Maui beach day advice

[splummer]

Hi, we're coming in on the Island Princess in a couple of weeks and decided to have Maui be a relaxing day at the beach for us. Do we need to rent a car, or can we find a beach close to the port to just chill and maybe snorkel?

 

Do any of the hotels welcome day guests for a fee (or free if you buy food there?)

[beachchick]

Are you at Lahaina or Kahului?

 

If tendered at Lahaina, there are no real beaches for relaxing and snorkeling within walking distance (that is in Lahaina). You will see some sailing and surfing right by the harbor area, but it's not a beach I'd hang out on and it isn't the type of beach you have in mind. You can catch a shuttle (small fee) up to Ka'anapali Beach. It's a long beach that fronts about a dozen resorts and a shopping center. There's good snorkeling at Black Rock (in front of the Sheraton) at one end. The beach is long enough that there are many things to do in the various parts.

 

At this time, none of the resorts offer day passes, and they will not allow you to use their facilities even if you eat in the restaurants (although they're happy to take your food and drink money). All the beaches in Hawaii are public, but the resort facilities on the beach (such as lounges, umbrellas, etc.) are not, and almost all resorts do not rent the beach equipment to non-guests (understandable considering that guests have already paid to have these items available). Sometimes they will rent beach equipment during slow times, so do ask. The worst they will say is "no." In any case, you can pull your beach towel/mat up anywhere on the beach itself. (Little FYI, unlike the Caribbean, alcohol is not allowed on the beaches; you will see "beach bars" at some of the resorts, but they aren't actually ON the public beach. So, there won't be folks coming around trying to ply you with liquor or other items.)

 

If you are docked in Kahului, you'll need to get across the island for beaching (especially swimming and snorkeling). There are no beaches within easy walking distance of the pier. Besides that, it's the windward side of the island. The beaches on that side are well known for being prime windsurfing/kitesurfing beaches--wind, wind, wind and choppy surf! They are not beaches for hanging and relaxing, and certainly not where I'd go for swimming or snorkeling.

 

There have been some threads about commercial shuttle service around the island, but I have no details. It wouldn't be cheap as I've seen references for Kahului to Lahaina at $40 p/p (don't know if that's o/w or r/t). There are public buses, but of course you have to live with their schedules. The bus routes/schedules can be found here: http://www.mauicounty.gov/bus/

 

I believe that Hilo Hattie's runs a shuttle to their Kihei location (across the island on the south-west). There are good beaches south of Kihei in Wailea and Makena. Our favorite beaches are north (Kapalua, Airport, and even Ka'anapali). Hate to say it, but from Kahului your best bet (most time-efficient for the money) is going to be to rent a car. It's a snap. The airport (closest and usually only) locations are only a 10 minute shuttle ride away, and the process is easy.

 

Anyway, no matter which side of the island, you will need some sort of transport to get to good beaches for what you want to do.

 

Hope that helps.

 

beachchick

[janeinla]

When we cruised in 2005, we rented a car and drove to Ka'anapali. Parked at the Sheraton and used the beach. We rented chairs and umbrellas on the beach, mentioning that we were on the cruise (NCL). Also rented snokeling gear. As cruise guests, we were welcomed to use the hotel beach and parking, since NCL had a beach excursion to this location. Check with Princess to see where their beach day excursion goes to see if there is a similar deal. Great beach and fun snorkeling! Have a great time!

[mitsguy2001]

How much does it cost to take a cab from Kahului to a good beach? Or, maybe it's cheaper to rent a car; since it's an overnight port, I don't have to worry about missing the ship if I get lost or stuck in traffic.

 

Also, which port is the one that has a beach within walking distance? I beleive it was either Kona or Kauai. Which one?

 

Thanks.

[jmo1]

Hi, we're coming in on the Island Princess in a couple of weeks and decided to have Maui be a relaxing day at the beach for us. Do we need to rent a car, or can we find a beach close to the port to just chill and maybe snorkel?

 

Do any of the hotels welcome day guests for a fee (or free if you buy food there?)

