Maui, Hawaii

[maryanne356]

Sailing on the Radiance of the Seas on April 27, 2014. Still not sure what to do. If anyones been to Maui is it worth to take the Road to Hana tour which is all day or go to a Luau that would be around 5:00. Cannot do both and trying to find someone who has been on either of these excursions.

Thanks,

Mary Anne

[ExcitedCruisers3]

I have been to Maui but not with a cruise line. The road to Hana is very breathtaking and beautiful but does take all day. Some sections you feel like you need a 4wheel drive vehicle but seeing the waterfalls, etc is amazing. I would not recommend the drive. There is so much to see in Maui besides the road to Hana and experiencing a luau is unbelievable.!!! An awesome experience. Just my opinion!

 

 

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[willing292]

Road to Hana is nice scenery, but a very long drive, there and back. We spend our time in and around Lahaina..

 

 

Shirley, Sent from my iPad using Forums mobile app

[maryanne356]

Road to Hana is nice scenery, but a very long drive, there and back. We spend our time in and around Lahaina..

 

 

Shirley, Sent from my iPad using Forums mobile app

 

Shirley,

What is Lahaina and what is there to do?

[phoenix1181]

Haven't done the excursion but have done both while vacationing in Hawaii. I'd pass on Hana & do the Luau if you can't do both.

 

If it's offered, sunrise @ Haleakala (sp?) is worth getting up in the dark for. Also there was a bike tour offered many years ago that took you to the top & you rode down on a bicycle with super duper brakes. If you're adventurous, that's also worth doing.

[phoenix1181]

Shirley,

What is Lahaina and what is there to do?

 

I believe the ship docks in Lahaina. Beautiful beaches nice & close. Look for pineapple wine while you're there. It's pretty good & worth lugging home.

[willing292]

Lahaina is the name of the town on Maui where the ship tenders. It was formerly a whaling village. Very pretty spot.

 

 

Shirley, Sent from my iPad using Forums mobile app

[pspercy]

I see you're there until 11pm so you have time for the Hana drive but altho' it's scenic it is long and not my choice for just a day.

 

If you like beaches, Kaanapali is close. For a luau there's only one choice in my book, The Old Lahaina Luau http://www.oldlahainaluau.com/web-cam a great show in a pretty setting.

 

For other ideas take a look at http://www.mauihawaii.org/things-to-do.htm

 

http://www.gohawaii.com/maui

 

While in Hawaiian waters keep a lookout for whales. it'll be a bit late in the season but there will still be a few around, I've seen a couple as late as mid-May.

http://www.pacificwhale.org/

 

 

Maui no ka oi !

[N41EF]

Lahina is where the largest port is, and is therefore more touristy, but very nice. Many local shops, cute places to eat. Really really nice, and there is a Luau there at the end of the shopping center. It's small enough to walk around, and we can easily spend a whole day there. Go to Hilo Hattie's to but Hawaii souvineers and such. Hilo Hatties sells matching clothes, like a matching dress for the woman and shirts for the men, kids sizes too. You NEED a real made in Hawaiian shirt...

 

If you rent a car and drive the road to Hana, it will take about 7 to 8 hours. You will be very tired, You will not want to drive anywhere, anytime soon. it is very beautiful, but it is an entire day in the small rental car driving the most windy road you have ever seen, Every several hundred yards the is a sharp curve and or a one lane bridge. Do not get in a hurry, stop often and take pictures. I've driven in several times in the last 15 years, and do it everytime we go to Maui but we are usually there a week.

 

If you get in early enough or overnight the sunrise on Haliakala is amazing. They pick you up at 2am, load you in a van, give you a muffin, then drive you to aout 12000 feet to the top to see the sunrise. It will be very cold. Several companies offer a bicycle tour, either with the sunrise or a lunchtime ride. They load you in the van and drop you off at 8000 feet at the park entrance, and you COAST the whole way down. Stops many times to shed clothes and take pictures. My wife who doesn't ride LOVED it, so, we do that every time we go, just the afternoon, not the sunrise, too early. You could prob do the lunch bike ride and still catch the Luau.

 

Buy some local coffee to bring home. Find a local place to eat and ask for a Loco Moco for breakfast. Try the sweetbread and fresh fruit. Get an ice cream cone and walk along the sidewalk. Lahina Yacht Club has a good lunch. Not sure if Cheesburger in Paradise is stll there or not.

 

There are several snorkel type excursion places. Snorkel Bob's is famous for renting gear and booking trips. The water in April will be cool, but not too cold.

 

I've never cruised Hawaii, but lived in the islands three years, and have made a dozen trips back in the last 12 years.

