Body Glove Cruises
Body Glove Cruises (Body Glove Hawaii) is a privately held, locally owned boat tour operator founded in 1988 in Kailua-Kona, Hawaii. It runs snorkel, whale watching, dinner, and sunset cruises from two vessels — the 65-ft Kanoa II catamaran and 41-ft Kona Explorer Super-Raft — serving Big Island visitors, Hawaii residents, and private event clients.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1988
- HeadquartersKailua Kona, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Body Glove Cruises does
Body Glove Cruises, operating under the trade name Body Glove Hawaii, is a privately held boat tour company founded in 1988 and based at Kailua Pier in Kailua-Kona on the Big Island of Hawaii. The company serves visitors and local residents of Hawaii with ocean experiences including snorkeling, whale watching, dolphin encounters, sunset cruises, and historical dinner cruises to Kealakekua Bay. It is organized under Body Glove IP Holdings, LP, with the Kanoa II vessel operated by Kanoa Inc., and is led by owner Maggie (McIntosh) Brown.
The business runs two vessels: the 65-ft Kanoa II luxury catamaran (multi-million dollar, wheelchair-accessible, with solar panels, a 20-ft water slide, 15-ft jump platform, full-service premium bar, three restrooms, two freshwater showers, flat-screen TVs, and onboard hydrophones for live whale song listening) and the 41-ft Kona Explorer Super-Raft (twin Suzuki 350 engines, bench seating with under-seat storage, shade, restroom, and access to farther snorkel sites). Public tours are priced $120–$174.99 per person; private charters start at $1,900 for the Super-Raft (up to 24 guests) and $2,800 for the catamaran (100+ guests). Bookings flow through the FareHarbor platform embedded on bodyglovehawaii.com, with phone reservations and a private-charter inquiry form.
Revenue is transaction-based across public tour tickets, private charters, and a recurring Kama'aina membership called the Holo Holo Pass (free to join, 15-42% discount for Hawaii residents). Distribution is exclusively direct-to-consumer at a single Kailua-Kona departure point with no third-party resellers. The company is differentiated by 35+ years of continuous operation, marine naturalist narration, a whale sighting guarantee, and a documented sustainability program including Kuleana Green Business recognition, STAH certification, Dolphin SMART compliance, Coral Reef Alliance standards, reef-safe sunscreen provision predating Hawaii's Act 104, a 550-ton carbon offset program with Carbon Buddy since 2019, and monthly ocean cleanups.
Body Glove Cruises firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Body Glove Cruises
- Legal name
- Body Glove IP Holdings, LP
- Website
- https://bodyglovehawaii.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1988
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Body Glove Cruises (Body Glove Hawaii) is a privately held, locally owned boat tour operator founded in 1988 in Kailua-Kona, Hawaii. It runs snorkel, whale watching, dinner, and sunset cruises from two vessels — the 65-ft Kanoa II catamaran and 41-ft Kona Explorer Super-Raft — serving Big Island visitors, Hawaii residents, and private event clients.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Body Glove Cruises industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Marine Tourism and Boat Tour Services
- NAICS
- Scenic and Sightseeing Transportation, Water (48721), Tour Operators (561520)
- SIC
- Water Transportation (4400)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Catamaran & Sailing Cat Cruise Operators (THAEADAD)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Shore Excursion Operators (Tours & Activities) (THAEAFAC), Private Charters & Yacht Experiences (Crewed, Bareboat, Day Charters) (THAJAJAB)
Keywords
Where Body Glove Cruises is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Kailua Kona
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Body Glove Cruises business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Operations, Personnel, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Public Tour Tickets: Individual and group tickets for scheduled catamaran and Super-Raft tours including snorkel adventures, whale watching, dinner cruises, and sunset cruises. Revenue is transaction-based, collected at time of booking through FareHarbor or directly.
- Private Charter Bookings: Custom private charters on either the Super-Raft (up to 24 people) or catamaran (100+ people) for various occasions. Super-Raft charters start at $1,900, catamaran charters at $2,800. Includes customizable itineraries, catering options, and special event services.