It appears that your ship tenders ashore at Lahaina, Maui. There is a shuttle bus there that goes to Kaanapali Beach just to the north for $1 each way.

http://www.lahainacannery.com/shuttle_schedule.html

Get off the shuttle at the Sheraton on the north end of Kaanapali beach and use their beach (all Maui beaches are public). You'll have to pay if you use chairs and umbrellas. Black Rock has excellent snorkeling right next to the Sheraton.

[jmo1]

How much does it cost to take a cab from Kahului to a good beach? Or, maybe it's cheaper to rent a car; since it's an overnight port, I don't have to worry about missing the ship if I get lost or stuck in traffic.

 

Also, which port is the one that has a beach within walking distance? I beleive it was either Kona or Kauai. Which one?

 

Thanks.

Your best bet is probably a rental car, because Kahului is not very close to the popular beaches. These beaches are on the west end at Kaanapali, and south at Wailea. A bus is another option. The rental car option gives you the flexibility to go to both beach areas and do some exploring on your own. Maybe stop at the Maui Ocean Center (aquarium) at Maalaea on the way to the west end, or drive up to the top of Haleakala volcano (10K feet elevation).

[kml1211]

I would agree to go to the Sheraton. We used the beach at Whaler's Village (had to make a $25.00 purchase at the mall) and were beaten up quite badly by the surf. It also dropped off VERY quickly and my daughter and I decided that we didn't need to go swimming after all.

 

It looked like the area by the Sheraton was more protected because of Black Rock.

 

KML

[splummer]

Thanks for all of the info and the link to the shuttle schedule. We stayed at the Sheraton about 7 years ago and enjoyed the beach. That might be a good option for us. Now, just need to decide if we want to take the shuttle or get a car.

[beachchick]

How much does it cost to take a cab from Kahului to a good beach? Or, maybe it's cheaper to rent a car; since it's an overnight port, I don't have to worry about missing the ship if I get lost or stuck in traffic.

 

Also, which port is the one that has a beach within walking distance? I beleive it was either Kona or Kauai. Which one?

 

Thanks.

 

Honest answer would be more than $100 r/t by cab to the west or south-west beaches. You are much better off renting a car, which will give you the flexibility to go to different beaches and explore, and cost much less. With a cab, you would have to get another cab to each beach if you decided that you wanted to visit more than one. The $100 r/t baseline is only the cost from Kahului to Lahaina and back; you'd have to add more $$ up to Ka'anapali and points north.

 

Driving on Maui is pretty easy. There are only a few main roads. The only place you will need to have a detailed map for is getting around and in/out of Kahului. However, for the most part, you can just follow the signs. Traffic can sometimes be an issue, so leave yourself plenty of time to return the car on your second day. It's about a 50 minute to 1 hour drive from Kahului to Ka'anapali (20 minutes or so more if you go all the way up to Honolua).

 

beachchick

[mitsguy2001]

Honest answer would be more than $100 r/t by cab to the west or south-west beaches. You are much better off renting a car, which will give you the flexibility to go to different beaches and explore, and cost much less. With a cab, you would have to get another cab to each beach if you decided that you wanted to visit more than one. The $100 r/t baseline is only the cost from Kahului to Lahaina and back; you'd have to add more $$ up to Ka'anapali and points north.

 

Driving on Maui is pretty easy. There are only a few main roads. The only place you will need to have a detailed map for is getting around and in/out of Kahului. However, for the most part, you can just follow the signs. Traffic can sometimes be an issue, so leave yourself plenty of time to return the car on your second day. It's about a 50 minute to 1 hour drive from Kahului to Ka'anapali (20 minutes or so more if you go all the way up to Honolua).

 

beachchick

 

Thanks. Do you recommend that we book the car throgh NCL, but booking "Maui on your own" for our first day in Maui (we booked Road to Hana on the 2nd day, so we don't need the car then). How does that work exactly? Can we pick up and return the car near the port? Will we be waiting in line for a long time? Also, which beaches do you recommend in Maui?

 

What about Kauai? Do we also need to rent a car our first day there (again, we have an excursion booked the 2nd day, so we won't need a car). Or, are the good beaches walking distance from the port there?

 

We have excursions booked in Kona and Hilo, so we won't need a car. Is it true that Kona has a beach within walking distance in case we want to do something after our excursion?

 

Thanks again.

[beachchick]

mitsguy2001: Aloha. That's a bunch of questions about Maui, but I'll take a stab at it.

