Whale Watch Cruises

A favorite activity on Maui during the winter is watching the whales.   You can see them from shore, but you get a closer look if you go out for a couple hours on a whale watching boat.

If you are staying in west Maui (Lahaina, Kaanapali, Kapalua), take a boat that departs from Lahaina Harbor (or from Kaanapali Beach).  If your hotel or condo is in south Maui (Wailea, Kihei), your boat departure should be from Maalaea Harbor.

About 5000 humpback whales come to the waters around Maui between late November and early April.  But they are most numerous from January through March.  They come to Hawaii to breed and give birth.  Unlike you and me, they don't eat while they are in Hawaii.  In the summer they live around Alaska, where they eat krill (similar to shrimp).

Humpback whales come to Maui every winter, and so should we!

See below for a comparison of some of the companies offering whale watch boat excursions from Maui every winter.

Pacific Whale Foundation
This is generally the most respected whale watch company on Maui.  Pacific Whale Foundation supports research and education about the humpback whales, and they call their boat tours "Eco Adventures."  Most of their boats are two-level, double-hull, very modern, and larger than boats from other companies.  These boats can carry up to 140 passengers.  Prices here are usually lower than on smaller boats with fewer passengers from Trilogy and Gemini.
Pacific Whale website

Trilogy
This is the oldest sailing company on Maui and was voted #1 in a Maui News readers poll.  Trilogy is a first-class company.  Their boats are modern 50-foot catamarans that can hold up to 49, but they usually limit them to 40 passengers or less.  Rates are seldom discounted.
Trilogy website

Gemini
This is a smaller company than the above two, so has less boats per day.  Their 64-foot catamaran is slightly larger than Trilogy's, plus they give you food.  Maximum 49 passengers.  You can often find a discounted price by shopping from various activity sellers.
Gemini website

Kapalua Kai
Another small company like Gemini.  Their 53-foot catamaran holds up to 49 passengers.  Some online and local discounts.
Kapalua Kai website

Maui Adventure Cruises
These are large rafts, 37 to 49 feet long.  They limit the number of passengers to between 34 and 38.  They are faster than the above larger boats, and you sit closer to the water.
Maui Adventure website

Ultimate Whale Watch
This company uses smaller boats, 30-foot inflated rafts that (like Maui Adventure) go faster than the larger boats of the other above companies.  You sit much lower, close to water level.  They only take 18 passengers.
Ultimate Whale Watch website