Organized and exactly as described.
The open-air double-decker trolley added to the fun, and our driver shared excellent, engaging facts along the way. On the upper deck of the trolley, it gets windy enough when you’re moving that I saw a couple of people lose their hats. Luckily, people behind them caught them, and they got them back.
Traffic entering and exiting Waikīkī is notoriously slow, depending on the time of day. We had a 7:30 AM pickup, which made for a quick ride there since we were the last stop for pickup and didn’t have to wait through multiple stops. Our 11:45 AM return took much longer—not just because of traffic but also because we were the last on the list for hotel drop-offs. I can’t imagine what the ride would be like in the afternoon.
They give you a designated time for the boat to the Arizona Memorial, and you’ll need to line up about 10 minutes before departure. The boat ride there and back is short. However, not everyone in our group (those on the same bus and booked with the same tour) had the same boat time—some had earlier departures, while others had later ones. We had tickets for the 10:15 AM boat ride.
While waiting for our departure time, we paid extra to visit the submarine museum, which we really enjoyed. There are also other free museums to explore and great views as you walk around. After the memorial visit, we had an hour before leaving, so we returned to the museum for lunch. My kids wanted chicken tenders and fries, and there are nice shady spots with tables to eat. We didn’t see anywhere else to buy meals outside of this museum—just a stand selling hot dogs in the free area.
Our driver told us to be back at the bus for 11:45, so we went a little early since my kids wanted to make sure we could sit on the upper deck. The bus left at 11:45 on the dot—no messing around. Two families didn’t make it back, probably stuck in line picking up their checked bags… ;) The driver left without them but did tell another driver there to look out for them, so it seemed like they could hop on the 1:30 bus and wouldn’t be stranded.
They strictly enforce their no-bag policy unless the bag is completely clear with visible contents. Regular bags must be checked, and based on the long lines for drop-off and pickup, I wouldn’t recommend bringing one.
This tour is perfect for people who don’t want to spend a full day there. For us, a morning was enough.