 

Car rental: No, I do not recommend renting through NCL. Just go to the online websites of the various major car rental companies, put in your info, and go with whomever has the best rates for the time.

 

All of the them are at the Kahului airport and send shuttles to the pier for pickup and dropoff. It's about a 10 minute shuttle from the pier. This is the norm at ports in Hawaii. There are not car rental locations actually at the piers. The closest (and often only) locations are at the airports, which are close to the piers in most cases.

 

I have no idea how long you will have to stand in line. It will depend on how busy the airports are that day, how many cruise pax are renting, and all the variables that change every day. I can guess that you'll be unlikely to have a long wait for pickup, but do keep in mind that if you go to rent at the same time that several flights have come in, you'll all be there at the same time. Drop off is usually much easier because they have a drive in, quick check, and drop. Check the care very carefully when you pick it up and have the rental employee note any dings, dents, or other damage.

 

Beaches in Maui: Best bet is to do an advanced search on this forum only for "maui beach" and "maui snorkel" (which will include lots of beach information), and go back only about 1 month to start. This question comes up all the time and has been discussed in detail. Here's a link to a current thread with some info (post #8 is my most recent quick list):

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=447789

 

Kauai: We always to rent a car, but that's our preference. We want the freedom to go where we want, when we want. For our PoH, we're renting mid-day to mid-day to pay for only 1 day rental. We don't do ship's excursions usually and certainly not in Hawaii. There is a beach fronting a resort that is within walking distance, but I can't remember the name. I know the walk is described as "not scenic," but I think it's only about a 10 or 15 minute walk. All other beaches would require a drive.

 

Kona: There is a small beach in front of the King Kamehameha Hotel (which is across the street from the tender pier) that's usually calm and would be fine for an after-excursion beach relaxation time. You could shuttle down to Kahalu'u, which is very nice. Otherwise, if you have a morning excursion, I would not rent a car because you would not have it long enough to make it worth the effort. Kona is a tender port, so you need to factor that in for your return time to the ship.

 

Have a wonderful time.

 

beachchick

[mitsguy2001]

mitsguy2001: Aloha. That's a bunch of questions about Maui, but I'll take a stab at it.

 

Thanks. Mahalo.

 

Car rental: No, I do not recommend renting through NCL. Just go to the online websites of the various major car rental companies, put in your info, and go with whomever has the best rates for the time.

 

All of the them are at the Kahului airport and send shuttles to the pier for pickup and dropoff. It's about a 10 minute shuttle from the pier. This is the norm at ports in Hawaii. There are not car rental locations actually at the piers. The closest (and often only) locations are at the airports, which are close to the piers in most cases.

 

Why do you not recommend booking through NCL? Would it bypass the trip to the airport and the waiting in line?

 

I have no idea how long you will have to stand in line. It will depend on how busy the airports are that day, how many cruise pax are renting, and all the variables that change every day. I can guess that you'll be unlikely to have a long wait for pickup, but do keep in mind that if you go to rent at the same time that several flights have come in, you'll all be there at the same time. Drop off is usually much easier because they have a drive in, quick check, and drop. Check the care very carefully when you pick it up and have the rental employee note any dings, dents, or other damage.

 

I didn't realize it at the time that I booked the cruise, but I know that my cruise is during Golden Week, so there might be a lot of people, so the line might be long. Or does that not really affect Maui and Kauai?

 

Kona: There is a small beach in front of the King Kamehameha Hotel (which is across the street from the tender pier) that's usually calm and would be fine for an after-excursion beach relaxation time. You could shuttle down to Kahalu'u, which is very nice. Otherwise, if you have a morning excursion, I would not rent a car because you would not have it long enough to make it worth the effort. Kona is a tender port, so you need to factor that in for your return time to the ship.

 

Yes, we plan to do a morning snorkeling excursion. We also won't rent a car in Hilo, since we plan on an excursion which takes most of the day.

 

Have a wonderful time.

 

Thanks! You too. When is your cruise?

[beachchick]

mitsguy2001: Aloha again. Glad I could help.

 

Why do you not recommend booking through NCL? Would it bypass the trip to the airport and the waiting in line?

