And yet ANOTHER Pearl Harbor Question!

[trtllovr]

The entire vacation is planned except for this one day and its driving me nuts! We're getting off the POAl on Sunday and we'd like to go to Pearl Harbor asap and we're also renting a car for our post cruise stay. Do you think we should rent the car before or after PH? My only concern with renting it before PH is leaving our luggage in the car. But, if we were to take an excursion through a cheaper outside company where would our luggage go? Would NCL hold onto it for the day? TIA!

[dagtoking1]

From what I understand the parking lot is not theft proof, but there is a locker vendor in the parking lot where you can stow your luggage for a fee.

[Spikesgirl]

I know with Princess that you can disembark any time after they start calling for groups to leave. You need to be at Pearl Harbor extremely early to get tickets and they are often gone by 11 a.m. You might want to pick up your car, check into your hotel and go the next day (whatever you had planned for that day, slide into Sunday instead.

 

Another alternative might be to get off the ship, get your PH tickets and see what happens. Often your departure time is hours ahead, then have someone take the luggage to the hotel (if it's actually close enough to do that. Otherwise, I would advise the lockers, unless your car trunk is deep enough to take everything.

 

Hope some of this helps.

 

Charlie

[rjscott]

The personal item storage at the Visitor Center is a group of storage bins, not lockers. They have no means to store luggage. Most hotels will store your luggage until you checkin, so I would suggest hitting your hotel to drop the bags and head on over to PH.

[beachchick]

trtllovr: I think Spikesgirl is on to something regarding schedules. With the time it will take to get off the ship (even in the first group), getting the luggage, getting the rental car, and going to the hotel (in Waikiki I presume, which is the opposite direction from PH) to drop the luggage, it's likely to be late morning at least before you could get to PH. It's not certain, but it is likely that tix for the day could be gone by then. At the least, you'd probably have a long wait.

 

Have you considered doing it the next day? That way you could get there first thing in the morning.

 

It's true that the personal items storage at PH will not take or accomodate full size luggage. It's like checking your coat. You give them your bag, they give you a claim tag, you pay a couple of $ (don't remember how much). It's designed for purses, waistpacks, backpacks, camera cases, etc. (the "stuff" we all have with us during the day; none of which can be taken into the PH Memorial or buildings, or the USS Missouri tour; don't know about the Bowfin, but I'd say there too). So, it won't work for you to get off the ship early, get the car, load it up, and check luggage at PH. It's also not wise to leave it in the trunk (unless not one thing is visible in the car AND nothing you have could be damaged in the heat, such as meds or toiletries). Even then, I recommend against it.

 

If you are certain you want to do it that first day, then I suggest you get off the ship ASAP and immediately check your luggage right there at the pier. I don't know who handles it, but there are a few current threads about that you can search for. After you do PH and whatever else you want to do for the morning/afternoon, you can pick up your luggage at the pier storage and then head to your hotel for check-in.

 

Now, if your post-cruise stay is booked through NCL, I believe that they handle the luggage, so best to check with them. Also, I don't think it's NCL that handles the pier storage, but rather a private company.

 

Please do consider changing your schedule to do PH the next day (or any other day) if you can.

 

beachchick

[PegNRay]

The entire vacation is planned except for this one day and its driving me nuts! We're getting off the POAl on Sunday and we'd like to go to Pearl Harbor asap and we're also renting a car for our post cruise stay. Do you think we should rent the car before or after PH? My only concern with renting it before PH is leaving our luggage in the car. But, if we were to take an excursion through a cheaper outside company where would our luggage go? Would NCL hold onto it for the day? TIA!

You could do express check out from the ship (which means taking your own luggage off the ship) at 7:30am and then drop your luggage at your hotel before going to Pearl.

[trtllovr]

Oh thank you everyone, The only dilema is we are staying in a condo on the North Shore so sadly checking our luggage at our hotel is not a possibility. I think i'll call NCL and ask them if they check baggage because if not I will have to go with that other company.... unless I save PH for the day we leave but since we'll be staying on the NS it will be difficult to get there at the crack of dawn. Thank you very much for your advice!!!

[tinkerme1]

To the OP: Hi! First, distances are not that vast on the Island of Oahu, and your time may be better spent relaxing and getting into the condo, after picking up your car. Refresh, relax, and the next day, get in the car early and drive over to Pearl Harbor launching area. There is so much to do there, including taking a tour of the Bowfin submarine, the Mighty Mo and the Pearl Harbor Memorial and museums, that it can easily take 1/2 day or more to do everything. It is such a wonderful experience. This way, your luggage will be in the condo, your rental car will be safe in the parking lot, and you'll be ready to take in the whole experience.:D This is something NOT to be missed!

[Cruisecontroler]

Either way, it sounds like Celia's plan would work well.

 

We've been debating the same thing. Our post stay is for 2 nights in Honolulu, but like you, one of our goals is not only to see PH in our area, but to maybe spend a good amount of time at the P Culture Center. That means quite a hike to get there and the time to spend there, and the return trip.

 

Another odd thought...what if PH is depressing? Should it really be the last thing to do on a Hawaiian vacation?

 

Barb

[tinkerme1]

Either way, it sounds like Celia's plan would work well.

 

We've been debating the same thing. Our post stay is for 2 nights in Honolulu, but like you, one of our goals is not only to see PH in our area, but to maybe spend a good amount of time at the P Culture Center. That means quite a hike to get there and the time to spend there, and the return trip.

 

Another odd thought...what if PH is depressing? Should it really be the last thing to do on a Hawaiian vacation?

 

Barb

 

Barb, I can understand how it might seem "odd" to see PH as the last stop on your vacation. Personally, it was the most fascinating, special, thought-provoking, experience I would ever want to take away from Honolulu. It is just "that special". Probably the most important thing you take from this place is the significance of the event and the men who served. Obviously, you can't do everything in two days, but I would definitely want to be rested up from the cruise before embarking on visiting Pearl Harbor.

 

BTW, the PCC is worth a whole day of visiting. Maybe extend your vacation by one day? We had three days in Honolulu and felt that was enough time for everything we wanted to do. If this isn't possible, then maybe save the PCC for another trip?