Seeing the Arizona

[getaway101]

Is it possible to just walk off the ship and grab a cab to Peal Harbor? Are the cabs plentiful? Is there a better suggestion?

Seems like most of the the tours leave at 6:30-6:45 and our ship doesn't even arrive until 7.

[NeoJava]

Cabs are readily available at the port. If you head straight to the Memorial from the ship as soon as it docks you'll be in good shape. Here's a cut/paste from the Arizona Memorial Museum Association webpage:

 

"The VC is open 7:30 am to 5:00 pm, seven days a week except New Years Day, Thanksgiving and Christmas. Tours begin about every 15 minutes from 8:00 am to 3:00 pm. The tour programs are free and new, souvenir tickets are available on a first-come, first-served basis. Each person must obtain their own ticket. During busy summer and winter holiday periods, it is recommended that you arrive at the VC before 12 noon. There are no age or size restrictions, but children under 5 years old must be accompanied by an adult. Appropriate dress is required, no swimwear or bare feet."

 

SO GET THERE AT 7:30am for tickets for the 8am tour. As noted on the above quote, the tours END at 5pm BUT during busy months if you don't get there BY NOON for a ticket, you probably won't make a tour. (5 HOUR WAIT IS POSSIBLE!!)

[Nancyquilts]

When you get your ticket, you'll know how long you have to wait. There is a good museum right there that's good for a while (and standing in line for the rest room - especially if you're female - will take quite a while too). Nancy

[Minnehaha]

We were in Hawaii last week, and there were plenty of cabs at the Honolulu pier (near the Aloha Tower). Perhaps our visit was at a good time, because we really didn't have a long wait. We arrived at about 11:30 a.m. on Thursday, and our ticket was for 12:45 - which was perfect because we had enough time to visit the museum and grab a snack.

On Friday, our adult son took a bus to the Arizona and arrived at 1:00 p.m. and basically had no wait at all. I suspect that most people arrive early and have a long wait - there was hardly anyone arriving when we got there and so had a very enjoyable visit.

 

I'd recommend the audio headset ($5.00) - we thought it added to the museum visit especially. Also, no bags (purses, camera cases, fanny packs) of any kind. It cost I think $3.00 to store your bag.

[ehough]

As far as the museum visit, be prepared to wait in a looong line to get into the museum if you go with the audio headset. We did not go for the headset and instead were able to walk into the museum from the "back" of the museum instead of waiting in the really really long line of people with headsets. Sure, we kind of went through it backwards that way, but it was much better than waiting for all those people to finish listening to all of the exhibits. I'm personally not a fan of having headsets in such small museums for that very reason- it backs everyone up when you have that many people listening to their headsets for every display.

[Minnehaha]

Sounds like you need to be prepared for long lines but be pleasantly surprised when you glide through. Yes, there were lot of people in the musuem, but we had no waits for anything...no lines at all! Didn't need to wait even once to get close enough to see an exhibit.

 

We didn't go to the Big Mo, and I fell asleep in the movie before you get on the boat.

 

Best of luck,

Deb

[Meema1098]

I totally disagree with ehough about the headsets. I can't imagine going through the museum without them. The narrative is very informative, and describes each exhibit while you are viewing it. Some of the narrators are the survivors themselves. It is a very touching description of each stop in the museum. Very informative and well worth the $5 charge. We did not experience any lines or wait times for people while they were listening to the headsets. If there was a crowded exhibit, you can just skip ahead to one not so busy, and then go back to the one you missed. The headsets are very easy to use and afford you the opportunity to skip around to whatever exhibit you are viewing. Don't do the museum without them!!!

[ehough]

Please note I didn't say the headsets wouldn't be worthwhile- I just said with the setup of the museum it was chaos with all of the people using them. I don't know if it was a specific exhibit that was backed up- it looked like just a line to get into the museum itself. I can't believe other posters haven't seen lines- we're talking from the entrance of the museum all the way back to almost the door to get into the Visitors Center itself. So, if you do go with a headset, just prepared to wait a looong time. If you don't have to, great. But be prepared. And if you don't go with a headset, you can go in the back of the museum to avoid the line of people waiting to listen to each exhibit. I just think the setup plus the headsets is the problem- I'm sure the headsets are quite informational.

[getaway101]

Thank you everyone for all the adivce.

 

We recently went to Alcatraz while on the Alaska Repo cruise and used the headsets there. We have also used them at the Biltmore Hotel in Ashville, NC and a few other places.

Personally, they are my favorite way of doing these types of exhibits.

We aren't in a hurry.

 

Thanks again.

[Romy40]

The tickets are FREE?

Princess charges about $100 for this excursion!

Jeepers!

Clearly taking a cab and doing it on your own is the way to go.

[CC Help Michell]

The tickets are FREE?

Princess charges about $100 for this excursion!

Jeepers!

Clearly taking a cab and doing it on your own is the way to go.

 

This comes as a big shock to some, yes. :) When you pay a company for a "Pearl Harbor tour" you are paying for transportation. The tickets to the Arizona Memorial are free, and are first come-first served and everybody has to wait in line for their own tickets. Now, that said, some tours also include tickets to the Missouri or Bowfin (those do have a per person cost), and may include a "sightseeing" tour of Honolulu -- usually a drive-by of Punchbowl, Iolani Palace, the King Kamehaha statue, etc. It's up to you to consider how many people you have and whether a tour is worth it, price wise.

[getaway101]

Does anyone know approximately how much a cab cost from the pier?