Ferndale Girl Posted April 16, 2014 #1 Share Posted April 16, 2014 Has anyone had any recent experience with either of these tour companies? Would you recommend either of them? Thank you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CruiserBruce Posted April 16, 2014 #2 Share Posted April 16, 2014 (edited) If you do a search for Roberts on this board you will see they are the largest tour vender in Hawaii, and have been in business for MANY years. They get very good reviews. We have not used them, so can't recommend them (per board rules), but we have been to Hawaii over 25 times, so are very aware of their operation. Edited April 16, 2014 by CruiserBruce Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Susan-M Posted April 16, 2014 #3 Share Posted April 16, 2014 (edited) No experience with either, however, I believe Hawaii Cruise Excursions contracts out (i.e. they are an agency) and part of a larger network of agencies (Island Marketing) that extends to the Caribbean. You might be able to arrange the tour that you want directly with the provider in Hawaii, which is usually a better way of doing it. Robert's offers tours all over Hawaii ... the experience will vary depending on the tour. Perhaps if you post which tours you're looking at, others can give specific feedback. Both will have reviews on Tripadvisor ... the easiest way to find them is via a google search of the tour name and agency/provider. Edited April 16, 2014 by Susan-M Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
san&zsm Posted April 16, 2014 #4 Share Posted April 16, 2014 Used them both when on the POA last September. I was very pleased with both of them. We did the Haleakala at Sunset and Smith Family Luau with Roberts and Volcanoes National Park and Outrigger Canoe with Hawaii Cruise Excursions. Both offered pick up and return to the ship and were priced cheaper than similar excursions through NCL. We booked two excursions with NCL-Molokini Crater snorkeling and horseback riding in Kauai because I could not find anything similar with any other company that would pick us up at the ship. (My husband drove for a living--so we don't drive on vacations!) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ferndale Girl Posted April 16, 2014 Author #5 Share Posted April 16, 2014 Used them both when on the POA last September. I was very pleased with both of them. We did the Haleakala at Sunset and Smith Family Luau with Roberts and Volcanoes National Park and Outrigger Canoe with Hawaii Cruise Excursions. Both offered pick up and return to the ship and were priced cheaper than similar excursions through NCL. We booked two excursions with NCL-Molokini Crater snorkeling and horseback riding in Kauai because I could not find anything similar with any other company that would pick us up at the ship. (My husband drove for a living--so we don't drive on vacations!) Thank you....I'm considering both of these and wanted a first hand fairly recent opinion. Now I'll just have to decide which one and what we want to do. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cruisin' Chick Posted April 17, 2014 #6 Share Posted April 17, 2014 On our last cruise, we booked a cruise through the cruise line, but it was a Roberts tour (I checked their website and it was almost the same cost whether we went through them or the cruiseline). It was the waterfalls and movies tour on Kauai and the three of us (including our hard-to-please teen) really enjoyed it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ferndale Girl Posted April 17, 2014 Author #7 Share Posted April 17, 2014 On our last cruise' date=' we booked a cruise through the cruise line, but it was a Roberts tour (I checked their website and it was almost the same cost whether we went through them or the cruiseline). It was the waterfalls and movies tour on Kauai and the three of us (including our hard-to-please teen) really enjoyed it.[/quote'] I had read your review of that tour and had planned on taking that one through the ship. When you look at the tours listed on the Princess website they still show it but now that our specific cruise has the excursions listed to book it isn't offered. Also on the Roberts website they don't have it listed for the day we will be there in October....not sure why. I was disappointed and now have to find something else to do. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bomax2 Posted April 17, 2014 #8 Share Posted April 17, 2014 We were on the Pride of America last week and used Roberts for 3 excursions. We took the volcano tour on the Big Island from Hilo. Excellent tour. Really enjoyed our driver and he took us to several places to view the volcano from different areas. From what I could tell, the excursion buses from the ship's tours (Polynesian Tours) were at all the same places. We also took the Historic Kona tour with Roberts. Very disappointing. Driver/guide mumbled and talked in such monotone, we could not understand him. The places they took us were not worth the price of the tour. We also took the Hanalei Tour with Roberts on Kauai. That was excellent tour. Drivers in Kauai and Hilo were both knowledgeable and friendly. They were always at the pier on time and always had us back to the pier in plenty of time before sail away. I would recommend either of the good tours I mentioned, with Roberts, but not the Historic Kona. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ferndale Girl Posted April 17, 2014 Author #9 Share Posted April 17, 2014 We were on the Pride of America last week and used Roberts for 3 excursions. We took the volcano tour on the Big Island from Hilo. Excellent tour. Really enjoyed our driver and he took us to several places to view the volcano from different areas. From what I could tell, the excursion buses from the ship's tours (Polynesian Tours) were at all the same places. We also took the Historic Kona tour with Roberts. Very disappointing. Driver/guide mumbled and talked in such monotone, we could not understand him. The places they took us were not worth the price of the tour. We also took the Hanalei Tour with Roberts on Kauai. That was excellent tour. Drivers in Kauai and Hilo were both knowledgeable and friendly. They were always at the pier on time and always had us back to the pier in plenty of time before sail away. I would recommend either of the good tours I mentioned, with Roberts, but not the Historic Kona. Thanks for the info...I think we'll probably go with the Hanalei tour on Kauai. