Leaving Friday for POA. Help

[Dave Mck]

I've spent hours on the web trying to figure out what to do on our cruise. We leave Friday and I'm more confused now than when I started. I dont know what it is, but I cant figure out Hawaii. We've done several Disney cruises and I researched the ports of call and came up with something to do that worked out great for us. It was easy, but there is just too much to do in Hawaii. Seems like everything is a long drive, and excursions are a fortune. We are a family of 5 and I'm not paying over $500 for someone to drive us to a mountain and a flower patch and throw us a sandwich.

 

It's my wife and I and three kids, 12, 13, 15. We are laid back while on vacation, don't really like to get up super early, or rush around to stuff. We want to go to a beach or two, maybe black sand, see volcanos and maybe lava tubes, and go to a luau. We like to walk around local stores if they are close and do some shopping. Im not opposed to renting a car but dont want to drive around for hours and hours. I looked into renting in Maui and everything is sold out. I dont know if we can even take taxis because we are 5 people. Is there van taxis there? Can we take a taxi to places and then catch one back to port?

 

Any help would be great. I just need a very basic plan.

[cruzn single]

You can rent cars on every island. I know that you said Maui is sold out. Read thru the various threads on renting a car on each island and there is a wealth of info. Realize you have been thru lots in last two weeks, bur you need to get things lined up quickly. You could take TheBus on Oahu if you we're going to be there for a couple of days.

 

In most ports there will be folks at the docks offering some tours and perhaps you could negotiate a reduced family rate.

[Dave Mck]

Thanks. We did ok during the storm, just lost power for 3 days and can't find gas anywhere. Now its snowing!! I've been working non-stop since the storm, like 14 to 26 hours straight everyday.

 

That's good info about people being at the ports. I thought the ports were more like commercial areas and there would be nothing there.

[2206]

We returned 2 weeks ago, and I don't remember seeing any vendors as we got off the ship. We rented a car in each port, and it was so simple. I wish you could find some to rent! The ports are not nice, except for Kauai. Have you looked at the Roberts tours for cruise ship passengers? We didn't do any of these tours, but many people did and they are not expensive. Good luck!

[kapoho2]

Rent cars in each port for sure. Don't forget that you are on very small islands, so nothing is too far away. And, on the Big Island, you make 2 stops so it makes it easy to explore both sides of the island.....and they are very different.

 

In Hilo, rent a car and drive to Volcanoes National Park. It is an easy 40 minute drive (tops) from where you pick up your car. Basically, there is only one turn....and that is into the entrance to the park. You cannot get lost. Lots to see and do there and it should interest your teens.

 

Kona is a great little town for getting off the ship and walking around and looking in the shops. It is quaint with lots of restaurants and bars as well as shops. Also, there is a little beach right next to the pier where you can rent kayaks, etc.

 

In Kauai, you can walk to a nice beach about 10 minutes from the pier. You can rent surfboards, and take lessons there if you want. And, again, Kauai is a small island and you can easily drive to most of the scenic spots in a day.

 

Perhaps in Maui, if you cannot secure a rental car, you could do a Roberts tour up to Haleakala.

 

And, you might just want to stay on the ship one day and enjoy the quiet by the pool, etc. while all the other passengers of off and running around the island!

[hello]

We did the POA a few years ago and at each port, I believe, we noticed free shuttles to a shopping center or Hilo Hatties.

[HappyAmma]

Thanks. We did ok during the storm, just lost power for 3 days and can't find gas anywhere. Now its snowing!! I've been working non-stop since the storm, like 14 to 26 hours straight everyday.

 

That's good info about people being at the ports. I thought the ports were more like commercial areas and there would be nothing there.

 

Dave, we're also on Long Island and almost out of gas. Just heard the Guv instituted rationing like Christie did in NJ. There are a few websites that list open gas stations, but we don't want to go and wait on long lines. Hopefully we can wait it out. Hope you & your kids can too!

 

Where are you cruising to and what is POA? I'm also looking for info on Hawaii, as we've been to some of the islands before but not on a cruise.

[cccole]

Your idea of vacation sounds very much like ours.

 

I don't know the POA schedule but here are my quick suggestions for traveling with young adults (we have been visiting Hawaii with our 3 children since they were born, they are now 20, 22, and 24):

 

Oahu - If you don't want to rent a car and go to the North Shore I would head to Waikiki, rent chairs and umbrella in front of Outrigger Waikiki and enjoy the beach, surfing, outrigger rides, shopping at International Marketplace, and great food. If you rent a car I would suggest North Shore, shave ice, lunch from Ted's, Pearl Harbor, and the flea market.

 

Maui - Kaanapali beach has everything. Great beach, o.k. snorkeling at Black Rock, possibility of surfing at the Hyatt end of the beach, stand up paddle board rentals in front of the Westin, great restaurants, and o.k. shops. Chair and umbrella rentals are available also.

 

Hilo - I would rent a car and go to Volcano National Park and, if time, go to Akaka Falls.

 

Kona - We have really enjoyed the zodiac snorkeling trips.

 

Since you are leaving tomorrow this is my short list of things I think a family who enjoys beaches and activity would like. Our kids have favorite restaurants on all islands but I don't want to take the time to type the info. Also remember that since you are coming from the East Coast you will be up early. When we lived in Dallas I always loved the mornings on the beach with the kids because it was so peaceful.

