Best Honolulu shore excursions
The top-rated independent excursion in Honolulu is "Honolulu: Glass Bottom Boat Tour of Oahu's South Shore Reefs" (4.5★ from 1,731 reviews, from $43). The biggest saving against the ship is submarine / glass-bottom: $232 per person less than NCL. Prices and ratings checked November 2026.
Ranked from real traveller ratings: each tour's star rating weighted by how many reviews it has, so a 4.9 with 3,000 reviews beats a 5.0 with 25. Only tours we matched to a tour type in Honolulu are included.
Top-rated independent excursions
| # | Tour | From | Rating | Safety |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Honolulu: Glass Bottom Boat Tour of Oahu's South Shore ReefsSubmarine / glass-bottom | $43 | 4.5★1,731 reviews | 5/5 |
| 2 | Oahu: Pearl Harbor, USS Arizona, and City TourCity / island tour | $69 | 4.3★1,746 reviews | 5/5 |
| 3 | Waikiki Beach: Turtle Snorkeling and Sailing on HāweaCatamaran / sail & snorkel | $85 | 4.7★853 reviews | 5/5 |
| 4 | Oahu: Waikiki Turtle Canyon Snorkeling Tour with Sea TurtlesSnorkel tour | $73 | 4.8★542 reviews | 5/5 |
| 5 | Oahu: Pearl Harbor, Arizona Memorial & Honolulu City TourCity / island tour | $59 | 4.4★831 reviews | 5/5 |
| 6 | Oahu: Complete Island Tour with Tropical Waterfall SwimmingNature / waterfall / park | $185 | 4.9★376 reviews | 5/5 |
| 7 | Oahu: Waikiki Skyline Sunset Cruise on a Glass Bottom BoatSubmarine / glass-bottom | $64 | 4.5★541 reviews | 5/5 |
| 8 | Waikiki: Turtle Snorkeling Cruise with Guaranteed SightingsSnorkel tour | $85 | 4.6★378 reviews | 5/5 |
| 9 | Oahu: Waikiki Submarine TourSubmarine / glass-bottom | $168 | 4.5★335 reviews | 5/5 |
| 10 | Oahu: Waikiki Turtle Canyon Snorkeling Tour (Small group)Snorkel tour | $85 | 4.9★136 reviews | 5/5 |
Best value against the ship
| Tour type | Line | Ship | Independent | Saving for 4 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Submarine / glass-bottom | NCL | $296 | $64 | $928 |
| Whale watching | Carnival | $170 | $57 | $453 |
| City / island tour | Carnival | $114 | $69 | $182 |
| City / island tour | NCL | $89 | $69 | $79 |
Where the ship is cheaper
- Ruins / history on NCL: $138 on the ship vs $156 independent.
Without a tour: near the pier
- Waikiki Beach: ~15 min by road (5.3 km).
- Diamond Head: ~20 min by road (8.0 km).
Pearl Harbor is about 25 minutes from the pier. Arizona Memorial tickets are timed, so book early whichever way you go.
Questions
What is the best excursion in Honolulu?
On ratings, "Honolulu: Glass Bottom Boat Tour of Oahu's South Shore Reefs" leads with 4.5 stars from 1,731 reviews. On value, submarine / glass-bottom saves the most against the ship ($232 per person).
What is the cheapest well-rated excursion in Honolulu?
"Honolulu: Glass Bottom Boat Tour of Oahu's South Shore Reefs" from $43 per person (4.5★, 1,731 reviews).
What can you do in Honolulu without booking an excursion?
Within about 20 minutes of the pier: Waikiki Beach (~15 min by road), Diamond Head (~20 min by road).
All Honolulu prices and pier guide · Carnival in Honolulu · NCL in Honolulu