Seaquest in Kona

[txn_crzn]

I'm thinking about booking a zodiac snorkel tour through Seaquest b/c its about $40 cheaper than the Captain Zodiac through NCL. I've read some posts saying its about a 10 minute ride from the tender point. I'm just wondering how much it would cost for a taxi ride there. I'm wondering if the savings is worth it. If anyone knows, please let me know. THX

[Cruzin55]

We are booked with Seaquest on our trip because it was highly recommended in the Reveal book and because friends of ours told us Capt Zodiak was way too crowded in the water. I called them and there is a free shuttle to their location from the dock and if for some reason it is not there it is a very short taxi ride to them. The biggest problem is going to be making the first tender at 7 am in order to make it to them on time.

[txn_crzn]

I was just browsing the SeaQuest website and saw the instructions about catching the shuttle for the morning tour. I was considering doing the afternoon tour because I was concerned about not getting there in time for the 8am departure. Is there any way to guarantee we'd get on the 7am tender? I remember reading something about VIP tender tix or pax with NCL excursions getting to go first, but since its not NCL I'm afraid we wouldn't get there on time.

 

There's no shuttle for the afternoon tour so we'd have to take a taxi over there, which they say is about 20 minutes. So the cheaper afternoon tour might not be worth it with the transporation added to it.

[CC Help Michell]

I was just browsing the SeaQuest website and saw the instructions about catching the shuttle for the morning tour. I was considering doing the afternoon tour because I was concerned about not getting there in time for the 8am departure. Is there any way to guarantee we'd get on the 7am tender? I remember reading something about VIP tender tix or pax with NCL excursions getting to go first, but since its not NCL I'm afraid we wouldn't get there on time.

 

There's no shuttle for the afternoon tour so we'd have to take a taxi over there, which they say is about 20 minutes. So the cheaper afternoon tour might not be worth it with the transporation added to it.

 

 

Tendering can change from time to time, but at least on the POH in July it worked this way -- in the atrium lobby at 7 AM tender tickets were handed out, first come first served, to those who needed them (people in suites and those with booked shore excursions through the ship didn't need them). When we arrived about 6:45 AM there were about 30 people waiting -- all of us got tickets and were on the first tender, which left the ship at 7:15 AM. No shore excursion people were with us -- apparently they tendered on later ones. We had no trouble making our Fair Wind snorkel (leaves from the same harbor SeaQuest does, and requires check in by 8:30 -- we arrived about 7:45 AM).

 

I wouldn't recommend booking an afternoon snorkel excursion -- snorkeling, in general, is better in the morning. By the afternoon winds pick up and the water can become murkier -- not just in Hawaii, but every place I've ever snorkeled (the Keys, Caribbean, etc.). I know I have read reports here of afternoon snorkels where the destination was changed due to conditions. If the shuttle thing doesn't work out, we used a cab for our excursion -- it was $24.00 including tip each way.