People often send us emails with questions about our tours. Here’s the most common questions answered for you:
Q: Do we need to provide our own masks, snorkel and fins?
A: We do include fins (flipper) rentals in the price of the tour. If you do not provide your mask and snorkel, there is a 10$ NZD per mask rental and sanitization fee.
Q: We are coming in on a cruise ship (example: Paul Gauguin, etc.) Where do we meet you?
A: Cruise port days are very busy for us as we usually have a number of people going with us from the ship. We are not hard to miss! We will meet you right at the pier where you dock. We will be wearing Teking shirts and easy to spot. You can’t miss us. Transfers are provided with our tours.
Q: Are your tours fully refundable? We are coming in on a cruise ship (like the Paul Gauguin) and if we prepay for the snorkeling safari cruise on our scheduled day in Aitutaki, and the boat is unable to dock for some reason, will we receive a refund?
A: If your ship does not dock into Aitutaki or your flight is cancelled, we promptly refund you 90% of your payment as long as you provide us with three (3) calendar day notice. There is a 10% mandatory fee to cover our expenses of online transactions, currency exchange rates, processing fees, etc.
You may decide to cancel your reservation for any reason, with at least three (3) calendar days notice – we will refund you 90% of your payment. There is always a 10% hold-back on reservations for cancellations other than weather-related.
If you cancel within 3 calendar days of your tour, we do not offer refunds except in a case-by-case basis for illness or travel cancellations. Please see our Terms & Conditions page for more information.
If there is bad weather and not able to go out on the lagoon – we will refund you 100%. We cannot hold mother nature accountable for our tours!
Q: We would like to go on the snorkeling safari cruise but my partner is a weak swimmer and is not at all comfortable. Would it still be worth booking.
A: This is a topic that comes up frequently. While you definitely get the most out of the snorkeling experience being a good swimmer, it is not essential to have an amazing time on the Lagoon. There is a sand bar that you can get out and stand on and literally be in a few inches of water and enjoy a water (or indulge in an adult beverage) in the middle of the ocean while taking in the picturesque scenery. Teking and our entire crew will assist you every step of the way and even try and encourage you to try something – only if it’s safe however. Safety is critical and of utmost concern for the entire crew. Do not worry, you can have an amazing day on the lagoon if you aren’t a very good swimmer at all.
Q: We are traveling around holidays, are your tours running every day?
A: We do not operate on national holidays for the Cook Islands and recommend you check https://www.qppstudio.net/public-holidays/cook_islands.htm before booking. We try and block out those days on our website but if have any questions, please contact us prior to booking.
Q: I would like to do your tour on our last day in Aitutaki and have to check out of the hotel/resort/accommodations. Is there a way you can store my luggage while we do the tour?
A: I would first ask your accommodation if they offer some type of service that keeps your luggage at their facility, but should this not be possible – yes, we can make special arrangements for us to store your luggage while you enjoy your tour, if required. Please contact us prior to booking to arrange.
Q: What are the differences between your tours?
Here are the tour differences between our Signature Snorkeling Safari Cruise, Private Snorkeling Safari, and the Private Charter.
The Signature Snorkeling Safari is a small-boat experience with a per-boat maximum of around 16 people – We like to keep our tours small and intimate for the best possible experience. Large groups tend to become overwhelming and sometimes there can be a lot of time spent waiting for the entire group. We find that small groups give a much better experience!
The Private Snorkeling Safari is for the adventurous ones who do not want a guided experience, but rather enjoy the peace and tranquility of being alone on your own private Motu. This is typically for couples who would like the secluded romance that the private motu provides or those that want to snorkel at their own pace and explore the motu their own way. What happens for this tour is that you are dropped off at the Motu and the rest of your time is yours to do whatever you want. You will be picked up as the tour concludes around 3 or 3:30PM approximately.
The Private Charter is literally renting your own boat and captain for the day. You decide the itinerary. You decide where and what you want to do. The lagoon is yours to explore however you’d like. You are the only people on the boat and the entire day is yours to decide.
Q: Where does the sunset cruise take you?
A: The sunset cruise mainly goes to Honeymoon Island, however we can also take you to One Foot as well. While there’s no snorkeling on this tour, you can do some swimming only if you wish. We try and be flexible wherever we can, but this tour is not designed for snorkeling or seeing a lot of the lagoon. If you wish to do that, our Signature Snorkeling Safari is what you’re looking for.
Q: Can you tell me which islands the snorkeling safari cruise visits?
A: Our Signature Snorkeling Safari visits 3 different snorkeling spots (including the fish feeding and the giant clam areas) and visits Honeymoon Island, One Foot Island (don’t forget your passport to get stamped!), and Maina where we have Lunch, and cruise through Rapota & Akaimi — ultimately covering approximately 75% of the lagoon.
Q: Are drinks provided or at an additional cost?
A: Water is provided complimentary and limited beer is available for purchase.
Q: I don’t eat seafood. What other options do you offer?
A: The BBQ lunch has a variety of choices, but we never know exactly what the menu will be. Aitutaki is small and sometimes we simply don’t have things available. Seafood isn’t always on the lunch buffet, it changes based on availability. While we try to feature local fish, sometimes it is chicken or pork. Again, whatever we have available. There’s always an assortment of homemade salads and fruit choices. If you think you will be very hungry or a very selective eater, you are always more than welcomed to bring a snack if you desire.