TLDR: If you can do a private charter or something more personable then do it, otherwise this is arguably must-do, just expect a very touristy experience. Seeing the Napali Coast while you're on Kauai is a must-do, everyone will tell you that. The views are beautiful and worth it, but the company is providing the experience (which I'm reviewing here) and not necessarily responsible for the beautiful views. Some of the other reviews blame them for bad weather or people getting seasick. I think that's unfair as they don't have control over those things. The catamaran is nice and it wasn't packed. I honestly expected it to be much more packed than it was. Captain Larry was great, the crew got us there and back safely, and we were able to see spinner dolphins. Everything else however was fairly mediocre. Snorkeling couldn't have been more than 20 to 30 minutes max. Seemed very short and we saw some fish but the quality was lackluster. It was fine for what it was, but don't expect any real quality snorkeling time. What made the whole experience odd was the attitude of the crew. It was either one of two modes: very overly plasticky nice or weird standoffish and rude. I don't prefer either one; just talk to me like an adult. I can see where some tourists might find the plasticky niceties appealing though, to each their own, but sometimes it felt like crew members were singling out certain families to be nice towards. I asked one basic question politely to a crew member and she began talking down to me as if I were a child. She had a smug look on her face when the exchange was over as if she got off on it. I only hope this was her weird sense of humor or maybe she misunderstood the point of my question, but I would never talk to someone like that in a professional setting. I ignored it until later when I joked with my wife and she said she had a weird experience with a different crew member herself. We chalked it up to these experiences being assembly lines for tourists, get in, get loaded, get to sea, get back etc. I can only guess we didn't fit the mold for their usual clientele. If I ever want to see the Napali Coast again I'll find an alternate method. read more

Beautiful trip to see the Napali coastline. Staff and captain were spot on professional and served a fantastic onolicious grilled hamburger onboard the catamaran. Our hopes were to snorkel and visit some caves but the weather was not suitable for those activities. Instead we spotted some whales and dolphins. The cliffs were awesome, too. read more

We come to Kauai every few years and always book the Catamaran trip w/snorkeling and a BBQ lunch. As usual, this was the highlight of our family trip and some of our best memories were made. Last time they let my daughter do karaoke from the captain's deck singing Sweet Caroline. This time Logan and Bobby also made the trip super enjoyable with their great conversation and exceptional service. They're really genuine guys. Beautiful scenery, excellent BBQ chicken and burgers, good wine and beer, and a fun snorkeling adventure. We even got to jump off the side a few times. Such great fun! The wind blew my favorite ball cap right off my head, but a passenger in the back of the boat actually caught it before it was lost to the sea. That was a first according to the crew! Remember if you have a tendency to get seasick it can get rough out there, so take your meds or wear a patch. You'll be leaving your flip flops on the dock and likely getting wet on the trip so dress accordingly. These guys are the best outfit out there. Fun is their middle name. You won't regret it! read more

Capt Andy's - Me snorkeling while Bobby kept us safe. - Boat Tours Near Me - Ele'ele, Hawaii

Absolutely beautiful even on a cloudy day and the staff was fantastic. I got seasick on the way back but Candida and other staff were super attentive and kept checking on me. Not a bad view to be seasick to at least, and they packed up all of the food I couldn't eat to take home. It was still delicious at my hotel, kudos to Chef Dion! Highly, highly recommend if you are visiting Kauai, do not skip this tour! (Star Dinner Sunset Sail) read more

Had a great time on this sunset dinner cruise with my parents while they visited Kauai with me. Couldn't get enough good recommendations from friends that had been on the cruise before. Can't remember our captains name but the crew was very friendly and gives you a bit of history of the island as you go. The history of the island was very interesting and the scenery couldn't have been more beautiful. I recommend standing up the entire time, to prevent getting sea sickness. Also recommend a bathing suit and a waterproof phone case because if you stand/sit in the front you will get SOAKED. I enjoyed it but wish I had worn my bathing suit. Would definitely go again. read more

Hospitable and beautiful trip. Their crew of 3 took good care of us. Snorkeling was disappointing because the water was stirred up by wind, but we are new at it and got some tips and practice. Appreciated their safety tips & watching over us. Nice light breakfast pannacotta and sandwiches. read more

