Bus to Pearl Harbor?

[nagsheadbound]

Does anyone know anything about taking the bus from the cruise ship to Pearl Harbor? Will we have to transfer from one bus to another?

[whale-watcher]

Does anyone know anything about taking the bus from the cruise ship to Pearl Harbor? Will we have to transfer from one bus to another?

don't know about the public transport, but the grayline tours bus trip from cruise ship was only $12 per person for both transportaion (from pier to PH and then through Honolulu to either Waikiki or the Airport) as well as free and secure luggage and purse/backpack storage. It would be hard to beat this for both price and convenience.

[beachchick]

Here's a link to The Bus website. It has comprehensive route maps and schedules. I don't think you'll need to transfer, but I'm not positive. We've not had to transfer when going from PH to Waikiki, but there are several buses which do similar routes.

 

http://www.thebus.org/

 

I assume you're talking about a day trip off the ship, rather than disembarking and bringing all your luggage with you? As an FYI, you can't bring luggage on The Bus. That's why I wanted to clarify what your needs are.

 

beachchick

[nagsheadbound]

We will be on Pride of Aloha 3/26. Ship departs 3/27 and we will be returning our rental car on 3/26. Thought someone might know if we could walk to thebus and return somewhere close enough for a nice lunch and then be back to board around 4:00pm. We will have already left our luggage on board.

[CC Help Michell]

Post number one in this thread -- http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=700542&highlight=bus+pearl+harbor -- is from someone who just did this and called it a mistake, due to the number of stops involved. However, she was at a Waikiki hotel precruise, rather than coming from the pier, so perhaps you wouldn't have the same experience (1 hr, 10 min. one way ride). To answer your question, I do think it's do-able (though your lunch plans might become mid-afternoon snack plans, or grab a bite on the ship plans, depending on how long you spend at Pearl Harbor).

[nagsheadbound]

Michell,

Thanks for the link. Sounds like too much trouble and time for us to use thebus. On another note, we've read and loved your review of your cruise and have another question. We booked Fair Winds and got a response from them today saying they would not confirm our reservation due to the fact we were on the Pride of Aloha and would not have enough time to get to their dock. I know you did this and was wondering if you got the same e-mail and if so, how did you convince them that you had adequate time to arrive. They claim there is no refund if we miss the 8:30 time frame.:)

[CC Help Michell]

Michell,

Thanks for the link. Sounds like too much trouble and time for us to use thebus. On another note, we've read and loved your review of your cruise and have another question. We booked Fair Winds and got a response from them today saying they would not confirm our reservation due to the fact we were on the Pride of Aloha and would not have enough time to get to their dock. I know you did this and was wondering if you got the same e-mail and if so, how did you convince them that you had adequate time to arrive. They claim there is no refund if we miss the 8:30 time frame.:)

 

Mahalo for the kind compliment. We booked (and paid for) Fair Wind knowing that if for some reason we missed the port at Kona, or were delayed in tendering, we would lose our money. The company was very honest about that when I called (I didn't use email/online reservations for this one). I didn't actually have to "convince" them -- I'd read here that they didn't like to accept ship passengers, but when I said we'd be on the ship, he just said "oh, ok, let me make sure you understand our cancellation policy," and then he explained it. With that in mind, we took their cancellation policy (it was 24 hours then) very much to heart, and made a go-no go decision the day before based on the weather reports, etc.

 

We arrived on station at Kona prior to 7:00 AM, and the tenders began leaving very promptly; we got early tender tickets and arrived at the Fair Wind offices around 7:50 or so via cab. Perhaps your itinerary is a bit different and you don't start tendering until later on the Pride of Aloha? I've seen many reports of folks doing the Fair Winds from the ship successfully since our cruise, so I know it's do-able. I'd advise you to call and talk to them about it instead of trying it via email (assuming your ship is scheduled on station at 7:00 AM).

 

Have a great cruise, and hope that helps!

[nagsheadbound]

Michell,

Again many thanks for your input. We did call Fair Winds and they advised us of their policy. We decided to chance it and book anyway due to the fact that this cruise leaves during Easter week and we didn't want to miss out if they filled up. We are scheduled to be in Kona by 7am and hopefully we will be on one of the first tenders. Do they take NCL booked excursions first? It sounds like from yours and other CC posters that we will have plenty of time if we are diligent in getting an early tender. We are bringing our own snokeling equipment for other islands, I assume we should use Fair Winds equipment, but I'm sure you can answer that also. I very much appreciate all your input as I'm trying to make this a stress free vacation and have waited over 30 yrs to go to Hawaii. Thanks for your help

Arlene:) :) :)

[CC Help Michell]

Michell,

Again many thanks for your input. We did call Fair Winds and they advised us of their policy. We decided to chance it and book anyway due to the fact that this cruise leaves during Easter week and we didn't want to miss out if they filled up. We are scheduled to be in Kona by 7am and hopefully we will be on one of the first tenders. Do they take NCL booked excursions first? It sounds like from yours and other CC posters that we will have plenty of time if we are diligent in getting an early tender. We are bringing our own snokeling equipment for other islands, I assume we should use Fair Winds equipment, but I'm sure you can answer that also. I very much appreciate all your input as I'm trying to make this a stress free vacation and have waited over 30 yrs to go to Hawaii. Thanks for your help

Arlene:) :) :)

 

Arlene, that's about how long I waited to go to Hawaii, too, so I completely "get it!" :)

 

The way the tenders worked on our cruise is that technically the suite pax and those on NCL booked excursions do have "priority" for tenders. Again, on our cruise, which is all I can address, the way it worked in practice was that at 7:00 AM when the crew began handing out tender tickets, those who were on early NCL excursions were still assembling in the Stardust Lounge for a 7:30 AM departure from the ship, and if we saw any suite pax using their priority rights at that hour, they didn't advertise it and we didn't know it.

