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POA Haleakala Excursion


Casey2
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We will be on the POA in April. We will not be renting cars in the ports as neither my husband or I want to drive. The first day in Maui we will be doing the Road to Hana with Valley Isle Excursions. For our second day, we would like to do the Haleakala Crater tour (not the sunrise tour) and our only option is through the ship. I realize that it is a long drive. I read that people were only given 20 minutes at the crater and were disappointed. Is it worth the drive? Any feedback will be appreciated.

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We did the Haleakala sunset tour through Roberts, at a cost of $83 per person. The tour left from the pier at 3:30pm and returned at 7:30pm with about an hour + at the top. The bus driver gave interesting history and commentary. As we climbed up the volcano, there were lots and lots of sharp switchbacks and we were glad we did not drive ourselves. The driver also had to watch out for the cows who kept crossing the road. There was plenty of time at the top and the sunset was beautiful.

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We cannot do the sunset tour as we will be on the RTH tour on the first day and won't be back on time. Unfortunately, Roberts is not doing any Haleakala tours in 2018. The only option I found was through the ship.

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Seriously consider doing it yourselves. The drive up is interesting in a "steep many switchback way" but the road is in good condition. That way you can easily stop at lookouts along the way (worth it) and you really should stop at the Visitor Center (about half way up). The views along make this worthwhile - simply spectacular.

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One of our group has bad vertigo and can't handle all the switchbacks and turns for either trip whether we drive it ourselves or not, so on Day 2 we are doing a helicopter tour and seeing them both from above & beside. Maui is less popular for heli tours and more expensive somehow, but it's an option to see the crater without driving. We did not book it through NCL though, and you have to get your own transportation to the heliport.

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One of our group has bad vertigo and can't handle all the switchbacks and turns for either trip whether we drive it ourselves or not, so on Day 2 we are doing a helicopter tour and seeing them both from above & beside. Maui is less popular for heli tours and more expensive somehow, but it's an option to see the crater without driving. We did not book it through NCL though, and you have to get your own transportation to the heliport.

 

 

 

Uber works well on Maui- better than taxis in terms of call time and price.

 

Not judging but just had a giggle that the switchbacks were too much but not a chopper ride. I don’t have vertigo and helicopters throw me off.

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Not judging but just had a giggle that the switchbacks were too much but not a chopper ride. I don’t have vertigo and helicopters throw me off.

 

It's ok, you can judge. ;) I have fingers crossed. It's his first heli ride... but it's only an hour, and the other drive is so much longer & the excursion takes most of the day with no easy escape if it starts to get to him. So we shall see...

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  • 2 weeks later...

We did the Road to Hana with Valley Isle Excursions Day 1 (excellent) and then Haleakala Crater at sunrise with NCL Day 2. Although it is very early, it was so worth it and then you have the rest of the day to relax.

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When on Maui a few weeks ago I took a 45 minute helicopter ride - for only $100! Air Maui will sell the middle seat in the second row for $100, but only the day of the flight or maybe the night before. Only one seat per 'copter. I went over Molokai, my brother on a different helicopter over Haleakala

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  • 2 weeks later...
Uber works well on Maui- better than taxis in terms of call time and price.

 

Not judging but just had a giggle that the switchbacks were too much but not a chopper ride. I don’t have vertigo and helicopters throw me off.

 

 

 

Verdict: no vertigo issues on the helicopter (yay!)

Also cab to/from airport <$15 ea way. Uber not allowed in port or at heliport, but when we looked at return from airport to port it said $26

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

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  • 3 months later...

Haleakala Crater is fabulous. Switch backs are no fun, especially on a big bus. I always felt like we were going to go spinning down. My ears kept on popping. A few years prior, we drove up ourselves and we were able to stop at our leisure. It is cold up there. 20 - 30 minutes is all you really need. It is wonderful to be above the clouds.

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