Maui: Molokini And Turtle Town Snorkeling Aboard Pride Of Maui

We ended up on Elua as Pride of Maui was undergoing maintenance the day we booked, but who is mad at a free upgrade? Not us! The group was smaller (we had done the Pride of Maui awhile back, so we can compare). The food was just as delicious as we remembered (but everything tastes better after being in the water all day right?) the captain, Justin, really took time to learn about the people aboard and was just all around a cool guy. The staff was amazing and I felt safe the entire time on the boat and in the water. I didn’t see any turtles this time, but lots of beautiful fish and reef and we were lucky enough to see a whale on our way back to harbor. This excursion is a no brainer. I would do it again and again.

This is one of the best experiences. . Boat was exceptionally clean, The boat crew was a pleasure and very attentive and helpful, and made the experience worth every penny.

We had a wonderful trip with Pride of Maui! Unlike the other cruises that pack you in like sardines, this cruise provided so much space and individual attention. The food was spectacular and we saw an octopus, lots of turtles, and tons of native fish! Thank you for a wonderful morning. We will be back! Also, SUPER clean bathrooms! Wow!

This is my second birthday celebration on the boat. Don’t miss this the trip is amazing and so is the crew!

Amazing experience. Beautiful boat, great food and an amazing crew. Snorkel spots were perfect. Would highly recommend.

Excellent trip! Emily was such an incredible guide and we all felt comfortable and looked after. Would return!

Absolutely the best crew. They are so informative, fun, energetic and food was amazing. The snorkeling was even better. Definitely recommend and will return with the rest of our family. The ladies are the rock stars they do everything ! Mahalo

This was a great trip. Worth the money. Staff were all very friendly and helpful. The office staff( Rochelle) was great about answering email questions ahead of time. Lots of time to snorkeling at Molokini crater. I would highly recommend this trip.

We had a great time. It was nice to get some good sun and have an exceptional service. We loved the crew and how kind and wonderful they were. We didn’t get to see any turtles but the crew and the fish still made it worth going.

The boat and crew were amazing. We’ll definitely come back!!

We had a phenomenal time! Made our Hawaii trip all the more special! Captain Justin and his crew, Emily, Kirsten and AJ were awesome and made the trip! We saw turtles, fish and various sea life plus great food and drinks. Couldn't recommend a better way to spend a day in Maui!!

Very professional and polite crew and captain. Excellent snorkeling knowledge.

These are some of the best people in Hawaii! Noah was amazing! Someone lost their Apple Watch and Noah dove down 25 feet and grabbed it on the first try! We saw turtles, dolphins, and one whale in October, which is amazing. Go with the hotdog for your lunch trust me! Captain gave a full overview of the Hawaiian islands while we're boating around. 10 out 10!

The crew and the food and drinks were excellent ! The only disappointing thing was that we were only at Molokini for about 30 minutes and never went to Turtle Town. We did go to coral gardens but most of the trip was spent getting to the destination's vs snorkeling. I guess the trade winds were to blame but way to much boating and not enough snorkeling. The boat was very slow.

Very professional operation. Pleasant staff always helpful and cheerful. Boat was spotless. One of the best burgers I had in ages. Had plenty of time to snorkel and both location. Diffidently recommends

Could not ask for more better than this. Caden the captain, Sienna, Anna and Jim are all so great. They made us feel home and safe. The crowd (other people) we went with are great as well. And yeah - restroom is definitely to brag for. It’s not the usual one. It feels luxurious really. Food and open bar is cool. The snorkeling to molokoni crater is awesome. Didn’t see fish much but it’s ok, corals are great. We saw turtle and was hopeful that the humpback whale will go up again but it didn’t. Caden waited for few minutes. We saw one turtle and yes dolphins great weather as well. What an awesome experience to remember to celebrate our 25th anniversary.

Great experience. Crew was fantastic

The crew was amazing and made our day so much fun

Great boat and crew. Snorkeling gear was good. Food and drinks great.

Loved the whole experience!! Not only was the excursion Awesome, but just talking to all the crew members was very informative and they were all so friendly!!!

They got everything you need. Great attitudes. Fun crew

The crew was absolutely awesome, so friendly, welcoming, and helpful throughout the entire experience. They made sure everyone was having a great time and helped make the trip even more enjoyable. We would absolutely recommend this excursion to anyone visiting!

The Captain and crew were fantastic. Had a great time on the boat and snorkeling, even took a detour to see dolphins. The amenities are first rate.

Very nice experience, clean bathrooms, spacious, hot water to rinse off. Friendly crew

Captain and boat crew were all amazing

These guys were awesome and made the tour fun too. Savanagh, Diego, Anna and Caden are the best. Highly recommend!

