Hoping for some Hawaii insight?

[MauiLvrs]

You'll be up to 14k feet, above the clouds for the most part.

Where there is little oxygen. For a number of folks, especially those not young in year, that can be problematic.

[Red Hat Cruise Cat]

When I cruised to HI in February, the cruise out of LAX was much less expensive than the one from SFO.

 

Since you're trying to save money, if the cruise cost is equal, leave from the port with the lowest transportation costs.

 

If you need to spend the night before the cruise, LA hotels are usually less expensive than San Francisco. Also it is cheaper to get from LAX to the pier than from SFO

 

You can also save on excursions by renting a car in each port rather than doing the ship's excursions. Rent your car ASAP, since they sell out quickly when there's a ship in port. Make sure you rent from a company thet will pick you up at the pier. We used Thrifty in Oahu, and Avis for the rest.

[cr8tiv1]

Where there is little oxygen. For a number of folks, especially those not young in year, that can be problematic.

 

My doctor has advised me not to do Mauna Kea because of the altitude (asmatic). 20% less oxygen. If you go, allow plenty of time or take a tour. Rental cars are not suppose to be driven on the Saddle Road (or South Point road either).

[Samanthamelody3]

Thank you everyone for your input!

I am taking everything into consideration, as there is a lot to take in.

 

We are hoping to book within a couple of weeks, as soon as my grandmother gets a few things off her plate.

 

I prefer to travel in April as it gives me some time to save up after I travel to Mexico.

 

Again, thank you to everyone!

[sassyredhat]

BTW, Hi Pat, how's Mike?

 

Not to hijack the thread, but Mike will have another surgery on the other knee. :p

 

Pat

[Treven]

Not to hijack the thread, but Mike will have another surgery on the other knee. :p

 

Pat

Well, I hope things go well.

[Id rather be diving]

We did this cruise last November at a last minute (55 days prior to departure) price of $1500 per person in a balcony. We were all very pleased with that price.

 

We went as it was the last state my mom had to visit to complete visiting all 50 states. It was a bucket list thing!

 

We sailed on the Star out of San Fran. ELUA was not on the Star at that time but will be this year. We loved the Star. The crew was absolutely the best we've encountered even having been on numerous Princess cruises. There were flower lei making lessons and ukelele (sp) lessons too. We loved the days to relax and just watch the ocean go by. My husband has to have a balcony so that's what we chose.

 

We did most of the tours on our own except we did the Fern Grotto through the ship's tour. We took a cab to the USS Arizona and arranged with the cab driver to call him when we were done. THen he gave us a quick trip through Punchbowl National Cemetary and by the palace on our way back to the ship. We did purchase our $1.5 tickets online a head of time. REally glad we did because it got busy. We arrived early to the memorial and they let us exchange our tickets for an earlier launch! That was a good deal.

 

We had a great time although my mom got sick the last few days of the trip. So, my husband, sister, sister in law and myself would like to go back again. Maybe in a few years we can do it all again.

 

Good luck with your planning!

[Coco Loco girl]

NCL has a very good price on Hawaii cruises. And they have a great itinerary. The cruise is great for someone who has never been to Hawaii.

[MauiLvrs]

Rental cars are not suppose to be driven on the Saddle Road (or South Point road either).

The road from Hilo to the Observatory isn't restricted by most and is a nicely paved 2 lane road.

 

From the summit down, some companies restrict traffic. We haven't paid much attention to those restrictions as they void the CDW we don't buy.

 

Not sure why some don't like South Point ... a rather tame smooth paved road:confused:

 

Neither of those roads are as bad as this one in Waipio Valley.

Waipio:eek:

 

P7170831 by dntanderson, on Flickr

[Cruzingal#9]

Here are my "qualifications" (LOL)

former local girl now living in California, but frequent the islands often

Did a Golden cruise February 2013

Hopefully considered a friend of Dave and Leialoha (ELUA)

Take what works for you and leave the rest. No feelings will be hurt.