We choice the Captain Andy Star Sunset Cruise on the Napili Coast. We were lucky to have an amazing crew of Captain Dane, Chef Dion, Michelle and Jace. We had an awesome time, all had an amazing time. We had perfect weather on our way out to Napili. Our meal was delicious and beverages were plentiful and a nice variety. We were lucky to see Spinner Dolphins coming and going. Unfortunately, some rain came in an took away our sunset but we enjoyed a soggy, but fun karaoke ride home with our fellow passengers up on the bridge. Highly recommend Captain Andy's and our A Team crew. Mahalo crew! read more

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We went on a boat tour of the Na Pali Coast. It was amazing and so was the crew. Captain Larry drove the boat smoothly and safely and kept us entertained with facts about the coast. Cherry took pictures for us and helped us move through the boat safely. Greg served drinks immediately and took pictures of us too. Garrett prepared a delicious dinner and also took pictures. Everyone on the crew was kind, professional and helpful. I highly recommend this tour!! read more

The Na'pali Coast boat tour was absolutely amazing! Out captain and crew (Captain Barron, Caitlyn, D, and chef Taylor) truly made our experience on the Northern Star the highlight of our vacation. Our trip up the coast went faster than expected, and Captain Barron took the opportunity to go farther than the typical tour and we saw some extra stunning caves and waterfalls. While sailing, we saw multiple pods of spinner dolphins and a few flying fish. Snorkeling was an amazing way to wrap up the tour, and followed by Chef Taylor's delicious lunch and macadamia nut cookies. Caitlyn and D were so on top of it, working hard and making the day so enjoyable for everyone on board. D was so good with the kids on board and making sure they stayed safe while still having as much fun as possible. Beautiful and amazing experience! read more

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OMG!!! What an awesome day!!! The whole crew was amazing. I highly recommend. Great times! Absolutely blast. Making memories! . Captain Lynn. Jay, Donavon and Chef Mark thank you all so much for the best part of our trip! Great lunch and the Long boards were pretty good too! read more

Capt Andy's - Love my little boy. So much fun. Mommy son time. - Boat Tours Near Me - Ele'ele, Hawaii

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A couple of friends recommended this specific company to us when planning our trip to Kauai - we were told it was a must to do a boat or helicopter tour to see the Napali Coast. Definitely book your tour as soon as your dates are finalized - we booked a couple of weeks out and originally intended to do the barbecue lunch tour with snorkeling but it was full and the only option available was the sunset dinner cruise. Location is easy to find, staff are helpful, and everything is very straightforward. Despite rain in the forecast, we left as scheduled and it was a beautiful evening. The staff on the boat were professional and our guide (Captain Nate?) was friendly. I did expect more info about the island itself, but all said it was more like a tour you go on for the sights and drinks with a few minutes of actual info. This isn't really complaint, just wasn't quite what we were expecting so wanted to make that more clear to others. It was a fun way to spend the afternoon and get a few great photos. The meal was decent and the drinks were tasty, and staff were always willing to help get refills, take photos, etc. It is a pricey experience in general but Captain Andy's was competitively priced and had no issues. read more

My most favorite memory is hanging out with a sea turtle while snorkeling the Na Pali Coast, Kauai on Captain Andy's catamaran adventure. The crew was wonderful, the boat beautiful, the tunes spectacular, great food... Just heaven. The decider for us was having others recommend this company, it had two restrooms on board and lunch/beer/wine was included. Only con was no spray sunscreen on board. So, pre-game your sunscreen & bring a lotion for re-application after snorkeling. Pricy but well worth it! read more

Capt Andy's - Captain Andy's Snorkel Adventure, Na Pali Coast, Kauai - Boat Tours Near Me - Ele'ele, Hawaii

Capt. Andy's is Great!y family of 9 went on a day after Christmas sailing adventure today. Capt. Lynn was our skipper. She was wonderful. Scenery was great. Wildlife was visible and beautiful. The food was great, too. We saw turtles, whales & dolphins. Skipper Lynn put us in the perfect places! She was great! read more

MORE PERFECT THEN WE COULD HAVE IMAGINED! My wife and I did a two week trip in Hawaii for our honeymoon, went to all the big islands, and did a number of excursion/activities. This was one of our favorites, if not our favorite (they are all amazing in their own ways, so hard to compare). We were originally booked for another companies zodiac boat tour (think faster speed, wetter experience, more backaches the next days), but that got cancelled due to low party size. However, it ended up being a blessing in disguise. We knew of Capt Andy's and so we booked last minute with them for the Sunset Na Pali Dinner Sail and it was perfection. It's easy for a company to say that the Na Pali coast is the main attraction and to then half-@** everything else, but not Capt Andy's. The food, cooked by Chef Garrett, was out of this world and comparable to fine dining, and the crew was the friendliest and fun group. We laughed, made friends, had drinks, and overall just the best trip possible. Huge shoutout to the crew of Logan, Kevin, Jay, Captain Dane, Chef Garrett, and the others we didn't get to met. They made this sail the best it could have been. Plus they have phenomenal taste in music for the sail out and back. Thank you so much for making our honeymoon that much more memorable & special. read more

