West Coast - Hawaii Roundtrip Cruisers Thread

[karatemom2]

We're on the Golden Feb 4 and would like to rent a car in Honolulu. Has anyone done this before? How close to the terminal and how easy is it to rent?

 

We are renting from Budget and picking up our car at the Budget located at the Hilton. It's only about 3 miles from the port so a bit closer then the airport location, but even the airport is fairly close and all the large rental companies have locations there. You could probably rent very easily from any of them.

[teachergal29]

I just found and read your entire thread and wanted to tell you how much I've enjoyed it. Thanks for getting it started!! Look forward to actually meeting you on our mutual upcoming Hawaiian cruise...

[karatemom2]

I just found and read your entire thread and wanted to tell you how much I've enjoyed it. Thanks for getting it started!! Look forward to actually meeting you on our mutual upcoming Hawaiian cruise...

 

Hi Pam. That's a lot of reading!! We have lots of fellow Golden cruisers on this thread so I'm hoping we'll start seeing some reports soon. Before you know it we'll be at the two month mark!!:p

[Travel To Be Free]

Can anyone suggest a good restaurant for dinner, possibly by the ocean, on Maui? What time does the sun go down there this time of year?

[CA Oceanfront]

We will be there on or about October 23, and the last time I checked the sunset was right around 6 pm.

[ArtsyChic]

http://www.timeanddate.com/worldclock/astronomy.html?n=103

 

this is a handy website to check out the sunset...sunrise questions....

Celeste :p

[karatemom2]

Well I finally decided that we would go for it and book the very expensive Trilogy Ultimate Seafari for our day in Maui only to discover that they aren't operating that particular tour the day we are there. So now I'm considering booking the Lanai Snorkel/Sail with Paragon Sailing.

 

http://www.sailmaui.com/lanai.htm

 

Does anyone have any experience with this company? The website looks great, but I would love to hear comments from anyone who has booked with them before.

[Travel To Be Free]

Do the shops in Lahaina close early or do they stay opened? We're planning on doing the drive to Hana, but it sounds like a full day. Has anyone ever gone part of the drive or does the end of the drive have a lot of the beauty? I would like to combine a beautiful drive, a little beach time, a little shopping and a nice dinner on the ocean. Any suggestions?

[Cruise Raider]

Do the shops in Lahaina close early or do they stay opened? We're planning on doing the drive to Hana, but it sounds like a full day. Has anyone ever gone part of the drive or does the end of the drive have a lot of the beauty? I would like to combine a beautiful drive, a little beach time, a little shopping and a nice dinner on the ocean. Any suggestions?

 

 

The shops in Lahaina stay open late every night --- at least until 10 or 11 PM, whether there is a cruise ship in town or not. The drive to Hana is a full day but you would have time for both an all day tour and after the tour cocktails / shopping in Lahaina --- nice way to wind down after the long day in the car.

We did the entire drive to Hana --- it was about 20 years ago so things may have changed a lot but half the drive would have been plenty. It is absolutely amazingly beautiful, so don't get me wrong --- but the entire drive is more of the same amazing beauty. You will see more lush mountainsides on a very windy road with expansive views to the valleys bellow and hundreds of waterfalls. I am not trying to say, you've seen one, you've seen them all --- but in looking back at the pictures taken, well, it is hard to determine if one was from the beginning of the trip vs the end of the trip.

I would probably go as far as the Seven Sacred Pools and start heading back --- definitely make a stop at this area --- very unique and gorgeous!! The water is quite chilly but a nice cool down depending on the weather. There is also a black sand beach where they have some housekeeping camping structures --- was nobody there the day we went. This is a very beautiful an unique place to visit and do a little hiking. Beware, the rocks may stain ---not a good day to wear white. From here, I would head on back towards the center of the island and head on up to the Ioa Needle (this is my personal favorite) -- as a matter of fact, might do this stop prior to the trip towards Hana. It is kind of on the way. So, after that, I would head back to Lahaina and think you will have had a wonderful relaxed overview of the beauty of Maui all in one day!

