An Exhaustive Review of Our Exhausting Hawaiian Adventure

[kwbound]

Thank you so much for the wonderful review. It has been very helpful and I'm super excited about our trip coming up in May.

 

P.s. I am also a 'fluffy runner" and often wonder how that is possible:rolleyes:

 

:DLOL....I just got back from a fluffy run! My friends and I have signed up to do a women's only triathlon on Mother's Day, so hopefully soon I will be a fluffy triathlete too!

 

I'm glad my review was helpful. I'm sure you'll have a wonderful time. Please post a review when you return. I never tire of reading them.

 

Donna

[Xoe]

Background: I have enjoyed many (15+) land vacations in Hawaii, on all islands including Molokai, and 2 Hawaii cruise, Carnival Spirit out of Honolulu ending in Vancouver, and Norwegian Star R/T Honolulu with its required "foreign port" leg to Fanning Island. I have also enjoyed 19 other cruises in many parts of the world on different lines and various sized ships, including Windstar (my personal favorite), Holland America, Celebrity, Princess, Orient Lines, Viking, and a paddle-wheel river cruise R/T out of Portland Oregon.

 

I've just booked POA for a reunion cruise next January for my sister, myself, and our cousin with whom we spent our childhood summers, and am enjoying and appreciate this thread for its fine photos and itinerary ideas and tips. While reading, this keeps coming to mind: you don't book POA because of the SHIP, you book it for its ITINERARY, the only one that gives you 7 full days in Hawaii with enough time to get a real taste of the 4 islands she visits. NCL-America has a "lock" on this and is the only line/ship with which you can have this experience, so if you want to do that, it's "the only game in town". The on-board experience will not be as lavish as other ships that have extensive sea days during which to entertain their guests. POA's itinerary is VERY port-intensive, thus the ship is largely a floating hotel giving her guests a comfortable place to relax, dine, and sleep between very full days exploring this fascinating part of the world.

 

We will board POA with expectations of comfort on the ship, but not necessarily the kind of elegant on-board experience we may have had on other ships since that isn't what the POA is all about. It's about giving travelers a chance to experience more of Hawaii in one week than you probably can do in any other way, likely at lower cost and certainly with less hassle because "island hopping" on inter-island planes is time-consuming and costly and entails a lot of packing/unpacking and schlepping bags.

 

Our reunion cruise will probably be atypical as two of the three of us have spent a lot of time in Hawaii; in fact my sister lives in Honolulu. We recognize that this is a terrific way to be together with many options available for on-shore adventures and explorations, and a "haven of rest" when we want to settle down for a quiet afternoon or evening catching up on the decades of living since our shared childhood summers.

 

Do we expect the elegance of Celebrity Equinox? -- No.

Or the romantic ambiance of a sailaway on Windstar (REAL SAILS that snap as the wind catches them!)? -- No.

Or exquisite dining as experienced on some higher-starred lines? -- No.

Or "movies under the stars" as on Princess? No.

 

We go with expectations of having a grand time together in balmy beautiful places, enjoying fellow travelers who seek to experience and learn about Hawaii, having moments shared with whales (Humpbacks are there in January!), and with hopes of swimming in the company of turtles and/or spinner dolphins, as has happened in the past.

 

ALOHA!

[cruisingmimi]

Xoe, then you will have a wonderful reunion cruise. I like your expectations as then you will not expect anything but those.

 

Donna, sounds like a plan to me for your next visit. I am not sure they will let you off the ship early but it's worth checking into. I heard that someone left our cruise early on one of the islands but not sure if this was true.

 

I would have liked more time on the islands, the experience of staying during the evening, hopping from one island to the other, etc. However, we didn't set any high expectations either for our 1st Hawaiian cruise. We were so excited to be finally visiting Hawaii and that was our focus. We had some bumps and bruises along the way on the Zaandam and the ship was not as nice as others we have traveled on. It does need some upgrading but we focused on the nice things we enjoyed on the cruise.

 

Have a wonderful cruise.

 

Mary

[Xoe]

As a U.S.-flagged ship (a rarity), the crew is made up of citizens of the U.S. and its territories.

