Questions Nalani fields on the first phone call, grouped by the part of the move people are usually trying to figure out. If your question is not below, call the WMP desk at [bc_phone] or send Tyler the four basics through the form on the quote page — we read every form within the business hour.
How early do I need to book an inter-island container?
Two to three weeks ahead for a Matson Kahului-to-Honolulu sail in normal season, four to six weeks ahead from May through November (hurricane prep window pushes everyone forward). Pasha runs to Kawaihae and Nawiliwili tend to have more slot flexibility but the Monday and Thursday cut-offs are firm. The earlier we lock the sail, the more move-day options Tyler can write into the binding figure.
How early do I need to book a mainland Pacific container?
Four to six weeks for a normal Matson Kahului-to-Long-Beach or Kahului-to-Tacoma sail. Eight weeks for the peak season around summer school transitions and the snowbird rotations in October-November and March-April. Mainland is a 14-day sea leg so the planning calendar pushes earlier than people expect coming from a mainland-to-mainland mover.
Can I pack my own boxes for an inter-island container?
Yes, and most people do for the soft goods. We strongly recommend our wrap-and-pack on anything wood, anything upholstered, anything with electronics, and anything fragile — the 14-day mainland transit and the trade-wind humidity will find every weak spot in a self-pack. Mixed approach is fine: you pack the kitchen and the books, we pack the bedroom suite, the koa hutch, the leather sectional and the TV.
Do you do same-day quotes?
Yes — if you call Nalani before 2 PM and the move is on-island or a standard inter-island lane, Tyler turns the binding flat figure inside of the same business day. Complex Wailea estate work, mainland Pacific runs to non-standard ports, and anything with a piano or a gun safe usually wants a 24-hour walk-through window.
Why do you only use Matson and Pasha — are there other carriers?
They are the only two licensed common-carrier marine container operators running regular service between the Hawaiian islands and to the West Coast. We have institutional relationships with both, going back to before Kai opened We Move People. There are smaller LCL (less-than-container-load) consolidators we use for partial loads, but for a household move you want a dedicated 20-foot or 40-foot dry, which means Matson or Pasha.
What is the difference between a 20-foot and a 40-foot container?
A 20-foot dry holds about a one-bedroom apartment with some buffer. A 40-foot dry holds a three-bedroom house with a garage worth of stuff. Tyler will tell you which one your inventory fits in — we do not upsell to the bigger box. If your stuff sits in between, sometimes a 20-foot with an LCL spillover is cheaper than a 40-foot you do not fill.
Do you handle the unpack on the other end of a mainland Pacific move?
Yes — the West Coast partner-crew quote includes the unload at your final mainland address and a basic unpack-and-debris-removal pass. Full unpack (every box opened, every cabinet stocked, every picture rehung) is a separate hourly figure with the partner crew, and Marcus will lock that with you before the container sails.
Can you store a container between move-out and move-in?
Yes — our climate-stable indoor storage off Kuihelani Highway holds container contents at $145 to $340 a month depending on the box size. Some snowbirds park a 20-foot dry with us year-round and we just rotate the contents twice a year for the seasonal off-island migration. Insurance is on our policy while it sits in our yard.
What does insurance actually cover on a Pacific container?
Federal baseline is $0.60 per pound released value with a nine-month claim window — that is the floor. Full-replacement-value protection is a separate Matson or Pasha policy that we quote at the time of the binding figure, typically $250 to $450 for a one-bedroom mainland container. Most of our customers take the upgraded coverage for the mainland sail; inter-island most people skip it because the sea exposure is shorter.
How does payment timing work on an off-island move?
$245 deposit when you sign the binding figure, fifty percent of the balance when the container is loaded on the Kahului side, the remaining balance when the partner crew unloads at the destination address. ACH and card both fine; we discount one percent if you pay the full balance by ACH at the loading milestone. No cash for anything over $1,000.
What if my move-day weather turns bad on Maui?
For on-island moves we work through normal Hawaii rain — trade-wind showers do not stop the truck. For an inter-island or mainland load-day, if the harbor closes (hurricane warning, sea state) we hold the container and reschedule the sail at no charge. Pono carries extra plastic on the truck for the Upcountry pop-up showers; the load gets covered, not delayed.
Do you do commercial office moves and not just households?
Yes — we run the Maui Memorial Hospital staff relocations, the UH Maui College semester moves (August arrivals, May departures), small-business office moves in Kahului and Wailuku, and the occasional Wailea hotel rotation. Tyler quotes commercial as a separate binding figure with the after-hours scheduling and the certificate of insurance built in.