Husband and I (middle age) booked a “luxury” snorkeling tour aboard the Pride of Maui Elua in October. We paid for “VIP” seating, which was never mentioned by the staff, and which we forgot about, until afterwards. Don’t bother paying for VIP. It’s indoors on the main level, and anyone can sit there. Most people chose to sit outside where they could see the horizon and the ocean, and feel the breeze. Better for preventing seasickness. We took Bonnine before boarding, which we purchased at the nearby General Store. The crew also provided ginger chews, sea acupressure wrist bands, and soda. The crew (Kayden, Sienna, Diego, and Alexandra) worked to keep us comfortable and assist with getting on/off for snorkeling. Molokini was exceptionally clear water, but fish species seemed limited to the dark fish that surrounded the boat upon our arrival. We were not permitted to snorkel outside of the area directly behind the vessel, so soon we had seen it all. For entertainment , we were also permitted to jump from the back of the boat, too. Next we travelled to the sea area in front of the Grand Wailea Hotel, but the water was murky and the Turtle Town turtles were seen before any human entered the water, and long gone before snorkel masks were donned. Lunch came next, on our way back to the dock. It was grilled by Sienna and was delicious. I had cheeseburger and my husband had grilled chicken (he was unable to find any teriyaki). We were served cookies right before exit to land, along with a liberal dose of tip requests. If you want to swim with turtles and a wide array of fish and in a vast area, there’s better places. Honolua Bay, for example. We snorkeled there 5 days ago and swam with 4 turtles, which is 4 more than we swam with today. Understandably, this is no fault of the crew. The cruise was good; and the snorkeling was mediocre.

Molokini Crater snorkeling was incredible the clarity was awesome and the fish were amazing! We saw 2 sea turtles up close (10 ft) and had a great time at turtle town but the highlight was Molokin Crater. The vessel and crew were amazing. Sienna helped us spot the turtles and Savannah made us feel so welcomed. Diego did a fantastic job as the chef and all around guy and of course the captain was amazing. You will not regret taking this tour

Due to weather, we did not go to Molokini Crater. I know they can’t control the sea and how harsh the waters can be. They took us to a dead coral area and there were no fish. They did not discount the price. If we would have booked the coral garden the price would have been cheaper. Out of good faith they should have given us a little bit of a refund. Also, they were not very helpful for people first time snorkeling. They only gave and seemed to care for the snubs clients. The breakfast and lunch were good. Most of the staff was nice. I would recommend this excursion if the weather was good and you actually went to Molokini Crater. The ocean is so blue and beautiful.

Although Mother Nature decided it wasn’t our day to make it to the crater, we still had a great afternoon of snorkeling. The staff was excellent and attentive. We’d definitely try again to see the crater—hopefully Mother Nature will agree!

The weather kept us from actually getting to Molokini so our time was spent offshore, which is no fault of the Pride of Maui, but still disappointing. Also, Viator booking stated parking at $2, but was $18 ($3/hr).

Excellent excursion! Captain, co-Captain and crew are experts, helpful and make you feel comfortable and secure. Most, if not all details and comforts are taken care of by crew including ginger drinks to ward off any sea sickness to well-organized and timely distribution of equipment, meals, H2O, beverages and mini-lessons. (A suggestion for those who wear prescription glasses or have macular degeneration issues, would be to bring your own prescription snorkels. Crew has prescription snorkels available, but better to bring your own personalized prescription snorkels. ) Entire trip was amazing! Got to see a variety of beautiful fish AND green sea turtles!! Breakfast and lunch and dessert were all yummy. Open bar refreshments on return trip were a nice treat too!

Absolutely incredible tour. Justin, Savannah and the entire crew were extremely attentive and made our experience wonderful! We saw so many turtles and excellent marine life. The food was GREAT and the drinks were fantastic. I personally tend to get seasick but the size of this boat really helped and the crew had preventative measures on board such as ginger chews that made my experience that much more enjoyable.

Highly recommend the Pride of Maui snorkel tour! Fun for our whole family; super helpful staff, great equipment set up, yummy food, just a wonderful time!

Fab trip. We all really enjoyed it (57, 55 & 24 year olds)! The Pride of Maui team were great hosts, drinks and food were lovely. Drinks free flowing. They were very helpful with snorkelling and keeping people safe and informed. The snorkelling was good fun and we saw some amazing fish. We sadly didn’t get to do the turtle side of trip, due to hurricane impact and surf.

They say be there to check in at 7:30, which we did and waited in line for 20+ minutes before ever getting on boat. They weren’t ready for us. We didn’t leave out of the port until almost 8:30. Not sure if that is the norm but I think it affected our last stop where we should have seen turtles but had to leave because of the winds/waves and go to another spot. No turtles!! Choose the earliest boat you can…they saw lots of turtles! The workers were very friendly and helpful and the food was ok.

Stayed at the crater for 2 hours instead of going to turtle town or another place. Captain said, no one was going to turtle town. However, two different groups from our hotel went the same day. They did the least they could do. Terrible drinks. This is the worst snorkeling experience out of the 8 I have been on in the past.

