Adventure To Hana

[Moose12345]

I'm just wondering if anyone has taken the Adventure To Hana tour from the ship excursions.

I wanted to know if there were lots of stops along the way and if you thought it was worth the money. :confused:

Any information would be of great help!

Edited October 28, 2016 by Moose12345

[cruzzzinma]

You might get a better variety of answers on the Hawai board.

Having said that, we booked it and cancelled it after a rainforest hike and a private tour to Haleakala. Both guides said we had already seen a lot of the route. A couple of people took the Celebrity excursion to Hana and reported a lot of motion sickness.

[CruiserN1]

Didn't take that excursion but did a trip with Valley Isle tours when visiting Maui and it was excellent, tons of stops and a very fun and entertaining driver. We weren't there on a cruise stop so don't know if the times will work for you. We left early in the morning and returned around 6pm.

[upwarduk]

Didn't take that excursion but did a trip with Valley Isle tours when visiting Maui and it was excellent, tons of stops and a very fun and entertaining driver. We weren't there on a cruise stop so don't know if the times will work for you. We left early in the morning and returned around 6pm.

 

We went on a private tour, 'Rd to Hans,' run by Valley Isle tours from Century in March 2012. We had 4 vans, with 16 passengers in each. My worry was that weren't then Elite, so was afraid that we wouldn't have priority tendering. One of the Activities staff took us down to the tenders as a group, even though we weren't on a ship's tour, which take priority.

It might be an idea to go over to your Roll Call and see if there is any discussion there.

Edited October 28, 2016 by upwarduk

[patty1955]

We rented a car and drove the road to Hana ourselves. It was great! Very easy, the car rental places have shuttles right at the pier.

[beach spring]

Several years ago, we took the ship's Road to Hana shore excursion, and it was super. Of course, partly because there were so few on our tour bus, since the SE was so popular, a second bus was added. Anyway, our driver/tour guide claimed to be pure Hawaiian and he was very entertaining. Several stops, great scenery, and the security of knowing we didn't have to worry about the driving. We circled the island, in a whole-day adventure. Loved it.

[dodger1964]

We rented a car and drove the road to Hana ourselves. It was great! Very easy, the car rental places have shuttles right at the pier.

 

We have also done the drive (not while cruising).

 

MAKE SURE you get a convertible if you are going to rent a car for the day.

 

IMHO it makes the drive more spectacular!

 

And, yes, you will have MANY...MANY curves!!

 

Have a great cruise.

[deedee290]

We did last year through the ship. The scenery was beautiful. We did short stops several times. We also stopped at a restaurant where they had a nice buffet lunch, and a few shops. We also saw several waterfalls and learned about the island, the history and the different climates of the island. This is a long tour, it took almost all day. It was enjoyable.

[Caribbean Chris]

We did a Celebrity Road to Hana tour in 2013 that included lunch at the Hana Ranch (ordering your choice off the menu), and it was the absolute highlight of our Celebrity cruise to Hawaii. The scenery was your best fantasy of what Hawaii should look like. Lots of stops for photos. We don't often book ship bus tours and it was pricey, but it was a full day was definitely worth every penny.

[ClaudiaB]

I'm just wondering if anyone has taken the Adventure To Hana tour from the ship excursions.

I wanted to know if there were lots of stops along the way and if you thought it was worth the money. :confused:

Any information would be of great help!

 

When we were on Maui for two full days back in 2004 on the Infinity Hawaii cruise, we rented a car as soon as we got off. Took a taxi about 10 minutes to the car rental place. We had a wonderful two days. We drove the road to Hana, stopping wherever and whenever we wanted. Bought a couple box lunches at some little place on the road. We swam at the 7 pools past the end. What helped was the book we bought beforehand Undiscovered (or something like that) Maui. Long drive there and back all day but memorable. Fun, all those curves! Wheeeee.

Next day we woke up at 2 a.m. and tendered out to shore. Yep, there were sleepy guys on the tenders! Met our independent tour guide who brought us to his bike shop and we were taken on a van up to the top of Haleakala. Got our bikes and put on all our warmest clothing. We'd brought layers with fleece and gloves and wool socks, hats - like we were going skiing! Put their windproof stuff on top. Practiced our bikes and looked in the visitor center. It was windy and 32 degrees up there in September!!! So we waited till sunrise. And then the clouds came, so we didn't see the perfect beauty. But the 38 miles downhill was great fun, going up to 40 mph! Again --- wheeeeee! Stopped for buffet breakfast halfway down. Van followed and we shed clothes as we got to the bottom. Finally were in shorts and tee shirts by the beach. Another fun day!

We ended up just shopping a bit that afternoon, returning the car, and eating in the buffet for the first and only time on any cruise.

 

So....consider doing Maui on your own. Easily done.

[fleckle]

We took the tour in a van with a private tour operator.

 

On the ride out, we were thinking that we could have just driven it ourselves.

 

On the ride back, we were very glad that we had not driven it ourselves.

