Excursions outside of Princess in Hawaii

[8 Westies Mom]

Anyone use other tour services while in Hawaii?  Would love any recommendations from anyone who has used them.  Also, anyone just get off the ship and walk around?  

 

 

[mom says]

Which ports? What do you want to see/do?

[pompeii]

That's quite a general question but the answer is yes, of course many cruisers use tour operators independent of the cruise lines.  Check the Hawaii board for information on your specific ports and also the  roll call for your specific cruise.  

[cr8tiv1]

You will find some bargains if you sign in to Groupon.  Such as around the island bus tours.  But then again, You could ride da Bus for less than $2.00.  The bus on Oahu is very good.  Outer islands...not so much.  Heard there was a free shuttle to Ala Moana Center/Oahu and to Hilo Farmers' Market.

 

Senior Rate (65+)

http://www.thebus.org/Fare/SeniorFareNew2023.asp

 

Regular Fare

https://www.thebus.org/Fare/TheBusFares.asp

 

I would:

• Rent a car on Hawaii Island (the Big Island) and Oahu.  

• Get your free tickets for Pearl Harbor Arizona Memorial (read the directions carefully).

• Robert Tours is the biggest tour agency in Hawaii.  Go to them directly.

 

There is really nothing near the ports.  Each island has its own charm and things to see.  Do not do a luau on Oahu on your own and expect to get back to the ship before it leaves.  (Traffic can be a nightmare.)

 

I'm guessing this is your first visit to the islands.  Do your research.

 

 

 

[dog]

14 minutes ago, cr8tiv1 said:

You will find some bargains if you sign in to Groupon.  Such as around the island bus tours.  But then again, You could ride da Bus for less than $2.00.  The bus on Oahu is very good.  Outer islands...not so much.  Heard there was a free shuttle to Ala Moana Center/Oahu and to Hilo Farmers' Market.

 

Senior Rate (65+)

http://www.thebus.org/Fare/SeniorFareNew2023.asp

 

Regular Fare

https://www.thebus.org/Fare/TheBusFares.asp

 

I would:

• Rent a car on Hawaii Island (the Big Island) and Oahu.  

• Get your free tickets for Pearl Harbor Arizona Memorial (read the directions carefully).

• Robert Tours is the biggest tour agency in Hawaii.  Go to them directly.

 

There is really nothing near the ports.  Each island has its own charm and things to see.  Do not do a luau on Oahu on your own and expect to get back to the ship before it leaves.  (Traffic can be a nightmare.)

 

I'm guessing this is your first visit to the islands.  Do your research.

 

 

 

Thanks for the helpful post!

[skynight]

2 hours ago, 8 Westies Mom said:

Anyone use other tour services while in Hawaii?  Would love any recommendations from anyone who has used them.  Also, anyone just get off the ship and walk around?  

 

 

Here are some of the normal ports.

Hilo - there is a hop on hop off bus just outside the terminal gate. Not sure about Kona, but believe there is a boardwalk like shopping area nearby.

Honolulu - It's a really far walk to get to downtown Waikiki area. Maybe 4 miles. There are public buses, but best to take a taxi/uber if you want to walk around the high priced shops there. We have walked downtown many times and have taken the bus back. 

Nawiliwili - There is a small shopping center and two restaurants within walking distance. Other sites require transportation.

Lahina - The tender lets you off right in town by the banyan tree. You can walk around. There is a public bus to go to Whalers Village. Leave time to return if you go there.

[svend52]

Our 2020 Hawaii cruise was cancelled due to COVID but we had 2 excursions booked with 'Tours by Locals'. Nice website and good communication with our guides. Not particularly inexpensive but will plan on trying to use them again on our re-booked 2024 cruise. Just a thought.

[CruisnDeb]

@8 Westies Mom I did a Hawaii cruise back in 2015. I found it very easy to rent a car and do my own tour. Car rental (at the time) was pretty cheap through Discount Hawaii Car Rental. They have a great policy where you don’t pay for the rental until you pick it up so if your ship misses a port, you wouldn’t be charged. I did a lot of research and made a plan for each port (and and a backup plan because “stuff” happens.) I highly recommend you skip Waikiki/Honolulu and drive to other areas on Oahu (we had a nice easy hike to Moana Falls). 

[Sea Hag]

The best excursion we've ever done anywhere was the doors off helicopter on Hilo. This company has lots of tours on several islands, but I'd certainly recommend the doors off tour. https://paradisecopters.com/tours/island/hilo-doors-off-lava-and-rainforest-adventure

[cr8tiv1]

49 minutes ago, Sea Hag said:

The best excursion we've ever done anywhere was the doors off helicopter on Hilo. This company has lots of tours on several islands, but I'd certainly recommend the doors off tour. https://paradisecopters.com/tours/island/hilo-doors-off-lava-and-rainforest-adventure

 

I did this tour too in 2009...but it was the last flight of the day (5 PM/ship leaves at 4ish).  As we flew over Royal Gardens, the pilot said that the house would not be there in the morning when he did his first flight out for the day.  The images are not clear (point and shoot camera).  But you could feel the heat and it was really scary as you hung out the door to try to capture an image.

