Wow, this was an awesome experience! Let me count the ways: --beautiful boat, clean, spacious and lovingly maintained --thoughtful, professional captain and crew--they are marine educators as well as sailors and snorkelers --stunning marine life from humpback whales to reef fish and creatures to sea turtles --delicious food--all the food we love--humus, veggies, small sandwiches to potato chips. It all tasted good after swimming and sight seeing. And then there was lunch: green salad, more veggies, pulled pork, potato salad, several sandwiches and Mac and cheese. There was a light breakfast to greet us, but I didn't partake. It was probably equally great--cinnamon rolls and such. --great design for the 4 hour tour--motor to a nearby small island to swim and snorkel 45 minutes (lots of safety measures in place for people and the wildlife); yummy snacks (see above); motor to turtle town for 45 more minutes in the water. Lunch then sailing for 30+ more minutes before beaching to disembark. --generous bar--I had white wine; my husband had a margarita; my daughter had a mai tai and rum with POG. We hope to book a sunset tour on the vacation--fingers crossed that we'll be back within 48 hours. read more

I'd never been snorkeling and this crew was EVERYTHING. So chill, so informative, so helpful. Locations were awesome. Food on board was great. Can't wait to do it again. read more

In today's world a company that lives up their promises is the kind of organization I can respect and wholeheartedly refer people to. The day of my sunset sail I called to let them know I broke my toe and would be unable to get on board. They told me to supply something from my doctor and they would refund 100% of my payment on short notice. Minutes after emailing the document they refunded me. read more

Service: 10/10! All the guys on the boat were amazing. Food: 7/10. Was decent. Three courses which was nice. Drink: 10/10. Drinks were refreshed quickly and were tasty. Snorkeling: 6/10. The first stop was at the crater. There were a lot of fish but nothing else. They don't warn you but there are tiny jellyfish that sting and are quite a nuisance. A heads up would've been nice that's all. The second stop was closer to shore. We saw some turtles but nothing else. Overall the service was top notch. Other than that I probably wouldn't recommend. Unfortunately I think I would've gotten the same snorkel viewing if I had parked at the Turtle area and swam out with snorkel gear myself and it would've been a hell of a lot cheaper. read more

There are so many Molokini snorkel tour to pick from but I promise you, Kai Kanani is the best option. We did the sunrise tour and it was magical getting out on the water before anyone else. It's only a short trip from the beach you launch from and you have the whole crater to yourself the entire time. Second stop is turtle town, which holds true to its name. Awesome food and drink too! The whole team; Eric, Mikey, Kate, Ben, and Jake, all so hospitable and professional. We couldn't have asked for a better crew to make our trip memorable! read more

Kai Kanani Sailing - Boat Charters Near Me - Wailea, Hawaii

My wife and I went on this sunset cruise ten years ago and it was perfect. Smooth water, a great sunset, etc. This time it felt like we were in a sequel to Twisters. There was a significant breeze and the majority of the cruise felt like we were experiencing the equivalent of strong airplane turbulence. I'm not sure how strong the wind has to be for the cruise to be cancelled but I have to imagine this came close. The boarding from the water went fairly smoothly but once we were out to sea all the passengers could really do is sit and hold on for dear life. Ok, maybe that is being a little dramatic but there was no moving around for the most part. We were served food and drinks but I repeatedly lost the top layer of my drinks and food went flying off plates. The wind slowed down a bit right toward the end so at least we could enjoy the sunset but I think everyone was more than ready to exit the catamaran once the cruise was over. Prior to the cruise ending the Captain walked over to talk to us. I thought for sure he would say, "That was more bumpy then we expected but I hope you all still had a good time." Instead he said something to the effect of, "That was a nice cruise" and didn't mention the weather at all. I assume it is not his fault as it is probably company policy to gloss over any unpleasant conditions. The problem with taking that stance though is the captain immediately lost credibility. All the customers are adults. You can't treat us like children and pretend like we didn't experience what we all experienced. On the drive back in the company shuttle one of the customers asked if conditions were normally that windy. The driver, who was also on the boat, replied, "Oh that was mild. We usually experience 40 MPH winds." This statement was so patently absurd that it was laughable. If the cruise had been any windier we probably would have needed to be rescued. The food is nothing amazing but all things considered pretty good. The cocktails are extremely watered down however. Though to be fair, that is par for the course at the resorts in Wailea. I don't know what is the norm for this cruise. The wonderful sunset cruise my wife and I experienced ten years ago or the stomach churning wind marathon we experienced last week. Based on the driver's above statement it sounds like it is typically windy. Long story short, if you are prone to sea sickness or traveling with young or elderly people, there is no guarantee you will experience a calm sunset cruise. If you can't handle strong winds then this is probably not the cruise for you. I realize of course that this company does not have a crystal ball when it comes to weather but I am not convinced the cruise should have departed as scheduled and not been cancelled. At the very least, their attempt to minimize what we all experienced and pretend like conditions were sunny and mild came across as disingenuous. As a result I would be hesitant to book a cruise with this company again read more

