Oahu Tour Question (Insight needed)

[Magiemae41]

I was hoping maybe someone had some insight on a Oahu tour I found. We are doing a full day of touring to Pearl Harbor, the Arizona etc on Thurs before we cruise and I found the following tour for Friday that includes the cultural center and Laua. I'd appreciate any input or reviews if anyone has taken this tour.

 

tour.polynesia.com Luau Tour Package

1. Diamond Head and Black Point Lookout

2. Kahala

3. Hanauma Bay Lookout

4. Halona Blow Hole

5. Makapuu Lookout and Light House

6. Pali Lookout

7. Hawaii Plantation Village

8. Dole Plantation

9. Halejwa Pinapple Fields

10. North Shore Beaches

11. Hawaii Temple

12. Polynesian Cultural Center

Noon admission up to 7 villages and exhibits

Canoe Ride

Tram tour of Laie

Canoe pageant

Luau dinner buffet and show

Fresh flower lei greeting

Preferred seating at "Ha: Breath of Life"

Free admission within 3 days

 

This seems like we get to see everything we are not seeing on Thursday and price is $149 per adult. Has anyone taken this tour before?

 

Mae

[DAGVBSB]

I was hoping maybe someone had some insight on a Oahu tour I found. We are doing a full day of touring to Pearl Harbor, the Arizona etc on Thurs before we cruise and I found the following tour for Friday that includes the cultural center and Laua. I'd appreciate any input or reviews if anyone has taken this tour.

 

tour.polynesia.com Luau Tour Package

1. Diamond Head and Black Point Lookout

2. Kahala

3. Hanauma Bay Lookout

4. Halona Blow Hole

5. Makapuu Lookout and Light House

6. Pali Lookout

7. Hawaii Plantation Village

8. Dole Plantation

9. Halejwa Pinapple Fields

10. North Shore Beaches

11. Hawaii Temple

12. Polynesian Cultural Center

Noon admission up to 7 villages and exhibits

Canoe Ride

Tram tour of Laie

Canoe pageant

Luau dinner buffet and show

Fresh flower lei greeting

Preferred seating at "Ha: Breath of Life"

Free admission within 3 days

 

This seems like we get to see everything we are not seeing on Thursday and price is $149 per adult. Has anyone taken this tour before?

 

Mae

 

That is waaayyy to much to do in one day. From noon on, you will be at the Polynesian Cultural Center and you still won't be able to see all of that.

 

We spent 2.5 hours at Dole and wanted more time.

 

When I arranged our private tour through Roberts, they told me that a Diamond Head visit was at least an hour. (so we dumped it.)

 

 

Here is what we did on our post cruise stay:

Sunday: Private tour arranged through Roberts (there were 16 of us so it was only $70 per person for 8 hours with our own bus.):

Picked up at 7:00 a.m. at our hotel

Got to Pearl Harbor at 7:30 p.m. and they were already handing our 9:00 a.m. tickets. (tickets are gone for the day by 11:00 or noon).

Visited Pearl Harbor (does not take nearly as long right now as they are in a major resconstruction phase and the museum is closed and things to see are limited.) Left Pearl Harbor between 10:15-10:30

Visited Dole Plantation from 11:00 a.m. - 1:30 p.m.. (train ride, maze, store, food = Dole whip!). Did not have time to see the gardens.

City Tour of Honolulu (Iolani Palace, King Kamahama Staute, Government Buildings, China Town). 2:00 - 3:00 p.m

Back to Hotel at 3:00 p.m.

 

Monday: Polynesian Cultural Center. (sounds like exact same package that you are getting - the Ambassador)

Picked up at hotel at 10:30 a.m. by mini-bus.

Arrived at PCC about 11:45 a.m Put in groups of 10-12 as part of package and given personal guide.

Even with a guide, we were only able to visit 3 village presentations and 3 "activities" (spear throwing, poi twirling, etc.) in the 5 hours before the luau. (the most anyone I talked to there that day got to was 4 village presentations because of the time schedule.)

The Canoe Pagent is at 2:30 p.m. and all villages shut down at 2:00 p.m. for this. In order to get a good seat, claim your seat along the river no later than 2:00.

We did not have time for the Tram tour to Laie or the IMAX theater.