 

Crews of other cruise lines (not U.S.-flagged) come from other countries with different cultural attitudes and values about working in the service sector. Those who have cruised on other ships/lines have most likely been served by room stewards and restaurant personnel from the Philippines, Malaysia, and elsewhere.

 

My sister, who lives in Hawaii, has friends whose young adult children trained for jobs on POA and were not willing to stick with the long hours, hard work, and what they regarded as positions of "servitude".

 

All of these factors would affect one's experience on a ship, and likely result in a more casual, informal atmosphere on POA -- and the ship's being U.S.-flagged is the reason it can cruise 7 solid days in Hawaii without needing to start from, or end in, or visit, another country. It's a trade-off, and a good one for those wishing for a week of immersion in visiting Hawaii by cruise ship as your "floating resort".

[Semi Retired]

Royal Caribbean also gives 7 full days around Hawaii Islands. We are going April 2012, with an overnight stay in Honolulu and Lahaina.

[psyfi]

Donna, I am just starting to research a cruise to Hawaii and your review has been so helpful! I loved knowing what you planned on vs. what ended up happening. thank you for your frank comments.

[kwbound]

Donna, I am just starting to research a cruise to Hawaii and your review has been so helpful! I loved knowing what you planned on vs. what ended up happening. thank you for your frank comments.

 

So glad to help. Hope you have a wonderful trip!

 

Donna

[Xoe]

of the April 30 itinerary of Royal Caribbean's Rhapsody of the Seas is similar, but that cruise is 13 days, not 7, as you then have 5 sea days as the ship sails across the Pacific Ocean, ending in Vancouver to start the Alaska season. We enjoyed a similar cruise three years ago on Carnival Spirit. Several lines do that kind of cruise at the end or beginning of the Alaska season, as their ships reposition to or from southern itineraries.

 

For those who have time and love sea days, there are also several ships that go R/T to Hawaii from San Diego or L.A. in the winter months; those are generally 14- or 15-day cruises with 4 or 5 days in Hawaii, with the "foreign port" stop being Ensenada.

 

Pride of America is the only ship that can cruise seven days in Hawaii with no requirement to start, end, or visit a "foreign port", which can be an advantage for travelers who have limited vacation days, or who do not care for sea days.

 

Nice to have so many choices, isn't it?

[LIG]

Donna, I've lurked on these boards for over two years, dream planning our Hawaii and Alaska cruises, without ever saying a word. Your review brought the trip alive and the careful planning is definitely up my alley. I lived every minute and came to enjoy you and your group immensely. It is time to speak up and thank you for every detail, link, picture, and your amazing book. I will be walking in your footsteps for much of our trip on POA which is tentatively late Feb 2012. Hope you don't mind if I borrow the lovely henna tatoo idea, also. What a festive way to start a vacation!

I have one question so far. You seemed to be dressed for the occasion all the time. I know you planned your packing as carefully as everything else. Did you find that you had way more than you used or wished you had brought something else? Before restrictions, I overpacked ridiculously, but have learned to pare down pretty well. I've never cruised & have been putting together a versatile, compact cruise wardrobe on paper (using these boards of course) with a less-is-more attitude, but you've actually done it. I'd appreciate any tips in the areas of clothing, technology and anything else.

 

Thank you thank you for the time you spent to entertain and inform us with your review.

[azkcruizers]

Donna...loved your review and the pics..amazing! It actually made me decide I have to go to Hawaii. I have a question for you about the sea quest rafting tour. Feel I have to do this but am wondering if it is out of the question for my Mom....she is in her later 70's and would not get off and snorkel....I'm wondering how wild the ride is and if she would be comfortable sitting for that amount of time. She would definitely need a seat with a back and some shade. Is there enough for her to see to enjoy herself? How is the walking on the boat..extremely difficult? She would insist on staying on the ship so we could go but I hate to do that to her...but also hate to bring her onto something that she couldn't handle.

Thank you!!