Outstanding!!! Amazing experience being able to swim with the turtles Great staff Would absolutely recommend this to anyone read more

Snorkeled at Molokini crater and had a great time. The water was clear and their were lots of fish to see. Headed to turtle town next and saw some sea turtles. Can't say enough good things about the crew on the boat! They were in the water watching over everyone while we snorkeled. When lunch was served on the boat they made sure you had whatever you needed and your drink was full. read more

We had an amazing day with Kai Kanani! The crew was absolutely incredible. The food and drinks were good. The entire experience was perfect! read more

Kai Kanani Sailing - Boat Charters Near Me - Wailea, Hawaii

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Hands down the best snorkeling experience. We are regulars to Maui and are experienced snorkelers. My family and I did the sunrise cruise and we had the best time. The boat is a beauty! The captain and crew were friendly, kind, and very accommodating. They answered all of our questions and continuously checked on us. I would highly recommend it to all families or anyone!! read more

Fantastic crew and experience! The boat is amazing and loading on the beach is a fun adventure! Will be booking again! read more

Kai Kanani Sailing - Boat Charters Near Me - Wailea, Hawaii

If you are looking for a non party snorkel boat w excellent staff, fantastic breakfast service and above the typical snorkel tour experience in Maui at Molikini and turtle town this is worth every bit of the extra money and the early rise wake up. The sunrise snorkeling you really do receive a private experience within the crater and turtle town areas before the over crowding starts. The two other tour operators I considered were arriving as we were leaving and the boat were overcrowded and looked like a party boat not like this experience at all. If you are going for a peaceful start to your day to enjoy snorkeling either like myself alone or w a significant other or as a family without the blaring music and nonstop drinking I would highly recommend this tour company. The boat was clean and professional from captain to shipmates and water guides. Very friendly and literally they wait on you hand and foot it was the best boat tour meals I've had on any water excursions I've done from snorkeling to scuba. And the food is good and fresh and the coffee is hot and the drinks headed back to shore after snorkeling are delicious but again not a party boat loved that part very classy and relaxed. read more

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what a great day we had. went to two locations for snorkeling. we didn't see turtles but that was because of the recent storm. we saw lots of fish and beautiful coral. Captain Areka went out of the way and we saw several whales the entire crew was very attentive i highly recommend this company!!!! read more

The best ever! The staff is so amazing. No other to choose! Always bool with them! Worth every cent read more

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Our flight got cancelled and we couldn't attend the tour. In the midst of flight rebooking, hotel rescheduling, car rental adjusting, I reached out to reschedule but was told that it wouldn't be possible unless they could sell my existing tickets. They were able to do so for one but I ended up losing $220 and no tour. The one star review is 100% for the poor cancellation policy that should cover flight cancelation. They could even offer an insurance option for instance but I don't think they do. I get that it was their right to charge me but it seems to me that reputation and customer experience should be critical to a business like this. My recommendation : If you are going to book a tour, either don't do it within 48h of your scheduled landing time or do it with a company that has customer friendly cancellation policies. PS: the customer agent we talked to was lovely and helpful. She tried to get us an exception to the policy but wasn't able to. read more

My husband and I did the sunset sail during our honeymoon. We had such a blast on the boat - you can't beat good food, delicious mai tais, friendly crew and amazing 360 views. We can't wait to come back again! read more

