Excellent crew! Very informative! Offered refreshments. An experienced captain made it possible to get the perfect photo. Saw a lot of whales! read more

It was a beautiful day on the water. Saw whales, Spinner dolphins and flying fish. Captain Dan was very informative and the staff attentive. My only suggestion: they ask us not to bring food, they provide snacks and beverages. So we ate before we boarder, per suggestions. Snacks provided: one paper cup of water, apple juice or lemonade. A handful of Doritos and a handful of M&M's. For the price we paid we expected at least a bottle of water, bag of chips and a couple cheese sticks. I literally had low blood sugar on the trip home to shore. Please provide a proper snack or let us bring our own food. Be more specific. I'm happy to bring my own snacks...I just need to know. I would recommend. Bring your own snacks and water. Thanks to Capt Dan and his crew. read more

Information provided before the scheduled trip was very helpful and useful. The reminders were appreciated. Directions were superior to what Siri provided. Upon arrival, we were checked in and when the boarding started, were helped to our seats. There was plenty of seating though some trips may be more crowded. We were offered a cup of water and later some chips which was appreciated. Dan knows where to go to look for whales and has everyone join in searching for their spouts. We did find humpback whales and Dan would let us know when to snap a picture. He was informative as were the two helpers showing some pictures of things to be aware of and telling us about the whales. We were able to see whales and dolphins which was really fun. I had been out with Dan a long time ago where we had whales right around the boat up close which is not usual. We weren't right up next to them but still close enough to get some photos (I'm sure others were better than mine). Timing is everything and it is really hard to get that great photo but seeing the whales and dolphins is very exciting.For some reason, my photos are not uploading but got a humpback whale and dolphin picture that I read more

Captain Dan McSweeney's Whale Watching Adventures - Humpback whale - Whale Watching Tours Near Me

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Great trip! Staff very attentive and Dan's stories added a great touch. One of our party was sea sick the whole time and they took very good care of her. Great job and I would recommend this tour for anyone wanting to see whales and dolphins and learn quite a bit about them. read more

We booked this whale watching trip having never gone whale watching before, and it was a great time! The crew and captain were extremely friendly and knowledgeable, and we really enjoyed hearing all of the captains stories! We saw multiple whales and dolphins, and even if you don't see much, just the views of the island are beautiful! This company also donates must of there income to a research foundation for whales and dolphins, which is amazing! Overall, I would really recommend this company! read more

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We had a spectacular time. Captain Dan knew just how to find the whales and maximized the time watching them. The crew were great and very knowledgeable. Would highly recommend! read more

This provided a great opportunity to get out early and have a chance to find whales. It took about 45 minutes to spot the first whale, but there were plenty to see after that first sighting. Captain Dan is very knowledgeable and shares his experience with the guests. Saw whales and dolphins during the trip. Great day. read more

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Our family can't rate Captain Dan and the crew high enough! Friendly, courteous, knowledgable, organized, insightful, and funny. We were fortunate to see whales, which is beyond his control, and we understood that might not occur going into the 7 am tour. We got an education on the trip due to his vast experience. We also enjoyed chatting with and learning from his crew, who were also incredibly helpful. He was very helpful telling everyone 3-2-1 to take pictures of the whale's tail. We also appreciated how he allowed both sides of the boat to see the whales. And after he followed them for a while, he would move on and let them swim in peace. It seemed like a good balance for all. Enjoy the ride! read more

Captain Dan and the crew made this trip out, the best whale watching tour I've been on! The narration by the captain throughout the trip was both informative and entertaining (even helps you time your photo shot for the perfect moment) - All while taking in the breathtaking views of the island and the brilliant blue waters. Along with the crews humor and enthusiasm, you can't help but feel like you're on a trip with friends that just so happen to have the knowledge to answer all your questions about the animals you encounter! The bottlenose, spinner, and spotted dolphins that we encountered were a great way to finish up the trip! Would highly recommend! read more

Despite the overwhelming positive reviews here we had a relatively muted experience with this company. At the outset, I will say that this review is not about the Whale Watching experience but rather about the way they handle and execute reservations. That is why they get two stars. We booked the tour a week in advance in season, March 2024. About 2 days before the actual trip they called us to cancel stating that Whale numbers are dwindling and therefore they could not make a guarantee of showing whales. They confirmed then that our credit card was not charged for this trip (which is unusual considering that most companies charge the card during reservation). Unfortunately because of this unexpected and penultimate cancellation we did not have adequate time to secure an alternate reservation with another company. I find it very hard to believe that a company as experienced as them did not realize that Whale numbers are low until 2 days prior to the trip. Frankly I would have even been happy to just go without the guarantee. As a result of this last minute, abrupt cancellation our chances of whale watching went from 100% (according to them) to 0% (because they canceled last minute and now I cannot get a booking with anyone else). Overall, a very disappointing experience. read more

