One thing about Young Brothers versus the Superferry is that you have to schedule to deliver your car to YB's at least a week in advance and that your car could sit at the departing dock for sometimes three to four days with your car keys in the ignition of your unlocked unattended car.
When I shipped my Minivan over to Hilo via YB it cost just over $200 and it took a total of one and a half weeks from drop off to pick up. The Superferry is pretty much the same day at a significant cost savings.
By the way I chose a minivan when I went to Honolulu recently because a sedan wouldn't fit me, my wife and five of my children and luggage okay? And yes I had to go for the "extras" as you implied because of my family. Your thoughtful pricing also tells me I would have saved money with the superferry so thanks for that report, it adds even more justification for the success of the superferry.
Regarding Helen's post and your rebuttal, if you've seen the condition of some of the cars coming off of YB's barges, I'd want to babysit my car to ensure it's safety. That's why when I shipped my BMW to Hilo from Honolulu I opted to pay the hefty charges and had my car palletized so it wouldn't be "driven" onto the barge and parked shoulder to shoulder to another car and get all dinged up in the process. And since the three or four hour trek on the superferry isn't like riding a YB barge, it's very comfortable and it gives a lot of islanders a different perspective on interisland travel by boat instead of in the air. You can get out on the upper deck and get some fresh air while walking around it's spaceous multi-deck, or check out the bar and have a comfortable drink instead of that drop down table in front of you.
Yes the superferry won't come to Hilo making my use of it infrequent however the thought of being able to take my car to Honolulu as another option other than YB is quite reassuring especially if your car is on the docks and YB dock workers decide to go on strike.
Mike McKenna was just an example of how you can fly to Honolulu and pick up a new or used car and drive it back to the neighbor islands. Car dealers on Oahu could use that in their advertising. Over here on the Big Island you pretty much got Orchard Isle Ford as the Ford dealer. You got a problem with the service manager there, then you got a problem with Ford service period. With the superferry you have another option available.
Regarding pricing, your price observations pretty much indicates the cost savings by using the superferry, even with YB's discount on a Net 30 return it still cost as much if not more compared to the superferry. The difference is that you travel with your car. You drive on and you drive off. Your luggage is still in the trunk of your car. That's convenient and by your observations, you save money. I'm beginning to think you are a supporter of the superferry and not so much of a critic. Your arguements seem to support the financial gains of riding the superferry instead of flying and barging an automobile.
With YB you drive your car to the dock, you catch a cab to the airport and you fly to the neighbor island. When you arrive at your new destination, you have to catch another cab to the Dollar Rentals to rent a car for the duration you have to wait for your car to arrive.
You mention fumes, well have you ever had to wait in line at YB's receiving dock to drop off or pick up your car? I had my infant with me when I had to pick up my BMW and YB's dock is no place for infants with the noise, and exhausts belching from those big rigs and forklifts. I'll take the exhaust from cars waiting to leave the superferry anyday over standing in an easy-corner canopy in the open air lot of any of the docks on any island.
If you are so concerned about the ecological impact of private vehicles being transported to another island, then why aren't you concerned about the simple fact that YB doesn't need an EIS when it transports private vehicles interisland? When I shipped both of my cars to Hilo via YB, no one checked for bugs or mold spores on or in my car or my minivan. When I picked both vehicles up in Hilo, there weren't any State Ag officers to inspect my cars, as a matter of fact you mention terrorist implications with the superferry? There were no TSA agents at YB's there either.
The fact is this, picking up my car will be far easier and less stressful after a leisurely four hour ride on a wave hopping vessel enjoying the scenery to boot rather than making my way to YB and having to deal with the dock the way it is.
You can be critical of the superferry and for all I care you can ship your car anyway you want but don't make your way the way for the rest of us who want an alternative. I hope the superferry succeeds, you don't, I want to use it, you don't. We do agree however that the superferry will save the consumer money albeit not a whole lot, but if you feel a few bucks isn't worth saving, I'll take those extra dollars from you so I can buy a plate lunch for that homeless guy less fortunate than I who does value a few dollars.
You think there will be a problem with the environment? I don't. Am I an expert? No, are you? If Young Brothers, the State of Hawaii and you don't feel it's a problem to ship a car with it's (YB) barges then I see no problem with another vessel doing the same. Pollution? 500 automobiles leaving the dock at the same time? Impact on local traffic? Okay I'll agree there will be a problem there and I'm not blind to that negative impact, however if you want to save the earth, then don't drive, don't fly and for heaven's sake, live off the grid.
To me common sense is if I have a car, then I'll use it rather than park it and drive somebody elses car and pay for it too! That's pretty logical to me, why have two when one will do. And when it comes to flying myself and barging my car, why hurry up and wait when you can leisurely get from point A to point b and have your car get there at the same time.
I had an experience while in Maui: I was departing Kahului for Honolulu on Hawaiian Airlines. My luggage went on my scheduled flight but the ticket agent told me I could go on an earlier flight. I told her that I'd rather wait here on Maui in an air-conditioned lobby for my scheduled flight rather than (at the time the open air location) baggage claim in Honolulu where there were no comfortable seats to sit on.
So big deal you get from Hilo to Honolulu three hours faster by jet than by superferry. What would you rather do, spend four hours relaxing in a spaceous cabin where you can walk around and get some fresh air or spend one hour in a cramped jet breathing recirculated air while the passenger reclines his seat onto your kneecaps, then having to drag your luggage off the baggage claim conveyor into a waiting shuttle bus to get to the rental car and drag it off again and into your rental. And oh by the way there's no guarantee that your luggage will be on the same flight as you so you may have to wait another hour before spending another hour getting your rental car. Hmmm that could pretty much eat up the time savings right there and I'll save a few dollars too!
