Frequently Asked Questions
Common Moving FAQs
Royal Hawaiian Movers maintains physical locations on Oahu, Maui, Hawaii and Kauai. For specific addresses and contact information, please go to Contact Us.
No, Royal Hawaiian Movers does not accept 50% payment terms, as we are required to outlay many of the expenses for your move on a very short-term credit basis. Therefore, we require your actual charges to be settled in full prior to shipping your goods from our warehouse.
No, Royal Hawaiian Movers does not offer any kind of payment plans or financing options.
We accept cash, money orders, cashiers checks, bank checks, and Visa or MasterCard credit cards.
Yes, Royal Hawaiian Movers can accept credit cards over the phone. In this case we will mail the receipt to the address you request.
Yes, Royal Hawaiian Movers accept payments by check via the mail. Please keep in mind that we will not ship your goods until your account has been settled in full. Mailing a check can delay the receipt of your payment and shipping of your goods.
Law federally mandates full Replacement Value Protection. It is a requirement for all licensed movers’ and freight forwarders to offer this protection. The protection requires the mover or forwarder to replace the good at its full replacement value regardless of the age of the item. For a more detailed explanation, please visit the Department of Transportation website and view the tab for understanding valuation and insurance options.
We require any one article that is valued over $500 to be declared as an article of extraordinary value.
If you are considering moving your goods under the Full Replacement Value Protection option, then you must declare a value for the all the goods in your shipment that will fully replace the items. This value cannot be a value less than $6.00/per pound on each item or less than $6,000.00 of total value.
All claims should be sent to the following address:Royal Hawaiian Movers, Inc. Commercial Claims Department 3017 Ualena Street Honolulu, HI 96819
All damages should be reported to a customer service representative that assisted you with your move. They will provide you with the necessary claim documents and processes.
No, if you plan on storing your goods you will be required to provide your own insurance protection. If you selected the Full Replacement Value Protection option, we can offer to extend our liability during the storage period, but this will be at an additional cost based on the period of time you plan on storing your items. Your Full Replacement Value Protection documentation will include a form on how to apply for storage coverage.
It is recommended that you obtain written estimates from 2 to 3 movers prior to deciding on any given company. When obtaining these estimates make sure that all the estimates are comparing cost on the same size and weight and you should question any such variances to insure you are obtaining the most accurate estimate from all parties. We would also recommend that you only use a mover that is licensed and addresses all the applicable Federal Regulations that protect you during your move.
Royal Hawaiian Movers can assist you with your international move. We can provide you with pick up and packing services here in Hawaii and then arrange for an international forwarder to send your shipment on to your final destination. We have assisted customers with moves all over the world.
We sell a wide variety of packing materials that are typically used by the moving industry, including a large variety of carton sizes, dish packs with cell dividers, stand-up wardrobe cartons, bubble wrap and foam pad.
The best way to ship these types of televisions are in their original cartons with the original packaging. Plasma TV’s are especially sensitive since they must remain upright during the entire shipping process. If you have not retained your original carton we typically will suggest making a special wooden crate to protect the television during transit. These arrangements can be discussed during the survey process.
Yes, our crews will pack your household goods. It is usually best to go over this requirement with our surveyor so the cost can be incorporated into your quote for time and material.
Yes, you can pre-pack your goods and have our crew load the cartons and large furniture only. Keep in mind that we will not accept the liability on owner packed cartons so we suggest that if you have any owner packed cartons that are sensitive in nature/fragile that you move them yourself.
Yes, our crews will use cloth pads to protect all furniture items during transit, unless you specifically request them not to.
Packing materials are not included in the hourly rate. They will be quoted as a separate item on your estimate. You will be billed on the actual material used during your move.
Our liability is limited to $0.30/pound per article.
Your charges are due at the completion of your move. Our crew will require payment in full before leaving the job site unless prior payment arrangements have been arranged.
Yes, your final charge will include the round trip drive time from our facility to your residence.
Yes, you will be charged for the time our crew is driving in traffic. Unfortunately we cannot anticipate delays caused by traffic in advance, but we attempt to give you a fair estimate of the drive time we are usually faced with driving to and from your area.
Yes, Royal Hawaiian Movers and many of our drivers are licensed by the Department of Transportation to haul hazardous materials.
The rates we charge for trucking services will depend on the location and type of service you require. Typically we will charge either an hourly rate for the type of truck and driver or a fixed spot rate. The Hawaii Public Utilities Commission regulates both rates. We are required to file our tariff for rules and charges with their office, which is available to the public.
