Volcano Tour/Hilo, Hawaii

[AZJoanne]

Hi! Has anyone booked the Volcano Tour themselves? I noticed through NCL it is very pricey. If so, can you please give me info on this.

 

Thanks so much....

 

AZJoanne

[sassycruiser]

We rented a car at the airport and did it ourselves. It was very easy to find and we enjoyed it.

[jamminlion]

While you can certianly drive yourself to the park, and drive around the park, I would NOT venture out towards the lava without a guide.

 

Molten lava has it's own dangers - but the most dangerous part is the gasses that are expelled as well. There are tons of warnings about walking on the lava. It's easy to get lost....I'd bite the bullet and pay the NCL prices. At least with a guide you get the security of someone who know what to do and where to take you, as well as all the other insight they have and information they can give you.

 

7/02 NCL Wind - Alaska (honeymoon)

7/03 NCL Star -Hawaii (1st anniversary)

10/04 RCI Legend - Panama Canal (just because it's there)

[mountainhouse]

I saw a documentary shot recently where the lava meets the ocean. There were lots of folks there, and it was roped off. Unless you got way off the beaten path, I don't think there's much chance of problems. The Park Service is always very good about controlling these things. Stop at the Visitor Center first, and ask about where you can go and where you can't. http://www.nps.gov/havo/visitor/lava.htm

I'm hoping we'll get a look at all this from the ship.

[margu1241]

We have rented a car and bought this CD: http://www.roadtripshawaii.com/order-now.html

for our upcoming cruise. There was a thread on the old Ports of Call-Hawaii board (haven't checked to be sure that it carried over, but I would think that it has) that has a lot of good information about doing it yourself and most people think it would not be a problem. I imagine there will be so many people walking to the lava that it would be hard to get lost.

 

What irked me about NCL's prices is that the company they contract to do the Volcano tour sells tours online for at least half the price, but cannot sell them to people on days the cruise is in port. I know because I did a search and tried to book it myself and they told me no and gave me the reason. If I am going to pay a lot of money, I would prefer that it go to the tour operator, not to NCL.

 

I will post on the port of call thread when I get back.

 

Patty

[TexasAlexus]

We were there last week and we rented a car and toured ourselves. There were six of us and the cost would have been extremely high through NCL. It was very easy to get to and I liked not being cooped up in a tour bus. We got to see everything at our own pace. There is a ranger station at the location were you walk out to the lava flow and they give you all the needed information. There were tons of people walking along as a group out to the site. One thing to note is no one under the age of 9 is permitted to walk out there. We we very fortunate on our cruise as the lava was flowing well, and we got a great view as our ship passed by that evening. It was a beautiful sight!

[mare1045]

TexasAlexus,

How was your trip on the Wind? We are going to be sailing on the wind on 7/31/04, and are looking for more current reviews. Any input would be welcome.

Thanks

[sbcs5390]

TexasAlexus, that sounds amazing! I can't wait! If you have any other insights, I'd love to hear them!

 

-Brian

[sbcs5390]

Hmmm... maybe I should look into that. Thanks for the link.

 

-Brian

[cvm4739]

There are plenty of taxis at the port. I had pre-arranged a taxi tour. It costs about $200, BUT you can take up to 6 people (getting the cost down) and come and go at your own pace. Taxis line up right at the pier and you can negotiate a rate.

 

It was so much better than the shore excursions the Star offered last year. No real need to rent a car. The taxi even took me to Wal-Mart for inexpensive souveniers!

[sbcs5390]

Yay! Wal-Mart! We're going to be doing some last minute shopping there during our 4 night pre-cruise hotel stay in Honolulu!

[shellbelle11]

CVM, where did you go on the taxi tour, would you be able to go to the Volcano National Park?

Thanks :)

[laodell]

Be very careful booking air trips. My aunt and uncle were taking a tour of the volcano by air in a single engine piper in April. Their plane crashed in the lava bed and they were nearly killed. They are still not home because they are receiving treatments for burns and my aunt has a tracheotomy because of all the damage to her trachea due to inhaling the smoke. They found out that their tour guide had very little flight experience in Hawaii and the downdrafts there are quite bad. Make sure you ask questions about the safetly records and the experience of the flight crew before you book anything. I'm sure there are hundreds of flights a week that turn out just fine. Just be cautious.

