Nani (beautiful) Hawaii Review Aboard the POA, June 4-11

Aloha!

Just a quick background on us: My DH is in his 50s and I am in my mid 40s and we love cruising with NCL.

Why we chose this cruise: Last year we had planned on taking the Panama Canal cruise on the NCL Star. Unfortunately, that cruise was cancelled 4 days before we were to leave so NCL provided us a full refund and a 50% cruise credit to use on a future cruise. So…we thought it would be perfect to use the credit towards the POA since the cruise is a little more expensive than some of the others that we have chosen.

Since this was such a port intensive cruise with no sea days I decided to maximize the credit and book an inside cabin on deck 11. I kept telling the DH that the room was super small and that we would not be in it very much anyway so it would just be somewhere to sleep and get ready. But…to my utter shock, on Monday, May 30, I received an up sell email for the penthouse with large balcony. The price was amazing so I jumped on the opportunity and then decided to keep it a secret from the DH until we boarded a few days later.

I also decided not to purchase the specialty dining package since I was worried we would want to eat off the ship and did not want to be locked in to eating somewhere throughout the cruise. The only restaurant that I did pre-book was Cagney’s on Kona night since I had read that they bring in Kona Lobster—this is now an ala carte priced restaurant. The DH is not a huge fan of the complimentary restaurants since it takes a long time to eat and….he is one of those that wants to grab a little bit of this and that. So…the majority of the on-ship dinners were at the buffet throughout the week. Sorry...I do not have any insight on the complimentary dinner locations including the Cadillac Diner.

In terms of wine, I pre-ordered (2) bottles of Cakebread for the cabin since I did not want to deal with bringing wine on to the ship. The corkage if you are bringing your own is $15 per bottle. You are able to bring bottled water on board at no cost.

I contacted Hawaii Tourism Council last year and they sent out their informational magazines on each island. I used this as a starting point on looking at where attractions were located on the island and what they recommended as do not miss activities. It was a huge help in the planning process.

Day of Departure

Fast forward 16 months and that gets us to the day of departure for Honolulu (Thursday, June 2). Coming from Vegas there is a direct flight on Hawaiian Airlines. I opted for the select comfort seats, which were about $400 more than the coach seats. The select comfort seats include a pillow, blanket, free tv shows and movies, more leg room, and more recline. Both the DH and I said these seats were well worth the money. If you are looking at these seats we were in row 13 and thought it was a perfect location because although you were next to the restrooms you had no one behind you. If you are one to be bothered by the galley being near you then you may want to look at row 12. Row 11 seats do not have movable armrests and the TVs come out of the side armrest. Also, be aware that there is no wifi on this flight.

Hawaiian is great because they not only offer complimentary meals (pretty good) but also a celebratory mai tai on the way to Honolulu and also a choice of red/white wine with the dinner on the way back. They also provide several snacks and are always coming through with complimentary beverages and water service. If you are one to enjoy cocktails, they were $8 each.

The flight was a quick 6 hours and we soon landed at Honolulu airport. The airport is spread out, so if you do not want to walk long distances make sure to jump on the wiki wiki shuttle to the baggage pickup.

After researching transportation options that did not require multiple stops, I ended up going with Dang’s Limousine service. It was $60 + gratuity from the airport to Hilton Hawaiian Village. The limo was on time, exactly where he said they would be, and it was a white super-stretch that accommodates up to 12 guests. It was a luxurious way to start out the vacation!

25 minutes later, we were pulling up to the Hilton Hawaiian Village. I had booked the private tower Alii, which has its own check-in, private pool, work out facility, and upgraded amenities. It also includes complimentary appetizers on the private pool deck Friday/Saturday nights with a prime viewing area of the Friday night fireworks.

All drop off and pickups at the hotel are done in one area so be aware if you are booked in one of the other towers you do have to go through the main check-in area. I had read that the main check-in lines were extremely long and they definitely were! I was glad that we had our own private check-in area. We walked directly to the Alii tower and checked in within 10 minutes.

I had originally booked an ocean-view room but we were upgraded at check-in to an oceanfront that overlooked the private pool and the huge stretch of beach that this hotel offers. If you can swing it, definitely book the oceanfront at whatever hotel you choose—you will not be disappointed. Note: After walking Waikiki beach over several days, I was shocked at how small the beaches were in front of the other hotels. If the beach time is important I would definitely check this hotel out. We absolutely loved the hotel location and would definitely book the Alii tower again if we ever go back to Oahu.

