Sea Hawaii Rafting

This company has changed their name — and their service is now horrendous. They now go by ‘Aloha Ocean Excursions’, this is the review I just left on that page:
See Ashley G.‘S review — no one ever showed up for the appointment. Waited nearly an hour.
Was lead astray by the positive reviews under their previous name — sea hawaii rafting.
After booking online and then realizing there were no specific directions — I called to confirm the day before, and got directions to the specific meeting place texted to me. The day of, no one shows up, or answers the phone. I left voice mail after about 30 minutes, and finally gave up after an hour.
I never heard anything back — and will have to call the credit card company to reverse the payment.
Save yourself — go anywhere else.

This was an A+ experience. My wife and I are pretty rough critics and it takes a lot to bother to put trigger a Unilocal review but Kris was amazing and his crew top notch. You don’t have to know how to swim or snorkel; Kris will set you at ease. You’re unlikely to meet a more laid back and cool guy or crew. They know exactly what they’re doing. There were a ton a boats out the night we were out and yet they thoughtfully positioned the place and time we got in and as a consequence we likely had the best show of all doubtlessly due to the fact this crew know exactly what they’re doing. It’s a very worthwhile experience too. You don’t have to be in good shape or especially comfortable in the water. You only live once– This is a small price to pay for a great experience!

It has been six months since my new bride and I enjoyed our Sea Hawaii rafting tour. Today, when a co-​worker asked for «things to do in Hawaii», I immediately thought of our raft trip. Every time Kris saw something interesting, he would either stop or point to it. Dolphins, Manta Rays, Flying Fish, Whales… etc. Plenty of food and drinks too. You can’t go wrong sailing off with this organization.

Kris and Susan are the best tour guides ever! Very patient with our little girls. My daughter was wearing a life vest but she was still scared in the water so Susan jumped in the water with her clothes on and her sunglasses still on her head just so she would have a good water experience. Kris made sure everyone was comfortable and made little crafts for our daughters to take home.
Susan made us great vegetarian wraps and the pineapple was very sweet. We did the morning snorkeling tour to see the fishes and the manta ray tour at night. They were both wonderful! Whenever I go back to the island I will definitely choose to go back with sea hawaii rafting!

This is the little boat that could !
A amazing adventure, super nice guys,
Felt so safe the whole time, great with kids
Loved the small touch of robes and hot chocolate when we got out
Would go out with them in a heart beat
Don’t let the small boat fool you
These guys are amazing

I actually went on three trips with Sea Hawaii Rafting during my time on The Big Island! I went on two daytime snorkeling trips and one evening manta trip.
All three were wonderful, memorable experiences. We saw a humpback whale, tons of spinner dolphins and were taken to a great reef in the bay for general snorkeling. The mantas were incredible, too, and the crew even had warm robes for us once we were back on the boat as the water gets a little chilly at night!
I’ve been on a lot of excursions and what I like about this team is they are not in a hurry. I never felt like I was on their timeline or that I had to be mindful of how long I was snorkeling. They really tailor the trips to what the group wants to do and make sure everyone has a great time!
Kris, Su and Super Dave are amazing — all knowledgeable, accommodating and enthusiastic. PLUS, Kris is a wealth of knowledge regarding the island, Hawaiian culture, local history, folklore, wildlife and even geology. There were people of all ages on my trips and as far as I could tell, a great time was had by all!
My only regret is that I left my camera on the mainland! ;)

Swimming with the Manta Ray’s was the crown jewel on our vacation, which included getting within 3 feet of flowing lava, cliff jumping at South Point, snorkeling, and many other activities.
Kris and Super Dave were great, and the trip was a ton of fun. I would definitely do it again and recommend them to anyone wanting to get up close and personal with the majestic creatures.
The night we went out we saw about 20 different rays, from the moment we got into the water, for at least a full hour they were looping under us over and over.
They only do one trip a night, unlike some of the other companies, and it was nice to be able to take our time. The boat, wetsuits, snorkel gear, robes, snacks and hot chocolate were all good.
My wife thought she would be sick on the zodiac, but had no problems like she has in the past on larger boats.

