Tradewind Charters' Honolulu private reef fishing charter is a 3-hour outing on the 50-foot power catamaran Aloha Kai from Kewalo Basin, mixing light-tackle catch-and-release fishing with snorkeling, paddleboards and sea scooters. It suits large multigenerational groups of 12–25. The drawback is the $2,450 boat price, poor value under 10 guests.
Highlights
3-hour private charter, daily at 8 am, 11 am and 2 pm, on the operator's own site.
Aloha Kai: 50-ft Corinthian power catamaran built 2017, two 250 hp engines, two restrooms, bar, ice box, wheelchair ramp reported by one reviewer.
Price per boat: $2,450 for 2–12, $2,650 for 13–25, $2,850 for 26–49; extra hours $750. The 40-ft sailing catamaran costs $1,195 for 1–6 or $1,695 for 7–12.
Included: light spinning tackle with octopus bait, snorkel gear, stand-up paddleboards and sea scooters; fishing is catch-and-release over reef in 15–25 ft of water.
Visitors aged 15 and over need a $20 one-day Hawaii fishing license, bought separately.
What to Expect
You meet at Kewalo Basin, 1125 Ala Moana Blvd, Slip B-6, a few minutes from Waikiki, for the 8 am, 11 am or 2 pm departure.
The captain motors along the calm south shore and anchors or moors over a reef in 15–25 ft of clear water.
The first mate rigs light spinning tackle with octopus bait; the main catch is gray triggerfish, released unless edible reef fish are kept.
Guests rotate between fishing, snorkeling with turtles and reef fish, paddleboarding and sea scooters off the stern.
Non-alcoholic drinks are complimentary; catering and a stocked bar can be arranged in advance (catamaran catering has a 20-person minimum).
You return to Kewalo Basin after 3 hours; additional hours cost $750 each on the Aloha Kai.
What's Included
Private use of the vessel with USCG-licensed captain and first mate
Rods, reels, light spinning tackle and octopus bait
Snorkel gear, life jackets, stand-up paddleboards and sea scooters
Complimentary non-alcoholic drinks (operator site); FishingBooker FAQ says drinks are bought at the bar, so confirm
Two restrooms, ice box, GPS
What's Not Included
Hawaii 1-day fishing license, $20 for visitors 15 and older
Alcohol (custom bar available with advance notice)
Catering or meals (order in advance or bring your own)
Gratuity
Transportation to the harbor
What to Bring
Your own food if you do not pre-order catering
Swimwear, towel, reef-safe sunscreen
Fishing license confirmation for anyone 15 and over
Restrictions and Requirements
Catch-and-release policy; no smoking on board
Fishing license required for ages 15+
Capacity by vessel: 2–49 on the Aloha Kai, 1–12 on the 40-ft sailing catamaran
Cancellation Policy
On FishingBooker: free cancellation up to 3 days before the trip; later changes, cancellations or no-shows forfeit 100% of the payment. The operator's own policies page covers only bareboat charters and does not state a crewed-charter cancellation rule. Checked October 2026 on FishingBooker.
Options available
Sea Scape Sailing Catamaran
Aloha Kai Catamaran
Choose your option and see its price on the booking page.
Kewalo Basin Harbor, 1125 Ala Moana Blvd, Slip B-6, Honolulu, HI 96814
Check-In
Not published; departures at 8 am, 11 am and 2 pm
Parking and Getting There
Not published
Ratings from every source we could find
Other
5.0
1 reviews
Google Maps — Summarized by Our Team
General private charter sentiment favors flexibility for combining multiple activity types in one booking.
Last checked 2026-09-15
Ratings and review counts are checked periodically and may not reflect same-day changes on each platform.
What the Reviews Say
We read 1 dated review with an operator response on FishingBooker (May 2026) and 4 undated, unrated testimonials on the operator's website. Collected October 2026.
What Reviewers Praise
Crew handles mixed-age groups and mobility needs(1 of 1 dated review we read)
A 15-person group from a 1-year-old to people in their 70s, including a wheelchair user who stayed in her chair, was boarded via the ramp and kept busy with fishing, snorkeling and paddleboarding.
— FishingBooker, 5★, May 2026: the captain circled back so everyone could see a brief dolphin sighting, and the mate retrieved a drifting snorkeler.
Captain's attentiveness on private sails(4 of 4 operator-site testimonials)
All four undated testimonials on tradewindcharters.com praise the captain's manner and recommendations and the privacy of the boat; none gives a star rating or date.
— Operator website, undated: a family's 2-hour sunset sail was praised for the captain handling everything.
What Reviewers Complain About
Snorkeler drifted too far from the boat(1 report · outside operator's control · most recent: May 2026)
The only dated review mentions a guest drifting away from the Aloha Kai during the snorkel and being brought back by the first mate. This is a safety note rather than a criticism, but it shows the reef sits in open water with current.
