POA - Logistics of car rental at ports

So I have read countless car rental threads and trip reports (all helpful) but I still have questions about how we pick up cars at ports. I will be leading my family through the process on our cruise next year so they will be looking at me for the answers.

We plan to rent cars on Maui (overnight), Kauai (just day 1) and possibly Hilo. I understand there are shuttles that take you to the car rental. So when we get off the ship at each port, are the shuttles already there waiting (assuming we are renting from a place that provides one)? And by "shuttle," that means a van/bus right? Is it well marked where we go once getting off the POA?

So the process is: we disembark, follow signs to the shuttle pick up, and get in the van that is marked with our company we are renting from? I know this probably seems like a ridiculous question, but I want to make sure that I have the process correct. We've been to Maui and have taken the airport shuttle bus to the car rental from the airport so if the process is the same, I will understand. Thanks!

Most car rental agencies will send a shuttle to the ports then take you to pick up your car. After turning car back in, they will shuttle you back to the ship. I highly recommend renting a Mustang convertible. Lots of fun!

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Most car rental agencies will send a shuttle to the ports then take you to pick up your car. After turning car back in, they will shuttle you back to the ship. I highly recommend renting a Mustang convertible. Lots of fun!

 

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Yes, I wish! But I think there will be 6 of us so it won't work. But if some reason, it's just 4 of us then definitely!

Was just on the POA this summer and rented a car in all ports except Kona. Maui was the worst, all others were very easy. In Maui, I guess I missed where Advantage is the ONLY rental place that will not pick up at the port, and that is who I booked from with Costco. We ended up having to get a taxi to take us to the place, leaving 1 behind b/c we had 7 people and had to return to pick him up. The counter guy spoke VERY poor English and very fast and I had no idea what I was agreeing to and our initial price doubled. Parking in Maui: I had read here to park at the airport is the safest thing to do, we dropped the group off at the port, then drove to the airport, parked and grabbed a cab back (10 min). We had to leave super early the next morning to go grab the car too. It worked, just took time.

At the other ports, there was a super easy shuttle that picked us up!

Hi. I had a similar question. We are thinking about getting rental cars in Kauai, Kona and Hilo. I am a bit worried about the Big Island because we don't have the overnight there, so how fast are the rental counters? I worry about waiting on "Island Time" and losing out on activity time. Also, what is the overnight parking like at the port in Kauai?

Every other port was easy. You walk off and wait outside (very industrial area) for the car rental's shuttle to come. They zip you over there and we were in and out with our car quickly in both Kauai and in Hilo. We ended up doing the ships excursion in Kona b/c of the tender situation and we wanted to snorkel there.

Kauai parking was no problem, you just park in the Harbor Town? Center parking lot and this lady collects $20 and gives you a window tag. There is a shuttle that will run you the block to the port, or you can walk. We were off before the shuttle began running the 2nd morning, so my husband and I walked over there and then drove back to pick up the rest.

We just made sure to be off the ship early and promptly and we had full days in the cars.

If I may make a suggestion, if you are renting cars in all of the ports, look into the "Gypsy Guide" app. I purchased the package from the app store for $25 and it had a guide for every island. We were SO glad we did...the guy (the kids named him Bob Shaka) was great in guiding us and telling us very interesting things. It was totally worth it. We plugged the phone into the car with a cord and could hear it over the car speakers. (Only once did we have to google how to use the system, the rest of the cars it connected automatically.)

Every other port was easy. You walk off and wait outside (very industrial area) for the car rental's shuttle to come. They zip you over there and we were in and out with our car quickly in both Kauai and in Hilo. We ended up doing the ships excursion in Kona b/c of the tender situation and we wanted to snorkel there.

 

Kauai parking was no problem, you just park in the Harbor Town? Center parking lot and this lady collects $20 and gives you a window tag. There is a shuttle that will run you the block to the port, or you can walk. We were off before the shuttle began running the 2nd morning, so my husband and I walked over there and then drove back to pick up the rest.

 

We just made sure to be off the ship early and promptly and we had full days in the cars.

