Hawaii by Land & Sea – POA Cruise 5-14-2011

[CruisingGoddess]

Lisa & Ginny - Thanks for your responses!! Given Bob & Cindy liking Two Step so much, I think we'll try snorkeling there, instead of Molokini. I felt pretty sick during our last snorkel cruise excursion so I think snorkeling from land may be a better fit.

[Sunny AZ Girl]

Lisa & Ginny - Thanks for your responses!! Given Bob & Cindy liking Two Step so much, I think we'll try snorkeling there, instead of Molokini. I felt pretty sick during our last snorkel cruise excursion so I think snorkeling from land may be a better fit.

Your DH will find quite a bit of shade available there, just back a bit from the lava rocks going into the water. I had no problems finding shade while I waited for the others.

[CruisingGoddess]

Your DH will find quite a bit of shade available there, just back a bit from the lava rocks going into the water. I had no problems finding shade while I waited for the others.

 

Thanks, Ginny! Definitely on my list then! :D

[Quilting Queen]

Ginny that was a wonderful review.

 

When you visited the Palace did you see any of the quilts?

 

Norine

[Sunny AZ Girl]

Ginny that was a wonderful review.

 

When you visited the Palace did you see any of the quilts?

 

Norine

Yes, I did see some of the quilt's. One of the original's is on the Queen's bed. The King's is considered to be too delicate to be on display, so a replica is on it.

[Quilting Queen]

Thank you Ginny. We did not take the Palace tour on our last trip. We took a night time tour and walked around the outside and had all the ghost stories told about the royal family.

 

Norine

[Sunny AZ Girl]

Thank you Ginny. We did not take the Palace tour on our last trip. We took a night time tour and walked around the outside and had all the ghost stories told about the royal family.

 

Norine

Aaaaah....No ghosts on our tour. Did you see any?;)

[Quilting Queen]

We took a night tour in Honolu that was supposed to be a walking tour 'China town ghosts'. There was something going on in that area and no parking was available. We went to several other places and our Hawaiian guide told many ghost stories about the warriors that fell off of cliffs and old families and abaout all the Hawaiian gods. We heard about Pele the volcano goddess and the shark god and many others.

 

It was not the tour we expected and commented on our ship card to that effect. It was interesting but not what we signed up for. Others in the tour also said the same thing.

 

Norine

[max a million]

GREAT REPORT !!

 

My husband and I are looking at doing Pearl Harbor the early morning before embarking on Pride of America. Knowing my husband, he will be looking at every single detail. How long would you say it would take to see everything? Plan will be to arrive at 7-7:30 am.

 

Thank you !!

[Sunny AZ Girl]

GREAT REPORT !!

 

My husband and I are looking at doing Pearl Harbor the early morning before embarking on Pride of America. Knowing my husband, he will be looking at every single detail. How long would you say it would take to see everything? Plan will be to arrive at 7-7:30 am.

 

Thank you !!

Your husband sounds like mine. We were there until about 2 PM and we did not see every little thing. He will be in heaven!:D

[aussie larrakin]

Hi Ginny,

 

I have only just finished reading your review and oh does it bring back memories of our trip to Hawaii....

 

We had such a terrific time and especially meeting you and Steve and all the other members of our little tour group and spending a day touring Hilo and VNP. Ricky was a terrific guide and when he dropped everyone off back at the ship he took Debbie and myself down to the Pacific Tsunami Museum for about an hour and it was great.:D

 

As for the POA we went on board with an open mind and we could not fault any aspect of the ship, crew, meals etc.. maybe the internet access costs can come down a bit..:p

 

It was a long trip home to Aussie but very satisfying ;)

 

We are now looking at an Alaska cruise next year so we will mingling over at that forum now.

 

Mahalo...

 

John and Debbie

[Sunny AZ Girl]

Thank you, John. We really enjoyed meeting the two of you, also. So glad you made it home safely. Enjoy Alaska!:D

[tarababy18]

Hi Ginny! Thank you soo much for your awesome review! It is going to be extremely helpful as i finish planning our trip that's next week.

 

quick question, you had said that there were many cabs available at the port in oahu/honolulu, but did you notice if this was the case at any of the other ports? We have booked an excursion on Kauai that is not through the ship and we aren't 100% sure how to get there yet. (we are thinking we might have to rent a car)

 

Thanks!

 

Tara

[smrtypnts]

Hi Ginny! Thank you soo much for your awesome review! It is going to be extremely helpful as i finish planning our trip that's next week.

 

quick question, you had said that there were many cabs available at the port in oahu/honolulu, but did you notice if this was the case at any of the other ports? We have booked an excursion on Kauai that is not through the ship and we aren't 100% sure how to get there yet. (we are thinking we might have to rent a car)

 

Thanks!

 

Tara

Good luck renting a car--I've been looking for 2 months for a better rate--there are no cars to be had on Kauai this close.

[Sunny AZ Girl]

Hi Ginny! Thank you soo much for your awesome review! It is going to be extremely helpful as i finish planning our trip that's next week.

 

quick question, you had said that there were many cabs available at the port in oahu/honolulu, but did you notice if this was the case at any of the other ports? We have booked an excursion on Kauai that is not through the ship and we aren't 100% sure how to get there yet. (we are thinking we might have to rent a car)

 

Thanks!

 

Tara

I did not notice any cabs at the port in Kauai. There are a couple of free shuttles to the shopping areas close to the port, though. You may be able to catch a cab from there.

 

Have you checked with your excursion company on the best way to get there? They may have an option for you.

[debster818]

So much wonderful information....I am overwhelmed and our trip is not until April 2012!

