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Honolulu frequently serves as the gateway for cruise ships sailing to and around the Hawaiian islands. If you have time before, during, or after your cruise, Oahu offers an array of fun experiences so you can enjoy your tropical vacation to the fullest.

Plan the rest of your Hawaii cruise details with ease
1. Find a place to stay on Oahu before and/or after your cruise (we definitely recommend staying before)
2. Grab the Cruising Hawaii Guide for in-depth planning resources for each island, tailored to cruise passengers’ needs!
3. Book a rental car for Oahu or any other islands you want to get around independently.
4. Check out our tips for booking Hawaii travel to save on travel expenses.

Can’t Miss Honolulu Shore Excursions

As the most visited island in Hawaii, Oahu has no shortage of activities to keep you entertained during your stopover. But cruise ship passengers only have a limited time to explore, which is why it’s essential to prioritize these must-do activities.

• Pearl Harbor: A trip to Pearl Harbor can be done on your own or with a tour group. Keep in mind that there are four museums you can visit, and most tours will only cover one or two of these sights. If you want more flexibility, then we recommend going on your own or booking a private, customized tour.
• Circle Island Tour: This epic sightseeing tour packs in all the best attractions of Oahu in just 9 hours. On your 120-mile journey, you’ll visit Diamond Head Lookout, Nu’uanu Pali Lookout, Waimea Valley, and so much more!
• Waikiki Surfing Lessons: Whether you’re a complete beginner or looking to improve your skills, surfing is a quintessential Hawaiian activity. There are multiple surf shops and schools around the island, but we recommend Ohana Surf Project as it’s in Waikiki, close to where the cruise terminal is.
• Hawaiian Catamaran Sail: This is more than just a sightseeing cruise – it’s an entire cultural experience! On your two-hour tour of the ocean on a traditional wooden sailing canoe, you’ll learn all about Hawaiian culture and history while also enjoying refreshments and snacks.

Honolulu Shore Excursion Tips

Planning an excursion in Honolulu is a bit different than your other ports of call, as Oahu is likely the starting and ending point if you’re on Norwegian Cruise Line’s Pride of America. Pride of America is the only ship that does a loop of the major Hawaiian Islands every week.

Therefore, the time you spend on land depends on your personal schedule. Instead of just having a day on shore, you can have several days to do what you want! Get to know Oahu so you’re ready for all it has to offer.

Ideally, you should plan to have at least three or four days to explore Oahu. While you can do this once your cruise is over, we recommend taking time before the ship departs, as it’ll give you a few days to get over the jet lag as well.

We also dive into the best time to cruise Hawaii and break down when other cruise lines go so you can make the best decision for you.

Take a moment to familiarize yourself with the Hawaii cruise ports so you know what to expect at each stop. Some ports are central to a downtown area where you could spend all day (Kailua Pier) and others are far from anything you’ll want to do (Kahului Harbor).

On your first take, head out on the Circle Island Tour to see a handful of sights at once and to get a feel for the island. You can then spend the next few days going back to places you enjoyed the most, like the North Shore or the Windward Coast.

Alternatively, you can always rent a car to explore the island on your own. This is a cost-effective way to get around without relying on tour schedules or expensive Ubers. Here is How To Get Around Oahu Without a Rental Car and Oahu Transport Options for more details.

Grab the Oahu Wayfinder Itinerary for an in-depth guide to all the best beaches, restaurants, and sights (with driving directions!) for your self-guided days. Plus you can save $7 by bundling the Cruising Hawaii Guide with the Oahu Wayfinder Itinerary by using CRUISE at checkout.

Here are a couple of popular sights you can reach in a short drive from Waikiki:

• Ala Moana Regional Park: 7 minutes
• Pearl Harbor: 22 minutes
• Haleiwa: 50 minutes
• Kailua: 25 minutes

Even though there are a lot of fun activities to do with your family during the day, make sure to save your energy for an evening luau. There are so many great options on Oahu, so you’re in for a real treat if you love live music, Polynesian dancing, and delicious buffet dinners.

If you’re hoping for a full-day cultural experience, then head to the Polynesian Cultural Center, an all-day immersive experience that ends with a live luau show.

Where to Book Honolulu Shore Excursions

Booking Honolulu Shore Excursions with the Ship

Booking an excursion with your cruise operator is an easy and stress-free way to plan out your port of call stops. You’ll also find that they have tons of fun activities for you to do in Honolulu before or after your trip!

