Fair Wind Cruises
Fair Wind Cruises is a family-owned Hawai'i snorkel tour operator founded in 1971, operating three vessels (Fair Wind II, Hula Kai, Capt. Jack) from Keauhou Bay on the Big Island to offer guided snorkeling excursions to Kealakekua Bay, the South Kona Coast, and Manta Ray Village for visiting tourists and local residents.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1971
- HeadquartersKailua Kona, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Fair Wind Cruises does
Fair Wind Cruises (legal entity: Fair Wind, Inc., d/b/a Fair Wind Cruises and Big Island Ocean Guides) is a privately-held, family-owned snorkel tour operator headquartered in Kailua-Kona on the Big Island of Hawai'i. Founded in 1971 and operated continuously by the Dant family for 55 years, the company runs scheduled daily snorkel excursions from its Keauhou Bay pier access point. Its customer base is entirely direct-to-consumer, composed of Big Island visitors (U.S. mainland and international tourists) and local residents, with no third-party resellers, agency distribution, or marketplace listings described.
The company's product portfolio centers on four core tour SKUs operated across a three-vessel fleet: the Fair Wind II (Morning Kealakekua Snorkel Tour at $158/person and Afternoon Kealakekua Snorkel Tour at $117/person, featuring waterslides, high-dive platform, breakfast and lunch); the Hula Kai (Kona Coast Snorkel Tour at $167/person for experienced snorkelers ages 7+ and the Manta Ray Night Snorkel Tour at $149/person); and the 43' Capt. Jack (Private Charter at $1,200 flat). Ancillary revenue streams include the Kama'aina Club loyalty program for local residents, an e-commerce storefront (fairwindstore.com) selling Kona coffee from the company's own farm and merchandise, and group/corporate charter services. Vessels incorporate photovoltaic electronics and biofuel power, and the operator is STAH-certified with multiple state-level environmental awards.
Revenue is generated primarily through per-person ticket pricing with bundled meals, snorkel gear, reef-safe sunscreen, paddle boards, and beverages included. Customer acquisition is direct via the company's website, which embeds FareHarbor for reservation management and payments, with on-site booking at the Keauhou Bay pier office as a secondary channel. Marketing is content-driven through the corporate blog, social media (Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, LinkedIn), email newsletter, and SEO — supplemented by reputation management across TripAdvisor, Google, and Yelp, where the brand maintains 3,200+ five-star reviews and has earned TripAdvisor Travelers' Choice (2024), Frommer's recognition, and the West Hawai'i Readers Poll. The company is bootstrapped — no funding rounds, institutional investors, or ownership changes are evidenced — and operates through a corporate group including affiliated entities Kona Sunrise Charters, Inc., Charisma Hawaii, Inc., and Keauhou Boating LTD.
Fair Wind Cruises firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Fair Wind Cruises
- Legal name
- Fair Wind, Inc.
- Website
- https://fair-wind.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1971
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Fair Wind Cruises is a family-owned Hawai'i snorkel tour operator founded in 1971, operating three vessels (Fair Wind II, Hula Kai, Capt. Jack) from Keauhou Bay on the Big Island to offer guided snorkeling excursions to Kealakekua Bay, the South Kona Coast, and Manta Ray Village for visiting tourists and local residents.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Fair Wind Cruises industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Marine Snorkel Tour Services
- NAICS
- Scenic and Sightseeing Transportation, Water (4872), Scenic and Sightseeing Transportation, Water (487210), Coastal and Great Lakes Passenger Transportation (483114)
- SIC
- Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900), Water Transportation (4400)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Sightseeing & Scenic Boat Tours (Harbor, Sunset, Dolphin/Whale Watching) (THAJAJAA)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Tourist & Sightseeing Cruise Operators (Day Cruises) (TLAFALAF)
Keywords
Where Fair Wind Cruises is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Kailua Kona
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
Fair Wind Cruises business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain
Revenue model
- Snorkel Tour Tickets: Revenue is generated primarily through ticket sales for scheduled snorkel tours. Pricing is tiered by tour duration and vessel (e.g., Morning Kealakekua Tour $158/person, Afternoon Kealakekua Tour $117/person, Kona Coast Snorkel Tour $167/person, Manta Ray Night Snorkel $149/person, Private Charter $1,200 total). Meals, snorkel gear, and amenities are bundled into the ticket price.
- Retail (Fair Wind Store): The company operates an online storefront (fairwindstore.com) selling Kona coffee and merchandise, generating supplementary revenue from the tour customer base.
- Kama'aina Club Membership: A loyalty/membership program targeting local Hawai'i residents with discounted repeat bookings.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Morning Kealakekua Snorkel Tour on Fair Wind II — full-day adventure with island-style breakfast and lunch |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Afternoon Kealakekua Snorkeling Tour on Fair Wind II — shorter 3.5-hour afternoon tour |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Kona Coast Snorkel Tour on Hula Kai — deluxe coastal exploration for experienced snorkelers (ages 7+) |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Manta Ray Night Snorkel Tour on Hula Kai — evening manta ray encounter experience |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Private Charter Morning Snorkel Tour on Capt. Jack — exclusive half-day private charter |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels8 records
Fair Wind Cruises product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Fair Wind Cruises is a family-owned snorkel tour operator founded in 1971, based in Kailua-Kona on the Big Island of Hawai'i. The company operates a fleet of three first-class vessels (Fair Wind II, Hula Kai, and Capt. Jack) to provide daily guided snorkel tours to Kealakekua Bay, the South Kona Coast, and Manta Ray Village, bundling transportation, gear, meals, and expert narration into all-inclusive ocean adventure experiences.
