Hawaii Ports - Question

[sure2sail]

Booked last minute POA Hawaii cruise. Which ports can we just get off and find something to do or shop? Don't want to book shore excursions at every port and don't want to rent a car, but want to get off and see whatever we can. Thank you!

[CruiserBruce]

If you read down the board you will find tons of info on each port. Even where you may not be immediately in town, there may be a shuttle or public transit to get you into town.

[slidergirl]

If you don't want to rent a car, you can always get a taxi from the port area to the main part of town. Outside of Oahu, public transportation is mostly non-existent (except for taxi). BUT, if you want to do something other than just be taken to a shopping area or lay on a beach, I think you will have to either join a tour (ugh) or rent a car.

[Waimea'sMom]

Kahului and Hilo are industrial ports. If you don't want a tour, or to rent a car there is not much to do. In Kahului, you can walk about a mile to a shopping center bit it is not very good. In Hilo, take the Hilo Hattie or Walmart shulltel - either is fine since they are across the street from each other. They will take you to a shopping area with a small mall, Hilo Hattie, Target and Walmart.

 

In Kauai you can walk to Anchor Cove Shopping Center or use the beach by the Marriott. But to be honest, I would rent a car here. It is a beautiful island but you would never know it if you only did this.

 

In Kona, you will tender into a cute waterfront part of town with stores and restaurants so you can easily walk around there.

[Kartgv]

In Kona, in addition to a great little town for shopping and restaurants, there's historic Hulihe`e Palace which was a vacation home for Hawaiian royalty and Mokuaikaua Church, which was built in 1837. These are both right on Alii Drive which is the road going around the harbor and bay. The lobby of the King Kam Hotel (now a Marriott) right at the end of the pier also has many historical displays. A little farther through town, though still a very easy walking distance, there's a farmers' market that offers a variety of craft items in addition to exotic fruits and vegetables and flowers. It's a great place to walk around and explore!

[Yellow Lab's Rule]

Is the farmer market only open a certain day or every day?

[Keith1010]

Most ports you can just walk on your own.

 

Keith

[Susan-M]

Most ports you can just walk on your own.

 

Keith

 

True ... but you'll miss the best parts of each island by staying within walking distance of the port, and if you did that in Kahului, you'd probably wonder why you even took the cruise in the first place.

[cb at sea]

It's very, very easy driving in the Hawaiian Islands....so don't discount a rental car! You can get a guidebook on Hawaii, and it will have maps to help you! Plus, it will tell you things that may interest you, so you don't waste time doing something just for the "heck" of it!

[bonsai3s]

Booked last minute POA Hawaii cruise. Which ports can we just get off and find something to do or shop? Don't want to book shore excursions at every port and don't want to rent a car, but want to get off and see whatever we can. Thank you!

 

Not sure of your ports...we sailed on the Golden Princess.

If you are stopping in Lahaina (Maui/used tender) it is a great walking town. Numerous restaurants and shops, the massive Banyan Tree and the adjacent museum. All easy walking.

If you like to snorkel and spend part of the day on the beach...go to Kaanapali Beach. Walk behind the Wharf Cinema and take the bus...cost is $1 one way per person! You'll find most of the passengers getting off at the Whaler's Mall and the beach is just a short walk away. You won't regret it. :)

As someone said, Hilo is an indrustrial port. If you really love to walk (we do), the Liliuokalani Gardens (sp) is approximately a couple of miles away. You can google it and print a map. You can also take the bus outside the port (also $1) to Hilo. It is a small town (not as "touristy" as Lahaina)...and if you're lucky, they may have the farmer's market...is a wonderful place to purchase local souvenirs. Note: If you want to taste good local Hawaiian food...look for the "food trucks"...you'll be pleasantly surprised. :)

You'd probably start your cruise in Honolulu. For those who are at Aloha Tower or Pier 2, the bus to Waikiki is only $2.50 ($1 for seniors/show your medicare card) From Aloha Towers, walk to King Drive and take the bus there. From Pier 2, walk to Ala Moana (about a block) and take the bus there. It's only about a 10 minute ride.

