Bit of a laugh for us but also concerning outcome. Long story but read on. We lined up for our turtle tour and a friendly man yelled out to us through the dock gate asking if we were on maxs boat tour. Not knowing the name or where we were going I responded "im not sure of the name but we have a turtle tour booked" he said "at 2pm?" i said yep and he responded with you are with us come on through. As anyone would asume we thought we were in the right place. I filled out the paper work with my name and we jumped on the boat. When we were first on the boat, the captain asked what name we booked under. I said Joel eddy and she ticked our name off the booking list (Apparently there was no Joel eddy but we would still be somehow blamed for this later even though she said yep) friendly staff so far all was going well. We went out to sea and jumped in with the turtles. All of a sudden we were called back into the boat. They informed us we were on the wrong boat. We are pretty laid back people so we thought it was funny that there was a mix up. They did not. The guy working there was nice and apologised and said he should have checked more. That was fine. Mistakes happen. The captain was not nice about it. At all. She got incredibly angry at us and told us to swim to the other boat. Which I was going to happily do even though we were out in the ocean. At this point i still thought it was just a funny mix up. we had our belongings with us on the boat (phone, wallets, clothes) so I asked if I could just leave my stuff on her boat and get it back at shore Later. Apparently an unreasonable request. She got increasingly mad and told us to swim across to the other boat and she started packing our things into a plastic garbage bag. After telling her we didn't want to swim across the ocean with our valuables in a garbage bag we started to argue a little bit. I asked to be taken to shore and she refused. She continued to get mad at us and blame us for all of this (Even though she ticked off a different name on the booking list) At one point she said " i will rip up your ticket and throw you over board. Nobody knows you are here" Funny story to tell others but one of the wildest threats I have ever received haha. Especially when we are off shore in a little boat. I wouldn't even write this review if it wasn't for that. Let me repeat that "I will throw you over board, nobody knows you are here" Wild stuff. Eventually we all calmed down and got along for the rest of the trip after being told we were able to stay. Although we never got back in the water as we felt incredibly uncomfortable. However she continued to blame us. We even apologised and said just blame us to your boss, we will never see him as she was worried about loosing her job. Not once did she apologise. Even when we got back to the pier we apologised for the mix up and they said nothing. As I said we are laid back people and if they had have just apologised at the end of the trip I wouldn't even write a bad review. Even with a wild threat of being thrown overboard. She kept saying this is the only time this has happened in 8 years so it was our fault. Next time I will check the name of the tour better and hopefully next time maxs tours has a checklist of the names of people who have booked. And if there is a mistake, perhaps don't threaten people to abandon them off shore. If this is how she responds to the first mistake in 8 years, I would hate to be stuck out at sea with her in an emergency. Perhaps steer clear of this little boat when booking. read more

We had an amazing time on the Turtle Adventure with Capt Max's team! I cannot express enough how worthwhile it was taking a small boat out for our family. There were only 5 passagers which made for a true hands on experience for all of us, as it was our 1st time snorkeling. Even my 16 year old loved it, and she is super hard to please...LOL! Hands down, absolutely the best part of our Hawaii trip! They were super easy to book online, and the boat crew was great at their jobs, and tons of fun. Thanks Alex for pointed out the different fish also! There were fish and turtles everywhere we snorkled. We also got to see our first pufferfish in the wild, which was amazing. They promised turtles and we literally started seeing them almost as soon as we left the harbor. Oh, and the views were amazing also. We also appreciated the speed of the boat as it gets you to Turtles quicker, so you have more water time, compared to the big boats. We will book again on our next trip to the islands. We Highly recommend! (Note: 100% lesson learned - bring an underwater camera or just book it in your package. We did not and only had our cellphones...ugh! We missed alot of amazing photos underwater.) read more

My husband and I took the semi-private late afternoon Turtle Canyon Snorkeling tour with Captain Max Boat Tours. The boat was expertly captained by Lorin with the in-water assistance of snorkeling guide Kyla. It was a wonderful, special experience as this tour keeps to a small group of 6 and we pretty much were the only snorkelers once we arrived at Turtle Canyon other than a sunset boat cruise in which very few of the folks even went into the water. With Kyla's lead we enjoyed the underwater company of lots of fish and two sea turtles whose shells were being groomed by the fish. The turtles would periodically go up to the surface for air, so we could pop our heads out of the water and see their heads. Captain Lorin and Kyla were great, they made sure we knew what to expect and got us quickly outfitted with equipment including flotation devices if desired, and made sure everyone was comfortable with getting in the water and using the equipment so we could fully enjoy our experience! Highly recommend this tour! read more