— FishingBooker, 5★, May 2026: the mate went out to bring back a snorkeler who had drifted far from the boat.
Operator response: The operator thanked the reviewer on May 14, 2026 and asked them to repost the review on Google.
No independent critical reviews found(0 of 5 reviews we read · outside operator's control · most recent: n/a)
The operator profile on FishingBooker cites 20 reviews but only 1 is shown, and the operator-site testimonials are self-selected. Treat the 5.0 as a single data point, not a track record.
About the Operator in General
Tradewind Charters has operated from Honolulu since 1985 under Captain Ken Middleton and runs three vessels (43-ft monohull My Sunshine, 40-ft sailing catamaran Sea Scape, 50-ft power catamaran Aloha Kai); the operator requested that a FishingBooker reviewer copy their review to Google, which is worth knowing when weighing its Google score.
Our Verdict
Tripreviewall's Take
This charter earns its $2,450 only for groups of roughly 12 or more who want fishing, snorkeling and paddleboards on a stable 50-foot catamaran with restrooms, because the per-head cost falls to about $100 at 25 guests. Couples and families under 7 should book the $1,195 40-foot sailing catamaran version or a shared snorkel boat instead. Expect catch-and-release triggerfish, not a game-fishing trip.
Book This Tour If…
You are a group of 12–25 celebrating together and want one boat with restrooms and a ramp
You want fishing, snorkeling, paddleboards and sea scooters in one 3-hour block
You have guests with limited mobility; one reviewer boarded a wheelchair user via the ramp
You can pre-order catering or bring food for a group
Skip This Tour If…
You are 1–6 people; the $1,195 sailing catamaran or an $85-per-person group snorkel is better value
You want to keep what you catch or target game fish; this is light-tackle catch-and-release over reef
You need a written crewed-charter cancellation policy before paying; the operator site does not publish one
Anyone 15+ in your party objects to buying a $20 fishing license
Tips From Reviewers and Operator Notes
Buy the $20 Hawaii 1-day fishing license online before the trip for everyone aged 15 and over; the operator's page links to it.
Confirm whether non-alcoholic drinks are free or sold at the bar; the operator site and FishingBooker FAQ disagree.
Pre-arrange catering if your group is 20 or more; the catamaran menu has a 20-person minimum.
Keep snorkelers near the stern; 1 reviewer reported a guest drifting too far from the boat.
Book the 8 am slot for calmer water and better visibility on the south shore.
Assessed by the Tripreviewall editorial team, last reviewed October 2026.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does the Tradewind Charters reef fishing and snorkeling charter cost?
The 3-hour private Reef Fishing and Snorkeling Adventure on the 50-ft Aloha Kai costs $2,450 per boat for 2–12 guests, $2,650 for 13–25 and $2,850 for 26–49, with extra hours at $750, as of October 2026 on the operator's site. The 40-ft sailing catamaran costs $1,195 for 1–6 or $1,695 for 7–12.
What time does the Honolulu private reef fishing charter depart?
The private reef fishing charter departs daily at 8 am, 11 am and 2 pm from Kewalo Basin Harbor at 1125 Ala Moana Blvd, Slip B-6, a few minutes from Waikiki, according to the operator's site and FishingBooker. Each charter lasts 3 hours, and additional hours can be added for $750 on the Aloha Kai.
Do I need a fishing license for the Tradewind reef fishing charter?
Yes, visitors aged 15 and older need a 1-day Hawaii fishing license costing $20, which the operator's page links to and which is not included in the charter price. Rods, reels, light spinning tackle and octopus bait are provided, and fishing is catch-and-release for gray triggerfish and other reef species.
What is included on the Aloha Kai fishing and snorkeling charter?
The charter includes the private boat with captain and first mate, fishing tackle and bait, snorkel gear, life jackets, stand-up paddleboards and sea scooters, and two onboard restrooms. The operator's site lists complimentary non-alcoholic drinks. Alcohol, catering, gratuity, the fishing license and transportation are not included.
Is the Aloha Kai catamaran wheelchair accessible?
The Aloha Kai is listed as disabled accessible on FishingBooker, and the one dated review we read (May 2026) describes a wheelchair user boarding via the ramp and staying in her chair for the whole 3-hour trip. Confirm the ramp and deck layout with the operator at 808-664-5493 before booking for a specific mobility need.
What is the cancellation policy for the Tradewind Charters fishing charter?
On FishingBooker, the cancellation policy allows free cancellation up to 3 days before the trip, after which changes, cancellations and no-shows forfeit 100% of the payment. The operator's own policies page only covers bareboat charters, so ask Tradewind Charters directly for the crewed-charter terms when booking through FareHarbor. Checked October 2026.
Contact
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TripReviewAll is an independent review site and does not operate this tour. For changes to an existing booking, contact Tradewind Charters directly.
