Early USS Arizona tickets never made available

Is the video related to your ticket time or can you watch the video prior to taking the tender out to the Arizona? I'm a little confused about that.

Teanne

The FAQs on their website answers many questions including:

What does a visit to the memorial include?

The USS Arizona Memorial program includes the following:

• A 23-minute documentary in our theater
  
• A boat ride to the memorial
  
• Time at the memorial
  
• A boat ride back
  

All together, the USS Arizona Memorial program lasts for 1 hour and 15 minutes

https://www.nps.gov/valr/faqs.htm

Unfortunately you called 1:05 after they were available at 7:00 HST and remember that Hawaii doesn't participate in daylight savings time: 3 hours earlier during the Mainland's DST & 2 hours during ST.

 

Advance Tickets

• Available online or through the call centre daily from 7AM HST
  
• Advanced bookings available 2 months in advance, or for Next Day Tickets
  

https://www.recreation.gov/showPage.do?name=landing&landing=/htm/pearlharbor/home.jsp&contractCode=NRSO&parkId=72369

DH corrected me and said I logged in at 7:05 HST, so 5 minutes too late due to slow internet issues on the POA!

This thread on Trip Advisor has detail on number of tickets per time slot available in advance and for walk up. It seems like if you want to do an earlier tour walk up is a better bet.

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Travel-g29222-c219018/Oahu:Hawaii:Reservations.For.Uss.Arizona.Memorial.html

Wow, not a lot of tickets given out ahead of time. It looks like the best bet is to wake up early the day you want to visit and hope you get one of the 1,300 available for that day, even if you don't need to do an early time.

Today was our 60 day mark. I've been watching for a few days and its pretty clear they aren't giving anything out before 11am 60 days out. In fact when I got on about 30 minutes early I could see all the tickets available today (starting with 75 at 11:00) but couldn't purchase yet.

I ended up getting 4 at 11:00 and we'll just plan to get there first thing and do the other parts. Maybe get into a standby line if we're ready to go earlier. I may try one more time the day before, but I really don't want to rush the whole family over there at 7am on the first day of our trip to wait in line. I just want to get the PH tour out of the way in the morning, not be still out there at 1pm. Kind of bummed there aren't more morning options, but what can you do.

We are going to be there tomorrow and just tried at 7AM local time to book an earlier time. There were 100 available at 11 and later time slots but ZERO at earlier times.

I called today at our 60 day mark and only had 11 am as the earliest as well. I'm ok with that. We will do other things at Pearl Harbor.

We arrived on Tuesday September 19th at about 8:55 and there were tickets available for the 10AM tour. That worked perfect for us. The reservation system does leave something to be desired.

TWe bought the "passport to Pearl Harbor" which includes all the memorials and museums. So we will just see those other places and then go to the Arizona when our time comes. I think it will work out ok.

Teanne

I'm looking at the Passport and doing this on our own. My husband will want to spend time at the Aviation Museum as well as the Arizona. So how does the passport work? If I buy it online, is that when they assign us the time for the Arizona? Or do we still have to stand in a long line to get our "time" assigned once we get there? Thanks so much!

I'm looking at the Passport and doing this on our own. My husband will want to spend time at the Aviation Museum as well as the Arizona. So how does the passport work? If I buy it online, is that when they assign us the time for the Arizona? Or do we still have to stand in a long line to get our "time" assigned once we get there? Thanks so much!

I highly recommend getting the Passport online. We did it all on our own and it was great. My only regret is that we didn't have enough time because we wasted time riding the bus from the ship out to Pearl. If your arriving via ship-get a cab or uber to get to Pearl. Between waiting for the correct bus and then all the stops the bus made (especially at the different airport terminals) we probably lost about 90 minutes that we could have been at Pearl. As far as your assigned time for the Arizona-you need to go online 60 days out to get your assigned time. Don't expect an early time either-probably the best you will get is an 11 am time slot. I ended up taking a 3 pm slot so that we could go to the Aviation Museum and the Missouri first. We ended up not even using our ticket for the Arizona (but we've been there before) because we spent so much time at the other museums. The early time slots for the Arizona seem to be reserved for the tour companies. I'd recommend getting there as early as possible-go to the Aviation museum first, then the Missouri (which is really fascinating), then Arizona and if you still have time then the Bowfin. The Missouri is what takes the longest-the Aviataion is not that big but my husband had to go see every single airplane and go over to the restoration hanger and he even rode in a simulator. He's a big WW2 airplane fanatic so he spent a lot of time there. UGH So we probably stayed at the Aviation museum longer than most people (I was bored-haha). If you have any further questions, feel free to email me at: Teannetx@hotmail.com and I'll be glad to help you. We were in Honolulu until midnight so we went to a fantastic luau after our time at Pearl.

