POAM - Excursions we took

[norcalgal]

Sunday, July 24 - we were supposed to get into Hilo early AM - but due to some "engine problems" our excursion to Volcanoes Nat'l Park and Rainbow Falls that was supposed to depart at 8:30 AM, would now be starting at 11:30, minus the Rainbow Falls part. We werre the last two people to get on our bus, and as we looked waay in the back, our guide told us that the two seats in the front row were for us! (every front row was reserved for handicapped people, if necessary). The only downside to this is that is spoiled us for the rest of the week - we never got front row again - and what a difference it makes! What a view through the big front windows of the bus. Volcanoes Nat'l Park is a "must-see" - it is amazing! We were glad that this was a half-day trip - later in the week, we wished that we had more 1/2 days instead of full days!

(At 10:30 this evening, we sailed by the lava flows - absolutely beautiful! We went to the "show" in the theatre that started at 9:30 - we were assured that we would be out of the show in time, but I would have liked to be out on deck the minute the lava came into view!)

 

Monday, July 25 - Since we have been to Maui before, we decided to just take the shuttle into Lahaina for the day. You must book this through the ship and get an exact time to and from - it's not like they constantly run shuttles from the ship to Lahaina!

 

Wednesday, July 27 - Kona - This is the only place that the POAM tenders into port. We met in the Hollywood Theatre at 7:15 for our "Chocolate Lover's Tour" that was to start at 8 AM. So, here we are - on the dock at 7:30, waiting for our bus. Some excursion guy from the ship points out a regular sized bus and says - that's your bus. Later, we get directed to a "jitney-type" bus, that carries about 25 people. The bus driver finally takes off with us, although he tells us he's only got 23 passengers, and he's supposed to have 25. We only get about 5 minutes away, when he gets a call to go back and pick up the 2 we left behind! We recognized them as a mother and adult daughter who had asked about a pay phone while we waited on the pier. Not two minutes later, we hear shouting from the back of the bus - the language! The bus driver pulls over. The mom is swearing and yelling and saying that she was directed onto the wrong bus - I can see how that could have happened - but wow! the yelling! Totally unnecessary! Anyway our bus driver tells us all to calm down, that we are not at all off schedule. Our first stop on this tour is a coffee plantation - very interesting, got to taste real Kona coffee. When we pile back onto the bus, an older couple is sitting in our seats! I say "Oh, I thought we got to sit in the same seats?!" No comment - we take the seats directly behind them. I told my husband that I wished I had known the rules before we had gotten off! At every stop, the man always left a tote bag on their seat - I always left my sunhat - didn't want to end up in the back of the bus by the end of the day! (By the way - this was the ONLY tour where this happened - all other tours, people very politley took their original seats.)

Next stop was the Hawaiian Chocolate Farm - we tasted a piece of dark chocloate and a piece of milk chocolate. Again - interesting to see the product go from tree to package. Next we were taken waaaay around to the Vanilla Vineyard. We weren't actually at the planting area for the vanilla, we were at the grower's home. We had a delicious lunch, served by the children in the family, all of the food grown locally, most of it containing vanilla! They explained the whole process of growing vanilla beans during lunch. Very intersting, but it was a long drive - it would have made more sense to visit this area while in Hilo!

So we got back to the ship around 4 PM - the Ship's famous chocolate buffet had taken place at 2:30!!!! How irritating, to go on a chocolate lover's tour - only to sample 2 small pieces of chocolate & miss the highlight of the week for a chocoholic! (By the way, we didn't know the day & time of the chocolate buffet until the night before, and by then, it's too late to cancel an excursion for the next day.)

 

Thursday, July 25 Kauai

Took another bus tour - this one left at 10 AM. Took a boat down the Waimea River to the Fern Grotto - then on to the Waimea Canyon. Again - another long day of travelling in a bus. Got back around 5 - that was the time for the Honeymooners & Anniversary Party (champagne & cake - picture included in the package.) Didn't make it in time to get to this party. Although Wamea Canyon & Fern Grotto are the two spots in Kauai that I think are "must-sees", I would think that renting a car would make for a shorter and more pleasant day.

 

Saturday, July 30, Honolulu

Since NCL booked us on a red-eye flight (I will NEVER let them do that again!) we needed to find something to do on this day. Since we had already done Pearl Harbor and the Polynesian Cultural Center, we chose to take the Grand Island Circle Tour. Saw things we hadn't already seen (including Sunset Beach!) & had lunch at beautiful Turtle Bay Resort. This was an OK way to spend the day.