Edited March 14, 2014 by N41EF

[debshomespun]

We did the road to Hana on our cruise to Lahaina. It took all day. We did a luau on a different day. Given the choice of only doing 1, I would do the luau. The road to Hana does have many beautiful stops and beautiful scenery, but when in Hawaii, they are famous for their luau, and would be at the top of my list of must see/do while there. The road to Hana could be done on another trip.

 

The beaches are beautiful in Maui, and Lahaina is a very nice little town to enjoy.

[KMaine]

I second walking around Lahaina, its a very quant town and the luau is always fun. Other things we have done in Maui and highly recommend: helicopter tour; rent a car and drive to the summit of Haleakula (breathtaking any time of the day); visit the aquarium.

[neverbeenhere]

Lahaina on the cheap, take the walking tour. Free and a couple interesting things. Luau... if you can afford the old lahaina luau, go for it. Road to Hana, do this when you are staying there. Also on the cheap... gallery window shopping, they love the lookers in the art galleries. Other cheap, take the bus to Kaanapali beach resort. Shop or hit the beach after getting snacks and adult beverage at the abc store. $2 each way per. Located behind, thu the big gray complex in front of you when you tender. Ask the driver or check on line for the schedule. mauibus. Ulalana, incorrect spelling, try it when you are staying, a nice show, but...

[At Sea 4Ever]

Sailing on the Radiance of the Seas on April 27, 2014. Still not sure what to do. If anyones been to Maui is it worth to take the Road to Hana tour which is all day or go to a Luau that would be around 5:00. Cannot do both and trying to find someone who has been on either of these excursions.

 

Thanks,

 

Mary Anne

 

 

We did the luau excursion many years ago with the ship. It really was a once in a lifetime experience. While we were walking around on the resort grounds we saw Mike Tyson training for his next big fight! He stopped and grabbed a picture with us. A luau is something that should not be missed.

 

 

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[pspercy]

Lahaina on the cheap, take the walking tour. Free and a couple interesting things. Luau... if you can afford the old lahaina luau, go for it. Road to Hana, do this when you are staying there. Also on the cheap... gallery window shopping, they love the lookers in the art galleries. Other cheap, take the bus to Kaanapali beach resort. Shop or hit the beach after getting snacks and adult beverage at the abc store. $2 each way per. Located behind, thu the big gray complex in front of you when you tender. Ask the driver or check on line for the schedule. mauibus. Ulalana, incorrect spelling, try it when you are staying, a nice show, but...

 

:confused: Tenders land at the small boat dock, open area then banyan tree ahead & to the right, Pioneer Inn to the left or did it change ?

[bigsky]

I go to Maui every year. I definitely wouldn't spend my whole day driving the road to Hana. Too much other stuff to do. Wasn't sure how much time you had. You can take the bus to Kaanapali beach (where we stay). Go snorkeling at Black Rock, shopping at the outdoor mall. You can spend time at Lahaina where you dock. Lots of shops to walk around and see. Some fun food places to go.

 

If you rent a car, there's some great places to go to north of Kaanapali...the blow hole and other stops.

 

Depends on how much time you have.

 

Love Maui!! Have a great time. Plus, the Old Lahaina Luau is where we went the first time we went to Maui. The pricier one, but the best imo.

 

Any questions, feel free to ask!!

[xxoocruiser]

Sailing on the Radiance of the Seas on April 27, 2014. Still not sure what to do. If anyones been to Maui is it worth to take the Road to Hana tour which is all day or go to a Luau that would be around 5:00. Cannot do both and trying to find someone who has been on either of these excursions.

Thanks,

Mary Anne

 

Been to Maui. Though quite beautiful, I'd only do the drive to Maui if on a land trip and not a cruise . You really need a 4 wheel drive vehicle to make the drive safely. Too many variables and things that could cause a delay in getting back to the ship in time even if it's a cruise line sponsored tour.

 

Luau's are are nice but are so many other nice things to do in Maui. Suggest you search the internet.

[pspercy]

Been to Maui. Though quite beautiful, I'd only do the drive to Maui if on a land trip and not a cruise . You really need a 4 wheel drive vehicle to make the drive safely. Too many variables and things that could cause a delay in getting back to the ship in time even if it's a cruise line sponsored tour.

 

Luau's are are nice but are so many other nice things to do in Maui. Suggest you search the internet.

 

 

:confused::confused::confused: Only if you go all the way around the back side of Haleakala to the winery - and we did that in a tour van. Have driven the regular road to Hana, and a little past it, many times in a Corolla or the like, road has been paved all the way for years, forget where the pavement stops but it's a ways past Hana.