[packslikecrazy]

My husband and I were in Hawaii 2 years ago and had rented a car too. We did the Volcano ourselves, and like your first response mentioned, it was easy to find and easy to get around; we also went last year and took the tour. The one thing I will say about tours (although a bit pricey) they really give you more info and insight than you will ever get on your own. I felt as though I was seeing it all for the first time. I think a "tour" is the better bet. Have a wonderful time

[Shellbelle28]

...and it was SO worth every penny!!! We went in a van with only eight people in the group and a guide. We were lucky, the lava was flowing while we were there, so the guide offered the option of blowing off everything else on the tour to go spend all our time on the volcano. It was AWESOME, I felt so glad that I was not one of the people on those big busses that just cruised around on the roads and stopped at a lookout and the museum. The guide was great fun and very knowlegeable. I would highly recommend doing this tour if you have the physical ability to walk a little distance on rough terrain and don't mind the heat.

[Another ship trip]

We went on the June 20th cruise and did the vocanoes park ourselves. If you book a tour through NCL, they will state that you will not see molten lava on this tour. Because of that, we did our own. So glad we did. Rented a car for the day and we went with another couple. Once you get to the hiking area and park, it is about a 4 mile round trip to where the lava is flowing. Yes, you must be careful. Wear long pants, sturdy shoes, and they even recommend gloves, though I didn't really see any. There were hundreds of people doing this on thier own that day. I misstepped just once and took a small tumble cutting my hand and bruising my knees. The bruising is still there. The volcanic material is or can be as sharp as glass if you fall so be aware that it is a chance you take. Most people are not klutzes like me, though, and don't fall. That's what you get for looking away for one second. One thing to consider is this: Once you are out where the lava is flowing under the surface of the hardened lava, it is extremely hot. If you were to fall in some spots, you could seriously burn yourself. Again, most do not have problems and it was certainly not a problem for anyone I observed but be aware. I did see kids out there in water shoes and that seemed really dumb to me. Also, regarding the ropes: I saw numerous people, excited at seeing a small lava drop, cross the ropes and venture a bit farther than they should. Don't let the excitement cause you to sacrifice safety. DO stop at the volcano station and watch the film before venturing out. There is a reference to people who have been seriously injured and have died when venturing too far. Overall, it was an awesome experience which I believe can easily be done on your own. It cost us only the cost of a car rental, the 10.00 fee, and gas. (and for me a small cut and a lump or two--but I got several more throughout the week with coral scrapes while diving and various other bonks--I am used to coming back from vacations with a little wear and tear though). We moved at a rapid clip across the rocks all the way out and back, especially since we had a driving rain on the way out. The nice thing was that by the time we got to the really hot part, our clothes were dried by the heat! So, yes it can...and apparently by the line of cars we had to pass on the way... is often done "on your own."

[MOMofONE]

to laodell - I was following the plight of your aunt & uncle and had not seen an update, so was happy to see your post. So sorry they are still being treated for their accident but Thank God they survived the crash.

 

to all - The flight was awesome and I highly recommend it. Price is listed at $89 per person for the volcano/waterfall 40 min. flight but we had an Entertainment Book coupon and the pilot charged only 1/2 price for my daughter so it was a HUGE savings compared to helicopter.

I flew with the same company, Island Hoppers, in their small Cessna, when we were in Hilo on June 26th. Our pilot was Dale and he had much experience as a pilot and a flight instructor - that really calmed the nerves prior to climbing in!

We then drove to the Nat'l Park and drove/hiked around - not enough time to fly and walk down to new lava flow, but was so cool to see from air, and then up close, the craters and old lava flows.

Note - the source of the lava (the active volcano Kilueua) is FAR from the Nat'l Park - only viewable by air.

MANY tour companies offer a Nat'l Park tour in small vans - make sure you ask if their itinerary suits your cruise port time, and includes viewing the lava flow.

[sassycruiser]

Your aunt and uncles crash was the reason why we didn't do the small plane experience in Hilo! I am glad to hear they are doing better.

 

We did a lot of reading and research before we went to Hawaii. Yes, maybe we did miss out on the guide, but the ability to stop at any formation that interested us and take our time was great. I personally thought the car was the way to go.