 

I have a few questions:

 

1. Is there an elegant or fancy night on this cruise?

 

2. Do you remember the price of the Air Adventure Plane Tour?

 

3. Do I search Smith Family Luau on the web for info?

 

Thanks so much for the wonderful review!!

[Sunny AZ Girl]

I will answer your questions in red.

 

So much wonderful information....I am overwhelmed and our trip is not until April 2012!

 

I have a few questions:

 

1. Is there an elegant or fancy night on this cruise?

No - a "Dress Up or Not Night" only. We did not (along with the majority of people on the ship).

 

2. Do you remember the price of the Air Adventure Plane Tour?

$125 AirVentures Hawaii

 

3. Do I search Smith Family Luau on the web for info?

Yes. Smith Family Garden Luau

 

Thanks so much for the wonderful review!!

[cra-z-2cruise]

:) Thanks for the amazing review. Trying to decide on next year's cruise and came across your review. We have been to Hawaii on a repo cruise a few years back, but wasn't excited about the sea days at the beginning. Have not ever really considered NCL before, but after reading your review, it may have just moved to the top of the short list.

Just returned a few weeks ago from a port intesive trip out of PR and LOVED it.

Thanks so much for taking the time to write the review and share all the information. :)

[52marv]

Ginny,

 

Thank you so much for the Wonderful Review! My husband and kids and I will be going on the Pride of America in March 2012 and your wonderful stories and pictures have made planning our trip so much easier!

 

You have a real talent for writing and your pictures are beautiful. You should write travel articles and books. Your attention to detail and the places you chose to visit are helping me a great deal.

 

Thanks again and Happy Sails!

 

Lee

[Sunny AZ Girl]

Thank you, Lee. It was fun to write, but sometimes I think I get carried away!:o

[arkydude]

Thanks Ginny for your stupendous reviews. I'm new to this stuff but I can tell a pro when I see one. You have changed our view of what we will do in Nov. Love your writing and pictures. Keep it up.

 

Thanks TC

[OzarkCruisers]

Thanks for this wonderful review, Ginny. And your photos were so beautiful. You have a wonderful eye.

 

Gloria

[Sunny AZ Girl]

Thanks for this wonderful review, Ginny. And your photos were so beautiful. You have a wonderful eye.

 

Gloria

Thank you for the compliment. It was fun to write, but even more fun to experience!:D

[copper6606]

Thanks so much for all the effort you put into this review. I don't know if you know how helpful it is...:)

 

My husband just surprised me with a BIG 50 Birthday gift!!! :D:D:

 

On April 14 /13 we leave Long Beach on Carnival Miracle for 4 days at Sea , then 5 different Hawaiian Islands then 5 days at sea ending in Vancouver. This is an especially GREAT gift as our daughter lives in Vancouver and we get to visit her for a week before we head back home to Nova Scotia...

I am really feeling like a fish out of water- all our cruises up until now have been in the caribbean. I really have no idea about Hawaii!!:confused:

 

I took your advice and just booked the Flight with AirVentures. Do you think we should just do the Flight or do the land Tour that you can tack on? We want to go to one of the sand Beaches for a bit at the end of our day?

 

We are not people to rent cars in Ports[ usually take Shuttles. I am wondering which Islands would warrent paying for Tours or going on local transit?

Could you come along and be our Tour Guide??? ;);); LOL

[Sunny AZ Girl]

Thanks so much for all the effort you put into this review. I don't know if you know how helpful it is...:)

 

My husband just surprised me with a BIG 50 Birthday gift!!!

 

On April 14 /13 we leave Long Beach on Carnival Miracle for 4 days at Sea , then 5 different Hawaiian Islands then 5 days at sea ending in Vancouver. This is an especially GREAT gift as our daughter lives in Vancouver and we get to visit her for a week before we head back home to Nova Scotia...

I am really feeling like a fish out of water- all our cruises up until now have been in the caribbean. I really have no idea about Hawaii!!:confused:

 

I took your advice and just booked the Flight with AirVentures. Do you think we should just do the Flight or do the land Tour that you can tack on? We want to go to one of the sand Beaches for a bit at the end of our day?

 

We are not people to rent cars in Ports[ usually take Shuttles. I am wondering which Islands would warrent paying for Tours or going on local transit?

Could you come along and be our Tour Guide??? ;);); LOL

When do we leave????!!!!!:D

 

I was in the same boat as you (pun intended) when we first started planning our cruise. We had never been to Hawaii before & it all seemed so overwhelming. These boards, especially the Hawaii forum, where so very helpful. I absorbed everything I could.

 

For your questions - As far as Air Ventures is concerned, we just did the flight. I don't know what your schedule is, but I knew we would be pretty tired after a week of cruising, so we kept our schedule a little looser in Kauai. There is a nice beach that I reviewed right near where the ship docks. We didn't swim there, but I may next time. It is a nice sand beach and no transport is needed. There is a free shuttle available at the port to the shopping & beach area.

 

Tours and Shuttles:

 

I would recommend a tour in each island if your time is limited and you are interested in sightseeing. A tour is the best way to see a lot in a small amount of time, IMHO. Pick what you are most interested in and enjoy!

 

If you just ato go and relax at a beach I would recommend a shuttle or cab. I am just beginning to research for our next cruise to Hawaii and it looks as if thee is a shuttle in Lahaina (Maui) if you tender there that goes to Kanaapali Beach. It kind of hard without knowing your specific ports and interests.

 

No matter what you do you will have a great time. You will be in Hawaii! :D

 

And....Happy Birthday!