[Miss Priss]

Hi Everyone: We're taking the Zaandam rt to Hawaii in January. Not to bring up an old subject, but this is our 4th trip to Hawaii and we've done it several different ways (plane, ship, etc.) Thought it would be fun to get away from the cold (and we are somewhat over the Caribbean) and revisit beautiful islands. The days at sea are a wonderful bonus with a great trip in the middle. We've done about every tour, rented cars on every island and even drove the Hana road in a rental (which is a no no). Sorry rental company, the devil made me do it!

Point being, we all have our reasons for choosing trips. Nuff said.

 

Now, I would like to go on a whale watching adventure, but I don't want to be hundreds of yards away squinting at a fin or shadow. Have any of you been on a trip that blew you away? I'd appreciate any advice.

Thanks, Marian

[CRUISERTX08]

Hi Everyone: We're taking the Zaandam rt to Hawaii in January. Not to bring up an old subject, but this is our 4th trip to Hawaii and we've done it several different ways (plane, ship, etc.) Thought it would be fun to get away from the cold (and we are somewhat over the Caribbean) and revisit beautiful islands. The days at sea are a wonderful bonus with a great trip in the middle. We've done about every tour, rented cars on every island and even drove the Hana road in a rental (which is a no no). Sorry rental company, the devil made me do it!

Point being, we all have our reasons for choosing trips. Nuff said.

 

Now, I would like to go on a whale watching adventure, but I don't want to be hundreds of yards away squinting at a fin or shadow. Have any of you been on a trip that blew you away? I'd appreciate any advice.

Thanks, Marian

What is this about a no-no on the rentl car and Hana Rd? This will our first trip to Hawaii and we are still completely undecided on what we are going to do at each port.

[Cruisin' Chick]

Hey Don childhood neighbor, Grew up in Encino as well (Birmingham [rivals] grad '76) my mother still lives in Encino :D

 

For those of you looking for some things to do on your own in Hilo here are three options we are considering. The Botanical Garden looks like a beautiful place and we had friends onboard who really enjoyed the zoo last year. I also included the Vanilla farm because that really appeals to me. I LOVE good vanilla.

 

Hawaii Tropical Botanical Garden

 

http://www.htbg.com/

 

Pana'ewa Rainforest Zoo

 

http://www.hilozoo.com/Z_home.htm

 

Hawaiian Vanilla Company

 

http://www.hawaiianvanilla.com/default.aspx

 

Went to Lanai Rd. ES up through first half of second grade (I think we moved to WH early in 1962). So I knew a few people from BHS class of 1972.

 

I love vanilla too. Wish we were in a position to go on the Golden this year. Would be on the holiday cruise. Sigh. (can go only when school is out).

 

Wish Princess would have the summer sailings to Hawaii again. It's so convenient to be able to pack up the car and drive to San Pedro.

[karatemom2]

I love vanilla too. Wish we were in a position to go on the Golden this year. Would be on the holiday cruise. Sigh. (can go only when school is out).

 

Wish Princess would have the summer sailings to Hawaii again. It's so convenient to be able to pack up the car and drive to San Pedro.

 

Patty I really wish you were with us this Christmas too! I remember reading your posts last year when we were getting ready for our cruise and you had such helpful information and advice for cruising at the holidays. I would love the summer sailing too, but it just seems like everything heads to Alaska. We can keep hoping though! We also really appreciate the ability to get to San Pedro so easily. It might be better for our retirement fund if it weren't so darn convenient!! :D (ALthough right now a cruise seems like a better investment than the stock market.)

[1gail1]

Went to Lanai Rd. ES up through first half of second grade (I think we moved to WH early in 1962). So I knew a few people from BHS class of 1972.