[vbmom87]

Donna...loved your review and the pics..amazing! It actually made me decide I have to go to Hawaii. I have a question for you about the sea quest rafting tour. Feel I have to do this but am wondering if it is out of the question for my Mom....she is in her later 70's and would not get off and snorkel....I'm wondering how wild the ride is and if she would be comfortable sitting for that amount of time. She would definitely need a seat with a back and some shade. Is there enough for her to see to enjoy herself? How is the walking on the boat..extremely difficult? She would insist on staying on the ship so we could go but I hate to do that to her...but also hate to bring her onto something that she couldn't handle.

 

Thank you!!

 

I am not Donna, but I can say that there are other vendors who have boats where your mother would be able to sit and just watch.

 

http://www.fair-wind.com/

 

http://www.seaparadise.com/dmsc.htm

 

The cruise ship also offers a snorkeling tour that is on a boat rather than a raft, but from what I have read, the area it snorkels is not as nice. It is called the Body Glove.

 

If your mother would be open to the idea of splitting up, she could do a ship tour while you went snorkeling.

Edited March 29, 2011 by vbmom87

[kwbound]

Donna, I've lurked on these boards for over two years, dream planning our Hawaii and Alaska cruises, without ever saying a word. Your review brought the trip alive and the careful planning is definitely up my alley. I lived every minute and came to enjoy you and your group immensely. It is time to speak up and thank you for every detail, link, picture, and your amazing book. I will be walking in your footsteps for much of our trip on POA which is tentatively late Feb 2012. Hope you don't mind if I borrow the lovely henna tatoo idea, also. What a festive way to start a vacation!

I have one question so far. You seemed to be dressed for the occasion all the time. I know you planned your packing as carefully as everything else. Did you find that you had way more than you used or wished you had brought something else? Before restrictions, I overpacked ridiculously, but have learned to pare down pretty well. I've never cruised & have been putting together a versatile, compact cruise wardrobe on paper (using these boards of course) with a less-is-more attitude, but you've actually done it. I'd appreciate any tips in the areas of clothing, technology and anything else.

 

Thank you thank you for the time you spent to entertain and inform us with your review.

 

Thank you for your kind words. They made my morning today. As for packing, I used to be the world's worst. I would need a steamer trunk to take everything I used to think I needed. I've done much better the last couple of years. I do take a copy of our itinerary and plan when I'm going to wear what. I try to take easy to pack things that mix and match. And nothing too fussy...not too many prints, zippers, buttons, ruffles, etc. Those are just things that catch on things, need ironing or repairs, etc. And I DON'T want to iron on vacation! A lot of my clothes are teal, aqua, lime green...I can mix and match them. I have some swimsuit cover-ups that can be dressed up with accessories and worn as dresses to dinner one night and then as a cover-up the next day. The skirt I wore to the luau can also be pulled up and worn as a strapless dress. I wore it with a shrug. We knew we weren't going to mess with dressing up for formal night, so that saves a lot of room in the suitcase. On my first couple of cruises I had one bag with just shoes! This trip I took 3 pairs of shoes: a pair of all terrain shoes that I wore every day, a pair of green flat sandals and a pair of black flat sandals that I would wear in the evening. My everyday shoes were from Jambu and they were perfect. You could wear them in the water, they had closed toes so they were great for hiking. Mine are green with teal stitching so they matched everything I had. For traveling I like clothes from Athleta, Title Nine and the Gap.

 

The last couple of trips I have taken an over-the-door organizer and that has been a big help in keeping the room/bathroom tidy and organized. I keep it hung on the back of my closet door at home, ready to go. Once I have finished packing my clothes, I fold up the organizer on top of the clothes in the suitcase. So when I unpack it goes right on the stateroom bathroom door.

 

Hope this information helps. Have fun planning your trip. It will be here before you know it.

 

Donna

[kwbound]

Donna...loved your review and the pics..amazing! It actually made me decide I have to go to Hawaii. I have a question for you about the sea quest rafting tour. Feel I have to do this but am wondering if it is out of the question for my Mom....she is in her later 70's and would not get off and snorkel....I'm wondering how wild the ride is and if she would be comfortable sitting for that amount of time. She would definitely need a seat with a back and some shade. Is there enough for her to see to enjoy herself? How is the walking on the boat..extremely difficult? She would insist on staying on the ship so we could go but I hate to do that to her...but also hate to bring her onto something that she couldn't handle.

