This is a message of caution to consumers regarding Kauai Sea Tours. Our experience is summarized in the bullet points below, and an in depth review follows for those who are interested.
- Nonexistent Covid protocol
- Threatened/disturbed wildlife
- No snorkeling offered
- No sailing to speak of, despite heavy marketing of the “sail boat”
- Quality of food and drink was abysmal
- Misrepresentation of quality/nature of cruise
Know before you go: this is a booze cruise which is advertised as a sailing and snorkeling tour. Unless your only intention is to get wasted on a boat in Kauai, take your business elsewhere.
We tried to schedule as many activities as possible during our few short days in Kauai in August. High on the list was experiencing the Na Pali Coast. After some difficulty in securing a reservation, we found our way to Kauai Sea Tours Deluxe Na Pali Snorkel Tour. The trip promised an afternoon of snorkeling and sailing, a meal and drinks.
I knew almost immediately upon checking in that the tour was not what we were looking for. As we boarded the boat, I saw another passenger with his own snorkeling gear. At no prior point had we been asked about our shoe sizes (for fins), so I asked the captain if we needed to bring our own gear. He brushed off my question and confirmed that there was gear on board. I didn’t think anything of his dismissive response until it became clear, 30 minutes into a 4.5 hour journey, that we would not be snorkeling due to water conditions. Had we been warned in advance, we would have had an opportunity to cancel the cruise. This disappointment could have been overlooked had it not been followed by a long list of so many other issues.
Next up, the mask protocol on board. There was none. In subsequent conversations with the management, they claim that, as the activity is outside, masks aren’t required. They conveniently ignore the fact that half the boat is enclosed and that, once all passengers are on board, it is impossible to remain socially distanced. My suspicions that the lax mask-wearing on board was not sanctioned by authorities were confirmed when, upon docking at the end of the trip, the captain asked us all to put our masks on, citing the strict dock master, who we would inevitably run into as we disembarked.
Kauai Sea Tours' disregard for their customers and the environment proved to be a common thread on this cruise. As avid champions of wildlife, the most egregious offense we experienced during this tour was the deliberate disruption of nesting petrals. The captain navigated the boat into the mouth of a cave in which the birds were nesting. Upon the intrusion, hundreds of birds scattered, frightened by the motors and the screaming tour guests. After hours of cruising along the coast in close proximity to such beauty and grandeur, this stunt felt like an assault. On board, the captain sold this as a special, exclusive feature and asked us not to tell anyone we were able to do this. However, like all gimmicks, it was later revealed that all Kauai Sea Tours of the Na Pali Coast include this "special feature."
Each cruise ticket is $210, the price of a fairly nice meal in a metropolitan area. The food we were served (in non-recyclable containers) was inedible. The drink choices (beer, wine, and two mixed drinks) were, again, subpar, convenience-store quality and totally inconsistent with the price of the ticket. Nothing "deluxe" about this or anything else on the tour.
Despite being described as a sailing and snorkeling cruise, there was neither. The boat was under engine power the entire trip and no sailing occurred and, as previously mentioned, neither did any snorkeling take place––another misrepresentation and huge disappointment. When addressed with the management, they claimed that engine power reduces sea-sickness, which in my experience is not the case. Their rationale seems suspicious, because clearly sailing would require a larger crew than motoring. Furthermore, the crew should routinely carry anti-nausea patches for passengers who become seasick.
This company relies on marketing that completely misrepresents the experience it provides, then falls back, repeatedly, on the fine print, eg. “conditions permitting," to excuse poor quality and dishonest business practices.
Our cruise was on August 16th, 2021, after which I had two conversations with the management. During my first call with a purported manager, Jessie, I enumerated my complaints regarding the cruise. I felt that she listened, she took notes and claimed that she would forward her notes to the general manager. She promised that I would hear from either the general manager, or the captain, regarding next steps.
21 days passed and I received no word, written or otherwise, so I called Kauai Sea Tours again. This time, the conversation was different. Firstly, Jessie claimed that, despite promising outreach from the general manager or the captain, a resolution had been reached during our previous conversation, and that no follow up was required on their end. After I reminding her that she had promised to follow up, she then changed her tune, claiming that the general manager and the captain had discussed my feedback and had determined that no wrong-doing had occurred. Was I supposed to telepathically surmise this when I didn’t hear anything from the company?
Kauai Sea Tours management was given ample opportunity to make this unpleasant situation right with a small concession and, perhaps, an apology, but opted not to. The bottom line is that this is a cash cow business that exploits consumers and idyllic Kauai alike. Their dishonest business practices and poor treatment of their consumers is astonishing. After our experience on the tour and following, I have reported this company to all available consumer affairs agencies including the DCCA, OCP, Hawaii Tourism Authority, Kauai Visitors Bureau, and the Better Business Bureau. I may not get a portion of my money back, but they will lose business because of this.
If this experience sounds bad to you, steer clear. There are many, many other tour companies who offer infinitely better and more honest services, and exceptional tour guides who really care about teaching people to respect Hawaii and all it has to offer.