Holland America Hawaii-Tahiti Cruise Questions

[WeBboaters]

I have never cruised on a big ship.....Windjammers, Royal Clippers, Viking only.

I am going on the circle cruise San Diego to Hawaii, Tahiti on April 2, 2016. My question is.....I see so many packaged tours that the ship has. I hate these things! Is it possible, on this particular trip, to just walk about, find your own driver, and avoid the packages? Is there one or two particular package tours that are "Don't Miss!!" ?

Any other advise or tips really appreciated. This is a different animal than I am used to.

[sapper1]

Here is a link to our roll call for this cruise.

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2128934

 

A number of private tours have been or are being organised.

Check any of the posts by Kazu and you will find a link in her signature to the spread sheet she is maintaining for Cruise Critic activities on this cruise.

 

Read through the roll call and see what you think. Sign on and join us.:)

 

Oh, and welcome to Cruise Critic. :)

[Vict0riann]

Welcome to Cruise Critic! Do join us, as Sapper said. :) We're looking forward to a great cruise next year. Can't wait!

[HokiePoq]

I have never cruised on a big ship.....Windjammers, Royal Clippers, Viking only.

I am going on the circle cruise San Diego to Hawaii, Tahiti on April 2, 2016. My question is.....I see so many packaged tours that the ship has. I hate these things! Is it possible, on this particular trip, to just walk about, find your own driver, and avoid the packages? Is there one or two particular package tours that are "Don't Miss!!" ?

Any other advise or tips really appreciated. This is a different animal than I am used to.

 

Welcome to Cruise Critic and HAL! We rented a car in Honolulu and drove to the major sights the two days we were in port. Parking was a problem and the men had to walk quite a ways to find a spot we could leave it overnight. We also rented in Tahiti...both times went well.

I recommend HAL's Road to Hana excursion on Maui. It is a long ride but worth it. Road conditions doing that make it against contract to rent a car and drive that route. This one you might want the security of a ship's excursion. We did a private tour at Hilo.

All were good. Have a wonderful time!

[RMLincoln]

I haven't looked up your itinerary but: It's usually easy to rent cars in the Hawaii ports (less so in Maui) and also in Tahiti and drive to the sights of your choice at your pace. In Tahiti we also did a shore excursion with Patrick's 4x4 tours into the interior of the island which was excellent, you may be able to book his excursion privately- it's not the type of trip we would drive ourselves. On Bora Bora you can book private tours right at the dock. Enjoy these most beautiful places. m--

[Tropic]

We did this same cruise on the Westerdam... rented cars on the Big Island, Maui (small airport near landing port, Oahu and Tahiti. Used private tours hired at the dock area on Bora Bora and Moorea that were fun and affordable. One island only real site seeing was on their buses (can't remember name), we missed Raratonga because of medical emergency: the "atoll" Near the equator has a "rig" that takes you a couple of miles and then back, but most to see is right at the transfer docking point. The last island is quite small and walking the very small community and their "open market" are by foot at or near the docking point.

 

This is a great cruise infact going back the longer itinerary this Oct... looking forward to the return visit. We really did enjoy the Westerdam and surprisingly the balconies when near the islands... more affordable on the Westerdam. For the medical emergency we spent all of one day parked just off a beautiful beach (Christmas Island I think). We couldn't get off but the view was out of this world, plus a school of dolphins put on a constant display going back and forth just a stone's throw from the ship... that turned into a wonderful memory that was totally unplanned for the cruise.

[igraf]

I have driven the "road to Hana" many times in a rental car. It is a perfectly good maintained asphalt road going down the normal route through Paia. There are no rental car contractual restrictions along this route, which is good as most of the cars on the road to Hana are rental cars.

 

The road is a little rough for a few miles traveling around the other way past the Ulupalakua Ranch (this goes through the very dry desert portion of Maui), which I have also driven many times in a rental car. A cruise passenger is unlikely to drive this route.

