Any new news for parking in Maui?

[dvdgunner]

I know that there has been a lot of threads on this subject in the past but I was wondering if anyone recently has been there. We will be in Maui next week on the POA. I have a snorkel trip booked that leaves at 630 AM and would like to leave the car overnight at the Maui mall. I know some say don't do it but I have also read that others did not have any problem. I think it would be difficult to try and get a ride to the airport at 500 AM

[pizzalady1]

I know that there has been a lot of threads on this subject in the past but I was wondering if anyone recently has been there. We will be in Maui next week on the POA. I have a snorkel trip booked that leaves at 630 AM and would like to leave the car overnight at the Maui mall. I know some say don't do it but I have also read that others did not have any problem. I think it would be difficult to try and get a ride to the airport at 500 AM

 

I emailed the mall about parking and this is there response:

"We do not offer parking overnight. Security does patrol and if it's left all night they may tow. The best and safest bet is the airport parking that is about 5-7 minutes away."

[Molokai-Chuck]

That is true ... they will and do tow!

Edited October 14, 2016 by Molokai-Chuck

[Astro Flyer]

I emailed the mall about parking and this is there response:

"We do not offer parking overnight. Security does patrol and if it's left all night they may tow. The best and safest bet is the airport parking that is about 5-7 minutes away."

Thanks for information directly from the mall.

 

I wouldn't risk parking there based on a post that said a security officer said it was okay by placing a mall business receipt on the dashboard. Having a rental car towed would be very expensive & time wasted instead of enjoying Maui.

[Silver Sweethearts]

I emailed the mall about parking and this is there response:

"We do not offer parking overnight. Security does patrol and if it's left all night they may tow. The best and safest bet is the airport parking that is about 5-7 minutes away."

 

In case they do decide to tow, in addition to ruining your day, you will also have to pay the following as noted by the website "Tow Choice":

 

"Towing companies engaged by the owner, occupant, or person in charge of the property shall: Charge not more than $65 for a tow, or $75 for a tow using a dolly, plus a mileage charge of $7.50 per mile towed and $25 per day or fraction thereof for storage for the first seven days and $20 per day thereafter. When the tow occurs between the hours of six o’clock p.m. and six o’clock a.m., from Monday through Thursday and from six o’clock p.m. Friday to six o’clock a.m. Monday, the towing company shall be entitled to an overtime charge of $15".

 

Weigh your options carefully,

[punkincc]

The OP said he was sailing "next week", and he may be boarding the ship today, so some of these posts may have come too late for him.

 

I do recall that in some of the threads discussing this issue, someone posted the name and number of a taxi company which picked them up very early at the port in order to pick up their car parked at the airport near the rental offices. You can search for this info by using the "search cruise critic" box at the top for "Maui overnight rental car parking" or something similar and probably locate it.

 

Unfortunately, a taxi seems to be the best and safest option.

[astridwilson]

Park at the airport. The rental car shuttles will take you to the airport.

[punkincc]

Park at the airport. The rental car shuttles will take you to the airport.

 

This works for everyone except those who need their cars very early on the second morning for early tours, as in the case of the OP who had a tour leaving at 6:30 am. He would need a 5:00 am shuttle at the pier and that's just not likely to happen. I would guess the shuttles start @ 7:30 or 8:00 am, anyone know for sure?

 

Someone might talk to the specific rental car location in Maui to inquire what time shuttle service to the pier generally starts and ask whether or not they could accommodate a "demand" call for pier pick up prior to normal start time.

 

Otherwise, options seem to be; 1. Don't book early very tours or plan an early start to the day; 2. Locate a taxi service which will pick up at the port gate at the desired time to take you to your car. A taxi company and number has been posted recently; or 3. Take your chances on being towed at Maui Mall.

[dvdgunner]

Just an update on our question. We ended up parking at the Maui Mall along with a lot of other passengers. We bought something at Long Drugs and left a receipt in the window. Went out the next morning and it was still there! Port security told me that they have never actually heard of anyone being towed and due to Long Drugs being open 24 hours it would be impossible for the mall to enforce. On a side note you can park for free in kauai on the side of the road from the port all the way to Amber Cove if you are lucky like we were you can save the $20.00 parking fee at Amber Cove.

