Hawaiian Excursion Recommendations Needed

I will be sailing on Celebrity Solstice in late April. There will be stops including Honolulu, Lahaina (2 days), Kailua-Kona, and Hilo. I really need help with excursion advice, either via the ship excursions, or through an independent source. What should I do and not do? Amateur cruiser here!!

Please help me see the best of Hawaii. Any suggestions on luau, tours, restaurants, or other ideas appreciated.

Thoughts...

• on the big island.... do something with the volcanos. Love the helicopter flight, the approach by land was great to.
  https://www.bluehawaiian.com/bigisland/video/
  
• In Honolulu... I enjoy the Polynesian Cultural Centre. Hard to get to by distance and time, but love the stories and the shows there.
  

I will be sailing on Celebrity Solstice in late April. There will be stops including Honolulu, Lahaina (2 days), Kailua-Kona, and Hilo. I really need help with excursion advice, either via the ship excursions, or through an independent source. What should I do and not do? Amateur cruiser here!!

Please help me see the best of Hawaii. Any suggestions on luau, tours, restaurants, or other ideas appreciated.

There are lots of attractions located near the Honolulu Cruise Terminal that you can access by foot. You can also catch a public bus from near the cruise terminal to either Waikiki Beach or Pearl Harbor.

You might find these sites useful:

http://OahuHawaii.ca (for Honolulu and Pearl Harbor attractions)

http://WaikikiBeach.ca (for Waikiki - a nearby suburb on Honolulu)

I you want to travel elsewhere on Oahu, you should probably pay for a tour.

Enjoy your vacation!

we just returned from Hawaii. Booked 5 tours with Roberts Hawaii. Absolutely FAB!!

We did this cruise last fall. Here is what we did:

Hilo: The National Park, Downtown Hilo and Rainbow Falls through Shore Trips

Kona: Snorkeling through ship

Maui: rented a jeep and toured on own - then did the Old Lahaina Luau bought tickets on own.

Ohau: Rented a car and went to North Shore and hiked Diamond Head - we were there overnight.

Have fun this is a great trip.

I had some guidebooks from the two land trips I've done (1990 and 1995, which was our honeymoon) and some brochures for each island that I had mailed to me before our first Hawaiian cruise in 2005. Went to our public library and checked out more recent ones and between all of these books and the many tourism websites that come up when googling each port, I had a long list of possibilities based on what I thought would work for my family. I also went on the Princess website to see what excursions they offered.

We would then have a family meeting with the three of us to narrow down. My hubby's one requirement is no renting cars for any ports (this is true for any of our cruises). Sometimes we'll just go to a beach, which doesn't require any excursion, just a determination of if we can walk or need transportation.

Hawaii is a very easy itinerary to research on your own, IMO, and decide what interests you.

Be sure to check out the Hawaii ports of call board.

Keith

Before you go ANYWHERE you haven't been, read up on it...get a guidebook from your library...know something about where you're going! That way, you'll have a good idea of what interests you, and a guidebook gives you good tips on distance, transportation, etc...

Hawaii is pretty easy to do things on your own, saving you bunches of $$!

RESEARCH!!! That's key to getting the most from your short time ashore!

We took the bus to the Maui Aquarium. The bus stop is about 2 blocks from the port. Just ask directions at the information center. Bus is $2 per person per ride or $4 for a full day ticket. Exact change required.

The ride to the Aquarium is about 20 minutes. Entrance there was $24 for seniors. I am not sure of the cost for youngsters. :)

Stay as long as you want and then ride back. I think the bus runs every 30 minutes.

Princess offered a tour there for $70 per person.

we just returned from Hawaii. Booked 5 tours with Roberts Hawaii. Absolutely FAB!!

I second this recommendation. We used Roberts of Hawaii for several tours and were very pleased. They offer smaller tours that go to the same places as the cruise ship. Their customer service was top notch!

Be sure to check out the Hawaii ports of call board.

 

Keith

Good advice to review the Hawaii Ports of Call forum for discussion on excursions. http://boards.cruisecritic.com/forumdisplay.php?f=62. (You can also do a Search there). Also check out the Roll Call for your sailing. :)

Personally I think the two biggest things to see in Honolulu are the Arizona Memorial and the Punchbowl cemetery.

On the Hawaii "Ports of Call" board, someone put together a great thread called the "Hawaii Cheat Sheet" that has accumulated information that many CC members have posted over the last year or so. It's a great source of information:

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=559081

Don't know the other islands, but been to Maui many times. Not sure what you like to do as well. If I was there a few days, I'd rent a car for sure. So many places to go and explore! Nice beaches, hiking,....One thing which is odd, but Lahaina is a neat town that everyone goes to. Lots of little shops and food places. You have to find I think it's Ulalani's Shaved Ice! They have a few there. You can ask anyone, but they're the best!!! A little ice cream at the bottom and they have a ton of flavors to pick from. They make their own syrups. I always have to get a few while I'm visiting.

There's a book that's very popular called Maui Revealed. They may have one for each island?? So much info and where to stop at each mile marker. (if driving) Lots you can get in to see in a day if you drive. The first time we went there we went to the Old Lahaina Luau. The most popular and best IMO. The aquarium is nice. You may want to book an excursion? We always stay in Kaanapali. Great beach!!! So make sure you at least walk around the town of Lahaina. Love Maui!