1/28/2009

Reliable and on time. Clean mini van. Nice driver. $30 for up to 4 people plus tip from airport to Waikiki. Great deal if you are traveling as group and don't want to deal with wacky taxi drivers and waiting for everyone elses' stops...which can be annoying. Highly recommended!

3/3/2009

Used these guys again for my recent hop to the Big Isle.  They were right on time and smooth as before.  Shooting 2 for 2 now.

5/11/2009

I used these guys four times over the course of two back to back trips. 

Dave (I believe that's his name), the owner, is a bit gruff on the phone, but the driver he assigned to pick me up, Candy, is a real nice lady. 

Prior to traveling, I was given the instructions as to how the pick up would go down. They would be monitoring my flight so they could see if I was on time or delayed. Upon landing and retrieving my bag, I was to call and indicate that I was ready to leave. They would tell me exactly where to stand and *boom*, I'd be whisked away. 

It went just like that. 

When we were wheels down in HNL, I turned on my phone. I had a message from Candy, introducing herself as the driver who would be taking me to my hotel and that I should give her a call when I had my bag and was ready to go. Went to baggage claim, walked out and called her. Within a couple of minutes, she was at the curb and off my partner and I went. 

During the trip to the hotel, I asked about paying with a credit card. Candy hesitated because I suspect she wanted the cash out right. I hesitated because I was saving the cash for my final destination. After a little back and forth, it was clear I wasn't paying with anything but the CC. When I told her what time I wanted to be picked up the next day, she was there early and ready to go. She got us back to the airport, no muss no fuss. 

I indicated that I'd need pick up service the following Friday and she said to just call her direct.  When I came back, the same procedures applied on my arrival and she took me to my hotel. Three days later, she picked up the FOH and I at our hotel to take us back to the airport. 

This is where stars are lost. She had her other half in the van, which I suppose isn't that big of a deal, but very slightly unprofessional. The worst part was that she took a personal phone call as we got closer to the airport. We hit unexpected traffic and took a little longer to get to the airport than expected, so just as we got off the highway, I wanted her to get a jump start on getting the credit card approval so we could arrive curbside and get going. She was still on the phone, so I said, "Candy, let's get the credit card started". She told her friend she had to go, but apparently the friend kept on talking. So did she. Finally, I waved the credit card in the air and said, "Let's do this. Now." 

All in all, very reliable and I would recommend Candy to anyone needing car service to Waikiki. We paid 30.00 each time for the two of us and all of our bags. 

Don't try to take a cheaper route to the hotels like my FOH did...he thought he'd save a few bucks and he ended up taking a much longer route because of so many stops. 

PM me if you'd like Candy's cell. I told her I'd like to give it to anyone who may need transportation arrangements and if I returned to HNL, I would certainly call upon her.

9/17/2009

I agree with Michele D about Dave of Passport Shuttle (also "Dirt Cheap Shuttle")--he can be a be a little rough to talk to, but the service is impeccable. And, he's nicer in person. Dave picked us up at HNL--right on time. Great communication--very easy to contact.

When going back to the airport from our Waikiki hotel, he sent Bill to come pick us up. Bill's really nice and his estimate of how long it'd take to get the airport was right on--I secretly timed him. =D Yay Bill!

Both trips were stress-free. Very simple. No confusions--and they give you a private minivan--which makes it even more comfortable. $30 flat rate + tip to/from Waikiki. Gets you to your destination quickly.

9/27/2009

I usually cab it when I need a ride to and from the airport in Honolulu but I'm also not usually travelling with an entourage either. So when I needed to make arrangements for me, my sister, bro-in-law and nephew, I decided to find a shuttle to take the stress out of the ride to our hotel. I called a few days before our flight and requested a mini-van (in addition to us, we had a lot of luggage LOL). Dave took down my info and also gave me instructions on what to do once we got our luggage.

Once we arrived at HNL and grabbed our luggage, I called again to let them know we were ready to be picked up. Our driver was already there waiting, so we loaded up and were on our way. Candy was our driver and she was really nice, but kinda spacy. So much so that we almost didn't call for a return ride to the airport. I didn't really mind so much, but my sister had an expectation of more service, which I'll admit was a bit lacking. But hey, a $30 ride to the airport is pretty cheap, so I called again to make a reservation. I asked if we would be getting Candy again and Dave said he wasn't sure. 

So fast forward to getting to the airport. I called to see where our driver was because it was a few minutes after our pickup time. Dave answered and said he was on his way as the other driver was stuck somewhere. Once Dave arrived, he quickly loaded the minivan and we were on our way. We had a nice conversation with him on the way to the airport - we told him about our previous experience - my sister really laid it out for him. I think he did well answering her concerns as diplomatically as possible. And as far as the experience with him, it was stellar - he gave us the kind of service that I expect from an executive/towncar type service. 

Bottom line - I would not hesitate to use this service again and would definitely recommend for travelers to Oahu. As an owner, Dave gets it and I happily support those types of people/businesses.