Uber/Lyft availability, Kauai cruise terminal to Eleele boat tour

[ChiefMateJRK]

We'll be in Hawaii in April on the Spirit.  The ship docks at 8:00 AM and overnights.  We're planning to take a Napali Coast boat tour that leaves from Eleele (18 miles, 30 minutes away) at 1:15.  Uber/Lyft is pricing out at $50 - $100.  Has anybody had problems getting an Uber/Lyft at this terminal?  We should have plenty of time if there is a wait.  I am also hoping that somebody can confirm Uber/Lyft return availability from Eleele at around 6:00 PM.  Thanks.

 

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[princeton123211]

2 hours ago, ChiefMateJRK said:

We're planning to take a Napali Coast boat tour that leaves from Eleele (18 miles, 30 minutes away) at 1:15.  Uber/Lyft is pricing out at $50 - $100.  Has anybody had problems getting an Uber/Lyft at this terminal?  We should have plenty of time if there is a wait.  I am also hoping that somebody can confirm Uber/Lyft return availability from Eleele at around 6:00 PM.

The short answer is that they exist, they're great when it works, but Uber anywhere in Hawaii except for Honolulu is spotty and not 100% reliable. Maui has a decent amount but wait times can be substantial at peak times, like 6pm. Kauai has much less than Maui and it can be spotty. This isn't meant to sounds vague but it can work well and then be non existent a few hours later and there's no way to predict. Local taxis can be called to fill in the gaps. 

[KeepCalmBearOn]

On 3/21/2024 at 12:02 PM, ChiefMateJRK said:

Has anybody had problems getting an Uber/Lyft at this terminal?

 

YES. EVERYONE.

 

There are only 70 Ubers on the entire island and that is to serve the North, South and East Kauai. If you want to get someplace without a rental car, pre-arrange a driver/shuttle to get to Eleele.

 

And I would REALLY not plan on easily finding an Uber easily at 6PM at Port Allen/Eleele. That is way South/West on Kauai.

 

And I'd also say the drive is closer to 45 minutes, maybe a bit longer.

 

If the ship is overnighting at Nawiliwili, rent a car from Avis. They send a van to the port.

[Maverick!]

There is also the Turo option - we had the car delivered to us at the port, which we took to Eleele and used to tour around after the boat tour. Then we conveniently dropped the car off at the port on our return. 

Edited March 31 by Maverick!

[StormySeas]

if we use the Turo option or Avis, approximately how much is the car rental for the day?

 

Edited April 6 by StormySeas

[princeton123211]

12 hours ago, StormySeas said:

if we use the Turo option or Avis, approximately how much is the car rental for the day?

It’s all dynamic pricing and also dependent on type of vehicle- you need to plug your dates into each website to find out costs. No fixed pricing. 

[Halehuaka_i]

I have taken Uber from the Līhuʻe airport to my home near Poʻipū and it cost about $50, so to ʻEleʻele would probably be around $75. It appears the Uber drivers hang out near the airport, so you should be able to get one fairly easily. For the return, I would prebook a taxi, you can google Kauaʻi Taxi for contact info.

The Turo option would be better if the car can be dropped to the port. It would give you some flexibility to explore before the Nāpali Tour. It’s dynamic pricing, but should be about $100.

And the Nāpali tour is really special!

[KeepCalmBearOn]

2 hours ago, Halehuaka_i said:

I have taken Uber from the Līhuʻe airport to my home near Poʻipū and it cost about $50, so to ʻEleʻele would probably be around $75. It appears the Uber drivers hang out near the airport, so you should be able to get one fairly easily.

 

When did you last take Uber from LIH? In my last three, post Covid Hawaii cruises, Uber/Lyft has neigh on impossible to get at Nawiliwili. One of the cruises we hadn't planned to do anything on Kauai, but my father decided he wanted to go to Walmart to buy some more supplies he needed. When we got down to the taxi stand area, the line was an hour or more and zero Ubers responded to my request. Luckily there were neighbors of my father's on the same cruise already in line and they were heading to Walmart too.

 

To get back I grabbed a driver as they were dropping someone off, who turned out to be a licensed tour operator and Uber driver. Seeing my elderly father, she took pity on us and drove us back to Nawiliwili before picking up her pre-arranged group. She explained how few Uber drivers there were on the island and how few licensed cabs, post Covid.

 

That was an April 2023 cruise and when I went back in Oct 2023, it didn't seem things had improved, but I had rented a car from Avis that trip so we could go to Hanapepe and Poʻipū.

[Halehuaka_i]

You are correct, https://boards.cruisecritic.com/profile/53697-keepcalmbearon/, when a cruise ship is in port there is more demand and availability with Uber. In which case Turo or other car rentals would work. But plan ahead! You are still competing with the other passengers for rentals, and booking software will adjust prices accordingly.

[ChiefMateJRK]

On 4/12/2024 at 2:39 PM, Halehuaka_i said:

For the return, I would prebook a taxi, you can google Kauaʻi Taxi for contact info.

Thank you very much for this info.  We're booking Kauai Taxi both ways.  I'm sure there are cheaper alternatives, but I'm on vacation and this will work.😎

[ChiefMateJRK]

On 3/31/2024 at 8:58 AM, Maverick! said:

There is also the Turo option - we had the car delivered to us at the port, which we took to Eleele and used to tour around after the boat tour.

 

On 4/12/2024 at 2:39 PM, Halehuaka_i said:

The Turo option would be better if the car can be dropped to the port. It would give you some flexibility to explore before the Nāpali Tour.

Thanks for the recommendations.  We generally enjoy our Bloody Mary's with breakfast and the boat tour serves cocktails (included), so driving is out of the question.  The rep at Kauai Taxi has been great to work with so it should be very enjoyable.

 

Lesson learned: the tour website indicates 1:15 check-in and four to five hour duration.  I called them (fortunately) and was told that while they begin check-in at 1:15, the boat actually sails at 2:00 - 2:30.  They time the return for sunset, which is 7:01 PM.  So, while I originally scheduled the return pick up for 6:30, I had to push it back to 7:30.