Eurodam, Feb 28, 2019 - Maui - help, please?

[fann1sh]

I'm not new to cruising, but *I am* new to Hawaii.  `I made the newbie mistake of seeing a deal, and just booking. without knowing anything about shore excursions.   

 

I've plunged into this board, using the search function.  I uncovered Big Island tours, but so far nothing for Oahu and Kauai on Feb 26 and 27. 

 

As for Maui, Feb 28? 

 

I would love to do the Road to Hana on Maui, but HAL wants pax to book with them, so the port times aren't apparently tour friendly.  Eurodam is at Lahaina from 8 - 11 pm, but AFAIK Valley Isle only offers cruise pickup to POA customers, and hasn't scheduled a cruise excursion for Eurodam. 

 

We will NOT be renting a car and driving ourselves.  Not on Maui, or any other island.  Many people like car rentals, but we aren't among them. 

 

Any suggestions? 

[Beachiekeen]

Would you be interested in a whale watch? You could take a whale watch, have lunch and walk around Lahaina, get shave ice,  you could even attend the Old Lahaina Luau that night, it’s thought to be the best luau in Hawaii. February is prime whale watching season.

 

With only one day on Maui, and in winter, if you want to do the RTH, I recommend the ship’s excursion to be safe.

Edited January 18, 2019 by Beachiekeen

[CruiserBruce]

I would not be targeting RTH. That would be a very long day, no matter how you do it. Whale watching  is a great idea. Luau is also a great idea. Great golfing there. Many other things to do besides RTH.

[fann1sh]

Many thanks, both of you.   Whale watching is a brilliant idea.

 

I will look into luau as well.

[ski ww]

Find the roll call for your ship & ask questions there.

[fann1sh]

Many thanks, all. 

 

Ski ww - THANKS.  I'm only a 3 star mariner on HAL, but I'm a research fiend.  Sadly, my roll call is standing back to see what I find, and asking me to post.

 

I've settled on a whale watch from Lahaina (small boat with bathroom).  Have to wait for time zones to align to call and verify the bathroom, then book.  Everyone seems to be using FareHarbor for online booking, and I'm sure that costs the vendor.  I'd rather call and give a credit card by phone, and save the guide some bucks. Perhaps I'm naive, but nothing bad has happened....yet. 

 

Old Lahaina Luau has availability either at tables, or traditional ground seating.  Both priced at $125 pp.  I looked into alternatives like magic shows, and...they all reminded me of Orlando/Disney.  So why not finally do the "real deal", as much as ANYTHING is these days.  No one is going to invite me to their Maui church picnic! 

 

Many, many thanks to all of you.  If anyone is interested <SNORT!> this is what I'll be telling my roll call:

 

Honolulu - half day private car with driver through Tours by Locals, $200.  Who knnows how long the government shutdown will continue?  Arizona closed for reno, along with shutdown, although Big Mo open.  But, concentrating on Honolulu/Diamondhead, hoping he can squeeze in time for the Palace downtown.  But, may be no place to fit it in, given traffic.  We will go with his flow. 

 

Nawiliwili Kauai - it will be a long bus day, but Roberts Hawaii offers the Spouting Horn blowhole, scenic lookout Hanapepe Valley, and Waimea Canyon.  I hope no bathroom breaks run overtime, cutting our time at the canyon to almost nil, which seems to happen A LOT.  But, it''s a state park - hopefully,  not affected by shutdown.

 

Next is Lahaina, Maui.  Then, 2 days on Big Island. 

 

At Kona, a pretty typical van tour with Mauka Makai Adventures,   Ali’i Drive  to  Kuamo’o Bay,  the obligatory coffee stop (tea drinkers, but even we need bathrooms), whatever is accessible at Pu’uhonua o Honaunau National Historical Park, and the Painted Church.  

