Sink 100 to 130 feet below the waves off Lahaina in a real passenger submarine, past reef
fish, sharks and a sunken 1920 schooner. What the dive includes, who should skip it, and the best alternatives.
The honest small printLadder, height limit and parking spelled out
Real guest ratingsViator & Tripadvisor, September 2026
Free cancellationUp to 24 hours before, on every tour here
Secure checkout on ViatorMobile ticket, instant confirmation
Tickets
Choose your Maui submarine tour
The Atlantis dive from Lahaina Harbor, in the centre. Beside it, the two ways to see West Maui's
reefs that do get you wet: a raft to Lanai's snorkel spots and a first scuba dive in Lahaina.
A five-hour eco raft from Lahaina across the channel to Lanai's reefs, with spinner dolphins often seen on the way. Snorkel gear, lifeguards and brunch are included.
What's included
Eco raft from Lahaina to snorkel spots off Lanai
Snorkel gear and instruction from certified lifeguards
Brunch, snacks, soda and bottled water
Marine naturalist narration; reef-safe sunscreen only
No children under 4 or pregnant guests on the snorkel tour
A shuttle boat from Lahaina Harbor, then about 45 minutes aboard a real 48-seat submarine at 100 to 130 feet. You glide past reef fish and the sunken Carthaginian II.
What's included
Open-air shuttle boat from Lahaina Harbor to the dive site and back
About 45 minutes underwater in a battery-powered 48-passenger submarine
Live narration by the crew; Japanese audio narration available
Local taxes; children must be at least 36 inches tall
Not included: hotel pickup, harbor parking, gratuities
A three-hour first scuba experience with Dive Maui in Lahaina: the basics with an instructor, then a guided dive. No license needed; do PADI eLearning first.
What's included
Scuba gear for the dive
Personal instruction from a PADI instructor
Minimum age 10; you must be able to swim
PADI eLearning must be completed before the day
No flying or driving up Haleakala for 18 hours after
The real question is how wet you want to get. The submarine keeps you dry and suits any age from
36 inches; the snorkel boats and the scuba dive put you in the water with the turtles.
Children get about 55% off the submarine (from 36 inches tall) and discounts on most
other trips. The submarine is $160 at the regular Viator price and about $144 on the 10% offer for bookings by
15 October 2026. Every tour here cancels free up to 24 hours ahead.
What you actually see
The star is a shipwreck: a reef built on purpose.
The dive site lies off Puamana, just south of Lahaina. Its centrepiece is the Carthaginian II, a
steel schooner built in Kiel, Germany, in 1920, which later served Lahaina as a floating whaling museum. In
December 2005 Atlantis and the Lahaina Restoration Foundation sank it on purpose in about 97 feet of water.
Before that, the operator says, the spot was mostly bare sand with little life; today the hull is crusted with
coral and sponges and busy with fish.
So be clear on what you are buying: about 45 minutes underwater in a real, air-conditioned submarine,
over an artificial reef and the natural reef around it. It is not Molokini, and you do not swim. Sharks, eels,
rays and turtles turn up often but never on cue; one unhappy guest in July felt there was "nothing to see".
The day starts in Lahaina, which is still rebuilding after the 2023 fire.
130 ft
About how deep the sub goes. The wreck sits on the sand at
about 97 feet, so you see it from the side, not just from above.
Carthaginian IICoral reefReef sharks45 minutes down
Illustration: the morning starts at the harbor, a short boat ride from the dive site.
01
Is it a real submarine?
Yes: a battery-powered, 48-passenger sub that dives, not a glass-bottom or semi-submersible boat.
02
How long underwater?
About 45 minutes of a tour lasting about 1 hour 50 minutes, including the shuttle boat.
03
Can everyone board?
You need to be 36 inches tall and climb a near-vertical ladder of about 10 steps on your own.
04
Who might skip it?
Confident swimmers who want turtles up close: a Molokini snorkel trip puts you in the water.
