Helicopter Rides through NCL

[sjmbruce]

I'll be on the POA in Hawaii in April and I'd like to do a helicopter ride on one of the islands.

How are the helicopter excursions through NCL? Is someone going to be stuck sitting in a middle seat without the opportunity to take some nice pictures?

Any information on NCL helicopter excursions would be great! I'd also be open to independent helicopter excursion suggestions.

Thanks!

[SeaShark]

I'll be on the POA in Hawaii in April and I'd like to do a helicopter ride on one of the islands.

How are the helicopter excursions through NCL? Is someone going to be stuck sitting in a middle seat without the opportunity to take some nice pictures?

Any information on NCL helicopter excursions would be great! I'd also be open to independent helicopter excursion suggestions.

Thanks!

 

Tons of info on this over on the Hawaii boards. The bigger issue is really picking the right island for your tour...and weather is ALWAYS a factor.

 

I've done the POA twice now...my hands down recommendation for an aerial tour would actually be: http://www.wingsoverkauai.com/

 

The Grand Deluxe Tour in the AirVan can't be beat, Kauai is the perfect island for an aerial tour, and EVERYBODY gets a window. (And the price isn't bad either).

[sjmbruce]

thanks for the recommendation! after some advice on the hawaii board and research online, i have decided that kauai is definitely the place for a flight. i hadn't even considered a plane, but those prices are definitely a tie breaker. did you get some good pictures on your flight?

[pieshops]

do not book through NCL, Book on your own, it is very easy and you will save a lot of money. Blue Hawaii is a big operator but there are many other. Some allow you to pay a bit extra not to be stuck in the middle and some also have the doors off ( these are the Magnum PI type copters). You can buy a hawaii entertainment book, there are some really good coupons for the copters in there

[FranknBeans]

We don't normally book any excursion though the cruise line bu for our helicopter rides over Hilo and Kuaui we did. While it was approx $50 more than booking direct NCL had a better cancellation policy than the heli company.

 

I too give a vote to Kauai.

[SeaShark]

thanks for the recommendation! after some advice on the hawaii board and research online, i have decided that kauai is definitely the place for a flight. i hadn't even considered a plane, but those prices are definitely a tie breaker. did you get some good pictures on your flight?

 

Got great photos...and they also give you a video! :D

[SeaShark]

I was able to get the front seat....

 

 

 

Wiamea Canyon Shot...

 

 

 

Wailua Falls...

 

 

 

Pride of America...

 

[wrmiles]

We booked independently in Hilo and flew over the live volcano, which was pretty impressive.

 

Seating and views will depend on the type of helicopter. We were in an MD500 which had two passengers and the pilot in front and two passengers in back. The front middle passenger still had a good view out the front.

 

The cab to the airport was pretty expensive for the distance.

[punkincc]

There are several recent threads on the Hawaii board with discussion of the plane vs helicopter tours. For the people who recommend the plane tours, the lower price seems to have been the deciding factor, not the experience itself. I don't think I have ever seen a single person who did a copter tour say it was not worth the additional money spent.

 

One of the Heli tour websites has a "why helicopter over a plane" explanation. It boils down to the heli can fly much lower and closer to what you want to see. They can hover and make tight turns. You are not flying over the canyon in a heli you are down in it. You do not fly over the volcano in a Heli, you fly down inside it. Some of them even land at the foot of the falls. Sometimes, you do get what you pay for. It is like being on a thrill ride. Everyone has a good view with no obstructions. As far as taking pictures, I could not tear my eyes off the view long enough to snap any. That is what the video is for.

[Laszlo]

Helicopter tours are always much better than a plan ride, your lower slower and can land on a dime. Below is a video of our Vegas trip in August

 

 

https://vimeo.com/138387861