We cruised on the Pride of America from Oct. 14 through Oct. 21, 2023. Here is our experience with rental cars during that trip.
Kahului, Maui- rented from Alamo, midsize car, total bill for 2 days- $81.61
No car rental companies provided shuttles in Kahului. Only one selected taxi company and NCL excursions can pick you up at the pier. Car renters had a 15-20-minute walk to exit the port facility, not ideal for those with mobility problems. We spoke to a helpful security guard on the way out who told us we could park our rental at a nearby hotel for $25 or take our chances at the mall across the street where there was a chance we could be ticketed. He said they had not been ticketing since the Maui fires but he did not know how long that would last. We took a chance and parked at the mall that night and were not ticketed.
It was a $9 Uber ride from the Longs Drugstore to the airport. Service from Alamo was quick and easy. At the end of the day I was allowed into the terminal to drop off my wife before parking at the mall. I also dropped her off the next day before returning the car to the airport. At the airport you have to go to the arrivals terminal to arrange for an Uber pickup. They say it’s a 3-minute walk from the car rental area to arrivals but it looked a lot longer. Fortunately, there is a tram that will take you there in a flash. I took the tram. Another $9 Uber ride took me back to the ship. The Uber driver was allowed to drop me off inside the terminal.
Hilo, HI- Oct. 17, rented from Thrifty, car was a Jeep Compass, 1 day $69
There was a shuttle at the terminal for Budget/Dollar/Payless customers. I tried to lie my way on but the driver had a list of customers so no go. She did offer to take my wife and me on for $5 each which we gave her. At the end of the day she gave me a ride back for another $5.
Kona, HI- Oct. 18, booked with Enterprise, $70.63.
Our ship did not stop at Kona due to rough weather or problems with the landing facility. We had arrangements with Enterprise to pick us up after we landed. They are not far from where the tenders land. In any event we were able to cancel our reservation without any problems. I would not recommend booking with any rental company that will not allow free cancelation.
Lihue, Kauai- Oct. 19, booked with Hertz, $114 for 2 days, car was a Chev Impala
There was a shuttle at the terminal for Budget/Dollar/Payless customers. This time I didn’t try to lie my way on and the driver told us to get lost. (We should have lied to get on this one because the driver wasn’t checking any renters list.) It was a short walk outside the terminal to where we could be picked up by Uber, however, I couldn’t get service on my Iphone. A kind couple from Alabama who were headed to Hertz allowed us to jump aboard their Uber which we did.
The service at the Hertz counter was terrible. Ten people waiting and one clerk. It was an hour before we got our car. At the end of the day finding a place to park was a problem. There were a few places to park on the street near the two shopping areas outside the terminal but they were full by 3 pm. I dropped my wife off at the ship and drove around to search for parking. I finally settled on a residential street about 10 minutes from the ship. It was a $7 Uber ride back to the ship.
In the morning (Oct. 20) my wife and I rode the Harbor Mall shuttle that comes right to the ship. It takes you to the Harbor Mall which is about five minutes away. From there we Ubered back to our car in the residential area. At the end of the day we returned the car to the airport and Ubered back to the ship ($10).
Summary- Having a rental car gives you the freedom to explore the various islands at your own pace and I recommend it. I would certainly lean towards renting from a company that provides a shuttle. Kahului, Maui is the only stop where this does not seem to be possible and the 20-minute walk to get out of the terminal area I think is a real slap in the face to visitors. The other problem is where to park your car on the two-day stops. Maybe rent a car one day and take an excursion on the second day.
Anyway we hope you find this information helpful.
