See Pearl Harbor after lunch? do another tour in A.M?

[nojoke]

Our Golden Princess arrives in Honolulu at 7 a.m. I'm figuring we won't be able to debark until close to 8 a.m.--then take a cab to Pearl Harbor--places us there almost mid-morning, and from the posts I read, there may be a long wait.

If we took a tour of the island in the morning--finishing back at the ship by 1-2pm, would the wait time be less mid-afternoon at Pearl Harbor?

Or is this a stupid idea! Just trying to maximize our sightseeing time.

This is our 1st trip to Hawaii--so could use advise from "seasoned" Hawaii travelers. Thanks!

[chipmaster]

If you want to see the Az Memorial the park services hands out tickets by time, first come first serve. I think it varies depending on crowds what you get. There is a boat and a fixed capacity, YMMV.

 

FWIW 3 weeks ago on a Saturday we arrived around 1:30ish, they were handing out 3:00 slots. We decide to take the last slot, I think 3:30 and use extra time to visit a few for pay sights there. They have 3; air museum, Mo, and the submarine. I have no clue when they ran out, but the boat was totally full so at least our day it was possible you could have come at 2:30 and there not to have been any tickets. Might be worth calling the Park Office phone to confirm what historically track record is.

 

I think what is efficient really depends on your priorities of what you can't miss. To schedule a tour of the islands will for sure get you the sights. But Az memorial and Mo are rather historical and iconic.

 

Its just my opinion that Diamond Head hike and Az Memorial / Mo are the really only 3 can't miss "sights." Other things like beautiful beach, cliffs, snorkeling, etc. etc. can be had on the other stops. Waikkiki of course is also unique!

[nojoke]

Thanks so very much for the excellent advice about visiting Pearl Harbor--sounds like we should shoot for very early afternoon in order to get tickets. We also appreciate your take on what is important in Honolulu.

[flamomo]

Actually, you might want to go to Pearl Harbor first thing in the morning, get your tickets, and then go sightsee. That's one way you can be sure you will be able to get to see all of what PH offers, but expecially to be able to take the boat out to the Memorial.

 

We did a Princess shore excursion that was PH and City tour. The driver/guide did as I described ....... stopped at PH and we all got in line for our tickets that were timed for early afternoon, then reboarded the tour bus, had our city tour, and then we returned to PH and did that part of the excursion.

[cruzn single]

I would definitely go to PH as soon as you can. Maybe you will be lucky and get an early launch out to the USS Arizona! Otherwise, you could visit the USS Missouri and the Bowfin Museum prior to your visit to the Arizona!

[sassyredhat]

PH can be a zoo, and traffic in Honolulu is busy. I would go first think in the morning.

Pat

[nojoke]

thanks so much to all of you!! It looks like morning beats afternoon. I had not thought of going in the a.m.--and getting tickets for afternoon--that might be a plan--with minimal time wasted in like.

[DAGVBSB]

I have been to Pearl Harbor all three times I have been to Hawaii.

 

The day also matters. Sundays are usually the busiest as are holidays. One time that I was there (a Sunday after disembarking our ship on Saturday), they had handed out all the tickets for the entire day by 11:00 a.m. I have always made it a point to get there as early as I can in order to get the earliest tickets. Then you can plan your day from there. Like us doing it after we got off the ship and so was in no hurry to get back to our hotel, you will have all day to sightsee since the Golden Princess does not sail until late evening.

 

I am also not sure that you can "dictate" or request certain tour times for the Pearl Harbor launch. I think they are handed out first come, first serve in order of the launches. So if you show up at 10:00 and they are handing out noon tickets, I think you are stuck with that. (since I always want the soonest possible tickets, I have never asked....I just know they hand them out in line.) With the new Visitors Center open, they may have changed procedures.

 

Also...an important note that no one has mentioned: THEY DO NOT ALLOW ANY TYPE OF BAG OR PURSE OUT TO THE MEMORIAL. This includes camera bags, backpacks, purses and even fanny packs. (cameras are ok, but you must carry them or have them in your pockets). As one tour guide told us one time: If it won't fit in your pocket, you can't take it out there. The National park Service does offer lockers near the Visitors Center where you can rent one. (but it is best to just leave everything in your car or tour bus.).

 

Once out to the Memorial, you can stay out there as long as you want. On our last trip last summer, we were fortunate to see an Arizona Survivor boarding the launch as we were returning. According to our launch pilot, he comes every Sunday to salute his fallen comrades. There are only about 19-21 (got two different answers from two different Park Rangers) survivors left. Arizona/Pearl Harbor Survivors do not need tickets and can go out to the Memorial anytime they want on the next launch.

[nojoke]

I have been to Pearl Harbor all three times I have been to Hawaii.

 

The day also matters. Sundays are usually the busiest as are holidays. One time that I was there (a Sunday after disembarking our ship on Saturday), they had handed out all the tickets for the entire day by 11:00 a.m. I have always made it a point to get there as early as I can in order to get the earliest tickets. Then you can plan your day from there. Like us doing it after we got off the ship and so was in no hurry to get back to our hotel, you will have all day to sightsee since the Golden Princess does not sail until late evening.

 

I am also not sure that you can "dictate" or request certain tour times for the Pearl Harbor launch. I think they are handed out first come, first serve in order of the launches. So if you show up at 10:00 and they are handing out noon tickets, I think you are stuck with that. (since I always want the soonest possible tickets, I have never asked....I just know they hand them out in line.) With the new Visitors Center open, they may have changed procedures.

 

Also...an important note that no one has mentioned: THEY DO NOT ALLOW ANY TYPE OF BAG OR PURSE OUT TO THE MEMORIAL. This includes camera bags, backpacks, purses and even fanny packs. (cameras are ok, but you must carry them or have them in your pockets). As one tour guide told us one time: If it won't fit in your pocket, you can't take it out there. The National park Service does offer lockers near the Visitors Center where you can rent one. (but it is best to just leave everything in your car or tour bus.).

 

Once out to the Memorial, you can stay out there as long as you want. On our last trip last summer, we were fortunate to see an Arizona Survivor boarding the launch as we were returning. According to our launch pilot, he comes every Sunday to salute his fallen comrades. There are only about 19-21 (got two different answers from two different Park Rangers) survivors left. Arizona/Pearl Harbor Survivors do not need tickets and can go out to the Memorial anytime they want on the next launch.

Wow! You offered a lot of info. Thanks so much. And thanks for clarifying whether we can choose a later time or not--We shouldn't count on it.

It would indeed be neat to meet one of the survivors--how generous of them to offer their time to talk to visitors.

[DAGVBSB]

Wow! You offered a lot of info. Thanks so much. And thanks for clarifying whether we can choose a later time or not--We shouldn't count on it.

It would indeed be neat to meet one of the survivors--how generous of them to offer their time to talk to visitors.

 

Actually, we didn't get to talk to the survivor. He was on the launch heading out to the Memorial as we were heading back to the Visitor's Center. But our boat had to wait until the got on board and his launch pulled away for us to park so we got to see him boarding the ship. He was escorted by what appeared to be a high ranking naval officer and when he reached the boat, all the passengers on both launches gave him a standing ovation.

 

It would have been really neat to have been on the other launch and gone out to the Memorial with him.

 

The Park Rangers were the ones we talked to. They love to answer questions about the Memorial. (the Navy seamen running the launches aren't as much into answering questions, so ask the Rangers.). Those are the ones that told us the story of the survivor.