Awesome!!! To be completely honest, Lindsey H.'s review covers all the key bases. If you want to see whales and have a truly enjoyable time, go with Capt. Dan. read more

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Captain and crew were very attentive even before the trip making sure we got there on time and knew where to go. It was apparent that they were very knowledgeable, sharing insights and information and stories during the cruise. We felt very safe and the captain seemed to know where to go to find whales. read more

This is not a tour for photographers. I was very intrigued when I found out the captain was a scientist/biologist and had been tracking whales for 30 plus years. But I quickly became disappointed when we spend 45 minutes going to the spot and maybe a half hour actually watching for whales. I was stunned when I realized we were already heading back. I have the title as saying it's not for photographers for a few reasons. Number one being he always positioned the boat directly into the sun so you're squinting and trying to avoid the sun while looking through the lens. He could of easily positioned the boat on the other side of where they would be. We never really got that close. In most cases I had to use the complete 500mm reach on the lens to really get anything. Honestly I have better images from the hotel I'm staying at. It's a good tour for an average person. But definitely not an avid adventurer or photographer. read more

I grew up going whale watching frequently, but this experience was too notch. Not only are the crew very informative & attentive, but the captain is very patient & knowledgeable. We saw a number of humpback whales, some of them within 100ft. & the snacks are good, too! The company was as flexible as they could be in accommodating our schedule & communicated with us. I would definitely go on this tour again! read more

Saw whales every day of our trip from shore but no such luck when we actually paid to go to sea and see them up close. Not sure of the logic as to why we didn't go up north of Kawaihae where the whales were hanging out all week. Nice crew though. read more

All whale watching tours are hit and miss. You just have to be lucky but having a knowledgeable captain sure helps and Dan McSweeney's been studying whales for over 33 years. If anyone knows their habits he does. He even says, get your cameras ready, 1, 2, 3 take it and you'll get a perfect tail picture. He educates you all about whales, what to expect, how they study them and so on. He's full of fun stories and has a calming voice. We went twice. The first time we saw plenty whales up close. The second time, they were all quite far away. His tour is 3 hours where the others are only 2 hours. It takes about 40 minutes just to get out there. The girls are cute and serve plenty snacks, fresh fruit, chocolates, water, juice and water. You leave with a 8x10 photo of a humpback whale breaching. Very nice. I would recommend his tour if you're going your first time and sit up top if you can take the sun! We'll see you next time Captain McSweeney! read more

What a great morning! Captain Dan and his crew were so knowledgeable and so happy to share their passion. We saw 8-10 whales (on 2/22), and Captain Dan was able to use his knowledge to accurately predict when and where they would surface and descend. Other boats lefts an area but we stayed and got a great, close view. Snacks, drinks and wet towels were a nice touch. A great trip! read more

Captain Dan McSweeney's Whale Watching Adventures - Whale Watching Tours Near Me

Captain Dan and the entire crew of the Lady Ann were fantastic. We saw several whales on our trip. Including a double breach and a baby whale that breached several times. We highly recommend this company read more

What a great morning adventure! Captain Dan really is knowledgeable and taught us a lot about whales. The kind and helpful crew regularly checked in with educational opportunities, answers to our questions, and even snacks! It was phenomenal (and we got to see some cool whales). Highly recommend. read more

I have been coming to Kona annually for close to 3 decades. This time I went on my first every whale watch trip with Captain Dan. I have seen lots of whales from dive boats over the years but this was an informative experience. I would definitely recommend this company. read more

I had a great whale watch with Captain Dan. The crew was attentive and helpful, and Captain Dan provided educational but conversational (not boring droning as some tours provide) information on whales and how they live, and the waters we sailed. I consider myself fairly knowledgeable about whales, but Captain Dan shared lots of first-hand stories that were really informative. Also, Captain Dan helps with research, so they have inside info not really available anywhere else. Plus, they showed specimens of barnacles (with explanations) and a a tooth from a sperm whale (found dead off the coast if New Foundland). Really awesome for a whale nerd like me... The best part, was of course seeing whales, a momma and baby, plus a whale shark. Totally recommend. read more