We have taken many snorkeling tours in the past, usually with bigger outfits like Fairwinds and others. While we enjoyed the larger catamaran experience on our last trip to the Big Island a few years ago we came across Sea Hawaii Rafting. Sounded fun to go in a raft with fewer people as a change of pace. We had a great time then.
Flash forward to yesterday, where we went out again with our group of 9 (2 families), It was awesome! Let me say that Kris is the coolest, most laid back guy ever. He is flexibile so every trip can be a bit different. First, everyone in the harbor knows Kris. The guys on the paddle boards tell him what they’ve seen in terms of dolphin sightings, etc. On the way out Kris got real close to several lava tubes and explained how they were formed. He also shared a lot of history of Hawaii with how the Hawaiian Royalty had slides built that allowed them to go down from the hills all the way to the water, discussed lava formation, etc. Very cool.
Then he spotted a pod of dolphin. The kids were in heaven as we got out in the water and snorkled, seeing them up close. We were very cautious to be respectful of their space and just watched in amazement as they played. The kids were ecstatic. Then we went to Kealakekua Bay for unbelievable snorkeling. We say many different types of fish as well as an octopus. The water was so clear — riding in the boat it was so blue it almost looked purple. Susan, our other guide on the raft (very cool as well) then set out assorted turkey, roast beef and veggie wraps, chips and fresh pineapple, oranges and apple wedges. They had water and other beverages, including juice and beer for those inclined (as we did on the way back).
Kris is friends with the other operators as well, so he pulled up close to the Fair Winds and they let us go on their catamaran to go down the slide and do some cannonballs off the high dive. Very cool and everyone loved this. After more snorkeling we headed back. About half way there we saw dolphin pods evereywhere! Pretty much surround our raft. They were swimming right next to us, doing spins out of the water, etc. They were so close we could literally tough them (of course we didn’t). The kids were just wowed. We checked out more caves and lava tubes on the way back.
Before we left Kris gave us many tips, including sights to see when we head over to the Volcano later this week, connections to get 100% Kona coffee mailed directly back to the mainland, where to get fresh fish, etc.
Can’t say enough about Sea Hawaii Rafters and Kris and Susan. We loved it so much that we booked the manta ray snorkel next week. The other couple that was on the boat had already done the manta ray dive and they said it was surreal, with 12 – 15 manta rays doing barrel rolls literally inches from them. Can’t wait — heard that is a bucket list experience.

This was my second time using this company for their Manta Ray tour and both times were amazing! They are a smaller company which is great because you get a more personalized experience!
We had called day to see if they had any openings and I spoke with Kris who wasn’t originally planning on going out on the water but he decided to take us out for a trip. There were a total of eight of us on Kris’s ship and we started off by meeting at the dock where were fitted into wet suites and fine and were then loaded onto their boat. During the ride to the Manta Ray site, Kris explained the history of the infrastructure that we rode past as well as interesting facts about the marine life.
Once arriving at the Manta Ray site, our smaller boat was able to dock with one of the larger boat (preserving the marine life below by not anchoring). Also, I must say Kris is quite popular and well respected among the other tour groups. One of Kris’s guides, Crazy Dave, escorted our small party through the larger crowds. We were worried at first because, unlike most days, the other tour groups in the area had yet to see any Manta Rays in that area. Dave pulled everyone pulled us to an area away from the larger crowd where he expected the Manta Rays to be and sure enough, he was spot on. He tugg-​boated our small group about 20 or so yards away from the 100s of other people in the water where we were greeted by 8 – 10 Manta Rays swimming feet and in many instances, inches below us! And the Manta Rays stayed in that area for 10 – 20 minutes swimming below us. It was an amazing experience and is definitely a highlight of our trip that we’ll never forget. After the Manta Rays moved on, we made our way back to the boat.
In the boat, Kris was busy preparing hot chocolate and apple cider accompanied by biscottis, chips, cookies and other treats! Along with the treats, Kris and his crew provide the entire tour group with clean bath robes! I can’t explain to you how important and necessary a bath robe is after you’ve been sitting in the cold water for 30 — 50 minutes especially when you still have a ride back to the dock! From my previous experience, I remember my family and I sitting on the boat in our bath robes, laughing and drinking warm drinks, and looking across the water where I witnessed numerous people hovering together, shivering, and unable to move because of the amount of people on their boat! I can’t explain to you how nice it is to be in a warm bath robe after being in the ocean!
Finally, after we had arrived back at our hotel, I noticed my long sleeve REI shirt was missing. I called Kris on his cell phone, which he had provided me earlier, and he offered to personally ship my shirt back to Colorado free of charge! I ended up driving back early in the morning to pick up my shirt but just the fact that he offered to correct my mistake free of charge demonstrates the kind of character that Kris and his company posses. I’d highly recommend this trip if you’re in Hawaii! You won’t be disappointed!