Teanne

I highly recommend getting the Passport online. We did it all on our own and it was great. My only regret is that we didn't have enough time because we wasted time riding the bus from the ship out to Pearl. If your arriving via ship-get a cab or uber to get to Pearl. Between waiting for the correct bus and then all the stops the bus made (especially at the different airport terminals) we probably lost about 90 minutes that we could have been at Pearl. As far as your assigned time for the Arizona-you need to go online 60 days out to get your assigned time. Don't expect an early time either-probably the best you will get is an 11 am time slot. I ended up taking a 3 pm slot so that we could go to the Aviation Museum and the Missouri first. We ended up not even using our ticket for the Arizona (but we've been there before) because we spent so much time at the other museums. The early time slots for the Arizona seem to be reserved for the tour companies. I'd recommend getting there as early as possible-go to the Aviation museum first, then the Missouri (which is really fascinating), then Arizona and if you still have time then the Bowfin. The Missouri is what takes the longest-the Aviataion is not that big but my husband had to go see every single airplane and go over to the restoration hanger and he even rode in a simulator. He's a big WW2 airplane fanatic so he spent a lot of time there. UGH So we probably stayed at the Aviation museum longer than most people (I was bored-haha). If you have any further questions, feel free to email me at: Teannetx@hotmail.com and I'll be glad to help you. We were in Honolulu until midnight so we went to a fantastic luau after our time at Pearl.

 

 

 

Teanne

Thank you so much! That was exactly what I needed to know!

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Figured I'd update, now that we're back from our trip. We planned to do PH on Thursday, Nov 16, and as I posted earlier at 60 days out the earliest tickets available for 11am. I went online again the day before and only times from 11am and later opened up, there was no way to get tickets earlier without a tour. We only had one day to do several things, and I wanted to do Pearl Harbor first thing, so I was kind of stressing about when we would get there, having to wait around for hours, standing in line, etc.

We ended up arriving around 8am and walking up to no line. We got tickets for the 8:15 and had just enough time to get everyone over to the theatre. The people behind us were getting 8:30 and 9:00 tickets, but still not a long time to wait. We really didn't want to do a tour for 4 people, that gets costly, and my kids are 6 and 8 so I thought trying to do a lot more than the Arizona tour would be a lot for them so didn't want the passport. That was the case - I'm glad we took them to see it, the movie and memorial were educational but intense, however it was something I felt was important. But we didn't need to spend the day there as some people do. We spent a little time walking around looking at various displays and were still able to make it to the Dole plantation for lunch and then up to the North Shore for the afternoon.

I suspect we got lucky with the line because it was a weekday, and I still don't like that there's no way to get morning tickets, that seems like something they should change.

Just to give you a feedback of my experience with Pearl Harbor and the Arizona Memorial on "Black Friday":

As I wanted anyway everything to see (Mighy Mo, Aviation Museum and USS Bowfin) and the early tickets never were available online; I've reserved one for the last trip to the Arizona at 2.45 pm, which would have gave me time to see the sights on Ford Island at first, then the Arizona and finally USS Bowfin at last.

Then on the 11/24/17 I arrived with "The Bus" and was suprised to find at 7.45 am no waiting line at all at the counters.

Therefore when I approched the counter with my reservation they could change it into a ticket for the 9.00 am-Tour.

It gave me time to do the "Arizona narrated-tour" before departure.

And with the "Pearl Harbor Pass" for 65 $; I visited after the Arizona, also the Missouri (Mighty Mo), the Oklahoma Memorial and the Pacific Aviation Museum on Ford Island (with the included Shuttle Service). Back at the Visitor Center I also visited USS Bowfin and the "Silent Service" Memorial. I probably could have stayed at some places longer, but even with my fast visit; I finished at 3.30 pm.

