Hilo Rental Car Recommendations

[PACURN]

I've seen several recomendations for rental cars in other places in Hawaii, but none for Hilo. So help me out my freinds. I want a company with good shuttle service and close proximity to the Hilo cruise terminal. My family and I will be sailing in Oct on Carnival Spirit. Thanks in advance.

Debbie

[DonahCBrown]

Hilo side cab companies:

 

Percy's Taxi - 808-969-7060

Ace One Taxi - 808-935-8303

A-1 Bob's Taxi - 808-963-5470

Al's Taxi &Tours - 808-936-9099

Hilo Harry's Taxi - 808-935-7091

Marhysa Taxi & Island Tours - 808-938-3285 (advertises service to cruise ships)

Mom's Taxi - 808-939-9111

Shaka Taxi & Tours - 808-987-1111

[DonahCBrown]

My bad - didn't read carefully...here you go::o

 

Enterprise Hilo 808-934-0359 - 800-736-8222 is the national toll free. Supposed to do pickup although I've heard some stories about them being really late.

 

 

Harpers - local firm, does pickup and drop off at the harbor 808-969-1478, toll free 800-852-9993

 

Usual and customary national companies at the airport, which is very close to the port in Hilo Alamo, Avis, Budget, Dollar, Thrifty, Hertz and National all have outlets at the airport, most likely have a shuttle to the airport from the port on boat days.

[Bucky3]

We've always used Alamo in Hilo with very good service both pier pick up and return to the ship by their shuttle.

[dcp81]

We used Thrifty. They ran 2 shuttles at a time to and from the harbor and the rates were reasonable. If you decide to use them, check out the Blue Chip membership and online booking. They guarantee you will get thier lowest rates and the Blue Chip express line will get you in and out in less than 5 minutes.

 

Whichever company you use, I suggest reserving your vehicle in advance. Most shuttles would not even let you aboard without an advance reservation. Most of the companies that had shuttles ran out of rentals the day we were there.

 

Don

[jasl]

We have used Harpers, excellent service, like DonahCBrown mentions pick up and drop off at pier. Expect to use them again in April 2007.

[RvrCrzr]

We used Thrifty in Hilo (airport). Very nice people, shuttle was a little hard to find...but it came.

[PACURN]

Thank you all for the info. It will be put to good use. I've spent an unusually cold and rainy day (for San Deigo) planning my itinerary for Hilo and Kona. It was a good day for planning. A good reason not to go outside. It hailed so hard it looked like snow. EEKKK:eek: :eek:

[PACURN]

Donna and Don

I see you have both done Tahiti. The DH and I hope to do that cruise next year. It looks wonderful. Did you just love it???? Of course I'd be doing it from Tahiti not Hawaii. I haven't booked yet but I think I want to go in July. We'll see.

[DonahCBrown]

We enjoyed Bora Bora and Moorea tremendously - Papeete not so much, but it was a really relaxing cruise, started and ended in Honolulu so about a half hour flight rather than our usual 10 to 20 hours to get somewhere that the cruise starts from, and it was fun to see our home state from the ship, too. Even managed to get our house sitters to come to Hilo to pick up our luggage on the next to last cruise day so all we had was our carryon to fly back with. Long, though - 28 days round trip, but they offered such a good deal to Hawaii residents that it was only $300 more to stay on board for the return leg than it would have been to fly back from Tahiti.

[PACURN]

Wow 28 days. I would be a little bored with that I think. But as you said who could pass up a deal like that. I am cetainly not looking forward to the long flight from San Deigo. Actually I think we will have to go to LA. The air fare will be more than the cruise. :p

So have you always lived in Hawaii??? Do you get Island fever?? I think I would. I guess that's why you do cruises :D .

[DonahCBrown]

We found out that 28 days on board was about 4 days too many. We restrict ourselves to no more than 25 day cruises now.

 

We used to live in Northern California, and when we thought about moving here full time, we took a map of CA, drew a circle around all the places we went, and realized the circle was just about the same size as Hawaii Island. The Big Island is like a little continent in the middle of the ocean, with lots of different climate zones, terrain, and even places you can go where you can't see the ocean or get any sense you are on an island if you need that.

 

We don't get island fever, we just like to travel and we've discovered that cruising suits us. Lots of territory covered, one time unpacking, one set of airplanes at the beginning and ending. DH doesn't care to fly all that much. We intersperse the cruises with long road trips (two month long stays in New Zealand) to places we find we like while cruising...

 

It is great living in Hawaii, but it isn't for everyone, and it isn't what you think it will be when you come here on vacation. There are many wonderful things about living here, and some others that aren't so great, but that's pretty much true whereever you live.

[PACURN]

Donna,

I guess we could do the same thing. We don't go to far from home usually. We do take trips to Ft. Mojave, Az. (close to Laughlin) to see the in-laws. Long weekends. I plan on going to Williams for spring break. It's very close to the Grand Canyon and they (in-laws) have a house there. I'll stay there with the boys for 2 weeks.

The big Island is my favourite Island. I love Kona and the drive up to the Kohala Coast. I have not been to Maui so I can't compare it to Kona. I never drank coffee untill I came there. One sip of Kona coffee and I was hooked.

I am a cruiser also. I love it. I keep saying I'll go back somewhere for a land based vacation but I just book another cruise. Go figure. The kids are professional cruisers now also. They love it. They have had the pleasure of traveling to many places and seeing lots of things. I have cruises planned (at least in my head) for years to come. The doesn't get as much time off as I do so we only do one big vacation a year. I usually do something with the kids on spring break. Last year we went camping for 2 weeks

Thanks for everything I enjoy your info and chatter. Bye Bye for now.