Kai Kanani Sailing - Boat Charters Near Me - Wailea, Hawaii

Our party of 8 adults did the deluxe snorkel tour on 12/27/24. We were all very underwhelmed by the experience. The boat was packed with people. In a "deluxe" event costing ~$250 each, you'd expect a couple inches of space between you and the other participants. We were also limited to probably a 100 yard area up against the crater wall and had a total of 45 minutes of snorkeling. Really that was plenty of time since the amount of reef we were allowed to snorkel was so small. The second stop was cancelled due to slightly rough water and instead we chased some distant whale spouts for another 45 minutes and ended the trip about 30 minutes sooner than advertised. The staff were extremely nice, but interaction with them was very limited since they had so many people to serve. Food was mediocre. Loading onto and off the boat took about twice as long as our total snorkeling time. Overall it was a nice experience, but not worth the money. We've signed up for a whale watching excursion with the same company for later during our trip, but will likely cancel since it is likely to be a similarly underwhelming experience. read more

I'm not much of a boat person, but this trip was really fun and the crew was fantastic! We snorkeled at the Molokini Crater, saw cuddle fish amoung other things. The ride was super smooth and the food was good. I was worried about the walking onto the boat from the beach, but it was fine and the crew made it easy. If you are looking for a quality trip, I defiantly recommend them and suggest you take the first boat of the morning. There were not that many people at the crater. As an added bonus, we also saw whales ! With trips like these, you definitely get what you pay for and we had a wonderful trip. And the MaiTai was a nice treat too. read more

Just here echoing the same experience as several other reviews here - Very Rough loading and not bothered about safety! Hoping to capture my entire experience which was disappointing and shocking. Our initial tour on Thursday was canceled due to bad weather and we rebooked for Saturday. On the day, the weather was the same, in fact worse than Thursday. The team at Kai Kanani however did not end up canceling on Saturday. We got an email earlier in the day on Saturday warning us about neck high waves while getting into the boat. We called and let them know that we don't feel safe as some of us do not know how to swim. After repeated failed requests and being told that the manager would look into our request to cancel and refund, we went to the boarding location. The whole scene there was a joke! The waves were so high that they went over some people's heads as they were trying to climb the ladder on to the boat. When I pointed this out to their crew member and said their website showed beautiful pictures of women is floral dresses with barely ankle deep water and getting into the boat for a 'Dinner Cruise', I was told "oh there are those days". Well sure there must be but what about crazy days like the day we were scheduled?! Why not put that on the website too!? That's some false advertising! There were people with babies who were being pushed up the ladder to get in quickly before the next big wave came in. I truly couldn't believe what was happening! Everyone sitting at the beach was in shock too! We obviously decided to not go as me personally, I am not comfortable with waves that high with no life jacket as I don't know how to swim! In my mind I was going for a sunset dinner cruise. To top it all, it was pouring, there was no sun and the tour still went! The company is clearly more interested in making money than ensuring their customers have fun, have a good time and feel safe. I would definitely not recommend if you are trying to go for a sunset dinner cruise. read more

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I do not like snorkeling....went to sea camp a few times as a kid and it was traumatizing. Do I really want to see the fish and the yucky bottom of the ocean? Umm, no thank you. And whenever i put on that mask I can't breathe and that thing they make you put in your mouth- so unsanitary! However, the husband could snorkel all day and being the good wife that I am I accompanied him on this snorkeling trip in Maui. Kai Kanani leaves from the Maui Prince and the concierge at the Four Seasons Hotel that we were staying at said this was the best snorkeling trip in the area. And while I'm not a snorkeling fan I still had such a good time and loved the staff! We had 3 staff members: Mike, Kiki, and the captain who's name I am forgetting (but he was great too!). All of them were so nice, very funny, and easygoing. I was worried Mike was going to force me to be a snorkeler, but when I jumped into the freezing yet beautiful ocean he was happy to just let me float around. Then again I probably scared him when I jumped into the ocean and my bathing suit top went flying off! Learn from my mistake: if you do happen to go snorkeling buy a one piece or athletic fitting bathing suit...the little flimsy bikinis just don't do! Sorry Mike!! We made 2 snorkel stops. I sunbathed on the boat during the second stop...now sunbathing I do like! They had food on board: fresh pineapple, juice, and costco muffins. We did the express trip in the morning from 6:30 AM- 8:30 AM ($49/person), which I highly recommend because then you have the whole day ahead of you after that. But for those of you like my husband who want to snorkel all day there's a longer (and more expensive) trip from 9 AM- 1 PM. I was told there are usually 60-80 people on the boat, but we got lucky and only had 6 peoples since it was a slow time in Hawaii (right before the schools go out). All of us were honeymoon couples so no little rugrats running around and splashing in the water. So whether you're a snorkeler or not you'll enjoy this trip....just remember to wear a secure bathing suit because Mike told me I'm not the first to flash him on these trips! read more