We had our canoe ride from the back of the villages to the front at 5:00 to take us to the Luau.

Luau was from 5:00-6:15 p.m.. (served buffet style)

Then you have a little over an hour to wander the shops.

In your seat for the show by 7:30 p.m.. Prefered seating is seating the three lower sections of the outdoor auditorium. The first 4 rows of the center section is Premium seating for those with the Super Ambassador package.

Show is over about 9:15 (excellent show, btw) and back to your bus. We got back to our Hotel in Waikiki about 11:00 p.m.

 

 

So you can see that I can't imagine how you can do PCC and all of those other sites in the same day without just quick stops at places like Dole, Diamond Head and the lookoouts. (or get to PCC later which would further limit what you can do there.)

 

If you go to PCC, don't miss the Samoa Village Show, it is by far the best of the six. (Tonga was good too.)

 

 

As far as Pearl Harbor.... make sure that you are on an early tour. (leave Waikiki by 7:15 at the latest). They hand out the tickets for the launch to the Memorial begining at 7:00 or 7:30 a.m.. We got there a little after 7:30 and had 9:00 a.m. tickets and ours were picked up for us by the driver! By 9:00 a.m., they were on early afternoon tickets and tickets are usually all gone for the day by noon at the latest. (10:00 a.m. on really busy days.)

 

If you are doing an all day package, your tour may also include the USS Missouri which is a short shuttle ride away. Touring the Missouri takes about 2 hours and can fill the gaps while waiting for your launch time.

 

You cannot take purses, fannypacks, backpacks or camera bags into the Arizona Memorial area for security reasons. All of those items must be left on the bus or you can pay to have it stored at a nearby storage area. As our driver told us... if the case won't fit in your pocket, you can't take it in. You can take large cameras in...just not the cases.

 

Hope this helps.

[Sunny AZ Girl]

Thank you for the description of what you did, David. We are a group of 6 and I am still researching. Our thoughts are to do the Pearl Harbor when we have a pre-cruise day on Friday and the PCC post-cruise on Saturday. I am leaning towards Robert's Stars and Stripes for Pearl Harbor. I am not sure if we will do a tour or rent a car for the PCC.

[vbmom87]

What time does this tour leave and what time do you actually get to the PCC? Frankly, I don't see how you could get to the PCC by noon with all the stops you have listed there, unless you are mostly just driving by. I would ask for a more detailed itinerary as to times at each place. For example, what does the tour include at the Dole Plantation? Will you be able to get out and explore any of the North Shore Beaches, or will it simply be a drive by? I suppose if you have limited time it would be worth it. Get more details so there are no surprises or disappointments. As long as you know exactly what is included and you are happy with that, it could be a worthwhile day. Just find out a little more before you book.

[vbmom87]

When I arranged our private tour through Roberts, they told me that a Diamond Head visit was at least an hour. (so we dumped it.)

 

Diamond head can be a quick stop if you just the drive into the crater. If you actually want to hike it to top viewpoint, you need more like an hour and half unless you are really in shape. My 63 year old DH needed the hour and a half. I know my 22 year old daughter could have done it in less.

 

I agree it is a lot packed in, but for someone with limited time who doesn't mind just getting a taste of everything, it could be "okay."

 

I really question if they get to the PCC by noon. I think not. Unless this tour begins really early in the morning. I would also want to know exactly what PCC package is included in this tour. With my entertainment book coupon we paid $106 a person I believe and that was for the Ambassador Prime Rib package.

[Magiemae41]

Thanks all.. we really only have Wednesday night, all day Friday and Saturday before the cruise leaves. So I was thinking this would be a quick way to see it all and then hopefully have time to climb diamond head on Saturday. We leave at 8:30 am and then supposedly get to the PCC at around 12:30, so my guess is a quick drive by of everything. Although I hope to stop at Dole. The dinner is NOT the prime rib one, that was another $30 per person and I wasn't too worried about that.

 

I will definitely try to get info on how much time at each place though. I appreciate all the help as I am sure you know it is sort of overwhelming trying to plan to see everything and decide all excursions, etc. I have several picked out from Roberts and as I mentioned we are doing an all day with our Travel Company on Thursday pre cruise.