- Kama'aina Membership (Holo Holo Pass): Free membership program for Hawaii residents providing 15% to 42% discounts on cruises. Generates repeat purchases from local customer base while building customer loyalty and community engagement.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Deluxe Kona Snorkel Tour & Dolphin Watch - $169.99 per person |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Big Island Whale Watching Tour - $139.99 per person |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Super-Raft Snorkel Tour - $130 per person |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Historical Kona Dinner Cruise - $174.99 per person |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Super-Raft Whale Watching Adventure - $125 per person |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Super-Raft Sunset Cruise - $120.00 per person |
| One time/ perpetual license | Multi-year contract | Super-Raft Adventure Charter - Starting at $1,900 (custom) |
| One time/ perpetual license | Multi-year contract | Catamaran Charter - Starting at $2,800 (custom) |
| Subscription | Annual | Kama'aina Holo Holo Pass - Free membership with 15-42% discounts |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels6 records
Body Glove Cruises product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Body Glove Cruises is a Hawaii-based boat tour operator offering scheduled ocean adventure excursions from Kailua-Kona on two vessels: the 65-ft Kanoa II catamaran and the 41-ft Kona Explorer Super-Raft. The company sells snorkel tours, whale watching, historical dinner cruises, sunset cruises, and private charters directly to consumers, with bookings processed via its own website and the FareHarbor platform.
Product overview
Body Glove Cruises is a boat tour operator offering ocean adventures from Kailua-Kona, Hawaii, since 1988. The product portfolio consists of two vessel types and their associated tours: (1) The 65-ft Kanoa II luxury catamaran for Deluxe Snorkel & Dolphin Watch tours, Historical Dinner Cruises, Whale Watching tours, and exclusive private charters accommodating 100+ guests; and (2) The 41-ft Kona Explorer Super-Raft for faster-paced snorkel tours, whale watching adventures, and sunset cruises, plus smaller adventure charters for up to 24 guests. The company also offers a Holo Holo Pass Kama'aina membership for Hawaii residents with 15-42% discounts. All bookings are managed through FareHarbor, with optional carbon offsets via CarbonBuddy.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Holo Holo Pass: A Kama'aina discount membership program offering 15% to 42% discounts on cruises for Hawaii residents.
- Clean Seas Initiative
Products and services
- Deluxe Kona Snorkel Trip & Dolphin Watch A 4.5-hour catamaran cruise combining snorkeling and dolphin watching with breakfast, BBQ burger lunch, full-service bar, and a 20-ft water slide. Targeted at all ages and is the most popular tour offering.
- Historical Dinner Cruise to Kealakekua Bay A 3-hour sunset dinner cruise on the Kanoa II catamaran to Kealakekua Bay featuring historical narration, Hawaiian-style dinner, one complimentary cocktail, and live entertainment.
- Big Island Whale Watching Tour A 2.5-hour catamaran whale watching experience with marine naturalist narration, snacks, beverages, and a guaranteed-sighting or free return visit policy.
- Super-Raft Snorkel Tour A 4-hour adventure on the 41-ft Kona Explorer Super-Raft including snorkeling gear, snack breakfast, picnic lunch, reef-safe sunscreen, and access to farther snorkel sites than most vessels. For ages 6 and up.
- Super-Raft Whale Watching Adventure A 2.5-hour fast-paced whale watching experience on the Super-Raft for ages 6 and up, with water, soft drinks, snacks, marine naturalist narration, and a sighting guarantee.
- Super-Raft Sunset Cruise An evening sunset cruise on the Super-Raft featuring dinner served on board, beer/wine/canned cocktails for purchase, and commentary on coastal landmarks and marine life.
- Super-Raft Adventure Charter (Private) Custom private charter on the Kona Explorer for up to 24 people, offering snorkeling or whale watching, exceptional dining by an in-house chef, and tailored itineraries. Starting at $1,900.
- Catamaran Private Charter (Kanoa II) Custom luxury charter on the 65-ft Kanoa II catamaran for 100+ guests, suited for weddings, corporate events, and large celebrations with customizable catering and full-service bar. Starting at $2,800.
- Holo Holo Pass (Kama'aina Membership)
Quantifiable outcome
- Over $13,000 donated to local sustainable initiatives
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use Body Glove Cruises
Customer profileSegments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Body Glove Cruises technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration2 records
Feature4 records
Body Glove Cruises partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Carbon BuddycorePartnership begun in 2019 offering guests the option to offset carbon emissions from their tour for $1 per booking. Quarterly donations support local community organizations like Waikōloa Dry Forest Initiative. Company goal is to cover every tour with offsets by default within 5-10 years.
- Upcycle HawaiiminorLocal small business partnership to repurpose single-use ice bags into earrings, pouches, and other items. Addresses the company's last single-use plastic item challenge.
- Blue Ocean Mariculture (BOM)minorCollaborated on Earth Day 2024 ocean cleanup effort in Kailua Bay, removing 61 large tires from the underwater landscape.
- Ocean Defenders Alliance (ODA)minorPartnered with BOM and ODA for the April 2024 Earth Day cleanup effort in Kailua Bay.
- Hawai'i Community AssetsminorCarbon Buddy quarterly donations support this nonprofit organization helping community members find housing.
