Golden Princess itinerary private tours you took

[Adventures ahead]

We're sailing on the 14-day RT from LA next April, will not be renting a car, and are looking for private tour companies that will pick up/drop off at the docks.

 

My research shows that many of the independent tour companies, especially in Oahu, begin their tours early very early in the morning before we would even arrive at 7am. I'm emailing E Noa Tours now, but am interested in other options.

 

Our times in port are:

Mon,Hilo,9:00 AM 6:00 PM

Tue, Honolulu,7:00 AM 11:00 PM

Wed, Kauai (Nawiliwili),8:00 AM 5:00 PM

Thu, Maui (Lahaina),7:00 AM 6:00 PM

 

If you've sailed on this Princess itinerary, please share your private tour research and experience with me.

 

Adventures ahead!

[partymaker]

We sailed on the Golden last April. We used Ricky's tours in Hilo and he was terrific. $60.00 per person for a full day. We booked dayrooms at hotels on the other islands. You will have an amazing trip. We loved it.

[deminggraham]

We're sailing on the 14-day RT from LA next April, will not be renting a car, and are looking for private tour companies that will pick up/drop off at the docks.

 

My research shows that many of the independent tour companies, especially in Oahu, begin their tours early very early in the morning before we would even arrive at 7am. I'm emailing E Noa Tours now, but am interested in other options.

 

Adventures ahead!

 

I am on the April 11th cruise on the Golden and have also been looking for private tours. I contacted E Noa Tours but they told me that their tours do not meet our time schedule. The only ones I found in Honolulu are through hawaiicruiseexcursions.com (aka Island Marketing LTD.) However unless you can get a group together on your roll call, their tours are pricey. I have booked Aina Tours in Hilo and am looking at Kauai Eden Tours. In Maui, the Pacific Whale Foundation has some whale watching tours that work but my husband wants to snorkel in Maui and only the Princess tour meets our schedule. Please let me know if you find anything interesting.

[GinaLondon]

We had the same issue with the Princess cruise we took last month. So many tours didn't work with our port times. For the volcanos, we did use http://hawaiicruiseexcursions.com/BigIslandVolcanoIslandTour.htm. The tour was $70 each (which was around half the price the cruise ship was charging) and we were in a small group in a clean, comfortable van. We were picked up at the port at 10am by our tour guide who was waiting for us as we got off the ship. Im not sure why so many other companies dont work with Princess's port times, but we had a great experience with this company. We also used them for a Kauai island tour, and again, it was a really great experience.

[SarahBean]

We had the same issue with the Princess cruise we took last month. So many tours didn't work with our port times. For the volcanos, we did use http://hawaiicruiseexcursions.com/BigIslandVolcanoIslandTour.htm. The tour was $70 each (which was around half the price the cruise ship was charging) and we were in a small group in a clean, comfortable van. We were picked up at the port at 10am by our tour guide who was waiting for us as we got off the ship. Im not sure why so many other companies dont work with Princess's port times, but we had a great experience with this company. We also used them for a Kauai island tour, and again, it was a really great experience.

 

Did you have to form your own group to do this tour?

[GinaLondon]

No, we didn't form a group. Our reservation was for us only. On the day of our tour, there were 3 other couples in the van with us.

[Adventures ahead]

Aloha!

 

We booked:

 

Hilo - Ainatours: private tour for six

Kaui - Eden Tours: private tour for four

Honolulu - on our own: taxi to Mighty Mo (not visiting Arizona); bus to Wikiki (most likely); pick up at ship for Paradise Cove Luau and return

Maui - on our own/undecided: most likely to beach by taxi or bus and shopping in town near tender.

[beachsea&sail]

We are also considering Paradise Cove when we are in Honolulu in March on the Star. However we were a bit concerned after I spoke with the sales manager & she said they would get us back to the area near the ship around 10ish. From our recall of our trip on the Golden 2 years ago, we needed to be back to the ship by 10:30 at the latest, so we were extremely concerned about "10ish". Did they tell you that you would definitely be back to the ship on time? Because that is the only thing holding us back from booking with them also. It sounds like so much fun.

 

Thanks in advance!

[Adventures ahead]

I'll check my notes and get back to you.

[Adventures ahead]

I asked them if we could count on getting back to the ship for 10:30pm all aboard. Here's the email I received in October:

 

"Aloha, We do pick up at the Pier across from the Maritime Museum. It’s a 4:30pm departure. It would be $82.00 per adult for the Hawaiian luau package, upgraded Orchid is $110.00 per adult. We also offer a Deluxe package which is $142.00. Our luau ends at 9, So you will you get returned back to the ship around 945-10:00pm."

 

Based on this information, we plan to go to Paradise Cove. Hope this helps.