Here are a few reasons to book with the ship:

• Guaranteed Return: All shore excursions organized by the ship are designed to come back before the ship leaves port. With a schedule that works with the ship’s timing, you can enjoy your activity without worry.
• Transportation: A nice perk of booking with the ship is that it includes transportation. That way, you won’t have to worry about hailing a cab or taking public transportation to and from the dock.
• Cost: Although the excursion cost may be higher than if you were to organize it independently, the extra price is justified because it usually includes transportation. Not having to worry about timing or booking a cab is priceless!
• Refunds: Tours booked with the ship will have refund policies in case you are unable to dock due to weather or strong currents.
• Booking Flexibility: If you don’t want to book your Honolulu shore excursion before the trip, you don’t have to! Ship-organized tours can be booked online, but they can also be arranged onboard once you have a better idea of your schedule and what you want to do. Just know these do fill up fast, so you may not get the pick of the lot once you’re on the boat.

Booking Honolulu Shore Excursions with the Tour Operator

If the ship excursions are too expensive (or you just can’t find one to your liking), you can always book directly with the tour operator on Oahu. Although they probably won’t guarantee an on-time return to the ship, you can always call the cruise line ahead of time if you’re running late.

While there are many types of tours out there, it’s best to book with a reputable and trusted company. We’ve spent countless hours vetting tour operators and going out with them, so you can feel comfortable knowing you’re booking a tour that prioritizes safety as well as a good time!

• Supporting Local Businesses: When booking directly with the tour operator, you’ll be supporting a local Hawaiian business, which is great for the island community!
• Cost Savings: Local tours tend to be cheaper than the ones offered by the cruise line, sometimes as much as 30% cheaper. Therefore, it’s a better option if you’re looking to stick to a budget on your trip.
• Availability: Only a limited number of cruise-ship organized tours are available. If you see that your top choice is sold out, you can always check with a tour operator to book a local excursion instead.
• Small Groups: Tours organized by local businesses offer a smaller, more intimate setting with usually no more than 12 guests.
• Cancellation Policy: Before you book your excursion, check the operator’s cancellation and refund policy. In case your ship can’t dock or you cannot go on the tour, you’ll be thankful to have that 24 to 72-hour cancellation policy.

The Best Honolulu Shore Excursions

As promised, here is a list of some of the best shore excursions you can do before or after your cruise. Even if you don’t have that many extra days on land, most of these trusted providers will pick you up directly from the cruise terminal, so you don’t have to waste any time!

Grand Island Circle Tour

The Grand Island Circle Tour is one of the most popular Oahu tours as it takes you to some of the most beautiful attractions around the island! Over the course of 9 hours, you’ll be driven to Oahu’s best beaches, farms, parks, and towns with your guide (this is a small-group tour).

Visit the island’s best surfing spots on the North Shore, learn about how macadamia nuts and pineapples are grown on farm tours, and marvel at the lush, jaw-dropping landscapes that Oahu is known for.

Private Island Tour

Do you have specific sights bucket list items that you want to tick off your list? On this private island tour, you can fully customize your entire journey around Oahu. You can spend the whole day driving or stop off at any attractions or landmarks that you have been dying to see.

You and up to 5 other guests will have 8 hours with your driver, who can also make recommendations on where to go. Best of all, they’ll pick you up (with your luggage) from the cruise terminal and drop you back at the airport!

USS Arizona & Visitor’s Center

A trip to the USS Arizona at Pearl Harbor is a historically significant and moving experience. Although it’s a bit outside of the city, this tour makes it easy to see the memorial during your time in Oahu.

You’ll be picked up directly at the cruise terminal and driven to Pearl Harbor. While there is a guide for the ride, they do not go with you into the memorial. After you tour the museums, you’ll be driven back so you can continue with your trip. There are multiple pickup times available to fit the cruise ship’s schedule.

If you prefer to drive yourself (or take a taxi, Uber, or Lyft), you can reserve your own Pearl Harbor tickets here.

Pearl Harbor All-Day, All Sites

There’s so much more to Pearl Harbor than the USS Arizona Memorial. If you’re interested in a more comprehensive experience, then this full-day tour is an excellent choice. It includes a trip to the Pearl Harbor Visitor Center and the USS Arizona Memorial, as well as a tour through the USS Bowfin, USS Battleship Missouri, and Ford Island.

Because this is a 9-hour tour, it’s crucial that you have a full day to spend on Oahu. It’s also important to note that they pick up and drop off in Waikiki but not directly at the cruise terminal.

North Shore Half Day

The North Shore of Oahu is famous for its world-class surfing, laid-back atmosphere, and spectacular natural beauty – so it’s easy to see why many people would want to make the journey up the island to visit! If you have a couple of hours free, then book this North Shore tour with a private guide.

They will pick you up in a Jeep and take you to all the popular sights (as well as a few secret spots that tourists don’t usually see!).

Turtle Canyon Snorkeling

Swimming with green sea turtles is a once-in-a-lifetime adventure! At Turtle Canyon, you can snorkel with these majestic creatures and see how they clean themselves using reef fish at the cleaning station. And if you’re lucky, you’ll get to see other marine life like dolphins, spotted eagle rays, monk seals, and maybe even a humpback whale (Dec-March)!