 

Rent a car on each island. The sooner the rent the car, the better the pricing. There is no deposit and no last minute cancellations.

 

Oahu:

Like others have said, reserve your tickets for the Arizona Memorial for about 10:30 or 11. You will have to pick up the tickets an hour before the reserve time. Be aware that shuttles to the Arizona Memorial itself can be cancelled by the Navy at any time. But there is still a lot to see. Then drive around the island starting from Pearl Harbor to Dole Pineapple and continue around the island. Lots to see. If you need more, let me know. If you don't want to drive that far, come back into town and visit Iolani Palace, Punchbowl National Cemetery, Diamond Head and the beaches north of that. I can suggest a whole lot of places to eat.

 

You will need to let people on this thread know what your interests are and you will get an assortment of things to do for free. Hawaii is great for that!

 

Hilo: Rent a car from Enterprise Hilo Town. Faster to get to than the airport, less congested, and you won't have to pay the Airport fee.

 

Volcano National Park, Rainbow Falls and the Boiling Pots, Akaka Falls, Queen Liliuokalani Park and Coconut Island. Big Island Candies/Mauna Loa Mac Farm (strictly for tourist). There is a small rain forest zoo across the street from the mac farm.

 

Lahaina: No car needed. Shuttle bus to Hilo Hattie, and slowly walk back to the ship. Or walk along Front Street until your grandmother gets tired. Or take a bus to Ka'anapali Beach. Stay on the ship (tender port) and enjoy the whales in February and March.

 

Nawiliwili: Catch a free shuttle and ride it all the way over to Coconut shopping plaza. You will see the town this way. If you want to rent a car, you can drive up to Waimea Canyon (Grand Canyon of the Pacific). This is not a long port so I don't know if you will be able to do both Hanalei and Waimea Canyon. Traffic can get delayed and you don't want to miss the boat.

 

Each island is very different. Kauai has some really spectacular natural beauty. Hilo has a small town feel. Oahu is metropolitan. And Lahaina is quaint and whales. You really do not have a lot of time on the islands (accept Oahu).

 

I don't know any other state that has so much for free or very inexpensive. Your car and gas will be expensive.

 

Enjoy your time with your grandmother. That's what it is all about.

 

Renee

 

Renee,

We are going on the Star in October. Can you recommend any restaurants for dinner in Honolulu that is close to the International Marketplace? We're going to see the Creations show, but are not doing the dinner part. We decided that we could find a place to eat cheaper than what they were charging for the dinner show. Any suggestions would be appreciated.

Julie

[cr8tiv1]

Hi Julie,

 

Please let me know how you are getting to Waikiki and what would you like to eat. Please stay away from the Cheesecake Factory and other mainland chains. You can do that somewhere else.

 

If you have a car, I strongly recommend Side Street Inn in Kapahulu (outside of Waikiki). If you want just a taste of the islands, look for an L&L restaurant. Not fancy at all (paper plate) but you will have a good selection of foods. Plate lunch = macaroni salad, rice, and an entree. It looks like the Waikiki location is closed. I don't do much in Waikiki, but I will ask around.

 

Renee

[Samanthamelody3]

My doctor has advised me not to do Mauna Kea because of the altitude (asmatic). 20% less oxygen. If you go, allow plenty of time or take a tour. Rental cars are not suppose to be driven on the Saddle Road (or South Point road either).

 

 

 

I have asthma myself, so this would be out for me.

I hate the whole not being able to breath thing.

[Samanthamelody3]

NCL has a very good price on Hawaii cruises. And they have a great itinerary. The cruise is great for someone who has never been to Hawaii.

 

 

Not looking to fly to Hawaii. I'd like to depart mainland USA.

[cr8tiv1]

Just for your information. I am on Oahu right now and NCL is promoting insides for $999. That is a fare Princess had a few weeks back (7 days verses 15 days). Tack on air fare ($600 from LAX) plus a hotel night before ($200) and I don't think that NCL is a bargain. You will enjoy the sea days coming over and back. I will have to admit that NCL has a better itinerary, but in my opinion, that is the only thing going for them.