Thank you!!

 

Hey Karen - Glad you enjoyed the review. You will have a wonderful time in Hawaii. It's difficult for me to say if you should take your Mom on the SeaQuest raft or not. My mother-in-law is 73 and I would take her but she is a young 73 and definitely the adventurous type. I think that SeaQuest has two different types of boats. The one we were on did have some shade and the other one didn't. In the photo below you can see the bench seat across the front of the boat. That was the only seat that had a padded back like that. I sat on a center seat and I could have leaned back against the capt's console, but it wasn't padded.

 

 

If I were you, I think I would call SeaQuest and see what they say. And show your Mom my photos and the SeaQuest website and see how she feels about it. You might also check out vbmom's suggestions. I know the Fair Wind is a catamaran type boat, so it would offer shade and seats. The catamarans are nice from a comfort standpoint, but they can't get to all of the places the smaller, faster rafts can.

 

Let us know what you decide. I'm sure you will have a wonderful time whatever you decide.

 

Donna

[azkcruizers]

VBMOm Thanks for your suggestions....I will definitely look into those. My Mom is definitely not capable of going on a tour alone but always encourages us, along with my Dad to go on.

 

Donna...thanks for your help.....looking at the boat it probably is not going to be comfortable enough for her. We'll have to talk about it and either go on without her or find something else. Some of the other tours I have looked at don't go to the place of refuge.....which I would really like to do. I am also dying to see the turtles:)

 

Thanks again for all of your help. I can't tell you how many times I have looked back at your review and photo album! Thanks for sharing your adventure!

[funmama]

Thank you for your kind words. They made my morning today. As for packing, I used to be the world's worst. I would need a steamer trunk to take everything I used to think I needed. I've done much better the last couple of years. I do take a copy of our itinerary and plan when I'm going to wear what. I try to take easy to pack things that mix and match. And nothing too fussy...not too many prints, zippers, buttons, ruffles, etc. Those are just things that catch on things, need ironing or repairs, etc. And I DON'T want to iron on vacation! A lot of my clothes are teal, aqua, lime green...I can mix and match them. I have some swimsuit cover-ups that can be dressed up with accessories and worn as dresses to dinner one night and then as a cover-up the next day. The skirt I wore to the luau can also be pulled up and worn as a strapless dress. I wore it with a shrug. We knew we weren't going to mess with dressing up for formal night, so that saves a lot of room in the suitcase. On my first couple of cruises I had one bag with just shoes! This trip I took 3 pairs of shoes: a pair of all terrain shoes that I wore every day, a pair of green flat sandals and a pair of black flat sandals that I would wear in the evening. My everyday shoes were from Jambu and they were perfect. You could wear them in the water, they had closed toes so they were great for hiking. Mine are green with teal stitching so they matched everything I had. For traveling I like clothes from Athleta, Title Nine and the Gap.

 

The last couple of trips I have taken an over-the-door organizer and that has been a big help in keeping the room/bathroom tidy and organized. I keep it hung on the back of my closet door at home, ready to go. Once I have finished packing my clothes, I fold up the organizer on top of the clothes in the suitcase. So when I unpack it goes right on the stateroom bathroom door.

 

Hope this information helps. Have fun planning your trip. It will be here before you know it.

 

Donna

 

Yes Donna, thanks for your wonderful review. I also have read, studied, printed and highlighted your Exhaustive Review. You may have even seen me referring others to read it. I have booked a couple of the same excursions (one being Sea Quest's Expedition Tour) that you raved about and now you have some great packing tips! I'll have to print and highlight this as well! And thanks to LIG for posting the packing question!

I loved the all terrain shoes -- I noticed them on a previous picture of yours. I like that idea much better than lugging my sneakers!

We're leaving on POA's May 7th cruise and I can't wait -- I only hope to post a review half as good as yours!

Thanks again!

[kwbound]

Yes Donna, thanks for your wonderful review. I also have read, studied, printed and highlighted your Exhaustive Review. You may have even seen me referring others to read it. I have booked a couple of the same excursions (one being Sea Quest's Expedition Tour) that you raved about and now you have some great packing tips! I'll have to print and highlight this as well! And thanks to LIG for posting the packing question!

