mel-b

Mel B, thank you so much for you awesome review! I really enjoyed Hawaii through your humorous narration! Your tips will come in handy for my husband and I who will be sailing with POA on Sept. 19, 2015.

Ahh, I just logged in today and saw this response of yours. Your trip is tomorrow!! Enjoy yourself, and I'm glad to hear this review was helpful.

Thank you so much for this amazing review. You have given me much information to jump start the planning for our May 2016 cruise on PoA.

Thank you for reading the review! It's good to know how helpful it is to others.

After we finished the Pearl Harbor tour, we hopped in our rental car and drove to Waikiki Beach. The traffic was rough! But, I've been told this is to be expected. So prepare some extra time if you're traveling in this part of the island.

We stayed 3 more nights on Oahu, at the Sheraton Waikiki Beach. I mentioned at the beginning of my review where we stayed the night before we embarked on the POA. We really enjoyed indulging ourselves at the Sheraton on the back-half of our trip. It was nice to be directly on the ocean. This hotel is only a couple doors down from Duke's. All the shopping and great dining is right there. We would definitely return to this hotel again.

It was nice to relax most of this time. My DH had a conference he was attending and speaking at, so unfortunately he had a bit of work to do. However, it was Hawaii after all so work was really not worrkkkk if you know what I mean! The grounds of this hotel are super. There is an adult's only infinity pool with cabanas. There is also a more kid/family friendly pool which I enjoyed lounging at just as much if not more than the other. If we were in a big group, paying the cost to rent a cabana wouldn't be a bad idea. But even to rent a covered chair for the day is outrageous...it's not Vegas!! I enjoyed going between the pool, the hammock, and beach.

View from our room overlooking Diamond Head

We enjoyed having the headsets while touring Pearl Harbor. Each location had a narrated tour. When we were down in the USS Bowfin submarine, it was nice to hear the narration of the actual sub, the men onboard, daily life etc..

Near the location of the USS Bowfin submarine was a Japanese Kaiten - one man suicide torpedo.

There are a few museums on the immediate PH grounds. There is also a snack cafeteria should you be hungry. I believe there is a restaurant within walking distance that was highly recommended (I can't recall the name).

Once our time came to board the small boat to the USS Arizona Memorial, we stood in line and waited to be escorted aboard by active duty military. It's a very somber experience. Most people were quiet and reflective as we took the short boat ride over to the USS Arizona. As we climbed onto the deck of the memorial, the previous group wrapped up their tour and left via the boat we came in on. We had at least 15 minutes to walk through the Memorial, and look out over the top of the USS Arizona. It was, once again, nice to have the headsets for narration.

I don't recall the estimated amount of oil leakage the USS Arizona puts off per day. It is definitely easy to spot with your eyes. Being here really puts the events of that day into perspective. How close the ships were to each other. How close they were to land. How vulnerable they were and how taken by surprise they were that day...

After we boated back to the main part of Pearl Harbor, we decided to hop on the bus provided to Ford Island where the Mighty Mo and Pacific Aviation Museum are located. This island is guarded by active duty personnel as it is an active base. The bus will drop off at the USS Missouri first, then the Pacific Aviation Museum. We decided to get off at the Mighty Mo first. We were a bit hungry at this point, and were told there is a snack shack at this location. We decided to grab a bite and figure out what to do with our remaining time. As much as we wanted to tour both, we knew we only had time for one. The consensus was to hop back on the bus and tour the Pacific Aviation Museum.

View of the USS Arizona Memorial from the Mighty Mo

Mighty Mo

I'm not knowledgeable about all things aviation. My husband is, which is why we ultimately chose to tour the Pacific Aviation Museum versus the Mighty Mo. I confess, I really enjoyed this museum! Even though I do not have a great understanding of most of the aircraft, it's fascinating to be at this location. The inside, air conditioned museum is very nice. Once again, they offered headsets which were helpful. After we toured this portion, we walked back outside and across the way to the next building, an old airplane hangar. This is where they housed several planes and choppers...and, you can still see where the bullets pierced the glass windows on that infamous day. It's as if you stepped back in time.

We stayed at this location until the last bus arrived to take us back to the main part of Pearl Harbor. All in all, we are very glad we did this full tour. As I mentioned before, the only regret I have is not arriving a bit sooner to be able to tour the Mighty Mo. Oh well, if we return, this will give us a chance to tour again without feeling like we had seen everything.

Enjoyed your review. Got me thinking about a future trip.

Good deal! Good to hear. Let me know if you have any questions along the way should you decide to pull the trigger and do it!

