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Makani Catamaran
Category: Active Life Boating Boating [Edit]
1009 Ala Moana BlvdKewalo Basin Slip F-1
Honolulu, HI 96814
(808) 591-9000
- Hours:
Mon-Sun 8 am - 5 pm
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
39 reviews for Makani Catamaran
39 reviews in English
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Review from Prisca H.
Alhambra, CA
12/30/2011
Oh wow!! Definately one of the highlights of my trip!
Absolutely loved the snorkeling as I saw lots of turtles and fish. They were so close, I could almost touch them! I thought the snorkel gear was gonna be crappy, but turned out quite good and clean. Life vests are mandatory, which wasn't a problem for me and was quite useful for the nonswimmers on board.
The crew was amazing as they were very friendly, knowledgable, and helpful. They even involved the kids with helping to raise the mast. They were some people who were a little anxious about going into the water, but the staff was patient enough to gently coax them into the water without any problems.
Aside from the snorkeling, the sunbathing nets were one of my favorite things. It was just so peaceful to sit there soaking up the sun and seeing Honolulu, Waikiki, and Diamond Head from the ocean.
I will be there for my next trip. -
Review from Nixon V.
Pomona, CA
1/26/2012
During our stay on Oahu, my fiance and I decided we would like to book a catamaran tour of the sunset beaches of Honolulu. With the last few days on the island we decided to reach out to Makani 4 days in advance. We called their office since we had some questions about their services and was very intersted in booking a tour. When we called and it went straight to voice mail. With that being said, we left messages hoping they would reach us back so we can move forward with our booking plans. Unfortunately that was not the case. During our last days in Hawaii we called and left numerous messages everyday asking for a courtesy phone call return and indicated we wanted to book a tour. We were so suprised how we didnt get a call back, we decided to drive to their office instead since it was only like a mile away. When we got to there we were shocked to see how busy they were. "NOT". The female person who was handling the front office was just too busy chatting on her cell phone talking to her friends and didn't really bother acknowledging our existence. When we asked her to see if they had any more sunset tour adventure for either Sunday or Monday evening. She indicated that they just barely booked the last few spots a few minutes ago. Now this is sad and a major bummer knowing that, we attempted to contact them about booking these trips in advance and it was given to someone else.
Seems like this place doesnt really want your business. Imagine this, if they can not provide anyone with the most basic customer service, what type of service do you think you will be able to obtain while on their sail boats. Such a scary thought.
Well, with all that being said, I give this company the major stink eye and I wills be reminded how a simple phone call can not be obtained by this company. -
Review from Inland O.
Corona, CA
10/25/2011
This was our first trip to the islands and I started looking at Groupon for possible events we could do; this came up and I thought it would be perfect for the family - a nice catamaran ride out to open waters w/ breakfast and snorkel. I purchased the Groupon and had high expectations; it was a total let down. We cruised out from the harbor West of Ala Moana Beach and reached our destination about 15 minutes later directly off the shore of Waikiki.. almost shouting distance from the surfers. Here are my thoughts:
The Good:
The catamaran is well kept and clean; bathrooms are also relatively clean; you can use your drink tickets for beer, mixed drinks, and pretty much anything they have at their bar.
The Bad:
Like one other reviewer mentioned they are very rigid with their 'policies'; they will not let you snorkel without a life jacket. They will not give you fins unless you ask (and suggest you don't need them); yet the staff use them when they enter the water. I actually had my own gear and when I asked if I could go in without the life jacket (so that I can dive underwater and get some nice pictures); the lady said its policy.. she mentioned verbatim 'you can go in for a swim w/out the life jacket but you can't take your mask, so you can't see anything'... the manner in which she said it kind of threw me off. If they are worried about liability, then just have guests sign a waiver, I can find one online in 5 minutes. There was another ship near us and all of their guests had no life jackets...
The Ugly:
The breakfast is literally day old donuts (not pastries) and some fruit. Don't expect a continental breakfast.
I give it one star because of its value; I would not do this again for $5. Probably wouldn't do it again for free. If you want to enjoy the harbor there are other cruises (sunset cruises) out there with much better value. I ended up not even snorkeling (I dived the same spot on the trip and know the visibility wasn't great), because of their idiotic policy. -
Review from Cathy M.
