How much time should we allot when returning rental cars?

[technic1200]

Our goal is to maximize the time that we have on each island. The following are the departure times for each location:

 

Kauai 1PM

Hilo 6PM

Kona 6PM

Maui 930PM

 

How much time should we allot when returning our rental cars? Are the rental car locations close enough where I could drop off the car and make it back on board in 1/2 an hour?

 

Past cruisers, please enlighten.

 

Mahalo!

[CC Help Michell]

Our goal is to maximize the time that we have on each island. The following are the departure times for each location:

 

Kauai 1PM

Hilo 6PM

Kona 6PM

Maui 930PM

 

How much time should we allot when returning our rental cars? Are the rental car locations close enough where I could drop off the car and make it back on board in 1/2 an hour?

 

Past cruisers, please enlighten.

 

Mahalo!

 

Are those your times to be on board, or sailing times? Normally you are supposed to be on board 30 min. before sailing time. In any event, I would set one hour before you are supposed to be on board as the time you should arrive to return your rental car. This allows for several scenarios -- you return the car and there's a discrepancy on mileage/fuel; you return the car and the check-in person discovers damage you didn't notice previously (or which is, in fact, new); you return the car and mileage/fuel/damage is fine, but for no apparent reason you are kept hanging at the rental counter for 20 min + waiting for the shuttle (happened to us in Kauai at Thrifty); you return the car with no problem, but the shuttle breaks down; you return the car and the shuttle encounters a major traffic jam due to an accident, etc. I would want that time cushion, personally. Hopefully you will have had a wonderful day exploring an Hawaiian island -- why spoil it with fretting whether you will make the ship? :)

[technic1200]

Thanks for the advice Michelle. Looks like we'll give ourselves an hour before boarding time.

 

BTW, I read your review. Yes it was very long, yet informative and helpful!

 

Sounds like you had a great time on the islands.

[judyf]

Our goal is to maximize the time that we have on each island. The following are the departure times for each location:

 

Kauai 1PM

Hilo 6PM

Kona 6PM

Maui 930PM

 

How much time should we allot when returning our rental cars? Are the rental car locations close enough where I could drop off the car and make it back on board in 1/2 an hour?

 

Past cruisers, please enlighten.

 

Mahalo!

 

IMO I would book a ship tour in Kauai. I just did that for our second day there as the ship leaves at 2pm.

[Nancyquilts]

In Kona, if you're booking from Thrifty or Dollar at the King Kam Hotel, you're just steps from the tender pier so won't have to rely on a shuttle. I'd still get back an hour before sailing at each port. Nancy

[gloryb2god]

I agree with everyone else. Give an hour. And unless you have your heart set on keeping the car both days in Kauai, I'd return the rental car in after day one. You have to be back on the ship by 1pm on day two. Do something through the cruise line or walk/shuttle to shopping or the beach. Avoid the problem of parking overnight. Our maximum wait time for a shuttle to return us to the ship was 20 minutes. But that was after we'd returned the car and completed the return process. Then you have the drive back to port.

[BigGuy25]

In Kauai you get your car at the Lihue airport. It's very near the ship and shuttles run regualrly. If you're impatient, take a cab over to the aiport to get you on your way a bit quicker.