Mel-B..again, great review..FYI- I guess you didn't drive in Oahu to the North Shore & take the AMAZING drive from Sunset beach down the coast back to Honolulu..it is FANTASTIC! ..you go up thru the center of the island, past the Dole Pineapple farms ( amazing- best pineapple in the world!!), then up to where the Big wave surfers go...the drive back down is simply stunning...forget Honolulu..Pearl Harbor was great, but our fav was the drive down from Sunset Beach & Wiamia Bay ....if you go again, don't miss it..rent a car & do it!!!

 

Big Al

Big Al,

We had only part of one day to drive around Oahu due to the work conference we were attending on the back half of our trip. I think if we'd had more time, we might've discovered more than we did! I'll make mention of it in my review after Pearl Harbor, but we ended up driving to the North Shore area (shrimp trucks) but I don't think it was via the center of the island as you mentioned. I don't recall going past the Dole plantation. I do recall driving past a couple of military bases and ending up near the shrimp truck we were dying to try. We did drive around the island, past north shore and down the eastern side. The weather was not cooperating so we only stopped at the Byodo-in Temple before shooting back across to Waikiki Beach (which I loved the temple BTW).

I won't dismiss Oahu as I know we barely scratched the surface I'm sure. Overall, it's still paradise. My favorite islands though were Maui and Kauai, followed by the Big Island and Oahu bringing up the rear. If we go again, I'll certainly heed your advice!!

We were sad to see the cruise end. A week goes by fast when you're having fun! We opted to carry our luggage off with us the morning of disembarkation. We generally do this when we cruise as we're often last minute packers. We had breakfast in the main dining room which as I recall was good. I love the smoked salmon/cream cheese/capers on a bagel. DH generally orders eggs benedict. We returned to our cabin to collect our luggage and proceeded to exit the ship. This was probably around the 930 am time, and the ship appeared to be fairly empty.

I must have failed to confirm if our car rental sent a shuttle to the port. I was aware that at least a few did send shuttles from the Honolulu airport, but as it turned out, Hertz does not. We exited the port building and attempted to reach Hertz by phone but nobody picked up. We waited a bit and witnessed a few shuttle buses arrive from other agencies. We decided to finally hop in a cab and made our way to HNL to pick up our car. Sure enough, we found out once we were there that they do not send a shuttle to the port. I am not sure if this is all the time, or just that particular day. My advice would be to confirm this prior to the cruise.

If your plans are to simply stay on Waikiki Beach and not venture out of that area, a car rental is not necessary. If you're interested in touring Pearl Harbor, you can either rent your own vehicle or I believe you can arrange an official tour either through NCL or outside agencies. You could also take a cab. We opted to rent the vehicle not only for Pearl Harbor, but to drive around Oahu. I'm glad we did this. There were a few sites we enjoyed seeing on the island other than Pearl Harbor and Waikiki Beach. I will state, however, that I was underwhelmed with Oahu in general. If we returned to Hawaii, this island would be my last choice to visit. More of a "been there, done that" feeling.

Having the vehicle was also nice because we could contain our luggage while touring Pearl Harbor. Once again, I know people have mentioned the port keeping luggage on the day of disembarkation should you take a tour through NCL. I am not sure what the options are for your luggage should you use an outside agency to tour Pearl Harbor. There are lockers at PH but I'm not certain if you can keep luggage in them. Pearl Harbor does not allow bags of any kind (purses etc) while you're touring the grounds.

The drive to Pearl Harbor from the airport is literally a few minutes. Simple drive. Parking is free and easy. We applied sunscreen, grabbed our phones/camera and set off. I arranged the passport tour which had a cost. This allowed us to tour not only Pearl Harbor grounds and the USS Arizona, but the USS Bowfin submarine, USS Missouri, and Pacific Aviation Museum. We were glad we had this tour. It is worth the cost. You can arrange for this online (I don't have the link handy, but it's a gov site). The only regret I have is not starting our day earlier, right when they open. We didn't have enough time to tour the Mighty Mo!

We arranged a time to tour the USS Arizona at the information desk once we arrived. We had enough time prior to boating over to the Arizona to walk through the grounds, the various museums and tour the USS Bowfin Submarine.

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Could not agree more, especially with your first sentences. We loved it so much.

Ditto! We loved it too

Are balconies covered on 9th deck?

Our cabin, 9700, was mostly covered. There is a section, maybe 1/3 of the deck at the railing that is not covered. The good thing IMO is this gives option for catching sun on the balcony if that's desired or staying in the shade.

I meant to fix an error of my post above. I think I mentioned we sailed mid June but it was mid April! Sorry about that, have no idea why I typed that. :)

After our Mauna Loa Helicopter tour was over, we were shuttled back to their bus office and before we walked back to the ship to board for the Na Pali coast sail-by, we stopped for a snack at a highly recommended food truck called Kikuchi's. Boy oh boy oh boy was it good. Pulled pork on steam buns. Nom nom nom.