 

In conclusion, the NCL tours we took were good - every bus driver was excellent. But, I think renting a car on Maui & Kauai would be preferable. Also, renting a car in Hilo & driving yourself to Volcanoes Nat'l Park would work, as well as renting one for the day in Kona, or booking one of their snorkle tours would be better. The scary thing about being on your own, is that you have to watch your time, especially in ports where you only spend the day (not overnight).

[crewsin250]

I have 1 question was the reason you cruised by the lava flow so late because of your late arrival at the port of Hilo or is this when the ship usually sails by the Lava flows.

Thanks Paul

[norcalgal]

I think we left Hilo at about the same time we were scheduled to leave there - so going by the lava flow was always going to be around 10:30.

[Lightbulb03]

Great Information. Thank you! Helps to know what to expect and to look out for. We are on the POAm sailing 8/27/05. We requested Historic Kona at 8am so we could have lunch and walk around before heading back for the chocolate buffet. I am a HUGE chocolate fiend. I didn't book the Chocolate Lover's tour because my DH is on the Atkins plan and that wouldn't be fair.

 

I have a question. When you requested your shore excursions, did you do it online or fax? And did you ever receive a confirmation via fax or email? I submitted my request online last week and I haven't heard anything yet.:confused:

[Ali70]

Norcalgal,

thanks for all the information. How many hours did you get to spend in Lahaina?

[norcalgal]

It took over a week to get E-mail confirmation on the excursions that we requested. (I think I ordered the excursions on-line - or my Travel Agent ordered them for me - can't remember which!) Also, once we recived our documents - there was a page with the excursions we had already booked listed. We tried to change one before we left but couldn't - we were able to change it once on-board.

 

We left the pier at 10:30 for Lahaina - took about 45 minutes to get there - took the 5:30 back to the pier. We had plenty of time to "do" the Lahaina shopping & have lunch at Kimo's. If you wanted to get over to Kaanapali, you might want to book an earlier bus over to Lahaina (I know there's a way to get to Kaanapali from Lahaina, just not sure how). Also, we did not do the NCL Maui Luau, since we had done one at the Polynesian Cultural Center. Didn't hear much about that Luau - I just know that the ship was nice and quiet, having many people off the ship!

[Lightbulb03]

It took over a week to get E-mail confirmation on the excursions that we requested. (I think I ordered the excursions on-line - or my Travel Agent ordered them for me - can't remember which!) Also, once we recived our documents - there was a page with the excursions we had already booked listed. We tried to change one before we left but couldn't - we were able to change it once on-board.

 

We left the pier at 10:30 for Lahaina - took about 45 minutes to get there - took the 5:30 back to the pier. We had plenty of time to "do" the Lahaina shopping & have lunch at Kimo's. If you wanted to get over to Kaanapali, you might want to book an earlier bus over to Lahaina (I know there's a way to get to Kaanapali from Lahaina, just not sure how). Also, we did not do the NCL Maui Luau, since we had done one at the Polynesian Cultural Center. Didn't hear much about that Luau - I just know that the ship was nice and quiet, having many people off the ship!

 

 

Thanks, norcalgal, for the excursion confirmation answer. How about the Sugar Cane Train? That can get you to Ka'anapali from Lahaina. It doesn't look like it's far from Hilo Hattie's which is where I understand the bus from the ship drops off passengers (according to the excursion documentation).

[norcalgal]

The bus form the ship drops off at two spots: Hilo Hattie's and the flagpole between the Banyan Tree and the harbor. The Sugar Cane Train! I'd forgotten about that! Sure - if you can get info on it before you leave, that would be a great day!

[celebrate]

:) This review is great and so helpful:) I have lots of questions.....On the on the volcanoes and rainbow park tour...since you didn't get to see the falls..did they refund any money..also did you still get to see the nut factory...since you felt the shorter tours were better do you think doing the volcanoes national park odyssey would be just as good? It doesn't do the falls but does the chain of craters road,the observatory and the museum the lava tubes...although it sound like you just view them and not actually go through them...would we miss a lot not going through them:confused: , and then the nut factory. It is 4 1/2 hours.....what do you think which one should we go for?

I have questions about the other days too but will do one at a time. I think after I get your answers we will have no problem picking what to book.:D