We came to Waikiki, Honolulu as kind of a last minute trip after my military training. It is a really great place, but when I saw that we could snorkel with Turtles I was blown away. I booked it with my wife for the earliest time possible. She has snorkeled before, but I have never even swam in the Ocean before. At first it was pretty daunting. But the staff were great, Savannah made it feel really safe and swam around with us and pointed out fish/turtles for us, even kindly snapping some photos of the two of us near them. The pictures really just do not give these incredible creatures justice. Savannah and crew kept our trip nice and calm and let us explore as well! The boat is intimate, making it feel like a private tour without feeling overcrowded. Having only a few people at a time also helps keep the boat tour personal and makes you feel safe. My wife and I both really enjoyed this activity and it definitely made this trip for us! read more

Book this company and this tour with a turtle siting guarantee, you will not be disappointed. Skip the big boat of 20 people and go on a semi private adventure where the Staff genuinely care for each of their 6 passengers. We saw 7+ turtles and tons of fish swimming below us, beside us, next to us. The captain and Alex the snorkle guide, were so incredible. Neither my husband and I have much snorkle.experienxe and they took the time to really help us with equipment and getting comfortable in the water. The other couple we had on our tour were experienced snorkelers and they as well were treated individually based on their experience. and allowed to dive and have freedom based on their knowledge I can not recommend highly enough, 10 out of 10 in every aspect. The boat ride was 15 out to where the turtle action was the snorkling time in water was 45min, which was great amount of time and then back to shore. read more

ABSOLUTELY RECCOMMEND THIS AMAZING EXPERIENCE. I had an absolutely wonderful time with captain Max and his crew. They were some of the kindest, laid back, professional, knowledgeable, friendliest people I've met on the island. Right away they make you feel so welcomed, safe, and like you're all friends and family, and even provided us with delicious food :). I feel so lucky to have met them, and for the breathtaking experience they provided, and how it enabled me to witness the beauty of Oahu in such a unique way. These are such kind, hardworking, honest poeple, and everyone who visits the island should definitely consider supporting their amazing business. We were able to see sea turtles and even manta Rays! If you're looking to have a fun, authentic experience, and to connect with some truly awesome genuine poeple, you should definitely book a trip with captain Max boat Tours! read more

My fiancé and I booked this tour because we wanted something more local and personal, rather than a giant tourist vessel. This trip did not disappoint! Our boat was for sure the coolest one out there, and Libbie and Camila were awesome guides. They were both super friendly and made it feel like our little group (6 people max) was just a pulls of pals hangin out. They also threw us some facts about turtles and different species of fish. Libbie even showed us a sea urchin! Another thing of note, they were both very respectful to the turtles and their space. While many other divers with different tours were getting far too close with their GoPros, Libbie stayed a respectful distance from the turtles and still got great shots! All in all I'm very glad we booked this tour. It was a great time! read more

This turtle excursion was absolutely incredible! We not only saw several sea turtles up close, but we were also lucky enough to see whales -- such an unforgettable experience. Our guide, Sophie, was amazing. She was incredibly knowledgeable, friendly, and made the entire trip feel safe and fun. You can tell she truly loves what she does. My one big recommendation: buy the photo package. I was skeptical at first because I wasn't sure how close we'd actually get to the turtles, but we literally swam with them the entire time. The photos would have been priceless. Thankfully, Sophie snapped a couple of random pictures that I was able to get -- but don't risk missing out. If you're debating it, just do it! Highly recommend this excursion! read more

Let me start by saying " I had the best time with these guys". This was a fun and exciting experience. They are very big on safety so get ready for them to walk you through it and then check that you are wearing all the equipment properly followed by double checking to ensure your comfortable before getting in the water. While your in the water enjoying yourself they are with you in the water and looking out from the boat for your safety. I want to thank them again for helping me retrieve my gopro that dropped in the water. That's right, Devin was aquaman! He said he would find it and did. I appreciate these guys for the professionalism and for the jokes. They made the experience amazing. Thanks again and keep spreading the joy! read more

This snorkel trip turned out to be the highlight of our trip. Libby and garret were excellent guides. They showed us around the reef, avoiding the overcrowded groups who chose to go on a bigger tour. We swam with many sea turtles and tropical fish. Libby has great videographer skills. She took our camera down to the coral where we as beginner snorkelers can't yet descend to. The small boat offered lots of one on one time for us with the guides. Their knowledge of the reef and wildlife is extensive. Why bother with the larger charters where you're clustered together with dozens of other inexperienced divers who might kick you with their flippers due to proximity ? Go with Captain Max for a unique and fun experience! read more