 

Our last day, at Hilo, Mary Ann's Tours offers whatever we can access at Hawaii Volcano National Park, which is what we really want, plus all the tourist things like 

Banyan Drive
Liliuokalani Gardens
Coconut Island
Rainbow Falls  
Akaka Falls
Hawaii Volcano National Park 
Punalu'u  Black sand Beach
Volcano Winery
Mauna Loa Macadamia Nut Factory
Akatsuka Orchid Gardens
Richardson's Black Sand Beach
Big Island Candy
Hilo Coffee Mill 

 

I'm  not entirely happy with the Big Island tours, but given the uncertainty of the government shutdown?  I feel better having *something*  booked.  Both are refundable, although I hate doing that to tour operators. 

 

 

 

 

Edited January 19, 2019 by fann1sh

[Beachiekeen]

I’ve heard great things about both of those BI tour operators and am considering them myself. I hope you come back and tell us how it went! 🙂

 

What vendor are you using for the whale watch? Someone here will probably know them.

[fann1sh]

I've book with Makai Adventues in Lahaina harbour, and I only paid $110 for TWO. 

 

HAL wants $170 a person, and they book big catamarans - either Trilogy or Gemini.  I'll find out in port.  HAL also uses big catamarans in Alaska, and the price for Allen Marine there is about the same.  IIRC, HAL rakes of $30, and Allen Marine gets $140.

 

But, in Juneau?  The whales hate the Allen engines/boat size.  I had much better luck with Dolphin Jet Boats - smaller, and apparently their engines don't sound as annoying to whales. 

 

Thanks for the reassurance on the BI guides.  I will *definitely* come back to post.  Although I'm now considered a "destination expert" (SNORT! as if!) on another travel board, I've been on CC longer.  I always follow up.  

 

And, Eric is a guy with a car in Honolulu who I found on yet another travel site offering "locals".  $200 for 4.5 hours, and a great itinerary, in and around the Honolulu area. 

[Beachiekeen]

I’m not familiar with that company but February on Maui is known as “whale soup.” You’ll see them no matter who you go with!

 

Ill be really interested to hear how the Oahu tour goes.

 

I’ll be looking forward to your trip report!

Edited January 19, 2019 by Beachiekeen

[faerievert]

We're doing the Eurodam Hawaii cruise Feb 3. 

My itinerary:

Kona -- Big Island Air airplane tour -- taking a taxi or rideshare from cruise port to airport

Tip: Plane tours, where available, cost less than helicopters and far have more generous weight restrictions. My husband would have had to pay 1 1/2 to 2x the price for an already crazy expensive helicopter tour. I'd rather take the longer plane tour anyway!

Honolulu -- Hawaii Food tours -- picking up across the street from the cruise port

Note: The Arizona platform is closed for renovations until at least March and who knows what else will/won't be open with the shutdown. I couldn't deal with the stress of planning around that so we're skipping the WWII stuff entirely in favor of a food tour (will try to do the military history site-seeing when we return in the future for a SCUBA trip).

Nawiliwili -- Airventures Hawaii Biplane tour -- picking up across the street from the cruise port. Yes, you can do an open cockpit biplane tour with old-timey aviator leather cap & goggles!! This is a birthday treat for my husband.

Lahaina -- EXC/HAL tours because nothing I wanted to do fit with the amount of buffer I like to give tender ports

Hilo -- Kamaaina Custom Tours private van tour -- picking up inside the port

Tip: Full day private tours at Hilo (and probably all the ports, but I didn't look) cost less than the EXC small group options, and there are several great private tour companies available! We picked this one because he was most amenable to my itinerary customization requests. If you talk to folks on your roll call, it's likely some would be willing to share costs on a private small group tour. 

[Beachiekeen]

Faerie, I hope you do a trip report! Thanks for the info on the Hilo tour company. We will have 6 people so I think a private tour makes sense for us.

 

We are doing a small plane tour on Kauai also but only because my family is afraid of helicopters!

Edited January 21, 2019 by Beachiekeen

[fann1sh]

FaerieVert - I too hope you do a trip report. 

[faerievert]

1 hour ago, fann1sh said:

FaerieVert - I too hope you do a trip report. 

If folks are interested in reading it... maybe I will!