 

NCL usually charges more for the rental than you would pay by doing it yourself online. To my knowledge, NCL pax get no preferential treatment in terms of waiting in line, which would really tick off other visitors with reservations. It's unlike many islands in the Caribbean in that the state of Hawaii is not the least bit dependent on cruise pax for tourist dollars. There are thousands of visitors in the resorts and other land facilities every day, so cruise pax really aren't treated as anything "special." You would still have to go to the airport to pick up the car. NCL doesn't have cars waiting at the pier.

 

I didn't realize it at the time that I booked the cruise, but I know that my cruise is during Golden Week, so there might be a lot of people, so the line might be long. Or does that not really affect Maui and Kauai?

 

I honestly don't know, but would guess that all the islands might be affected. However, there's really no off season in Hawaii anyway, so it might not make a huge difference. I suspect that Oahu is the island most affected, but have no personal knowledge as we avoid visiting during Golden Week. However, because it is Golden Week, I suggest you book your car rentals ASAP. The car rental places do run out of cars during busy times, and I feel certain Golden Week is one of those times. Book now and then check prices periodically. You can always cancel and rebook if you find a lower price. I do it all the time by booking online (only at the ones that do not require a CC to hold it). One trip, I booked, cancelled, and rebooked a 2-week rental on Maui six times. Started out at $32/day inclusive; ended up at $16/day inclusive. But that way I always knew that we had a reservation. Sometimes when I'm checking close to a travel date, they websites will say "sold out" for most of the categories.

 

You definitely will not need a car at Kona because you've got the morning excursion. By the time you're finished with that, you may decide just to tender back to the ship for lunch and to freshen up, and then tender back to shore and walk over to the little beach in front of the King Kam to relax. You could also turn right on Ali'i (from the tender pier) and wander the shops and restaurants for a bit. If you don't want the bother of tendering back to the ship, then I suggest wandering along Ali'i until you find something that looks interesting and just grabbing a bite there. Then walk on back to the beach in front of the King Kam until it's time to head back to the ship. Do be aware that there will not be umbrella or lounge rentals available. You might need to consider the sun exposure when planning the beach times. (I'm terrible with remembering which beaches have shade and which don't. Sorry about that.)

 

After you've read through some of the beach threads, feel free to ask any specific or different questions about any of the beaches. I'm no expert by any means, but I'll help where I can; plus, we do have our wonderful Hawaii residents who are experts and are so helpful.

 

Our cruise is this winter. I'll be sure to report back when we return. And remember that anticipation and planning is half the fun!

 

beachchick

[Glamourgal]

We are going to be on the Sun in Sept. I have already rented a car in Kahului for the Road to Hana and In Hilo for VNP. I have been looking to rent a car when we are in Lahaina but so far the best price that we could find is $86 the was through discounthawaiicarrental, it also was for a convertible which is what we are renting on the other islands for almost half of the price. Is that the going rate, or should we wait and see if it drops some?

Also, now after reading this thread, I am wondering if we need the car? With the shuttle only being $1 each way to Kananapali Beach, we love the beach and snorkeling. We are there from 8AM-8PM, if we go to the above beach for the day do you think we really need a car. Are there other, not to be missed places you think we should go to?

[mitsguy2001]

mitsguy2001: Aloha again. Glad I could help.

 

NCL usually charges more for the rental than you would pay by doing it yourself online. To my knowledge, NCL pax get no preferential treatment in terms of waiting in line, which would really tick off other visitors with reservations. It's unlike many islands in the Caribbean in that the state of Hawaii is not the least bit dependent on cruise pax for tourist dollars. There are thousands of visitors in the resorts and other land facilities every day, so cruise pax really aren't treated as anything "special." You would still have to go to the airport to pick up the car. NCL doesn't have cars waiting at the pier.

 

It seems that the website require an exact time of car pickup and drop off. How exact does it have to be? What time do you suggest? I've never rented a car before, so I don't know how exact the timing has to be. Also, does the price matter depending on whether it is me or my girlfriend who books it, and are both of us allowed to drive it regardless of who books it (I'll probably be doing most, maybe all of the driving).

 

I honestly don't know, but would guess that all the islands might be affected. However, there's really no off season in Hawaii anyway, so it might not make a huge difference. I suspect that Oahu is the island most affected, but have no personal knowledge as we avoid visiting during Golden Week.