Since we were both hungry we headed down to Tropics, which is in the Alii tower on the ground level overlooking the beach and ocean. As there was a wait for a table, we opted to sit at the bar. The DH started with a Blue Hawaii while I went with a Mojito. We decided on the Kalua Pig Nachos and fresh ahi poke—they were both very good. Although, the place was busy the food came out quickly and the service was great. I did not think that the prices were to much higher than any other metro city. Tropics offers a happy hour between 2 pm – 3 pm which takes $2 off Mai Tais and Blue Hawaii cocktails.

After eating, we headed back up to the room to unpack and get ready to head to the Halekulani Hotel so that we could eat at House Without a Key (HWK). After a lot of research and my boss stating that that "this is where the locals take their friends" based on the fresh local food, ambiance, and genuine Hawaiian atmosphere, I told the DH we were definitely going! The walk from HHV was about 10 minutes and I recommend going the street route rather than the beach route since the boardwalk ends right before you get to HWK (yep…we learned that the hard way).

On Thursday nights, HWK offers the Kiawe Grill. The chefs cook all the entrees on an outside grill. The DH ordered the fresh catch of the day, which was Ono, and I had the filet. Dessert was the famous Halekulani coconut cake with a crème anglaise sauce. I cannot rave enough about this cake—it was so yummy!!! For cocktails, I tried the HWK Mai Tai, which I can say was very difficult to drink since it tasted like lighter fluid. This is one I would stay away from. The DH went with a Kona beer which is served in an insulated aluminum glass which kept his beer icy cold. Apparently, these are very popular so once you have one; you may need to keep reusing the same vessel. Our server told us they were already out of them at 5:15 pm.

The grill and live Hawaiian music start at 5:00 pm and then at 5:30 pm former Miss Hawaii’s perform the Hula. We were able to see Miss Hawaii 2011 who was absolutely amazing!! Although expensive, between the entertainment, view of the ocean, and yummy food this is one venue to put on your visit list.

Friday, June 3

With the 3-hour time difference, we were up at dawn and decided to stake out our lounge chairs at the pool for the day. The pool does have cocktail and food service (starts at 11 am) so you do not need to leave the area unless you want. The only move we made the entire day was to head down to the beach to take a stroll. Other than that, it was pure relaxation watching the waves crash in with a cocktail in hand.

Around 3:00 pm, we headed in and got ready to walk to the Sheraton Waikiki (about 15 minute walk). I wanted to hit happy hour at Rumfire which has $6.50 cocktails and 3 pupus at $10 each (Kalua Pig Nachos, Kim Chi Rice, Fresh Calamari, and Truffle Tater Tots ($5)). We fell in absolute love with the Scorched Strawberry cocktail. It is so good that I am trying to figure out how to recreate it now that I am home. If you get a chance to try this cocktail definitely, go for it!

After returning to HHV, we went out on the balcony to check out the action on the pool deck. There were quite a few people in line for the free appetizers and from what we could see; they had vegetable crudités, meatballs, and chicken satay. Promptly at 7:45 pm, the Friday night firework display started which was about 15 minutes in duration. What a spectacular sight to see the fireworks over Waikiki.

Saturday, June 4

I wanted to go to Duke’s Waikiki for their breakfast buffet ($17 pp) so we were up and walking to the Outrigger Hotel by 7:00 am (about 20 minute walk). The breakfast buffet was well worth the price and included made-to-order omelets, scrambled eggs, eggs benedict, local Hawaiian sausage, bacon, local Hawaiian fruits, pastries, breakfast potatoes, several different kinds of pancakes, and French toast with local Hawaiian toppings. We both enjoyed the breakfast and a few bloody mary’s.

Since we had some time to kill, on the way back we stopped at Fort De Russy and walked around the cannons and tanks to take some photos.

Once we were back to the hotel room, we quickly packed and then headed down to meet Dang’s limousine for the ride to the pier ($60 + tip). We left the hotel at 10:30 am and were at the pier at 10:45 am. There are no porters so you walk into the warehouse with your luggage and then it is taken from you. From there, you go through the hand luggage scanner and then are into the large holding room. As we walked in you get the traditional lei—men get the shell lei and women get a purple orchid lei. There is entertainment and a table of women making different style leis that you can watch while you are waiting to board.