 

If I may make a suggestion, if you are renting cars in all of the ports, look into the "Gypsy Guide" app. I purchased the package from the app store for $25 and it had a guide for every island. We were SO glad we did...the guy (the kids named him Bob Shaka) was great in guiding us and telling us very interesting things. It was totally worth it. We plugged the phone into the car with a cord and could hear it over the car speakers. (Only once did we have to google how to use the system, the rest of the cars it connected automatically.)

Thank you! All good information, and I'll check out the app too.

There is an Enterprise walking distance from the port in Maui. The Hertz is a bit farther but someone posted a video showing it as walkable too.

On 10/6/2018 at 9:57 PM, alwalaska said:

There is an Enterprise walking distance from the port in Maui. The Hertz is a bit farther but someone posted a video showing it as walkable too.

 Wondering where exactly the ship docks in Maui and where the car rental would be?

Pride of America docks in Kahului, the city most people fly into.  You take a short shuttle to the airport to rent your car or can walk to a couple like the PP indicated.  Some ships dock in Lahaina but we will be on NCL Pride of America. 

1 hour ago, MillbrookMom said:

 Wondering where exactly the ship docks in Maui and where the car rental would be?

If you will be on the Ovation of the Seas, as your past posts mention, you will be tendering into Lahaina on the opposite side of the island from where the POA docks.  You will want to check out car rental companies in the West Maui area.

6 hours ago, MillbrookMom said:

 Wondering where exactly the ship docks in Maui and where the car rental would be?

5 hours ago, Silver Sweethearts said:

If you will be on the Ovation of the Seas, as your past posts mention, you will be tendering into Lahaina on the opposite side of the island from where the POA docks.  You will want to check out car rental companies in the West Maui area.

And the West Maui area around Lahaina has less rental car inventory so expect it to be more expensive than at Kahului Airport (minimum 45 minute drive).  I’ve even read posts from those who found all of the rental cars in the West Maui area were soldout.

I finally bit the bullet and rented all 3 days cars that we want!  I did all through discount Hawaii car rental and did all 4 door jeep wranglers 🙂. here's hoping I like jeep wranglers 🙂

I still need to do this!

One has to be careful with Maui information with respect to rentals on the board as some ships I gather dock at Kahului and others tender to Lahaina.

Please note that there is no Enterprise location within walking distance of Lahaina.  A cab is needed to reach the location as Enterprise does not provide a shuttle.    I confirmed this information with Enterprise today.  

On ‎2‎/‎4‎/‎2019 at 8:57 PM, pink845 said:

One has to be careful with Maui information with respect to rentals on the board as some ships I gather dock at Kahului and others tender to Lahaina.

 

Please note that there is no Enterprise location within walking distance of Lahaina.  A cab is needed to reach the location as Enterprise does not provide a shuttle.    I confirmed this information with Enterprise today.  

Lahaina doesn't have an airport either, so if you are on a cruise ship other than NCL POA, then beware of booking a rental at the airport.  

1 hour ago, alwalaska said:

Lahaina doesn't have an airport either, so if you are on a cruise ship other than NCL POA, then beware of booking a rental at the airport.  

Actually, the West Maui airport (aka "Kapalua Airport") is about a 15 minute drive from where the tenders drop you in  downtown Lahaina.

On February 6, 2019 at 3:30 PM, CruiserBruce said:

 

Actually, the West Maui airport (aka "Kapalua Airport") is about a 15 minute drive from where the tenders drop you in  downtown Lahaina.

So is this the closest airport for persons arriving in Lahaina??

5 minutes ago, JHawk63 said:

So is this the closest airport for persons arriving in Lahaina??

As the main airport in Kahalui is 45 minutes away from Lahaina, yes, the West Maui airport is much closer.

4 minutes ago, CruiserBruce said:

As the main airport in Kahalui is 45 minutes away from Lahaina, yes, the West Maui airport is much closer.

Thanks! I just realized I asked the wrong question! I meant to ask if the airport was the closest CAR rental place to the Lahaina port?

If you read the many posts here on the topic, or look at Google Maps, you will see the car rental places are on the way to the airport  from Lahaina. There have been some recent reports of a car rental place actually in Lahaina, but I don't have confirmation of that.