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After our snack, we grabbed our Jeep which was still parked where we left it the night before and returned it to the airport rental agency. I suppose in hindsight, we could've simply rented it for one day, not two. At any rate, the return was seemless and taking the shuttle back to the POA timely. We were aboard the POA with enough time to change and head up to Deck 11 Aft (Aloha Cafe) to meet friends. I'm so glad we decided to do this. It was great fun having drinks, listening to live music as we sailed past the Na Pali coast. IMO, this location on the ship is tops. We would've been just as fine watching it from our aft balcony cabin on deck 9. But, socializing as we cruised the coast was tops. I will say, if they do a narration over the loud speaker of the coast, you will not hear that from the Aloha Cafe location.

Leaving the port

The ship will hug the coastline closer as it sails by initially, then turn around and sail away at a greater distance from shore. Your best bet for pictures will be as you're first sailing by. Being at the aft was great because we were able to catch some terrific shots as the ship turned to head back. We were also facing the setting sun, which was spectacular. Watching the sun set, and the wake of the ship while listening to live music was awesome. I'd imagine if you sail during whale season, this would be a great location on the ship. We happened to see two whales, probably a mother and baby, breech the surface and blow off to the distance in the wake of the ship as we turned around from the coast.

It was very hard to leave this spot on the ship to get ready for dinner at Cagney's (our second time that week to dine there). It was a nice way to wrap up our week with cruise friends. We could've easily sat out there until the wee hours of the morning, but decided to enjoy one last great meal before we disembarked the next morning.

I'll wrap up my review talking about Waikiki Beach, Pearl Harbor, and Oahu as we extended our trip four days after the cruise. All in all, as I've mentioned before, there are zero regrets to cruising the POA. Zero regrets to visiting Hawaii this way as first timers. I would not hesitate to cruise the POA again, and would in fact consider a b2b. In fact, I would like to do so again because honestly, we did not experience many of the activities on the ship. We were very busy exploring the islands. Once aboard at night, we ate a nice meal and drank some wine and found ourselves retiring to our cabin to enjoy the balcony and rest.

I don't think I mentioned this above, but I have never ridden in a helicopter before this tour. I am very very glad we did this. It's hard to make mention of one specific activity we did on this trip that was the absolute best. Everything I've written about ranked #1 in one way or another. I will say if we had not done the helicopter tour of Kauai, we would've greatly missed out on seeing such magnificent beauty..

Lifting off into the sky seemed so precarious! I was speechless as we lifted higher and higher and took off into the island. I think if we were to return to Kauai and (gladly) take this tour again, I will be more at ease and know what to expect. I wasn't full of fear, I was mostly in awe of the experience and what I was seeing. I found myself sitting very still for a good portion of the ride. I was on the left, my DH on the right. All pictures I took (and what I will post) were taken from my phone. They recommend against doing that in case you drop it! And I confess my hands were shaking a bit. The best rule of thumb of course is not to stick your arms/hands out of the door. My DH manned his GoPro which he mounted on the seat in front of us. We really enjoyed using this device on our trip!

My sense of depth and distance was initially off, and having the doors removed really added to that experience. I'm so glad we chose no doors. The wind, the line of sight. I was thankful I wore a long sleeved shirt and pants. I have a confession to make. Tears welled up in my eyes upon seeing the beauty of the island from a bird's eye POV. It's very moving. It was also great fun as Kian, our pilot, played a string of various songs which we could hear through our headphones! I won't forget hearing "Somewhere Over the Rainbow", sung by Israel Kamakawiwo'ole, while cresting over a ridge into Waimea canyon..

Here is just a sampling of the many shots we took that day:

mel-b: are you done? It seems we still have the cruise by the Napali coast and the return to Honolulu (not to mention we left you on a helicopter with no doors!) Have enjoyed your reports so far and would love to see the rest!

Hi Jazzbeau! Thanks for your patience as I wrap up this review! I'm about to finish the review of the helicopter tour and Na Pali coast sail-by. Thanks for reading!

Mel-b, Thank you for the great review. Your review along with several others is so helpful in planning our own cruise this coming May. Your comments about Mauna Loa's tour on Kauai Day 2 sealed the decision for our own plans. We had been debating about whether to take the Mauna Loa tour on Day 1 or Day 2, and were trying to figure out how to fit it in along with the Waimea Canyon Drive on Day 1, especially with the loss of 2 hours on that day. Thanks again!!

Thank you for reading the review! I'm so glad it's been helpful for you in planning the cruise. Y'all will have such an incredible time! I'm about to finish my review of the Mauna Loa helicopter tour. I can't recommend them enough!

I booked an hour helicopter tour of Kauai with Mauna Loa Helicopter Tours. The primary reason I chose them (other than the good reviews) was the private tour with the option of doors off. For nearly the same price, why not take your own tour?! When we saw the larger helicopters that took at least 6 passengers (no doors off), I realized I had made a good decision for us. We did not want our view to be encumbered by others or by windows.