Note: If you really want to save money :D, you can always take the free shuttle to Hilo Hattie, Walmart, or Maui Divers,....and walk to your destination from there. The shuttles are available at all the ports.

Aloha and happy sailing!...the Happy Gardener.

[Susan-M]

If you are stopping in Lahaina (Maui/used tender) it is a great walking town. Numerous restaurants and shops, the massive Banyan Tree and the adjacent museum.

 

The OP's cruise uses the port of Kahului (about a 40 minute drive to Lahaina) ... and the bus fare has doubled to $2/person! :)

[Kartgv]

Is the farmer market only open a certain day or every day?

 

The Kona Farmers Market is open Wednesday through Sunday.

[Cruisin' Chick]

Hilo has a farmers' market too. I was surprised that it was open when we were there off of the Golden two years ago as that was a Monday (not one of the scheduled days according to all the guide books). But apparently, they try to open when a ship is in port. It's right across from the waterfront.

[Yellow Lab's Rule]

Thanks for the updates on the farmers markets. My guides said they were closed the day's the ship was in port, but it would make sense for them to be open.

[pepperman]

Booked last minute POA Hawaii cruise. Which ports can we just get off and find something to do or shop? Don't want to book shore excursions at every port and don't want to rent a car, but want to get off and see whatever we can. Thank you!

 

If you are interested,I posted the following thead for our trip on POA:

 

If anyone is interested,I found a Link for Public Transportation when we dock in Hilo and Kona. These are the only 2 ports that I have not booked a rental car for due to the time that we are in port.This does not mean that I will not change my mind the last minute and rent one,If they are not all booked up.

 

http://www.heleonbus.org/

 

I have not looked into the bus schedules in detail, but this might be an option and the fares are cheap ( $1.00 pp and Seniors are free).The one thing I did notice is that if you miss your ship in Hilo,you can take a bus to Kona your next stop. LOL

[cruisinggalcanada]

Hi:

We are doing Hawaii cruise on Sapphire Princess in January 2013. Has anyone used private tour companies for seeing all the important sites on these islands? If so, can you make recommendation.

Thanks

[Cruisin' Chick]

If you are interested,I posted the following thead for our trip on POA:

 

If anyone is interested,I found a Link for Public Transportation when we dock in Hilo and Kona. These are the only 2 ports that I have not booked a rental car for due to the time that we are in port.This does not mean that I will not change my mind the last minute and rent one,If they are not all booked up.

 

http://www.heleonbus.org/

 

I have not looked into the bus schedules in detail, but this might be an option and the fares are cheap ( $1.00 pp and Seniors are free).The one thing I did notice is that if you miss your ship in Hilo,you can take a bus to Kona your next stop. LOL

 

Just be aware that this bus does not go in any straight line. We got on at the Prince Kuhio Plaza, and ended up going all over Hilo (it seemed) before we got to the waterfront. And the windows weren't exactly clean enough to actually look through them.

 

After walking up and down the main street there, we walked across to the visitor center to wait for the bus back to the ship...and after a long while (when it was getting late), some of us went inside and asked the woman working there, and she said, oh, it's behind schedule. I'm guessing that's not uncommon. So pad in a lot of time if you want to take the bus back, rather than a taxi (we had actually walked into town that morning, but by afternoon, after a lot of walking, we didn't want to walk back to the ship).

[CruiserBruce]

Hi:

We are doing Hawaii cruise on Sapphire Princess in January 2013. Has anyone used private tour companies for seeing all the important sites on these islands? If so, can you make recommendation.

Thanks

 

If you read on the Hawaai board, you will see many recommendations for each island. There aren't a lot of private tour guides, but a few.

[ras]

Hi:

We are doing Hawaii cruise on Sapphire Princess in January 2013. Has anyone used private tour companies for seeing all the important sites on these islands? If so, can you make recommendation.

Thanks

 

Was in Kona and Hilo recently and used Marylou tours they went above and beyond any tours that I had prior to those. I would recommend them.

Ruthann

[cruisinggalcanada]

would you have web site address? Thanks for your help.