REVIEW: Sailing on Maui’s Alii Nui Luxury Catamaran With Our 3 Kids at Sunset

MAUI COUNTY, HAWAII – The ocean is central to Hawaiian culture. So it stands to reason that one of the best ways to see Maui is from the water.

And if you’re going to be out on the water, why not travel at sunset, via a giant sailing catamaran with cocktails and a classy dinner buffet?

That’s the concept behind the Alii Nui, my favorite boat on the island.

The Alii Nui has been plying the waters off Maui for years. My wife and I hopped aboard the vessel in 2016 for a sunset sail right before our son was born.

This year–a decade later–we returned with our three kids to ride the Alii Nui again.

The Alii Nui leaves from Maalaea Harbor, which is centrally located on Maui, just Northeast of Kihei. The company can sometimes provide transportation if you’re staying in a nearby resort, but we got there ourselves on West Maui Taxi (highly recommended–asking for Lee and let them know Tom sent you.)

We arrived at the marina, checked in, and immediately boarded the boat. The Alii Nui is a 65 foot catamaran. The boat’s three-hull design means that there’s tons of space on deck, and also results in a very stable ride.

If you’ve sailed before and are used to white-knuckled experiences where the boat tips to one side as it catches the wind, know that this is not that experience.

After stepping aboard and taking off our land shoes (the better to grip the deck as we walked around), we met up in the below-decks area for a short safety briefing from the captain, and then we were off.

The Alii Nui initially motors out of the harbor, and you get beautiful views of the harbor itself and the South Maui coastline.

The lower area of the boat–as all boats should be–is built around an extensive bar. There’s a dedicated member of the crew who rotates between boat-ish duties like adjusting the sails and the perhaps more important duty of tending bar.

Drinks aboard the Alii Nui are unlimited and included in the price. You can grab a nice glass of wine, a tropical cocktail, or local beers from Maui Brewing Company.

In fact, the crew has Mai Tais waiting for you the second you board.

There are also plenty of nonalcoholic options for kids and non-drinkers, including cocktails with non-alcoholic spirits–a nice touch that means everyone can enjoy that Mai Tai, whether they’re driving home or not.

The name Alii Nui means “highest royalty”, and that’s reflected in the service aboard the boat. We found the crew to be extremely helpful and accommodating, whether that was by helping lift our young sons aboard the boat, or proactively stopping by to top up their glasses of juice.

Once the boat is underway, you can climb up on deck and hang out on multiple tables and little secluded spots. Our voyage didn’t have too many people aboard, but even with a big crowd there’s plenty of space to spread out.

Giant “trampoline” nets hang above the water at the front of the boat. They’re quite strong and secure, and it’s fun to see the water through them as you coast along. Our kids spent most of their time on these nets.

The entire ship is enclosed by a secure fence. I don’t think I’d take a young toddler on this ride. But for our five-year-old-plus kids, it felt safer than I expected, and we didn’t need to watch their every move.

There are two bathrooms aboard the Alii Nui. They’re not fancy, but they’re real restrooms–not the porta potty style bathrooms you’ll find on some boat rides.

Once you’ve fully out to seat,  the crew comes up on deck, the captain kills the engine, and the crew raises the main sail. This is a dramatic endeavor, involving lots of heaving and shouting–especially on a windy day like ours.

Observing the young crew members quickly running about and hauling up lines while quietly sipping a cocktail in the sun is a very pleasant endeavor. Remember to tip!

Once the engine is off and the sail is up, the sound falls away and the ride is peaceful and silent. You cruise North through protected waters, and the views of the coastline are stunning. 

The sailing portion of the cruise lasts about 30 minutes. If you stop by the rear of the boat, the captain will let you briefly drive. Our kids love the chance to climb up a big captain’s chair and turn a giant helm to steer, while learning a bit about how the captain angles the boat to catch the wind.

After the sailing portion is done, the crew lowers the sail and serves dinner in the lower cabin. From our previous sail, I remembered that the food about the Alii Nui is quite good, and that was the same on our 2026 sail.

The buffet on our cruise wasn’t as extensive as the one we enjoyed in 2016, but the spread of slider buns, jackfruit, pork, pickles, BBQ sauce, veggies and delicious Maui onion dip was still quite nice. The Alii Nui hosted our family so we could review and photograph the experience–thanks!

After dinner comes the main event—the sunset. Maui sunsets are incredibly vibrant and dramatic, and the Alii Nui cruises up to shore and sits motionless in the water so you can take time to enjoy it.

Everyone came up to the deck and found their own little spot to watch the sun sink below the horizon.

The captain then fired up the engine and motored back to the harbor. The full cruise takes about 2 hours.

Overall, riding the Alii Nui again was a great experience–really one of the highlights of the trip. Some boat rides can feel a bit too rustic and rugged. The Alii Nui feels classier and more comfortable. And the inclusion of dinner and drinks makes it a full evening activity.

Our specific tour was the sunset sail, but the Alii Nui does snorkeling excursions and other cruises throughout the day. 

Be aware that if you book a sunset sail, you might end up with kids (like ours!) running around the boat. If that’s an issue for you, the Alii Nui also does a Sunset Sushi tour that’s adults-only. They also have a Turtles and Tacos snorkeling tour and other daytime tours that look fun.

Locals also told me that the Alii Nui company has a new boat, the Alii Kai, that’s even fancier!

If you’re heading to Maui and want to see the islands via the ocean, I absolutely recommend checking the Alii Nui out. You can see their various options on their website here.

Now that our kids are old enough to go aboard a sailing ship, we definitely hope to ride the Alii Nui again soon without a decade-long gap in the middle! 

Website: https://aliinuimaui.com/