Garden Grove, CA
12/27/2011
Great boating experience for me! I wish they had more food, because all that was really there was just some pastries and that was it for the day. The workers were friendly, and the restrooms on the boat were pretty clean. The boat ride was nice and relaxed the day that I went. There were some currents, but they weren't too strong. I got a little boat sick afterwards, but I did enjoy the boat ride. I recommend taking this boat ride if you have a Go Card.
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Review from Olivia W.
9/15/2011 1 Check-in Here
This was THE WORST ACTIVITY Jonathan D. and I had during our trip. When the Groupon deal first came out we purchased it right away and we were so excited to go on the Snorkeling Cruise.
Boy, did that excitement sink fast about 45 minutes into the cruise. Supposedly we were going to "Turtle Canyon," such a misleading name. We only saw one turtle and it wasn't even swimming or moving. It was just laying at the bottom of the ocean. It's more like Fish Canyon because there were a ton of fish. Not to mention the boat ride was very rocky. Jonathan D. and I have been on many boat rides and we have never gotten sea sick until we came on this snorkeling cruise. Poor Jonathan D. threw up and luckily I was able to hold my breakfast down. If you plan on going on this cruise take Dramamine.
Once we started to feel sea sick we were miserable and still had 2 horrible hours to go. Once we got back to the dock we were the first two people off the boat. We could not wait to get back on land.
2 stars for decent customer service from the crew, everything else was horrible and we will never return. -
Review from Thao V.
6/30/2011 1 photo
Got the groupon deal for this and it was awesome. Totally worth the money. We went on the sunset cruise and the deal was only $26 a person with 2 drink tickets. I believe it was 50% off. They served some food on the boat as well like egg rolls (those were good), chicken wraps, potatoes, and cookies.
Parking at the wharf is $1 for an hour. There's a net where you can lay on the boat with the water underneath you but you may want to dress accordingly because you will get splashed with water. The crew was really friendly and the bartender was really nice. We had a great time on the 2hour ride out with a beautiful view of the sunset. You may want to bring a light jacket cause it gets pretty windy when the sun is setting.Listed in: Aloha Oahu!
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Review from Jason g.
Honolulu, HI
1/1/2012 3 Check-ins Here
great new years eve fire works sail
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Review from Talia M.
Tallahassee, FL
5/25/2011
I think they should rename the boat, "The Rule Boat." They have so many rules, and very little Aloha. They were very dry, and trickled in a few over rehearsed jokes, which gave us hope that this may be a fun 3 hour snorkel trip... We were wrong!
They had so many rules, you can't eat until the boat is out to sea(donuts and a SMALL amount of fruit is not breakfast!), you can't have more than 3 people on the nets in front, you must rotate off the nets, You cannot wear fins, you must do this, you must do that, etc etc.
My husband and I grew up in a beach town and have been on boats our whole life, so we know that being in the ocean should be fun, even while being 100% safe. We were not asked our swimming ability, but were FORCED to wear vests in the water, yet there was no regard for fitting. I am about a women's size 3, and they gave me an XL.
Then we were off to snorkel. We were only a few hundred yards off the beach from our hotel! For that we could have spent $20 on a paddle board and come out there on our own. But, we were there, so we jumped in the water... along with 40+ other people. We were again flooded with rules, we had to stay between this boat and that boat, in front of one paddle boarder, and behind the other etc. So basically there was about 40 people snorkeling in 50 square feet of water, 1/2 of which had never done so at all. So there was a ton of splashing, yelling, and scaring fish away. Each time a turtle was spotted, the crew would scream "TURTLE, OVER THERE, HURRY!!!," and the cluster f*ck would shift 20 feet in that direction scaring the poor animal half to death.
Not only do you not get to see anything, but its not fair to the marine life. At least in Mexico they separate guests by their skill level. That way those of us who are experienced swimmers and snorkelers are able to enjoy more without having to pay the price for those who are still learning. Its by no means the fault of other guests, but the robotic crew that could care less, and obviously don't enjoy their job or sharing the marine world with others. There is little respect for the experience us guests are anticipating, and even less respect for the aquatic life that we are supposed to be observing.