Yes, we provide all surveys free of charge. A survey is the best way for us to accurately estimate the size and weight of your shipment. With this estimate we will be able to provide you with a written quote.
Our crews will pack and unpack your goods for all mainland and inter-island shipments. For local moves within a particular island we can add this service upon your request.
The cost for a move to and from the mainland, as well as internationally, is generally calculated on the weight and size of your shipment. We will provide you with a quotation that lists the amount per pound you can expect to pay once the job is complete. However, if you have bulky items that take up a large space but weigh very little, the size or volume of your shipment will be calculated in the final cost for your move. In a general household goods shipment about 5.5 pounds of household goods will fit into one cubic foot of space. These points will be outlined in the quotation that we will provide you.
Royal Hawaiian Movers requires full payment on your moving date or after our warehouse has processed your shipment. The charges due are based on the origin services, shipping charges, Full Replacement Value Protection, and the delivery agent’s charges, which are prepaid by our company for your shipment. We accept cash, money orders, cashiers checks, bank checks, and Visa or MasterCard credit cards.
Yes, Royal Hawaiian Movers can offer Full Replacement Value protection on your move. This option comes at an additional cost, but it is designed to cover your items for the cost of full replacement or repair in the event that something happens to them during transit.
Royal Hawaiian Movers standard liability on Interstate moves is .60 cents per pound per article. This liability is included in all of our mainland moves. Royal Hawaiian Movers standard liability on intra-state moves is .30 cents per pound per article. This liability is included in all of our Inter-island moves.
Royal Hawaiian Movers proudly maintains an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau. We have been members in good standing since 1989.
Royal Hawaiian Movers has been in business in the Hawaiian Islands since 1982.
The cost for a local move is based on the time, labor, equipment and materials required. The time aspect is calculated from the time our crews leave our warehouse until the time they return to the warehouse. The labor is based on the number of laborers that are required to complete your job. Larger jobs usually require a larger number of laborers. Most jobs are completed with one truck; however, larger jobs may require additional trucks. All of these factors will be calculated by our surveyor and will be provided to you in a written quote.
Our surveyor will determine the appropriate amount of men that it will take to complete your move in the most cost effective manner. This varies on each move due to the uniqueness of each physical location as well as the required packing/unpacking services being requested.
Yes, Royal Hawaiian Movers is a full service transportation provider and we currently run a fleet of over 40 Semi-Trucks capable of hauling your steamship container from the port.
Yes, Royal Hawaiian Movers is capable of storing your container at our secure facilities for any given amount of time.
Our quotes to the mainland will include the cost for all materials necessary to perform your move. For inter-island and local moves, the cost of materials is additional, and your final charge will reflect the actual materials used. At the time of our estimate, for an inter-island or a local move, we will calculate the estimated material usage and include it on your quote.
For inter-island and mainland moves, the “door to door” service typically includes the following:
- The packing of your household goods at your residence
- The loading of your packed goods in Wooden Liftvan(s) or a Container at your residence
- The ocean transportation of your shipment to the port closest to your destination
- The overland transportation from the port to your final destination
- The delivery of your household goods shipment into your destination residence
- The placement of your furniture items and your cartons in the designated areas within your new residence, the “set-up” of any furniture items that were disassembled by our crews at our origin address, the unpacking of “carrier packed cartons” on a space available basis, and the removal of the “carrier packing rubbish” from your residence on the delivery date only
For Local Moves Your items are typically transported in one of our covered box trucks.
Containerized Method
Larger shipments not requiring storage will typically be loaded directly into a steamship container. These steel containers come in 20ft., 40ft. and 45ft. lengths. A steamship container will be loaded at your origin residence and then transported to the nearest ocean port, where it will be loaded on a ship that arrives at the port closest to your final destination.
Liftvan Method
For smaller shipments, and for shipments that require storage at origin or destination, we will use the wooden liftvan method of transportation. In this method, we will load your items into wooden liftvan crates at your origin address. These crates are approximately 7 ft. tall x 4 ft. wide x 7 ft. deep, and typically hold around 1,000 pounds of goods from an average home. We can use a series of these crates to accommodate all of your goods. This method is useful when you are unsure of your final destination and you will require us store your goods.
If you require storage via the containerized method, we would have to offload your items from the container into the liftvan crates for storage, which requires extra handling, and therefore, additional charges.