After receiving our lei, there was a person asking your room number which I promptly said 11028. He then said oh…Mr. and Mrs. ____ right this way please. We were then whisked away into a private area for check-in. The DH asked “did we get an upgrade” and I mumbled something and turned my head away smiling. Then after being checked in the DH says, “Is this because we are silver latitudes?” and again I mumble and turn my head away. The DH finally shrugs his shoulders and says "oh well if they are letting inside cabins come in here then I am hitting their beverages and snack area." I said, “Okay, have fun.”

At 11:30 am, James the concierge invited all of us to board the ship and head to Cagney’s for our private lunch. The DH looks at me again and says “this is really strange but oh…well…it must be a glitch.” Once we came into the Napa Wine Bar that flanks Cagney’s James had us all sit down and went over all of the benefits that the suites receive for the week. Once he was finished, he invited us into Cagney’s for lunch. After sitting down, I could not keep the secret any more so I blurted out “we were given an upsell on Monday and I took it.” The DH responds, “What…what…did you say? Oh man… I tuned James out because everything he was talking about did not apply to inside cabins!” I just started laughing.

The rooms were not going to be ready until 2ish so I asked James if we could just drop off the hand luggage to our room and he said no but our butler could definitely take it for us. Therefore, Jose, our butler, whisked it away so that we were hands free. Just a quick note that the butler and concierge are not included in the daily service charge so you do need to tip them separately. I also tipped my steward separately as well.

We headed to the main pool and hung out at the bar until 2 pm when the announcement that cabins on deck 11 was ready. I was so excited to see our room since it was refurbished during dry dock. As we got close to the room, we realized that our door was bright pink, which made it super easy to find during the week!

As we swung the door open we said holy smokes, this is great. The room was about 300 square feet and included a living area with a couch and coffee table; king sized bed, bathroom with tub/shower, one sink, and toilet. Coming out of the bathroom, you went into the closet area, which had tons of room for hanging garments, drawers, and then a vanity to get ready. There was also a small fridge, safe, coffee maker, and wine glasses on the living room side.

But…the best part of this room by far was the balcony. It was about 280 square feet with (2) thickly-padded loungers, a small table and a dining table that accommodated 4 guests. We spent a great deal of time out on the balcony since it was such a comfortable space. It was definitely worth the extra money to upgrade!

Our luggage showed up shortly after and we quickly unpacked since we were attending the meet and greet at 3:30 pm. We met several of the ship officers and chatted with a few of the roll callers before heading back to the pool deck. It would have been nice to see some of the attendees from the meet and greet again but with such a port intensive itinerary it just never happened.

We had a quick drink and then went to our muster station, which was J (Hollywood Theater). The lifeboat drill lasted about 15 minutes and then we were off to the pool deck.

The BBQ sail away party started at 5 pm and we found ourselves back at the Aloha bar watching the cruise director/staff the dancing. Yep…sure enough I found myself dancing the cupid shuffle with the cruise staff moments later. And of course, the DH videotaped me. Ugh…evidence.

That night I ended up heading to bed early while the DH went to see the Beatles tribute with Toby Beau in Mardi Gras. He said it was good and that he was glad he went.

Sunday, June 5

MAUI—Day One

After spending over a year researching different excursions I ended up doing Maui on our own. This was the only island I had been to before so I figured I knew what the DH would like to see and do. We ended up renting a car through Thrifty for the two days we were at port. The cost for the 2 days was around $80.

Once you leave the ship, you will head towards the shuttle pickup zone. Make sure to read the signs on each stall since they correspond to specific car rental shuttles. After taking the shuttle to the car rental location, we were quickly checked-in and on our way.

We downloaded the app “wasi” onto our phone, which was great to have since it automatically used your starting point so all you had to add was where you wanted to go. It worked like a charm because quite honestly, I am not sure if we could have made it everywhere we went without using the app. I will say to make sure to add your charger so that you can plug in to the car—the app does drain your phone battery.

Since the weather was not cooperating, we decided to change up our plans and do the sightseeing this day and the beach the next. Our first stop was to Paia on north shore where we walked around the quaint town and then headed to Mama’s Fish House for lunch. Mama’s is one of Maui’s best restaurants since the produce is locally sourced and the fish is brought in directly from local fishermen each day. The DH had Mama’s Salad and the Mama’s stuffed mahi mahi while I chose the Tristan lobster; which is from the most remote location in the world (at least that is what our server said). All of the dishes were so fresh and yummy—it was a definite “10”.

Then we drove to the Maui Tropical Plantation. Since I had visited it in the past I really wanted the DH to take the tram through the plantation. Unfortunately, the 3:00 pm tour was sold out so we ended up walking around the shops and then got some Macadamia Nut ice cream and shave ice with coconut and lilikoi flavoring. Pretty tasty!