 

WOW what a small world this is, lived close enough to Lanai Rd. school to walk to it every morning but I didn't start kindergarden until 1963/64 so I missed you, after Lanai went to Portola jr. high then on to Birmingham, after high school went to Moorpark college in simi, eventually made it up to Northern CA, Auburn area I live in Applegate CA now and just love it. It is alot like the valley was when we were growing up.

[lakim]

Patty .... you had such helpful information and advice for cruising at the holidays.

 

Patty, what helpful information and advice do you have for cruising at the holidays?

[debshomespun]

We were in Maui, tendered into Lahaina from RC Radiance, in May, and we rented a jeep, and drove the RTH. We were at the Car rental company in Kaanapali at 7:00AM when they opened, and returned the car about 5:15PM. They closed at 5:00, but had a drop box for the keys. I made sure to take pictures of the car from all angles on my digital camera, just in case. We made many stops on the way on the RTH. I had the Maui Revealed book, and it was very very helpful along our roadtrip. It was a wonderful day. So very glad we did it.

[karatemom2]

Patty, what helpful information and advice do you have for cruising at the holidays?

 

I'm hoping Patty will weigh in, but since we had never cruised at the holidays I had lots of questions about things like decorating the cabin, bringing presents, activities onboard, etc. Now that we have had the pleasure of cruising at Christmas, I must say I highly recommend it. I love not having the stress of cooking, cleaning, entertaining. It was so relaxing. We put up a small tree and a wreath and we hung our stockings. It was very cozy and festive in our little cabin!

[lakim]

I love not having the stress of cooking, cleaning, entertaining.

 

 

I'm enjoying the thought of not having to fight the holiday shopping crowds!

[kirbyrox]

We were in Maui, tendered into Lahaina from RC Radiance, in May, and we rented a jeep, and drove the RTH. We were at the Car rental company in Kaanapali at 7:00AM when they opened, and returned the car about 5:15PM. They closed at 5:00, but had a drop box for the keys. I made sure to take pictures of the car from all angles on my digital camera, just in case. We made many stops on the way on the RTH. I had the Maui Revealed book, and it was very very helpful along our roadtrip. It was a wonderful day. So very glad we did it.

 

WOW sounds like a Tight squeeze? i really really really wanna do RTH but Maui is Princess last port before mainland. so i cant afford to miss the boat. :(

[beachchick]

Do the shops in Lahaina close early or do they stay opened? We're planning on doing the drive to Hana, but it sounds like a full day. Has anyone ever gone part of the drive or does the end of the drive have a lot of the beauty? I would like to combine a beautiful drive, a little beach time, a little shopping and a nice dinner on the ocean. Any suggestions?

 

That's a jam-packed day, which is fine if that's what you enjoy. However, you really won't have time to do the RTH and have beach time because (as you can see from some of the other members posts) the RTH is the full day. By the time you get back, you could go to the beach for the very late afternoon and sunset. But you wouldn't be able to really "beach it" if that's what you mean by "a little beach time." It will be too late for snorkeling and for most swimming depending on the time of year. It will be too late for lying in the sun relaxing. If you're talking about winter, then you'll be getting back to the west side about the time the sun is starting to go down. If you're talking about summer, you'd have maybe 1 to 2 hours before sunset.

 

If you decide to do the RTH, then plan on a stop at Wainapanapa along the way. It's a state park with facilities and a lovely black sand beach. It's an excellent place to have a picnic lunch. You will need to bring a cooler with ice (and sodas, water, etc. if you like) and stop along the way to pick up food. You will not be allowed to bring any fresh food off the ship, so plan on maybe 20 minutes to buy food. There's a place in Paia (out of Kahului at the start of the RTH) called Picnics that has, well, picnic lunches available. There are also many delis and grocery stores. Both Safeway and Foodland in Lahaina have in-store delis. (We prefer Foodland's deli by far, but that's just our preference.) Anyway, you could get some beach time by planning your lunch stop at Wainapanapa and also by taking a break at one of the small beaches in and around Hana itself.