 

Keep in mind that Hana is very remote. The car rental company will eventually tale care of you if something goes wrong but it will probably take several hours. Ask before you go if you are a cruise passenger on a tight schedule.

 

igraf

 

 

 

...I recommend HAL's Road to Hana excursion on Maui. It is a long ride but worth it. Road conditions doing that make it against contract to rent a car and drive that route. This one you might want the security of a ship's excursion....

[ScriptOhio]

Welcome to Cruise Critic and HAL! We rented a car in Honolulu and drove to the major sights the two days we were in port. Parking was a problem and the men had to walk quite a ways to find a spot we could leave it overnight. We also rented in Tahiti...both times went well.

I recommend HAL's Road to Hana excursion on Maui. It is a long ride but worth it. Road conditions doing that make it against contract to rent a car and drive that route. This one you might want the security of a ship's excursion. We did a private tour at Hilo.

All were good. Have a wonderful time!

 

I have driven the "road to Hana" many times in a rental car. It is a perfectly good maintained asphalt road going down the normal route through Paia. There are no rental car contractual restrictions along this route, which is good as most of the cars on the road to Hana are rental cars.

 

The road is a little rough for a few miles traveling around the other way past the Ulupalakua Ranch (this goes through the very dry desert portion of Maui), which I have also driven many times in a rental car. A cruise passenger is unlikely to drive this route.

 

Keep in mind that Hana is very remote. The car rental company will eventually tale care of you if something goes wrong but it will probably take several hours. Ask before you go if you are a cruise passenger on a tight schedule.

 

igraf

 

Also you can buy a "Road To Hanna" audio CD. You play the CD in the car's player, it gives nitration and tells you when to stop the car (and disc) to see something. After stopping and seeing the attraction, get back in the car, press "play", and resume driving, etc.

 

 

http://ther2h.com/road-to-hana-cd-guide.html

 

I did it years ago when the media was a cassette tape. :p

[lazey1]

The one DO NOT MISS is Patrick's Tour (cruise) in Bora Bora. This is by far the best excursion we have ever been on, whether independent or ship excursion. You cruise to a spot to feed the black tip sharks, another spot to feed the sting rays, (watch out, they like to swim between your legs) and a 3rd spot to photo the coral reef then you go to a private island for barbeque lunch. For lunch you sit at tables that are in the water and wash your hands in the ocean.:D:):D

I am sure that Kazu must have this listed in her spread sheet.

[take us away]

Have done this same cruise, plus been to some of these ports on other cruises.

 

We rarely take HAL tours in these ports as have had great luck with drivers on the piers. Most of these islands are small and 'safe'. There will be tour vendors on the pier with maps of where they go and often photos of their vehicle. Also look in to public transportation such as in Raratonga which circles the island. In Honolulu we take the public bus (if on Medicare it is $1 or 2 but you need your card). If you do a bit of research on each port and have a good idea of what you want to do, you will be pleasantly surprised! Example: In Tahiti, there were 4 of us and we grabbed a cab at the pier and asked him to show us his island. It was $20 each for 6 hours! The driver was great - he would drop us off at a place, tell us about the place, where to find the bathrooms and shops, and where he would be so we could find him when we were finished. We had such fun with him, we offered to take him to lunch and he said he had a better idea, stepped away and made a call, and took us to his house for dinner as he had gone fishing that morning and had too many fish. We feasted on fresh grilled fish and fruit plucked from his trees with his wonderful family.

[take us away]

The one DO NOT MISS is Patrick's Tour (cruise) in Bora Bora. This is by far the best excursion we have ever been on, whether independent or ship excursion. You cruise to a spot to feed the black tip sharks, another spot to feed the sting rays, (watch out, they like to swim between your legs) and a 3rd spot to photo the coral reef then you go to a private island for barbeque lunch. For lunch you sit at tables that are in the water and wash your hands in the ocean.:D:):D

I am sure that Kazu must have this listed in her spread sheet.

 

Patrick's Tour usually books up very early - check your roll call as a CC favorite as they may have already contracted with him.