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This is a tough one but I feel good landing at this experience being a solid 3, even though it's controversial given the stellar reviews it gets from 90% of reviewers. I'll start by saying I just wasn't that impressed with the crew quite frankly. Outside of group demos, we had absolutely zero interaction with any of the crew on board. A bit strange as we could hear various crew members interacting with different groups here and there, checking in on them for anything they need, asking questions about where they're from. It was especially jarring as one member of our party was visibly seasick, but no one cared. I've been on a few different tours all over the world and it's the first time I experienced a friendly crew not be friendly with everyone. For that alone, I'd bump down the rating a star. The second star off comes from seeing their competitors in the ocean and just lamenting the amenities they had that we didn't. Another similar boat near us had a slide off the deck that looked epic and their guests were outfitted with poodle noodles, plus viewfinder boards. The latter was advertised as available, but I didn't see anyone given the option. That said, the snorkel they use is high quality and I had minimal issues with it which can't be said everywhere! I will say the snorkeling area these boats choose is really weak though. There were maybe 10 fish out near the boat looking for scraps. Expected to see a lot more snorkeling. I'm not docking a star for this because it's outside of the crew's control, but I would highly recommend people take Na Pali coast tours from the north side instead of the south. The boat journey from the south is BRUTAL. 5.5 hours of straight riding sounds fun until you're hitting super choppy waters. I'm a local of Oahu, grew up on the ocean, but even for me 5.5 hours was stretching it. The last hour was miserable and at least half the boat looked like it wanted to die. Again, not the crew's fault if conditions are bad, just a suggestion to anyone who might even slightly be worried about being sick on the water. The north's tours cut 2 hours off. Overall, given the reviews this place gets, I just expected more. The lack of interaction from the crew and seeing a competing company's boat nearby with more amenities sealed the deal that I wish I shopped around a bit more instead of buying into the hype. read more

What a great time with Captain Victoria and entertainer Devyn and the boss Maddie! These guys truly seem like they love their jobs and they made the experience very fun! Surprisingly good lunch with a nice spot to snorkel! Not to be a spoiler, but don't believe all of Devyn's stories! . Would recommend! read more

Capt Andy's - Boat Tours Near Me - Ele'ele, Hawaii

Large parking lot next to the building for convenience. Captain was very nice and the crew were eager to serve you! Beautiful spacious boat with a nice view along the coast. The food was better then expected and hit the spot. Definitely recommend taking a charter boat from this company as it won't disappoint! read more

Capt Andy's - On the boat - Boat Tours Near Me - Ele'ele, Hawaii

We went on a dinner cruise last night. Unfortunately, seas were a bit rough and many folks got seasick. Even though we didn't get I'll, seeing multiple folks around us sick was not fun. The crew and captain were excellent, the food good. When we disembarked, I heard a local say that she was surprised they did the cruise with the conditions the way they were. read more

We took a beautiful trip up the Na Pali Coast last Sunday, 10/27! The captain and crew were stellar!! We felt so appreciated by them and their service was impeccable. The food was ridiculously good. I had fairly low expectations being on a boat for dinner but it was fantastic! I would definitely go again. read more

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My friend and I booked a trip for but the weather was not cooperative. They were still going, but they were completely honest upfront about how the conditions would be. They gave us the option to either go or book it for another day or get a refund.. read more

10 on adventure, 10 on knowledge and 10 on customer service. Made you feel so at home on the boat. Capt. Larry and crew were amazing!! My family had a great time and felt safe! Will 100 percent recommend and will go again! Brady's 4/2024 read more

