Time to get back to ship after PCC late show?

[latterdayesther]

Dear Fellow Cruisers,

DH and I are planning shore excursions for a Hawaii cruise in April. (Island Princess 4/11/07). We would like to do the Polynesian Cultural Center Super Ambassador Pkge, including the dinner show which is supposed to end at 9:30pm. Shuttle transportation is supposed to return passengers to the pier by 10:30pm. The ship is scheduled to leave port at 11:00pm.

We want to catch this show, but don't want to miss the boat! :eek: Princess excursions do not offer this pkge.

Does anyone have any experience or advice?

Thanks so much!

latterdayesther:)

[alwayssingin]

I'd be afraid to try. Although we were driving back down the other side of the island to our B&B afterwards, it was a long way. Also, while the show may end by 9:30, there are a lot of people trying to get out of the theater. It's definitely worth the trip, but I wouldn't do it if I had to be back to the ship by 10:30.

[Molokai-Chuck]

Would not even try it!!!!

 

Have done the PCC and show twice....and traffic out of there can be thick and slow.

 

Chuck

[suziehmkr]

Dear Fellow Cruisers,

DH and I are planning shore excursions for a Hawaii cruise in April. (Island Princess 4/11/07). We would like to do the Polynesian Cultural Center Super Ambassador Pkge, including the dinner show which is supposed to end at 9:30pm. Shuttle transportation is supposed to return passengers to the pier by 10:30pm. The ship is scheduled to leave port at 11:00pm.

We want to catch this show, but don't want to miss the boat! :eek: Princess excursions do not offer this pkge.

Does anyone have any experience or advice?

Thanks so much!

latterdayesther:)

Are you sure Princess isn't offering this one? We did it last holiday season thru Princess. Do you happen to be in Honolulu on a Sunday? PCC is closed on Sundays.... I am VERY surprised they aren't offering it as it is one of their very most popular excursions on Oahu...???

[BJS]

Dear Fellow Cruisers,

DH and I are planning shore excursions for a Hawaii cruise in April. (Island Princess 4/11/07). We would like to do the Polynesian Cultural Center Super Ambassador Pkge, including the dinner show which is supposed to end at 9:30pm. Shuttle transportation is supposed to return passengers to the pier by 10:30pm. The ship is scheduled to leave port at 11:00pm.

We want to catch this show, but don't want to miss the boat! :eek: Princess excursions do not offer this pkge.

Does anyone have any experience or advice?

Thanks so much!

latterdayesther:)

 

You might want to re-check your excursion offers. We are on the 3/27/07 sailing and Princess is offering the "Hawaiian Luau & Polynesian Extravaganza" Tour HNL-DB. It is not the Ambassador Pkg. but does include the Luau & evening show. Tour leaves at noon and gets back at 10:30 pm for $149/adult.

This might not be the pkg. you were looking for but it would allow you to see it without worrying about getting back to the ship.

 

 

.

[latterdayesther]

Thank-you all for your help in sorting this out. :) To clarify, Princess shore excursions does offer two choices for the PCC. One is admission to the island demos and lunch buffet only for $119.00, from 9am until 6pm.

 

They offer a second excursion they call "The Hawaiian & Polynesian Extravaganza" which includes the island demos, luau, and the dinner show for $149.00, from 12pm until 10:30pm.

 

So, it appears that they are sponsoring a busload of passengers for the evening show who will arrive back at the pier at 10:30pm when the ship is scheduled to sail at 11:00pm. The total cost for both Princess excursions is $268.00.

 

Purchasing the "Super Ambassador Package" directly from the PCC website is $205. This pkge has front row seating and other perks. It is my understanding that both tours bus their passengers back to the pier with an ETA of 10:30pm.

 

If traffic was slow or backed up would the ship wait only for its' excursion passengers?

 

I'm going to try to make some more phone calls. Again, all of your opinions are welcome! :)

Thanks!

Esther

[suziehmkr]

You do not buy both.... for $149 you get RT bus ride, admission into PCC, a guide to take a small group thru the villages, the buffet luau dinner, the show after, an ice cream dessert that is YUMMY, a program book, and a video... and your shell & flower lei. Although the seats aren't front row, I don't think the risk of not making it back is worth having front row seats. Feel free to check out my pics from our sailing last Christmas/New Years.

 

Yes - the ship will only wait for the busses that are carrying their excursion passengers. This was why we booked thru the ship. Just make sure your bus has air conditioning!

[sparkle]

We went on the Princess excursion to PCC, $149 for everything. Our guide was wonderful, got us good seats for the shows (front row seats at the Marquesas Island show for people celebrating anniversaries), luau was great.

show at night was excellent, esp. the guys with the fire! Of course everyone leaves at the same time, so there was traffic getting out of there. Our bus got back to the ship 5 min before they were supposed to sail. We were relaxed knowing Princess would wait for "their excusion" bus. I think it would be too stressful to be on a non Princess bus, IMHO.

 

We can't say enough good about the PCC. It's highly rated in tourbooks and deservedly so. Have a good time!

[BJS]

Thank-you all for your help in sorting this out. :) To clarify, Princess shore excursions does offer two choices for the PCC. One is admission to the island demos and lunch buffet only for $119.00, from 9am until 6pm.

 

They offer a second excursion they call "The Hawaiian & Polynesian Extravaganza" which includes the island demos, luau, and the dinner show for $149.00, from 12pm until 10:30pm.

 

So, it appears that they are sponsoring a busload of passengers for the evening show who will arrive back at the pier at 10:30pm when the ship is scheduled to sail at 11:00pm. The total cost for both Princess excursions is $268.00.

 

Purchasing the "Super Ambassador Package" directly from the PCC website is $205. This pkge has front row seating and other perks. It is my understanding that both tours bus their passengers back to the pier with an ETA of 10:30pm.

 

If traffic was slow or backed up would the ship wait only for its' excursion passengers?

 

I'm going to try to make some more phone calls. Again, all of your opinions are welcome! :)

Thanks!

Esther

 

Yes, Princess will only wait for their own shore excursion trips. They know where those passengers are. Thereis no way to keep track of all the rest of the passengers. We were on a cruise where a man wandered off after a Princess shore excursion and the ship (and his wife on the ship) left without him. They had no way of knowing where he was.

 

Many complain that Princess is just making money off their excursions but....paying that little more is a great security to know that no matter what happens such as flat tires, vehicle breakdown or accidents the ship will wait for you.

[latterdayesther]

Cruising Friends,

We booked our excursion through Princess, so we can relax and have a good time. Thank-you all for your concern and advice! It really is wonderful that you take the time to share your experiences to help others have the best time possible on vacation! :D

You are the BEST!

Esther

[suziehmkr]

Have a wonderful time! I relive my experience nearly every week! I was so captivated by the dancing at the villages, the parade and especially the big show, that now I belong to a local halau (school) and dance polynesian! I started a few months after our return and I am ready to participate in my first full show season! It is so much fun and it makes me think of my visit to PCC all the time! I hope you really enjoy it!