After finishing our snack, we decided to head back to drop off the car for the evening. There had been some changes with the car rental parking in Maui so here is the skinny. Although not super convenient, we had peace of mind by parking at the airport for $13.00 and then walking across the street to the car rental shuttle. It is a 3-minute walk—so close. Our shuttle driver mentioned that several of the passengers the week before had their cars towed when they parked at the mall. We figured it was just not worth the chance.

Once back on board we went back to the room to refresh and then just grabbed a snack at the buffet since we had eaten so much in the day. As others have mentioned the buffet can be congested but there are many options that include made to order omelets in the morning and made to order crepes in the evening, which are good. Three large buffet stations serve the same thing so if one area was busy you could walk to another area to get the same items. The only two stations that were different were the desserts and the cold salads and breads. We found that there was always plenty of seating both inside and out.

I also noticed on this trip how much better the desserts were than previous NCL cruises. They had flavor and did not have the gelatinous texture with no taste. So thumbs up on the new menus!! There is also soft serve ice cream available but the gelato station was not open on our cruise. It had a sign “coming soon.”

That evening, we went to the Waikiki bar on deck 13 so the DH could smoke a cigar and I could have a nightcap. The Waikiki bar is the only smoking area on the ship so it was always busy during the day and evenings. Right below the Waikiki bar is another small pool that has loungers with thick pads. Since there are only 12 of those loungers, they do fill up fast for those sun worshippers that want a smaller area to hang out.

Monday, June 6

MAUI: DAY TWO

We went to Cagney’s for breakfast, which is only open for suite cabins. The DH ordered the eggs benedict, that he loved and I had the French toast with mascarpone and warm maple syrup. After a leisurely meal, we headed back out to catch the shuttle back to get the car from the airport.

Our plan for today was to head to Wailea Beach but the forecast said periods of rain and wind so we went to Kaanapali instead. On our way, we stopped in Lahaina to see the giant banyan tree. We ended up finding a great parking location between two of the Kaanapali resorts and then headed down to the beach area. Above the beach was a huge grassy area where I camped out for the day. After spending several hours worshipping the sun, we decided to start heading back to drop off the car.

We were back on the ship by 2:30 pm, grabbed a quick snack, and finished the afternoon by reading on the cabin balcony. Later that evening, we ventured out and got a quick bite at the buffet before heading up to Waikiki for cigars and cocktails, which ended our night.

Note: I love the Newlywed and Not so Newlywed game so I was sad that I missed seeing it live but I was able to see it replayed on TV. Unfortunately, it was not as funny as those I have seen in the past. In addition, they used exact same questions from our last cruise. I told the DH we would have crushed it since we already knew the questions and what are answers would have been. I hope that they change the questions before our next cruise so that the show is different :D.

Tuesday, June 7

HILO

I had booked an independent tour with Aina tours, which is a husband and wife team. The tour went to the Volcano National Park where we walked through the Thurston Lava Tube, saw the steam vents, and went to the Jagger Museum. From there, we went to rainbow falls, the orchid farm, then on to the Mauna Lao nut/chocolate factory and then ended with the black sand beach.

We met at 7:45 am in the Hilo terminal and were off by 8:00 am. I think we made it back to the ship at 3:00 pm.

The pros of the tour is that it is a small group, the couple provides bottled water, snacks, rain coats, umbrellas, and for the women a small orchid to wear in their hair. The price is lower than NCl at $94 per person which was great. Also, Rainbow Falls is beautiful and surprisingly we loved the orchid farm. Who knew that there were that many varieties of orchids!

The negatives of the tour were that it was close to 8 hours and too long. The only lunch option was Mauna Loa, which has a small cafeteria with sandwiches and chips. Also, there were (2) vans of 10 in each vehicle with the other 18 being one extended family so it was a little uncomfortable—thank goodness they were super nice. However, I wish we had known so that I could have made other arrangements.

Lastly, from what I understand the weather was typical Hilo….RAINY. The rain coupled with the temperature (45) made the first few hours miserable. This was our least favorite port and I think if we ever went back, I would just rent a car and do the things we wanted to do on our own time frame.

After getting back to the ship we were exhausted so it was siesta time…I took my bottle of Cakebread to my deck chair, snuggled in, and read a book. Later that evening, we went to the buffet to grab a late dinner.