The dive
How the submarine morning unfolds
About two hours from check-in to the dock. In mid-2026 Atlantis ran dives at 9 AM, 11 AM and 1 PM;
the booking calendar shows the current times.
01
Check in at Prison Street
Park in the harbor lot at 116 Prison Street and find the Atlantis "Meet Here" sign for the briefing.
30 min before
02
Shuttle boat out
A guest services agent walks you to the pier, and an open-air boat takes you to the waiting sub. Watch for whales in winter.
A short ride
03
The dive
Climb down the ladder, take a porthole seat and sink past the reef to the Carthaginian II, with the crew narrating.
About 45 min
04
Back to Lahaina
Surface, ride the shuttle back to the harbor and walk back to the car park.
Getting there, tickets and ages, the rules and what to bring: one tab each.
No hotel pickup: you drive yourself to Lahaina, or take a taxi or rideshare.
Check in 30 minutes before your dive at the Atlantis "Meet Here" sign, harbor parking lot, 116 Prison Street.
Enter the lot from Shaw Street, not Prison Street. Parking is paid.
From Kaanapali it is a short drive; from Kihei, Wailea or Kahului airport allow about 45 minutes to an hour.
Lahaina Harbor reopened in December 2025 and is still being rebuilt: follow the staff through the works.
From $160 per adult on Viator; about $144 on the 10% offer for bookings by 15 October 2026.
Children get about 55% off on Viator (around $72); child rates apply up to age 12.
Atlantis quoted $148 adult and $66 child direct in June 2026, without Viator's 24-hour free cancellation.
Mid-2026 schedule: three dives a day on Sunday, Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday.
Minimum height 36 inches (91 cm); infants are not allowed on the submarine.
Guests under 16 must dive with an adult.
You must climb a near-vertical ladder of about 10 steps unaided; not wheelchair accessible.
No food or drinks on board.
A light jacket or sweater: the cabin is air-conditioned.
Closed-toe shoes for the ladder and the walk to the pier.
Sunscreen and a hat for the open shuttle boat.
A phone or camera: turn the flash off and hold the lens close to the porthole.
Your usual seasickness remedy, if you need one, for the boat ride.
IncludedShuttle boatA short open-air ride from Lahaina Harbor out to the submarine and back.
IncludedThe diveAbout 45 minutes underwater, down to about 100 to 130 feet.
IncludedCarthaginian IIThe 1920 schooner sunk in 2005 as an artificial reef.
IncludedNarrationThe crew talks you through the fish; Japanese audio is available.
Extra costParkingThe harbor lot at Prison Street is paid; there is no hotel pickup.
SeasonalHumpback whalesRoughly December to May, sometimes seen on the ride out.
Where the dive starts
Atlantis Submarines Maui check-in
Harbor parking lot, Lahaina
116 Prison St, Lahaina, HI 96761, USA
Park in the harbor-area lot at 116 Prison Street (the entrance is on Shaw Street) and look for the
Atlantis Submarines Maui "Meet Here" sign. Check in 30 minutes before your dive: you get the briefing there,
and a guest services agent walks the group to the temporary pier, where the shuttle boat waits. The tour
ends back at the same spot.
4.8★★★★★ 826 reviews · Maui Atlantis Submarine Adventure as shown on Viator & Tripadvisor, September 2026
★★★★★
This was such a fun, amazing experience for our kids! The crew was incredible and went out of their way to make it so fun for our 5 and 7 year old. We saw so many fish and sharks, and it was the perfect balance of fun and educational.
★★★★★
It was a short walk to get to the boat and a short boat ride to get to the submarine. We saw a coral reef, sunken ship, lots of fish and a dolphin on our side of the submarine. Well worth the cost.
★★★★★
Great experience, traveled with my wife and kids. My wife is scared of snorkeling and this was basically the same as snorkeling without getting wet.