Captain Dan McSweeney's Whale Watching Adventures - Momma humpback - Whale Watching Tours Near Me

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This was our third time with this company. This is a 2-3 hour boat ride. We left a little before 8am. It took about 45 minutes to get to where the whales were. We saw just two humpback whales on December 26th. But got to see them three times twice up close. We also saw bottle nose and spinner dolphins. Chris and Anita were our crew and did a nice job sharing information. The captain had interesting stories. Though they sounded somewhat like he was reading a script or had said the same words for lots of years days after day. Crew Served Juice, water, Fruit, chips, and Chocolate M&Ms. We had it a little hard to find meeting location in the dark of the early morning. It was at the Last parking area on the left side of harbor. The van with big whale is parked next to the road. We chose to do the 7 am trip because the seas are calmer in morning 8-10 and good lighting for picture shooting. No problem with being sea sick. We needed to arrive by 6:45 which made for and early morning with the 20 minutes drive to harbor from Kona. Our boat wasn't full so it was easy to move around. Sun for those up top and shade for us below lots of railing to get out and see the whales top or bottom. Overall a good experience we recommend read more

This is a great whale watching tour. The captain has more than 40 years researching whales and has many interesting tales he relates during the tour. read more

The reviews here held up for this Capt Dan's Whale Watching Adventure! Capt Dan is incredibly knowledgable about the whales, knows where to find them and shares great stories. We saw about 7-8 humpbacks the day we went out (1/9/18) and he got us in very close to them. So we were pretty happy. If you are prone to motion sickness, I would recommend doing the 7am tour over the 11am, as the seas are calmer. The tour lasts about 3 hours and it goes by so fast. Also, it was amazing to watch the sunrise over Mauna Loa, see tons of dolphins and we just enjoyed being out on a boat and listening to some awesome yacht rock. Thank you Captain Dan and your whole crew!! It was a blast! read more

As a wildlife enthusiast and conservationist with many friends working in marine biology, whale rescue, and research, I have very high standards for marine eco-tourism. I had been hesitant to book a whale watch in Kona because of concerns about ethics--I'd heard of different boats/crews encroaching on whales--and because so many of them seem touristy and cheesy. We were looking for a science-based watch, not a "bucket list" cruise where you zoom around chasing whale tail selfies. Captain Dan came highly recommended by several scientist friends and I can concur, the focus of the tour was very much on whale behavior, research, and habitat. I learned a lot and appreciated Dan and crew's obvious respect for these incredible creatures. (Actually, Dan's voice and delivery reminded me of the great naturalist Richard Nelson, of the public radio show "Encounters.") We waited in a few spots, never chased animals, and got plenty of chances to see whales surfacing. Dan clearly understands how whales move and where they might be seen. I also loved hearing Dan's stories of his own research and encounters. The only disappointment was that the tour was stated to be at least 3 hours (I was told 11-2 by phone and 11-2:30 or 3 by email) and we were back in the harbor by 1:45. I know it's hard to predict ocean travel to the minute, but I'd have loved to spend another 15+ minutes out on the water scanning for dolphins or other whales. Still, overall excellent. Very highly recommended for conservation or naturalist minded travelers. read more

We enjoyed whale watching with Captain Dan and his crew. Captain Dan has been whale watching for 30 years and knows what's what. He is.a very knowledgeable Captain with many stories to tell - and we learned a lot about the surrounding waters and humpback whales. If you're on Hawaii, go take this tour. Oh yes, the Captain and his crew are extremely focused providing a great experience - drinks, snacks, and wet towels (to freshen up after the tour) indicate their attention to detail. read more

Another great time out on the water in Kona, HI. Capt. Dan always has the best stories and factual information about sea life in HI. His experience is phenomenal and he knows his whales. I know it isn't possible to see whales 100% of the time, but Capt. Dan and his crew have never failed us. We will be back out on the water with them again next year! read more

Captain Dan McSweeney's Whale Watching Adventures - Our early morning trip watching the sun rise over Kona. - Whale Watching Tours Near Me

It was a good ride, cool to see whales, but what really stood out were the assistants helping out. My child got seasick and threw up off the back of the boat - they were so kind to her! Matt and a blonde lady from Minnesota, embarrassed I don't remember her name. My girl felt much better very soon. These are just good people. read more

