Alii Nui Sailing Charters
Alii Nui Sailing Charters
5
Scuba & SnorkellingBoat ToursWater SportsPrivate ToursDolphin & Whale Watching
7:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Monday
7:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Tuesday
7:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Wednesday
7:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Thursday
7:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Friday
7:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Saturday
7:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Sunday
7:00 AM - 5:00 PM
About
The Alii Nui is a custom built, one of a kind, luxury sailing catamaran with a reputation for providing the ultimate in service and amenities. We limit the number of passengers to provide plenty of room to relax and enjoy. Our covered cabin is equipped with ample seating. We also have easy access into the water from the bow and stern with our expert crew helping you every step of the way. Experience the comfort and ease of our complimentary transportation service available from resort areas on the south and west sides of Maui. The Alii Nui offers Morning Snorkel Sails, Afternoon Turtle Snorkels, Whale Watch Excursions, Sunset Sails, Royal Feast Dinner Sails and Wedding Sails. Measuring an impressive 65' from stem to stern and 36' port to starboard, she is truly the premiere sailing catamaran on Maui!
Maalaea, Hawaii
Meets animal welfare guidelines

Awards
Travelers' Choice
2024

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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.

Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

Popular mentions

5.0
5.0 of 5 bubbles2,973 reviews
Excellent
2,795
Very good
103
Average
34
Poor
22
Terrible
19

Gary G
Roanoke, VA37 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Feb 2020
My wife and I enjoyed their morning snorkel cruise so much that we booked the sunset dinner cruise later in the week, at a discount for being a repeat customer. The service provided by the crew was every bit as excellent. The dinner was plentiful and delicious, and included filet mignon and crab, and the drinks were high-quality liquor, and basically unlimited. Sunset that evening was gorgeous, and as a bonus we also saw some humpback whales jumping out of the water several times about 200 yards away. This cruise, as well as the morning snorkel cruise, were the two highlights of our Maui vacation, and I highly recommend the Alii Nui to anyone visiting Maui, they are a first-class operation.
Written March 11, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Aloha Gary G, We are happy to hear that you had such a great time with us that you choose to join us again for a second excursion. Thank you for your kind words about our Alii Nui and crew. We appreciate your high recommedation and hope to see you again in the future! Mahalo nui loa & a hui hou! (Thank you very much & until we meet again!)
Written April 11, 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Kathy M
Houston, TX1,109 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Feb 2020
Each year that we have been to Maui this has been the highlight of our trip! Whale watching from the shore is exciting but they are so far away! This is where a whale-watching boat trip comes in. On the sea and with a bit of luck you can get that amazing experience of watching a whale breach up close.
This year the Alii Nui has given us the best experience yet. They treat you like honored guests, bringing your drinks, feed you before you leave the harbor and continue to have food and snacks out during the sail. They also keep the number of guests down so you get more rail space per person.
As for seeing whales, this trip was the jackpot. We had two breaches within 100 yeards of the boat and the mother and the baby whale swam under the boat! Beautiful day and a great experience. You can't guarantee a trip like this but in Maui, the chances are greater than anywhere else in Hawaii!
So, for the money, you get unlimited drinks, great food, courteous and helpful staff, a captain that finds the exciting whales, plenty of space both above and below, clean bathrooms and lots of rail space to hopefully be on the right side of the boat for that fantastic view of a whale exploding from the water. It's worth every penny so enjoy your trip.
Written February 13, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Aloha KathyM617, Thank you for joining us aboard the Alii Nui for a great day of whale watching, year after year. We are pleased to know that you had an excellent day on board and were well taken care of by our crew! We hope that you'll choose to join us again in the future! Mahalo Nui Loa & A Hui Hou! (Thank You Very Much & Until We Meet Again)
Written February 17, 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Heather
Longview, WA45 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jan 2020
I wanted to book a whale watching trip since it was whale season in Maui during our stay. Our hotel concierge recommended Alii Nui because it is considered more "luxury". I am more of a "non-luxury" type person but went with them anyway because she said the groups are smaller on this boat. I was 24 weeks pregnant and also wanted a boat that had a bathroom available so that was another selling point. We were told there would be appetizers but immediately when we got on the boat it was like a full lunch with snacks. We were very well fed prior to leaving the harbor with delicious options. The boat had a lot of space for everyone to sit and relax. There was the area under the deck that allowed you an escape from the sun which was also nice. It never felt too crowded or like you couldn't get a good enough view of the whales. Our van driver called it correctly when she picked us up and said we'd have a great day because it's currently "Whale soup" - there were whales everywhere. At one point we had 5 different groups around our boat. We saw breeches, tails, moms and babies and lots of spouts. We had a double breech of mom and baby also. The tour really helped us identify whales for the rest of the trip and we saw a lot of them right off of our hotel beach after that. The boat staff were very friendly and it was a fun afternoon whale watching. I'd recommend this boat over the little ones which seem like you're in direct sun with no bathroom or the big group ones since you get a little more room to move around and individual attention on this boat.
Written February 6, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Aloha Heateliz, Thank you for joining us recently aboard the Alii Nui for a great day of whale watching. We are happy to hear that our hotel concierge recommended us as a great option for your family. We appreciate your kind words about our crew, their attention to detail, and the delicious food offered on board. We hope that you'll choose to join us again in the future, should you return to Maui! Mahalo nui loa & a hui hou! (Thank you very much & until we meet again!)
Written February 7, 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Jay F
Seattle, WA1 contribution
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Mar 2020
After being introduced to the exquisite Alii Nui sunset cruise by an Expedia Local concierge on my last trip in Sept 2019, I booked both the sunset and snorkeling cruises this time around with other couples and man they did not disappoint! We got a chance to spend time with both crews — Captain Tim’s and Captain Nicole’s — and they were playful and helpful at the same time.