It was as amazing! ♥️ Noah, one of the crew members, gifted me a truly magical snorkeling adventure. 🥰 It was absolutely Amazing! ♥️ He was extremely knowledgeable and so much fun! I highly recommend this beautiful cruise and the snorkeling! ✌️

This was a well organized tour. The crew members were so friendly and truly made this snorkeling tour so much fun. We loved their enthusiasm and could tell they were dedicated to making everyone happy. Highly recommend

We unfortunately ran into some weather so we were only about to snorkel for about an hour at Molokini and had to skip Turtletown altogether. However, this was a fantastic tour! The service was excellent - the staff made sure everyone was well equipped and well prepared for the snorkeling tour … if you’re inexperienced (like me), it still feels very safe and doable. On board, they made sure we were comfortable - there were a few people who got seasick and the staff looked after them and made them as comfortable as possible. They opened the bar early and did their best to keep us entertained with the bad weather. The equipment was in good shape and well taken care of. Overall, highly recommend and hope we can do it again in the future when the weather is better!

We booked this experience as a day trip from our cruise and had a terrific time. The crater was a great place to snorkel and see the fish and reef. Turtle town was the reason I chose this tour and I’m so glad we did as we swam with at least 8 different turtles. I would recommend the 7.30/8am tours as the weather was best early in the morning. We were fortunate to only have about 50 guests on our trip, so there was plenty of space for us all. Thank you for a fabulous day out!

Amazing staff, super friendly, and welcoming. I made my partner and I (as well as everybody else on the boat) feel right at home. They are very knowledgeable about what they’re doing and aim at safety first, while also ensuring we had the best time possible. Some people are getting seasick and they took amazing care of them as well. We were talking to a family on the boat who was telling us they come every year and make sure they book with the same boat. The crew and this family literally seemed like good friends, but they also treated everybody else like that. The snorkeling was an amazing time, beautiful water, beautiful sites. We saw a small shark and some turtles.

Nice clean boat. captain and his help were very helpful and fun. Lunch and drinks tasty. Was glad I took Dramamine! Not too many people on boat made it more pleasant too. Although I didn’t snorkel, I saw some fish and turtles from the boat. Highlight was seeing and learning about molokini.

Outstanding tour from start to finish. The boat is spacious and comfortable, the crew is professional and genuinely kind, and both snorkel stops were excellent. Molokini was crystal clear with great visibility, lots of fish, and that unique crater setting you can’t get anywhere else. Turtle Town delivered too — we saw Hawaiian green sea turtles in the water and from the boat. Breakfast, lunch, and the open bar were all solid. What really set this trip apart was how the crew treated my wife. She had motion issues on the way out, and they were immediately attentive and kind — no rush, no attitude, just real care. That made the whole day possible for her instead of miserable. We never felt like just another group on the boat. Easy check-in at Maʻalaea, good safety briefing, help with gear, and a crew that actually stays engaged the whole time. If you’re looking for a Molokini and Turtle Town snorkel, book Pride of Maui. We would do it again without hesitation.

We had a wonderful day on the Pride of Maui Elua snorkeling trip! We did a 5 hour adventure on the Elua luxury yacht and I would highly recommend to anyone looking for a small group snorkeling trip! This yacht is beatiful both inside and out! Very comfortable seating areas, very clean bathrooms! We were offered a lovely continental breakfast and a great bbq grill lunch! Crew was amazing! Very attentive to all of us and our specific needs. They offered plenty of preventative solutions for seasickness - greatly appreciated as it was a windy day so sea was quite choppy! Thanks for a lovely day!

Five of us took the ʻElua Luxury Molokini and Turtle Town Snorkel Tour on Tuesday, August 4, and it was a highlight of our Maui trip. From the moment we boarded, it was clear this crew runs a top-notch operation. Captain Justin was fantastic — knowledgeable, clearly passionate about the ocean and Maui, and great at balancing safety with fun. He explained everything we needed to know without ever making it feel like a lecture, and he kept the whole boat laughing and engaged throughout the day. Kirsty was an excellent lifeguard, keeping a close eye on everyone in the water while still making us feel relaxed and taken care of. Anna and Sam were terrific too — from helping us get fitted with gear to cooking up a delicious lunch onboard, they handled it all with warmth and efficiency. The food was a genuine highlight (four of us had the island fish, one had the cheeseburger, and everyone cleaned their plates!). Molokini was breathtaking — crystal clear water and incredible visibility — and Turtle Town did not disappoint, with several green sea turtles gliding right by us. The whole crew made sure everyone, regardless of snorkeling experience, felt comfortable and had a great time. If you're looking for a snorkel tour in Maui, book with Pride of Maui and ask for the ʻElua. Justin, Kirsty, Anna, and Sam made it a trip we'll be talking about for years. Highly recommend!

This was really well organized. They did a great job checking people in, giving instructions, getting everyone set and ready. You get the perfect amount of time at each location (of 2) that you snorkel at. They provide a basic hamburger/hot dog and chips lunch. It was extremely well organized. This will involve a lot of other passengers on board. It was extremely family friendly, so lots of kids. No one can promise what youll see so stop one had some fish. Stop two I saw 4 turtles, which is amazing, but there are a lot of people in the water also looking to see turtles, so keep the crowds in mind. As with most excursions, a tip is expected on top of the cost of the tickets.

Crew was extremely friendly and went out of the there way to make you feel safe out in the water. The snorkeling was amazing. The areas they took us out to were never too packed. The food and drinks that were provided on board were great too. Would definitely recommend.

Fabulous time. Staff were great and informative! Had an amazing time with our family. Beautiful sights