I loved the all terrain shoes -- I noticed them on a previous picture of yours. I like that idea much better than lugging my sneakers!

We're leaving on POA's May 7th cruise and I can't wait -- I only hope to post a review half as good as yours!

Thanks again!

 

Kris - I'm so glad my review was helpful. I'll look forward to reading yours. Please tell the folks at SeaQuest hello for us.

 

One more packing trip, and this is one I got from these boards, if you are going to do a helicopter excursion, make sure that you wear black. Lighter clothes will cause a reflection on the inside of the window, messing up your view and any photos you take.

 

Aloha!

 

Donna

[funmama]

Kris - I'm so glad my review was helpful. I'll look forward to reading yours. Please tell the folks at SeaQuest hello for us.

 

One more packing trip, and this is one I got from these boards, if you are going to do a helicopter excursion, make sure that you wear black. Lighter clothes will cause a reflection on the inside of the window, messing up your view and any photos you take.

 

Aloha!

 

Donna

 

We are doing a heli tour (Blue Hawaiian over VNP in Hilo) and thanks for that reminder. I had heard that (probably from your review):). I will pass that tip to the rest of my group. We're also doing an airplane tour in Kauai -- wonder if that (wearing black) holds true as well. I'm guessing not as important on an airplane (windows not as large).

[LIG]

Thank you for your kind words. They made my morning today. As for packing, I used to be the world's worst. I would need a steamer trunk to take everything I used to think I needed. I've done much better the last couple of years. I do take a copy of our itinerary and plan when I'm going to wear what. I try to take easy to pack things that mix and match. And nothing too fussy...not too many prints, zippers, buttons, ruffles, etc. Those are just things that catch on things, need ironing or repairs, etc. And I DON'T want to iron on vacation! A lot of my clothes are teal, aqua, lime green...I can mix and match them. I have some swimsuit cover-ups that can be dressed up with accessories and worn as dresses to dinner one night and then as a cover-up the next day. The skirt I wore to the luau can also be pulled up and worn as a strapless dress. I wore it with a shrug. We knew we weren't going to mess with dressing up for formal night, so that saves a lot of room in the suitcase. On my first couple of cruises I had one bag with just shoes! This trip I took 3 pairs of shoes: a pair of all terrain shoes that I wore every day, a pair of green flat sandals and a pair of black flat sandals that I would wear in the evening. My everyday shoes were from Jambu and they were perfect. You could wear them in the water, they had closed toes so they were great for hiking. Mine are green with teal stitching so they matched everything I had. For traveling I like clothes from Athleta, Title Nine and the Gap.

 

The last couple of trips I have taken an over-the-door organizer and that has been a big help in keeping the room/bathroom tidy and organized. I keep it hung on the back of my closet door at home, ready to go. Once I have finished packing my clothes, I fold up the organizer on top of the clothes in the suitcase. So when I unpack it goes right on the stateroom bathroom door.

 

Hope this information helps. Have fun planning your trip. It will be here before you know it.

 

Donna

 

Thanks for your speedy reply. Ahh, shoes. They can be the downfall. I had planned on ampibious shoes for most things and suspected yours were Jambu. I have Keens but the Jambus are cuter. Will try some soon. They'll cover hiking, biking, beach, lava tubes and all. I'm somewhat wardrobe-challenged as I'm "fluffly plus(!) so have a lot of blacks but I've found some cute light easy- care tops to pair up. Don't iron at home, certainly not in Hawaii. Is one swimsuit sufficient? One of my daughters and her hubby did Hawaii before kids came along. She said everyone wears swimsuits with a sarong or coverup everywhere. She didn't use half what she packed (no cruise though).

I'm pleased not to do formal. Too busy taking it all in to use the time. DH is more of a "best flannel shirt" sort of dress-up guy anyway, though we may try one formal night for fun when we go to Alaska later.

 

Hope I don't wear you out with questions. On your snorkeling adventures was there basic instruction available? I've never done it except messing around in a pool as a kid. But I love the water and your pictures make it a must-do. We'd bring our own masks, etc. How awesome to swim with turtles!