 

On equipment, I ALWAYS use my own snorkel at a minimum. For Hawaii, we also brought our own gear including short power fins, which is always our preference. Since you will already have your own gear, why not use it? That said, the crew of the FW did a great job fitting folks, they had vaseline for the "beard/mustache problem," and when my SO's mask broke a fitting during our snorkel they refitted him quickly with one of theirs with no problem.

 

I'm all about the stress-free too, but remember there are no guarantees. Here's how I handled the stress factor for this excursion (and I remember it well, because this day caused me by FAR the most angst while planning our Hawaii cruise vacation). I booked Fair Winds after my research and sternly told myself to "forget it" until about 1.5 days ahead (to cancel if we had to). On that day I talked to the ship's desk, viewed weather reports, got on the web to see what weather was predicted for Kona -- and decided not to cancel... then I sternly "forgot it" again.

 

The night before I warned my SO that the next morning would be early, because our tushes WERE going to be wherever tender tix were handed out, ready to get onboard, 15 minutes before the time stated in our Daily (be aware your entire party must be present to pick up tender tix). When we arrived in the lobby at 6:45 AM there were about 30 people total, we all got tickets and tendered, and we were ashore at Kona by 7:35 AM. From there to the Fair Wind office by cab was easy then (do arrange with your cab driver to pick you up after your snorkel trip -- they are familiar with FW and her schedule, and it shouldn't be a problem).

 

Again, hope that helps, particularly the last 2 paragraphs -- make your plans, do your research, and warn your group that on that day they just will have to be ready very early. Then try to forget it until it's time to cancel or not. If all goes well, it will be fine and I'm sure you will love your day. :)

 

One caveat here... if your group has that ONE person who is going to take their own sweet time no matter what, and "hurry" isn't in their vocabulary... I'm really not sure I'd book this excursion with them. I've done that with a friend of ours before in a similar situation, and darned near had a heart attack while she applied full makeup, including false eyelashes, for a snorkel trip -- she wasn't going to snorkel, just sunbathe, so she said "I have to look good!" :rolleyes: We arrived at our snorkel boat 8 minutes before it sailed. I will NEVER do that again, but hopefully that isn't your situation.

[nagsheadbound]

Michell, many thanks for all your suggestions. We will take our own gear but don't have "short fins" can you explain or give suggestions where to purchase? Also, did you just get a cab at the pier in Kona and ask him/her to pick up back up after Fair Winds? We've gotten #'s from several cab companies but would prefer to just grab when we we get off the tender.

Also plan to walk around Kona after FairWinds so I' d appreciate suggetions for drop off upon return. Sorry to be such a pest but I value your input.

Arlene:)

[CC Help Michell]

Michell, many thanks for all your suggestions. We will take our own gear but don't have "short fins" can you explain or give suggestions where to purchase? Also, did you just get a cab at the pier in Kona and ask him/her to pick up back up after Fair Winds? We've gotten #'s from several cab companies but would prefer to just grab when we we get off the tender.

Also plan to walk around Kona after FairWinds so I' d appreciate suggetions for drop off upon return. Sorry to be such a pest but I value your input.

Arlene:)

 

I don't mind helping when I can, so ask away! :) Short fins (ours are by Body Glove) are just shorter, wider fins -- they are smaller and lighter weight than traditional-length fins, and easier to travel with. Some call them power fins or compeller fins. Here's a link to give you some idea -- http://www.amazon.com/Body-Glove-Compeller-Snorkeling-AUTHORIZED/dp/B0010CSO00/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&s=sporting-goods&qid=1201905816&sr=1-4

 

We just got our cab at the pier in Kona, and on the way asked him to meet us at the FW office after our snorkel. He said sure, and gave us a card (I don't have it any more, sorry, I did look) in case he wasn't there when we docked. He wasn't there, so we called the number on the card (it was his cell) and he said "yep, just dropped a fare nearby and on my way" -- he arrived within five minutes.

 

We didn't want to spend time shopping and walking around the town (okay, inaccurate -- we wanted to, but the day after our sunrise bike ride on Maui we just weren't able to! :) ), so we had our driver drop us back at the pier. Otherwise, I'd have had him drop us when the shopping area along Ali'i Drive began and we'd have walked and shopped our way back -- it would be easy to do (but you would have to carry your snorkel gear along with you -- which might be a reason to use FW's equipment, come to think of it).

 

Hope that helps!

[beachchick]

We have US Divers Shredder split fins. They're power/compeller/whatever-you-want-to-call-them fins. They fit in our suitcase easily, don't weigh too much, are comfortable, and have more power with less effort than most of the full-length regular fins we had used before.

 

beachchick