I cannot say enough great things about this tour and their professional staff!! Book this right now! first and foremost, I found out that all the other tour companies have dozens of passengers on board, Max's tours have a maximum of 6 and our tour never felt crowded or rushed. The captian, Camila, and the safety diver, Kyla, were both so sweet and helpful with me and my friends. They made us feel very comfortable and we're so informative, both about sea life and other recommendations for us to do on the rest of our trip. 15/10 experience from a customer service perspective! Now for the turtles... amazing! Best experience we had on our trip! Kyla made sure that we saw lots of them! Thank you!! read more

OMG NOTHING SHORT OF AMAZING !!! Ty, Alex and Camila were awesome They were all super friendly. Got us out quick and immediately saw turtles surface to saw hi. Alex explained how and what we would do... rules and safety and took care of my wife with a life jacket belt and tether strap. I can't believe 1 1/2 hours could go that fast. The fish the coral the turtles and of course the narration. The crew was caring helpful and most of all fun. they took pictures before we started making sure Diamond Head was in the background. They even stayed after to take a foto with the family. Thank you for a most memorable trip to Hawaii and this snorkeling experience. I can't wait to come back. read more

It was such an awesome experience. Eric and Sophia, the tour guides, were so kind and helpful! My child was too nervous to get in the water but Eric watched him on the boat and allowed me to continue snorkeling, which was fantastic. Sophia was great with my daughter in explaining the equipment. Sophia was fantastic in explaining fun facts, making sure we were in the best spot for seeing the fish and turtles and capturing great photos for us. Captain Max boat tours was highly recommend to me and I'm so glad we booked it. I highly recommend it to anyone who wants to snorkel! We wish we could have booked again for today but we have to leave back to Arizona! Thank you for a great time!! read more

Outstanding!! Capt. Max, Devin, and Lula were awesome. Great zodiac ride. The staff is awesome, gave great advice and directions. Provided some awesome pictures after the superb snorkeling tour. Turtles galore, plenty of wonderful fish and beautiful clear water. We felt like we were on our own private excursion, we had only four people plus the crew on the zodiac. It was definitely a personal attention type excursion. The crazy thing is, Capt. Max rates are the same as the boats that pack 50+ people on one boat and receive no personal attention. This is a must do excursion!! Thanks for an amazing outing!! Bobby & Julie (August 19, 2022) read more

Went on the Turtle Canyon Honolulu Snorkel on Thanksgiving Day! It was a wonderful trip - lot's of fish, at least four turtles viewed (including one that surfaced right in front of us). Captain Devin and Sophia provided an absolutely marvelous experience from start to finish, including a very enjoyable and thrilling boat ride out to Turtle Canyon! It also was wonderful to contrast the six of us who were passengers and led by Sophia to see the best sights she could locate with the herding of large numbers of snorkelers from the other tour boats in the area. I cannot imagine going on any similar tours unless it was with Captain Max! read more

This was an amazing tour. Captain Max and his crew mate Devin were very friendly and nice. They made us feel right at home the second we got on board. It was very relaxed and didn't make us feel like tourists at all. We got to the snorkel spot and because it was a small group only 6 people it was quick to get our gear on and get in the water. Right when we got in the water we saw turtles right away. I couldn't believe it. Normally when you go on these sort of tours you think you might see something but we saw a ton and it was awesome. I would recommend this to anyone coming to Oahu. Until next time! Thank you Captain Max read more

Best snorkel we've ever had, and we have done a lot of them! loved the intimate tour, it was just our family of 5, so we got to ask lots of questions, we learned so much about sea life...our guides, Alex and Garrett, knew so much!!! They even spotted some dolphins for us and whales! it was amazing!! Oh the turtles...there were sooo many!! It was breathtaking! They were so good to point stuff out so we didn't miss a thing! We even got to see an eagle stingray and tons of cool fish along with all things above! it really was the best!! We will be back!!! this is the best of the best! nothing negative to even say about it! read more

Booked the first morning tour and saw an abundance of fish and several turtles! The crew was friendly and welcoming - Camila and Alex did an amazing job! From getting the snorkel gear on, to making sure everyone was comfortable once in the water. Alex, the snorkel guide, helped me get awesome footage with my GoPro. They even offer photo packages should you not bring anything. The boat ride was also very comfortable, not rough at all. Overall, whether you're a local resident or visiting the islands it is quite the experience and highly recommended! read more

We just had the pleasure going out with the Captain Max crew and had an absolute blast!!! You can't beat having Alex and Santiago taking care of you! They only take up to 6 people at a time so they have the time to give you extra attention. We were able to see so many fish and the experience be up close to a turtle in the water is definitely worth it!! The boys have a few special touches like cold drinks and fresh pineapple to top off the trip. If you get the chance I would highly recommend going out with these guys! 5 Stars!!!! read more