Kai Kanani Sailing - right before the snorkeling adventure began... - Boat Charters Near Me - Wailea, Hawaii

Simply outstanding! We have gone out with Kai Kanani a few times now and each time we have had such a great time with the trip, the crew, the boat, and the experience. It seems like their dark blue twin hull is attractive to the whales as they come close each time. We love the beach access too as it is a great start to a fun experience. As far as the crew, they just simply rock. They seem to love their job and it makes the experience that much better. They are having just as much fun as we are. Val has especially great. She is simply awesome! So, without a doubt, Kai Kanani is a definite and we will join them again in the future! It a must! read more

Kai Kanani Sailing - Beach shot - Boat Charters Near Me - Wailea, Hawaii

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Mark and I booked this trip online for the trip to Molokini plus the turtle bay. It's important to note that you are not picked up at a pier. It's not a dealbreaker but we were caught off guard when we realized that we would have to hold our backpacks above our heads and wade through waist high surf in order to board the boat. I was left scrambling in a panic to bag my phones and electronics. We received safety briefings before and after boarding. The total crew was very helpful and patient. The large catamaran was clean and well maintained. It featured large indoor and outdoor areas for sitting and relaxing. Our specific journey had 33 patrons on board leaving lots of space for everyone for privacy and space space to store belongings. I think my experience would be far different if the full capacity of 65 were present on board. Breakfast and lunch were served on the buffet indoors. Food was decent and there were some vegetarian options. The boat does rock and eating is best while seated. We both took Dramamine and it helped. One passenger was sick the entire journey. The bathrooms are clean BUT it's forbidden to flush toilet paper. Everything had to be placed into a large diaper genie. The snorkeling at both locations was amazing and staff is in the water surrounding the group for safety. We felt very safe both onboard and in the water. We recommend this tour!! read more

All of the crew, from the start of the amazing adventure were so helpful, professional, knowledgeable, and super friendly. Special thanks to leaving my lady and I with an unforgettable experience that will last a lifetime!! Mahalo!! read more

Highly recommend Kai Kanani. I watched a YouTube review of best snorkeling tours and found this one and so glad I did. First off yes it's early but totally worth it. 1. The parking is free and you load right onto the boat from the sand. 2. You go out before all the other boats 3. They have their crew in the water with you (they are lifeguards) and 4. They offer so many food options and drinks and are so so nice and caring. I really loved this experience and my husband was also glad we did it! He always gets super sick and only threw up once this time because the boat is so close to the crescent island we skipped a whole 30 min on the water due to our close proximity of boarding the boat. He only threw up because of being in the rocky water not even the boat! Highly recommend. Also saw sea turtles it was so cool! read more

Do the sunrise snorkel tour to the crater and you will be the first boat there. From there we enjoyed Turtle Town and saw 7-10 different turtles. The boat owner was on board and gave us many great tips for our week long stay in Maui, which we took advantage of, and all were great. The crew was amazing. We will be back in several years, to let the kids experience what we did. read more

My wife and I booked a snorkel excursion to Molokini with Kai Kanani. The day before the trip, there was a shark attack near the reef: https://www.staradvertiser.com/2020/02/05/breaking-news/10-foot-tiger-shark-spotted-off-maui/ We called Kai Kanani that evening to see if we could reschedule for another day, but were told that it was "against their policy" to reschedule less than 24 hours before the start of a trip. When we brought up our safety concerns regarding the recent shark attack, their response was "the food has already been prepared for your trip." At that point, we asked the concierge at the Andaz (who booked the excursion for us) what their recommendation was, and they strongly advised us to stay out of the water. So, we had them to call Kai Kanani on our behalf to try to reschedule the booking. Unfortunately, they were given the same response about the 24 hour policy. At the end of the day, we decided to be cautious, and did not go on the trip. Kai Kanani kept our $400, and left us with a crummy honeymoon memory. We will not do business with them again, and would advise other couples to avoid them as well. read more