So to be able to see everything at Pearl Harbor you have to set aside at least 7 to 8 hours and therefore arrive around 8 am at the latest.

The slowest but cheapest option for Transport is "The Bus", which will cost you 5 Dollars (starting 1.1.2018 5.50 Dollars) but will take a little over one hour from Waikiki to Arizona each way.

Just to give you a feedback of my experience with Pearl Harbor and the Arizona Memorial on "Black Friday":

 

As I wanted anyway everything to see (Mighy Mo, Aviation Museum and USS Bowfin) and the early tickets never were available online; I've reserved one for the last trip to the Arizona at 2.45 pm, which would have gave me time to see the sights on Ford Island at first, then the Arizona and finally USS Bowfin at last.

 

Then on the 11/24/17 I arrived with "The Bus" and was suprised to find at 7.45 am no waiting line at all at the counters.

Therefore when I approched the counter with my reservation they could change it into a ticket for the 9.00 am-Tour.

It gave me time to do the "Arizona narrated-tour" before departure.

 

And with the "Pearl Harbor Pass" for 65 $; I visited after the Arizona, also the Missouri (Mighty Mo), the Oklahoma Memorial and the Pacific Aviation Museum on Ford Island (with the included Shuttle Service). Back at the Visitor Center I also visited USS Bowfin and the "Silent Service" Memorial. I probably could have stayed at some places longer, but even with my fast visit; I finished at 3.30 pm.

 

So to be able to see everything at Pearl Harbor you have to set aside at least 7 to 8 hours and therefore arrive around 8 am at the latest.

 

The slowest but cheapest option for Transport is "The Bus", which will cost you 5 Dollars (starting 1.1.2018 5.50 Dollars) but will take a little over one hour from Waikiki to Arizona each way.

Onyx007,

Thanks for your inputs. We are planning to take "The Bus" to Pearl Harbor. As our ship will stay overnight at Honolulu, we can set off early and arrive around 8am as you suggested. Please let me know what no. of "Bus" you take? How to walk to the bus stop nearest to the cruise terminal of Honolulu? Can we pay cash for the bus fare?

Thanks in advance for your help.

Onyx007,

Thanks for your inputs. We are planning to take "The Bus" to Pearl Harbor. As our ship will stay overnight at Honolulu, we can set off early and arrive around 8am as you suggested. Please let me know what no. of "Bus" you take? How to walk to the bus stop nearest to the cruise terminal of Honolulu? Can we pay cash for the bus fare?

 

Thanks in advance for your help.

Not Onyx007 but we’ve used The Bus to & from Pearl Harbor and used their website (http://www.thebus.org/) for bus routings and also Google Maps which includes walking directions & here’s an example.

https://goo.gl/maps/FC36t672adH2

There are 2 cruise terminals...Pier 2 and Aloha Tower (Pier 11)...and we could easily walk to the bus from both locations.

Although based on the Honolulu cruise ship schedule, Aloha Tower currently no longer shows any cruise ships. Hawaii Pacific University purchased that area which no longer has cruise ships scheduled there.

http://hawaii.portcall.com/#!?tab=2

Some passengers will share a cab to arrive early at the Arizona Memorial & The Bus back to the ship.

Bus tickets are $2.50 (effective 1/1/18 $2.75) or $1 for seniors...both are cash only.

On the contrary Astro Flyer; I took "The Bus" as well for both ways.

hellopuppies:

The timetable you'll find through this page http://www.thebus.org/route/routes.asp

It's route 20 and you're lucky because that bus is really driving down Ala Moana Blvd. which is really just the next big street off either Cruise Piers. Just cross the street and look at the numbers at the bus stop (when a 20 is indicated you wait at the right place) If it's a weekday the bus will leave around 6.45 am.

You can also buy right away a "day pass", because it's the same Price as two single rides, therefore saves time, when you ride back.

Note that coming from Waikiki the Bus will drop you off right in front of the visitor center, but for going back you have to go to the bus stopp at Kamehameha Highway (you don't need to cross that street), which is just 2 minutes away from the drop-off point.

Astro Flyer & onxy007,

Many thanks for your advice and information. Will do the homework and research.

Happy new year & happy cruising:ship: to you all! :*