Molokini Crater Snorkeling Tours - Help

[bobbyd6363]

Hello! I have this thread also on the Princess board but wanted to get as much info as i could so here it is again! :)

 

We are sailing on the Island Princess this October and i am looking into possibly doing a Molokini Snorkeling private or group charter. Can someone recommend a tour operator that you may have used to do the same tour?

[spleen93]

We've used Trilogy before and had a good time. It wasn't a private charter though so I'm not sure if that's what you're looking for.

 

Spleen

[bobbyd6363]

Hi Spleen!

We usually do on private tour per cruise and in the past this has always turned out to be the absolute high point of our cruise!! Grand cayman and St John both turned out to be incredible experiences for everyone in our group so we wanna continue with that trend! LOL!! It is much better to be away from the mobs that the cruise lines pack onto their tours and we saw that first hand by having a small 15 person group on a charter to stingray city in Grand Cayman because as we were leaving the stingrays a cruise line tour showed up with HUNDREDS of people! not for me!

[pugsbest]

I think your biggest problem is going to be the charter departure time. I have been checking for our cruise in August and can't find any morning snorkel trips that don't leave early. We could do an afternoon one, but I have heard and read that the winds can come up and the water gets choppy. Also the best/longest trips are in the morning. Maybe if you had enough people or money to charter your own boat, you could go that route.

 

Julie

[spleen93]

Bobby - you must have done Nativeway. We loved them too. :)

 

Spleen

[bobbyd6363]

Spleen - Yep we did Nativeway and they were AWESOME!!

 

pugsbest - I am finding out the same thing!! Every charter I talk to wants to leave before 0800 and we dont even get to Maui until 0800!! I have also read and heard (from a charter company) that you dont want to go out to Molokini after 0900 cause there will be 40 tour boats there and the waves and wind pick up the later you go!

[beachchick]

I absolutely recommend that you do not plan an afternoon Molokini trip if you can avoid it. Your chances of going to Molokini diminish as the day goes on--they are not kidding about the winds. We've done a morning trip with Maui Dive Shop. They are out of Kihei, have smaller boats (30 or so), and leave a bit later in the morning (mostly avoiding the early am crowds). It was fabulous, but it was neither a private charter nor a large "party" style boat. We've done afternoon snorkels too. Unfortunately, we've not been to Molokini in the afternoon because the boats couldn't get there. And, frankly, the "alternate" sites they take you to are not that great (and you could get to most of them on your own anyway).

 

Also, do not count on a private tour assuring any fewer people at Molokini. It is highly popular with numerous boats of all sizes there almost all day long. Most of them have a specific place that they stop (don't know if it's actually "assigned"--don't see how it could be considering that none of them "own" Molokini). A private tour later in the morning would give you the best chance of fewer people with the exclusive feel you like while still allowing you a good chance to actually get there.

 

A private tour may be your best bet. I don't know of any, but I'm sure that the helpful locals on the board here will give you good information.

 

Have you considered a private charter to snorkel/dive spots around Lanai? I believe that fewer people do this so the crowds might not be as much of an issue. (Locals, please chime in here and correct me if necessary.)

 

beachchick

[Sammy]

I like everything the Pacific Whale Foundation does. They are experts, give great excursions, and are so very enthusiastic about the research they do. I've used them through the cruise line before (3 times) because, as you said, it isn't easy getting one otherwise. It is a good cause also. I don't think you'd save that much going it on your own.

 

They also book on their own. You can go to its website: www.pacificwhale.org to learn about them.

 

I didn't enjoy snorkeling at Molokini or Lanai nearly as much as on Kona. Just my opinion.

 

Sammy

[bankofdad]

I like everything the Pacific Whale Foundation does. They are experts, give great excursions, and are so very enthusiastic about the research they do. I've used them through the cruise line before (3 times) because, as you said, it isn't easy getting one otherwise. It is a good cause also. I don't think you'd save that much going it on your own.

 

They also book on their own. You can go to its website: www.pacificwhale.org to learn about them.

 

I didn't enjoy snorkeling at Molokini or Lanai nearly as much as on Kona. Just my opinion.

 

Sammy

 

I totally agree with Sammy's impression of Molokini.

[H20 Lover]

Wow great info here, thanks!

[bobbyd6363]

FYI - I had a business trip to Maui last month and got to take the Pacific Whale Foundation excurison and it was awesome!! Their catamaran is very roomy and seemed to be the better staffed/crewed one out at Molokini! The food isnt too bad either! Check em out!

[506canuck]

We took the afternoon tour in november 2002 on the Four Winds and had a great time. There were only about 20 of us on the boat and the weather was pretty calm with no problems with waves on the way there or at Molokini. On the way there the crew caught a huge Blue Marlin which cut into the snorkeling time a bit( it took about 30 min to land) but was amazing to watch. We have picture in the dock later & it was about 8 ft long. The crew and the snorkeling were great. Would love to go again.

[Splinter]

I have been to Molokini once, and found it disappointing. A lot of current, they will only let you inside the crater, not around the outside, crowded (kept bumping into other people), only fair visability and frankly not a lot of spectacular fish or turtles. I much prefer some of the places in Kona or Oahu that are easier to get to for snorkeling.