Consolidation is a term used to describe the grouping of smaller liftvan (see above) shipments that have a similar destination into one container. With our consolidation service we load your household goods into wooden liftvan crates at your origin address. Once we have loaded all of your crates, they will be brought back to our warehouse where they will be grouped with other shipments headed for a similar final destination. By grouping your liftvan crates with other liftvan crates, we are able to fill an entire 40 to 45ft container. This method typically has cost savings, which we can pass on to you. The consolidation method is the best method for transporting smaller shipments, as it allows for the cost savings of using a larger container without requiring you to have a large shipment. Please keep in mind that your shipment will be housed in its own individual sealed crate(s) and your individual items will never by combined with another shipper’s goods.
Depending on your final destination your shipment may be trucked, railed, or a combination of both. Typically shipments that have a final destination near ocean ports such as, Seattle, Oakland/San Francisco, and Los Angeles will be trucked out of the port to our delivery agent near your final destination. For shipments going to the Midwest and the East Coast, the shipment will typically be routed to a west coast port and then put on a rail car to reach a railhead nearest your final destination. Once the shipment has reached the railhead nearest the final destination, it will typically be put back on a truck, to be transported to our agent that will be handling your delivery. However, there are times when a shipment will be trucked for longer distances rather the railed. If you have any questions about your shipment, please ask your sales person or call our offices.
Inter-Island (i.e. Oahu to Maui)
Royal Hawaiian Movers has offices on all of the major Hawaiian Islands (Oahu, Maui, The Big Island, and Kauai). We are generally able to provide quick service between these locations, but are unable to guarantee transit times. However, we do provide the following guidelines.
| To: | From: Oahu | From: Maui | From: Big Island | From: Kauai |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oahu | ——- | 7 – 9 days | 9 – 11 days | 5 – 7 days |
| Maui | 7 – 9 days | ——- | 10 – 21 days | 10 – 21 days |
| Big Island | 9 – 11 days | 10 – 21 days | ——- | 10 – 21 days |
| Kauai | 5 – 7 days | 10 – 21 days | 10 – 21 days | ——- |
From Hawaii to the Mainland
We cannot provide our customers with an exact delivery date at the time of estimation or booking. However, we can provide you with an estimated transit window.
Consolidate Shipments to the Mainland
| To: | Western US | Central US | Eastern US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oahu | 4 – 6 weeks | 5 – 7 weeks | 6 – 8 weeks |
| Maui | 6 – 8 weeks | 7 – 9 weeks | 7 – 9 weeks |
| Big Island | 6 – 8 weeks | 7 – 9 weeks | 7 – 9 weeks |
| Kauai | 7 – 9 weeks | 8 – 10 weeks | 8 – 10 weeks |
A port agent is the company that will pick up or return a container to or from an ocean port. Royal Hawaiian Movers is a port agent in addition to a mover. This means that we are capable of picking up and returning containers from all of the major ports in the Hawaiian Islands. This will allow Royal Hawaiian Movers to make sure that your items are transported in a timely manner.
Royal Hawaiian Movers is not affiliated with a national van line. However, we have been doing business in the Hawaiian Islands for over 30 years, and do work for and reciprocate with all the major van lines in the United States.
Over the past 30 years Royal Hawaiian Movers has established its own network of quality agents on the mainland and internationally. Many of these agents are affiliated with national van lines like Allied, Arpin, Bekins, Graebel, Interstate, National, North American, Mayflower and United and some of them are independents like our company. Royal Hawaiian Movers prides itself on using the most reputable agents to service your move.
For inter-island shipments your items will be transported on a Young Brothers barge. Young Brothers is the only company licensed by the Hawaii Public Utilities Commission to offer barge service for items traveling between the islands.For shipments going to the mainland, we use the major container ship lines that service the Hawaiian Islands: Horizon Lines Matson Navigation, and Pasha Hawaii. All companies offer similar services and similar routes.
The geographical local of Hawaii limits the methods of transportation to and from the islands to ocean or air. Ocean transportation is more economical and is the most common method of transportation for household goods shipments. However, if you require assistance with transporting items via air, we can assist you with that as well. Please keep in mind that air shipments tend to be costly.
We can arrange for storage of your shipment at origin or destination. It is best to use the Liftvan method for transportation to make sure that we avoid extra handling and extra charges when your shipment is put into storage. The cost for storage is usually determined by its size and weight. If you let our sales team know that you are anticipating storage for a period of time, we can provide you with the cost for such services.
When your items are stored with Royal Hawaiian Moves they will be stored in one of our alarm equipped warehouses. Goods are usually stored in the wooden liftvan crates as discussed earlier. Royal’s storage facilities are not climate controlled, but our warehouses are well maintained and your items generally remain cool, and they are always kept dry.
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