Product overview
Fair Wind Cruises is a family-owned snorkel tour operator founded in 1971, offering a portfolio of ocean adventure experiences from Keauhou Bay on the Big Island of Hawai'i. The product lineup centers on four distinct tour offerings: the Morning and Afternoon Kealakekua Snorkel Tours (operated aboard the Fair Wind II vessel, featuring waterslides and high dive), the Kona Coast Snorkel Tour (aboard the Hula Kai vessel for experienced snorkelers exploring multiple South Kona reef sites), the Manta Ray Night Snorkel Tour (aboard Hula Kai featuring nighttime manta ray encounters), and Private/Charter options (aboard the 43' Capt. Jack vessel for exclusive group experiences). The company operates three vessels with varying capacities and amenities, supplemented by a Kama'aina loyalty club and on-board Kona coffee service from their own farm.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Morning Kealakekua Snorkel Tour
Companies that use Fair Wind Cruises
Customer profileNamed customers1 record
Segments2 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Fair Wind Cruises technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration2 records
Fair Wind Cruises partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- FareHarborcoreFareHarbor provides the embedded booking calendar and reservation management system powering real-time availability, scheduling, and payment processing across all Fair Wind Cruises tour products on the company's website. This integration is central to the company's direct-to-consumer booking operations.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Fair Wind Cruises competitors and assessment
Company assessmentOthers
- FareHarbor: Booking platform provider that powers Fair Wind's online reservation system across all tour products. While not a competitor, it is an enabling technology partner without which the company's direct-to-consumer booking flow would not operate.
Direct peers
- Captain Cook Snorkel Cruises: Kona-based operator running daily snorkel cruises to Kealakekua Bay. Direct head-to-head competitor for the same destination and same Hawaiian tourist customer that Fair Wind targets on its Fair Wind II vessel.
- Body Glove Cruises: Body Glove Cruises operates deluxe snorkel and manta ray night tours from Kailua-Kona on the Big Island using multi-vessel catamaran operations. It is the closest direct competitor to Fair Wind, offering overlapping Kealakekua Bay and manta ray experiences to the same Hawaiian tourist market.
- Sea Quest Hawaii: Sea Quest Hawaii runs snorkel, scuba, and manta ray night tours departing from Kailua-Kona. It directly competes for the same Big Island visitor customer base with a comparable vessel-based product and pricing tier.
- Hawaii Ocean Rafting Adventures: Small-group ocean rafting and snorkel tour operator running excursions along the Kona coastline. Targets similar adventurous tourist segments with a more intimate, fast-raft alternative to Fair Wind's larger vessels.
- Jack's Diving Locker: Long-standing Big Island dive and snorkel operator offering guided ocean experiences from Kona. Overlaps with Fair Wind on guided marine adventure tours to the same visitor segment, with a stronger emphasis on scuba.
- Dolphin Discoveries: Dolphin Discoveries operates snorkel and wildlife tours in Kailua-Kona, including manta ray night swims. Directly comparable Big Island operator competing for the same experiential snorkel customer.
- Manta Ray Adventures Hawaii: Kona-based operator specializing in manta ray night snorkel and dive experiences. Most directly comparable to Fair Wind's flagship Hula Kai manta ray tour in product, geography, and customer.
Emerging players
- Big Island Divers: Kailua-Kona dive operator offering snorkel tours and manta ray night experiences from the same Big Island departure points. Comparable in destination and customer focus, with a smaller vessel fleet than Fair Wind.
Broad incumbents
- Atlantis Adventures Hawaii: Larger marine tour operator running submarine and surface excursions across multiple Hawaiian islands including Kona. Overlaps with Fair Wind on the marine experience category but operates at a broader, multi-island scale and does not specialize in small-ship snorkel cruises.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Fair Wind Cruises social profiles
Digital presenceFair Wind Cruises financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Fair Wind Cruises leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
Fair Wind Cruises subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries3 records
Fair Wind Cruises funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Fair Wind 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 Fair Wind Cruises
What does Fair Wind Cruises do?
Fair Wind Cruises is a family-owned snorkel tour operator founded in 1971, based in Kailua-Kona on the Big Island of Hawai'i. The company operates a fleet of three first-class vessels (Fair Wind II, Hula Kai, and Capt. Jack) to provide daily guided snorkel tours to Kealakekua Bay, the South Kona Coast, and Manta Ray Village, bundling transportation, gear, meals, and expert narration into all-inclusive ocean adventure experiences.
Is Fair Wind Cruises a public or private company?
Fair Wind Cruises is a private company. It is classified as family owned and is currently operating.
When was Fair Wind Cruises founded?
Fair Wind Cruises was founded in 1971. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Fair Wind Cruises based?
Fair Wind Cruises is headquartered in Kailua Kona, United States, in the North America region.
How does Fair Wind Cruises make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Snorkel Tour Tickets are the primary driver. The others are retail (Fair Wind Store) and kama'aina Club Membership.
Who are Fair Wind Cruises's main competitors?
FareHarbor is listed as an others. Direct peers are Captain Cook Snorkel Cruises, Body Glove Cruises, Sea Quest Hawaii, Hawaii Ocean Rafting Adventures, Jack's Diving Locker, Dolphin Discoveries and Manta Ray Adventures Hawaii. Big Island Divers is listed as an emerging player. Atlantis Adventures Hawaii is listed as a broad incumbent.
Does Fair Wind Cruises have an API?
No public API is recorded for Fair Wind Cruises.
What industry is Fair Wind Cruises in?
Fair Wind Cruises's product category is Marine Snorkel Tour Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is THAJAJAA, Sightseeing & Scenic Boat Tours (Harbor, Sunset, Dolphin/Whale Watching), with a secondary code of TLAFALAF, Tourist & Sightseeing Cruise Operators (Day Cruises). Its NAICS code is 4872 and its SIC code is 7900.