Anyone that has done the Lahaina On Your Own in Maui

[marcyjane]

Looking for someone that has done the "Lahaina On Your Own Tour" with NCL in Maui.

 

Just wondering how long you have to stay there and what times the shuttle bus takes you back to the ship.

 

Also booked our shore excurison for our May cruise to Hawaii on the NCL website today. Ship is in Maui for 2 days and we booked the Ocean Center & Iao Valley tour for we thought the 2nd day and then choose the Lahaina on your Own and it came up same time, same day. Just wondering why you can't do one on one day and the other the last day.

 

Any help or advice will be appreicated.

 

Thanks,

Marcy

[beachchick]

I can't tell you why the Lahaina On Your Own came up that way. I would think that it would be more popular on day 1 because you can stay later. Odd. Is it possible that you accidently booked the other excursions for day 1, rather than day 2? NCL has been having some "issues" with their online excursion booking too, so perhaps it is a system error. You might want to call to verify which excursions are offered on which days.

 

I can tell you that the shuttle goes to and from Lahaina several times during the day, rather than just once in the morning and then one pickup later. You have some flexibility. I don't know what time the last shuttle leaves Lahaina to return to the ship, but I know it's not later than 9 pm and is probably no later than 8 pm.

 

beachchick

[marcyjane]

Thank you all so much, just ran home for lunch and call NCL shore excursions and all is well the lady was super nice and fixed everything for me. She said they had two codes to choose from for day 1 & day 2, but maybe it was me I only saw one choice for the Lahaina on your own and 1 for the Ocean Center & Iao Valley.

 

Oh well like I said all is well now and my new confirmation is on it way by email. Did ask her about the shuttle coming back from Lahaina and is said it runs about every hour up til around 6:00pm.

 

Thank you all so much as always you cruise critic memebers help so much.

Thanks,

Marcy

[beachchick]

Terrific. I'm glad you got it all worked out. Have a lovely time.

 

beachchick

[marcyjane]

Thanks:)

Marcy

[POHherewecome!]

We did the "Lahaina On Your Own Tour" with NCL on the POH about 10 days ago. I was told there were two return times - first I was booked for (I think) a 1.30 pm return but changed this for a 5.30 pm return. I was not aware of there being more return times than these and I think I did ask. Also, I think you get a printed ticket for your return with the time on it and cant just change your mind when you are in Lahaina and stay longer or go back to the ship earlier.

[marcyjane]

Thanks, pohwerewecome

Just as with anything you get all kinds of answers on the shuttle return time. Even when you call the cruise lines direct. Like the lady at NCL shore excurisons desk told me she "thought" a shuttle ran about every hour.

Now I could call today and get another person that would tell me different.

But your information is real and first hand so that's why this board is so important to get the facts from experienced people who have been there done that!.

 

Thanks,

Marcy

[POHherewecome!]

That was my experience, at least. Perhaps they run more returns if more people take this excursion.

Just to let you know I also found it difficult to get accurate info from NCL on this subject before we left.

And if it helps, here's what we did:

I couldn't decide whether to do "Lahaina on Your Own" or "The Beach Day in Maui".

Thanks to great advice from Beachchick, we were able to do both.

We caught the "Lahaina on your own" shuttle and got off at the Flag Pole drop off (not Hilo Hatties). From there we walked past the big Banyan Tree to the Wharf Cinema Center across the road from the tree. At the back of this Center we caught a shuttle to Ka'anapali beach. It runs every hour and cost $1 each.

Here's a timetable for the shuttle:

www.lahainacannery.com/shuttle_schedule.html

The shuttle dropped us off at the Lahaina Wharf center, which is also a great place to walk around if you like shopping. This center is right on Ka'anapali beach. When we got to the beach, we turned right (when facing the sea) and walked towards the Sheraton. On the way, we found a kiosk that rented us a shaded beach chair that seats two and cost $16 for two hours. It was bliss and we unintentionally and unknowingly stayed longer than our two hours without the guys at the kiosk noticing or seeming to care.

We later caught the shuttle back to Lahaina and did some of the historic tour on our own. We started at the Baldwin Home which is about a block away from the Banyan Tree - and picked up a map there. We didn't manage to do the whole tour because we were rather tired and jetlagged at the time, but we also did some shopping around Lahaina. While waiting for the NCL tour shuttle back which left at 5.30, we went back to the restaurant at the Wharf Cinema Center and enjoyed cocktails at "Happy Hour" prices (much lower than on the cruise ship). At 5.30, we caught the shuttle back to the ship and I do believe that we had a great and varied day, seeing the best of both worlds.

[beachchick]

That was my experience, at least. Perhaps they run more returns if more people take this excursion.

 

Just to let you know I also found it difficult to get accurate info from NCL on this subject before we left.

 

And if it helps, here's what we did:

 

I couldn't decide whether to do "Lahaina on Your Own" or "The Beach Day in Maui".

 

Thanks to great advice from Beachchick, we were able to do both.

 

We caught the "Lahaina on your own" shuttle and got off at the Flag Pole drop off (not Hilo Hatties). From there we walked past the big Banyan Tree to the Wharf Cinema Center across the road from the tree. At the back of this Center we caught a shuttle to Ka'anapali beach. It runs every hour and cost $1 each.

 

Here's a timetable for the shuttle:

 

www.lahainacannery.com/shuttle_schedule.html

 

The shuttle dropped us off at the Lahaina Wharf center, which is also a great place to walk around if you like shopping. This center is right on Ka'anapali beach. When we got to the beach, we turned right (when facing the sea) and walked towards the Sheraton. On the way, we found a kiosk that rented us a shaded beach chair that seats two and cost $16 for two hours. It was bliss and we unintentionally and unknowingly stayed longer than our two hours without the guys at the kiosk noticing or seeming to care.

 

 

Are you sure that it wasn't Whaler's Village? That is the primary shopping/dining center on Ka'anapali beach where you can walk through and out to the beachwalk. I've never seen nor heard of Lahaina Wharf Center on Ka'anapali.

 

I'd be willing to bet that you're right about the number of shuttle runs changing based on how many pax booked the excursion. It would explain the different experiences and answers that circulate around.

 

beachchick

[POHherewecome!]

Beachchick, you are absolutely right. It is the Whalers Village at Ka'anapali Beach. My brain isn't working. I think I am still jetlagged. Sorry about the mistake.