 

Just for interest:

 

https://www.hawaiimagazine.com/big-islands-kilauea-volcano-lava-flow-consumes-last-royal-gardens-home/

 

 

 

 

I would also recommend a helicopter ride in Kauai.  It will take you out to the NaPali Cliffs (only accessible by zodiac or helicopter).  If. your pilot is good, he will get you a good view of Mt. Wai`ale`ale.  The (second-debatable) wettest place on earth.

 

https://kukuiula.com/mount-waialeale/

Edited February 2, 2023 by cr8tiv1

[Sea Hag]

19 minutes ago, cr8tiv1 said:

 

I did this tour too in 2009...but it was the last flight of the day (5 PM/ship leaves at 4ish).  As we flew over Royal Gardens, the pilot said that the house would not be there in the morning when he did his first flight out for the day.  The images are not clear (point and shoot camera).  But you could feel the heat and it was really scary as you hung out the door to try to capture an image.

 

Just for interest:

 

https://www.hawaiimagazine.com/big-islands-kilauea-volcano-lava-flow-consumes-last-royal-gardens-home/

 

 

 

 

I would also recommend a helicopter ride in Kauai.  It will take you out to the NaPali Cliffs (only accessible by zodiac or helicopter).  If. your pilot is good, he will get you a good view of Mt. Wai`ale`ale.  The (second-debatable) wettest place on earth.

 

https://kukuiula.com/mount-waialeale/

I loved the part that was over the volcano and the lava flowing into the sea!  We nearly froze before we got over the volcano. We only had light jackets on, and it was really cold. Loved hanging out the missing door. 

[Thrak]

2 hours ago, CruisnDeb said:

@8 Westies Mom I did a Hawaii cruise back in 2015. I found it very easy to rent a car and do my own tour. Car rental (at the time) was pretty cheap through Discount Hawaii Car Rental. They have a great policy where you don’t pay for the rental until you pick it up so if your ship misses a port, you wouldn’t be charged. I did a lot of research and made a plan for each port (and and a backup plan because “stuff” happens.) I highly recommend you skip Waikiki/Honolulu and drive to other areas on Oahu (we had a nice easy hike to Moana Falls). 

 

We wanted to visit the Oklahoma and Princess wanted something like $99 per person. (Not sure what the cost is now - this was in 2011.) While it is actually free to visit the site we paid $1 each for guaranteed time tickets and rented a car for the day. The three of us (our oldest son was with us) visited the Oklahoma, went to the Volcano visitor center, had lunch and local beers, etc. for far less than the cost of taking the Princess excursion which was pretty much just a bus ride to the Oklahoma and back.

 

On another visit to Hawaii we did a hop-on-hop-off bus. This was inexpensive and took us all over.

 

Edited February 3, 2023 by Thrak

[KeepCalmBearOn]

4 hours ago, CruisnDeb said:

@8 Westies Mom I did a Hawaii cruise back in 2015. I found it very easy to rent a car

 

Not very easy any more to rent a car.

 

Pre-pandemic most of the majors sent pick-up shuttles to Hilo, Kahului and Nawiliwili since in each case, the airport is very close to the cruise port. Now very few do. You have to check very carefully for each port. Any info prior to 2022 is probably outdated.

[KeepCalmBearOn]

4 hours ago, cr8tiv1 said:

I would also recommend a helicopter ride in Kauai.  It will take you out to the NaPali Cliffs (only accessible by zodiac or helicopter).

 

There are several catamaran companies who sail the Na Pali Coast. Captain Andy's is our favorite. They anchor off the cliffs, allow people to snorkel and serve lunch.

 

There are also fixed wing tours of the Na Pali Coast, that also fly over Waimea Canyon.

[KeepCalmBearOn]

6 hours ago, cr8tiv1 said:

There is really nothing near the ports.  Each island has its own charm and things to see.  Do not do a luau on Oahu on your own and expect to get back to the ship before it leaves.  (Traffic can be a nightmare.)

 

It depends on the port. Hilo has very little to walk to. There is a small beach you can walk to and a nice park and not much else. Kona on the other hand, tenders to the middle of town so walking around is easy.

 

The same is true of Maui, Kahului has very little to walk to, a couple of beaches and the Queen Ka'ahumanu Mall. Lahaina, like Kona, tenders to the middle of town so walking around is easy and there is lots in Lahaina to do.

 

For Nawiliwili, Kauai, there is nothing at the port but Kalapaki Beach is walkable, as is the very small mall next to it. Hilo Hattie's has a shuttle, Walmart used to and may again one day.

 

Oahu you dock in Downtown Honolulu and getting around by cab, Uber or public bus (TheBus) is easy.

 

Waikiki has luaus back so there is no need to go out to Ko Olina, PCC or Sea Life Park anymore for a luau. Waikiki is just 3 miles from the cruise terminal. The Waikiki Starlight Luau is back at Duke Kahanamoku Lagoon at the Hilton Hawaiian Village. The International Market Place has a new luau, the Queen's Waikiki Luau and Experience Nutridge is in the hills just above Waikiki.