This trip was amazing and it was everything we had hoped for! Close up whales, I mean like 20 feet away! Breaches, spyhop, and an amazing 3 hours. I'll go with Dan anytime I'm on the big island! read more

The guide book I was using - Hawaii Revealed told me that Captain Dan had the only whale watch he could recommend. That guide had been spot on for everything else but was dead wrong for Captain Dan. Every seat was occupied even in Covid times - every other tour I have been on since Covid has tried to have a slightly reduced capacity. We saw no whales which I know is always a possibility but we had seen them from shore, our snorkeling trip found a whale 5 minutes after leaving the dock and even our hotel bellman said they are everywhere - go up north and just stare at the ocean and you will see them the bellman said. Well Captain Dan headed south and thought he saw one so we spun around in the same place for 30 minutes and then he moved on and his crew member thought she saw a spout so then he spun around in the same place for another 30 minutes finding nothing. Then we headed back. I have noticed there are very few recent reviews on Yelp so maybe he is losing his touch. The snacks were a joke so make sure you eat before you get on board. His Covid adaptations for snacks are to have the crew come around with a plastic bin of chips and with their gloved hands place chips in your hand. What? Same for next round of snacks - a big jug of M and M's that they shook into your hands. Bordered on the comical. I am not sure there is anyone better but I would recommend just going on a snorkeling trip. This was a total waste. read more

Meh ... all the hype on the website builds up expectation but McSweeney really didn't deliver: "I guarantee you'll see whales. If you're told, "The whales are all gone," call me. I take you over water other whale tours don't travel - home to some of the most exotic whales in the world." We sat on mostly uncomfortable seats for three hours and saw nothing but ocean and the coastline from afar ... except briefly seeing two dolphins that seemed keen to escape our prying eyes. Just at the moment the trip was to finish McSweeney catches a glimpse of a whale. And so we hover around for a momentary look as it surfaces and then goes under again and with it any chance of a refund. I understand there is an unpredictable aspect to observing nature but the ilovewhales website really made me think we were guaranteed to see whales for more than three seconds out of over 3 hours. Several hundred dollars out of pocket and thoroughly bored we were then subjected to the crew trying to whoop up applause and enthusiasm as we disembarked. Fake, forced and really irritating! If I was running that business, I would have seen this as a (partly) refundable experience. Risk it if want, but I wouldn't recommend that you do. read more

This is the real deal! Our family recently took our 3rd outing with Capt. Dan McSweeney and crew and it's always a great experience. He will do his level best to get you an up-close and personal view of wild whales. These folks are professional marine mammal researchers and are highly respectful toward the animals and their habitat. During the trip, they will share photos, stories, and interesting information both about current whale research and the sights along the Kona coast. The trip lasted about 3 hours and the crew brought around little snacks periodically. There IS a restroom on board, for you tiny-bladder folks like me. The boat holds about 30-40 people on two decks. The upper deck offers better opportunities to snap a good picture (Capt. Dan will even count down when the whales dive, to let you know when to get a tail pic) but it will bounce you around more. Speaking of, it almost goes without saying that this trip might not be for you if you're prone to seasickness. On our last outing, someone on the lower deck had a barf bag as a constant companion. That would certainly be a recipe for three hours of misery. According to our guide book, they report a 90% success rate at finding whales. If no whales make an appearance during your trip, they will give you a voucher good for a free return trip. We encountered this circumstance on our second visit, and redeemed our vouchers two years after receiving them; they were honored with no problem. You do have to call and let them know about the vouchers in advance to redeem them. Even if the ocean comes up whale-free, it's a fun narrated boat ride. On our most recent trip, there were several good whale views, maybe six or so. We've done whale watching with other companies on other islands, and those didn't come close to being as fun and informative as this one. This gets my highest recommendation! read more

Captain Dan's Whale Watch was one of the highlights of our Big Island vacation. At first, I was nervous because Captain Dan mentioned that sometimes they don't see any whales. This was not the case for us! We came across 4-5 whales and one even breached right next to our boat. We saw a family of dolphins which was also so amazing! The whole trip we were told stories and good information about the whales by Captain Dan. He has really made this his life's work and it shows! I would definitely recommend Captain Dan if you're looking for a whale watch on the Kona side. read more

