Published on Dec, 2024
Just what we wanted and expected! As advertised! We are a family of five with three kids ages 10, 12 and 16 on the NCL Pride of America cruise ship so only in Maui for two days. We tried to squeeze in as much as possible on day 2 on this beautiful island! This 2.5 hour Molokini snorkel and whale watch was perfect - a later 10:30am start so we could experience sunrise at Haleakalā National Park, do this tour to Molokini , and then have a nice lunch at Mamas Fish House afterward before returning to the ship by 4:30pm.
The meeting point is at a no-frills public boat ramp. Parking was plentiful. There is a modest bathroom facility but it wasn’t the cleanest so bring your own TP and soap. No vendors or facilities to purchase anything. There is a cute public beach.
Check in was easy and quick. Guides Joe and Lucia checked our tickets and after 10 min of cleaning up the boat from the previous tour said welcome aboard. This is a smaller zodiac boat and fits about 18-20 comfortably. It is not a large or luxurious tour boat, so be prepared to get jostled around over the bumpy waves and sprayed with water. There is no bathroom on board. We enjoy this type of adventure, but if you’re prone to motion sickness or want something more smooth or luxurious, this isn’t the tour for you.
Captain Joe took us straight out to Molokini noting that the winds, tides and weather were favorable now but could be challenging later. He was incredibly knowledgeable and pointed out a lot of interesting fun facts about Maui, Molokini, boating safety, winds and weather. He clearly put safety first and also demonstrated a lot of respect for Hawaii nature and wildlife - making sure everyone was aware of the safety rules and prohibition on touching anything on Molokini. Snorkeling at Molokini didn’t disappoint and was amazing! The tour group had a wide variety of ages from 9 to senior and all went in to snorkel. Joe and Lucia made sure everyone felt safe and comfortable with their variety of flotation gear depending on your needs and preferences. The snorkel gear was great and didn’t leak! They were personable, knowledgeable, professional, and (importantly to us) weren’t cheesy or over-the-top with corny cliche tour-guide BS.
After the snorkel which was about 1 hour or so (just enough time IMO) they offered us local canned juices, bottled waters, and granola bar snacks, and we then spent another hour whale watching, which also was amazing! We saw several humpback whales of various ages including mamma and her calf. When I mentioned how my daughter was hugely interested in sea turtles he also made a brief stop to see a spot with a few turtles swimming about.
A great experience and just what we expected!