Very Long Review of Pride of America Nov 8-18, 2012

[fuzzmane]

Awesome review. We are on the Carnival Splendor RT from LA in Jan. 2013. After reading your review might have to try the POA cruise for more time on the islands.

[hill6]

Awesome review. We are on the Carnival Splendor RT from LA in Jan. 2013. After reading your review might have to try the POA cruise for more time on the islands.

 

It is definitely a good way to explore the islands as you have more time on them.

[mnchkn11]

Thank you for the great review. It will be very helpful in planning our POA cruise in March!!!:)

[hill6]

Thank you for the great review. It will be very helpful in planning our POA cruise in March!!!:)

 

 

Glad you enjoyed it.

[mizteriuz]

Fabulous review thanks so much!

 

At VNP the main thing we want to do is see the arch at the ocean on Chain of Craters road. Can we go straight there and then work our way backwards to see the rest of the park? Our ship leaves at 4 pm so we don't have a long day in Hilo.

[hill6]

Fabulous review thanks so much!

 

At VNP the main thing we want to do is see the arch at the ocean on Chain of Craters road. Can we go straight there and then work our way backwards to see the rest of the park? Our ship leaves at 4 pm so we don't have a long day in Hilo.

 

 

That is very much doable.

 

Be sure to print this out.

 

http://www.instanthawaii.com/cgi-bin/hawaii?Drives.chain

 

This pointed out a ton of places to stop at. There are places where you drive down roads to stop at and the distance gets messed up. Be sure to look for the old road that the lava overflowed.

[feista]

I've enjoyed the review I will set sail a long ways off 9/6/14

[UPGrandma]

July cruise for us on POA - thanks for info about Outrigger canoe ride. That interests me & we have all day after disembarking as plane leaves 11pm. Our flight back to Michigan will be long too. At least we are arriving Wed pm (5:30 Hawaii - 10:30 Mich I think) before cruise starts so hope we can acclimate. Thanks for a wonderful review.

[feista]

July cruise for us on POA - thanks for info about Outrigger canoe ride. That interests me & we have all day after disembarking as plane leaves 11pm. Our flight back to Michigan will be long too. At least we are arriving Wed pm (5:30 Hawaii - 10:30 Mich I think) before cruise starts so hope we can acclimate. Thanks for a wonderful review.

 

My cruise is a long way off,9/6/14 I too will arrive on a Wed and hope to recover from jet lag, it's fun learning what everyone shares:o

[hill6]

Glad you enjoyed it. We got in late on Thursday night. I wish we had that extra day. With everything we went through leading up to the trip we were mentally exhausted.

 

Upgrandma the outrigger ride was great fun. I had a checklist of things I wanted to do and we did almost all of them (we did all the major ones).

[dreamer976]

Just found your awesome review, Debbie and have spent the better part of an hour reading it (&stopping to enjoy your wonderful pictures).

 

I had gone to Hawaii (all the islands) many times with my late husband, but never on a cruise ship, although I have also taken many cruises, mostly with RCI. Have been to many of the places (except that hike up Diamond Head!) in your photos and enjoyed reliving the memories. Your pictures are wonderful. Thank you so much for taking your time to do this for the rest of us "wanna-be"s.

[hill6]

Just found your awesome review, Debbie and have spent the better part of an hour reading it (&stopping to enjoy your wonderful pictures).

 

I had gone to Hawaii (all the islands) many times with my late husband, but never on a cruise ship, although I have also taken many cruises, mostly with RCI. Have been to many of the places (except that hike up Diamond Head!) in your photos and enjoyed reliving the memories. Your pictures are wonderful. Thank you so much for taking your time to do this for the rest of us "wanna-be"s.

 

thank you very much. It was definitely the trip of a lifetime.

[wismergirl]

Thank you so much for a wonderful review! Lots of tips for my POA cruise in July. I just spent one week to write my 22-day Celebrity Equinox E. Med. cruise + tour report with over 250 pictures so I totally understand and appreciate your great effort and time to share with us your invaluable experience!

 

DH & I will have 3 days pre-cruise & 3 days post-cruise in Honolulu...reliving our sweet honeymoon moments after 25 years. Flights, cars & hotels booked for those 2 legs.

 

What type of car did you rent on the islands? Are the roads paved or we'd better get SUV's?

 

We are wondering if a helicopter or a small plane is better for viewing Waimea Canyon & the Na Pali coast. Any suggestion?

[hill6]

Thank you so much for a wonderful review! Lots of tips for my POA cruise in July. I just spent one week to write my 22-day Celebrity Equinox E. Med. cruise + tour report with over 250 pictures so I totally understand and appreciate your great effort and time to share with us your invaluable experience!

 

DH & I will have 3 days pre-cruise & 3 days post-cruise in Honolulu...reliving our sweet honeymoon moments after 25 years. Flights, cars & hotels booked for those 2 legs.

 

What type of car did you rent on the islands? Are the roads paved or we'd better get SUV's?

 

We are wondering if a helicopter or a small plane is better for viewing Waimea Canyon & the Na Pali coast. Any suggestion?

 

 

Glad you enjoyed the trip report.

 

In Honolulu we had Dodge Chargers both times. They had larger trunks which we wanted for our luggage. On the other islands we got Ford Fusions except for Hilo where we got a Mustang convertible. The roads are in good shape so no need for a SUV.

