FAQ

We suggest you wear swimsuit under a cover up, bring a towel, sunglasses, reef safe sunscreen lotion only (no aerosols please) and a camera. For the Manta trips we strongly advise you bring a towel or cover-up to use after your trip. Our boats do have a small dry box aboard for a personal bag. Please try to use a small bag so all guests have room to store their belongings.

Any tour that involves in water activity, our minimum age requirement is six years old. Five year old children may join as a “ride along”. A parent or guardian must remain on the vessel at all times with the child. Because of the nature of our vessels, we are unable to take children younger, as it is difficult for them to hold on to the seating. A “ride along” is a paid ticket, as it is a reserved seat on our our small passenger vessel.

IT’S THE LAW!!!

In order to protect our beautiful Reefs and their ecosystems, only “REEF SAFE” sunscreen is to be used in the State of Hawai’i. It is the law, so please be sure you are following the law.

For your convenience, we sell 3oz. tubes of reef safe sunscreen at check-in that meets Hawaii’s requirements. You may also find “REEF SAFE” sunscreen at nearly all drugstores, convenience and grocery stores on the island. We do not allow spray on sunscreen. Please choose a lotion sunscreen.

Don’t let the labels trick you though. Be sure to check out the ingredients list. ZINC AND MINERAL BASED SUNSCREENS RECOMMENDED. When purchasing sunscreen, please check that it does NOT contain these ingredients: oxybenzone, octinoxate, octisalate, avobenzone, octocrylene, homosalate, and nanoparticles. All Good and No Ad are great options.

While regular sunscreen is hard at work protecting your skin, it is also killing the coral and reef environment.

Most chemical sunscreens contain oxybenzone, which is believed to be the culprit. Oxybenzone damages the coral’s DNA, inhibiting its ability to reproduce. Found in over 3,500 sunscreens sold in the U.S., oxybenzone is the most common, harmful chemical linked to bleaching fragile coral reef populations worldwide. Its use by ocean swimmers and snorkelers contributes an estimated 14,000 tons of sunscreen into rivers and oceans each year. As little as one drop in the equivalent of six-and-a-half Olympic swimming pools can seriously harm coral reefs and marine ecosystems.

ABSOLUTELY! We love when guests come out to experience the different adventures we have to offer and we are happy to help you save money! When you book your first trip with us, either on-line or by phone, you will receive a coupon code in your confirmation email. That coupon code can be used on-line or over the phone towards your next trip. Easy peasy.

**Coupon code is intended to be applied to the same persons booking a second trip. Coupon code is non-transferable and may not be “gifted” to any other person. Further, the coupon generated is not a “credit” towards any additional items purchased. Please be advised that if you cancel the trip that generated the coupon or gift the coupon to another party, you will automatically be charged the full booking price. Coupon is valid for 10 days after initial booking made.

Definitely! We would be thrilled to accommodate your family, bachelor/bachelorettes, weddings, corporate events, retreats or any other type of gathering or special event.  With sufficient notice, we can help you plan an exciting adventure to meet your needs and expectations. Book your private charter on-line or give us a call at (808) 322-8000. We’ll make it happen!

If you have equipment that you are comfortable with, feel free to bring it if you like! The snorkel gear we keep onboard is excellent- silicone masks, dry snorkels with purge valves and fins in a wide array sizes. For your protection, we sanitize the equipment after each use. There is no discount for providing your own equipment.

Dolphin Discoveries does not provide full face masks. In fact, we strongly discourage the use of them. While there have been no official reports published, there have been many incidents involving buildup of carbon dioxide that can cause the snorkeler to lose consciousness. Full face mask are also difficult to remove quickly in the event the snorkeler is feeling distressed. We strongly recommend thoroughly researching full face masks and consider practicing with a traditional snorkel and mask set prior to your snorkel adventure.

Remember that you want your snorkel adventure to be fun. Safety always comes first!

Although we cannot offer snorkel lessons or assist snorkelers with snorkeling methods while in the water, our crew will happily give you snorkel tips and will assist you with adjusting your mask, fins and snorkel to insure you have a comfortable snorkel experience. We can also provide you with either a life jacket or pool noodle.

Snorkel Tips:

1. You don’t have to be an excellent swimmer, but you must be able to swim.
2. If you have never snorkeled before, no worries. Snorkeling is not difficult. We recommend that you pick up an inexpensive snorkel set at your local store and practice wearing the mask and breathing through the snorkel in the pool or bathtub.
3. Once in the water, practice breathing slowly and calmly.

These simple tips can help you and your family have the best time while visiting us here on the Big Island.

Please visit our detailed snorkel blog for much more detailed information on learning how to snorkel.

We do! We carry a variety of adult prescription masks for guests that are nearsighted (a negative prescription) that range from -2 to -7 We can certainly help you see objects in the distance more clearly.

We do not, however, carry farsighted masks (a positive prescription), as the majority of our trips involve snorkeling and viewing marine life at a distance.

If you wear contacts, it is safe to wear contacts under our non-prescription masks.

We have all prescription masks available during your check-in process. Just ask your crew! We are here to make your snorkeling experience as comfortable as possible.

*Please try to have an idea of your prescription strength so that we can outfit you quickly. Mahalo.

Our vessels are rigid hull inflatables (RHIBS). The majority of the seating is on an inflatable pontoon. Three of our vessels have two seats at the helm. Our newest vessel, Moana Lou, has both bench style seating and pontoon seating. However, we cannot guarantee which boat will be assigned to your tour. Because of the style boats that are in our fleet, we do not recommend our day tours for anyone with neck, back problems or for those who may be pregnant.