I chose to book the tour on our half day (2nd day) in Kauai. I chose this island over any of the others due to the diverse topography. To see Kauai by air is magical (the Na Pali coast, waterfalls, Waimea Canyon, think Jurassic Park....) In the future, I would not hesitate to do this again in Kauai. I would also like to see the Big Island by air.

When I chose Mauna Loa, I called them to set up our tour. They're very professional and on point with everything. Do keep in mind, there is a weight limit per person. I'm not sure if this applies as much to the larger helicopters that fit 6 or more passengers. It was funny when I called, the gal asked for our weights. We had each gotten on the scale that morning, so I relayed to her exactly what the scale read. She added on 5 or 10 more pounds each because she said most people flub that number!!! LOL I told her I did not want to die, so I gave her the most accurate number I could. (They weigh you on their scale in their office before you fly).

We chose the door off option. If you're adventurous, choose this. You won't regret it.

We woke up on the 2nd day of Kauai and had breakfast on our balcony. Our tour was for 10am, check in 915am. I chose this time not only because we didn't have a full day on Kauai, but because the helicopter tours are best done in the morning before the weather changes. Mauna Loa's office (which is actually a nice RV/bus) is parked stationary in the shopping plaza area down the street from the port (across from Duke's). We didn't need to drive since they were directly across from where we had parked our Jeep the night before.

Once everything was finalized (our exact weights, etc which includes the gear you are taking so go light and only take cameras), we had a few minutes to kill. Let me mention what to wear. If you go doors off, be prepared for the wind. It's recommended to wear pants and a long sleeved shirt. There is a restroom within walking distance of their bus office (in the shopping plaza). Do use this as there is not one at the airport you can use. The gal who checked us in drove us to the airport (helicopter field). This is where we were able to see the other helicopter tours. Our bird was very small compared to the others, but again it only fits 4 people in total. And the views were undoubtedly going to be spectacular with the doors off!!

My DH with Kian, our pilot. He was awesome!!

Me prior to takeoff

We had heard the Poipu area was great for catching the sunset. I suspect it's an awesome area to explore, lounge in the sun, snorkel...I'd like to return to Poipu and potentially stay a few nights on this side of the island. The drive past the port area towards Poipu is beautiful. I can't recall which road we were on, one of the last two lane roads that dump into Poipu. There were these magnificent trees creating a canopy over the road. Several people pulled off to take pictures.

We put our names on the wait list at Brennecke's which is directly across the street from the beach area. This restaurant had been recommended. Their Mai Tai's are excellent. We parked in their lot and walked down to the beach to catch the sunset. So beautiful.

I was hoping to see the phenomenon called the Green Flash. If it occurred, it was literally in a flash and we missed it. Poipu is a very romantic spot. We grabbed our belongings and walked back to Brennecke's for dinner.

If you can grab a spot by the open windows, do so. It's a great view to the ocean. This restaurant is family run. The owner was there and made himself very accessible. Good food, good drink and good atmosphere. We were glad we came.

With our bellies full and the night having set in, we drove back to the ship. Let me make mention of the parking situation. You cannot park directly at the port. There is a lot by Duke's just down the street in which you can park. I believe there is a charge. We actually parked in a spot on the street and did not pay. Our Jeep was there the next day so I assume this was an okay place to park (we weren't the only ones). The walk to the ship is about 10 minutes. It is not gated and secured like Maui. You will be walking on an open street, though not too busy. Once you get to the port, there is security and you will walk through an industrial building to go through the scanners and enter the ship. I think this is the port where my DH had some issues with the security and having a pocket knife. Clearly he got it aboard the POA when we embarked at the beginning of the cruise. It would be like having a scuba dive knife. People do it all the time. Anyways, we finally got through but not without some explaining which is so silly...

Stay tuned for my review of our last day on the POA, last day in Kauai which was a helicopter tour and Na Pali coast sail-by.

mel-b: I really am enjoying your review. we are on POA in 19 days!!

I have a question @ your cabin. Did you have sway or vibrations or motor noises in that aft cabin? we almost booked it, but the 3 other couples wanted mid ship.

Retiring Cajun, I don't recall having much sway or vibration at all in our aft cabin. Since the POA cruises at night and not very far between islands, there doesn't seem to be too much ocean effect on the ship. We had perfect weather the entire time. I know we slept like babies with the sound of the wake (having left the balcony door open a few nights).

Have a great time on the POA!