Note: This was the night of the celebrity dance off which we did not see live (again missed it) but watched the replay. I have to say this was the best dance off I have seen on NCL. The dance staff was amazing and the passengers that were paired up with them were hysterical. One dancer was the most flexible person I have ever seen. The DH is still commenting on how he moved the way he did.

Wednesday, June 8

KONA

Kona is the only tender port and since we had a suite, we had VIP tickets to disembark whenever we wanted. After a leisurely breakfast at Cagney’s we headed off ship around 9:00 am. Surprisingly, there was no line so we got on the first tender.

This port reminds me a lot of Cabo San Lucas since you can walk to restaurants, shops, and some of the sights. Our first stop was the Mokuaikaua Church, which is the oldest Christian church in Hawaii (5-minute walk). After chatting with the docent and taking several photos, we headed across the street to the Hulihe’e Palace, which was the summer home of King Kalakaua and Queen Kapiolani. Adult tickets are $20 each and you are not able to take photos inside the home. Additionally, they do require you to take your shoes off on entering the palace. This is a Japanese tradition that was adopted by the Hawaiians.

After leaving the palace, we headed up the road towards Kona Brewing Company since I had a reservation for a brewery tour (10-minute walk). I was glad that I paid for these online ahead of time since many people were showing up trying to get into the tour but it was sold out. They offer the tours twice a day and there are only about 20 guests on the tour. Two tickets were $11 and included (2) commemorative key chains, the tour, and a (5) 4 oz. beer tasting seminar. This was not only an informative tour but I also really enjoyed the beer tasting [in fact I just bought a Kona beer sampler pack while I was out today]. After finishing the tour, the DH bought me a hydro-flask, which keeps your beer cold and filled it with Longboard for me to take along the walk.

Since we were both hungry we stopped at Splasher’s Grill for lunch. The grill is on the second floor and has views of the ship and beach. The DH ordered a fish sandwich while I had blackened ahi fish tacos. YUM!!

After eating, we debated on whether to go over to the beach on the other side of the pier or just go back on the ship and stake out some lounge chairs at the pool. After looking at how busy the beach was, we opted to go back to the ship. I am glad that we did since the pool filled in, as we got closer to sail away.

I had been looking forward to an afternoon of Mango Meltdowns but they were not as good as the ones made on Breakaway so I switched to Pina Coladas with a Myers float. They were really good! However, they kept putting giant--and I mean giant--pieces of pineapple in each drink so I finally told the server to stop the madness:D.

We ended up staying at the pool until around 4 pm and then went in to get ready for our dinner at Cagney’s at 6 pm. I decided to bring my last bottle of wine to dinner since I was not sure if we would drink it over the next couple of days.

After sitting down, I asked the server about the Kona Lobster, and she said they no longer bring it on board. Ughh…oh well...and was silently glad that I had it in Maui. The DH ordered the green salad and I had the wedge. For entrees, I had the petite filet and DH had the bone-in ribeye. For the sides, we ordered sautéed mushrooms and the truffle mashed potatoes. For dessert, the staff brought out a celebration cake [anniversary] and the DH ordered an espresso to have along with his sweet treat. The total cost with tip was $79—for those who want a comparison from the ala carte meal to that of the $60.00 cover charge for two guests.

After finishing dinner, we headed over to the theater to catch the Frankie Valli Show, which we both enjoyed immensely. We capped the night off at the Waikiki Bar.

Thursday, June 9

KAUAI DAY One

We were so full from dinner the night before that we skipped breakfast and disembarked right at 10:00 am. This is the only late arrival day for POA so make sure to take the time into account for rental cars and excursions.

Over the course of the year, I had researched several excursion options with NCL but they were so expensive so I ended up looking at companies and their rates and was happy to find that they were substantially less in cost. That meant that we needed a rental car so I booked with thrifty for just one day

($30).

Once we were off the ship, we headed to the shuttle pickup area. The area was unorganized since there was just one long line with no signage. The dollar/thrifty shuttle was the first shuttle to show up and unfortunately, groups of people were just hopping on even though it was not their shuttle. We did not realize that is what happened until we got to Thrifty and only six of the 30 people went inside.

There was a long line but it moved quickly and we were on our way by 11:00 am. Our first stop was Wailua Falls which is the waterfall featured in the opening scene of Fantasy Island. We plugged in the attraction into Wasi and we were off. It is a beautiful drive that takes you through the tunnel of the trees and through a lot of foliage. As you come up to the falls there is parking for about 25 cars around the corner to the left. The waterfall and view is worth the drive!