Amazing spread of high end restaurant quality food and alcohol, by far the best of all the boats. Gorgeous boat. The crew did everything they possibly could to make sure every minute of the trip was memorable — multiple stunning whale sightings, a never-empty drink, getting in the water to lead us to sea turtles. They even went to super great lengths to successfully fish my hat out of the water after it blew off my head while moving at a fast clip on the way back to the marina, despite me saying several times not to worry about it.

No pressure, but come prepared with cash to heavily tip the crew at the end — I would say AT LEAST $20 per guest in your party but more is definitely better. You’ll leave feeling like you honored how hard they worked to give you a great time and how special the boat, food, drinks, and company were!!!

The Alii Nui is now a tradition for life, on my happy place in the world - Maui.
Written May 9, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Aloha JayFlu, Thank you for your kind words! We are thrilled that Alii Nui has become a part of your must do list for when you come to Maui. Your generosity towards the crew is also so appreciated. We look forward to having you with us for many years to come! Mahalo nui loa & a hui ho! (Thank you very much and until we meet again!)
Written May 15, 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Katy Gorman
Pittsburgh, PA11 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jan 2020 • Friends
We booked this trip three days ahead and thank goodness we did - we got the last three seats on the boat. (Book early is the lesson here!)

This was a fantastic experience! We were picked up by the Alii Nui crew via shuttle at our condo (shuttle service was no extra charge!) We boarded the catamaran promptly on time, and upon arrival were invited to enjoy “snacks”, which we assumed would be cheese/crackers etc., but instead turned out to be veggie and fruit trays, crackers with dip, ribs, meatballs, cold salads, bread - it was quite a spread! Once we left the harbor we were treated to a full open bar, complete with specialty cocktails. The entire staff was incredibly friendly and attentive to everyone’s needs at all times, from beginning to end.

There were a few children on the boat (not sure I’d personally recommend bringing really small kids, with a fairly liberal “all you can drink” bar for two hours) and the staff was accommodating to those families as often as possible.