The zodiac raft adventure up the Na'Pali coast is a MUST on Kaui. Captain Allison and 1st mate, Keanu, are the best guides! From the booking to the arrival and tour, everything was straight forward and well executed. Please do not go their offices for the departure location, follow the directions in your confirmation email. I was a bit annoyed that this large group on the raft had half of their party hold us up because they didn't follow the directions. Fortunately, the crew was accommodating to their party and gave them a time cap to arrive before our departure. The raft isn't a kickback, enjoy at your leisure experience. Rather you are using your core and grip strength to hold on to the raft ropes for dear life. There are 3 "relief seats" at the back of the raft for those that are physically unable to safely hold on anymore. My observation of the people who used it were the older and out of shape individuals. Aa for the motion sickness aspect, I took 2 Target brand motion sickness pills and wore the pressure point bands and I was surprised I didn't get nauseous at all, which made the experience that much better. As for the tour itself, it was epic that we saw 4 pods of dolphins throughout the morning. The crew said that is rare because some days there are no sightings at all. The tour of the coast was epic there were waterfalls, sea caves and all of the majestic coastal features. Ultimately, if you are physically capable of doing this experience it needs to be on your must-do in Kauai! read more

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Definitely one of the most amazing trips I've been on. From beginning to end, it was a blast! Captain Mana and his Co-Captain made it even better by being the most gracious, professional, funny, and by the way-great at dancing and singing too! All of us didn't know each other at the beginning but at the end, we were ALL singing our hearts out towards the ride back home. It was THAT good. I live in Hawaii and I highly highly recommend this to anyone that visits Kauai. read more

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This boat tour was literally amazing, we had Captain Robert and Devin. The ride was literally amazing and we got to visit sea caves and waterfalls. We also got to see where lots of movies have been filmed. There was a spot to swim at and the water was warm. Then they gave us cold beverages, chips, granola bars, and fresh cut pineapple which was delicious. Overall this experience was great and I would recommend for thrill seekers! read more

Great boat, wonderful informative Captain and Donavon was great providing exceptially service. This was an expensive tour, dinner and sunset (about $250/person) so was expecting a really great dinner. My steak was like shoe leather ( they never asked how I wanted it cooked) and my husband's fish was also overcooked and dry. So disappointing!! read more

Our first time exploring the Na Pali coast and we had the best time. Took our kids ages 8, 11, and 14 and they too had a blast. We won't forget this adventure and the memories we made. Our captain Madi and skipper Devin made our trip seamless and really went above and beyond to make sure our kids were safe and comfortable. We see dolphins, a turtle, and amazing caves and waterfalls. Truly if you're looking for a special and fun adventure to do with the family, this is it! read more

Capt Andy's - Picnic and snorkel spot. - Boat Tours Near Me - Ele'ele, Hawaii

We were on the ride on Sunday April 13th. What a great time!! Our Captain was amazing, I can't spell her name correctly, however the crew Emily, Garret, Izzy and Jesse were great!! Our boat was the Northern Star....what a great, wonderful time!! Thanks to the crew!! read more

Our second time (over two years) on the Na Pali snorkeling and sailing tour, and each time has been terrific. It's such a well run, adventurous, and memorable experience! Captain Baron was knowledgeable and shared lots of interesting information about the island along the way. It was great seeing the pods of dolphins right by the catamaran, and we even saw a turtle this time while snorkeling. The rest of the crew was very friendly and helpful; even offering to take pictures to commemorate the beautiful sceneries. Big shout out to Chef Candida -- we especially loved her (and were lucky enough to be on the same tour each time with her)! She is the kindest and most friendly, outgoing person we've met on this island; she made the experience even more memorable by being so great and attentive with the kids. She's such a gem! read more

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captain Ted and Sawyer were absolutely awesome! They were fun and very informative! Ted has over 40 years of experience and was the best captain!! read more

Think twice before booking Sail and Snorkel with lunch? with Captain Andy's in October. Ask if weather,"Mother Nature" (MN) is permitting. We did not sail or snorkel. Captain Lynn put the pedal to the metal, slowed down once close to the dock, informing every one that MN wasn't permitting and there would be no snorkeling today and we jammed up the coast into the north swells until the catamaran suffered a "water pump gasket break"?. We could see shore. The crew worked so hard, all 3 members for 1+ hours, finally able to take off again. The crew is very knowledgable regarding Kauai historical facts. It would definitely qualify as an educational tour. Please ask if there will be snorkeling and/or sailing. These are professional boat people. They know before they take your hard-earned $$$ if the conditions are right for sailing or snorkeling. Many young children.....as well as adults, were sorely disappointed and sickened from the north swells and the catamaran exhaust We had sunshine and lots of wind, but no sails went up due to MN not cooperating . you know it is a lot easier to motor a boat than to put up and man the sails. The exhaust from the catamaran was literally nauseating. As one young mother stated when we gratefully exited the boat, "wow, that was the longest barf-bag trip we have ever been on." My husband responded "and we paid for it." We all had a good laugh Never Again. read more