 

Unfortunately, I wasn't aware of Golden Week at the time that I booked, and was under the impression that April / May was one of the quieter times. Does anyone know how bad Golden Week really is?

 

However, because it is Golden Week, I suggest you book your car rentals ASAP. The car rental places do run out of cars during busy times, and I feel certain Golden Week is one of those times. Book now and then check prices periodically. You can always cancel and rebook if you find a lower price. I do it all the time by booking online (only at the ones that do not require a CC to hold it). One trip, I booked, cancelled, and rebooked a 2-week rental on Maui six times. Started out at $32/day inclusive; ended up at $16/day inclusive. But that way I always knew that we had a reservation. Sometimes when I'm checking close to a travel date, they websites will say "sold out" for most of the categories.

 

Do all of the car rental companies have a shuttle from the port to the rental location? At what times and how often do they run? Do they also run at night to allow us to return back to the port after returning the car? Also, is there anywhere at the port where we can park the car so that we can return to the ship for part of the day?

 

Thanks again.

[beachchick]

We are going to be on the Sun in Sept. I have already rented a car in Kahului for the Road to Hana and In Hilo for VNP. I have been looking to rent a car when we are in Lahaina but so far the best price that we could find is $86 the was through discounthawaiicarrental, it also was for a convertible which is what we are renting on the other islands for almost half of the price. Is that the going rate, or should we wait and see if it drops some?

Also, now after reading this thread, I am wondering if we need the car? With the shuttle only being $1 each way to Kananapali Beach, we love the beach and snorkeling. We are there from 8AM-8PM, if we go to the above beach for the day do you think we really need a car. Are there other, not to be missed places you think we should go to?

 

This is entirely a matter of opinion, but we would much prefer to have a car available. Certainly you could spend the entire day at Ka'anapali. It's a long and lovely beach. However, if you want to snorkel at more than one location, you'll want a rental car. Honolua Marine Preserve is the furthest north snorkeling spot on the island. It can be fantastic, but as always, it depends on the weather and the water conditions. There's also Slaughterhouse Beach the next cove south and also part of the preserve. We also like Airport Beach, which has great facilities, easy entry, and decent snorkeling. Kapalua can be good, but the water can get kind of rough at times. The right side (facing the water) is usually better, but we've done some decend snorkeling on the left side as well. Napili isn't a snorkeling beach for us, but I believe others enjoy it. And Black Rock in front of the Sheraton is a good choice. It's really the only snorkeling along Ka'anapali.

 

If you want to do several things at the beach, such as relaxing, walking, swimming, finding lunch, and so on, then Ka'anapali would be fine for the whole day. There's all that and more. If you want to try more than one snorkel spot, then rent a car and do it that way.

 

As for cost for the car rental, I really don't know. It's possible that prices on the Lahaina side are higher in general, but we've never rented on that side of the island. There are fewer cars there because West Maui Airport (Kapalua) is a small commuter airport; whereas, Kahului is the commercial airport that gets the heavy traffic. I can tell you that prices vary wildly between the various islands and even different ports on the same island.

 

(Just an FYI if you don't know. All the beaches in Hawaii are public, but the beach amenities such as umbrellas, cabanas, lounges that belong to the various resorts are not. Unlike the Caribbean, there will not be numerous vendors lined up; although there are a few at some of the beaches. Almost all resorts reserve those beach items for their guests who have already paid to have them available. However, during really slow times, some resorts will rent to non-guests. None of the resorts have day passes and they do not allow you the use of the pools. Also unlike the Caribbean, alcohol is not allowed on the public beaches. If you see a "beach bar" it's actually next to, but not on, the public beach.)

 

beachchick

[beachchick]

mitsguy2001:

 

It seems that the website require an exact time of car pickup and drop off. How exact does it have to be? What time do you suggest? I've never rented a car before, so I don't know how exact the timing has to be. Also, does the price matter depending on whether it is me or my girlfriend who books it, and are both of us allowed to drive it regardless of who books it (I'll probably be doing most, maybe all of the driving).