 

It is an experience not to be missed - however you decide is the right way for you.

[Isaac]

Just got back two days ago. We rented a car (Dollar-Jeep Grand Cherokee-$60). We could have gotten a compact for less, but felt like splurging. It's an easy drive, you can go at your own pace and do what you want. We hiked to the lava flow and with a little common sense, you'll probably make it back. The trails are pretty clearly marked with rope and road reflectors (not to mention the many other people you will see doing the same thing). We drove to the end of chain of craters road and hiked from there. Plenty of others did the same thing. It's about a 1.5 mile hike to the flowing lava (though this changes when the lava flow moves). It took us an hour each way. You don't have to outfit yourself with a ton of gear...some solid shoes are probably most important, though we saw people doing it in flip flops. I'd take water and snacks too. We saw the lava flowing into the sea. It was a dreary day so it wasn't super impressive (white steam doesn't contrast well with white clouds), but we felt it was well worth it. We had plenty of time to cruise around the area and check out the crater too. Did it all for about 25% of what the tour would have cost, we saw lava, and got to stop for a picture whenever we wanted. Have fun...

[Jeconk]

Although I did the tours through NCL's shore excursion desk for the June 20 cruise, it is the last time I will do it. They are extremely overpriced by NCL. I asked each tour driver if that particular tour could be taken by the general public and what the cost would be. In most cases the answer was yes, the tour was offered and cost A LOT LESS than NCL sold it for. The only danger that you run is not getting back to the ship on time. The ship will wait for passengers who are late on an NCL sponsored tour, but not for those late on their own tours. NCL is making a tidy little profit on most of their shore excursions I found out. The major tour companies to contact on the islands are Roberts Hawaii and Polynesian Adventure Tours. You can also contact many of the tour venues themselves and they will handle your transportation to their site. (The Fern Grotto boat tour operates their own shuttle busses). In addition, if you could put together your own group of 20-30 people, the tour companies will set-up an exclusive tour for you.

 

Another suggestion for those on the Pride of Aloha: Many of the tours meet in the Stardust Theatre in the rear of the ship and then they herd you to the front of the ship and down the elevators and off the ship in a large group. There you look for someone holding a sign for your particular tour. Very time consuming and "herding" is a good word for it. What we found was that you could skip the Stardust Theatre part of the meeting. Just go down on your own at the meeting time on your ticket and look for the person holding the sign for your tour. They will line you up and direct you to the proper busses and you will be one of the first ones on the busses, before the "herd" arrives. We did the Stardust thing the first couple of times, but then just began going directly to the pier. By the end of the week, we found many people were doing that. The one exception to this is on days that you have to tender to ports. (Kona) Since your tour is your tender ticket, you have to go with your group from the Stardust in order to get to the front of the tender line. On this day, they will take you down some back steps and through the crew areas on deck 3 to the tender area in order to avoid the non-tour people waiting for tenders.

[cnmiranda]

Thank you Jeconk for that very helpful bit of info re: meeting for tours. I vaguely remember this from my Dawn cruise several years ago. Your tip will save us a lot of "schlepping" around ;)

[Silver Striker]

We will be in Hilo on Sept 15th 2004. We want to do the helicopter tour of the volcano and also do a ground tour. Can we do these 2 things in one day? We will be there from 9am to 6pm when our ship departs. Any suggestions on a ground tour? Ship leaves at 6PM.

Thanks,

Silver Striker

[spleen93]

Doable. Depends on how quickly you get off the ship and get to your helicopter (assuming in the morning).

 

Spleen

[Sammy]

When going with a guide, the information they give you is certainly a plus. For those of you who would like to learn more but prefer to go it alone, like ourselves, I would highly recommend taking in the Ranger talk at the Visitor Center. It takes place outside by the large bas relief map of the Park and is done regularly. Very well-done and added a lot to my experience.

 

Sammy

[msufan90]

I read in an earlier post that children under 9 are not allowed to go to the lava area. I have a 5 year old and it sounds like even if she could make the 1.5 mile walk, she wouldn't be able to see the lava. Is this correct? Do you think the Park be interesting even if we couldn't see the lava?? What other things could we do in Hilo??

Thanks!

Kathy