The worst part in my mind was when 2 women became so sea sick, and the crew did absolutely nothing, except hand them a bucket with a happy fave. The other guests pulled together Dramamine, we had crackers, pulling them into breezy parts of the boat etc. The crew walked by them without a word SEVERAL times, including the captain.
P'S.- We saw 3 turtle and a school of grey Trigger fish, that was all. Hawaii has so much more to offer, so save your money and go somewhere else!!!! -
Review from Anjelica B.
San Francisco, CA
8/3/2011 1 Check-in Here
Lost my sunglasses in the ocean after high currents blew them off my head and i watched them sink like titanic. The captain and lifeguard on deck dove in to look for them. Never found them :( but seriously, TALK about customer service.
Oh and the actual catamaran ride? F***in amazing. -
Review from Cleo L.
Honolulu, HI
1/1/2012
Fun fire works sail
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Review from Joe B.
Fairfield, CA
7/15/2011 1 Check-in Here
Got the Groupon Deal for this and it was great! The Crew was nice, and we got to see plenty of turtles. I've seen some negative reviews below because of the rules but being the first time I've off shore snorkeled I appreciated the safety rules.
I got a little seasick but I got over it. I recommend this to novice to intermediate snorkelers or just couples that want to enjoy the scenery. -
Review from Jennifer W.
Pasadena, CA
2/26/2011 2 photos
This is one of my favorite activities when I visited Oahu. The morning/breakfast sail is recommended because you are more likely to see fish, turtles, dolphin, whales, etc. If you do the breakfast sail, there are complimentary snacks (fruit and donuts) as well as a drink ticket.
You'll see beautiful scenery, including Diamond Head Crater. Catamarans in general are pretty sturdy; I didn't feel motion sick at all. They recommend that you sit inside the cabin if you are motion sick. The view on the deck is worth getting wet.
The crew is very friendly; the captain will even let you take a picture with the steering wheel!
Definitely recommended even if you don't have the Go Oahu Card. You can purchase a Go Oahu Card online through Costco, and pre-reserve your activities ahead of time, long before you arrive in Oahu.Listed in: Picture Picture!!, Go Oahu Card
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Review from harsha g.
Like many others who have reviewed the Makani, we took this ride as it was part of the Go Oahu card and I must say we were impressed.
We took the breakfast sail, first thing in the morning and the views that surrounded us took our breath away!
The view of the city of Honolulu, diamond head and the many stops when we spotted turtles, fishes and dolphins were simply magical!
The crew is super friendly and simply gorgeous looking! I had a teeny crush on the captain who happens to be from LA and could be easily mistaken as a Hollywood celebrity ;) But he's not just about good looks, he has been sailing for the past 11 years and you can feel his passion for the trade. The manager of the ride, who also designed the boat was very forthcoming about his design inspirations and also about the business models of various tours that one can take in Oahu. Yes, we are a nosy bunch of travelers who are quite geeky in our pursuit of knowledge ;)
The only flip to this 2 hour joy ride was the breakfast offered. By the time I was hungry enough, the fruit salad tray was empty and I had to stuff myself with donuts.
I was feeling rather adventurous (blame it on the sugar high) and tried the 'high tide' (I usually don't drink in the morning )that many other reviewers enjoyed and I must say it was perfect!!!
The pros of this ride far outnumber the one tiny con, so just book your spot when you are in Oahu and have a smooth sail!!!Listed in: Go Oahu
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Review from Liz B.
Tucson, AZ
9/28/2011
My husband and I went on the snorkeling/turtle canyon cruise and it was one of the best experiences we had all week during our vacation! I thought it was definitely worth the money. Turtle canyon is fairly close off the shore of Waikiki, so you don't go super far, but the snorkeling was fantastic. There weren't a ton of fish, but there were several turtles. Some were down at the bottom, but many of them swam right up in between all of us. It was awesome! Then, we went sailing for awhile and got to see a huge group of dolphins. The breakfast wasn't anything to write home about, but I had actually eaten before we got on so it wasn't a big deal. We also got 2 drink tickets for either juice/soda or alcohol. They had a full bar. It was great. I would highly recommend this adventure!