 

You don't have to be on-the-dot precise when you make your reservation, but you should make your pick up time as close as possible to what you expect. If you think you'll want to pick up the car at 9:00 am, it's better to reserve it for 9:15 or 9:30 than to reserve it too early. For drop off, you'll be paying for a full day no matter how long you keep it, so for 1 day ports, we just put in the full 24 hours as the rental period. That way we don't have to worry about getting it back exactly at 4:00 or whatever. Since you pay for 1 full day whether you have it for 4 hours or 24 hours, I like to use the longer time for leeway. (Who knows the ship could get stuck in port and we'll be glad we made the rental time longer.)

 

I can't suggest a time for you except to say that if you want the most time to explore, then make your reservation for as soon as reasonable after your ship's docking time (say, 1 hour or so).

 

As for price, no it won't matter who rents it. However, age does matter--a lot. Not to pry too much, but are you under 25? Is your girlfriend? If so, then expect to pay a premium (something extra per day). Almost all companies require an extra fee to have a second driver on the rental. The only exceptions that we've found have been for spouses. When we rent at Avis, for example, the rental is in my DH's name, but I can drive the car. OTOH, Budget wanted an extra $8 per day for any additional driver, spouse or not. So, your girlfriend will have to be added as a second driver and you will have to pay whatever fee is involved.

 

Do all of the car rental companies have a shuttle from the port to the rental location? At what times and how often do they run? Do they also run at night to allow us to return back to the port after returning the car? Also, is there anywhere at the port where we can park the car so that we can return to the ship for part of the day?

 

Most of the car companies do have shuttles to the pier at most ports. You would have to check with the specific company you rent with as to whether they have shuttles, but in general, they do. (For example, the Enterprise in Hilo is not at the airport, but is downtown. They don't shuttle to the pier and they don't shuttle to the airport either, so you would be on your own to find a taxi to get there. This strikes me as kind of odd considering that Enterprise is always advertising about how they'll "pick you up.")

 

I have no idea a what times or how often they run. It's going to depend entirely on how many cruise pax they've got renting that day. You can expect frequent shuttles early in the day and late in the day when most pax will be renting and returning. There will be fewer in the middle of the day, and you may have to call the local office so they will send a shuttle to the pier. I'd guess that if the rental location is open late then they'd have shuttles at night, but some locations close early (4:00 or 5:00 pm). At those, you can typically arrange for after-hours drop off, but you would have to find transportation back to the ship on your own.

 

Most ports have parking close by the pier, but again it depends on the port. I think you would not have a trouble finding a place to park that's a reasonable distance. Don't expect to park right by the ship though. Some ports have parking really close; others require a bit of a walk.

 

beachchick

[mitsguy2001]

mitsguy2001:

 

You don't have to be on-the-dot precise when you make your reservation, but you should make your pick up time as close as possible to what you expect. If you think you'll want to pick up the car at 9:00 am, it's better to reserve it for 9:15 or 9:30 than to reserve it too early. For drop off, you'll be paying for a full day no matter how long you keep it, so for 1 day ports, we just put in the full 24 hours as the rental period. That way we don't have to worry about getting it back exactly at 4:00 or whatever. Since you pay for 1 full day whether you have it for 4 hours or 24 hours, I like to use the longer time for leeway. (Who knows the ship could get stuck in port and we'll be glad we made the rental time longer.)

 

I can't suggest a time for you except to say that if you want the most time to explore, then make your reservation for as soon as reasonable after your ship's docking time (say, 1 hour or so).

 

As for price, no it won't matter who rents it. However, age does matter--a lot. Not to pry too much, but are you under 25? Is your girlfriend? If so, then expect to pay a premium (something extra per day). Almost all companies require an extra fee to have a second driver on the rental. The only exceptions that we've found have been for spouses. When we rent at Avis, for example, the rental is in my DH's name, but I can drive the car. OTOH, Budget wanted an extra $8 per day for any additional driver, spouse or not. So, your girlfriend will have to be added as a second driver and you will have to pay whatever fee is involved.

 

Most of the car companies do have shuttles to the pier at most ports. You would have to check with the specific company you rent with as to whether they have shuttles, but in general, they do. (For example, the Enterprise in Hilo is not at the airport, but is downtown. They don't shuttle to the pier and they don't shuttle to the airport either, so you would be on your own to find a taxi to get there. This strikes me as kind of odd considering that Enterprise is always advertising about how they'll "pick you up.")