★★★★★
The captain and crew gave us a thorough briefing before we got underway which removed some of the apprehension that some people may have had. The tour took us to about 140 feet, and we saw a reef, many kinds of fishes, and a sunken ship.
★★★★★
This was definitely the highlight of our vacation. We were able to see all kinds of marine life including sharks, a stingray, eel, several sea stars and a sunken ship!
★★★★★
Would definitely recommend for families. They mentioned they just opened back up after the Lahaina fires, so it's great to support them now that they're open!
★★★★★
Absolutely amazing experience and one of the highlights of our Maui trip! The submarine itself was incredible, but Captain Jim truly made the experience.
★★★★★
This was a neat experience! They take you down 135 feet and you get to see different fish and even an abandoned boat on the floor of the ocean!
★★★★★
The boat trip to the submarine had the best scenes, the guide was funny and knew everything, and the submarine tour was a great experience, especially watching the fish and the sunken ship.
Island-hopping?
Dive again off Kona
Atlantis runs the same kind of dive on the Big Island, over a natural reef instead of a
wreck, so the two dives feel different.
Kona Atlantis Submarine Adventure
★ 4.7 · 759 reviews · 1 hour
Island-hopping to the Big Island? Atlantis runs a second 48-passenger submarine off Kailua-Kona. You check in at the King Kamehameha Kona Beach Hotel, take a short shuttle out, and dive over a natural coral reef on the Kona coast, where the lava-rock coastline drops quickly into clear water.
The Atlantis dive is the one way to see Maui's reef at 100 feet without a mask, a tank or a
swim test. Here is what the ticket buys, what the morning is really like, and how to decide whether it is
the right underwater trip for your group.
What the Atlantis dive is, and what it isn't
Atlantis Submarines has run dives from Lahaina Harbor since 1991. Its original Maui submarine was destroyed
in the August 2023 wildfire, and the tours came back in 2026 with a battery-powered, 48-passenger sub shipped
over from Oahu. It is a true submarine: the hatches close, it submerges and it cruises along the seabed while
you sit on a bench facing large portholes. It is not a glass-bottom boat or a semi-submersible, and it is not
a snorkel trip. You stay dry, cool and seated the whole time.
Illustration: a short shuttle boat ride takes you from the harbor to the sub.
What you see at 100 feet
The headline is the Carthaginian II, a 1920 schooner that once served as Lahaina's floating whaling
museum. Atlantis sank it off Puamana in December 2005 to create an artificial reef on what had been mostly
sand. Two decades on, the hull is home to schools of reef fish, and guests this summer report sharks, a stingray, eels, sea stars and even dolphins passing the portholes. The natural reef nearby adds
coral heads and more fish. The sub runs to about 130 feet, and the crew narrates what swims by.
The honest small print: about 45 of the roughly 110 minutes are spent underwater, the
harbor is a construction zone while Lahaina rebuilds, there is no hotel pickup, and wildlife is never
guaranteed. A few guests leave disappointed that they "only" saw fish and a boat; most rate it five stars.
Go in expecting a calm, narrated look at a reef and a wreck, not an aquarium.
Submarine or snorkel trip?
If everyone in your group can swim and wants to meet turtles face to face, a Molokini or Lanai snorkel
trip gives you more time in the water for a similar price. The submarine wins when someone cannot or will
not swim, when you are travelling with small children or grandparents, or when you simply want to see what
lives below snorkel depth. One father summed it up: his wife is scared of snorkeling, and this was "basically
the same as snorkeling without getting wet". Want to breathe underwater yourself? The intro scuba dive in
Lahaina takes ages 10 and up with no license.
Illustration: an old ship turned reef, the kind of scene the sub is built around.
Making the most of the morning
Book early in your trip so a rough-sea day leaves room to rebook, and pick the 9 AM dive if you want the
afternoon on the beach. Park at the Prison Street lot 30 minutes before, wear closed-toe shoes for the ladder
and bring a light layer for the air-conditioning. On board, press your phone's lens against the porthole and
turn off the flash. In winter, keep watching the channel on the shuttle ride: humpbacks sometimes steal the show
before you even dive.