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Review from Cynthia N.
Cerritos, CA
9/6/2010 1 photo
I did the Sail/Snorkel Combo and chose the snorkeling at Turtle Canyon. This was from 9-12. 1/2 of the time spent sailing & 1/2 of the time spent snorkeling.
What more can you get? We did the morning sail which entailed donuts & fruits for breakfast. We sailed out and saw dolphins & sea turtles. The boat stops in the middle of the ocean, you jump out and snorkel!. It was nice b/c it wasn't crowed like at Hanauma Bay. Then you get back on the boat and sail some more. When we went snorkeling, there wasn't much a variety of fishes that we saw but the Sea Turtle made up for it. It was relaxing laying on the net & just enjoying the beautiful scenery, which was Waikiki & Diamond Head.
Great for all ages! As long as the child can fit into a life vest, they can snorkel.
Staff, Boat, experience, etc., I give it a 5!!! -
Review from Frank M.
San Francisco, CA
8/28/2011 1 Check-in Here
Dont go!! Not worth the money at all!
Spent all the money just for them to take us back to in front of our hotel. 64 per person for three hours or 25$ for a long board or paddle board that you get all day. Will not make that mistake again.
Very disappointed!! Crew was not helpful with us seeing turtles. When one popped up they yelled for everyone to go over and because of the yelling and commotion the turtles took off. Lame!!! Should split people In groups and be more attentive to each persons needs and skill levels. -
Review from Danny P.
Honolulu, HI
3/20/2011
Being that I am a Kama'Aina living in Honolulu and I am jaded by the view nowadays...LOL, I was very impressed with the overall condition of the catamaran. I am in the maritime industry working with the container ships that pass by Waikiki on occasion and I respect a good seaworthy vessel. I was told by the crew that John, the Captain, designed the boat. I can see how well John's experience in this type of business showed in the professional design of the cabin, the bar and ESPECIALLY the CLEAN BATHROOMS!!! So for people who have not been sailing or a little nervous about being out in the open water, there is nothing to fear about this vessel.
Regarding the voyage, major kudos to El Capitan for spending the extra time to follow the whales at the sunset cruise for the enjoyment of guests. This added a special value to the voyage.
So major recommendations to anybody for a great cruise and a great experience.
Aloha -
Review from Jowin C.
6/15/2011 3 photos
I felt like the girl in the music video titled "Stereo Love" by Edward Maya & Vika Jigulina. I went during the afternoon sail, I should have gone on the breakfast sail. The afternoon sail gives you a drink ticket to order any alcoholic drinks "on the rocks". Snacks are for Purchase ($1). The weather was so nice, and the water was so blue. I fell asleep for the whole sail trip..but it was the best sleep.
Listed in: Hawaii Spots
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Review from Lorna M.
Honolulu, HI
6/19/2011 2 Check-ins Here
This is an awesome tour all around I must say. The Crew are friendly, service is excellent. This is where I take all of my visitors while on the island.
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Review from Alyssa K.
8/12/2008
I'm giving 5 stars even though I puked twice during the sunset cruise.
It's not the Makani's fault that I was puking!
The staff is very friendly, professional, and well trained. The way they handled my puking was great. They kept my embarrassment level to a minimum by being discreet and quick in assisting me.
I was just really impressed with their level of service & professionalism.
The catamaran itself was in immaculate condition. Clean, goodlooking.
I would go on this cruise again if I wasn't so prone to sea sickness. -
Review from Mandi A.
South Bend, IN
11/19/2009
A wonderful time!!!
They offer breakfast, lunch and dinner Catamaran rides!
We went on a lunch sail and it was SO delightful, You are free to roam around the boat, eat, drink, talk to the captain... A beautiful view of Honolulu from the water!
They said alot of time Dolphins come alongside the boat, not on our trip :( But we did see flying fish and the water was just beautiful. They have nets where you can lay right above the water, really relaxing!