- Hawai'i 'Ulu CooperativeminorPartnership formed in 2020 through Carbon Buddy connections. Company sources ulu (breadfruit) from this cooperative for onboard meals.
- Kona-Kohala Chamber of CommercecoreThrough the Kuleana Green Business Program, recognized by the Chamber for environmental responsibility and sustainable business practices.
- Sustainable Tourism Association of HawaiicoreCertified member demonstrating commitment to sustainable tourism practices in Hawaii.
- Coral Reef AllianceminorBody Glove has adopted Coral Reef Alliance standards for all excursions and is Dolphin SMART compliant.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Body Glove Cruises competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Fair Wind Cruises: Direct Kona competitor operating catamaran snorkel and dolphin-watch tours from Keauhou Bay, with a similar public-tour + private-charter model. Comparable vessel-based tour offerings targeting the same Big Island visitor demographic.
- Captain Cook Cruises (Kona): Operates evening snorkel, dinner, and historical Kealakekua Bay cruises from Kona on sailing and power catamarans. Overlaps directly with Body Glove's historical dinner cruise and catamaran snorkel SKUs.
- Hawaii Nautical: Multi-island boat tour operator offering snorkel, whale watch, sunset, and private charters with shared booking platform across Hawaiian islands. Comparable tour portfolio and pricing structure.
- Pacific Whale Foundation: Maui-based nonprofit operating eco-certified whale watching, snorkel, and sunset cruises with marine naturalists on board. Closest comparable on the whale-watching + sustainability positioning and naturalist narration.
- Ocean Sports (Waikoloa): Big Island operator on the Kohala Coast offering whale watching, sunset sails, and snorkel cruises. Competes for the same Big Island visitor pool with overlapping tour formats and similar pricing.
- Sail Kona: Kona-based sailing catamaran operator running snorkel, manta ray, sunset, and whale watching tours. Directly competes in the same catamaran-based day-tour category as Body Glove.
- Kona Ocean Adventures: Local Kona operator offering manta ray night snorkel, dolphin, and whale watch excursions. Overlaps with Body Glove's wildlife and snorkel tour portfolio.
Broad incumbents
- Maui Snorkel Charters (e.g., Trilogy Excursions): Established multi-island catamaran operator with broader Hawaiian footprint and longer multi-stop tours. Comparable in vessel type and tour format but operates at greater scale across islands.
- Norwegian Cruise Line (Pride of America): Major cruise line that calls at Kailua-Kona and drives a meaningful share of Big Island day-spend. Sets the broader Hawaiian cruise-tourism context that Body Glove's shore-excursion-style tours operate within.
Others
- FareHarbor: Booking platform partner that processes all of Body Glove's online reservations. While not a competitor, it is the operational backbone of the direct-to-consumer motion and a dependency for the entire revenue flow.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Body Glove Cruises social profiles
Digital presenceBody Glove Cruises compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance3 records
Body Glove Cruises financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Body Glove Cruises leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
Body Glove Cruises funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Body Glove Cruises M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Body Glove Cruises
What does Body Glove Cruises do?
Body Glove Cruises is a Hawaii-based boat tour operator offering scheduled ocean adventure excursions from Kailua-Kona on two vessels: the 65-ft Kanoa II catamaran and the 41-ft Kona Explorer Super-Raft. The company sells snorkel tours, whale watching, historical dinner cruises, sunset cruises, and private charters directly to consumers, with bookings processed via its own website and the FareHarbor platform.
Is Body Glove Cruises a public or private company?
Body Glove Cruises is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Body Glove Cruises founded?
Body Glove Cruises was founded in 1988. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Body Glove Cruises based?
Body Glove Cruises is headquartered in Kailua Kona, United States, in the North America region.
How does Body Glove Cruises make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Public Tour Tickets are the primary driver. The others are private Charter Bookings and kama'aina Membership (Holo Holo Pass).
Who are Body Glove Cruises's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Fair Wind Cruises, Captain Cook Cruises (Kona), Hawaii Nautical, Pacific Whale Foundation, Ocean Sports (Waikoloa), Sail Kona and Kona Ocean Adventures. Broad incumbents are Maui Snorkel Charters (e.g., Trilogy Excursions) and Norwegian Cruise Line (Pride of America). FareHarbor is listed as an others.
Does Body Glove Cruises have an API?
No public API is recorded for Body Glove Cruises.
What industry is Body Glove Cruises in?
Body Glove Cruises's product category is Marine Tourism and Boat Tour Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is THAEADAD, Catamaran & Sailing Cat Cruise Operators, with a secondary code of THAEAFAC, Shore Excursion Operators (Tours & Activities). Its NAICS code is 48721 and its SIC code is 4400.