Quite literally, this was the best day of my life. I cried happy tears in the middle of it. I think we paid around $400, my husband and I both agreed the experience was MORE THAN WORTH IT. Free drinks, free food, free beer and wine. The crew was amazing, so friendly and helpful, they took so many pictures of us, had conversations with us and not to mention....y'all. This view. To die for. Absolutely breathtaking. So so so worth it. Amazing amazing amazing I have told myself I will be doing this once a year for the rest of my life... Captain Skye was so funny and fun!! Okay, I'll stop here but SERIOUSLY SO FUN read more

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The sunset dinner cruise along the NaPali coast was an amazing experience. I recommend wearing comfortable outdoor wear and having layers including a wind breaker available to maximally enjoy the experience. read more

We sailed on the Star with Captain Andy's Sunset Dinner crew! Everything was perfection! Dinner was Miraculous in my book! Cooked to perfection and delicious by chef Garrett! This is a must do adventure for everyone! All of your senses will be happy! The sights were breathtaking and astounding! The smell of dinner cooking mixed with the fresh, lovely sea air. In the background, easy listening with an island vibe, people laughing and gasping in awe of the beautiful shoreline of the Napali Coast and sunset ~ To God be the glory! If you are able, book this relaxing and wonderful adventure! Well done Captain Clare and crew! Thank you! read more

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We did the Na Pali coast lunch tour. The scenery was mind blowing. They point out some different places where movies were filmed, which was cool. A pod of around 50 dolphins came up to our boat and were swimming right next to us. We sat at the front on the mesh soak zone part of the boat- it was a wild ride getting air from bouncing over the waves but so much fun. One star off bc I requested the vegetarian lunch and it was so soggy it was completely inedible. Overall an amazing experience. read more

Capt Andy's - Dolphin - Boat Tours Near Me - Ele'ele, Hawaii

Took a snorkeling trip with Captain Andy's. We stopped shortly after being served breakfast to do a quick snorkel where the water was murky and muffins were thrown into the water to attract fish. We did see one sea turtle that came up pretty close, but otherwise I was not impressed with the snorkeling part of this trip. Most of the trip was sailing along the coastline with some breathtaking views and cool waterfalls. The highlight of the trip for me was seeing several dozen dolphins, spinning, and jumping in the water. read more

We had a fabulous time on our Na Pali rafting cave expedition trip with Captain Maddie and her crewman Devon. It was literally a blast and a great time during the ride and during the stops. Very informative, great lunch, most fun we've had in Kauai yet! Don't miss it. Valerie S. read more

100% recommend this sunset dinner excursion! In fact we can't wait to bring the kids back and do it as a family. The staff, captain, and Chef Dion were all so amazing and this was the highlight of our trip. The scenery was absolutely breathtaking and we saw so many whales, and even some mountain goats chewing taro by the waterfalls! Food was great and we truly enjoyed every minute. Be sure to bring cash because you will want to tip generously! They truly go out of their way. read more

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Wow, no joke one of the top 10 days of my life. The 6 hour raft tour of the Na Pali Coast with sea caves, snorkeling, and lunch was truly breathtaking. My 7 year old had the most amazing time as well. Highly recommend and 100% worth the price. Captain Maddy and Mika were amazing guides as well! read more

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Awesome! We had Captain Baron, Jimmy, Jace, and unfortunately I forgot the other crew members name "musta been the sneaki tiki tai"s" Super knowledgeable crew, we saw whales, dolphins, flying fish. I noticed other reviews knock the crew for other people being seasick... that's kinda crazy, it's a boat on the ocean... if you get motion sickness do something about it. Not the crews fault. Anyway, well done guys and we will be back next year. read more

We took the Star Snorkel BBQ tour aboard Capt Andys Northern Star. What a wonderful experience! Knowledgeable, helpful crew. Great BBQ lunch (get the chicken and put Cole slaw atop....) Not a lot of fish in water when/where we snorkeled, but the adventure was in the journey! We saw a HUGE pod of spinner dolphins, great scenery, and heard some wonderful history of the places we were seeing. We were with a large group for my daughters wedding and they got us all on one boat. A lot in our group were 55+ and over (a few of us well over ) and the ship was clean, comfortable, and we felt very safe (great bathroom too!) They put up the sails mid-way and we quietly glided over the ocean...but, boy! when they opened her up on the way back! That girl can MOVE! Highly recommend sailing with Capt Andys! read more

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