From there, we headed to Poipu to visit Poipu Beach Park. It must have been a good idea because there were many POA guests there (you can tell by their towels). We walked around the beach for a short while and then headed to Brennecke’s Beachside Broiler for a quick lunch before we had to leave for our ATV excursion. The broiler is on the second floor with great views of the beach. The DH had the signature burger and I went with the Lemon Crusted Ahi Salad. Unfortunately, we had to eat quickly since we need to leave by 1 pm for a 1:15 pm check in at Kipu Ranch.

If you are planning to do the ATV tour with Kipu Ranch make sure to park along the far side of the ranch and then look for the cabin that says office. Once we found the office we were asked to fill out liability waivers and if we wanted to purchase ATV insurance. The insurance was an additional $40. Total cost for two was $360.00 before the insurance.

From there, we were outfitted with goggles, helmets, and Kipu Ranch branded bandanas. Believe me you need them the entire time. This is definitely a muddy and dusty trip so make sure to wear clothes that are dark in color and that can get dirty. Additionally, you are on bumpy and uneven surfaces the entire time so if you have any back issues this may not be adventure for you.

The three Hour ATV tour took us through the mountains and ranch for views of beaches and movie locations such as Jurassic Park, the Descendents, etc. You also have the chance to swing on the Indiana Jones rope from the first movie since that is where it was filmed.

I still have not figured out if the DH was trying to scare me or honestly was sliding everywhere. He had me yelling and telling him to stay away from the edges of the cliffs the entire ride. I did not want to be the one that went off the side of the mountain!!

We stopped throughout the tour to take photos and then once to have a snack break. The guides provided bottled waters, homemade granola, and banana bread. It was a perfect pick me up before finishing the drive back to the ranch. Overall, this was a great tour and I definitely would recommend Kipu Ranch.

After leaving, we headed back to the car rental to drop off the car and then took the shuttle back to the ship. We both were covered in dust so we jumped in the shower and then got off the ship again and headed towards Duke’s for our last off-ship dinner. The back interior of the restaurant has a huge waterfall and pond with Koi while the front has views of the beach. This was the only restaurant that we had a wait to get a table since many of the POA guests had the same idea! I think the wait was about 25 minutes.

Once we had devoured our meal, we walked back to the small Anchor Cove shopping center to do some last minute gift buying at ABC and to use the ATM machine ($3.50 charge). We did overhear the parking attendant talking about cruise parking being $20 for the night as we boarded the complimentary shuttle back to the ship. The free Anchor Cove shuttle only runs until 9:00 pm so plan to walk if you end parking after that time.

Friday, June 10

KAUAI Day Two

We got up early, ate at the buffet, and got ready to meet our taxi driver (Kauai Taxi) to take us to Kauai Backcountry for our 9:00 am tubing adventure (tubing through the plantation waterways). If you are taking a taxi that you have reserved, you need to go out of the terminal and make a right and then head towards the wall. The reserved taxis will meet you there.

Our driver was right on time at 8:00 am and it only took 12 minutes to get there. Total taxi cost with tip was $23. We walked inside the building, filled out our waivers, and then went over to tubing camp where we were provided helmets with lights and gloves.

The company tells you to wear water shoes and a bathing suit. Also, bring a towel and a change clothes. If you have a waterproof camera or recorder definitely, add that to the pack list since the scenery is amazing. Unfortunately, I have no photos of the tubing (boo hoo) since I was not a smart packer.

Once your group of 25 is there, you are divided into (2) vans and then you head up on to private land (35 minutes). The ride up is a bit rocky (felt like I was on the ATV tour). On the way there, the guides provided information on how the Chinese dug the irrigation systems in the 19th century and that they hollowed out the mountain tunnels with just a pick axe.

Once we arrived at the start point, the guides explained that we would be tubing for an hour through the waterways and going through the tunnels (why you have a light on your hat). This excursion is good for all ages since all you do is sit in your tube (lazy boy recliner style) and then float through the ditches. I will caution that there are some white water parts and you do move at a good pace throughout the entire float. And….yes….you get very wet!!

The company provides large black containers to leave your personal belongings, which then meet you with the vans at the picnic spot where there are outhouses and changing rooms. Very rustic!

Our guide explained that if you were stuck in the reeds (yep…happened to all of us) to push off using your feet or your hands (why you have gloves) and then get back into the current. If you are claustrophobic, they provide you an out after you go through the first baby tunnel. Otherwise, after that point you are going all the way! I am glad to say that we did not have any takers on our tour;).

