Anne Veghel's review, Oahu tours & activities, fun things to do in Oahu | HawaiiActivities.com

Shark tour is good, transport not so much

Got caught in the "hang loose" spirit of Hawaii. The activity was booked for transporation at 9.45AM. The day before the activity a message was left at the hotelphone that transport fell through and I had to confirm (before 6PM) new transport time of 5.15AM! Of course I got back at my hotel after 12PM and wasn't able to confirm early pick-up. So I decided to go to the meeting point anyway, but no transport. Office opened at 6AM when I could finally phone in. Service level was low, merely a "No transport, sorry, reschedule please" Since that was not an option for me we had to come up with a solution. After a lot of back and forth (cab will cost you 200 one way!!)I decided to go on a citybus for 2.5 hrs which cost me 2.50 dollars and I made it with an hour to spare. Veltra was very service friendly. They contacted me and booked transport money back right away, without me even asking for it. So lesson learned: No pick-up service for shark tour!
I never even got a sorry from the Shark tour operator and the captain didn't know my name I had become a plus one!
The harbour of the tour itself was a bit dingy at best. The public toilet was filthy with bloodstains and glass bottles, but the boat had no changing option, so you have to use it.
The boat is very nice and the boat ride is awesome (unless you have motion sickness, in that case you will get sick, trust me!)The shark cage is not big, but big enough for the six per group that went in. Pay for the DVD, taking pictures yourself is very hard. The life vest will keep you floating and the ocean slams you into the cagebarrier.
The sharks are amazing and worth every bit of inconvenience. The crew is friendly and knowledgeable. They care for your safety and for the ocean wild life. It's not scary at all. When you get back I recomment getting lunch at Halewa Joe's. Just sit there and review your tour. If you can visit North shore or Turtle beach on your way back. The total tour is highly recommendable (without transport)