Transfer from ship to Airport in Honolulu

[MoyCoy]

I am sailing the Solstice in 1 week It is a 12 day Hawaiian cruise. We disembark in Honolulu. I wonder if it is easier to use Celebrities' transportation to the airport or a 3rd party. I found a third party who were 20pp cheaper than Celebrity but they can't meet me at the cruise terminal due to licensing . We would have to walk out to the parking lot.

 

Our flight is at 1pm. I was hoping to do a mini tour with airport drop off before our flight home, but indeed I can't find one that will accommodate only a 2 hour window. Any advice?

[Honeybearhollow]

We were there a year ago, but stayed a week and had a car rental, so drove it to the airport. It takes about an hour to get to the airport and at least that long to rent a car, so you may not have much time. There can be a lot of traffic in Honolulu. I would suggest taxi or transfer. I would be very uncomfortable about sightseeing in that short of time unless it was on the way to the airport. Maybe someone else will have tried that and can answer.

[budbo]

We were there a year ago, but stayed a week and had a car rental, so drove it to the airport. It takes about an hour to get to the airport and at least that long to rent a car, so you may not have much time. There can be a lot of traffic in Honolulu. I would suggest taxi or transfer. I would be very uncomfortable about sightseeing in that short of time unless it was on the way to the airport. Maybe someone else will have tried that and can answer.

 

We've never cruised in HI, but have visited there often. I agree with Honeybearhollow that Honolulu traffic can be really bad. The port is very near to the downtown and Chinatown areas, but quite a distance from the popular sightseeing spots such as Pearl Harbor, Polynesian Cultural Center and Hanauma Bay. Maybe a drive-by look at Waikiki Beach, Diamond Head and Punchbowl National Cemetery would work but I thiink that most other tourist destinations wouldn't fit into your timeframe.

[LarryL]

I would recommend taking a cruise sponsored excursion if one is available for you to take. Renting a car to see Waikiki or Diamond Head would be a bust for you, especially if you don't know your way around Honolulu. Most of Waikiki is fronted by hotels and the beach access isn't easy. Diamond Head is farther and you park inside the crater and must hike to the top to see anything. The last time we were there someone had to be airlifted from the top. It can be strenuous if you're not prepared. Hanauma Bay is even farther, yet, and you may run out of time. It is also very busy on weekends so you may not even get a parking spot there. I would, very much, recommend taking advantage of what Celebrity has to offer, in this case. As others have said, traffic can be horrendous, even on weekend mornings.

 

I would say, especially if you have never been to Oahu, that you change your flight and spend a day, or two, if you can. There's so much to see there.:)

[MoyCoy]

Thank You all for your replies. I am now concerned that renting a car in order to arrive at Pearl Harbor for a 944am reservation would be crazy as well. We are docking over night in Honolulu and this will be our second day there. So we can walk off the ship, whenever. I thought renting a s=car for the second day would be smart, but if traffic is crazy. I don't want to cut my activities short wading in traffic.

 

The ship offers the hop on hop off as an excursion. Maybe its worth the hassle to have assurance that we will not be left in Honolulu (heh that might not be too bad!!)

 

I am now concerned that the car rental company may have issues completing the transaction in time. The rental is only a few miles away from the pier though. We were teetering about taking the hop on hop off or renting a car. We would like to explore the various food options . But I wonder in Honolulu is not the best city to drive in;) (I don't want to spend most of out time in traffic! Maybe we should book a tour instead. Any thoughts?:D

[pcur]

Roberts of Hawaii, one of the biggest transportation and tour vendors in the islands, offers a shuttle to the airport post-cruise. The cost is $9, and we've used them before.

 

Here's the booking information for your criuise:

 

https://www.rhshorex.com/cart/index.php?page=shop/browse_tours&category_id=12a74025f12ebddc8efd025d3e69d023&product_id=377&pickup_location=33&m=09&d=23&y=2014

[huskerc]

If you've got a particular destination in mind, I wouldn't hesitate to book a private tour versus renting a car. For Pearl Harbor a tour operator can get you the tickets for the trip out to the Arizona memorial in advance as well.

 

That said, when we did the NCL PoA cruise, we still had a full day on Oahu after we disembarked. We rented a car with Hertz and had no problem getting there--Hertz runs a shuttle so you don't actually have to go through the airport (it's technically off-site, but the HNL airport is not quite the security compound that most US airports are anyway). We had the advantage that we stayed in Honolulu before the cruise and knew our way around the city and the island, though.

[ECCruise]

With a 1:00 PM flight, I think you are finding out that combining a tour will be next to impossible. The USS Arizona would take all the time you have if everything goes smoothly...and sometimes it doesn't. We had a pre-booked tour there and still waited over an hour for our launch.

 

I'd book Robert's, be one of the last ones off the ship and relax at HNL.

[Rob the Cruiser]

Don't let the short distance fool you. I've been to Honolulu dozens of times for business or pleasure and that "short" drive might take 20 minutes or it might take 60 minutes. Seriously.

[travel32778]

We have ncl transfer to the airport after the cruise and ncl arranged air with United . Our flight time is 7pm so wonder what will happen to our luggage . Does it go with us or routed to United for us . Does anyone have experiance with this thank you

[hulamoon]

What day do you arrive? Is it a weekend? Baring an accident you have time to see Waikiki easily.

Assuming your flight at one means you want to arrive 90 minutes to two hours early. If the ship docks very early the town will be empty and free traffic westward. So there are options.

Traffic unsnarls by nine usually on weekdays. If there is an accident on the road, all bets are off.

 

It's unusual for it to take an hour from the pier to the airport, but it can happen.

Most traffic is going into the city in the morning and not westward,not wards the airport.

 

The parking lot is not so far I think from the cruise terminal.

Edited September 20, 2014 by hulamoon

[balconybuphs]

@ time to travel...

Does NCL do the B.A.G.S. Program out of Hnl?

You won't see your bags until your home airport.

Check it out

 

 

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