Maita'i Catamaran

The following review is specific to Hula's Catamaran Experience which sets sail on the Maita'i Catamaran every Saturday at 3PM.

Just so you know, you don't have to be gay to board this gay booze cruise - though it might get lonely as the passengers get more inebriated and handsy. Jamie W. and I had been to Hula Bar & Lei Stand a few times (review: https://yelp.to/m7tBmjPOPz), but we didn't know they offered a scenic 90-minute cruise on this catamaran for just $30. We found out about it on YouTube through the Two Gay Expats.

Their video completely sold us, so we bought tickets a couple of weeks in advance. We were instructed to meet at Hula where we followed our gregarious host like the Pied Piper up Kalakaua Avenue to the beach outside the Sheraton Waikiki. There were about forty of us, including three straight couples who unsurprisingly kept to themselves in a corner of the boat.

The rest of us were mingling as the pilot steered the boat toward Diamond Head. Views were great and from a unique angle for Jamie and me. What helped immeasurably was the endless supply of $6 Mai Tais. There was quite a variety of ages among the passengers from geriatric horn dogs to near-naked young party boys. Shirts were doffed but gratefully nothing more.

Jamie and I are not natural frolickers, but we managed to socialize with surprising abandon, especially as our mai tai consumption escalated. By the time we came back to the beach, we were surprised we could stand up. They gave us coupons for complimentary cocktails back at Hula. Yeah, like we really needed them. Give us credit for not redeeming them until the next day.

RELATED - Exploring Hawaii? Here's a collection of places I've visited and reviewed: https://bit.ly/3Kz5ksc

We had a great time on the Maita'i Catamaran. We were staying at the near by Royal resort so it was a quick walk down to get to the check in. Our afternoon ride was an hour and a half long. We got lucky and saw a few sea turtles swimming about as we road by, the coast guard was out keeping an eye on some whales out in the area that day. We heard once in a while when whales are spotted in the area you might get a chance to see them blow air out from the water, to bad our visit one of those days.

Overall it was a fun experience, the crew was very nice and helpful, it's definitely worth trying.

This is our 3rd times with this group and I must say, they have provided consistently Great service and Great drinks onboard. Highly suggest the mid afternoon package, saved $40 plus its all you can drink. Do it!!!

We booked a spontaneous, last minute Catamaran ride through the phone and they were able to fit our group of 8 in. It's a great way to sail the open sea with no agenda besides wind, water, and air for 90 minutes. Meet up location is at the Sheraton Waikiki.

The best part of the ride for me was the awesome crew. I started to feel a bit nauseous because the catamaran ride was too choppy for me, but Kia was wonderful and kept checking on me to make sure I was okay, and even gave me several cups with ice to chew. She said it helps with nausea. Such a kind human - thank you, Kia!!

They have drinks on board too like their mai tai which is made out of fresh fruit for only $3-5 (cash only)! Overall a great experience, and would be an awesome one for those who don't get seasick!

Maitai Catamaran was highly recommended by my friend, so I decided to book a sunset sail last minute. Unfortunately, the 5pm one was fully booked so I opted for the next best thing, the Afternoon Delite Sail at 3pm. This is a 90 minute sail that includes open bar for $79/person.

The whole reservation process was pretty easy over the phone and we were requested to check-in at the Sheraton Waikiki 15 minutes before sailing. The staff were very friendly and started pouring everyone mai tais once we were at sea. We saw some sea turtles too!

The only downside of my sail was that someone got extremely sick at sea and was throwing up directly in front of me into a bucket. I saw EVERYTHING and was scared of splash damage. It's no one's fault but it kinda affected the rest of the sail.

Definitely a highlight of our trip to Hawaii! We had a blast. The scenery was spectacular. Our hosts made it informative and so fun. Highly recommended! Do it!

My first sailboat experience ever and the best way to end my Hawaii trip.

It was unlimited alcohol, and the drinks were pretty yummy! Especially the famous mai-tai.

The staff was what made this whole thing an absolute memorable time. They were super engaging, hilarious, and went above and beyond to just vibe with the guests and do things for us like showing us dolphins and taking photos.

The sunset was like no other, and vibes made me feel like I could live in that moment forever. 10/10 recommend.

We're back....

We do this excursion 4X's per year! Our favorite thing to do when we visit Hawaii 2 x per year!

They should offer a punch or reward card for loyal clients (hint hint)

Great staff...

Consistent check in process

Excellent Mai Tai's at a reasonable price!

See you again at 11 am next Monday : )

Just do it!

The Sunset Mai Tai Cruise (aka booze cruise) is a good idea for locals or tourists alike!

Set sail in Waikiki for great views of Diamond Head as you sip on unlimited mai tais, beer, wine and drinks. The view is unreal and such a fun thing to do with friends.

Keep in mind that the water can be a little rocky! It's the open ocean so depending on the day, you can encounter some real choppy waves. It's also a small boat so you feel the ocean more easily. But it's a lot of fun and worth doing!

High tide had us moving to a new barefoot loading location, which was ok. It sprinkled for a few minutes which was ok, after all we were on the water.
The captain and first mate were wonderful. It was a blast.
We thought the clouds would hamper the sunset but they moved out. Great sunset.
I recommend this cruise to everyone looking for the best way to capture a beautiful sunset.