Doing the Princess Whale Watching Tour in Maui w/ A Toddler

[RocksGal]

We really want to do a whale watching tour in Maui when we are there in March. We will be taking our 4 year old on this tour. I know Princess uses a large Catamaran that seats like 150 people. Does this tour feel like there are just too many people to really see anything? I am especially concerned as I want to be sure that our little guy will be able to see.

 

Thanks for the feedback!

[Cruiserkenn]

Most of the seating is on top... So wear plenty of sun screen and a sun hat that ties on. Use Coppertone Water Babies for the child. It works great.

 

You see lots and lots of whales on this trip.

 

If you choose the morning trip, you board right from the ship... Much easier.

You return from shore, via the tender.

 

There is so much to see, I think your little one will see something.

I have been on the ship's tour three times, and whale watching in Maui

five times total.

 

Aloha! Thar she blows:)

Edited June 22, 2014 by Cruisin'Rabbit

[JustinPlusLauren]

I think that's such a nice idea to take a toddler on a whale watching trip! I think it is great from a young age to let kids see animals in their natural habitat rather than in marine parks. You are gonna have a great time! Yes just plenty of sunscreen :) have a great cruise!

 

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[Carolyn R]

Has your child ever been on a small boat in the open ocean before? The possibility of seasickness is worth considering.

[Cruiserkenn]

Another idea is seeing the whales from the Princess ship, without a tour.

 

The whales in Maui (in Feb and March) are so plentiful that you see lots of them from the ship.

 

If you have a balcony, just hangin' on your balcony is a great alternative. If no balcony, hangin' on the shady and sheltered promenade deck is wonderful.

 

For two trips in a row, I have seen whales close by, the moment I stepped out on to the promenade deck. The ship anchors off Lahaina, and there are whales all around.

 

While adults would see even more on the whale watching tour, maybe the young one would see more from the ship, without lots of pushy and rude adults in the way. (Yes, there are a few on the whale watching tours.)

 

Enjoy the whales!

 

Aloha:). Thar she blows!

Edited June 22, 2014 by Cruisin'Rabbit

[K D cruiser]

We really want to do a whale watching tour in Maui when we are there in March. We will be taking our 4 year old on this tour. I know Princess uses a large Catamaran that seats like 150 people. Does this tour feel like there are just too many people to really see anything? I am especially concerned as I want to be sure that our little guy will be able to see.

 

Thanks for the feedback!

 

We did this tour in Maui in February on the Princess tour with about 150 people and it was so crowded, we really had a hard time seeing anything. People wouldn't move from the railing and we never got upstairs. We were so sorry that we didn't book a tour on a smaller boat. After we got off, we wandered around and there were tours being sold on the dock. Wish we had done that instead.

[Cruise Raider]

Another idea is seeing the whales from the Princess ship' date=' without a tour.

 

The whales in Maui (in Feb and March) are so plentiful that you see lots of them from the ship.

 

If you have a balcony, just hangin' on your balcony is a great alternative. If no balcony, hangin' on the shady and sheltered promenade deck is wonderful.

 

For two trips in a row, I have seen whales close by, the moment I stepped out on to the promenade deck. The ship anchors off Lahaina, and there are whales all around.

 

While adults would see even more on the whale watching tour, maybe the young one would see more from the ship, without lots of pushy and rude adults in the way. (Yes, there are a few on the whale watching tours.)

 

Enjoy the whales!

 

Aloha:). Thar she blows![/quote']

 

I agree...while I think that this is one of the best tours I have ever been on, there are so many people that seemed as though they would just as soon toss me overboard than give me a little room to see the whales....even while sitting in my own seat. I had torn up my knee pretty badly a couple of days earlier on the big island. I booked this tour and they would have refunded my money but with the right brace, I was able to get onboard the little boat. I found a nice seat next to the railing but even with that, people were stepping on me pushing me off my seat just to get their picture of the whales -- all that I got a view of was their big old butts in my face. Yes...so rude. Ends up that I completely tore my ACL so was not just over playing my injury ....didn't matter, though. I am sure they wouldn't be any nicer with a small child. That trip had so many whales it was just incredible, only wish I could have seen the ones in the water vs the ones right in front of me on the boat.