Shipping Fruit/Flowers from the Islands

[suziehmkr]

Hi all!

Me again with one of my wierd questions! While on the Islands, I would like to ship either fruit or flowers back to a few family/friends for the holidays (pineapple, Kona coffee or lei, perhaps).

 

Are there any good truly Hawaiian websites that I can do this from home, just before we leave - or even from the ship on our way there?

 

Are there stores/shops near the piers that will ship for us? We probably won't have the time to go looking for a shipping place and don't want to deal with packing, and would rather just ask the shop owner to ship it.

 

Any favorite shops or websites?

 

Thanks!!

[spleen93]

Not anywhere can do this since all produce needs to clear agricultural inspection before leaving Hawaii (trying to prevent our pests from getting to the mainland and vice versa). Dole is well equipped to ship - you can certainly ask them if you visit (not sure about a website) for pineapples. For Kona coffee, I'd check one of the many websites we've mentioned before on one of the coffee threads - almost all of them will ship out of state. Leis are much harder since they're inherently much more fragile and perishable. You're probably talking about overnight or 2 day shipping to preserve the flowers - may not be worth it.

 

Spleen

[bug_dan]

We've had great success with this company for getting leis shipped. http://www.alohafriends.com/

Since we're on the east coast, we got the Denobrium orchid leis which are more durable, also not quite as fragrant as the ginger or pikake. Since you're on the west coast, you would probably get overnight service.

[suziehmkr]

I kind of figured it would be tough. I will check out the website you mentioned Dan... I also found one withouraloha.com - but need to do some more searching. I will also check Dole's website. Thanks!!

[beachchick]

There are places in most towns that do ship leis, flowers, pineapples, etc. (all legally inspected, spleen; you know I am also a stickler for those laws), but it can be prohibitively expensive. For example, the place we used last trip for pineapples and Maui onions did delivery to the airport and got us through the ag inspection for about $5 per pineapple and $10 for a generous 5 lb of onions. (BTW, Excellent quality on both; we had been hesitant because the place is kind of a "hole in the wall" in Lahaina and we had never used them before.) To have those same items shipped to the mainland (rather than us taking them home as checked luggage) would have increased the price to $8 per pineapple (more if you only wanted to ship a few). Ditto on the increased costs for onions and papayas. I don't know about leis/flowers, but I imagine there would fairly substantial shipping fees. As for Kona coffee, you can order it right at the coffee farms for delivery to your home (or to someone else for a gift) for what is usually a fairly nominal fee. We didn't find those costs to be much more than you would expect for shipping day-to-day items. It's the produce and pineapples that can really set you back money-wise.

 

I would definitely check the websites mentioned because spleen is 100% correct that only certain shippers can do the produce/flowers. Other than online or lucking into something right by the pier (which I don't recall, but then I have a lousy memory of some things), you would have to scout around for the places that can legally do it--which is precisely what you've said you don't want to do, I know.

 

I'm sorry I couldn't be more help. I will try to find the shop information for the place we used on Maui because they ship from Maui to anywhere on the mainland. As I mentioned though, it isn't cheap by any means. If I find it, I'll post it just in case it's helpful to you.

 

Aloha and have a wonderful time--it's been six months since our last aloha and already I'm getting that "gotta go to the islands" feeling. Sigh.

 

beachchick

[suziehmkr]

Hi beachchick,

 

Thanks bunches for your reply. It looks like I am just going to do some online ordering and schedule it to arrive while I am gone. Not the same as doing the shopping on the islands, but much more practical. If you do happen to come across info on the Maui shop, that would be great - but please do not go to too much trouble. Thanks!

[bug_dan]

On our trip last year we had bought some leis at a stand at the pier in Hilo. I thought I still had their business card but can't seem to find it. I do remember though that they would ship to the mainland. There were several stands in the building by the pier where we exited the ship selling flowers and leis and other souveneirs.

[beachin']

Alika's is at the Hilo Pier. You can even get beautiful in-cabin bouquets for as low as $10. Of course, the flowers are going to cost you quite a bit more when shipped. Their website is www.180032farms.com

You can also get flowers and pineapples from shops at Honolulu airport.

[beachin']

Just an addendum - I'm not sure, however, if the airport shops ship.

[suziehmkr]

Thanks Dan & beachin' - I am absorbing all of these great ideas! Since we are cruising round trip, we won't be at the airport - but will definitely check out Alika's. In fact, I had planned to get a cabin bouquet there anyway! I have heard good things about them, just didn't know they had a website! Thanks!!