We saw so many groups of whales on our two hour trip! First Mate Laura stood at the bow with us to share her knowledge about whales, and answer questions while we moved out to sea. Once we were in a prime spot, she coached us on how to spot whales. The entire crew was focused on finding the most active whales for us to observe and photograph. They did not under-deliver on their promise for a great experience.

Some of the unexpected perks thrown in included the crew cleaning sunglasses at intervals during the trip (as we got sprayed with seawater) and laying out all of the guests’ shoes as we docked back at the harbor. Everyone was really appreciative of these small gestures towards their customers.

This was an amazing two hours and I would not only recommend it to anyone, but I would book this cruise again as many times as I had the chance. The crew was incredibly respectful to the whales, obviously loved their jobs, and were eager to share their knowledge and enthusiasm with everyone on board. When we return to Maui, we will definitely be back.
Written January 23, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Aloha Gormanagain, We are so happy you booked when you did so that you were able to join us on board for a fun afternoon of whale watching! Thank you so much for your excellent review and kind words about our crew and their exceptional level of service. We strive to be the best of the best and always love hearing how we're doing! We can't wait to see you again soon! Mahalo nui loa & a hui hou! (Thank you very much & until we meet again!)
Written January 24, 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Ken B
Fallbrook, United States4 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jan 2020
We have traveled to Maui at the end of January for the past 7-8 years. As a result, we have done all of the "basic" tourist things (eg, road to Hanna, the Crater, etc., etc.), so we have stopped doing these things. However, the one thing that never gets old is the whale watch. We tried multiple different tours in the past, but several years back tried the Alii Nui. Ever since, the Alii Nui whale watch is the only one we go on and the one we tell all of our friends to go on. This past sailing (about 1 week ago), was the best yet. I actually hate to write this review because I am afraid the word will get out even more and it will get harder to book and too crowded. The boat was not full on our last sailing and it was fantastic with less people on board.
Written February 4, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Aloha Ryan B, Thank you for joining us recently aboard the Alii Nui. We are happy that we have been able to make repeat customers out of you! We're glad to know that we continually provide you with exceptional service year after year. We can't wait to see you again next year for another fun day on the water! Mahalo nui loa & a hui hou! (Thank you very much & until we meet again!)
Written February 7, 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Dan M
Somerville, New Jersey (US)62 contributions
1.0 of 5 bubbles
Feb 2020
We have been on many whale watches. In fact we has taken a whale watch sail on the Ali'i Nui very year since it began operations in Maui.
Our whale watch on Feb 17, 2020 was most disappointing, the worst we ever experienced. As we came out of the harbor, the captain pointed our several groups of mothers, calves and escorts in what he called the "nursery" area. We barely were able to see their backs when he announced he wanted to leave these alone, and sail to where there were a number of very active groups. (Other boats stayed i this general are, and were obviously able to observe this groups from an appropriate distance.)
Our captain that sailed around aimlessly, at relatively high speed, all around the area north of the harbor. The boat appeared to be traveling in circles, and it never found the promised active groups, only a few distant spouts or splashes. After an hour of speeding around in choppy water, the boat started back to the harbor. The sail was so erratic that I was even unable to enjoy the refreshments after we lert harbor. We caught a brief view of a couple of whale off the port side, by accident, on the way to harbor, but the encounter was so brief that I couldn't get a good look, let alone a photo.
Based on this experience, I am reluctant to pay the relatively high cost of the Ali'i Nui again next season.
Written March 4, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Aloha Dan M, Thank you for sharing your recent experience with us aboard the Alii Nui. We are disappointed to hear that you didn’t enjoy the whale watch, and that you didn’t see as much activity as you had hoped to see. As previously discussed via email, our Captains and crew are very well trained on the humpback whale species and how to spot the best indicator of high activity, sometimes they take a chance on a different area or different group that may or may not pay off. Unfortunately, it seems that this is what happened when you were on the trip. We do guarantee sightings on our whale watch and offer any guests that didn’t see them the opportunity to go out again for free. We hope that you found the resolution to be satisfactory and will consider joining us again in the future. Mahalo nui loa & a hui hou! (Than you very much & until we meet again!)
Written March 16, 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