 

I have no idea a what times or how often they run. It's going to depend entirely on how many cruise pax they've got renting that day. You can expect frequent shuttles early in the day and late in the day when most pax will be renting and returning. There will be fewer in the middle of the day, and you may have to call the local office so they will send a shuttle to the pier. I'd guess that if the rental location is open late then they'd have shuttles at night, but some locations close early (4:00 or 5:00 pm). At those, you can typically arrange for after-hours drop off, but you would have to find transportation back to the ship on your own.

 

Most ports have parking close by the pier, but again it depends on the port. I think you would not have a trouble finding a place to park that's a reasonable distance. Don't expect to park right by the ship though. Some ports have parking really close; others require a bit of a walk.

 

beachchick

 

Thanks for the info. To answer your question, both my girlfriend and I are over 25. I'm 27, and she's 28. So it sounds like age and gender won't be a factor for us in Hawaii.

 

Why is it better to choose a pickup time that is too late rather than too early?

 

Thanks again! Mahalo!

[beachchick]

mitsguy2001: Happy to help. As you don't have any issue with age for renting, it won't matter who rents the car. The only thing you might consider is which one of you has better auto insurance at home. We've got good insurance that will cover us fully if we are driving a rental car. Not all policies have this type of coverage, so be sure to check yours. If neither of you has that type of coverage, you'll need to purchase the daily coverage the car rental companies offer (NOT a good deal by any means). Also, be sure to check with the various rental companies. I believe (but don't quote me on this) that Alamo allows traveling companions to drive the car without an additional fee as long as the second person is included on the documentation at check in. When you pick up the car, check it THOROUGHLY and make sure the rental car employee notes any significant dings, dents, or other damage. That way, you can prove that the little dent was already there if there is an issue when you return the car. (Some companies have a reputation for trying to charge customers for pre-existing damage.)

 

The reason that it's better to put your rental time a little later, rather than earlier, is that during very busy times, some companies will rent your car to someone else if you aren't there at or near your reserved time. If you show up an hour later than you reserved, they may consider that you're ditching the reservation, so the car is open for rent.

 

beachchick

[mitsguy2001]

Thanks. I should also ask: which rental car company do you recommend? Are there any that should be avoided? I beleive someone mentioned Thrifty has a free Blue Chip program that would allow us to bypass the line. Is that true? Do you recommend it? If it lets us bypass the line for free, with no strings attached, and no other requirements, why doesn't everyone book it? Thanks.

[lindajeff]

Thanks. I should also ask: which rental car company do you recommend? Are there any that should be avoided? I beleive someone mentioned Thrifty has a free Blue Chip program that would allow us to bypass the line. Is that true? Do you recommend it? If it lets us bypass the line for free, with no strings attached, and no other requirements, why doesn't everyone book it? Thanks.

 

Yes, it is true. Basically Thrifty (at least at HNL, on Maui, Kauai & at Hiilo) has two "lines" - one for BC members, the other for others. They will take care of the BC line first. Who knows why people don't sign up for BC (or other customer loyalty programs, for that matter)?

[Glamourgal]

Hey Beachchick, thanks so much for the suggestions. We did manage to get a convertible for $66 for the day. What we did was go to the suggestions on the discounthawaiicarrental site and they gave us the better price. They automatically rented the car for us so now we do have the car. I'm not sure what to do. Since you have told us that we can spend the whole day on Ka'anapali Beach we may just opt to do that. Sounds a little relaxing after 2 pretty intense days prior to that. We are renting a car to drive the road to Hana and also in Hilo to go to VNP. These boards are so great. I really appreciate all of the suggestions. Thanks Again!!

[mitsguy2001]

Yes, it is true. Basically Thrifty (at least at HNL, on Maui, Kauai & at Hiilo) has two "lines" - one for BC members, the other for others. They will take care of the BC line first. Who knows why people don't sign up for BC (or other customer loyalty programs, for that matter)?

 

So I can use that even if I have never rented a car before? Is Thrifty one of the companies where I can rent a car without leaving a credit card number, so I can cancel with no penalty?