[bobnsandi]

We have had excellent luck shipping flowers and lei to our mainland friends and family through Paradise Flowers. Their URL is: http://paradiseflowers.com/.

 

Their stuff is absolutely the freshest and they handle all the ag clearances, etc. All we had to do is write the check.

[suziehmkr]

Thanks Sandi! Another great website to check out! I do appreciate it! Ah! Decisions! Gotta love it!

 

I see that you sailed our last ship, Legend when she went on her way to the Med. Oh! And my parents had sailed on Azure Seas.....!!

[seabreezer]

There's an excellent orchid greenhouse in Volcano near Hilo on the way to Kilauea. The name is Akatsuka and the prices are very good with a huge selection. The phone # is 888 967 6669. I'm not sure if they have a website. In fact, many of the coffee, flower, fruit, nut type places in Hawaii have websites so why spend your time shopping for other people when on vacation when you can just place orders later? Use your valuable vacation time at the beach or doing other more interesting things like eating!

[suziehmkr]

Exactly seabreezer! I am actually now looking at baskets to order before I go! hee hee Most of the websites will let me order early and pick the delivery date so it will be a breeze! Thanks!

[beachchick]

suziehmkr: Got the name of the place on Maui. It's called "Take Home Maui". The phone # I have is 808-661-8067. I've posted the website below.

 

Usually we just buy our pineapples at the airport, but we decided it would be nice to get it taken care of in advance this time. They had samples of everything in the shop and were very helpful. Obviously this is their business so they do know what they are doing. Our order was delivered to the airport exactly as expected, and the delivery person helped us get it through ag inspection (we had 3 large pineapple boxes) and up to the airline check in. I was really impressed with the service and quality.

 

I went online and checked the prices. The prices for shipping to the mainland are rather higher than my recollection. Truth is that since we just had them delivered to the airport, I really didn't pay that close attention to the shipping prices and only noticed that they were significantly higher. It's possible that prices have gone up a bit since summer, but either way, I woefully underestimated some of the costs in my last post. Sorry about that.

 

http://takehomemaui.com/

 

beachchick

[suziehmkr]

Beachchick - awesome website! Thanks bunches! I will definitely be looking at this one more. In doing the research, I can't believe how expensive that all sites are for the pineapples.... but they must be worth it. Too bad I can't take them back on the ship with me! LOL And the onions - hard to find here, even in California. Thanks for the resource!

[beachchick]

suziehmkr: My pleasure. Oh yes, those onions were amazing! We live in CA (central coast) too, and I've only recently found a local grower who uses Maui stock. His onions are very good, but nothing like the ones grown on Maui. They were well worth the price and hassle to bring home.

 

To minimize the cost, you might want to order a larger number of items to be delivered to one address for "distribution" to others (if that's logistically possible or practical).

 

For yourself, you might want to check at the airport on your way home for Maui onions to take home. I recall at HNL that there were many places with inspected pineapples, but also a couple that had inspected papayas and other items as well. (We don't usually fly from HNL though, so this was several years ago.) It's possible that by some miracle you might find some onions at the airport to take home for yourself. If you do find some, buy a lot and freeze extras. We did that, and they are fantastic from the freezer for use in cooking.

 

Have a great aloha time. (I'm aching to go back again, and we just spent 2-1/2 weeks there this summer.)

 

beachchick

[suziehmkr]

beachchick - where on the central coast? I live here too and would love know your onion grower!! We aren't flying, since our cruise is round trip, but I will definitely keep that in mind for when we do a land vacation!! You can email me privately at inkflamingos at yahoo dot com if you want.... Cool!

[beachchick]

suziehmkr: Do you go to any of the Farmer's Markets in SLO county? He sells at several of them. I honestly can't remember his name though. I just notice when he's got the "Maui onion" sign up and buy several. I had asked him about it some time ago (right after one of our Hawaii trips when I hadn't brought any onions home). He confirmed that the stock is from Maui, but was honest about the fact that they are not quite the same (climate, soil, and all that). Still, they are very good. I'm not sure what else he sells though because it's usually just onions I buy from him, but of course he's got other stuff. I'll try to pay more attention next time and see if I can get his name or the name of his farm.

 

Don't you wish it cost less to fly to Hawaii from the west coast? It just kills me to see these amazingly low fares for flights from back east. Kind of crazy, IMO: We pay more to fly to Florida or the Caribbean than they do from the east coast (no, problem; they're closer), AND we usually pay more to fly to Hawaii (argh! we're so much closer; what's the deal there?) Phew; okay, go that out of my system.