[punkincc]

Just an update on our question. We ended up parking at the Maui Mall along with a lot of other passengers. We bought something at Long Drugs and left a receipt in the window. Went out the next morning and it was still there! Port security told me that they have never actually heard of anyone being towed and due to Long Drugs being open 24 hours it would be impossible for the mall to enforce. On a side note you can park for free in kauai on the side of the road from the port all the way to Amber Cove if you are lucky like we were you can save the $20.00 parking fee at Amber Cove.

 

"If you are lucky like we were"? Would you perhaps like to offer to reimburse the tow bills and related fees for those who take your advice and are not as lucky? And why would port security know when someone got towed? Are those unlucky passengers, after wasting time and money getting their rental car back, going to make a point to stop by the gate and inform the guard?

 

They can and do tow. Mall Security knows that cruisers park at Longs despite the mall's no overnight parking policy. Rental cars are easy to ID. And it's pretty obvious that no one is going to spend 8 hours or longer shopping in Longs, and if they see the same Mustang convertable parked in the same spot for hours, it might just be a prime target. They might not tow every day a ship is in port, but they do tow. Not worth it to save a few bucks in parking fees.

[PCWalton1]

Anyone ever come back here and say they got towed?

[punkincc]

Anyone ever come back here and say they got towed?

 

Not that I've ever seen, but Cruise Critic members are a very small percentage of the total passengers on a cruise. Not everyone parking at the mall are CC members. And maybe, being very informed cruisers, the CC members are too smart for that to happen.:D.

 

I have seen people report they heard about some tows on their cruises, and I have seen a former senior staff member confirm that tows do happen.

[PCWalton1]

Not that I've ever seen, but Cruise Critic members are a very small percentage of the total passengers on a cruise. Not everyone parking at the mall are CC members. And maybe, being very informed cruisers, the CC members are too smart for that to happen.:D.

 

I have seen people report they heard about some tows on their cruises, and I have seen a former senior staff member confirm that tows do happen.

 

It probably does not happen often but I would not want to take that chance and end up in that small percentage.

[Astro Flyer]

Not that I've ever seen, but Cruise Critic members are a very small percentage of the total passengers on a cruise. Not everyone parking at the mall are CC members. And maybe, being very informed cruisers, the CC members are too smart for that to happen.:D.

 

I have seen people report they heard about some tows on their cruises, and I have seen a former senior staff member confirm that tows do happen.

 

It probably does not happen often but I would not want to take that chance and end up in that small percentage.

I feel that the risk doesn't outweigh any benefits & I know from experience that towing on Maui is very expensive from the time my car had to be towed for repairs. Thankfully my car insurance policy paid for it but it wouldn't pay anything for a towed illegally parked car.

 

With such a relatively short time on Maui taking the time to retrieve a towed rental car (which would require a taxi to the impound lot) plus towing fees isn't the way to enjoy the Valley Isle.

[Silver Sweethearts]

Being curious, we dropped by Maui Mall yesterday (November 20th) and looked at the parking signs posted there. We saw multiple signs throughout the parking lot. All were in good shape, professionally made and posted and clearly stated private property and no overnight parking allowed. The tow service the Mall uses was noted along with a phone number to contact them should they tow your car. What you do is up to you, buy no one can say they haven't been warned.

[cruise77]

I just returned from Hawaii, I was going to go to the airport in Maui, spoke to a gentleman that lived in Maui and was doing the cruise. He said they do not tow your car from Long's, he said they may leave a note, but if you park away from the customer parking, it will be alright. I shopped at Long's and left receipt's in window, and also alot of others were parked there, came back to car and it was where I left it. Now can't say it won't happen, but we did OK.

[Silver Sweethearts]

I just returned from Hawaii, I was going to go to the airport in Maui, spoke to a gentleman that lived in Maui and was doing the cruise. He said they do not tow your car from Long's, he said they may leave a note, but if you park away from the customer parking, it will be alright. I shopped at Long's and left receipt's in window, and also alot of others were parked there, came back to car and it was where I left it. Now can't say it won't happen, but we did OK.

 

We live on Maui too, but would not presume to offer such a sweeping statement on what the Maui Mall may or may not do with illegally parked cars on any given night. Some people seem to treat this as a game of chance. As stated before, you may do whatever you wish to do, but those of us who have given warnings just don't want people to be naive of the possible risk.