Mel-b..great review!! A few questions: I am considering doing this cruise sometime in 2017..we ( Wife) can't decide what time of year to go..it will be very $$ because we live in the Southeast, so just the air will be steep..balconies are running around $1800-2200 PP..you mentioned the aft was a good choice because you can see both sides when you are cruising...I have done aft 3-4x...did you really get to see all you wanted? Also, my friend was speaking to someone at his community pool about the POA & this cruise..he said it was "the WORST food & service" he'd ever had on his 10 cruises..he loved the ports..he said he felt like the crew "couldn't care less about service- they were just there to get paid"..he ate one night in a specialty venue & said it was great- the dining package was not offered then so he ate 6 nights in the MDR...comments? I know food is subjective- I've been on 31 cruises on all but Costa & MSC plus I'm a cruise agent, so I know about food, but what did you think about his comments about the crew & food? Thanks again- great review!!

 

Big Al

Hi Big Al! Thanks for reading the review. Let me see if I can break down each of your questions and answer them accordingly.

we ( Wife) can't decide what time of year to go..

Since this was our first time on the POA and to Hawaii, I'm not sure if there is a best time to go persay. Makes me think of the Caribbean and high/low seasons and the various costs associated (low season typically less expensive than high unless holidays). I think Hawaii is broken down by winter season and summer season. Whales versus no whales. I'd ask yourself if that is an important thing to see? If so, do make sure you cruise prior to mid April (winter months). That's when we were there and we only saw two whales breaching the surface. Generally they migrate back north by mid April. As for cost, I'm not certain if airfare fluctuates at all for Hawaii, as in high/low season or winter/summer in Hawaii's case. The airfare is what gets most people. Since we needed to be in Oahu for work, that was helpful for us airfare-wise (mileage and work covered the expense). This is ultimately why we went when we did in April, to wrap it around the work trip. I wouldn't hesitate to go back in that month, but I would consider other times as well. I just don't know if there is ever a break in airfare pricing? Perhaps others who have gone before and frequently can answer that question. It is astonishing the cost though. For $1100 rt I flew from DFW to Jakarta, Indonesia last October (layover Tokyo). To fly to Hawaii for that cost or more blows my mind. I'd go to Bali instead!

balconies are running around $1800-2200 PP..you mentioned the aft was a good choice because you can see both sides when you are cruising...I have done aft 3-4x...did you really get to see all you wanted?

We booked this cruise late in the game. Since you're considering 2017, I'd personally wait until 2016 at least to book. Depending on when you go in 2017, I'd even wait until early that year. NCL has been running promotions, and I'd consider waiting to see if one of those broke again. Especially if Unlimited Dining Package is a desire. As for the balconies...If I'm going to cruise, personally at this point in my life I want a room with a balcony. I like to walk out at any time in my robe, with a cup of coffee.. We've probably done aft just as equally as mid. There's something about the wake of the ship, watching it and feeling it somewhat. As for the POA, I did get to see all I wanted. Now, I haven't mentioned the Na Pali sail by yet in my review, but we opted to do that from the Aloha Cafe on aft deck 11. 2 decks above our room. The view would have been essentially the same from our room. But it was nice to mingle with friends, have drinks, and view from the entire aft. If we were to sail the POA again, I would do another aft. Suites do not make sense to me on this cruise (the cost) because we were rarely in our room except mornings and evening before bed. I'd consider a suite on another NCL ship with at sea days.

Also, my friend was speaking to someone at his community pool about the POA & this cruise..he said it was "the WORST food & service" he'd ever had on his 10 cruises..he loved the ports..he said he felt like the crew "couldn't care less about service- they were just there to get paid"

I'm beginning to think these individuals (not your friend) are never content in life. I realize the POA can be one thing for one person and entirely another for another person. But, one MUST go into the POA knowing it's a means to an end. Proper expectations. It's just not the ship IMO for cruising...no at sea days, no casino. It's for the ports. It's a floating hotel. Period. And the best darn option in which to see 4 islands in a short amount of time. A taste of Hawaii. Now, to this person's defense, he might have cruised awhile ago and he might have had horrible food and service. I don't know. Maybe the POA stepped up its game by the time we arrived in April. But the POA they speak of and the POA I experienced are not the same. I do confess, we did not eat in the main dining area except for breakfast twice. It was normal cruise breakfast. We ate all dinners in a specialty restaurant. We had the complimentary Unlimited Dining plan. But, had we not, I would've paid to eat in Cagney's, Jefferson's Bistro, and Moderno. Twice each. :) Good food is important to us when we vacation. I'm not saying main dining room food was not good as I don't know (for dinners). Buffet was standard buffet. I say eat on the islands people!!! Plan to eat in Hawaii, on the islands. Fresh fruit, traditional fare, fish, etc.