Illustration: kids from 36 inches tall can ride, and every guest gets a window.
Straight answers to what visitors ask most about the Atlantis submarine in Maui.
Is the Atlantis submarine in Maui open again after the Lahaina fire?
Yes. Atlantis lost its Maui submarine in the August 2023 wildfire and brought a 48-passenger sub over from Oahu. After a soft reopening in early 2026, full tours from Lahaina Harbor restarted in June 2026: three dives a day, five days a week, with Tuesdays and Fridays kept for battery charging (mid-2026 schedule). The harbor itself is still being rebuilt, so expect a construction zone. Check the dates.
How much does the Maui Atlantis submarine cost?
On Viator the dive is from $160 per adult in 2026, with 10% off (about $144) when you book by 15 October 2026 for travel by 31 December. Children get about 55% off, around $72. Atlantis quoted $148 per adult and $66 per child direct in June 2026; Viator adds free cancellation up to 24 hours before. Parking is extra. See the ticket and price guide.
How deep does the Atlantis submarine go in Maui?
Up to about 130 feet. Atlantis says "more than 100 feet", and the Maui News reported a maximum of 130 feet at the June 2026 restart. Guests have reported depth gauge readings of 135 to 150 feet, so it varies a little by dive.
How long is the Maui submarine tour?
About 1 hour 50 minutes in total, of which about 45 minutes are underwater. The rest is the short shuttle boat ride out from Lahaina Harbor and back, plus boarding. Check in 30 minutes before your dive time.
What do you see on the Maui Atlantis submarine?
The Carthaginian II, a 1920 schooner that Atlantis sank off Puamana in 2005 as an artificial reef, plus natural coral reef and reef fish. Guests this summer report sharks, a stingray, eels, sea stars and even dolphins, but wildlife is never guaranteed. Read what you see down there.
Is the Atlantis submarine in Maui worth it?
For non-swimmers, families with young kids and anyone who wants to see the reef without getting wet, usually yes: it is rated 4.8 from 826 reviews. Confident snorkelers who want to swim with turtles get more for the money on a Molokini trip. See is it worth it.
Can kids ride the Atlantis submarine in Maui?
Yes, from 36 inches (91 cm) tall. Infants are not allowed, under-16s need an adult, and child rates apply up to age 12. Every passenger has to climb down a near-vertical ladder of about 10 steps on their own. More in the Atlantis submarine with kids.
Where do you check in for the Atlantis submarine in Maui?
At the Atlantis Submarines Maui "Meet Here" sign by the harbor parking lot at 116 Prison Street, Lahaina (enter the lot from Shaw Street). Parking is paid. A guest services agent walks the group to the pier. There is no hotel pickup. See the map.
Is the submarine claustrophobic, and will I get seasick?
Guests describe the cabin as roomy and air-conditioned, with large portholes along both sides, and the crew gives a briefing that eases nerves before the dive. Underwater the ride is smooth. If you get seasick, take your usual remedy before the shuttle boat, which is the only part on the waves.
Is the Atlantis submarine wheelchair accessible?
No. Boarding means climbing down a near-vertical ladder of about 10 steps unaided, and there is some walking from the check-in to the pier. One guest put it plainly: the ladder is steep and not recommended for anyone with limited mobility.
Can you see whales from the Maui submarine?
Sometimes, in season. Humpbacks are in Maui waters roughly December to May, and Atlantis says you may spot them on the shuttle ride out to the sub. For a proper whale day, the Lahaina whale watch with a hydrophone leaves from the same harbor.
Can I cancel my Maui submarine booking?
Yes. The submarine and every other tour on this page can be cancelled for a full refund up to 24 hours before the start time on Viator.
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