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CRUISE SHIP
PASSENGERS |
The Fair Wind is available for
cruise ship passengers whose itinerary shows a 7am arrival
in Kona, but this schedule is rather tight. A cab ride of 10-12 minutes from the cruise ship dock in Kona is
required. Check-in time is 8:30am. Kona is a tendering situation, so ample time is
required to make it to shore. Fair Wind recommends that cruise ship passengers
take their sister ship the Hula Kai instead.
Hula
Kai
NOTE: No tours from 12/3/2012-12/10/2012 due to maintenance dry dock.
Morning Snorkel Tour: $149per person. Minimum age is 5, but there is no child rate. The same rate applies to all ages.
The Hula
Kai is the Kona Coast's newest, most technologically advanced
snorkel vessel. This boat uses hydrofoil technology for
improved stability and speed, and allows them to access more remote
destinations including sea caves and lava flows that are less than
50 years old. Hula Kai is designed and built specifically for the
ultimate snorkel and dive adventure.
Seating on board the boat is in
comfortable lounge-styled seating with arm and head rests. The wide steps on each side of the
boat provide easy access into the ocean. A fresh-water shower is
available to rinse off when you finish your snorkeling. FOR
MORE DETAILS ON THE HULA KAI SNORKEL TOUR CLICK
HERE or reserve using the form at right. Tours are offered Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday. Summer months(6/30 to 8/20) the tour operates Monday through Saturday.
FW / R
|
CRUISE SHIP
PASSENGERS |
The Hula Kai is available for
cruise ship passengers whose itinerary shows a 7am arrival
in Kona. A cab ride of 10-12 minutes from the cruise ship dock in Kona is
required. Check-in time is 9am. Kona is a tendering situation, so ample time is
required to make it to shore. If your cruise ship is scheduled to arrive at 7am
or is spending the previous night in Kona, this tour will fit your schedule.
Black Sand Beach Snorkel
Adults $137.17, Children 6-12 $68.58, 5 & under free
Enjoy 4 hours of ocean indulgence as you visit a remote snorkel destination along the Kohala Coast. This is your chance to explore the pristine reefs and sealife that abounds near these black sand beaches created by ancient lava flows. This tour departs from the beach shack at Anaeho'omalu Bay (locals call it A-bay) which is located on the ocean side of the Waikoloa Marriott Resort. This tour is operated on either Sea Smoke (a 58' sailing catamaran) or Alala (a 65' sailing catamaran). Snorkel gear and instruction from a marine naturalist are included as you swim among colorful reefs, exotic tropical fish, and Hawaiian green sea turtles. While the crew sails back to A-bay, enjoy a deli-buffet lunch and a complimentary open bar for soft drinks, juices, beer, wine, and well drinks. Snorkel typically offered on Monday, Friday, and Saturday (additional days during peak season).
HOS / V
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CRUISE SHIP
PASSENGERS |
The Black Sand Beach Snorkel is not available for
cruise ship passengers as the tour departure is too far from the cruise ship dock.
Activity Tips
My wife and I snorkel
a lot ... and it takes a lot to impress us. We own our own sailing
catamaran, so we are used to going to places that aren't crowded and
where the snorkeling is good on our home island of Maui. Whenever we
go out on snorkel tours on the Big Island we are treated to
conditions that we are able to find on our own boat. Great reef, and
uncrowded snorkeling.
The Fair Wind and
the Hula Kai are both excellent trips. We review each boat
in detail on their respective pages on this website. Our purpose for
presenting this page is to show you the best snorkel options for
comparison sake. If you have never been to the Big Island before, I
would say that my first choice would be to go out on the Fair
Wind so you can snorkel beautiful Kealakekua Bay. If you've been
there and done that before, then a trip on the Hula Kai is a
must! You'll see far more of the Kona Coast than you ever imagined!
If you are a cruise
ship passenger and your boat arrives in port at 7am, you have ample
time to make the check-in for the Hula Kai and this is the
tour that we recommend for you. The Fair Wind can be done,
but the timing is tight. If you order the Fair Wind and you
don't get there in time and miss the boat, they
will charge your credit card in full for a no-show.
Don't underestimate the time it takes to wait for a tender in Kona
and make it to shore! The Hula Kai check-in is 30 minutes
later and is a much safer bet!
Here is link to the Fair
Wind page
that has more details and a review of this trip. And here is a link
to the Hula
Kai page
with more information about this new boat.
For our clients staying in the Waikoloa area, including the Hilton, Marriott, Fairmont Orchid, Hapuna Prince, etc, the Black Sand Beach Snorkel is an excellent choice. Since this tour departs from the Waikoloa area it saves the drive all the way into Kona town and will take you to snorkel destinations that are difficult to access from shore.