These guys were amazing!!! Kris, Sue and Isaac were the bomb!!!
We reserved the snorkeling and rafting tour through Roberts Hawaii and they handed it to these guys…
HIGHLIGHT OF THE TRIP WAS SWIMMING WITH WILD DOLPHINS… This was not part of the tour but we were going through a section where there were dolphins ask around and people swimming and snorkeling. So I asked Kris if I could swim and he AGREED… best snorkel ever!
Also they were very informative, jovial and lively… Very spontaneous throughout the tour… They provided snacks, drinks and fresh fruits after the snorkel trip… yummy!!!
Definitely book through them

Wonderful, Amazing trip! Would highly recommend it to others! Memories made today will last a lifetime!

My husband and I booked a dolphin zodiac excursion with Sea Hawaii Rafting– we had come to Kona with the sole purpose of seeing marine life.
We arrived at the dock, there is not boat to be found, no sign, no tours going out. We call the company, and we are told that someone from the office shoud have let us know that the tour guide was busy with some canoe raches. Fine, we had wasted time going to the dock, gotten up early, but great– we’ll go out the next day. We arrive bright and early, super excited to go out– again no one there, no sign, no boat, nothing. We call the office number, as well as a cell phone number that they had called from previously. No answer, we left messages, waited for over an hour for him to show up. They never called, never refunded, and we never heard from them again.
Thanks for ruining this once in a lifetime experience, and wasting our time in Hawaii.

We bought a gift certificate off of somebody, so it wasn’t quite as expensive (about 40 percent off the regular price). It was good for a manta ray snorkeling trip for 2, expires in March.
Before I even got to the island, I set up a snorkel trip for the day after we got here. We were told to go to the harbor and wait for them at 5pm. We got there a little early, at 4:30, just so we wouldn’t miss them. Around 5, we started hanging around the boat launch, and nobody showed up. Finally, after 6, I called them and nobody answered. I got a call back a few minutes later from Kris, who said he was sorry he forgot to call me and let me know they were cancelling the trip due to weather. I just planned my entire day around this trip, and was blown off like I didn’t matter… maybe because I just had a gift certificate?
Okay, I tried to be understanding and just asked that he call me when they go out next.
No call for the entire week. I called every day and left a message asking if they could let me know if they were going out. No answers, no call back. Finally, today, with two days left in my trip, I call and get Kris on the other line. He says no, they aren’t going tonight because they don’t have any «paying» customers and I don’t count because I only have a gift certificate, and they probably won’t be going while I’m here, but «they’ll see what they can do.»
I’m sorry, but this is the sorriest excuse for customer service I have ever encountered. I will never, EVER go through these guys again — and because we have a house on the island, we will be here a lot. I will not only not recommend this company, I will tell everybody how poorly I was treated and I will recommend to go with anyone but them.

