emptynester53

Pride of America does not have a Cellular at Sea tower unlike most ships, so your phone will not try to connect to it, with the associated cost, you will just lose signal when outside of land based cell towers. Without buying the ship's wifi package, you should be able to use data and even use your phone as a wifi hot spot as long as you have signal from your carrier. So, during the days in port, and those overnights, you should have signal, its just at night at sea.

Thanks for that great news!!

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Port side for Napali Coast.

 

We rented car too and did Waimea Canyon and also a luau at Smith's. From reports of those doing luau through NCL, the NCL was not as good.

Coy- Thanks so much for the info! Sounds like a tour near Hilo airport might be best...do you know the name of the tour with the doors off in Hilo by Paradise? They are all so $$, but I want to do a great one..any chance any of these pilots speak Spanish? My sister-in law & hubby don't speak English..only Spanish from Peru..I hate trying to translate everything along with my wife, who speaks somewhat, but not great...and mahalo again!!! :cool:

 

Big Al

I did the Paradise "doors off" volcano tour from Hilo this past june (I was on a land vacation and there for the Kona marathon. So didn't arrive by ship.). Well worth the money to go doors off in my opinion. Being able to feel the heat is a cool experience and the pilots are good about finding actual lava to show you. (the are there day after day after day).

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Sailing this Saturday...yippee!! Question: wifi on the ship sounds expensive so we plan to turn our phones to airplane mode once on ship. How close to the ship should we do that??

We are luau - ing in Ohau also, pre-cruise. Chiefs luau. Good to hear it's a good one.

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Thank you!! Now, it seems like a silly question but I'd have hated to get there and have to buy something I could have brought from home.

We usually take beach chairs, coolers and everything when we drive to the beach!! I'll be happy with a mat and towel on this trip!

Sorry about the Uber question--wrong thread. This site confuses me sometimes.

Anyway, thank you all--getting excited!

So Uber is available in the island?

So Uber is available on the island Kona?

Thanks for the quick replies!! I think we're about set! 50 days and counting!!

Were beach towels provided by the ship -- to take to a beach for the day? I'm concerned about bringing sand to the cabin (ugh). Or beach mats that we could just toss at the end of the cruise?

and if mats are the best options, where is a good place to buy them? We will be in Honolulu 2 days prior to cruise.

Were beach towels provided by the ship -- to take to a beach for the day? I'm concerned about bringing sand to the cabin (ugh). Or beach mats that we could just toss at the end of the cruise?

Thanks--I was hoping that was the case. And yes, good idea to ask the cruise line specifically.

Do cruise ships provide beach towels (for off ship use) or do we take our own? If not provided, where can we buy mats that are disposable at end of the cruise?

Beach towels? Do cruise ships provide these? If so, how do you get all the sand out of them before returning to cabin (We're cruising Hawaii)? Recommendation on mats that we might pick up cheap when we're there and then just throw away as we leave?

would anyone recommend getting a cab or Uber to and from Manini'owali Beach at Kua Bay from the pier?

Gamblin' Gal, that is exactly what we are looking for as well THIS December. Did you find it and was it nice? Easy to get to? How far was the walk from the tender pier?

This website seems difficult to narrow down what I want to look at. How would you suggest I search for "things to do in Kona off a cruise ship"?

We are sailing on the POA Dec 2-9 and stop at Kona (tender only) from 7 am - 5:30 pm. Not much time -- recommendations for 2-3 "must dos" while there? Anyone sail on the glass bottomed boat?

Looks like Charley's Taxi can accommodate disabled, such as those who use walkers. This information has been great. I agree on shuttles, they make many stops...would rather get to my hotel (in December) and get started on my vacation!!!

Does anyone know if Uber picks up at airport?