Ideas for Private Excursions - Maui, Honolulu, Hilo

Hi everyone,

We're booked on the Carnival Miracle for October 2017 and I am just not at all impressed with the selection of shore excursions available through the ship. I'm trying to research private tours we can book independently but it's getting a bit overwhelming so I thought I'd see if anyone here has recommendations for any of the ports we're looking at.

So far, I am still looking for something to do in Honolulu, Maui, and in Hilo. We are hoping for something like a good snorkel/catamaran tour (but the ones I am finding online have very early departures and the ship doesn't dock until 9 or 10 AM so would probably need an afternoon), fun luau/party experiences, or just a nice beach day - but something that is fairly easy to get to from the ship or offers a pickup option. We do not want to do any kind of bus tour, since we've had some bad experiences with those before.

Can anyone recommend something you've done or a tour company you've really enjoyed that is NOT a bus tour? Thanks for any input!

Maui- try Roberts Hawaii for shore excursions. Pacific Whale Foundation for a snorkeling tour to the Molokini Crater. You won't be disappointed. Wailea beach day is always great. Luau in Lahaina. Rent a car and drive around Maui. It's a great island!

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When we were in Maui, we wanted to go to a beach. Four of us got into a van with another couple, and he took us to a beautiful beach. But we were taken! He took us for a long ride to the beach...we all paid quite a bit of money per couple, and he gave us his phone number to call and he would pick us up.

The beach was beautiful! After talking to a "local" by the beach, he told us we were "taken" by the driver and that we could take the bus back to the ship for something like a dollar per person. The ride back by bus wasn't half as long as the drive to the beach. Luckily for us, cab drivers on the rest of the Islands took us on terrific tours!

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Just returned from Hawaii myself.

Hilo - Highly recommend MaryLou's Big Island Tours. Simply amazing.

Honolulu - there various tours depending on what you want to do, Robert's Hawaii and E Noa are both great in Oahu.

Maui - If time permits, I would rent a car and maybe do the Road to Hana or at least some of it.

here's is the link to my review thread. (still posting content)

feel free to follow along.

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2493950

You can ride "the bus" in Honolulu.

Maui we just did the ship excursion with Celebrity, dolphin and snorkel tour, it was really good.

I have heard you can just take a taxi to Kanapali beach or Sheridan hotel and snorkel at black rock, but haven't done it. We tried to do a private one , but they were all too early so went with the ship tour for Maui.

You can ride "the bus" in Honolulu.

Maui we just did the ship excursion with Celebrity, dolphin and snorkel tour, it was really good.

I have heard you can just take a taxi to Kanapali beach or Sheridan hotel and snorkel at black rock, but haven't done it. We tried to do a private one , but they were all too early so went with the ship tour for Maui.

I took the bus from Lahiana to Ka'anapali . Very easy

It should be noted that the Miracle will be docking in Kahului and not tendering into Lahaina, and will be in port until 11 p.m. in case that helps anyone with tour suggestions.

We also did the Safari Helicopter tour private over the volcano and waterfalls. It was a nice tour, and much cheaper then the ship. The only thing is it didn't seem to fly very low. We did get good pictures with a zoom lens.