours from pick up to drop off
Sorry, but we can only pick up at designated locations around Waikiki.
The Waimea hike is about a 2-mile hike. It is very mild and mostly along the flat, paved ground. Which can be done by most people, from children to the elderly. We recommend only children 3 years of age and older.
Breakfast and Lunch are provided as part of the Waidmea waterfall hiking tour. For breakfast, a choice of Banana bread, Tomato Pest roll, and Sausage roll. Lundh comes with Hawaiian chips, a soft drink, and a cookie. Choose from Chicken Caesar Wrap, Veggie Wrap, and Spicy Shrimp Wrap.
Tipping is an American custom. It is appreciated but not solicited. It’s all up to you.
Island and You
Before you “eat local, feel local”, be sure to learn a few things about the Island and You tour.
Comfortable shoes and clothing is a good idea, as well as a hat, sunglasses and sun screen.
This tour lasts around 9 hours, from pick up to drop off.
You are advised to bring a seat with you, if it is required for your child. Please alert our office before your tour that you will be bringing a child seat by calling 808-696-4414.
This tour is conducted in both Japanese and English, depending on the language of the guests.
Please contact our office at 808-696-4414 to discuss any dietary restrictions.
Sorry, but we only pick up at select locations around Waikiki.
