Pearl Harbor Tour Precruise with NCL

[asrubin]

We are cruising on POH in June and will be staying at the Marriott precruise booked through the cruiseline. I have read that you can book a tour to Pearl Harbor the morning of the cruise and then afterwards be dropped off at the pier. However, I don't see this tour listed anywhere on the shore excursion site. Is this a tour that has to booked once you get to the Marriott in Honolulu? Can it be booked ahead of time by calling the NCL desk at the Marriott?

[howard6933]

I cannot answer your question about the NCL Pearl Harbor Tour (if there is such a thing). I have been to Hawaii several times and every time I've been to Honolulu, I make it a point to visit Pearl Harbor and the Arizona Memorial.

Most of the tour operators that advertise the Pearl Harbor Tour DO NOT actually get you onto the Arizona Memorial itself. They generally take you on a boat of some kind and sail around the memorial. If you have the time, you should rent a car and drive to Pearl Harbor and get a ticket (free) to visit the Arizona Memorial. The last time I was there (and I have no reason to believe it would be any different now) they give you a numbered ticket and when your number is called, you enter a theater to view a short film about the USS Arizona including scenes of the attack. Then you board a US Navy launch and sail out to the memorial. You can stay as long as you wish. It is a very moving experience as you look down in the water and see the outline of the Arizona and see the oil bubbles still rising from the ship. As I mentioned earlier, anytime I visit Oahu, I go the Arizona Memorial to pay my respects to those gallant men who lie at the bottom of the harbor inside the Arizona. God Bless Them.

[Toyz711]

on 1 visit, we had the time and wanted to do a cruise. we did a whale watch / pearl harbor day cruise. didn't see any whales (it was at the end of whale season), had a nice cruise..it cruises around the harbor, told us some history, paused at certains places..paused for a long time near the Arizona. not the same as the regular tour, but if you don't like long lines or don't have it in your schedule to get there early enough to get tickets....it at least lets you see it. you do see the ship under the water, you see much more then i thought. some of those tours give you a good history of the area and what happened.

[Hawaii4me]

Toyz711 -

We will have time constraints for Pearl Harbor for our March POA cruise. Can you tell me specifically which Pearl Harbor tour you took? Thanks!!

[Toyz711]

sorry, it was just one we found. at that time it was listed as diamond head/ whale watch/pearl harbor. it went out of a harbor, cruised down to diamond head, slowly came back along the coast, then turned into pearl harbor and did a slow tour. some of the locals can give you a better idea.

it just worked for us, we wanted to pay our respect..but didn't really care to stand in line.

[Holg]

First of all, I got my docs (real docs, not e-docs) for my 3/24 sailing on the Wind yesterday and there are quite a number of shore excursions in the brochure that came with the docs that are NOWHERE to be found on the NCL website.

 

Secondly, I looked at the NCL Shore ex to go to Ford Island and $85 seems WAY over-priced to me. Cheaper to rent a compact car and drive there yourself.

 

Ford Island is the Island that guards the entrance to Pearl Harbor. THe Arizona is resting next to the island. Right next to her is the Missouri which has been turned into a floating museum. The 'Mighty Mo' is important because they have a plaque on the deck marking the spot where the Instruments of Surrender of the Empire of Japan were signed in Tokyo Bay. So with one tour you can visit where WWI began and ended.

 

How early are you arrving in Hawaii? Just the night before?

[nlt46]

Before our cruise, we spent 4 days in Hawaii. We took the city bus from our hotel in Wakiki to Pearl Harbor. We went early. Everyone must get in line to get his/her tickets. All the tour people had to get in line too. We were there 30 minutes after it opened and we had to wait about 1 1/2 hours for our tour after we got our ticket. People with time constraints were trying to exchange tickets with people, but everyone in HI has time constraints of some sort. We did a lot on the bus as they have a great system. Nancy

After the tour, we walked to the giant flea market. It was a pretty good walk. We took the bus back to our hotel.

[beachchick]

First of all, I got my docs (real docs, not e-docs) for my 3/24 sailing on the Wind yesterday and there are quite a number of shore excursions in the brochure that came with the docs that are NOWHERE to be found on the NCL website.

 

Secondly, I looked at the NCL Shore ex to go to Ford Island and $85 seems WAY over-priced to me. Cheaper to rent a compact car and drive there yourself.

 

Ford Island is the Island that guards the entrance to Pearl Harbor. THe Arizona is resting next to the island. Right next to her is the Missouri which has been turned into a floating museum. The 'Mighty Mo' is important because they have a plaque on the deck marking the spot where the Instruments of Surrender of the Empire of Japan were signed in Tokyo Bay. So with one tour you can visit where WWI began and ended.

 

How early are you arrving in Hawaii? Just the night before?

 

I want to make sure you know that you can't drive to Ford Island yourself. You have to park at Pearl Harbor, buy a ticket to the Missouri or the (newly opened) Pacific Aviation Museum (only the Pearl Harbor exhibits and Arizona Memorial are free), and take a shuttle from an area near the Bowfin. Ford Island is an active military facility, and the general public is not allowed to drive onto the island. In fact, I seem to recall hearing that not even military personnel can drive onto Ford Island unless they have business there.

 

The same rules that apply for going to the Arizona Memorial apply to going over to Ford Island. No bags of any kind are allowed.

 

beachchick

 

(p.s. I'm sure you meant to type WWII, rather than WWI.);)

[Holg]

Yea, I knew all that.. restrictions to Ford Island.. been to Pearl three times while I was on active duty.

 

Yes, WWII.. silly me.

[bandmom]

We used Hawaiiactivities.com last year. They have numerous Pearl Harbor tours picking up from your hotel around 6:30 a.m. We did "stars & stripes" wherein you go out to the Arizona Memoria, tour the Missouri, have an American Legion guide actually walking with you at Punchbowl, a bit of time in the Bowfin area and drive back through downtown Honolulu. NCL excursion during our cruise was on the back end and they then delivered you to the airport.

[beachchick]

Yea, I knew all that.. restrictions to Ford Island.. been to Pearl three times while I was on active duty.

 

Yes, WWII.. silly me.

 

Yep, I figured as much. I just didn't want there to be any confusion for those who've never been who might interpret this: "Secondly, I looked at the NCL Shore ex to go to Ford Island and $85 seems WAY over-priced to me. Cheaper to rent a compact car and drive there yourself." to mean they can drive to Ford Island on their own.

 

(I knew WWI was a mistype, that's why I teased you with a wink.)

 

beachchick

[cruizinwithkids]

Yep, I figured as much. I just didn't want there to be any confusion for those who've never been who might interpret this: "Secondly, I looked at the NCL Shore ex to go to Ford Island and $85 seems WAY over-priced to me. Cheaper to rent a compact car and drive there yourself." to mean they can drive to Ford Island on their own.

beachchick

 

But I appreciate any and all commentary you have to offer on any aspect of Hawaii, shore excursions, Hawaiian cruises, etc.

 

Actually, how about if you do a 10 on the Pride of Aloha and just plan my itinerary for me keeping in mind that I've never been to Hawaii.;)