 

I understand you poring over your favorite storybook every night . I go through yours over and over. You made it so real and exciting. You really created a wonderful travelogue and journal!

 

Hi Penguino! We travel with Stanley, a foot-tall fisherman bear. He might be a bit big for cruise luggage, but I'll have to find room. He's a ham for the camera and his silly grin makes us smile.

 

Mahalo!

[cruising7]

I am SO enjoying your review and finding it so helpful!

Question for you or anyone who can answer - I used the Thrifty corporate code you listed and it worked and gave me a much better price..it seems thrifty is the way to go in Hawaii everywhere - I went to sign up for the Blue Chip Program though and it makes you enter the corporate code as well as a company name and #.....so what do I do? Did you have to show anything to get the corporate rater? I hate worrying about doing something I shouldn't so I don't want to be stressing about using this corporate rate code..then show up to get car and be asked for something I don't have and have to pay a higher rate than I would have if I hadn't used the corporate rate code. Can you sign up for Blue Chip without a corporate code? Help Please! Any thoughts on this or rental cars in general in Hawaii - We plan to rent a car on every island! We sail in just 2 months so I am trying to get everything nailed down this weekend. Thanks all!

[vbmom87]

I am SO enjoying your review and finding it so helpful!

Question for you or anyone who can answer - I used the Thrifty corporate code you listed and it worked and gave me a much better price..it seems thrifty is the way to go in Hawaii everywhere - I went to sign up for the Blue Chip Program though and it makes you enter the corporate code as well as a company name and #.....so what do I do? Did you have to show anything to get the corporate rater? I hate worrying about doing something I shouldn't so I don't want to be stressing about using this corporate rate code..then show up to get car and be asked for something I don't have and have to pay a higher rate than I would have if I hadn't used the corporate rate code. Can you sign up for Blue Chip without a corporate code? Help Please! Any thoughts on this or rental cars in general in Hawaii - We plan to rent a car on every island! We sail in just 2 months so I am trying to get everything nailed down this weekend. Thanks all!

 

I can't remember how I filled that part in, but I did call Thrifty direct and they told me how to answer that question. I had no problems and used Thrifty in all ports.

[bigtoeswim'n]

I have one question so far. You seemed to be dressed for the occasion all the time. I know you planned your packing as carefully as everything else. Did you find that you had way more than you used or wished you had brought something else? Before restrictions, I overpacked ridiculously, but have learned to pare down pretty well. I've never cruised & have been putting together a versatile, compact cruise wardrobe on paper (using these boards of course) with a less-is-more attitude, but you've actually done it. I'd appreciate any tips in the areas of clothing, technology and anything else.

 

Here's my two cents on packing. I'm definately in the less-is-more catagory. For all my six cruises and travels, DH and I have a one-bag per person, that be a roll-on/carry-on size that goes in the overhead on a plane. Our travels are just one-week long usually as we are not retired.

 

We find this works for us and makes for such great breezy get around. DH has his security blanket attache case, maybe a bookbag. I have my fanny pack. If it can't fit inside the one suit-case, it doesn't go. Now we also do casual travel/travel. I learned to pack this way by watching Rick Steves on TV or radio. Compression magic is also great by condensing things. Rick recommends packing cubes, but I've never used them. I usually wear tennis shoes, pack one nice pair of dress shoes, and then flip-flops or slippers. Sparky clothes take up very little room.

 

For formal night, DH just wears a long-sleeve, button-down shirt, and a black vest and tie and dark black jeans and his black tennis shoes. Never been turned away bc he looks "formal" from the waist up. We plan to do this one-bag thing for our Dec 2011 Hawaii cruise. Though I'm tempted to cancel bc of the high-price of plane tickets from the Gulfcoast to HI!!

