Definitely a 5-star rating, even though the mantas were a no-show tonight.
I'll break this review down in sections:
1. Customer Service: This outfit was very accommodating to my very late request for a re-schedule. I had somehow contracted some very painful gastrointestinal distress about two hours prior to our scheduled trip. I explained my situation and that should I go, I would probably be spending a good portion of my time in the boat's head (bathroom). This would not be very comfortable for me or their other passengers. So both sides agreed to another day for us to make the trip. To me, this already put Manta Adventures at the top of the rating charts for the customer service portion. Upon arriving for our rescheduled trip, we were met and fitted for wet suits at the top of the landing before heading down to the boat. Both Nick and Sabina were wonderful to work with and both had a very pleasant demeanor. Will say though that Nick was just a bit more on the impish and humorous side, while still maintaining a professional air about him. I imagine that if we had had a private ride, we could have gotten even more humor out of him. For my style, he is a good pick Captain! More on Customer Service in a bit.
2. Safety: When all the guests had arrived and been fitted for wet suits, Captain Bill provided all of us with a predeparture safety and general "rules" presentation. Very important for a captain to ensure that his/her guests know how to remain safe on the boat, both for the guest's safety and the boat's safety. Another safety briefing was provided to us at the destination. Way to go Captain Bill, ensuring that you would be able to account for all your guests in an area that was fairly crowded with other boats and snorkelers/divers! I give Manta Adventures a 5-star rating for safety.
3. Cleanliness/Comfort: This boat was clean, comfortable and appeared well-maintained. There was a place for everything and everything was in its place. This made moving around the boat very easy, even while underway. It is very obvious this captain and crew care about the boat. The snorkel gear was ample and clean, and the mask treated with an anti-fog solution. I settled on a mask that had a very soft gel fitting and it was very comfortable. For the trip back from the site, being able to sit under cover and out of the wind/splash enhanced the comfort of this boat compared to some others I saw at the site. 5-Stars again
4: Amenities: Difficult to rate this as one must understand that this is NOT an eating tour, but a Manta watching tour. Can you imagine trying to outfit a boat with food to satisfy everybody's dietary needs/requirements? I think not. One set of guests arrived and signed in, but then wanted to depart to go get some food. This would have delayed our departure, and the request was denied. However, we were provided with plenty of cold water to drink, along with fresh, chilled pineapple slices to snack on. Following the experience, we were also provided with cookies to munch on for the return trip. The boat's head (bathroom) was clean and comfortable, and easy to use (according to my teenagers, I did not use it). So, another 5-Stars here.
5. Activities at the site: The site gets crowed with lots of boats and lots of snorkelers/divers. We were allowed to snorkel, but were not provided with fins. I think my family (very experienced swimmers and snorkelers) would have enjoyed this more with fins. Also, the captain and crew insisted (but did not absolutely require) that everyone snorkel with a pool noodle. For my kids and I, this got in our way. For other less experience people, I imagine this made them feel much more comfortable. I also think this served to assist the captain and crew with keeping track of their guests. There is a bit of current in the area, so insisting on the use of the pool noodles was probably more for safety of the guests. My kids and I only snorkeled for a short while, then returned to the boat and sat on the bow to enjoy the views. We had a great time just kicking back and talking with each other.
Then came time to slide into the water for the manta watching at sunset. Another quick safety and do's/dont's briefing and the Captain and crew were sliding us into the water in an organized fashion. Nick and Sabina were busy assisting the guests with their positions around the viewing float and chatted with us the entire time, providing a lot of information about the mantas and Hawaii. But alas... the mantas were a no show tonight. Because of my own comfort in the water, and the comfort my kids have, I'd give the snorkeling only 3 stars, but the process and procedures for viewing the mantas 5 stars.
Now back to Customer Service: Since the mantas were a no show (heck, they're wild creatures living in nature, and one cannot expect them to show up on time every day), we were all offered a return trip to try again. So that 5-star rating I provided earlier for customer service stands.
Now the big question: Would I do this again with this outfit? A definite YES and the only thing I'd change is perhaps asking to bring my own fins for a richer snorkeling experience. For those of you that have to eat... you may want to ask the captain ahead of time if you can bring your own snacks/food. The captain and crew did a fantastic job and I felt entirely comfortable in their abilities on the boat.