There are two types of Turtle Canyon Snorkeling tours available. One is in a small group with 6 people, and the other is a cheaper tour on a larger boat with 40 guests. The departure point for the tour is at Kewalo Harbor, which is just a 30-minute walk or 6-minute drive from the terminal.

Waikiki Beach Loading Catamaran Sail

If you can’t get enough of being out on the water, then this scenic catamaran trip is for you! Departing from downtown Waikiki (in front of the Moana Surfrider Hotel), this 1-hour cruise boasts panoramic views of the beach, Diamond Head, and downtown Honolulu.

There are 5 departures daily, including an evening sunset cruise. They also have a bar onboard for drinks, although you’re more than welcome to BYOB.

Hawaiian Catamaran Sail

This is one of the most unique shore excursions that you can do when you’re in Honolulu! Unlike most sailing tours, the Hawaiian Catamaran tour is an educational journey where you’ll learn all about Hawaiian history and culture. It’s a really immersive experience that we thought was even better than going to a luau!

The 2-hour trip sets sail on a traditional wooden catamaran with a small group of only 6 guests. But if you’re looking for a more intimate trip, you can charter the boat privately.

There are four departures throughout the day from Kewalo Harbor, so it’s easy to work around your cruise ship timing.

Whale Watching

If you’re in Hawaii from December to March, you’ll have the opportunity to see humpback whales off the coast of Oahu! Get up bright and early and head out onto the waters at 7:00am for your chance to see these breathtaking creatures!

Book using the code Whales15 to save 15% on this tour!

Honolulu Helicopter Tours

You’ve seen Oahu by land and sea, but a Honolulu Helicopter Tour allows you to see the island from an entirely new perspective! Choose from a scenic 18-, 30-, or 60-minute tour of the skies (which we guarantee will be one of the more unique experiences you’ll have here!).

Tours depart from Honolulu Airport, which is a 15-minute drive from the terminal. Use code HVG to score 5% off on this tour, too!

Surfing Lessons

Hawaii is one of the best places in the world for surfing. If you’ve ever wanted to hang 10 on Waikiki Beach, then take a private, semi-private, or group lesson with Ohana Surf Project. This is how we learned to surf, and we can’t recommend them enough!

When booking your lesson, request a pickup to their surf school. They have their own transportation service and can arrange pickup close to where the cruise ship docks.

Private Custom Oahu Tours

If none of these tours spark your interest, then maybe this customizable Honolulu shore excursion will! Whether you want to hike through the jungle or snorkel with turtles, the folks at Mahina Hawaii can make your Oahu dreams come true.

SCUBA Diving

While Oahu is beautiful above land, it’s even more breathtaking underneath the ocean’s surface! Book a scuba dive excursion with Banzai Divers Hawaii and discover an entire world of natural beauty waiting to be explored. From colorful coral reefs to WWII shipwrecks, they have dive trips for all types of skill levels.

The only downside is that transportation is not included, so you’ll need to arrange your way to the meeting point.

For a complete list of Oahu activities, check out our Cruising Hawaii Guide and Oahu Wayfinder Itinerary.

Check out shore excursions for the other islands too!
11 Incredible Kauai Shore Excursions (perfect for a cruise schedule)
Can’t Miss Big Island Shore Excursions for Your Hawaii Cruise
The Best Maui Shore Excursions for Your Hawaii Cruise

Honolulu Excursion FAQs

Where do Honolulu cruise ships dock for shore excursions?

Cruise ships arrive at the Pier 2 Cruise Terminal. This is approximately a 10-minute drive from Waikiki and a 15-minute drive from the airport.

Can I get picked up by taxi, Uber, or Lyft from the dock for my Oahu shore excursion?

If transportation is not included, you can hire a taxi or call an Uber or Lyft straight to the dock. If you want more flexibility to explore, it’s also possible to rent a car (we have more info on all the different transportation options in our Cruising Hawaii Guide).

Do tour operators offer pickup at the dock?

Most of the tours we have listed include transportation to and from the dock. If you don’t see this option when booking online, give the operator a call and tell them you’ll be disembarking at Pier 2, they may be able to arrange transport.

What should I know about booking tours in Hawaii?

Here are a few important pieces of information to keep in mind when booking your excursions:

• Tipping your guide $10 to $20 a person is standard, although you should ultimately decide how much to give depending on your experience.
• Oahu does have lots of sunshine, but rain and wind are not uncommon. If there is bad weather, it’s possible your tour may be canceled.
• If you’re going on a boat excursion, don’t forget to bring motion sickness medication! Smaller boats tend to be rockier compared to the larger cruise ships.
• Double-check the age restrictions for your tours. While some excursions are family-friendly, others require your kids to be at least 5 years of age.

By now, you should have a good idea about what you can do in Honolulu and Oahu. But for more information about cruising the islands, our Cruising Hawaii Guide is a huge help!