 

I read many reviews saying about taking a helicopter tour for Kauai. My husband does not like heights so those were not an option. We had a great view by driving to the top of Waimea Canyon and the ship's sail by of the Na Pali Coastline.

[MalervyC]

Hill6 - I was reading your previous review and wouldn't you know it, we were on the same Carnival Miracle sailing that you were on last May! So funny how small our CC world is! Reading through your review I was reminded what a mad house that debarkation from Grand Turk was - people were nuts!! It did take almost an hour for us to get off!

 

Thank you for this review also - heading on POA in May and we are just so stoked. Any chance you remember what vendor you nabbed the turtle carving from?

[hill6]

Hill6 - I was reading your previous review and wouldn't you know it, we were on the same Carnival Miracle sailing that you were on last May! So funny how small our CC world is! Reading through your review I was reminded what a mad house that debarkation from Grand Turk was - people were nuts!! It did take almost an hour for us to get off!

 

Thank you for this review also - heading on POA in May and we are just so stoked. Any chance you remember what vendor you nabbed the turtle carving from?

 

Malvery what a small cruising world it is. I love the Miracle (sailed her four times) and have met a great group of friends on her. In fact our next vacation involves seven of us going to Saint Maarten in May. That debarkation from GT was the worst I remember from any port.

 

The vendor for the turtle was in the back of the International Market Place. There were two of them. One had a stand off to the side and he was extremely expensive. The one that we got it from was sitting there doing the carving and he had one or two tables out plus stuff on a blanket and he was in the open when you walked between two rows of buildings.

 

Enjoy the POA she is really a great ship. I loved her size. Reminded me alot of the Miracle.

[mizteriuz]

Thanks for the response on VNP. I've downloaded the map.

 

We are torn between a bus tour to Haleakala or just renting a car and doing it ourselves. Many people I've spoken to said it's a dangerous drive and we shouldn't attempt it. We live in Florida where it's flat as a pancake LOL. What I like about doing it ourselves is we get to stop/see what we want not what the tour dictates and I'm not sure if the tour goes all the way to the very top.

 

Any advice on this?

[hill6]

Thanks for the response on VNP. I've downloaded the map.

 

We are torn between a bus tour to Haleakala or just renting a car and doing it ourselves. Many people I've spoken to said it's a dangerous drive and we shouldn't attempt it. We live in Florida where it's flat as a pancake LOL. What I like about doing it ourselves is we get to stop/see what we want not what the tour dictates and I'm not sure if the tour goes all the way to the very top.

 

Any advice on this?

 

 

It is not a very enjoyable drive. The advantage of driving it yourself though is you can stop at all the outlooks and take your time. If you take a bus you are on the buses schedule.

 

You need to go all the way to the top. The view is spectacular. If you are apprehensive about driving take the bus but ask if it goes all the way to the summit.

[wismergirl]

Glad you enjoyed the trip report.

 

In Honolulu we had Dodge Chargers both times. They had larger trunks which we wanted for our luggage. On the other islands we got Ford Fusions except for Hilo where we got a Mustang convertible. The roads are in good shape so no need for a SUV.

 

I read many reviews saying about taking a helicopter tour for Kauai. My husband does not like heights so those were not an option. We had a great view by driving to the top of Waimea Canyon and the ship's sail by of the Na Pali Coastline.

 

In Maui, I managed to rent an SUV for just $6 a day more than a compact so we'll go for it. We're still deciding if we want to drive on Road to Hana or take the ship tour. DH lived in cities with crazy traffic like London England and Hong Kong, so he had lots of experience on driving narrow roads with sharp turns and one-lane bridges. The problem is if there is an accident on the way, all traffic will be held up and we might miss the ship's departure on the 2nd day of Maui. Besides, your wonderful pictures showed beautiful back side of Haleakala where no rental cars are allowed in. Decisions! Decision!

 

Nevertheless, thanks so much for the pictures & tips to help us plan!

[hill6]

In Maui, I managed to rent an SUV for just $6 a day more than a compact so we'll go for it. We're still deciding if we want to drive on Road to Hana or take the ship tour. DH lived in cities with crazy traffic like London England and Hong Kong, so he had lots of experience on driving narrow roads with sharp turns and one-lane bridges. The problem is if there is an accident on the way, all traffic will be held up and we might miss the ship's departure on the 2nd day of Maui. Besides, your wonderful pictures showed beautiful back side of Haleakala where no rental cars are allowed in. Decisions! Decision!

 

Nevertheless, thanks so much for the pictures & tips to help us plan!

 

The backside of Haleakala was not a good road at all in spots. With a ships tour we knew we were covered. Plus we stopped at a number of spots. Our guide was very good. I would do it through the ship.

[wismergirl]

The backside of Haleakala was not a good road at all in spots. With a ships tour we knew we were covered. Plus we stopped at a number of spots. Our guide was very good. I would do it through the ship.

 

 

After discussing with DH, I think we'll go with your advice and take the ship's tour for Road to Hana.

 

Thanks for your help!

[hill6]

After discussing with DH, I think we'll go with your advice and take the ship's tour for Road to Hana.

 

Thanks for your help!

 

Good choice. Plus with someone else driving you get to enjoy the scenery