[Cruzingal#9]

Hi Julie,

 

Please let me know how you are getting to Waikiki and what would you like to eat. Please stay away from the Cheesecake Factory and other mainland chains. You can do that somewhere else.

 

If you have a car, I strongly recommend Side Street Inn in Kapahulu (outside of Waikiki). If you want just a taste of the islands, look for an L&L restaurant. Not fancy at all (paper plate) but you will have a good selection of foods. Plate lunch = macaroni salad, rice, and an entree. It looks like the Waikiki location is closed. I don't do much in Waikiki, but I will ask around.

 

Renee

 

Thanks Renee, I agree, we are staying away from any mainland chains. We are taking a cab from the ship into Waikiki, so we will be on foot there. We are definitely looking for a local restaurant with a taste of the islands. I will pull up L&L restaurant online and see where one is. Thanks for your response and if you come up with anything else I'd love to hear about it.

[Holomoku]

The road from Hilo to the Observatory isn't restricted by most and is a nicely paved 2 lane road.

 

From the summit down, some companies restrict traffic. We haven't paid much attention to those restrictions as they void the CDW we don't buy.

 

Not sure why some don't like South Point ... a rather tame smooth paved road:confused:

 

Neither of those roads are as bad as this one in Waipio Valley.

Waipio:eek:

 

P7170831 by dntanderson, on Flickr

 

South Point road, Waipio Valley, and the Summit road are all listed with rental car no-no's because of the extreme cost of any towing or keys locked inside. In Waipio for example a tow begins at $700, same for South Point, these locations are too far from anywhere. Then on the summit road it is highly suggested that only 4 wheel drives go up, this is to save the brakes coming down. Just last year some tourists went up and two were killed when the brakes failed on the way down. Then also, it can snow at any time of the year up there or just ice up. Just take one of the organized tours offered around the island, they have hot drinks, parkas, oxygen, etc. You will have a safe and much more enjoyable trip to the top.;)

[cruznliz]

You don't say how old your grandmother is, but if she has ANY mobility issues, I would ask for a handicapped cabin. We frequently traveled with my mother when she was in her 80's and she loved the handicapped cabins. I believe they have them in all cabin categories. They of course don't cost any more than a regular cabin.

 

As others have said, take the cruise that has Elua and her husband. That would be the Star Princess out of Los Angeles. As soon as you arrive onboard, sign up for the lei making classes and the ukulele classes if either of you are so inclined. They are a lot of fun! If you miss out on the sign-up I think they also offer them on the way back to L.A. :D

 

The Arizona Memorial is a must. I would recommend taking the ship's tour. I know the admission is free, but sometimes it's just worth the money to have someone else worry about the driving etc. ;)

[Treven]

...

The Arizona Memorial is a must. I would recommend taking the ship's tour. I know the admission is free, but sometimes it's just worth the money to have someone else worry about the driving etc. ;)

When I was in Hawaii I did one of the Duck tours. It included the Arizona Memorial and then the driver drove out in the bay to visit Sand Island. It sure was a hoot.

[Cruisin' Chick]

Just for your information. I am on Oahu right now and NCL is promoting insides for $999. That is a fare Princess had a few weeks back (7 days verses 15 days). Tack on air fare ($600 from LAX) plus a hotel night before ($200) and I don't think that NCL is a bargain. You will enjoy the sea days coming over and back. I will have to admit that NCL has a better itinerary, but in my opinion, that is the only thing going for them.

 

Personally, if we're going to fly to Hawaii again, we'll just do what we did on our honeymoon and skip the cruise. Just stay on two or three islands, perhaps rent a car on one of them and explore. Especially as the price of the cruise (anytime I've seen the prices of the 7-day cruise) is not really a value when you consider the price per day as well as the flight to and from LA.