 

Hope this helps. ttyl,

[bigtoeswim'n]

My everyday shoes were from Jambu and they were perfect. You could wear them in the water, they had closed toes so they were great for hiking. Mine are green with teal stitching so they matched everything I had. For traveling I like clothes from Athleta, Title Nine and the Gap. Donna

 

Hi Donna: Question for ya. Where did you find the Jambu? Are they the all terrain shoes you mentioned? I tried to shop a few shops and did see Jambu. Did you order online? If so, how did the size run? I normally wear 8.5 American. Also, where did you buy those brand clothes you mentioned? On line or in a shop? How did those sizes run. I'm just a bit overweight, fluffy like you. Not obese. but got a tummy. Sigh. Anyhelp you can give will be appreiciated. I love the skort idea. What was the "name" of the Jambu you bought? Vegan or what. thanks.

[bbfgator]

I leave in 16 days and this has been so very helpful...THANK YOU for an easy to read, enjoyable, informative and sometimes funny review! First time I felt like I "knew" the writer by the end :).

 

Just one question if I may...being somewhat a little more "fluffy" than you....did you find it difficult getting in or out of the zodiac snorkel tour you did? I'll have to go back but I believe it was Kona. That looked/read awesome and since I think we'll only do one snorkel trip (hubby is not a big fan) - that one liked really nice.

 

Thank you again...your hard work is greatly appreciated!!

[kwbound]

Thanks for your speedy reply. Ahh, shoes. They can be the downfall. I had planned on ampibious shoes for most things and suspected yours were Jambu. I have Keens but the Jambus are cuter. Will try some soon. They'll cover hiking, biking, beach, lava tubes and all. I'm somewhat wardrobe-challenged as I'm "fluffly plus(!) so have a lot of blacks but I've found some cute light easy- care tops to pair up. Don't iron at home, certainly not in Hawaii. Is one swimsuit sufficient? One of my daughters and her hubby did Hawaii before kids came along. She said everyone wears swimsuits with a sarong or coverup everywhere. She didn't use half what she packed (no cruise though).

I'm pleased not to do formal. Too busy taking it all in to use the time. DH is more of a "best flannel shirt" sort of dress-up guy anyway, though we may try one formal night for fun when we go to Alaska later.

 

Hope I don't wear you out with questions. On your snorkeling adventures was there basic instruction available? I've never done it except messing around in a pool as a kid. But I love the water and your pictures make it a must-do. We'd bring our own masks, etc. How awesome to swim with turtles!

 

I understand you poring over your favorite storybook every night . I go through yours over and over. You made it so real and exciting. You really created a wonderful travelogue and journal!

 

Hi Penguino! We travel with Stanley, a foot-tall fisherman bear. He might be a bit big for cruise luggage, but I'll have to find room. He's a ham for the camera and his silly grin makes us smile.

 

Mahalo!

 

I took several swimsuits but I would think 2 would be sufficient. You could wear them every other day. As for snorkeling, both of the snorkeliong excursions we took offered help to those who required it and both had noodles or other flotation devices if anyone wanted them. On our SeaQuest excursion, everyone seemed to have some experience snorkeling. On the Mololini Crater excursion, they gave a lot of instruction and had several crew members in the water. The very first time I snorkeled was in the Cayman Islands several years ago and I really didn't think I would like it. But it took me about 1 minute in the water to realize that I love it. I think unless someone has a real fear of the water, just about anyone would be able to do it.

 

Aloha,

 

Donna

[kwbound]

I am SO enjoying your review and finding it so helpful!

Question for you or anyone who can answer - I used the Thrifty corporate code you listed and it worked and gave me a much better price..it seems thrifty is the way to go in Hawaii everywhere - I went to sign up for the Blue Chip Program though and it makes you enter the corporate code as well as a company name and #.....so what do I do? Did you have to show anything to get the corporate rater? I hate worrying about doing something I shouldn't so I don't want to be stressing about using this corporate rate code..then show up to get car and be asked for something I don't have and have to pay a higher rate than I would have if I hadn't used the corporate rate code. Can you sign up for Blue Chip without a corporate code? Help Please! Any thoughts on this or rental cars in general in Hawaii - We plan to rent a car on every island! We sail in just 2 months so I am trying to get everything nailed down this weekend. Thanks all!

 

I don't remember how I filled that in either but I had no problems using the discount code the the Blue Chip program. Good luck.

 

Donna