Pearl Harbor tours

[Chicky331]

We are planning our visit to Pearl Harbor for the day before we leave on the cruise. We will be staying at the Waikiki Marriott. We are interested in going to Pearl Harbor and seeing a little Honolulu (we will not be renting a car at all). There are so many tour company's out there and at varying prices. I was wondering if anyone had any experience with the tour company's that pick up in Waikiki for Pearl Harbor. Thanks so much!

[missedme]

One of the other threads suggested the city buses. Go early. When you arrive, they give you a ticket for your tour of the Arizona. If you get there after 8am, you can expect to hang around the area for a few hours waiting for your tour. We got there at 7am and were in the 8:30 showing. Afterwards be sure to take in the other exhibits.

If you take the buses, you can also visit the Swap Meet at Aloha stadium. It is the place to satisfy all your friends and family needs for souveys. 10 t-shirts for $20, or 12 nice shell lei's for $3.00. Discounted clothing, etc. Well worth the stop if you have any souveys to buy.

Personally a rental car (from a hotel) at $30 per day is a great deal and offers freedom.

[bug_dan]

We took a "Duck" tour of Pearl Harbor. They picked us up at the Park Shore Hotel at 8:15. We had to wait for a group coming from the North Shore, so we didn't leave for the Memorial until about 9:30. We got there at 10 and took the 11 am movie and launch. On the way back to the Hotel, the "Duck" took a brief "swim" in the ocean at Sand Island, then drove by Iolani Palace. We were back to the hotel by 1:00 pm. Cost was $36 pp in Nov '04.

 

http://www.hawaiiducktours.us/

[Cavegirl]

Hi.

 

"We got there at 10 and took the 11 am movie and launch."

 

Did someone (from the tour company) get the tickets for taking the boat to the Arizona Memorial for you ahead of time? Or did you line up yourself as you get there at 10am to get the tickets. If you got the tickets yourself at 10am and only waited till 11am, that's pretty good.

 

We were planning to visit when our cruise ship came back to Honolulu port on Sat. Sept. 3. It docks at 7am but by the time we get there it probably will be after 10am.

 

Thanks.

[bug_dan]

Tour groups have no priority. They have to wait in line like everyone else. Our group of about 24 got there at 10 and fortunately there was only a short line. We each went through the line to get our tickets, with the first person through telling the Park Service Employee we were a group and would all want to be in the same movie/launch group. This was the Monday after Thanksgiving, so maybe that had something to do with the short line????

[RenieRaider]

We took tour from ship. Arrived at 10:30 and we ALL got inline for our tickets which were marked for 12:30 so our driver took us on a city tour, Make sure you go over to the Missouri ..... either way. You acn do it own your own from Pearl Harbor too.

[Cavegirl]

Which day did you take your tour to Pearl Harbour? Some people suggested to get there by 7am otherwise would be waiting a long time.

 

You didn't seem to have to wait a long time. What day did you take your tour?

 

We are planning to do ours when we return from our cruise on Sat. Sept. 3. (then drive rental van to leave the luggage at a Waikiki hotel first) Hope it won't be a long wait then.

[RenieRaider]

Cavegirl~

We took our tour the morning the ship came into port. We got off the ship, collected our suitcases then stood in line At Aloha Towers til we got on the motorcoach. It wasn't bad....... BUT if you wanted to, you could store your luggage at Aloha Towers ($5 per bag) and rent a car and go to Peral Harbor own your own. (You will be missing what the guide has to tell you thou about the area.) Then scoot over on the trolley to Mighty Mo then do what you want ..... check into your hotel and then go back to the Tower to get your luggage and bring it back to your hotel. Sounds like a plan...............

[Cavegirl]

Hi RenieRaider.

 

Which day (date and day of week) did you take the tour? Also wondering if it's busier on Sat. or weekday. I heard May, Sept. and Oct. are the slower months. We get off the ship on Sat. Sept. 3, and wonders if that might be a busy day or slower time.

 

Thanks.

[RenieRaider]

Ahoy again!

We got off the ship on a Sunday. I'm sure Saturday wouldbe the same.

Lines to GET tickets are not such a big deal. It's just the wait to be called to go to the little tender boat over to the Memorial. So ... if you have atwo hour wait ... go sightsee something else instaed of 'waiting' around.

[Nancyquilts]

And remember that you can't take purses, backpacks, camera bags, etc., with you. Something about security, altho' I'm not quite sure what damage my purse could do to a sunken ship. Nancy

[cruzn single]

I have two different suggestions and we have done both in previous trips to Hawaii.

 

#1 - Take the City Bus--your hotel will be able to tell you the particular number. There are plenty of different buses from Waikiki. When you get to the Arizona, you will just have to line up and wait your turn, no matter when you get there. If you do this, then you can also visit the Missouri in the same day.

 

#2 - Take the "Home of the Brave" tour, which picks up at your hotel very early, and then gets you to the Arizona quite early (about the same times as the attack started). Then the rest of the day is devoted to visiting our sites that were significant on December 7. The only drawback to this tour is that you can't go on the Missouri, but you could take the City Bus out there another day strictly for the Missouri tour.

 

We have always encourage others traveling with us to do the "Home of the Brave" tour at least once (we have done it 3 times), because it gives you a much better insight to the whole Day of December 7. This tour can be booked through your hotel travel desk.

[Chicky331]

Thanks everyone for your great suggestions!

[Loves2snorkel]

CruzNCouple....what time did home of the brave tour end?