Atlantis Submarine Review - Awesome Underwater Views (even Dolphins!) without Snorkeling
We did the Atlantis Submarine in Kailua-Kona a few months ago. I had family in from New Jersey and we had planned on going on a snorkel cruise but the weather was so cold and rainy (verrrrry unusual in Kona) we decided to cancel and do something else that would keep us warm and dry. The Atlantis Submarine office is right there across the Kailua pier so we walked in and asked if they had availablility. They did. Prices were pretty reasonable as far as water activities go in Kona.
We boarded the very nice and big ferry boat from the Kailua Pier that would take us out to the submarine. The crew was knowledgeable and friendly. They told us what to expect on the way out. When we got there we all climbed on the top of the submarine and then went down the ladder and took our places along the side of the benches, looking out tiny portholes along either side. It must have been a full capacity trip, cuz we were smushed in there pretty good. It wasn’t uncomfortable though, and we had airflow to keep us feeling good. There wasn’t really any major sensation that would contribute to motion sickness or anything like that - not that I felt.
So, we went down pretty deep, a lot deeper than you could see in any other way except scuba diving. We saw lots of fish and 3 or 4 shipwrecks - that was neat. We got to hear the story behind the shipwrecks too. My son was fascinated.
Then, the dolphins showed up. That was awesome. They swam all around the submarine. I know this wasn’t a normal event because our guide was very excited. He was ooing and ahhing with the rest of us 
The captain, however, was more in the mode of “this happens often”. The guide said that whenever this particular woman is the captain the dolphins often come to play.
All in all, it was a great experience - I could recommend it to anyone. There is also a submarine cruise in Lahaina, Maui and Waikiki, Oahu. Because of the continuity of Hawaiian oceans, I am certain that each tour - while offering it’s own uniqueness - would be equally spectacular. Try them all!
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