Redhrtz

We were on the POA in early June and spent Kona just walking around the town. There are some historical structures, lots of shops and restaurants, all within easy walking distance. Definitely recommend stopping by Holy Donuts!! Amazing, huge delicious donuts - we saw several crew members bringing the donut boxes back to the ship, and asked where to go. It is located in the back of the Kona Marketplace, so it is a little hard to find, but if you ask anyone in Kona they should be able to point you in the right direction. We also headed over to the Kona Brewery for a tour and lunch. Book the tour online to guarantee a spot - samples are included! Just remember that Kona is on the dry side of the island. We were in Hilo the day before, which was cool and rainy, and were surprised at how hot it was in Kona.

I remember asking about that on the second Maui day. I believe you had to register your child the day before if you were planning on dropping him/her off early for breakfast, so the staff knew to be there early. I think the "early" time for breakfast was 8 am, and the regular open hour was 9.

We used Splash Academy when we were on the POA in June (my son is 12 years old). They had activities all day, and only charged for lunch when we were in port (they took the kids to the Cadillac Diner). I don't have a list of activities, but I recall some science experiments (egg drop), some art projects and various games. I know that one night they had a pajama night. We went very early in June, so there were not a lot of kids on the ship, and I noticed that my son was sometimes the only "older" kid there (most were between 5 and 10 years old). They took them to the teen hangout once, just to check it out and see what it was like. BTW - we did the same thing on the second day in Maui, and just relaxed on the ship. The kids area was open as usual, and it worked out just fine for all of us.

We did Germaine's Luau on our own on June 1st and used their transportation to pick us up. We went on Norwegian's Pride of America a couple of days later, so it was no issue about getting back to catch the ship. However, you should keep in mind that the luau is about a 30-40 minute drive away from Honolulu (depending on traffic). We got back to our hotel in Waikiki around 10 pm, so I would think you would make it back to the ship before 11 pm, but it may be cutting it close. For my own personal peace of mind, I would book through the cruise ship just in case. If the bus breaks down, or there is some other traffic delay, you don't want to be left behind.

BTW - We had a great time at the luau! The food was really good and we enjoyed the dancing and music. You might want to bring bug spray - I don't know if it is very different in January, but when we went a few weeks ago, there were some mosquitos flying around. Also, it is right on the beach so it might be a bit cool at night.

Is Spain Day Tours the same company as Barcelona Day Tours? I've seen both mentioned.

I believe they are the same company - Barcelona Day Tours is just the affiliate or extension of the company in Barcelona.

The Sheraton just isn't that fancy (like the W), and the rooms are a bit small, but if you aren't expecting the Ritz or anything, it is just fine. Great location, clean, and reasonable.

I would definitely recommend the full day tour - you may be tired after the cruise, but it is well worth it. Montserrat was my favorite spot in all of Barcelona, so don't miss it! The views are spectacular. The Day Tours company was very prompt at email responses to questions, and our tour guide (Marta) was excellent. (I have to admit, this has cheered me up on a rather rough Monday - memories of our wonderful time in Barcelona always brings a smile to my face!)

Hi there! We actually stayed at the Four Points Sheraton for 2 nights before our cruise in July (also using Starwood points). The hotel itself is pretty standard (nothing special, just neat and clean), but the location was great, esp. since we had never been to Barcelona before. It is located on Avenue Diagonal, which has great sidewalks and a central walkway for strolling through Barcelona. There is a mall just a couple of blocks away (I can't recall the name, but if you walk out the front entrance of the Sheraton and turn left on Avenue Diagonal, the mall will be on your right hand side about 2-3 blocks down), and also within walking distance of La Sagrada Familia (about 20 minute walk).

We booked an all-day tour with Barcelona Day Tours and it was well worth the money - we had a WONDERFUL time. They took us everywhere, from Montserrat (incredible) to Parc Guell to La Sagrada Familia. They also picked us up and dropped us off at the Sheraton. They have different tour packages available. I highly recommend them.

We also stayed at the W post-cruise, which is located right next to the port and right on the beach. You can't miss it - it is the crazy looking building that looks like a giant sail. We used Starwood points again to stay there, and it was a lot more modern and expensive than the Sheraton. It was nice for a change (and the nearby restaurants on the beach were great) but I think I prefer a regular hotel like the Sheraton. The frosted glass in the W bathroom is a bit odd!

We took taxis to/from the port, which wasn't bad - I don't think I spent more than 15 euros. The only time we spent more on a cab was going to the airport, due to the bags and the distance (if I recall, it was about $35 euros). One tip - we booked our taxi to the airport on our last morning by using an online service (Barcelona Taxi) because of the early hour, and I'm glad we did! There were no taxis around that early in the morning, just the one we pre-booked (it was 7:30 a.m.)!

Good luck - and have a blast! We absolutely loved Barcelona!

Just got back from a Med cruise on the Allure with both pre and post days in Barcelona, as well as a stay in Paris. I made a color copy of our passports (mine, my husband's and my young son's), and kept that with me at all times (in a hidden pouch under a shirt, along with our DL for photo ID purposes). The originals were kept in the safes of our hotels and on the ship. We took turns as to who carried the undershirt pouch, and I had a TravelOn cross-body bag that held small amounts of Euros, 1 credit card, sunglasses, etc. Everything else (2nd credit card, debit card, hubby's wallet) stayed in safe at hotel/ship.

Barring any emergencies, you will only need original passports when traveling through airports, train stations, and embark/debark ship. Otherwise, no need to worry about getting them stolen as you wander tourist spots - a copy is all you need for emergencies.

Thankfully, we had no issues with pickpockets, but we did have to sternly turn away street vendors a few times, esp. at most crowded tourist spots (Eiffel Tower, Vatican, Pompeii).