1. WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN PRIVATE AND SHARED CHARTERS? A Shared Charter is an excursion where you will share the vessel with other passengers. A Private Charter is an excursion exclusively for you and those in your party.
2. ARE THERE ADDITIONAL FEES AND TAXES; WHEN WILL MY CREDIT CARD BE CHARGED? Good question! Yes there are. In Hawaii all sales and services are taxed at 4.167% General Excise Tax. There is also an 3% Harbor Fee, which is also taxable. Our reservation system provider charges a small fee for bookings. When you book online, you will have an opportunity to review the taxes and fees before paying. Our reservation system will charge your card when you complete the reservation transaction. If cancellation becomes necessary, your funds will be returned to your credit card by the reservation system manager according to the terms of our cancellation policy.
3. WHAT IS YOUR CANCELLATION POLICY? This policy applies to any cancellation of a private charter, or reduction in the number of passengers you booked on a shared charter. There is no refund for last minute bookings (within 48 hours of departure). If you cancel 2 weeks (14 days) prior to your trip date, there will be no charge. If you cancel between 8 and 13 days prior to your trip date, 50% of the charter price will be charged. Any cancellation 7 days or less before the scheduled charter, or if you do not present yourself on the day of the charter, will be charged 100% of your reserved space for that charter. Exception: If arriving by cruise ship and, within 48 hours due to sea conditions, there is a change of itinerary, or disembarkation is not allowed, after notifying us, a $100 administrative fee will be retained or charged to your credit card. We reserve the right to cancel a charter due to mechanical failure or unsafe weather conditions. When we cancel a trip, you will not be charged.
4. GUARANTEE? As the dolphins are free to choose where they go any time of day, there are no guarantees. However, some dolphins are curious and do interact with humans; based upon our experiences, there is a 98% chance of you seeing the dolphins from the boat and while snorkeling in a wild and free dolphin environment.
5. HOW LONG DO I GET TO SWIM WITH THE DOLPHINS? Dolphin encounters can last anywhere from a few minutes to a few hours. Remember, your life can change with a one second glance in the eye of a dolphin! The dolphin encounters are different every day. Some days the dolphins come very close to us, other days they cruise by underneath or beside us. Some days they are very active and engaging, other days they are more sedate. We just enjoy whatever is in store for us each day, and respect that the dolphins have free will and choice in any moment!
6. MUST I BE A GOOD SWIMMER? One must be able to swim to enjoy swimming with dolphins. Swimmers of any ability can have extraordinary encounters. Just let us know your ability and we will come prepared with flotation devices. We accommodate young children, Seniors, and some special needs. Please just let us know in advance if there are any health issues, fears, or special needs so that we may prepare in advance.
7. Time Of Day? We generally meet at 8:a.m. and depart around 8:15 am and return 4 hours later. Remember, this is your trip, so we shall work with you to prepare a schedule that best meets your needs. Bear in mind, that the dolphins tend to frequent the bays EARLY in the mornings, and as such, this is the best time of day to be with them.
8. WHAT DO I BRING? Wear a swimsuit under your outerwear/sarong. If you have your own snorkel gear, bring it! Please be sure to wash any sand off of your gear before bringing it to a boat. Bring hat, sunglasses, sunscreen lotion, and towel.
9. HOW MUCH WARMTH IS NEEDED IN THE WATER? The water temperature here is warm all year round. Consider bringing or hiring a wetsuit or scratch-guard (rented and sold in dive stores) in December or January, although this is not essential. We also rent wetsuits for $15 (plus tax) per person. Please give us 24 hours notice, and provide us your weight, height and name.
10. AGE/HEALTH CHALLENGES/LEVEL OF FITNESS? We can accommodate young children through senior citizens. IF you have children in your party, please let us know in advance. Pregnant women are very welcome, too! Some people suffering from severe illnesses (e.g. cancer) have reported experiencing the healing qualities of the dolphins. One must assess one's own level of fitness and ability prior to entering an open ocean environment. We will move at your pace! Please keep in mind that we have one swim guide for 6 people in the water.
11. SEASICKNESS? If you are feeling concerned about the possibility of experiencing motion sickness, please feel free to take over-the-counter motion sickness medications prior to coming to the vessel. Remember that many of the over the counter drugs require a one-hour lead time before the boat departs. You may wish to consult with your physician or homeopathic practitioner about alternatives.
12. WHAT IF I HAVE A GROUP OF MORE THAN 6 PEOPLE? We charter boats that can accommodate up to 6, 18, or 25 guests. We reserve the right to select vessels as appropriate to your group size and to make changes to vessel assignments based on vessel availability. For groups larger than 6, please call well in advance. Also, if you cancel one or more numbers of your group, you may be required to pay for their spaces unless we have sufficient notice to make a change in vessels to accommodate a smaller group.