 

 

It was a very long ride and a very long day.

 

We were happy to doze off, turn around and chat, or just daydream, which we would not have been able to do if we had driven ourselves as it really does require the driver to pay attention and concentrate on the road.

 

Also, the guides who do it regularly know how find the out-of-the-way attractions and how to avoid the crowds.

They also know the locals and the best "secret" places to park, close to the attractions, where we would be afraid to park ourselves for fear of getting ticketed or towed, or stuck in a swampy area.

 

 

Edited October 30, 2016 by fleckle

[Host Jazzbeau]

If you rent a car, the contract prohibits you from going around the loop on the unpaved part so you have to turn around and drive back the long way. Valley Isle uses very heavy duty vans that can take the (daily for them) pounding. We used their tour and thought it was absolutely worth it -- especially DW who didn't have to drive!

[misha1]

If you rent a car, the contract prohibits you from going around the loop on the unpaved part so you have to turn around and drive back the long way. Valley Isle uses very heavy duty vans that can take the (daily for them) pounding. We used their tour and thought it was absolutely worth it -- especially DW who didn't have to drive!

 

We rented a van from Dollar at the airport in 2014 and we were transparent in that we told them we would be driving the Road to Hana...all of it. Not once were we told we could not do that...the "unpaved" section is like a shale gravel and is not at all difficult to drive, so I am unsure why rental companies would prohibit the drive. If anything, the exhaustion experienced by the driver after 620 curves and 59 bridges, not to mention the many photo stops would be more worrisome than the drive. If you have a driver who has nerves of steel, then drive it, you won't be sorry.

[jjk9946]

We have been to Maui almost annually for the last 30 years. Once even on a cruise. I agree with everyone who said rent a car. Buy "The Ultimate Maui Guidebook" by Andrew Doughty. (I recommend the book version, not the e verson".). This will make the drive wonderful with a lot of unusual stops not accessible on tours.

 

The road is actually an easy drive when compared to years ago when much of it was a single lane with creeks running over it. The T-shirt made a lot more sense back then. You will be driving a lot of switchbacks, but you're on a two-lane paved road.

 

I've done the road all the way around and in all honesty it was one of the most stupid things I've ever done. It's a long, long drive. Much of the road is gravel single lane with a sheer drop into the ocean. It was not relaxing in the slightest.

 

Aloha!

 

Judy

[Safety Squirrel]

We did a Celebrity Road to Hana tour in 2013 that included lunch at the Hana Ranch (ordering your choice off the menu), and it was the absolute highlight of our Celebrity cruise to Hawaii. The scenery was your best fantasy of what Hawaii should look like. Lots of stops for photos. We don't often book ship bus tours and it was pricey, but it was a full day was definitely worth every penny.

 

I did the ship's excursion in April 2015 and enjoyed every minute of it. They do warn you that if you have back problems -- this is probably not the best excursion to take.

 

Beautiful scenery. Ship excursion was in a large van. The ship's excursion fills up pretty quickly. I had booked on line several months ahead. When travelling companion tried to book several weeks later -- excursion was not available and no spots became available while on the cruise

I would pre-book if you are considering this excursion. I felt it was worth every penny and I could just look at the scenery and not worry about driving.

[cb at sea]

Unless you have been to Maui before, I would skip the "Road to Hana"...there is so much to see and do in Maui...and the "road" takes ALL DAY...you really won't get to see much else, unless you have 2 (or more) days there!

[misha1]

Unless you have been to Maui before, I would skip the "Road to Hana"...there is so much to see and do in Maui...and the "road" takes ALL DAY...you really won't get to see much else, unless you have 2 (or more) days there!

 

Quite true, but the adventures, scenery, and beaches along the way are destination in their own way.

[Sandyrella]

I did the ship's excursion in April 2015 and enjoyed every minute of it. They do warn you that if you have back problems -- this is probably not the best excursion to take.

 

 

 

Beautiful scenery. Ship excursion was in a large van. The ship's excursion fills up pretty quickly. I had booked on line several months ahead. When travelling companion tried to book several weeks later -- excursion was not available and no spots became available while on the cruise

 

I would pre-book if you are considering this excursion. I felt it was worth every penny and I could just look at the scenery and not worry about driving.

 

 

 

We are considering this tour in May. Can you tell me if at any of the stops you could go in the water?

 

 

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[misha1]

Hi Sandyrella...Many stops have beaches and waterfalls with pools (fresh water from the mountains). At the end is 7 Pools which many people take a swim.

[Sandyrella]

Hi Sandyrella...Many stops have beaches and waterfalls with pools (fresh water from the mountains). At the end is 7 Pools which many people take a swim.

 

 

 

Our concern is that if we do the tour through Celebrity, they’ll have a more rigid schedule, not allowing for time to go in the water.

 

 

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[misha1]

Our concern is that if we do the tour through Celebrity, they’ll have a more rigid schedule, not allowing for time to go in the water.

 

 

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Good point and probably true

 

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