Takara Bullock
[SPONSORED] Last month, our family went on a cute little whale-watching adventure, courtesy of Atlantis Adventures. We had a blast! I wasn’t sure what to expect honestly, and I allowed myself to go into this completely blind. Usually, I read online reviews to help prep for the trip and to know what to expect. This time around, I wanted to be able to share the full experience with you guys; so we just woke up on Friday morning, got the girls ready, and headed out to board our whale-watching cruise.
PARKING WAS EASY
First impressions, it’s easy to find. Directions are clear. Parking was easy. In fact, the parking was so easy, that I was certain we were parked in the wrong parking lot (vacant spaces were plentiful and the lot was just in front of the ship… ). Parking so convenient I was shocked.
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Next up, we picked up our tickets, they snapped a few family photos of us before we boarded and we were guided to a very nice observation lounge that included couches, tables, and a lunch buffet.
THE SHIP IS BEAUTIFUL
The Atlantis is a beautiful, elegant, sleek ship. It’s really pretty to look at. Loved the lines. Once aboard, I was impressed with the quality of the ship. Since I hadn’t looked up photos ahead of time, I didn’t have really high expectations. So, I was actually impressed with the different levels and the lounge area. I didn’t expect that I would be able to experience the entire cruise seated on a couch in a nice bar/lounge. It was a very nice and unexpected experience.
THE STAFF WAS FRIENDLY
I found the Atlantis crew to be extremely friendly, helpful, and attentive. No bad attitudes. Not a single one. And when my middle child was standing on the deck railing, trying to get a better view, a young crew member walked over and and asked her to step down in a super friendly and comical way.
Okay Atlantis Adventures. I SEE you! Well done on the crew training.
WE ACTUALLY SAW A LOT OF WHALES
On the way over, we discussed that we all hoped to see at least one whale, And boy did we! I didn’t have high expectations that I’d actually be able to capture whales on film, be it photo or video. But, we saw a LOT of whales and I ended up getting some good footage! It was wonderful! I felt like a child, scanning the ocean, waiting with excitement for a tiny glimpse of the massive mammals! The Atlantis heard a lot of “WHOA!!!” from my little ohana, that’s for sure!
IT WAS EDUCATIONAL AND KID-FRIENDLY
What I liked most about the Atlantis Whale Watching Adventure, it was very kid-friendly. They had books. They had whale toys. They had a variety of food. It was fine for the kids to roam around and explore in the lounge. We ended up spending half of our time in the lounge and half of our time outside on the deck looking for whales.
Of all of my girls, I think my little one had the most fun. She LOVED the food. The cookies. The books. She was all about the whales. My other two were into sketching the whales and counting how many times that had seen the whales surface. They too were really into the cookies.
IT WAS COLD
If you take this cruise, you’re going to need a jacket or a sweater, especially for the little ones. We didn’t have jackets and my three were cold and pretty much expressed their discomfort the entire time. (I told each of them to bring a jacket along, but they refused because it was sunny outside) Also, it’s better to wear pants, not a dress. If you wear a dress and go outside to the observation deck, everyone is going to see your underwear when the wind hits your dress. (experience talking here)
OVERALL IMPRESSION OF THE WHALE WATCHING CRUISE
It was two and a half hours of bliss, relaxation, and amazement! We ooooh and ahhed at whales. We snacked, we read books, we sat in silence looking at the ocean. It was nice. Both my husband and I felt that the cruise exceeded out expectations, which is actually quite rare.
I think this cruise is ideal for tourists, transplants, and locals. Could be a great day trip thing to do if you have visitors from the mainland. It’s also great if you have a wide range of ages in your group. It’s something that can accommodate different ages and physical abilities.
Overall, we really enjoyed our time on the water. I’m interested in trying out their Friday night fireworks cruise too. Could be a nice Mom’s Night out!
Since our cruise, we’ve find ourselves looking out at the ocean to spot whale spout sprays. We have our binoculars at the ready 🙂
ATLANTIS ADVENTURES CONTACT DETAILS
Here’s the link to the cruise we took:
http://bookmajestic.rezgo.com/details/101981/whale-watch-cruise-in-waikiki-slide/?_ga=2.174055339.989449685.1520440136-486448668.1520440136
Here’s the link to their website:
Nicole Hunt
Takara Bullock