2. ARE THERE ADDITIONAL FEES AND TAXES; WHEN WILL MY CREDIT CARD BE CHARGED? Good question! Yes there are. In Hawaii all sales and services are taxed at 4.167% General Excise Tax. There is also an 3% Harbor Fee, which is also taxable. Our reservation system provider charges a small fee for bookings. When you book online, you will have an opportunity to review the taxes and fees before paying. Our reservation system will charge your card when you complete the reservation transaction. If cancellation becomes necessary, your funds will be returned to your credit card by the reservation system manager according to the terms of our cancellation policy.
3. WHAT IS YOUR CANCELLATION POLICY? This policy applies to any cancellation of a private charter, or reduction in the number of passengers you booked on a shared charter. There is no refund for last minute bookings (within 48 hours of departure). If you cancel 2 weeks (14 days) prior to your trip date, there will be no charge. If you cancel between 8 and 13 days prior to your trip date, 50% of the charter price will be charged. Any cancellation 7 days or less before the scheduled charter, or if you do not present yourself on the day of the charter, will be charged 100% of your reserved space for that charter. Exception: If arriving by cruise ship and, within 48 hours due to sea conditions, there is a change of itinerary, or disembarkation is not allowed, after notifying us, a $100 administrative fee will be retained or charged to your credit card. We reserve the right to cancel a charter due to mechanical failure or unsafe weather conditions. When we cancel a trip, you will not be charged.
4. GUARANTEE? As the dolphins are free to choose where they go any time of day, there are no guarantees. However, some dolphins are curious and do interact with humans; based upon our experiences, there is a 98% chance of you seeing the dolphins from the boat and while snorkeling in a wild and free dolphin environment.
5. HOW LONG DO I GET TO SWIM WITH THE DOLPHINS? Dolphin encounters can last anywhere from a few minutes to a few hours. Remember, your life can change with a one second glance in the eye of a dolphin! The dolphin encounters are different every day. Some days the dolphins come very close to us, other days they cruise by underneath or beside us. Some days they are very active and engaging, other days they are more sedate. We just enjoy whatever is in store for us each day, and respect that the dolphins have free will and choice in any moment!
6. MUST I BE A GOOD SWIMMER? One must be able to swim to enjoy swimming with dolphins. Swimmers of any ability can have extraordinary encounters. Just let us know your ability and we will come prepared with flotation devices. We accommodate young children, Seniors, and some special needs. Please just let us know in advance if there are any health issues, fears, or special needs so that we may prepare in advance.
7. Time Of Day? We generally meet at 8:a.m. and depart around 8:15 am and return 4 hours later. Remember, this is your trip, so we shall work with you to prepare a schedule that best meets your needs. Bear in mind, that the dolphins tend to frequent the bays EARLY in the mornings, and as such, this is the best time of day to be with them.
8. WHAT DO I BRING? Wear a swimsuit under your outerwear/sarong. If you have your own snorkel gear, bring it! Please be sure to wash any sand off of your gear before bringing it to a boat. Bring hat, sunglasses, sunscreen lotion, and towel.
9. HOW MUCH WARMTH IS NEEDED IN THE WATER? The water temperature here is warm all year round. Consider bringing or hiring a wetsuit or scratch-guard (rented and sold in dive stores) in December or January, although this is not essential. We also rent wetsuits for $15 (plus tax) per person. Please give us 24 hours notice, and provide us your weight, height and name.
10. AGE/HEALTH CHALLENGES/LEVEL OF FITNESS? We can accommodate young children through senior citizens. IF you have children in your party, please let us know in advance. Pregnant women are very welcome, too! Some people suffering from severe illnesses (e.g. cancer) have reported experiencing the healing qualities of the dolphins. One must assess one's own level of fitness and ability prior to entering an open ocean environment. We will move at your pace! Please keep in mind that we have one swim guide for 6 people in the water.
11. SEASICKNESS? If you are feeling concerned about the possibility of experiencing motion sickness, please feel free to take over-the-counter motion sickness medications prior to coming to the vessel. Remember that many of the over the counter drugs require a one-hour lead time before the boat departs. You may wish to consult with your physician or homeopathic practitioner about alternatives.
12. WHAT IF I HAVE A GROUP OF MORE THAN 6 PEOPLE? We charter boats that can accommodate up to 6, 18, or 25 guests. We reserve the right to select vessels as appropriate to your group size and to make changes to vessel assignments based on vessel availability. For groups larger than 6, please call well in advance. Also, if you cancel one or more numbers of your group, you may be required to pay for their spaces unless we have sufficient notice to make a change in vessels to accommodate a smaller group.