We booked directly with them during our cruise and took the Kealakekua Bay Adventure Tour. We had a really terrific time. The snorkeling in this location was really the best we’ve ever seen (compared to St. John, Antigua, Key West, and near Honolulu). On our way there, we toured some lava tubes. The timing was such that we got to the bay when other tours were leaving. So, we had plenty of space without bumping into other people. Great variety of fish and reef formations. Kris and Chad were really funny guys and great guides. Plus, we saw several large pods of dolphins on our way back.
A great bonus was they also gave us great recommendations of where to grab good local food and great Kona coffee. Would not hesitate to use them again.

did a snorkeling tour with them, from about 9a-​2p or so. very friendly and funny guides. saw colorful fish and jumping dolphins.

I was on a cruise, and did a shore excursion with these guys to do some snorkeling. It was supposed to be a 4 hour snorkeling trip, but since they didn’t have an afternoon appointment, they gave us an extra hour. Plus, they took us out to a further [and better] spot than we were supposed to go. We got to see dolphins, and even snorkeled with a sea turtle.
Kris and Chad were awesome guys. Very funny and very nice guys. They also had complimentary snacks and drinks as well, which was a nice suprise since the other excursions didn’t have those included.
I only wish I had booked direct through them to save me $ 20 a person versus booking through the 3^rd party vendor. Would highly recommend these guys!

*edit*
I guess Kris was away on the mainland for a few weeks so he couldn’t take care of our billing issue. After my bf emailed him yesterday, he responded saying he was sorry it took so long, but he dealt with it yesterday and a refund of $ 25 will be applied to his cc.
Hopefully this takes care of that problem! Will come back to edit my review with more details of the snorkel tour later.
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I took a manta ray snorkeling tour with Sea Hawaii Rafting in early September. We called them in August to book it, and Kris took down our phone number and credit card. I saw that there was a $ 20 a person discount if you book online, and mentioned that on the phone. Kris said no problem, it’ll be $ 60 a person plus applicable Hawaii taxes.
Fast forward to a week after we went on the tour. Our credit card got charged $ 75 a person. Is Kris really saying that Hawaii taxes are 25%?? Because last time I checked, it was less than 5%.
My boyfriend called them about this discrepancy, and they have been less than helpful (most of the time not even returning his call). The first time he called he left a message, and they called him back. He explained the issue, and they assured him it would be corrected. A week and a half later, nothing. So he called again. No answer — left a message. No return call. He called again, no answer. I think it was another week before they finally decided to deem him worth of a return call. He explained that he had not received the credit yet, and they said they’ll take care of it. So now, two CSR’s had promised to refund the difference, and still (another week later) that has yet to show up on the account.
I guess just be aware of how much they charge you. I don’t like it when people promise one price and then later charge you another. It’s an underhanded way of making a few more bucks — if they didn’t advertise the discount and didn’t agree to the discounted price in the first place, I wouldn’t be upset with this company right now. But as it is, I feel like they tricked us, and ripped us off.
The tour was fine — super Dave was funny, and they provided everything we needed to see the manta rays. It was a great experience, and I don’t regret doing it. What I regret is choosing this company because of their competitive price, since it seems like they advertise one price and charge you a different one.
The worst part is, they never gave us a receipt, so we can’t even contest it through the credit card.

Wow. What a fun time. I did the Kohala Coast Waterfall tour and what an advenuture. Captain Kris and his crew were great, educating us on the local folklore and also the beautiful sites we were exploring on our tour. I was afraid at first to go on the boat, because I’ve been known to get seasick, but the ride was calming and relaxed, yet extremely adventureous. We didn’t see any dolphins on this trip, but our next visit to Hawaii will definitely include his Dolphin encounter and snorkeling adventure. Can’t wait.