We are residents of Kona and had never done a sunset dinner cruise here. But, we were looking for something to do with visiting family members and decided to book it. With some trepidation, we headed off to Kailua Pier, our guests in tow, dark clouds blowing overhead in a strong southerly wind. The moderate swells had the boat bobbing up and down at the pier, and one of my guests said they might get seasick. I asked her if she wanted to sit on the main deck or upstairs and, finally, we agreed to sit at a table on the roof deck for the better view.
It was a good choice as far as the view was concerned, but the boat was rocking and rolling in the swells. I volunteered to get the pupus, but the staff were very helpful and assisted me in bringing the food to our table. Drinks were served immediately and they were great. The boat wasn't crowded (probably due to the weather) so we each had two drink tickets that were included with our cruise which was nice. The "speaker" for our cruise was a local lady who did a fantastic job describing the coastline as we sailed by, giving very interesting historical information about the sites we passed. During the interludes, live music was provided by a guy with a great voice and an amazing repertoire, ranging from Hawaiian to Disco music.
When we arrived at Kealakekua Bay, the boat stopped and things smoothed out quite a bit. We had a fabulous dinner that included all of the favorites: Kailua pork, hula chicken, beef, and lomi salmon. Everything tasted like it was right out of an imu and couldn't be better. Our guests loved the local food, too, and it was all-you-can-eat. Then there was awesome cheesecake for dessert.
Unfortunately, due to the weather, we didn't have a sunset. It was actually quite cool as well (for me, anyway). Our guests brought wraps and were used to "chilly" weather. However, we listened to music and enjoyed the scenery. Also, the staff were great.
I would recommend this cruise highly if you are new to Hawaii. And, in our case, if you have guests that are new to Hawaii. During the winter months, you may want to allow for some chilly or windy conditions that require a light jacket or long pants. Also, despite my sister's seasickness tendency, she never felt ill and we really liked the view....port side upstairs table under the canvas roof. Downstairs tables are better for people who cannot walk without assistance.