Kai Kanani Sailing - Warnings about the shark attack, with Molokini in the background. - Boat Charters Near Me - Wailea, Hawaii

Booked a sunset cruise for my wife's birthday almost a month in advance. Three days before the we were scheduled to go out I get a phone call saying they canceled the cruise due to staff shortages. So instead of going on a cruise I take my wife to watch sunset in Makena. Around 6:30pm there is the Kai Kanani pulling in and unloading from the supposedly canceled sunset cruise that couldn't go out because they had a staff shortage. read more

The sunrise snorkel was 100/10! The drinks and food were great, but being the first boat out was the real icing on the cake. Price for 2 was a little on the expensive side, but we would do it again in a heartbeat. The crew were awesome- friendly, knowledgeable, and funny. We sat next to a guy whose wife was sick and couldn't make it, and the crew said they would work with him to refund her ticket and the GoPro. Would highly recommend this company and their sunrise snorkel cruise read more

Kai Kanani Sailing - Catamaran picking us up on shore - Boat Charters Near Me - Wailea, Hawaii

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Do not book here if you actually want to get to the crater. They sent a cancellation text at 4 pm on Friday night for the Saturday sunrise cruise. No decency to call or help. Left us no time to rebook with a reputable company. Saturday was out last day of vacation. I was planning a big surprise for my family that was ruined. Read all of the 1 star reviews. This is a common practice of this company. I suspect they sold our time slot to some high roller and cancelled us. We saw the boat from the shore at Turtle town Sat morning. Go elsewhere with a company that respects all clients or you could face the same issue. read more

We had a great day snorkeling with Kai Kanani. There were only twelve people on our charter, with four crew, and the service was spectacular. The gear was good quality, food and drinks were delicious, and the captain knew the spots to take us so we didn't have to snorkel around thousands of other people. Plus we swam w turtles and saw our share of tropical fish and whales. If you want and excursion that is secluded and personal, book this now. read more

Kai Kanani Sailing - Boat Charters Near Me - Wailea, Hawaii

This trip was absolute perfection! The crew was top in their field, very knowledgeable and willing to answer all questions. We snorkeled among the gorgeous reefs, ate great food, saw green sea turtles...and the whales!!! Sailing on this pristine, clean catamaran was the highlight of our trip to Maui! Again I want to mention the crew, from the captain who was so personable, to the "galley guy" taking care of our food and drinks, to Sarah and Megan watching over us in the water, all of you were spectacular in your work. And Megan, thank you for taking the time to help this inexperienced swimmer. You were awesome! read more

This company is greedy and unethical, the person on the phone told me I may get set up to the knees as I was around the same height as her. In reality I got wet to the hip and had to change my bottom. To get to the bathroom on the boat, you have to climb down a ladder and it's very choppy down there so I felt seasick even though I was there less than 5 mins, and couldn't eat the food after that. They don't have enough good seats, so people in the white bench at the back stare at other people's heads in front of them and don't have a cup holder, and have to eat with their one hand on a paper plate in their lap. The benches on the side face on the inside of the boat rather than straight ahead, with no cup holder and eat from their lap, so less than a third of people actually have nice seats. The bathroom is not accessible for elderly people on the boat so my mother wasn't able to go, and the group was specifically told not to go to the bathroom on the way by the staff leading us to the boat. I sent an email complaint and was offered a 15 percent discount for a future trip, as if I would ever think of going with them again! They delete any bad social media reviews and do not seem to care if people enjoy the trip or not. read more

My boyfriend and I booked this activity very last minute but the directions, waiver, and reminder texts were prompt and very helpful! As the tourist we are we relied of lyft/ uber to get there (do not do that, they are very limited and may not pick you up on time!) my panic was eased quickly by the crew as they reassured me that the boat would wait as long as they could for us to get there. We made it and were catered drinks and delicious food the entire time. They never left us waiting! The view, the ride, the crew were all 5/5 stars. Bring a jacket because it is windy and can get a little chilly. If you dont mind a splash here and there I suggest sitting on the netting at the front of the boat, it was a great spot. Thank you Kai Kanani Sailing for this experience it was the highlight of our trip! read more