Lunch and one drink is included in ticket. Drinks were so reasonible! $2 miller lt cans, $4 High Tides (the captains drink that he made up, two diff kinds of rums, delicious!). Soda, Juice and Bottled Waters. Boat staff was so friendly. Capt let me come up and take a picture driving the boat too :)
The food... not so good. They had potato salad and some odd but tasty lunch pastries (think croissant). But safe to say you could eat a light lunch before or after...
Ride was about 2 hours long... they took you all the way to the end of the honolulu strip and then turned back. But it was just a great laid back time, felt like you were just on your own boat hanging out... 2 million dollar catamaran that is. Sort of romantic for a couple, but fun for families too...
You can rent these boats out for personal parties -- DO IT! They have an ipod dock attatched the sound system you can use. -
Review from Ardith N.
Manhattan, NY
1/25/2010
WARNING: do NOT use the makani online reservation system (without calling them to confirm your reservation)!!!
judging by all the glowing reviews on yelp, the makani looked like the perfect option for my in-laws on their last night in hawaii. on saturday night, i purchased the sail for 2 via the makani website and received a confirmation email for the sunday, 01/24/10 reservation. i had no reason to believe that there would be a problem. i did NOT receive an error message saying "sorry, we don't have sunset sails on sunday" or "sorry, we don't have a sunset sail on sunday January 24th, 2010."
instead, we showed up at check-in time to drop off my in-laws only to be told by the woman at the reservation booth that "yes" she could see my reservation in the system and that i was charged but that "no" there was no sail that day!
we had to scramble to waikiki beach to find an alternate option for them at the last minute. luckily, (a) we found a boat with room on it, and (b) my in-laws were good sports about ending up on some low-end floating frat party booze cruise.
last night, i wanted to go straight to yelp and sign up for an account just so i could write a review for the first time. i was so pissed! i wanted to give ZERO stars. (can you do that?) but i've cooled off and have been placated somewhat by the makani's staff's immediate response to my complaint and refund.
i hope one day to come back to hawaii and give the makani a second chance and write a second review with 5 stars. until then... just wanted to warn potential customers about the issues with the makani website. -
Review from Tara C.
9/20/2009 2 Check-ins Here
For our guests, its Makani or bust. Oh, OK, you caught us - we like playing tourist too sometimes.
Despite Hawaii's dependence on tourism, its shocking how poorly maintained some of the boats are here - not so with the Makani. The owner spent $2M having this beauty built and he is going to maintain it. You'll be comfortable with your surroundings, even if you head to the head..which is also very clean. Someone reminded you to bring quarters, yes, please do. Although its unlikely that you will have you car towed, you don't want to take the chance (although I usually temp fate, just to make it exciting).
Food is "OK" but enough to fill you up. Who needs food when the Makani's signature drink the "High Tide" is free for the first two? After having two, I think they should just drop the "tide" part of the name. WHEEEEEEE!
We often take the afternoon sail, we usually see turtles, dolphins and even flying fish. We have also seen whales (in season). Its a great way to spend the afternoon. Seeing Honolulu and Diamond Head from the water is spectacular and relaxing!
Do bring a light sweater and be prepared to sit outside (bring sunscreen). The captain does normally keep the ride smooth so as not to get people sick, but, if you sit up front, its a little more exciting. Remember if you DO tend to get sea sick, sit outside, not inside. The nets which stretch across the front are my favorite place to sit too - but given that there are only 3 adults allowed on each at one time, I usually let visitors sit there. I hang against the windows up front - I can see the waves, feel the wind and enjoy my High (tide). -
Review from S F.
San Francisco, CA
5/20/2011
As part of our wedding festivities a few weeks ago, my fiance and I hosted a "Welcome to O'ahu" party on the Makani for our OOT guests. We had 40 people attend the event, and everyone had a blast! It was a beautiful boat, and a beautiful sunset sail.
I really wanted to give Makani a 5 star rating, but I can't :( It will average out to 4.
Here's the breakdown:
Vessel & Crew: 5 STARS - Capt Jon and his two crew members were terrific, funny, and very professional. They made everyone feel at ease and were very competent and skilled at their jobs. The sail was so much fun, and the boat exceeded our expectations. It was well maintained and very clean. A true luxury catamaran. Mahalo Jon!