 

I hope you have a great time and the snow does not delay your arrival in Honolulu. Aloha, Cherie

[cloudy ice]

Rent cars in each port for sure. Don't forget that you are on very small islands, so nothing is too far away. And, on the Big Island, you make 2 stops so it makes it easy to explore both sides of the island.....and they are very different.

 

In Hilo, rent a car and drive to Volcanoes National Park. It is an easy 40 minute drive (tops) from where you pick up your car. Basically, there is only one turn....and that is into the entrance to the park. You cannot get lost. Lots to see and do there and it should interest your teens.

 

Kona is a great little town for getting off the ship and walking around and looking in the shops. It is quaint with lots of restaurants and bars as well as shops. Also, there is a little beach right next to the pier where you can rent kayaks, etc.

 

In Kauai, you can walk to a nice beach about 10 minutes from the pier. You can rent surfboards, and take lessons there if you want. And, again, Kauai is a small island and you can easily drive to most of the scenic spots in a day.

 

Perhaps in Maui, if you cannot secure a rental car, you could do a Roberts tour up to Haleakala.

 

And, you might just want to stay on the ship one day and enjoy the quiet by the pool, etc. while all the other passengers of off and running around the island!

Could you please tell me where to rent a car and how to go to pick up the car from ports? I am taking Golden Princess cruise December 5 to 19. Appreciate it very much Jo

[cloudy ice]

Can some one tell me where to rent a car form Hilo, Nawiliwili harbor, Kauai and Maui. How to pick up car from the port?

I am taking Golden Princess Cruise, December 5 to 19. Thans a lot.

 

yunpinglu168@yahoo.com

[Cruisin' Chick]

Can some one tell me where to rent a car form Hilo, Nawiliwili harbor, Kauai and Maui. How to pick up car from the port?

I am taking Golden Princess Cruise, December 5 to 19. Thans a lot.

 

yunpinglu168@yahoo.com

 

We haven't bothered with renting cars on either of our Hawaiian cruises (on Princess -- you're going to love the Golden Princess!!!) as my hubby says he wants to relax on our cruises. We did rent a car for Kauai on our vacation, but we got the rental by the airport.

 

You can check the rental agencies for Hilo, Lihue (that's the town where Nawiliwili is) and Lahaina (Maui). And find out if they have a shuttle from the port (they may have).

 

Instead of renting a car, we've booked excursions from Princess, or just go on our own (I'm the researcher of the family and will check out various websites -- such as the ports' or gohawaii.com -- and the usual guidebooks). Right now, my hubby is on google maps, checking out each port for our next cruise -- again, no rental cars, but two Princess excursions -- Honolulu and Kauai, beach/shopping just north of Lahaina (we took the city bus the last cruise, but decided to get a taxi this time), and taking a taxi or Walmart shuttle on Hilo for stocking up and then maybe a return to Hilo Hatties (which has a free shuttle back and forth to the port). We didn't care for the Hilo bus system as it has complicated routes -- you'll end up going all over the place instead of a straight route.

[poolreader]

In Kauai they have free shuttles at the pier to shopping areas. We took the one to the Coconut Marketplace, it was about 25 minutes away and the driver was like a tour guide with all the info about the island he gave us. The Marketplace itself has some interesting shops with items we did not see other places. You can take a short walk from there to the ocean, just walk through the timeshares. The beach is not a good one to swim, but it is beautiful to walk along. When they took us back to the ship we asked them to drop up off at the beach area near the ship. There are lots of shops and a fantastic beach for swimming. They rent paddle boards, etc. and there is a Duke's Restaurant if you want to get drinks, or Hula pie. After you can walk back to the ship or take one of the other shopping shuttles.

 

In Maui after you get off the shuttle, walk past the gigantic banyon tree through this multi level shopping area (the one that has the movie theater) to the back where you will find city buses. You can take a bus to the Sheraton where they have great snorkling. That is if yo are in Lahinai (sp). They also have fantastic shved ice, if you walk down along the water just past Hamburgers in Par. Sorry I am having a problem with by keys and I can not get the arrow keys to back up, I have to delete to get there so please excuse the misspellings.

In Hilo I rode with some people who rented a car, with rental, gas, etc it was about $100. They do have free busses to Walmart, which is a good place to buy souveniers and Macadamia nuts.

We took the ships tour to Pearl Harbor as it was a must do for my DH, and it was fantastic, but it would be pricey for 5 people. There is a shopping are right off the ship in Oahu, and a restaurant in the far corner right on the water that had $5 Mai Tai's during happy hour, it was a fantastic place to sit and watch the sunset.

I hope you have great time.

[Dave Mck]

Some good info here steering me in the right direction! Thanks

[chelegirly]

No real suggestions but just to say that I'm in the same boat. I am the researcher and always have everything figured out by the time we leave. Hawaii has me stumped too. So many options and it's all confusing to me. I have a list going for each port and I'm sure it'll work out somehow lol I use tripadvisor.com and look up the "Things to Do" ranked in order of popularity.

[seafun]

Don't plan on taking taxis across an island and then try to find one to come back -- it doesn't work that way in Hawaii.

Car rental is easy (although it can take a while when eveyone is herded off the boat and you all wait for the same shuttles to car rental places. I waited 45 minutes for the shuttle in Nawiliwili.)

I have used discount hawaii car rental dot com (all one word) for many years with great cost-effective results.