The service on the sunset cruise could not be any better. Without leaving my seat on the trampoline net up front I was served as many cocktails as I could drink and was provided appetizers and a meal that all turned out to be exceptional. We were lucky enough to see numerous whales breaching while the sun set in the distance. We will be sure to bring friends and family back here on future visits. The entire crew seemed to really enjoy what they were doing. read more

My wife and I had an awesome time on the snorkeling trip. The crew were very friendly and professional. On the day of the trip we parked in their safe private parking lot on the beach. We then stayed in the waiting area that had free coffee and water. You could also buy any supplies and souvenirs in a little shop. When the catamaran was ready for us we boarded it right on the beach and we were off to Molokini! Snorkeling gear was in excellent condition. They even have prescription goggles if you need them and GoPros for rent! The crew always made sure that everyone was safe. We saw tons of fish, coral, and sea turtles! The drinks, beer and food were great too. We would definitely sail with them again! read more

We booked the sunrise snorkeling tour to Molokini crater. I have to admit, at first we parked in a gravel lot where they had a few picnic tables and some branded stuff for sale out of a sketchy cargo trailer. I thought, what did we sign up for? However, before long we took a brief walk to the beach and loaded onto the catamaran by wading through shallow water. They provided fair warning about packing valuable items out of the way of the waves. The staff were great at helping people get on board and later depart the boat. The crew was very friendly.. They provided reasonable quality mask, snorkel and fins. They also provided flotation belts if desired. The first part of breakfast was a delicious cinnamon roll and pineapple. This was followed by a second course of granola, yogurt and blueberries. It was amazing to snorkel at the crater with only our group--the benefit of the sunrise tour. We saw many varieties of fish, an octopus and an eel. A member of the staff was in the water on a rescue type of surfboard watching out over the group--I felt like they made people's safety a priority. At some point we had a third course of breakfast consisting of sausage, eggs and potatoes which were delicious. We then went to a different area to snorkel and look for sea turtles. Most of us saw several large sea turtles-- an amazing sight. Again a member of the crew was in the water helping ensure our safety. The tour ended with us getting off the boat walking through shallow water to get back on the beach. Super easy and care free. The entire experience was fantastic. I would definitely book a tour with them again! read more

My partner and I chose the sunrise tour so we could be among the first to reach the Molokini Crater, and the trip did not disappoint. Adam, one of the guides, was incredibly knowledgeable and told us some cool stories about the ocean currents and about myths of earlier Hawaiian peoples. The hot breakfast (provided after the dives) was really good, and the local Maui hot sauce made it even better (ask for the pineapple habanero)! The captain, Anthony, was also great. He was fun and made an extra effort to make everyone feel safe and happy. In fact, the entire crew was helpful and knowledgeable. We loved Adam, though, because he went snorkeling with us and helped us find an octopus hidden in the reef. The waters were crystal clear, and I wish we could have spent the entire day out at the crater. I can not recommend this tour enough!!! I can't imagine My trip to Maui without it. read more

We took the sunrise trip to Molokini and Turtle Town. It was extremely well organized and the crew was super professional, but fun. The snorkel gear was sanitized and worked perfectly for everyone. We saw lots of sea turtles, coral and tropical fish. Being on a catamaran in Maui can't be beat. Worth every penny. If you can only afford one activity during your visit then this is it. read more

Everything about Kai Kanani Sailing was amazing!! The staff were not only helpful, they went out of their way to make sure you had everything you needed to enjoy every moment. Unlike a lot of activities and restaurants in Maui, this is so worth the price you pay! They provide two breakfasts and an open bar. They take you to two different snorkeling locations too. If you're looking to have a really great snorkeling adventure, definitely use these guys! read more

We had such a great experience snorkeling with the Kai Kanani Sailing crew. They were knowledgeable and made sure everyone felt comfortable. The turtle sights and fish & coral reef sights were incredible. Would def do this again with them & highly recommend to others. read more