ALOHA!
Cruise ships dock in downtown Honolulu.
If you’re going to Honolulu cruise port, your cruise ship will dock in an area that you can walk straight off the cruise ship and to downtown Honolulu.
But… downtown Honolulu isn’t where you want to be if you want to properly experience the island of Oahu! (See the Oahu map below for the most worthy things!)
Sure, there are things that you can do walking from the cruise port, but there’s much more beyond downtown Honolulu that you want to consider getting away from there too!
And, you have lots of choices, courtesy of the Honolulu bus.
👆 Where do cruise ships dock in Honolulu? Cruise ships dock directly in downtown Honolulu, so you can walk straight off the cruise ship and do things on your own. See below for an interactive map of things to do from the Honolulu cruise port!
📌 Save this post for later! Save on Pinterest! 👈📌
Partner websites are included below. I may earn a commission.
HAWAII CRUISE TIPS > HONOLULU | MAUI | BIG ISLAND
On my cruises to Hawaii, my Princess cruise ships arrived at pier 11 right next to Aloha Tower. (map)
The typical cruise port for NCL cruise ships (including Pride of America) is pier 2B. (map) I have seen another Princess cruise ship docked here, so it’s not just NCL at pier 2.
You can see which pier your cruise ship will be docked at by looking at the Honolulu cruise port schedule.
You will find all cruise lines listed here. NCL (Norwegian Cruise Line), Princess, Holland America, Carnival, Royal Caribbean, Celebrity, and more.
To plan your day in Honolulu from a cruise ship, I’ve created a google map below that includes some of the best things you can do on your own, which is based on my multiple trips to Oahu. I have also taken the bus to do things when I arrived by cruise ship!
You can decide if you want to do any of these things!
But first!
Top Hawaii tours you must consider for so-very-Hawaii experiences!
- Honolulu: Ka Moana Luau at Aloha Tower
- Touristy, but fun! This is located at the Aloha Tower in downtown Honolulu, which makes it the most convenient luau near Honolulu cruise port if you’re docked at pier 11!
- Honolulu: Atlantis submarine
- Meet in Waikiki at the Hilton Hawaiian Village
- Hilo: Hawaii Volcanoes National Park and Rainbow Falls
- 2 of the best things to do in Hilo!
- Kauai’s Na Pali coast tour: Kauai deluxe sightseeing flight
- Get amazing Hawaii views from above!
And second, the quick tips!
You can catch the bus near the cruise port, which means you can go anywhere the bus goes! And that means there are a lot of things you can do. It’s also relatively easy to get an uber from downtown Honolulu and Waikiki.
Waikiki is the tourist hub of Honolulu. It’s relatively easy and convenient to get to Waikiki from the cruise port, whether on your own (by bus/uber) or through (paid) cruise ship shuttle.
While Waikiki is great for its own reasons, you also want to make time to see other parts of the island! It can be great to end the day there. Watch the sunset from the Waikiki Wall, which is between Kuhio Beach and Queens Beach! Get food at Barefoot Beach Cafe near Queens Beach for oceanfront eating!
You can get to the windward coast (aka east side) and the North Shore on your own by bus too, although it will take more time, so you will have to decide if it’s worth it to you.
I have been to the windward coast by bus on a cruise ship visit! I went to Kailua Beach and Lanikai Beach, and I also did the Lanikai pillbox hike. On another cruise ship visit I did the Manoa Falls hike, also getting there by bus. The Diamond Head hike is the most famous hike on Oahu, near Waikiki, and you need reservations for that before you go.
The North Shore can be 2+ hours by bus. Since most cruise ships are in Honolulu all day long, you do have time if you want to make time!
And then, you can also make it easier on yourself by renting a car. You can rent a car from the Honolulu airport. The easiest would be to take a 15 minute uber ride there, but again, you can also take the bus.
If you are doing a circle island drive on your own, then you will want to download the Shaka guide before you go!
One of the other most popular things to do is Pearl Harbor. You can go on your own from the cruise port by bus, and there are also Pearl Harbor tours that you can do.
If Honolulu is where you’re starting and/or ending your cruise, the Hilton Hawaiian Village is the biggest hotel in Waikiki.
You have probably seen the iconic Rainbow Tower in pictures or even on TV if you watch Hawaii-based TV shows!
A luau with a fire show is a fun Hawaiian experience and something you must consider!
Honolulu cruise port map
Now, here is the interactive google map of Honolulu cruise port that I created!
Be sure to also see my post about how to get from Honolulu cruise port to Waikiki, the list of the top things to do in Honolulu without a car, and my post about snorkeling spots in Waikiki.
👆 How to use this map: Click on the top left icon for a list of what’s on the map! Or, just start clicking the icons on the map! Each icon has more details, so click to expand! If the map isn’t loading well for you, you can also open it directly in google maps.
🌺
More Hawaii travel ideas:
- Honolulu cruise port to Waikiki
- Things to do near Hilton Hawaiian Village
- Best snorkeling in Waikiki
- Best things to do in Honolulu
- Best waterfalls in Hawaii
- Best beaches in Hawaii
- Best hikes in Hawaii
- Best things to do in Maui
- Maui cruise port map
- Hilo cruise port map (Big Island)
- Road to Hana map (if you have an overnight on Maui)
Cruise from west coast:
- Things to do in California
- Things to do in Pago Pago American Samoa (transpacific cruise)
Happy mapping out your Honolulu cruise port visit!
More travel planning tips you need to know!
HONOLULU | KAHULUI | ROAD TO HANA | HILO | BEST OF HAWAII | CALIFORNIA | SOUTH PACIFIC
🐠 What to pack for snorkeling in Tahiti (The basics apply for snorkeling in Hawaii too!)
Travel experience partners! Read the reviews of so-very-Hawaii experiences!