 

Other than that, your plan is fine. Keep in mind that whoever drives the RTH will likely be quite tired by the end of the day. You're looking at about 6 hours of driving (not counting stops). It's not all that hard (IMO), but it's winding and narrow in many places with a bunch of one-lane bridges. You should only do the RTH (especially on a cruise and especially if you're tendered at Lahaina) if you truly love very long scenic drives and don't mind the 2 hours or so r/t from/to Lahaina to/from the start of the road itself.

 

Hi Everyone: We're taking the Zaandam rt to Hawaii in January. Not to bring up an old subject, but this is our 4th trip to Hawaii and we've done it several different ways (plane, ship, etc.) Thought it would be fun to get away from the cold (and we are somewhat over the Caribbean) and revisit beautiful islands. The days at sea are a wonderful bonus with a great trip in the middle. We've done about every tour, rented cars on every island and even drove the Hana road in a rental (which is a no no). Sorry rental company, the devil made me do it!

Point being, we all have our reasons for choosing trips. Nuff said.

 

Now, I would like to go on a whale watching adventure, but I don't want to be hundreds of yards away squinting at a fin or shadow. Have any of you been on a trip that blew you away? I'd appreciate any advice.

Thanks, Marian

 

The RTH itself isn't a no no. The part past Oheo Gulch (aka Seven Sacred Pools) that circles around the south to upcountry is where most (not all) rental companies have one of their "don't take your rental car on this part of the road" rules.

 

For whale watching, there are several good companies. Trilogy and Pacific Whale Foundation are very popular. Do keep in mind that there are extremely strict regulations limiting how close any boat (or person for that matter) can get to whales. They are allowed to turn off the motor and "stop" the boat when whales are nearby. If the whales come close to the boat, then that's fine. But the boats cannot go "chase" after whales too closely. If you take a whale watching tour during the peak season, you will definitely have whales fairly close to the boat because you can't swing a dead squid without hitting a whale during January and especially February.

 

Enjoy!

 

beachchick

[Travel To Be Free]

Beachchick and Cruise Raider -- thank you so much for the input on the road to hana and shops staying open, etc on Maui!! You've helped so much.

 

A question on Oahu. We're only there from 8-5, which is just too short. In any event, we thought about taking the coastal drive-east- to Kailua and then H3 back to Honolulu, however, we would miss the Nu'uanu Pali lookout -- is that a big thing to miss? I wanted to take the H3 back as they say the drive is beautiful.

 

What do you think just the drive time would be -- not counting stops? Then once back, we would be close to Pearl Harbor. Any chance that lines wind down a little later in the day? If they do not, is just going to the Harbor without visiting the memorial anything to see? I guess being in Honolulu and appreciating the history makes this something not to be missed.

 

Any insight is so much appreciated.

[Travel To Be Free]

In reading Oahu Revealed, I see that a drive along Tantalus and Round Top is great in a convertible, which we are renting. I just wrote about coming back from Kailua on H3, but in order to do the Tantalus, do we miss the H3 and come back on 61? Is that very scenic?

[azalice]

We would like to plan a 14 or 15 day Hawaii cruise but cannot do summer very easily and Jan-April is my DH's work season. Would it matter which month - Oct.,Nov., or Dec. to do the cruise? Are the waters known to be rougher at certain times of the year? We have never been on an ocean crossing.

[karatemom2]

We would like to plan a 14 or 15 day Hawaii cruise but cannot do summer very easily and Jan-April is my DH's work season. Would it matter which month - Oct.,Nov., or Dec. to do the cruise? Are the waters known to be rougher at certain times of the year? We have never been on an ocean crossing.

 

Almost anytime of year the first couple of days crossing the Pacific from So Cal can be a little rocky due to the prevailing current, but the stormy season here is really most prevalent from late December through February. October, November or December would all probably be great months. We left on December 18 last year and it rained when we left and it was a bit rocky on day 1 and 2, but overall the weather was good. We are going back in December again this year!