Admin for the company: 3 STARS - While they were always courteous and helpful when I spoke to them by phone, looking back, they never sent me any type of receipt for the 3 credit card charges, nor a signed hard copy of the contract. Silly me, as I should have reminded them to have the Captain sign, date, and send one back to me. Oh wait..that is NOT my job.
Furthermore, I had to call and follow up with THEM about the upcoming sail and the guest count, as I didn't get any confirmation or check-in from them at all in the week(s) prior to the sail. Again, NOT my job!
Also, when I called 2 days prior to give them a final head count and make sure everything was all set to go, I also gave them my cc to charge two drinks for each guest, instead of one. However, when we got there and I was given the drink tickets by the Capt to distro, I quickly ran out! I told him I ordered 80, and that I needed more tix. He sent me to the 'office' (a small tiny storefront at their docking area) and when I talked to the ladies, they checked in their computer system and sure enough, the 80 drink charge was there. They acknowledged the error and gave me the extra 40 tix that I was owed...but come on!
I went back on the boat and finished passing out the rest of the tix to my guests, but it was almost embarrassing for me. With the million things a bride (or anyone for that matter) has to deal with when hosting a large gathering, the least thing you want to worry about is the "paperwork" and competency of staff..
Thankfully, everything turned out just fine, but I was definitely annoyed by all of this..
I wouldn't hesitate to use the Makani again in the future, but I hope their admin situation improves and becomes more streamlined and efficient! -
Review from Lindsay G.
Honolulu, HI
Went on the sunset boat cruise. Got there about 430 and waited for 15 minutes before we boarded. There was about 15 other people on the cruise, which i thought was alot at first but after we boarded there was actually lot of room to move around. The crew... capt, bartender and 1st mate (i think) were nice and funny when doing the introductions, and the intros were short and sweet. Since it was an evening cruise there were some light pupus... wraps, spring rolls and potatoes with mustard. The food was not bad but the drinks were even better! They have a trade mark drink, coconut rum and a black rum with some island fruit juices... it was soooo good! Oh ya the package cames with 2 drink tickets... yay! The ride was pretty smooth and few bumps here and there but the ocean cant be controlled and nothing no one couldnt handle. All and all it was a great trip! And threy actually stopped the boat so we could all see the sunset. This is one of the cheaper catameran cruises, they have lunch and evening and the cheapest cruise maybe $50. For the price this cruise is totally worth it!
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Review from sideshow b.
Dayton, OH
5/27/2009
What a great way to spend the afternoon! The boat is very nice, clean, and modern. The deli lunch was tasty, and the view from out here can't be beat. And the crew was very helpful, informative, and fun. This was the very sedate afternoon crowd, but I'll bet they throw a great Sunset Cruise!
And I will find out. -
Review from Kat D.
5/31/2008
I spent Mother's day here and it was an absolutely beautiful day. We sailed out into the ocean for a couple hours and if you sit out in the net area you can see the blue water rushing beneath you. Didn't see any fish, but they boatmen did catch a mahi mahi. They ended up throwing it back because it was too small but a treat it was to see such a beautiful fish up close and live.
Having been around for less than 3 years, this is a truly new and beautiful catamaran. The boat itself is absolutely clean and includes 2 heads. They say it costs about $1.8 million and it shows. They have a flat screen TV in the main cabin along with a Bose sound system.
For $35 / person, you can sail on the lunchtime cruise from 1-3pm. Lunch consists of a pastry type sandwich, a salad, and dessert as well as a drink - alcoholic or non. Additional drinks are just a few bucks. If you get the Go Oahu card, this excursion is included.
I highly recommend this sailboat ride. It was super fun and kids can go on it too. My 3yr old son absolutely loved sitting out on the net with me. -
Review from Richard G.
Beverly Hills, CA
7/13/2009 3 photos
So, we wanted to spend some time on the water while we were recently in Honolulu on holiday, so we chose the Makani based upon Trip Advisor and Yelp reviews.
We did the afternoon tradewinds sail.
Here are the pluses -
The boat is quite large, it is very clean and well maintained and very comfortable.
