How much Time to Spend in Honolulu PreCruise

[BostonGal35]

Our ship sails on a Thursday at 5pm.  We are folks that like to arrive to port early and board ASAP so really Thursday is a wash for us with really no time to sightsee.

We will be flying in from Massachusetts.  If we fly Tuesday, that would give us Tuesday evening and all day Wednesday.  Is that enough to see Honolulu highlights, specifically Pearl Harbor?  Or should we fly Monday and give ourselves 2 full days?   We dont have a post cruise opportunity as we are on a sail that ends in Vancouver BC.

[CruiserBruce]

You could spend days seeing the sights on Oahu...

 

Pearl Harbor can easily be most of a day, if you look at all the sights there...Arizona, Missouri, the museum, the sub, and related stuff. Depends on your interests.

[Beachiekeen]

Our cruise was on a Saturday (and like you, we like to board early, although we did hike Diamond Head that morning), and we arrived on a Wednesday.  So we had 2 full days, I wish we would have had 3.  We did Pearl Harbor Thursday, circle island tour on Friday, and I would have LOVED just one more day to hike Diamond Head and then relax and do nothing.

 

Tuesday is a wash also, you will check into the hotel and have dinner, if that, it is a very long travel day and your body clock will be all out of whack.  So you really only have one day.  I would fly in Monday if that is possible for you.

Edited February 4, 2020 by Beachiekeen

[TwinMamainMN]

We are arriving on Friday and sail out on Tuesday. We like to board the ship early on embarkation day, so basically we have 3 full days on Oahu.

 

We will do all the Pearl Harbor stuff on one day (Arizona, battleship, submarine, and aviation museum. We are history buffs.) The other two days, we have rented a car, and will use it to drive around the island on our own, stopping to see what we want, watching people surf the North Shore, etc.

[princeton123211]

On 2/4/2020 at 8:04 AM, BostonGal35 said:

If we fly Tuesday, that would give us Tuesday evening and all day Wednesday.  Is that enough to see Honolulu highlights, specifically Pearl Harbor?

Thats enough to quickly see things but not enough to do it at a leisurely pace or build in some beach time.

 

As others have mentioned, Pearl Harbor comprises many different things. There is the Arizona Memorial which most consider to be THE thing to see at Pearl Harbor. The boat trip out to the memorial and the museums you go through before it can take a couple hours and the tickets are timed (so plan ahead).

 

If you add on the USS Missouri and USS Bowfin submarine-- you'll need to plan more time-- 2-3 hours depending on the onboard tour(s) you choose. Personally, with limited time in Hawaii, you can see any of her Iowa Class sister ships preserved in Norfolk or Philadelphia, much closer to you. 

 

On 2/4/2020 at 8:04 AM, BostonGal35 said:

Or should we fly Monday and give ourselves 2 full days?   We dont have a post cruise opportunity as we are on a sail that ends in Vancouver BC.

If you are asking the question, you most likely have a nagging feeling already that you'll want more time ultimately in Hawaii. Why run the chance of regretting it when you're there? Just come in Monday and it will give you more time to see what you want to see, but more importantly slow down to embrace the aloha and grab a mai tai on the beach. 

[KeepCalmBearOn]

One or two days is nowhere near long enough. One day, you can do Pearl Harbor. If you have two days, maybe a day to see the North Shore, but to do Oahu (Honolulu) justice, you need a week.

[WatchHill]

Having flown from Boston, by the time we arrived in Honolulu, we were ready for serious sleep. Our flight left about 6: am, transfer at DFW, and traffic from the airport to our hotel [Hyatt Regency]. Once we checked in, we took a quick nap, then got a light meal, trying to stay awake. So, first day was a dud. We did 5 nights before our cruise and could have added another day or two. One full day at the PCC, another day exploring the North Shore, visited a botanical garden, Dole Plantation, then hiking Diamond Head, full day at Pearl Harbor and visit the Punch Bowl where my Mom's brother is buried. Beach time, checking out the dining venues, exploring the communities and elegant homes, visit the Palace and local Zoo.  If you have to make that long a flight, IMO, make it worth while and spend as much time as you can spare checking out the island. 

 

Darcy

[Trueblueky]

A day at Pearl Harbor

A day driving around the island (stop at Diamondhead early before parking fills up, watch the surfers, Dole)

A day downtown (see the palace, "5-0 headquarters" and such), spend some time at Waikiki, maybe shop, lunch in Chinatown

Edited February 14, 2020 by Trueblueky

[jagoffee]

On 2/4/2020 at 7:04 AM, BostonGal35 said:

Our ship sails on a Thursday at 5pm.  We are folks that like to arrive to port early and board ASAP so really Thursday is a wash for us with really no time to sightsee.

We will be flying in from Massachusetts.  If we fly Tuesday, that would give us Tuesday evening and all day Wednesday.  Is that enough to see Honolulu highlights, specifically Pearl Harbor?  Or should we fly Monday and give ourselves 2 full days?   We dont have a post cruise opportunity as we are on a sail that ends in Vancouver BC.

Is this your first visit to Honolulu?

If yes, I would fly in on Monday and leave you two full days.  You will need to prioritize and experience a few highlights.  
I would suggest a hotel on Waikiki for the experience (depending on your budget)

[Tutone56]

Did you have enough time to hike Diamond Head before checking out of your hotel on Saturday?  I was thinking of doing that so we could get back to the room and clean up before boarding the ship?

[princeton123211]

11 minutes ago, Tutone56 said:

Did you have enough time to hike Diamond Head before checking out of your hotel on Saturday?  I was thinking of doing that so we could get back to the room and clean up before boarding the ship?

You should have enough time-- they open at 6am. Just Uber over from your hotel to the trailhead. Its not long in distance but its a considerable climb-- not super difficult but can be challenging for some. Takes at least 2 hours-- can take more if there are a bunch of people on it. I would budget 3 hours to give yourself some time up there and time to get back to your hotel. 

[Tutone56]

1 hour ago, princeton123211 said:

You should have enough time-- they open at 6am. Just Uber over from your hotel to the trailhead. Its not long in distance but its a considerable climb-- not super difficult but can be challenging for some. Takes at least 2 hours-- can take more if there are a bunch of people on it. I would budget 3 hours to give yourself some time up there and time to get back to your hotel. 

Great, thanks.

[Beachiekeen]

We left our hotel around 5:30 am to hike Diamond Head and were back at the hotel by 8 am having breakfast. We made it to the top by 6:30 for sunrise. We left at 10:30 am for the port.

Edited February 15, 2020 by Beachiekeen