After finishing the float, we picked up our belongings from the black containers, changed, and then went over to the picnic tables for lunch. The ticket price includes bottled water, sandwiches, chips, and a cookie. Once we all finished eating, we packed up, and headed back to the main building (35 minutes). This was by far my favorite excursion we did and I would do it again if we went back! Just amazing! It was about $220 for the both of us.

On the way back from the mountain I called Kauai taxi and told them we were heading down and they showed up right on time. The only glitch was that another group called them as well but they were short one taxi for their party so they called another company. It ended up that they took our taxi and we ended up waiting for the last taxi to show up….oh well…what are you going to do!

The taxi got us back to the ship by 12:30 pm so we moved quickly to the pool to get some loungers before the rest of the guests showed up. We lucked out finding two on the second floor of the pool near the bar area. We stayed there for several hours---me trying out cocktails such as the Dirty Monkey and the DH playing volleyball against the cruise staff.

Around 3 pm, we headed in to get ready for the Napali Coast Sail by. Since cabin 11028 is starboard, we did not have a view so we hopped up to the Waikiki bar and watched it from that location. Around 7 we headed to the buffet for the last dinner (my last pretzel roll) and then went back to the cabin to pack.

Note: The only excursion I did book through NCL was the Early Bird Pearl Harbor and Airport Drop Off. We received our excursion tickets in the suite and earlier that day black luggage tags that showed we were “tour” people.

We had our luggage packed, out the door before 9 pm, and then called it a night.

Saturday, June 11

Honolulu--Disembark

We had our final breakfast at Cagney’s where we both had the seafood eggs benedict. The DH loved it and I thought there were too many flavors so I just ate the eggs. We then quickly went to the room to pack the hand luggage so that we could be at the Mardi Gras Theater by 7:45 am.

After disembarking, we went and found our luggage, got in line for our tour, and boarded the bus. The bus took us to Pearl Harbor and gave us until 11:45 am. The excursion ticket only included the Pearl Harbor museums and memorial. The Arizona was not included. We wandered around the museums until our time slot came up to watch the movie (9:30 am). The movie was wonderful and about 30 minutes in duration. From there, we went out the side doors to a boat that takes you to the memorial. We had about 20 minutes before the next group arrived and we got into their boat.

I think the highlight of the time there was seeing one of the survivors (99 years old) autographing his book available for purchase in the gift shop.

Everyone on our bus was early so we took off at 11:45 am. Funny enough, the DH and I were the only ones that got off at Hawaiian. The rest of the 50 people were heading elsewhere.

Once the driver unloaded our luggage, we had to figure out where to go and how to print our tickets. All Hawaiian departures had to head to kiosks located at the far end to print out your tickets and luggage tags. Then you put your own luggage tags on and walked the luggage to the baggage drop off. From there, you joined the line to go through TSA, which was very long. The only thing that sped the process was that they had a K9 dog sniffing each person and their bags so we did not have to take the shoes, etc off. Of course, we both alarmed—me with my shoes and the DH with a belt.

Once we made it through TSA check we found that we were at the complete other end of the airport which meant we either needed to grab the Wiki Wiki shuttle or just walk it since we had time to kill. We ended up walking it, which was good because it ended up that there was no food/beverage remotely near our gate. We ended up backtracking to the only food location—Gordon Biersch; which, you can imagine was packed. After finding a table for 2 we ordered two burgers and two beers and then tried to relax. About 2:30 pm, we boarded our flight and took off at 3:15 pm bound for Vegas.

Overall Thoughts

There were many negative reviews regarding the POA, which we found not to be true at all. All the staff was extremely nice and went out of their way to help. Many of them said that they loved it and were on their third contract and as long as they were still having a good time, they would keep resigning.

Definitely rent cars in Maui and Kauai and do your own thing. It will save you a lot of money and allow you to customize your trip to your likes.

Realize that this is a go….go…go cruise. Without having sea days to recharge, we found that we were in bed early every night. If you can, schedule a few days on the back end after disembarking to relax. I wish now that we had done it backwards.

Both the DH and I way over packed. Honestly, the majority of the time you are in a swimsuit and a coverup depending on what activities you have scheduled. Hawaii is very casual so there is no need for super dressy clothes but I would bring a cardigan or light jacket for the evenings since the tradewinds cool things down.

