Xoe

Background: I have enjoyed many (15+) land vacations in Hawaii, on all islands including Molokai, and 2 Hawaii cruise, Carnival Spirit out of Honolulu ending in Vancouver, and Norwegian Star R/T Honolulu with its required "foreign port" leg to Fanning Island. I have also enjoyed 19 other cruises in many parts of the world on different lines and various sized ships, including Windstar (my personal favorite), Holland America, Celebrity, Princess, Orient Lines, Viking, and a paddle-wheel river cruise R/T out of Portland Oregon.

I've just booked POA for a reunion cruise next January for my sister, myself, and our cousin with whom we spent our childhood summers, and am enjoying and appreciate this thread for its fine photos and itinerary ideas and tips. While reading, this keeps coming to mind: you don't book POA because of the SHIP, you book it for its ITINERARY, the only one that gives you 7 full days in Hawaii with enough time to get a real taste of the 4 islands she visits. NCL-America has a "lock" on this and is the only line/ship with which you can have this experience, so if you want to do that, it's "the only game in town". The on-board experience will not be as lavish as other ships that have extensive sea days during which to entertain their guests. POA's itinerary is VERY port-intensive, thus the ship is largely a floating hotel giving her guests a comfortable place to relax, dine, and sleep between very full days exploring this fascinating part of the world.

We will board POA with expectations of comfort on the ship, but not necessarily the kind of elegant on-board experience we may have had on other ships since that isn't what the POA is all about. It's about giving travelers a chance to experience more of Hawaii in one week than you probably can do in any other way, likely at lower cost and certainly with less hassle because "island hopping" on inter-island planes is time-consuming and costly and entails a lot of packing/unpacking and schlepping bags.

Our reunion cruise will probably be atypical as two of the three of us have spent a lot of time in Hawaii; in fact my sister lives in Honolulu. We recognize that this is a terrific way to be together with many options available for on-shore adventures and explorations, and a "haven of rest" when we want to settle down for a quiet afternoon or evening catching up on the decades of living since our shared childhood summers.

Do we expect the elegance of Celebrity Equinox? -- No.

Or the romantic ambiance of a sailaway on Windstar (REAL SAILS that snap as the wind catches them!)? -- No.

Or exquisite dining as experienced on some higher-starred lines? -- No.

Or "movies under the stars" as on Princess? No.

We go with expectations of having a grand time together in balmy beautiful places, enjoying fellow travelers who seek to experience and learn about Hawaii, having moments shared with whales (Humpbacks are there in January!), and with hopes of swimming in the company of turtles and/or spinner dolphins, as has happened in the past.

ALOHA!

We'll be on Maasdam, docked in Liverpool on 8 August 2010. We'd like to use a hop-on-hop-off bus. I see several operate in Liverpool. Can you advise on which is the best in terms of having a stop nearest the cruise ship dock where we can board when we get off the ship, and/or perhaps having live narration, more frequent buses, more comfortable seating, longer hours, or anything else that would help us decide which one to use?

Perhaps they are all equivalent -- but perhaps not. We loved sightseeing in Boston on the Boston hop-on-hop-off trolley buses, and although there were competitors, we felt that one was the best. We are hoping to make a good choice for seeing your city, too, and will appreciate any insights you have for us.

Thanks!

A friend and I will be on Celebrity Equinox in October, docked at Haifa one day and at Ashdod the next. We would like an overnight in Jerusalem, and have a reservation at the Harmony Hotel. One possibility we're exploring is arranging transport from Ashdod to Jerusalem, with an overview of Tel Aviv and a walk through Jaffa, then to our hotel so as to have several hours that day to explore Jerusalem on our own. Next day, we would be seeking a tour starting by being picked up at our hotel and ending at 5:00 back at our ship at Ashdod.

Do you have suggestions for transport from the ship at Haifa to our Jerusalem hotel, with a bit of sightseeing at Tel Aviv/Jaffa? Would a taxi be prohibitive? Are there other options?

Any help you can offer will be appreciated! If easier to answer by direct email, send a note to freda@whidbey.com. Thanks!

I've posted my own query too, but will add one here. A spur-of-the-moment just-booked cruise on Wind Spirit Nov.1-8, Barcelona to Lisbon, has these ports:

Cartagena, Spain

Almeria, Spain

Gibralter

Cadiz, Spain

Portimao, Portugal

After Barcelona (only an overnight there -- fortunately I've been there before), all these places are new to me. Any suggestions for do-it-yourself adventures that will work for a solo traveler will be appreciated. I love to walk and explore on my own; my Spanish has dwindled to nearly nothing, and I know no Portuguese. I've used private guides recommended on these boards in the past and found them marvelous.

Thanks!

Star Clipper will be what I'll be looking at for winter of 2010. It sounds delightful, and there will be so many itineraries to consider!

You have given me exactly the kind of information I was hoping for. I will start thinking Star Clipper for the winter of 2010.

Our Costa Rica cruise was before the line's change of ownership, our Caribbean after. Our experiences were excellent on both. Although there has been more criticism of Surf than of Star or Spirit, recent reports have been better. In any event, I've made the reservation and expect to have a fine time.

I have loved my 2 Windstar vacations (Wind Star Costa Rica, and Wind Spirit Caribbean), and have another planned next winter (Wind Surf Caribbean). Unless Windstar adds new winter itineraries, I'll be seeking a different winter vacation for 2010.

Have any of you sailed on both Windstar and Star Clipper? If so, could you give me input on their similarities and differences? Thanks.