 

Mae

[DAGVBSB]

 

I really question if they get to the PCC by noon. I think not. Unless this tour begins really early in the morning. I would also want to know exactly what PCC package is included in this tour. With my entertainment book coupon we paid $106 a person I believe and that was for the Ambassador Prime Rib package.

 

Thanks all.. we really only have Wednesday night, all day Friday and Saturday before the cruise leaves. So I was thinking this would be a quick way to see it all and then hopefully have time to climb diamond head on Saturday. We leave at 8:30 am and then supposedly get to the PCC at around 12:30, so my guess is a quick drive by of everything. Although I hope to stop at Dole. The dinner is NOT the prime rib one, that was another $30 per person and I wasn't too worried about that.

 

I will definitely try to get info on how much time at each place though. I appreciate all the help as I am sure you know it is sort of overwhelming trying to plan to see everything and decide all excursions, etc. I have several picked out from Roberts and as I mentioned we are doing an all day with our Travel Company on Thursday pre cruise.

 

Mae

 

Ok, things are becoming more clear now....

 

You don't have the Ambassador Package, you have the Ali'Luau Package.

 

The Prime Rib clued me in so I went and pulled my package information. As I said, I did the planning for our group so I know those packages.

 

We took the Ambassador Package and each of our people had the choice of the Prime Rib Buffet or the Luau and our group split up for dinner as some didn't want the Luau. I went to the Prime Rib Buffet and believe me, it wasn't very good. I have never had "processed Prime Rib" before! The rest of the food wasn't very tasty. My wife and mother in law who went to the luau said the food was ok, just not exceptional. (our bus driver had warned us that you "don't go to the PCC for the Food" and he was right!)

 

What you won't get with your package that we got with the Ambassador was a souvenier DVD of the Canoe Pagent and Closing Show, a free ice cream desert during the closing show and the Private Tour Guide. You will be on your own to get around the villages. (Get to Samoa & Tonga... Tahiti and Hawaii were my least favorites.)

 

The other difference in the packages: you have "Prefered Seating" and we had "Premium Seating" for the Closing show.

They have four seating areas:

"VIP Seating" is the first 3 rows of the 3 center sections.

"Premium Seating" which is what you get with the Ambassador package is the 3 lower center sections.

 

"Prefered Seating", which is what you are getting, is the two side lower sections (there are five lower sections) or the middle of the upper level.

 

"Rerserved Seating" is the four upper level sections but not the center.

 

All seats are pre-assigned for the evening show.

 

 

Hope this helps.

 

Getting to the PCC at 12:30, once you get your tickets and get to the village areas, it will be 1:00 p.m. at least and you will have one hour before everything shuts down for the canoe pagent. Things will reopen at 3:00 and you will have until your luau at 5:00 p.m.

[vbmom87]

I went to the Prime Rib Buffet and believe me, it wasn't very good. I have never had "processed Prime Rib" before! The rest of the food wasn't very tasty. My wife and mother in law who went to the luau said the food was ok, just not exceptional. (our bus driver had warned us that you "don't go to the PCC for the Food" and he was right!)

 

"VIP Seating" is the first 3 rows of the 3 center sections.

"Premium Seating" which is what you get with the Ambassador package is the 3 lower center sections.

 

 

We actually found the Prime Rib Buffet to be very much to our liking. (I did not eat the Prime Rib as I am a vegetarian, but enjoyed the other offerings) We read the menu online before our trip and we were most satisfied. My DH was the only who ate the Beef and he doesn't have any recollection of it, so I guess he felt it wasn't amazing, but wasn't horrible. I know he enjoyed his meal very much.

 

With the Ambassador Prime Rib Package we ended up in Row 3 center. Had I purchased the tickets a few week earlier, I was offered Row 2 center. The reservationist I spoke with told me only Row 1 was reserved for the guests who purchased the Super Ambassador Package.

[vbmom87]

I went to the Prime Rib Buffet and believe me, it wasn't very good. I have never had "processed Prime Rib" before! The rest of the food wasn't very tasty. My wife and mother in law who went to the luau said the food was ok, just not exceptional. (our bus driver had warned us that you "don't go to the PCC for the Food" and he was right!)