All of our boats offer shade. However we strongly suggest you bring along and apply beforehand a waterproof and reef safe sunscreen, or wearing a rash guard or paddle shirt. For some guests, a hat might be a good idea too. Just make sure it won’t blow off and end up in the ocean. If you take the proper precautions, you can easily avoid overexposure. Kona weather can be cloudy in the afternoon, so those who are very concerned will often choose our three-hour Captain Cook’s Afternoon Snorkel Adventure.

At the dock you will step in using the pontoon (pictures of our vessels are in our private charter and FAQ sections of our website). When you are ready to enter the water, you will sit on the pontoon and slide into the water off the side of the boat. You will exit the water using a strong, secure metal ladder that rests on the side of the pontoon.

There are no bathrooms on board. With that in mind, we suggest you plan ahead and use the facilities near our check-in location before you depart. Once onboard, your first opportunity to “get into the water” will be approximately 30-40 minutes into the trip.

Kealakekua and Honaunau Bays feature beautiful coral bottoms. The best snorkeling is normally found in 5-15 ft. of water. For the protection of the coral and its ecosystems no one is allowed to stand on or touch the coral or any living thing in, on or around the reefs of the Hawaiian Islands. If you would feel more comfortable wearing a snorkel vest or noodle for added flotation, just ask.

Snorkeling with the manta ray in Keauhou Bay is a night time adventure. The water can be between 35-40ft in depth. Our brightly lit boards allow us to see all the way to the coral bottom.

Please keep in mind that our adventures are wild and free. There is no guarantee when it comes to wild animals.

If you booked our Manta Ray Discovery Adventure, if for any reason we are unable to view Manta Ray on the day and time you have joined us, we will gladly offer you an opportunity go out a second time at no additional charge on a space available basis. So we recommend you plan your Manta Adventures early during your visit to Hawai’i so that if necessary we can reschedule your tour without running into conflicts with the rest of your itinerary. If for some reason we do not have space available or you are unable to reschedule, there are no refunds.

If you booked our Dolphin Discovery Adventure, there are no refunds or reschedules if you do not view dolphins during any trip.

The Kona Coast is blessed with the best weather, least rain, and calmest water in the state. The occasional gloomy sky can quickly turn sunny. For this reason our highly experienced Captains will assess ocean conditions 30 minutes prior to tour departure. No trip will be cancelled prior to 30 minutes before its scheduled time of departure. If the trip is cancelled due to unsafe ocean conditions, we will make every effort to reschedule your trip (subject to availability) for a later time during your stay on the island. If that is not possible, we will cheerfully refund your full purchase amount. We do run rain or shine.

Generally we have fewer problems with seasickness than regular boats and large catamarans because of the open air, fast-moving nature of our vessels. However, while our vessels will affect far fewer guests, there are still people who are strongly susceptible and will become seasick no matter what. If you decide to take an over-the-counter medication, we recommend taking the recommended dose the night before your trip and the morning of your trip. We do not offer refunds due to sea sickness.

We suggest at least a week ahead unless you will be here during one of the busiest seasons (summer, spring break, and the holidays). During these busy times, we often book up several weeks in advance. You are welcome to make your reservation as much as a year in advance. For large groups, advance reservations are strongly recommended regardless of your season of travel.

Since we do not overbook our vessels and we specialize in small groups, we enforce a strict 48 hour NO REFUND/NO RESCHEDULE policy. If you must cancel for any reason including but not limited to change of travel plans, personal or family health or “change of heart” no refunds or rescheduling is permitted.

If you cancel your reservation at least 48 hours prior to your trip, you will receive a full refund.

However, when you make your reservation on the checkout page we do provide “Trip-assurance” that covers cancelling for any of the above reasons within 48 hours of your scheduled trip time – refunds do not apply to “no-shows”, “no-call” and late arrival. We will provide you with a full refund minus the “Trip-assurance” charge. “Trip-assurance” may not be added after checkout.

For Private Charters, there is a 7 day cancelation policy. You will receive a full refund of the entire private booking amount if you cancel 7 or more days prior to your scheduled departure day (00:001HST of scheduled charter date).

If you booked through a third party agent, please contact your agent regarding any modifications to your reservation, as their policies may differ.

Note: We reserve the right to cancel for any reason including weather, ocean conditions, mechanical problems or safety of our guests or crew. If for any reason we must cancel on the date and time you have scheduled, we will gladly offer you an opportunity go out a second time at no additional charge on a space available basis or provide you with a full refund.

When booking with Dolphin Discoveries, you will receive an electronic waiver (“E-Waiver”) link which will be included in your confirmation email. We do need one E-Waiver for each person in your group, including minors.Minors can be “added” onto one parent’s or guardian’s E-Waiver. Your confirmation containing the E-Waiver link can be forwarded to other people in your group, if needed. The E-Waiver is easy to sign right from your phone or tablet.

We strongly encourage that you sign your waiver in advance of your scheduled trip so that we can get you checked in quickly and get you out on the water and having fun as soon as possible!
If you cannot locate the link to your E-Waiver, no need to worry. Simply click the link below and it will take you to the E-Waiver.

WAIVER

Our booking program is automatically scheduled to send your reminders of your upcoming trip, which will contain the E-Waiver link as well. If you already signed your E-Waivers, no need to sign them again. Mahalo nui for helping us make check-in a smooth process! We do not modify the language contained in our waivers.