NCL's Road to Hana Tour?

[albertamom]

Has anyone here booked the Road to Hana tour through NCL? What were your impressions?

[hill6]

Booked it too and interested in hearing opinions on it too.

[coilover88]

We did it 2 years running. It is long. It is full of twists and tight turns. But is is also loaded with history, botanical info, amazing scenery and black sand beaches, a great picnic (if you take that option) and very knowledgeable guides. They use Dodge vans that seat about 12 but both our tours had about 8 people. If learning about Maui and Hawaiian history and culture is important to you, this will fill the bill. You will sleep well on the ship that night!!

[TSUmom]

Do they stop so we can get out and take pictures? How far do they go? We are looking at either NCL and another tour that goes to Lindburgs grave.

[coilover88]

They make several stops. The first was a coffe, sweetroll, banana kind of break not long after leaving Kahului (a nice little roadside rest area). The tour goes all the way into Hana but does not go to Lindbergh's grave. The picnic is just outside Hana on a beautiful black sand beach. We also stopped at a couple other places including a small botanical garden/ business. Both years we were given many opportunities to stop for pictures etc. Temptation tours is the provider and you may find more info on their website.

[hill6]

Thanks for that info. I booked through the ship as our first day in Maui we are doing Haleakala and the Old Lahiana Luau and by booking through them we won't get left behind if it runs late.

[albertamom]

They make several stops. The first was a coffe, sweetroll, banana kind of break not long after leaving Kahului (a nice little roadside rest area). The tour goes all the way into Hana but does not go to Lindbergh's grave. The picnic is just outside Hana on a beautiful black sand beach. We also stopped at a couple other places including a small botanical garden/ business. Both years we were given many opportunities to stop for pictures etc. Temptation tours is the provider and you may find more info on their website.

 

On NCL's website, it doesn't show the picnic as an option. Is this something that you add after booking?

[coilover88]

On NCL's website, it doesn't show the picnic as an option. Is this something that you add after booking?

 

I just found it on page 2 for Maui excursions. It is called Hana Picnic. I see that the Road to Hana tour itself now includes Haleakala. That is new since we were there last in '08.

[hill6]

The NCL tour says that they allow you time to buy lunch in Hana. We will bring a cooler with us with soda and snacks to munch on for the ride.

 

The Hana Picnic tour is not offered for our November cruise. I wonder if it is being phased out??

[albertamom]

The NCL tour says that they allow you time to buy lunch in Hana. We will bring a cooler with us with soda and snacks to munch on for the ride.

 

The Hana Picnic tour is not offered for our November cruise. I wonder if it is being phased out??

 

I am looking for our December cruise, and it is not there either. You may be right. That's a good idea - to take some snacks.

[hill6]

I am looking for our December cruise, and it is not there either. You may be right. That's a good idea - to take some snacks.

 

 

I will have a collapsible cooler with us and will put ice in some doubled up ziploc bags to keep the drinks cool.

[coilover88]

I suggest you get in touch with Temptation tours to find out if NCL is offering the picnic those months. I would think they know if they have the contract for that particular tour. It's no biggy but a picnic on the beach is nice.

[albertamom]

If we can't get the Temptation Tours Hana Picnic tour, has anyone done the regular NCL Road to Hana tour? What was the motorcoach like? Did you like your tour guide? Where did you have lunch?

[ohsoblessed]

If we can't get the Temptation Tours Hana Picnic tour, has anyone done the regular NCL Road to Hana tour? What was the motorcoach like? Did you like your tour guide? Where did you have lunch?

 

I have checked on the Temptation tour and it would cost us almost 180.00 each. That seems expensive to me. But it looks like it is a nice one. Still trying to decide if we want to take a whole day to do this.

[One Eye Open]

We did the Road to Hana in a rental car. Good grief, the drive had more twists than a Hitchcock movie. It was scenic drive...and glad we did it. The road-trip drive took 5 hours with photo ops. We later found out on the ship that Road to Hana had 56 bridges and more than 600 curves!! So if prone to car sickness be prepared. Have fun.

[hill6]

One Eye Open, I did hear about taking dramamine before doing the tour.

 

We are doing it on our second day in Maui so we are going to do the ship's tour to make sure we are not left behind and also we can enjoy the trip and not worry about driving off the side of the cliff.

[albertamom]

 

We are doing it on our second day in Maui so we are going to do the ship's tour to make sure we are not left behind and also we can enjoy the trip and not worry about driving off the side of the cliff.

 

My thoughts exactly!:)

[cleobella]

We did NCL Road to Hana back in December and I really have mixed feelings about the tour. We did not find the road as crazy as we expected-there are a lot of twists and turns but we certainly did not get sick and felt very secure the whole way. The scenery is beautiful and we able to see some lovely waterfalls as it rained the day before. However, it is a really long day and after a while it's a bit too much of a good thing, in our opinion. I think we should have rented a car and just driven part of the way up the road maybe. But that's just us. There is lovely scenery in Kauai too and that really stuck with us more. The winery stop is really a non event-just a stop at a store to buy wine, not a winery tour.

 

Good luck with your decision and enjoy your trip.

[albertamom]

We did NCL Road to Hana back in December and I really have mixed feelings about the tour. We did not find the road as crazy as we expected-there are a lot of twists and turns but we certainly did not get sick and felt very secure the whole way. The scenery is beautiful and we able to see some lovely waterfalls as it rained the day before. However, it is a really long day and after a while it's a bit too much of a good thing, in our opinion. I think we should have rented a car and just driven part of the way up the road maybe. But that's just us. There is lovely scenery in Kauai too and that really stuck with us more. The winery stop is really a non event-just a stop at a store to buy wine, not a winery tour.

 

Good luck with your decision and enjoy your trip.

 

I do wonder about it being a really long day. I think that we will probably go ahead and do it. This will be the fourth time that my husband and I have been to Maui, and I think it is just time! The kids (12 and 13) will definitely have their i-pods with them, and because there are frequent stops to get out and walk around, I think we'll make it. I'm glad to hear that you weren't too overwhelmed by the twisting and turning. It might not be the kids' favourite excursion, but hopefully the ziplining and tubing on Kauai make up for it!:)

[hill6]

I do wonder about it being a really long day. I think that we will probably go ahead and do it. This will be the fourth time that my husband and I have been to Maui, and I think it is just time! The kids (12 and 13) will definitely have their i-pods with them, and because there are frequent stops to get out and walk around, I think we'll make it. I'm glad to hear that you weren't too overwhelmed by the twisting and turning. It might not be the kids' favourite excursion, but hopefully the ziplining and tubing on Kauai make up for it!:)

 

They'll complain but they will do it and always remember it. Just remind them that you don't have to take them to Hawaii. LOL

[albertamom]

We did NCL Road to Hana back in December and I really have mixed feelings about the tour. We did not find the road as crazy as we expected-there are a lot of twists and turns but we certainly did not get sick and felt very secure the whole way. The scenery is beautiful and we able to see some lovely waterfalls as it rained the day before. However, it is a really long day and after a while it's a bit too much of a good thing, in our opinion. I think we should have rented a car and just driven part of the way up the road maybe. But that's just us. There is lovely scenery in Kauai too and that really stuck with us more. The winery stop is really a non event-just a stop at a store to buy wine, not a winery tour.

 

Good luck with your decision and enjoy your trip.

 

How big was your tour bus / van?