LKN Gardener
Mooresville, NC6 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Mar 2020 • Family
The crew on Alii Nui were amazing! They run a tight ship and provided excellent service! Everything from the equipment to instruction and food were excellent! While I snorkeled, my husband and son dove with a dedicated guide and had a fantastic time! Our only disappointment was the videographer. The video that we paid top dollar for was shaky and thus very poor quality. We would recommend Alii Nui Sailing Charters to anyone vacationing on Maui, just skip spending money on the video.
Written May 9, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Aloha lkngrdnr, Thank you for coming out with us on the Alii Nui. We are so happy that you had such a great time. Our videographer is part of a third party and we will be sure to pass along your review to that company. Mahalo nui loa & a hui ho! (Thank you very much and until we meet again!
Written May 12, 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

okielaw
Naples, FL60 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jan 2020
Just returned home from a week in Maui and thoroughly enjoyed our time on the Alii Nui! We had scheduled a snorkel excursion, a whale watch and a sunset dinner cruise, but had so much fun we added another snorkel excursion on our last day. All the trips were fantastic and we saw so, so, so many whales!!! And turtles, too. This was our first trip to Maui during whale season and it was so impressive that we are going to make sure we plan future trips around the whales. Every trip out on the Alii Nui the Captains found great whale shows for us - from baby whales breaching to full grown whales breaching to even a group of males fighting. The Captains were all very informative (Nicole, Timothy and Trent) and professional at handling the boat - which was also fabulous. The various crew members we encountered were AWESOME! And the food and beverage service was better than any restaurant on shore. Can’t say enough good things about the crew members, from their service to their assistance during the snorkeling time to the snuba instructors to the “Sea Fari” where Jordan gave us a guided snorkel tour of the reef and explained all the underwater creatures. On our four trips we did not encounter a single crew member that didn’t LOVE their job - they all made us feel so welcome! Looking forward to seeing them all next year during whale season! Mahalo Alii Nui Captains & Crew!
Written January 25, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Aloha okielaw, Mahalo for joining us aboard the Alii Nui/Maka Koa recently and spending the day/evening with us. We appreciate your wonderful review and are thrilled to hear that you had a great time with us. We hope you’ll choose to join us again soon! Mahalo Nui Loa & A Hui Hou! (Thank You Very Much & Until We Meet Again)
Written February 21, 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Ashley A
Brandon, Canada18 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jan 2020 • Couples
My Mom and her husband, my sister and I and our fiancées were delighted to go whale watching this past January. Never did I expect to be within 100 feet of a Mama and baby whale!!
They were very active, the mom was actually teaching the baby how to breach, and while doing that was gaining male attention which (in our favour) provided more whale action!
I honestly lost count after seeing 7 or 8 of them, I still have no words and the crew was actually able to turn on a speakerphone they have on the catamaran boat so that you can hear the whales talking to each other.
Unreal, unforgettable, a must experience for those older and younger!
The crew and captains are wonderfully knowledgeable and fun, the food and drinks were great too. Honestly it couldn’t have been more perfect.
For those that are afraid to try because of motion sickness- TAKE BONINE! Found at any drugstore, and my sister who has alwaaaayyyyssss has horrible motion sickness was able to enjoy the time on the boat, and for the first time EVER I’ve seen, she was able to have a mimosa!
Get out and experience, you will NOT regret it!
Five out of five guys! Keep up your fabulous work!!!
Written February 4, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Aloha ashleysylver, We are happy to hear that your family had an amazing day with us recently aboard the Alii Nui! Thank you for your kind words about our Captain and crew, and their high level of service and knowledge about the whales. We hope that you'll choose to join us again in the future, should you return to Maui! Mahalo nui loa & a hui hou! (Thank you very much & until we meet again!)
Written February 4, 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

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Alii Nui Sailing Charters - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (2024)

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