As for the service. Everyone we encountered was awesome. No service issues. I mentioned this in my review above, but I think what many don't consider is these employees on the POA are governed by American labor laws. No overtime. Think about it. When we cruise, say, the Caribbean with (now) mostly Indonesian and Filipino employees (cabin stewards especially), they are not governed by American labor laws. They work and work and work. For little pay albeit much greater by their pay standards in their respective countries. Overtime is part of their gig. Their contract. Not so with POA's American employees. Again, expectations and understanding can go a long way to having a great time on the POA... Goes to show people are so used to cruising with employees always at their beck and call, catering to every whim. That's definitely awesome. But not the way it's done on the POA. With that said, again I did not encounter bad service. I didn't encounter our cabin steward as frequently as past cruises. But she did her job and all was fine. The captain seemed more accessible on this cruise. All servers and bartenders were super friendly.

I hope this helped! Let me know if I can answer anything else. :)

This was my very first cruise in 2007. It could be we had no expectations but we loved it. We really didn't spend much time on the ship except to sleep because the itinerary is so busy.

 

Being in a port every day we would be up early and exhausted by the time we got back on the ship. We did not see any entertainment. We would eat dinner and then just spend time on the balcony until we went to bed.

 

We thought the food was good and I had no problem with the room steward. If you want to gamble, there is no casino but we don't gamble anyway.

 

I think I would do the cruise and then follow with the land vacation. You will need to relax if you do everything we did.

 

If I ever did a Hawaiian cruise again, it would be on this ship.

I completely agree. And proper expectations are key. I would venture to claim a majority of those who submitted bad reviews didn't have their expectations aligned properly to begin with. I wouldn't hesitate to cruise the POA again in a heartbeat.

Princeville is a super nice area in the north shore of Kauai. I'm glad we decided to drive through with the goal of hiking down to the Queen's Bath area. There is a small parking lot within the residential part of Princeville. A few cars were already parked. There is a marker leading the way to the short hike down to the ocean. The hike was very pleasant, albeit muddy. There is a stream and small waterfall. I'd say the time it took to get down to the lava rock cliffs and Queen's Bath was about 15 minutes. Once you reach the water, this is your view along with a wooden sign attached to a rock which reads the number of deaths that have occurred at this location.

That sign is no exaggeration. The surroundings are so, so beautiful but rough. Mother Nature means business down by the Queen's Bath.

There were several people hiking around. We were able to hike back a ways from the edge which was nice because the waves were insane. It's very obvious how a rogue wave could crash into this area and knock a person either back towards the rock (a better scenerio) or out to sea... We hiked onward (in the direction towards the Na Pali coast) and found a group of people perched on the rock looking down into the Queen's Bath. It took my breath away to see a few people actually swimming down in the bath. It's shaped like a horseshoe actually, with two entrances/exits where the ocean will swell, rushing into the horseshoe from both entrances/exits. Thankfully, there is a cluster of lava rock about midway which seemed to break the swells. When the waves are calm, a "bath" is created which is crystal clear and absolutely amazing. My understanding is on most days, the issue is high tide/low tide. The tide can rush in, immediately filling the bath and carrying those unfortunate souls out to sea. The other issue, which we experienced this day, is massive waves. Rogue waves too.

The wisest thing to do is not swim this bath. I never claimed to be the wisest so....we did. But let me say this. We waited a good half hour at least. Observing the conditions. Watching others jump in and climb out. And, there were several people present when we did it. They have an advantage of watching from the top of the rock while you're swimming below. We also happened to be in the bath with two women who were familiar with the bath. I'm thankful for that. Because looks can be deceiving...as in, what it looks like from the top versus in the water.

My husband jumped in first with the GoPro. I blame him for the peer pressure. Adrenaline junkie! I hesitated on the rock like the old(er) lady I am. "I'm no longer in my 20s", I said to self. "I'm no longer a spring chicken", I said to self. "I have a dependent son at home who needs me", I said to self. The devil on the other shoulder must have literally pushed me in. :)

It was exhilarating!

I should've jumped earlier...I would've given us more time before the first wave hit. The two women jumped in after me, and we had just enough time to record a brief GoPro clip as the first of three waves slammed into our backs. Holy $#%^. It not only took us by somewhat of a surprise, the force and power of Mother Nature we might have underestimated a wee bit.. my husband was behind me and knocked into the lava rocks that were at the approximate midway point of the horseshoe. They're a thankful stop point. One of the gals we were with (who knew the bath so she said) swam towards an outcropping at the edge, underneath where the people were sitting above. We clung to the rock like sea urchins. She mentioned waves coming in threes. Not sure if she was full of it or if that's an accurate theory. At any rate, it was helpful to have the individuals up above with a better view of the waves rolling in. Sure enough, two more waves hit. We were able to keep our grip on the rock. Some guy on top, who I will refer to as my angel, peeked down and said it would be a good time to swim towards the rock where we could climb out. He didn't have to say that twice!! I was the first to sprint off that lava rock like Michael Phelps. My glory days of swimming and lifeguarding came back to me in a flash. If it was the Olympics, I would've won the gold.