The crew was professional and safety conscious and provided better than average service.
It's always fun to be out on a boat in the water, especially in Hawaii.
Now the minuses -
OK, so I will admit, I am picky, but this boat was too big to be any fun once she was under sail. Everything was done to keep the cruise sedate and comfortable for the majority of the many many guests.
I wanted to see what she could do on the open water, and since we had a great wind, I was hoping for a better sailing experience. This boat is beautiful and rides very well across the waves, but she was just too slow while under sail, which I guess is what the crew were aiming for.
I didn't want a roller coaster ride, but it was way too close to a motorized cruise for my liking. I wanted to feel the sea but for the most part, even with a good wind and choppy water, the captain kept her slow and steady.
So while this may be a great tour for folks who want to simply go out on the water, it was kind of boring for me, since I was hoping for a bit more.
But to each their own.
The price was very good, the service was good and the boat was good, it just wasn't the sail for me. -
Review from a t.
Manhattan, NY
8/15/2011 1 Check-in Here
The breakfast cruise was 2 hr in length and included one non-alcoholic drink and donuts with fresh fruits. The cruise had 50-60 passengers and all the seats were occupied. The captain and crew were friendly. The cruise around the Honolulu harbor was not very interesting. We saw some para-sailors and a view of Honolulu and Diamond Head.
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Review from jupiter s.
Northgate, WA
9/18/2010
We went on a snorkel/sail combo on a Go Oahu Card. In my opinion it's money well spent. The snorkel equipment was good, the crews are good. They made sure that there are fishes that you can see, spot the sea turtles, and also dolphins.
It was a great trip -
Review from Paul K.
Honolulu, HI
1/23/2010
What an awesome way to chillax in style and still on a budget! The High-Tide cocktail (two included along with delicious and healthy food.) is potent and delicious! The boat is spacious comfortable (two nice and clean bathrooms) and the crew is helpful yet inconspicuous... Amazing views and vistas. I highly recommend the Friday night Sunset and Fireworks Cruise although the other cruises are amazing and almost guaranteed to see ocean wildlife like dolphins, whales in season and turtles! Tell the captain Paul Klink recommended you for a laugh or two.
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Review from Dianne S.
San Jose, CA
6/6/2008
We did the Friday sunset fireworks cruise which included dinner and 3 drink tickets. Cost: $55. Duration: 2 hours.
Totally worth everything. Like the previous review, the boat was pretty sexy. Everything was white and classy looking. Out of all the small sized catamarans that I saw docked, this one looked to be the best. Dinner was healthy compared to what I was eating during the rest of the trip, which I loved! They had sandwich wraps, pasta, eggrolls, and cookies.
This was a very couple-y thing to do, but they offer other cruises during the day for breakfast, lunch, and for snorkeling tours. Be sure to bring a sweater for the sunset cruise if you're planning on doing that. It actually gets pretty chilly out there. -
Review from Al L.
Los Angeles, CA
10/2/2011
I was so excited about this when i saw the groupon deal, i got there in mid Aug, don't know if i got to the turtle canyon but the spot they stopped wasn't too far from dock. We have to line up for like 1/2 hr to get the snorkeling gears and the only 1 or 2 sets left with lots of black spot and disgusting. Once I jump down to the ocean, the water is so beautiful and warm, not like Santa Monica which is very cold even in summer, but another disappoint was i never seen any colorful fish and seen 1 sea turtle once swim by the group. Also my seasick wasn't help at all, if you have bad seasick, I will suggest take maximum seasick medicine you are allowed (most of them are 2 tablets). I'm not sure if this is standard price in Hi for $60 for this kind of trip (if regular price), but I will not recommend my friend to join this trip because most of the 2 hr trip are cruising back and fore of the honolulu & waikiki shores.
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Review from Aileen E.
Monrovia, CA
5/29/2010
This was probably one of my favorite excursions during our Hawaii vacation. We booked a breakfast sail using our Go Oahu cards and had a fantastic time. It's a two hour cruise that includes a light breakfast of donuts and fruit and 2 complimentary non-alcoholic drinks. They have a signature drink the "high tide" that you can get for a few extra bucks. The view is fantastic. The crew are very friendly and this boat is very well maintained. Definitely a must-do while in Hawaii.