 

"VIP Seating" is the first 3 rows of the 3 center sections.

"Premium Seating" which is what you get with the Ambassador package is the 3 lower center sections.

 

 

We actually found the Prime Rib Buffet to be very much to our liking. (I did not eat the Prime Rib as I am a vegetarian, but enjoyed the other offerings) We read the menu online before our trip and we were most satisfied. My DH was the only who ate the Beef and he doesn't have any recollection of it, so I guess he felt it wasn't amazing, but wasn't horrible. I know he enjoyed his meal very much. There were a lot of choices and we were all very happy with our meals.

 

With the Ambassador Prime Rib Package we ended up in Row 3 center. Had I purchased the tickets a few week earlier, I was offered Row 2 center. The reservationist I spoke with told me only Row 1 was reserved for the guests who purchased the Super Ambassador Package. I actually think I would have preferred to be a few rows higher; maybe about row 6.

[DAGVBSB]

 

With the Ambassador Prime Rib Package we ended up in Row 3 center. Had I purchased the tickets a few week earlier, I was offered Row 2 center. The reservationist I spoke with told me only Row 1 was reserved for the guests who purchased the Super Ambassador Package. I actually think I would have preferred to be a few rows higher; maybe about row 6.

 

 

They may have changed the seating slightly since you were there. The chart the group coordinator for PCC sent me shows Rows 1 & 2 of the center three sections being SUper Ambassador. Perhaps they do that in case they have alot of Super Ambassadors on any given day and then release them to regular ambassadors after a certain date.

[Giantfan13]

I was hoping maybe someone had some insight on a Oahu tour I found. We are doing a full day of touring to Pearl Harbor, the Arizona etc on Thurs before we cruise and I found the following tour for Friday that includes the cultural center and Laua. I'd appreciate any input or reviews if anyone has taken this tour.

 

tour.polynesia.com Luau Tour Package

1. Diamond Head and Black Point Lookout

2. Kahala

3. Hanauma Bay Lookout

4. Halona Blow Hole

5. Makapuu Lookout and Light House

6. Pali Lookout

7. Hawaii Plantation Village

8. Dole Plantation

9. Halejwa Pinapple Fields

10. North Shore Beaches

11. Hawaii Temple

12. Polynesian Cultural Center

Noon admission up to 7 villages and exhibits

Canoe Ride

Tram tour of Laie

Canoe pageant

Luau dinner buffet and show

Fresh flower lei greeting

Preferred seating at "Ha: Breath of Life"

Free admission within 3 days

 

This seems like we get to see everything we are not seeing on Thursday and price is $149 per adult. Has anyone taken this tour before?

 

Mae

 

I don't live in Hawaii, but I really don't see how it is possible to even drive by all those places and still be at the PCC at noon. am I reading this correctly??> Forget stopping at any of the aforementioned places, you might be driving by at 60 MPH. I know you want to see as much as possible on your stay there, but you would be much better off either spending the entire day sightseeing, and really seeing and experiencing some of the sights, and maybe do a private luau in the evening. I would forget the PCC for an entire day there. Simply rushing for place to place is not seeing Hawaii. The PCC is fine, but not at the expense of not seeing or doing so many other things.

 

Cheers

 

Len

[jillyfish]

I don't live in Hawaii, but I really don't see how it is possible to even drive by all those places and still be at the PCC at noon. am I reading this correctly??> Forget stopping at any of the aforementioned places, you might be driving by at 60 MPH. I know you want to see as much as possible on your stay there, but you would be much better off either spending the entire day sightseeing, and really seeing and experiencing some of the sights Simply rushing for place to place is not seeing Hawaii.

 

Cheers

 

Len

Well put. My thoughts exactly.

I just haven't been able to post my thoughts since I couldn't sign on for three days. :(:rolleyes:

[vbmom87]

They may have changed the seating slightly since you were there. The chart the group coordinator for PCC sent me shows Rows 1 & 2 of the center three sections being SUper Ambassador. Perhaps they do that in case they have alot of Super Ambassadors on any given day and then release them to regular ambassadors after a certain date.

 

That is possible.

[Magiemae41]

Thanks all for the help. I was wondering about that. Guess I'll have to keep researching!

 

Mae