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VideoTech Posted April 17, 2014 #10 Share Posted April 17, 2014 We used Roberts for the "Pearl Harbor and Honolulu" tour on our return day to Honolulu off the POA in March. We did this because it offered a good way to get to Pearl Harbor, and a "built in" airport transfer, all in one package. The Pearl Harbor/Arizona Memorial section of the tour was excellent. The rest of the tour was pretty standard stuff: a drive through the Punchbowl National Cemetery, a stop at the Palace and King Kamehameha statue, and a tour of the "high rent" district around Diamond Head. Our driver, "V" was very nice and had a good line of chat and information. Tour was done on a big bus, but there were only 18 of us on board, so we didn't wait long to load or unload. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cruisin' Chick Posted April 18, 2014 #11 Share Posted April 18, 2014 I had read your review of that tour and had planned on taking that one through the ship. When you look at the tours listed on the Princess website they still show it but now that our specific cruise has the excursions listed to book it isn't offered. Also on the Roberts website they don't have it listed for the day we will be there in October....not sure why. I was disappointed and now have to find something else to do. What a shame. I wonder why too. Our excursion was during the holidays -- our Kauai day was the day after Christmas so they didn't shut down at that time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
juanita1767 Posted April 18, 2014 #12 Share Posted April 18, 2014 We were on Pride of America last week and used Roberts and would recommend them in a instant. We did 3 tours with them Haleakala at Sunset, Volcanoes National Park and Hanalei Tour. We also did a flight over Kauai with Wings over Kauai and I would recommend it also. Bomax2 I wonder if we were on the same tour buses? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jesathome Posted April 19, 2014 #13 Share Posted April 19, 2014 Did you get out of the bus and go into the palace or just drive by? Sent from my iPad using Forums Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
juanita1767 Posted April 19, 2014 #14 Share Posted April 19, 2014 We got out of the bus at all stops. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ferndale Girl Posted April 19, 2014 Author #15 Share Posted April 19, 2014 We got out of the bus at all stops. That is good to know....thank you! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare genealogyfan Posted April 20, 2014 #16 Share Posted April 20, 2014 We used them for the luau excursion and for our airport transfer after the cruise. Definitely recommend them. We used Valley Isle Excursions for the Road to Hana and really enjoyed them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Weluv2cruise2007 Posted November 2, 2014 #17 Share Posted November 2, 2014 When you book with Robert's are you booking a "spot" and may end up with others in the same vehicle? How large are the vehicles (vans or buses?) and do they have seatbelts? Asking because we're wondering if the vehicle can accommodate a carseat. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Lionesss Posted November 2, 2014 #18 Share Posted November 2, 2014 (edited) I have been to Hawaii 9 x in the last 28 years. Roberts has been around forever and ever and ever and I have never been happier with their reliablility and service. Very punctual and the going rate. Did the Pearl Harbor tour, first tour group to get to see the movie and be boated out to memorial. Circle Island tour Booked Captain Bobs snorkel and water fun Booked excrusions to Big Island to see Volcanos Booked Luau with them, but, will probably not do Germaines again. It is who we always have used and will continue to use. Sea ya Edited November 2, 2014 by Lionesss Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nimmo250 Posted November 2, 2014 #19 Share Posted November 2, 2014 My group of 4 did a number of shore excursions with Roberts in August. They were excellent, small groups are so much better than large groups. just get off the ship and the Roberts rep was waiting. especially enjoyed the movie location tour. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cruzn single Posted November 2, 2014 #20 Share Posted November 2, 2014 Roberts is an excellent company for tours. The reason their tour is not listed on their website for your particular date might be that Roberts is the provider of tours for Princess. If so, then any excursions that you book thru the ship will be done by Roberts. Since many of the discussions of Roberts excursions they are by people who are sailing POA. Roberts is not the provider for NCL shore excursions. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Princess Patches Posted November 5, 2014 #21 Share Posted November 5, 2014 When you book with Robert's are you booking a "spot" and may end up with others in the same vehicle? How large are the vehicles (vans or buses?) and do they have seatbelts? Asking because we're wondering if the vehicle can accommodate a carseat. We took several Roberts Tours and they were in large buses that accommodated about 40 passengers and had seatbelts. I believe they also have some smaller buses. I do not know if all of their vehicles have seatbelts. You should call to ask. I thought the tours were very good and about half the price of the ship's excursions. Roberts also guarantees they will get you back to the ship on time or pay for your transportation to the ship if they miss it. At the time I toured with them several years back, they claimed they had a 100% track record in getting passengers back to the ship on time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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