Yep drive on, relax for four hours, drive off and all without touching your luggage or having to endure the airport hassle or Young Brothers! Do what you want, I'll take the superferry!
When I shipped my Minivan over to Hilo via YB it cost just over $200 and it took a total of one and a half weeks from drop off to pick up. The Superferry is pretty much the same day at a significant cost savings.
By the way I chose a minivan when I went to Honolulu recently because a sedan wouldn't fit me, my wife and five of my children and luggage okay? And yes I had to go for the "extras" as you implied because of my family. Your thoughtful pricing also tells me I would have saved money with the superferry so thanks for that report, it adds even more justification for the success of the superferry.
Regarding Helen's post and your rebuttal, if you've seen the condition of some of the cars coming off of YB's barges, I'd want to babysit my car to ensure it's safety. That's why when I shipped my BMW to Hilo from Honolulu I opted to pay the hefty charges and had my car palletized so it wouldn't be "driven" onto the barge and parked shoulder to shoulder to another car and get all dinged up in the process. And since the three or four hour trek on the superferry isn't like riding a YB barge, it's very comfortable and it gives a lot of islanders a different perspective on interisland travel by boat instead of in the air. You can get out on the upper deck and get some fresh air while walking around it's spaceous multi-deck, or check out the bar and have a comfortable drink instead of that drop down table in front of you.
Yes the superferry won't come to Hilo making my use of it infrequent however the thought of being able to take my car to Honolulu as another option other than YB is quite reassuring especially if your car is on the docks and YB dock workers decide to go on strike.
Mike McKenna was just an example of how you can fly to Honolulu and pick up a new or used car and drive it back to the neighbor islands. Car dealers on Oahu could use that in their advertising. Over here on the Big Island you pretty much got Orchard Isle Ford as the Ford dealer. You got a problem with the service manager there, then you got a problem with Ford service period. With the superferry you have another option available.
Regarding pricing, your price observations pretty much indicates the cost savings by using the superferry, even with YB's discount on a Net 30 return it still cost as much if not more compared to the superferry. The difference is that you travel with your car. You drive on and you drive off. Your luggage is still in the trunk of your car. That's convenient and by your observations, you save money. I'm beginning to think you are a supporter of the superferry and not so much of a critic. Your arguements seem to support the financial gains of riding the superferry instead of flying and barging an automobile.
With YB you drive your car to the dock, you catch a cab to the airport and you fly to the neighbor island. When you arrive at your new destination, you have to catch another cab to the Dollar Rentals to rent a car for the duration you have to wait for your car to arrive.
You mention fumes, well have you ever had to wait in line at YB's receiving dock to drop off or pick up your car? I had my infant with me when I had to pick up my BMW and YB's dock is no place for infants with the noise, and exhausts belching from those big rigs and forklifts. I'll take the exhaust from cars waiting to leave the superferry anyday over standing in an easy-corner canopy in the open air lot of any of the docks on any island.
If you are so concerned about the ecological impact of private vehicles being transported to another island, then why aren't you concerned about the simple fact that YB doesn't need an EIS when it transports private vehicles interisland? When I shipped both of my cars to Hilo via YB, no one checked for bugs or mold spores on or in my car or my minivan. When I picked both vehicles up in Hilo, there weren't any State Ag officers to inspect my cars, as a matter of fact you mention terrorist implications with the superferry? There were no TSA agents at YB's there either.
The fact is this, picking up my car will be far easier and less stressful after a leisurely four hour ride on a wave hopping vessel enjoying the scenery to boot rather than making my way to YB and having to deal with the dock the way it is.
You can be critical of the superferry and for all I care you can ship your car anyway you want but don't make your way the way for the rest of us who want an alternative. I hope the superferry succeeds, you don't, I want to use it, you don't. We do agree however that the superferry will save the consumer money albeit not a whole lot, but if you feel a few bucks isn't worth saving, I'll take those extra dollars from you so I can buy a plate lunch for that homeless guy less fortunate than I who does value a few dollars.
You think there will be a problem with the environment? I don't. Am I an expert? No, are you? If Young Brothers, the State of Hawaii and you don't feel it's a problem to ship a car with it's (YB) barges then I see no problem with another vessel doing the same. Pollution? 500 automobiles leaving the dock at the same time? Impact on local traffic? Okay I'll agree there will be a problem there and I'm not blind to that negative impact, however if you want to save the earth, then don't drive, don't fly and for heaven's sake, live off the grid.
To me common sense is if I have a car, then I'll use it rather than park it and drive somebody elses car and pay for it too! That's pretty logical to me, why have two when one will do. And when it comes to flying myself and barging my car, why hurry up and wait when you can leisurely get from point A to point b and have your car get there at the same time.
I had an experience while in Maui: I was departing Kahului for Honolulu on Hawaiian Airlines. My luggage went on my scheduled flight but the ticket agent told me I could go on an earlier flight. I told her that I'd rather wait here on Maui in an air-conditioned lobby for my scheduled flight rather than (at the time the open air location) baggage claim in Honolulu where there were no comfortable seats to sit on.
So big deal you get from Hilo to Honolulu three hours faster by jet than by superferry. What would you rather do, spend four hours relaxing in a spaceous cabin where you can walk around and get some fresh air or spend one hour in a cramped jet breathing recirculated air while the passenger reclines his seat onto your kneecaps, then having to drag your luggage off the baggage claim conveyor into a waiting shuttle bus to get to the rental car and drag it off again and into your rental. And oh by the way there's no guarantee that your luggage will be on the same flight as you so you may have to wait another hour before spending another hour getting your rental car. Hmmm that could pretty much eat up the time savings right there and I'll save a few dollars too!
Yep drive on, relax for four hours, drive off and all without touching your luggage or having to endure the airport hassle or Young Brothers! Do what you want, I'll take the superferry!
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