 

 

You don't say how old your grandmother is, but if she has ANY mobility issues, I would ask for a handicapped cabin. We frequently traveled with my mother when she was in her 80's and she loved the handicapped cabins. I believe they have them in all cabin categories. They of course don't cost any more than a regular cabin.

 

As others have said, take the cruise that has Elua and her husband. That would be the Star Princess out of Los Angeles. As soon as you arrive onboard, sign up for the lei making classes and the ukulele classes if either of you are so inclined. They are a lot of fun! If you miss out on the sign-up I think they also offer them on the way back to L.A. :D

 

The Arizona Memorial is a must. I would recommend taking the ship's tour. I know the admission is free, but sometimes it's just worth the money to have someone else worry about the driving etc. ;)

 

If the lei-making sign ups are the same as they were on the Golden, you don't sign up when you first get on board. We were on this cruise three times, and twice on the Golden. On both of the last two (2010/11 and 2012/13), the sign ups for the orchid lei making classes were announced in the Patters a couple of days into the cruise -- you would go to the Hawaiian Activities desk next to the shore excursions desk. After leaving Hawaii, a day or two later, the tickets for the ribbon lei making classes were available. I think there were about four classes available for each of those.

 

So I would wait until the Star starts doing these cruises (or the Grand or Sapphire, if choosing one of those ships) and ask about class signups to see when tickets are available.

[slidergirl]

Thanks Renee, I agree, we are staying away from any mainland chains. We are taking a cab from the ship into Waikiki, so we will be on foot there. We are definitely looking for a local restaurant with a taste of the islands. I will pull up L&L restaurant online and see where one is. Thanks for your response and if you come up with anything else I'd love to hear about it.

 

Looking for a place near the IMP? I'd recommend Marukame Udon. It's on Kuhio, right behind the IMP. It's honestly one of the best cheap food places I've eaten at in a long time. I was in Waikiki back in November for 5 days and I ate there 3 times!!! It's "cafeteria-style", but don't let that turn you off. They make their udon noodles fresh right there in front of you. They have many different types of udon preparation - choose the one that appeals to you. You tell the guy behind the counter which you want and they make up right there. Then, they have a counter of various kinds of tempura and musubi - pick what you want. Then, you get to the cashier - tell them what you want to drink and pay. I got out of there each evening for about $9 each time... Just look for the place with the LOOOOOOONG line out the door. NO saving spots, just wait you turn and you will get a seat after you get your order. Look over on TA if you want to see more on it.

[Cruzingal#9]

Looking for a place near the IMP? I'd recommend Marukame Udon. It's on Kuhio, right behind the IMP. It's honestly one of the best cheap food places I've eaten at in a long time. I was in Waikiki back in November for 5 days and I ate there 3 times!!! It's "cafeteria-style", but don't let that turn you off. They make their udon noodles fresh right there in front of you. They have many different types of udon preparation - choose the one that appeals to you. You tell the guy behind the counter which you want and they make up right there. Then, they have a counter of various kinds of tempura and musubi - pick what you want. Then, you get to the cashier - tell them what you want to drink and pay. I got out of there each evening for about $9 each time... Just look for the place with the LOOOOOOONG line out the door. NO saving spots, just wait you turn and you will get a seat after you get your order. Look over on TA if you want to see more on it.

 

Thanks for the info. Will definitely check that out!

[cr8tiv1]

Hi Julie,

 

Please let me know how you are getting to Waikiki and what would you like to eat. Please stay away from the Cheesecake Factory and other mainland chains. You can do that somewhere else.

 

If you have a car, I strongly recommend Side Street Inn in Kapahulu (outside of Waikiki). If you want just a taste of the islands, look for an L&L restaurant. Not fancy at all (paper plate) but you will have a good selection of foods. Plate lunch = macaroni salad, rice, and an entree. It looks like the Waikiki location is closed. I don't do much in Waikiki, but I will ask around.