 

Have a great time. Is this your first time in Hawaii? If so, believe me it will not be your last. It's especially funny to me sometimes when people ask why we don't just "jump in the ocean" here. After all it's CA, right? Isn't the water warm? I tell you the first time I let the Hawaiian ocean waters wash over my feet, I was in heaven.

 

beachchick

[suziehmkr]

beachchick - again, you are so helpful. I haven't been to SLO in years, we are quite a bit farther north. Although, we are taking the long route when we drive to LA, so we can stop at the SLO mission. DD has a goal of visiting all 21 missions eventually - and with our timeline, we *might* even be able to get Santa Barbara in, if we try. But I would rather walk around the square in SLO! LOL

 

Once in a while our grocery store will get Maui onions in, but not very often. They even get the GOLD pinapples sometimes - yummy!!! I will have to check with some friends and see if they want to go in on a bag of onions with me sometime.

 

This is our first trip to Hawaii and we are cruising RT because DH doesn't like to fly. But hopefully he will enjoy it so much that he is willing to fly back sometime - or maybe another RT cruise! LOL Actually we pay more to fly just about anywhere except Vegas. LOL We are so looking forward to this trip!!

[beachchick]

suziehmkr: Oh, I know just what you mean about how much it costs to fly anywhere. Our closest is a regional airport, so naturally we have to first fly to a hub (LAX, SFO, or Phoenix--we don't even have direct flights to OAK or SJC). Although, ditto as you for the flights to Vegas. Yep, we can get those direct.

 

Tell your DH from me, a total stranger but fellow central coastian, that Hawaii is one of the few places in the world that is worth flying to, no matter how much you dislike flying itself. I had to fly home from Hawaii once with a broken leg--it was the pits! I couldn't bend my knee and they had us crammed in little seats in the back of the plane. Still, I couldn't wait until I was well enough to go back again.

 

Ask him what he thinks about warm and clear ocean waters, soft sands, sweet smelling flowers and foliage, amazing food (they have fish we can't get here that are incredible), beautiful and welcoming people, and the whole hang-loose aloha spirit (you think Californians are laid back, wait until you get to Hawaii!). Once he's experienced that, I'd bet you he'd be willing to get on a plane to do it again. OTOH, if not, there's always another cruise, right?

 

If you need any suggestions for food/drink/sights in SLO, let me know. We used to visit all the time until we moved to the central coast. Now we don't go into "town" as much--too far to drive. Funny, though that's coming from a former bay area commuter who thought nothing of 50 miles round trip every day to work. LOL. Anyway, we do know some of the fun spots. If you have time (and are interested in beautiful and classy cruise wear), stop in at Apropos downtown. It's on Morro (I think, but I'm terrible with those streets) between Higuera and Monterey. They've got the most beautiful wraps, evening bags, and jewelry. It's just a neat little boutique. (I'm not a shopper, so for me to endorse it is unusual.)

 

And while you are in Hawaii, please be sure to have a mai tai for me. (Preferably made with Hana Bay rum or Bacardi 8; an FYI, many places in Hawaii use Meyer's rum, which I don't care for and which can't hold a candle to Hana Bay.)

 

Have a fabulous cruise. I hope your DD is able to meet her goal. My mom has the same goal and is only 1 away. (How old is your DD? Has she done the mission project in school yet? Our DD did Santa Ynez, but that was over 20 years ago now--boy do I feel old.) Santa Barbara is a beauty. If you haven't been there, do try to make the time to stop. It's the only one with 2 bell towers (if I recall correctly).

 

Aloha to you and your family.

 

beachchick

[suziehmkr]

beachchick - thanks for all of your help! We are definitely anxious to get there! I am pretty sure we will go back eventually. When were debating on doing the Arizona tour and the ships tour to PCC, DH said something to the effect of - we can do Pearl Harbor on the NEXT trip! Woo hoo!!

 

DD is 11 and for some reason, her school didn't do the mission projects per se. They studied them and we visited SJB, but she didn't have to do the model. She has been to only a few of them, but hoping to mark off two of them this trip. She will be working on a scrapbook to show her journey. hee hee She has lots of time. Some aren't as interesting and some aren't even original, but she will get there eventually. Hopefully the damaged ones will reopen with the new funding that is supposed to come thru.

 

Thanks again for all of your help! Immensely!! Oh! And will have to remember the Hana Bay rum! hee hee

[beachchick]

suziehmkr: Sounds like you are all set for a wonderful vacation and cruise.

 

Aloha!

 

beachchick