Pack some seasickness medicine. The seas were extremely rough a few nights and the DH who never gets seasick was ill. Thank goodness, I had Bonine with me since I always get seasick. However, on those nights I ended up taking two pills.

You will take a bazillion photos but I found that the pictures do not do the islands justice. They really are something that you need to see yourself and experience.

Questions

I would be happy to answer any questions that you may have.

NCL Dailies

I also have the dailies that I will PDF this week and can email out to anyone interested.

Thank you for writing such a useful tool for other DIY planners!!!

Nancy

Sunnyvegas ...

Thanks for the great posting! I would like to request the copies of the daily paper you offered be emailed to me.

molokai44 @ charter . net (no spaces)

Thanks,

Chuck

Thank you for writing such a useful tool for other DIY planners!!!

 

Nancy

Thanks my friend!

I look forward to hearing what you will plan for your Hawaii vacation :D

I'd also like a copy of the dailies emailed to me. Great review.

rockfsh at mail.com

Thank you very much for a GREAT review!

Please send the dailies to

birdtravels2020 @ gmail . com

I'd also like a copy of the dailies emailed to me. Great review.

 

rockfsh at mail.com

They are on their way! Happy Planning :)

Michelle

Thank you very much for a GREAT review!

 

Please send the dailies to

 

birdtravels2020 @ gmail . com

They are on their way!

Aloha. A very nice review. Very entertaining. Can u send me the Dallies? Tijeras1731 at gmail dot com (no spaces) Mahalo.

Sent from my iPad using Forums mobile app

Great review/report.

Keith

Aloha. A very nice review. Very entertaining. Can u send me the Dallies? Tijeras1731 at gmail dot com (no spaces) Mahalo.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums mobile app

They are on the way!

Excellent review. Thank you so much for all your input and advice.

I am excited to sail the POA on 7/30

(Our 10th Anniversary!)

I would love the dailies

kmk282 @ nyu . edu

Thanks again!

Thanks for your review! I'm in the middle of writing mine with a lot of pictures, but don't have the time. Like you, I also wish we added on at least one more day before the flight back home; what I wouldn't give for one more day in the beautiful warm waters of Waikiki Beach! :D

Excellent review. Thank you so much for all your input and advice.

I am excited to sail the POA on 7/30

(Our 10th Anniversary!)

I would love the dailies

 

kmk282 @ nyu . edu

 

Thanks again!

They are on the way!

Thanks for your review! I'm in the middle of writing mine with a lot of pictures, but don't have the time. Like you, I also wish we added on at least one more day before the flight back home; what I wouldn't give for one more day in the beautiful warm waters of Waikiki Beach! :D

Cannot wait to read yours and glad that you are adding photos. I wished I had the time to do the photos as well but darn work got in the way:D

Sunnyvegas ...

Thanks for the great posting! I would like to request the copies of the daily paper you offered be emailed to me.

 

molokai44 @ charter . net (no spaces)

 

Thanks,

 

Chuck

Chuck,

I am not sure if I missed you so I have sent the dailies your way!

Excellent report/review!

Great review! So glad you had a nice time and that you enjoyed Hawaii and the POA!

Thank you for taking the time to write about your cruise. We leave on Aug. 10for our cruise on the POA. There was lots of great information--especially who you used for transfers from the airport to the hotel!

I would love a copy of the dailies!

antdrewar2@aol.com

Thanks again!

Thank you for taking the time to write about your cruise. We leave on Aug. 10for our cruise on the POA. There was lots of great information--especially who you used for transfers from the airport to the hotel!

 

I would love a copy of the dailies!

antdrewar2@aol.com

 

Thanks again!

You will have so much fun! I am sending over the dailies now.

Thank you for taking the time to write about your cruise. We leave on Aug. 10for our cruise on the POA. There was lots of great information--especially who you used for transfers from the airport to the hotel!

 

I would love a copy of the dailies!

antdrewar2@aol.com

 

Thanks again!

Sorry the email will not go through. Let me know if you have an alternate email you would like me to use.

I haven't received the dailies yet. Please resend.

thanks

rockfsh@mail.com

I haven't received the dailies yet. Please resend.

thanks

rockfsh@mail.com

Hi,

I just resent them. I added an extra letter into your email address--sorry about that.

Thanks Michelle.

This is a link to the PDF Daillies from Michelle so she does not have to keep emailing them out.

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/19976287/Pride%20of%20America%20Dailies.pdf

I leave Sept. 17 so really appreciate the review. Can you send me the dailies also please linda.wood1420@comcast.net

Thanks,:)