 

Renee

 

I haven't been to either of these places but they come with high recommendations from my daughter. Teddy's Burger first. Then Hula's or Duke's, both more touristy.

[Biffer1997]

Here are my "qualifications" (LOL)

former local girl now living in California, but frequent the islands often

Did a Golden cruise February 2013

Hopefully considered a friend of Dave and Leialoha (ELUA)

Take what works for you and leave the rest. No feelings will be hurt.

 

Rent a car on each island. The sooner the rent the car, the better the pricing. There is no deposit and no last minute cancellations.

 

Oahu:

Like others have said, reserve your tickets for the Arizona Memorial for about 10:30 or 11. You will have to pick up the tickets an hour before the reserve time. Be aware that shuttles to the Arizona Memorial itself can be cancelled by the Navy at any time. But there is still a lot to see. Then drive around the island starting from Pearl Harbor to Dole Pineapple and continue around the island. Lots to see. If you need more, let me know. If you don't want to drive that far, come back into town and visit Iolani Palace, Punchbowl National Cemetery, Diamond Head and the beaches north of that. I can suggest a whole lot of places to eat.

 

You will need to let people on this thread know what your interests are and you will get an assortment of things to do for free. Hawaii is great for that!

 

Hilo: Rent a car from Enterprise Hilo Town. Faster to get to than the airport, less congested, and you won't have to pay the Airport fee.

 

Volcano National Park, Rainbow Falls and the Boiling Pots, Akaka Falls, Queen Liliuokalani Park and Coconut Island. Big Island Candies/Mauna Loa Mac Farm (strictly for tourist). There is a small rain forest zoo across the street from the mac farm.

 

Lahaina: No car needed. Shuttle bus to Hilo Hattie, and slowly walk back to the ship. Or walk along Front Street until your grandmother gets tired. Or take a bus to Ka'anapali Beach. Stay on the ship (tender port) and enjoy the whales in February and March.

 

Nawiliwili: Catch a free shuttle and ride it all the way over to Coconut shopping plaza. You will see the town this way. If you want to rent a car, you can drive up to Waimea Canyon (Grand Canyon of the Pacific). This is not a long port so I don't know if you will be able to do both Hanalei and Waimea Canyon. Traffic can get delayed and you don't want to miss the boat.

 

Each island is very different. Kauai has some really spectacular natural beauty. Hilo has a small town feel. Oahu is metropolitan. And Lahaina is quaint and whales. You really do not have a lot of time on the islands (accept Oahu).

 

I don't know any other state that has so much for free or very inexpensive. Your car and gas will be expensive.

 

Enjoy your time with your grandmother. That's what it is all about.

 

Renee

 

Thanks for the ideas :)

[MilVet]

Good info. Just a word....please don't refer to home as (assuming you are from the U.S.) "back in the States."

 

Yes, I found out the hard way when I arrived back in '75.:o

[Meandmymum]

I agree with the suggestion to see the Arizona Memorial. It is a must see for any American. However, I would not spend a lot of money on a Princess or other excursion to see it.

 

Reserve your tour of the Arizona Memorial online at http://www.recreation.gov/tourSearchResult.do?contractCode=NRSO&parkId=72369. It costs $1.50 per person and you have to pick up your tickets in person at least one hour in advance, but it's well worth it.

 

You can take a city bus from the cruise pier to the memorial for $1 each way if you have a Medicare card (a little more if you don't have one yet). My wife has some mobility issues (walks slowly with a cane), and she had no problems getting there by the city bus. However, you can also take a taxi if you are short of time to get there.

 

We made a day of it - visiting the USS Bowfin Submarine Museum (next door to the Arizona Memorial) and the Battleship Missouri Memorial (shuttle bus from the Arizona Memorial).

Dear Navyveteran,

My mum & I are traveling on princess in two weeks time & this will be our first trip to Hawaii. I am really keen to visit Peal Harbor & Arizona Memorial - was thinking of doing the Princess tour but can you advise how we can do it for significantly less cash? Budget is a big issue for me.