Wow! Uh-huh! Yeah! It was unbelievable how close Captain Dan got us to two different groups of Pilot Whales. I, actually, started to wonder if the Captain had personally paid these whales in cash to show up and hang out with us. And when I said the whales hung out with us, I mean it. This was no drive by sighting. The two different families of whales each spent a good fifteen minutes with us. Even saw a mother swimming with her calf on her back. The whales swam around, along and below the boat the entire time. Often surfacing within a few feet of the the boat. The best part of it all is that Captain Dan and his crew are actually performing research as they take us around. They apparently track the whales to collect all sorts of information on their dive depths and migration patterns. Seriously, he was looking for one particular male they had just tagged 5 days earlier, which we did see. He showed my cousin and me the different tags, one was the standard kind that pierces them, but the second tag was new and had suction cups. Apparently, they have been experimenting with using these suction cups to tag the whales. Rather humane I'd say. By the way this is a somewhat no frills experience. This is not a tourist experience. There is no bar, no hor deurves, no host telling jokes, no tourist yacht. Just some juice, water, M&Ms, a small boat, and A REAL MOVING EXPERIENCE. This was by far the best experience of my entire Hawaii Trip Thank you Cpatain Dan, Sarah, Katherina, and Jes. read more

Lindsey H. does cover most of it. We had a great time and saw lots of whales. The staff brought drinks, snacks and even a cool towel at the end. I would highly recommend it. read more

If you know me well, you know that I am a huge whale fanatic. Not the SeaWorld, Aquarium prison views for me anymore (sorry, not sorry). For as long as I remember, I have dreamt of seeing whales up close in their habitat without harming or disruption, sounds like a challenge right? My husband and I booked a trip to Hawaii and with the Gods working in our favor it was humpback whale season..... Meaning the humpback whales and/or with their calves migrate south for warmer waters this time of year! You can imagine my excitement, I was in tears. Now the challenge of finding the perfect Captain that meets my criteria of conservation, humanity, respect, knowledge, and culture. Here comes in Captain Dan who was highly recommended from Fromms Travel Guide of the Big Island. He was not only exceptional, but kind, patient, efficient, organized, prepared and his staff did not disappoint either. The experience for me, was life-changing. I recommend this tour for your Hawaiann whale viewing adventures. The Captain and his team work well together and really care about thier Mammal friends. The Captain founded a conservation foundation that keeps his customers up to date on the whales he has encountered. He even has gone up to Alaska to work on his research. Great team, great boat, WONDERFUL staff. A++++++ read more

Excellent whale watching tour conducted by an expert whale researcher. I highly recommend this tour for great sightings and detailed information. We saw a mother humpback and her baby! Many other whales. Spinner dolphins entertained us and the captain found a manta ray on the trip back that swam around and under the boat. All very cool! read more

We came at the tail end of whale watching season with little expectation of seeing whales. We were warned there was the possibility of no sightings but were hopeful we'd run across one. I must say the boat ride, the music, the education on whales and dolphins, and the friendly & accommodating staff made it worth the trip. Not only did we get to see a male humpback on our excursion but also got to hear him sing for quite some time before he showed himself. There were also plenty of spinner and bottle nose dolphins to see. It was all an incredible experience. If you're planning on a whale watch tour, this is the place! read more

Captain Dan knows whales. His love & respect for them come through in this tour. It felt like we were research biologists/marine anthropologists going out to hang out with the whales and just be there. The whales responded. They came so close to us and I learned so much about whale behavior I didn't know. For example, did you know that new mommas with calves have escorts? Do you know why they breach? We spent the day watching the behavior and for the rest of the trip we knew exactly what we were looking at off the January shores of the Kohala Coast. Super interesting. LOVED this! Captain Dan's dedication to ecological preservation of the ocean habitat also comes through and makes the participator feel like they are a part of a bigger deal than just another touristy venture. Fantastic, personable crew as well. read more

This tour was amazing. We had already done a whale watching tour while on Kauai, but my husband wanted to see more, so we booked this. We had only been out of the harbor a few minutes when we saw spouting. We stayed near the group of whales for a while. Captain Dan told us some wonderful information about whales that you won't get on other tours. Captain Dan has been studying whales for 40+ years, so he has a ton of great knowledge to share. The crew brought out drinks and snacks for everyone throughout the tour. You also get great views of the island from afar. The tour guarantees a whale sighting or you get another tour for free. If you're going to do any whale watching while on the Big Island, this is the place to do it. read more