[beachchick]

Beachchick and Cruise Raider -- thank you so much for the input on the road to hana and shops staying open, etc on Maui!! You've helped so much.

 

My pleasure to help. Are you going to be on Maui on a Friday by any chance? If so, make sure to take advantage of Art Night in Lahaina. All the galleries are open until 10 and have wine/beverages and little munchies. It's not fancy or anything, but it is fun. Also, some of the restaurants and shops do not stay open all that late, except on the weekends.

 

A question on Oahu. We're only there from 8-5, which is just too short. In any event, we thought about taking the coastal drive-east- to Kailua and then H3 back to Honolulu, however, we would miss the Nu'uanu Pali lookout -- is that a big thing to miss? I wanted to take the H3 back as they say the drive is beautiful.

 

H3 is definitely beautiful (though we love the Pali, so I'm terribly biased). The Pali Lookout is lovely, but is by no means a must do when you're seeing so much of the island anyway.

 

What do you think just the drive time would be -- not counting stops? Then once back, we would be close to Pearl Harbor. Any chance that lines wind down a little later in the day? If they do not, is just going to the Harbor without visiting the memorial anything to see? I guess being in Honolulu and appreciating the history makes this something not to be missed.

 

I'm terrible with how long the drive around the south takes because I simply don't pay attention. If you take H3, you'll be fairly close to PH, but keep in mind that Arizona Memorial tix are often gone for the day before noon. The last tender tour leaves about 4 pm. There's a reason people nag about "going to PH early to get in line for tix." They start handing out the first-come-first-served free tix at 7:30 am. Sometimes they're gone in the blick of an eye (that's the before noon, sometimes even before 11 am); others times, there are tix available in the early afternoon (for the later tours, of course).

 

If you decide that the Arizona Memorial tour is a must do, then you'll need to go to PH first. That's actually not such a bad idea. How about this? Get the car (if you're renting from an airport location, you'll already be well on your way to PH). Go directly to PH and get in line for tix. You may or may not have a long wait until your tour time. (You can't request a time, but must take the ticket handed to you.) If you decide the wait is too long, then you could explore the rest of PH and then leave. If it's only an hour or 2, then you could explore PH and maybe check out the Bowfin or what have you, before your tour time.

 

After your PH time, you could head out either on H3 and go clockwise around the south or take your original route around the south and then back across H3.

 

As far as your original plan of touring first and then "checking in" at PH later in the afternoon just in case there are tix available for one of the late tours. Yes, I believe that it's worth visiting PH even if you don't take the Arizona Memorial tour. There's a visitor center and museum, as well as a walking path that has exhibits along the waterfront/shoreline and a memorial listing all those who perished at PH (not just those on the Arizona). It's really touching and moving. You can view the Arizona Memorial, Ford Island, and many other historical PH sights.

 

It really depends on how important it is to you to visit PH and how much you want to see or do there. It's not absolutely critical to take the memorial tour when you've got a limited schedule to work with and it's entirely a personal decision.

Any insight is so much appreciated.

 

In reading Oahu Revealed, I see that a drive along Tantalus and Round Top is great in a convertible, which we are renting. I just wrote about coming back from Kailua on H3, but in order to do the Tantalus, do we miss the H3 and come back on 61? Is that very scenic?

 

My DH drove Tantalus many, many years ago and said it was lovely. I have not because it's simply never been that high on our priority list for Oahu. The drive takes a couple of hours (maybe more depending on how often you stop and if you do any little bits of hiking), so I think you'd have to skip PH or some of your other touring in order to squeeze it in during your day. The only way to do all of it is to make very few stops or make your stops very short. This is not our preferred way of seeing the islands. I know others think it's fine to have a quick glimpse of as much as possible, rather than our "do less, savor it more" approach. It depends on your overall goals for the day.

 

Realistically, you'll have about 6-1/2 hours time because you have the time renting and returning the car and you have to be onboard 30 minutes before departure. So, you're looking at 9ish to 3:30ish.

 

beachchick:)