I climbed out like Spiderman and settled down on a rock to reflect on my stupidity. I laughed it up with my angel who happened to be a local. He mentioned how often he hears fire sirens heading towards this area to rescue souls (tourists) and we discussed the danger of the location. He never jumped in. I honestly think he was there to observe, laugh, and provide a needed cell phone should that need arise. Which it didn't thanks be to God. Needless to say, been there done that have the tee shirt. No need to do it again! (But it was one of the best days of our trip). :)

We dried off, grabbed our belongings and hiked back to the car. At this point, we were nearing the sunset hour. We decided to drive on down to the town of Poipu to watch the sunset.

Proper expectations going in is key, I agree. Glad you enjoyed the POA!

As we drove through Hanalei, we continued on towards the very end of the road which dumps you out at Ke'e beach and the trailhead to hike the Na Pali coast. We passed several small beach areas which allowed us to pull off and take in the scenery. Many of these areas were secluded, which was peaceful.

Ke'e beach has lifeguards. Most of these smaller areas do not, so keep that in mind especially if the surf is rough (which it was the day we were there). One such area had several people sitting on the beach. Nobody swimming since the waves were extremely high and rough. Unfortunately, a group of three people were laying too close to the edge of the surf and a rogue wave blew through, carrying their belongings with it!! So take heed, especially in winter months.

Ke'e beach was very crowded. We couldn't find a place to park, so we decided to turn around and head back. We considered hiking the small portion of the Na Pali trail, but decided to spend our time exploring the Princeville area which we passed between Kilauea point and Hanalei (this is where the infamous Queen's Bath is located and where we cheated death...) The St. Regis resort along with a few others are located within this community.

I used discounthawaiicarrental dot com again for our Jeep rental in Kauai. We were paired up with Alamo for the best rate. Once we disembarked the POA after the zodiac raft tour debacle, we grabbed the Alamo shuttle bus just outside the port building. The majority if not all car rental agencies are located at the Lihue airport. This cruise port is industrial like Maui and Hilo. However, there is a Duke's restaurant and I believe a Marriott within walking distance along with a beach, few shops and an awesome food truck I'll mention in a bit.

Grabbing our rental was easy and we found ourselves on the road to the north shore in no time. We decided to just drive. Grabbed an old fashioned map and took off, destination unknown other than driving to the very end where Ke'e beach and the hiking trail of the Na Pali coast is located.

One of our first stops was at the Kilauea Lighthouse and Wildlife Refuge. Well worth the stop and admission fee. This is open Tuesday to Saturday 10:00 am to 4:00pm, closed on Sunday and Monday and all federal holidays. Admission is $5.00 per person. Children 15 and under are free. All federal land passes are honored here. It's such a peaceful spot. If you're a bird/nature lover, this is a must stop.

View from the lighthouse area towards the Na Pali coast. The ritzy neighborhood closest to the Kilauea point is where Ben Stiller has a home.

As we drove back through the Kilauea area towards the main road, we stopped at a taco truck called Julio's Beach Burritos. So so tasty!! I remember the fish tacos being the fresh catch of the day. Definitely stop here if you're hungry. After our snack, we continued on towards the end and Ke'e beach. We passed through the area of Hanalei, which I absolutely loved. Such a small town, lots of taro plots. This would be a good place to stop for lunch/snack. I think we passed a good looking burger joint if I recall.

View from the main road looking down into Hanalei and the taro plots

Bridge before Hanalei

Hanalei

Wow what a great review and very helpful about options in the ports. I hope you get your issue worked out with Andys. Waiting to hear about the helicopter tour. We were in Kaui (sp) and had scheduled that tour, was cancelled due to weather. Would love to do that tour.

 

So is there more coming of this review? If so, can't wait!

Thanks Gasparty! I hope we get it worked out with Captain Andy's too. They come highly recommended, and we'd love to use them when we return to Kauai!!

I should be able to finish the Kauai portion of my review this weekend, so stay tuned! I'll also talk about Oahu/Waikiki Beach. Thanks for reading!

Thanks for this review! Loved reading it.

We are sailing away on POA 9/5 for our honeymoon and we couldn't be more excited!

Oh, congratulations!! How exciting! I hope this review has been helpful as you plan your honeymoon.

So, our cruise on the POA was rockin' along so well up to this point. The only problem I seemed to have was deciding which island was my favorite! A good problem to have. And honestly, what we encountered first thing in Kauai was not the end of the world. Disappointing, yes. But you know that old adage, "glass half full?" That's how we viewed what happened the first day in Kauai. And the circumstances and change in plans allowed us to have a killer day we otherwise would not have had (well, I'm sure we would have, just different activity!).