[robtulipe]

Been to Maui. Though quite beautiful, I'd only do the drive to Maui if on a land trip and not a cruise . You really need a 4 wheel drive vehicle to make the drive safely. Too many variables and things that could cause a delay in getting back to the ship in time even if it's a cruise line sponsored tour.

 

Luau's are are nice but are so many other nice things to do in Maui. Suggest you search the internet.

We've done the road to Hana in a compact car four times while staying on Maui and you don't need a 4 wheeler if you don't go much beyond Palapala Ho'omau church where Charles Lindbergh's grave is and stay only on the roadway. That locations about ten miles beyond Hana as the road is paved all the way to that location and you pass Oheo Gulch, aka the seven sacred pools, on the way there. If it's not raining you can even return by the south of Haleakala road which is a good gravel and unpaved for only four miles. Doing that allows you to easily visit the Tedeschi Winery and ranch and the up country on the west slope of Haleakala above Wailea and Kihei on the return trip. A warning though most rental car companies specify in their contract that they won't service an emergency call if your car breaks down when on the unpaved section of that road.

In fact if I was in port all day I would go to the top of Heleakala first thing in the morning, as it usually clouds over by noon, and then continue on to the winery, then take the southern route to Hana stopping at Palapala Ho'omau church and Oheo Gulch on the way to Hana as you won't be doing what the other tourists are doing as you'll be doing the reverse route.

It would be a long day but a rewarding one

Edited March 14, 2014 by robtulipe

[golfer1966]

Sailing on the Radiance of the Seas on April 27, 2014. Still not sure what to do. If anyones been to Maui is it worth to take the Road to Hana tour which is all day or go to a Luau that would be around 5:00. Cannot do both and trying to find someone who has been on either of these excursions.

Thanks,

Mary Anne

 

 

I was there recently, but not via Cruise. Road to Hana is very nice, but its a LOOONG Day. Id suggest doing something local and also doing a Luau because after the Road to Hana you will be ready for a nap. :rolleyes:

[critterchick]

:confused::confused::confused: Only if you go all the way around the back side of Haleakala to the winery - and we did that in a tour van. Have driven the regular road to Hana, and a little past it, many times in a Corolla or the like, road has been paved all the way for years, forget where the pavement stops but it's a ways past Hana.

 

And many rental car companies will tell you that you are in violation of your contract if you do the full drive around - I've never actually seen that in the contract itself, just on the driving map they pass out.:rolleyes:

 

OP, we did the drive to Hana in 2012, and it's really not that bad - you do go slowly and pull over for the locals who are more familiar with the road, but it's very scenic. I would not, however, do it if I only had a single day in Maui.

 

You could have a great day going up to Kaanapali Beach or keep going north to less-crowded areas for a nice beach day. You can also drive Upcountry, stop at the Kula Lodge for lunch and head up to the Haleakala crater. There are some nice little "old Hawaii" towns like Makawao or Paia with artist galleries and shops to explore, too.

[Mark_K]

Sailing on the Radiance of the Seas on April 27, 2014. Still not sure what to do. If anyones been to Maui is it worth to take the Road to Hana tour which is all day or go to a Luau that would be around 5:00. Cannot do both and trying to find someone who has been on either of these excursions.

 

Thanks,

 

Mary Anne

I don't know if the ship offers them but there are Road to Hana tours that do one of the ways by helicopter. It's a lot more convenient and uses up a lot less time (and costs a lot more, but that's another story).

 

 

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[Mark_K]

:confused::confused::confused: Only if you go all the way around the back side of Haleakala to the winery - and we did that in a tour van. Have driven the regular road to Hana, and a little past it, many times in a Corolla or the like, road has been paved all the way for years, forget where the pavement stops but it's a ways past Hana.

I've went all the way around n a little two wheel drive, it didn't seem that bad to me. The road does get narrow and passing cars can get a little tricky, but there aren't that many.

 

 

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[ace1zoe2]

We overnight end in Maui on our 2009 cruise. We did the ship sponsored Road to Hana excursion and loved the views and the places that we stopped.

 

We also did the luau that evening with Old Lahaina Luau & it was wonderful! The food was good, service was great & the show was fabulous. We did the traditional mat seating down front. Hubby said he would have preferred chair seating but I thought it added to the ambiance.

[bigsky]

Forgot to mention we did the Road to Hana drive one day. Only had 2 wh drive which works. We did the whole way around instead of turning around in Hana. Personally, hated the other side and thought I was going to die! White knuckled it and would never do it again. Road was way too narrow and if someone is coming the other way....

The drive was beautiful, but just too much other stuff to see and do without being in the car all day.

We also went when the waterfalls were dry, so that didn't help. Should be nicer for you.

[Shak]

Sunrise at Mt Haleakala is spectacular! It is cold too!!!

 

Shak