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Review from Cherryl D.
San Jose, CA
8/3/2009
My Ratings:
Quality - 4 Stars
Price - 4 Stars
Location - 4 Stars
Service - 3 Stars
My Opinion/Story:
As part of our go oahu card, we decided to do the breakfast sail. We waited a long time for them to open. When we finally boarded, they gave us some donuts, slices of fruits and drinks for breakfast. We set said and saw a few dolphins and a turtle in the water. It was a nice enough day that we enjoyed the ride. The people pretty much kept to themselves. We got two drink tickets each which we can get alcoholic drinks. Nice.. alcohol for breakfast.. that's a way to start the day. The crew knew what they're doing and what to look for. They were nice enough but it got a little boring towards the end of the ride. The boat was clean and had plenty of space for everyone. The only draw back are the girls sunbathing on the net.. they didn't seem to want to share and they only allow three for each net. So other folks are unable to enjoy sunbathing on the net. Oh well.. but it was a fun ride for me. -
Review from Socheata T.
Seattle, WA
5/4/2009
Sunset cruize aka booze cruise lol! The place was easy to find with a metered parking lot so be sure to bring your change. The boat was a lot nicer & bigger than I expected it to be. More than enough room to sit & view your surroundings so no worries about space being cramped.
They have a cool area in the front of the boat where there is sort of a mesh but durable screen (I suck at describing stuff, can you tell?) in which sit you directly above the water. They only allow a limited # of people on there though. The cruise itself was nice, we did end up seeing dolphins as our guides informed we may be. They have a two drink coupon w/a full bar. A slight con is the appetizers. They had chicken wraps, egg rolls, and I don't remember what else but the only appetizing appetizer was the egg roll and that was because of the sauce that accompanied it. Other than that, if you know you'll get hungry while on the boat, I'd rec bring your own snack. The firework display lasted less than 5 minutes. Overall, it's fun if you're doing this as your first time and it's def romantic if you're a couple but I don't think I'll do it again. Also, bring a light jacket cuz it does get a windy/chilly in the evening.Listed in: Oahu Island
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Review from LA Sunshine M.
Los Angeles, CA
10/26/2009
After failing to book a sunset sail with other sailing companies on Waikiki, our hotel staff suggested Friday night firework sail with Makani Catamaran. It docks near Ala Moana shopping center, which is actually closer to where we were staying. The boat is big and clean. Check in was 5 with sailing at 5:30pm. The view itself is unbelievable...how can you argue since you are in Hawaii? Appertizers including spring rolls, wraps and some bakery, and you get one free drink. I'm glad to have chosen this over the sunset booze cruise. I was actually at the beach few days later when I saw the twp sail boats leaving the beach of Waikiki...too many passengers on a small sail boat. It definitely is a frat party boat. I'm sure it's fun for some people, but not for me.
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Review from Paul J.
Santa Clara, CA
2/20/2010
My fiance and I were looking forward yesterday to a fun whale watching cruise on a cataraman. What we ended up with a sailboat ride with huge "SailMakani" signs and we simply went up and down the beach in front of Waikiki. I can't believe I paid for them to advertise themselves to the rest of the beachgoers!!!
The only reason we saw one whale tail was that the whale felt sorry for the 30 or so paying passengers. When we saw several other whale spouts, the owners ignored them and brought us back 20 minutes early back to port!
Please don't waste your money like we did and find a better company to take you out to the whales! -
Review from Ashley Z.
Denver, CO
4/17/2011
We did the breakfast/snorkel combo and it was well worth it. We went as part of the Go card, but had to pay a little extra for the hour of snorkeling. We were glad we did. The conditions were wonderful. We saw lots of pretty red fish and two sea turtles came up for air besides seeing them on the bottom. The breakfast was fresh fruit (which went fast, so get right in line) and sugar coated donuts. The crew was funny and friendly and checked on us often. After snorkeling, we had a couple of delicious drinks and sun bathed. This was one of our favorite things we did.