What happened? Something I honestly did not anticipate. Let me back up to my pre-cruise planning for Kauai. I was stoked about this stop. There were so many options for activities and exploration. Once again, we wanted to maximize our time to the fullest. With a full day, overnight and half of the next day, I wanted to be smart about how we spent it. What we ended up deciding to do seemed best for our interests and for the time schedule in Kauai. The different areas/regions of this island are so diverse IMO. It would take a day or more just to explore, say, the north shore area.

I worked my way backwards in terms of planning Friday first. Friday (the 2nd day in Kauai) was a half day. We needed to be back aboard the ship around 130 pm in order to do the sail-by of the Na Pali coast. Therefore, that didn't leave a great amount of time to book a big activity. Since I had narrowed down our options to helicopter tour and zodiac raft tour (of the Na Pali coast), I decided the 2nd (half) day would be best for a morning helicopter tour. That left Thursday, a full day of activity and exploring. Several people had recommended the zodiac raft tours of the Na Pali coast. We knew this would be right up our alley, so I researched the various outfitters. It appears some go out of the north shore area and a couple go out of the southwestern side of the island. We knew we would not have enough time on Friday (half day) to do the zodiac raft tour. So ultimately, it made sense to arrange that on the first day in Kauai and as I mentioned, the helicopter tour the 2nd day.

I chose not to book the zodiac raft tour through NCL. We didn't book any of our activities through the ship. We have generally booked our own excursions on past cruises we've taken. Hawaii makes it all the more easier to do your own thing because of the itinerary. Port intensive. American ports. Overnights.

There were a couple of raft companies I was considering. One of which did not operate until May. The "winter" conditions can be rough around the Na Pali coast, even though that's the best time to see whales! Since we were sailing mid April, we were on the tail end (pun intended) of whale season. Captain Andy's Raft Tour came highly recommended. They are located in Ele'ele which is in the southwestern area of Kauai. I called and spoke to a gal who arranged our reservation. I was concerned because of the check in time and expressed that to her. The POA schedule in Kauai starts at 8am that Thursday. I figured we would be cutting it a bit close to disembark the POA, grab the rental Jeep and head to their office for 930 am check in. Tight, but not impossible. I expressed these concerns to her and she agreed it should not be an issue. I provided her with a credit card to secure a spot (not payment). I didn't think twice about it (and realized I never received an email confirmation/contract from them) until...

We arrived late in Kauai. I don't know why. But by 8am, when the POA was to have been docked, we were at least half an hour to 45 minutes out. When I was finally able to get a signal on my phone, I immediately called Captain Andy's. At first, they couldn't locate our reservation. I realized at that point the email they were to have sent to me after I made the reservation never was sent. Nonetheless, they located our reservation and I proceeded to tell them our predicament.

Let me just say this. Initially, they were unwilling to refund the excursion (of which we hadn't been charged for yet). I understand that is their policy. They wanted us to either take a dinner cruise that evening (on a catamaran I believe) or take the zodiac raft excursion the following morning (which we would not have had enough time to do considering the 130 pm all aboard for the Na Pali sail by). Upon discussing our predicament with the manager, it sounded like they either do not have many POA passengers who book through them or it's rare the POA is late to port. At any rate, upon further discussion with the manager and explaining to her this was out of our control (yes, we could book the dinner cruise but originally booked them for the zodiac) we were willing to eat the cost (of which we hadn't been charged yet) but we wanted to return to Kauai and use them. They come highly recommended. In the end, the manager agreed to not charge our credit card. The conversation came to a positive close. Or so we thought. Guess what? They still charged our card. This is what I'm frustrated about. If this hadn't been guaranteed, I would not be frustrated. I would chalk it up to our bad decision in booking an excursion outside of NCL...but I want to hold them to their word. I'm going to make an assumption it was an oversight and accidental charge. We just discovered this on our statement literally within the last few days and are in the process of getting it worked out. So stay tuned. If it gets worked out as promised, I would not hesitate to recommend this outfitter to anyone.

Needless to say, we were bummed!!! We really really were looking forward to touring the Na Pali coast by raft. In and out of the sea caves. Close to (potential) whales and dolphins. Snorkeling if possible. So we started calling around to other outfitters. It didn't matter at that point who. We discovered most were not going out due to weather conditions. What I noticed was most were on the north shore. So it's my understanding the conditions going from their area to the Na Pali coast were different than the conditions going from the southwestern (Ele'ele area) to the Na Pali coast. Captain Andy's was still going out. Most others were not.

So, we gave up the fight. Initially defeated but hopeful for an awesome day of random exploring. We gathered our things and went down to the excursion desk on the POA. All of their zodiac raft tours were cancelled due to the conditions. So, since we had a jeep rental, we decided to disembark and make our way to the rental company.