stoshb

Just got back from our every other year trip to Kauai and have some random observations. 1). Find your favorite Time Machine and go back a few years to get a Hawaii time share. High price but still much cheaper than hotel rates 2) On this trip we watched a number of ships come in for the day. They arrived late and left early. This is an island to savor and rushing around on a bus is not that. With their schedules they missed the totally magnificent sunset Napali cruises. As with many cruise stops, you just can not see Kauai by just getting off the ship and walking to the few local shops. There are two luau's worth doing and generally, ship is gone when they start. 3) In my mind a cruise is a great way to see Hawaii the first time, but you sure miss a lot by not doing land stays. As I said above you will only touch on what there is to offer. 4) Do not plan on "seeing" Hawaii by flying between islands. You check out of one hotel in the morning, take an hour to get to airport plus need to get there an hour early, fly to next island takes less than an hour, then getting from the airport to next hotel is at least another hour to wait for your room to be ready. You just spent well over a half day and the days are really short because they are far south. Change islands more than once and a huge part of your time is involved in travel. 5) Food costs are HIGH and there are little options to help on that. Even at today's prices we can eat in Dallas for under $30 for couple, all inclusive. You are lucky to get a meal for one person at that price. Twenty dollar hamburgers were the standard fare. 6). If you enjoy the hassle of a big city, Honolulu will feel right at home, but with a great view. In my daydream world I would spend my last years in a high rise condo in Waikiki. Spend all my time watching the ocean and having a car service to get my needs. Never leave the condo. Of course I need to win the lottery to make this work. 7) I love cruising and I love Hawaii. They are just two different activities. Do the cruise to enjoy life on-board and to just taste the grease things on the islands. Do Hawaii to sit back and relax. 😎 Pictures taken from my hotel room.

Just Signed up to do this when we are in St Lucia on Beyond, Jan 2024. Sounds like fun.

On our one trip on Insignia we were on side but as far forward as you could get in 7008. There were times you could see wave while looking out the cabin window. I totally enjoyed it, but this is a smaller ship and in rough seas this is a possibility.

When we were there in Feb, used the dock downtown. Got off right in the middle of things.

I am 75, and out of shape, but truly enjoyed this when we were there in Feb. Do book this one direct and not through the ship. Also when you get there, rent a Go-Pro and get great video to bring home. Great group of people.

BTW. We were last there Feb of 2021 in the middle of Covid. The Smith Family luau was closed. Just checked their website and learned that they are supposed to open in May of 2021. Seeing how it is now Sept of 2022, I would not bet on them being open for your trip. This is a shame as I think they are better than any of the hotel Luau's I have seen.

Having traveled to Hawaii numerous times, I would say, go when your schedule allows it. Each season has its own pluses and minuses. Jan/Feb are a little wetter. Whale season is Dec-March. Tourist season starts in January and ends in December. Fishing is better in summer.

Those two totally different experiences. NCL Luau is more of a broadway show. Very interesting and enjoyable. Lots of local artisans selling their wares before the show. Smiths, is a an old-fashioned style show. All low key and also enjoyable. If possible do the river cruise if offered. We go to Kauai every other year in our time share. Often have done both. Both events are fun and leave us feeling wonderful.

Don't have a good answer. Am curious to see what might be suggested. It is.a good distance from cruise port to Port Allen.\\ Hope you find a good answer as the tours are great. If you are staying over night in Kauai, then the sunset trip is the way to go.

Sorry this was a double post. Should not type with lap top actually on my lap

Any comments about Luminae on Beyond? Won't be there till early 2024 and this thread made me more anxious to go. Service in Luminae is what gets me. Just so good. Our waiter on a B2B this January on Equinox,Vinot, has convinced my wife that the only was to cruise is Suite class on Celebrity.

Just wondering why I no longer get the Power Up emails. Was getting them for a while and then they stopped. Sure want to get on the gravy train. Got a little over a year to next cruise so might be able to bump up😇 to Elite before going if I can get enough emails.

Its' been years since I went on Princess. At the time I thought it was great as the only previous cruise had been on Carnival. However, since then I have been on several different lines, but somehow always go back to Celebrity. Two things discourage me from my experience with Princess. First was the number of announcements on the speakers. They are always hard to understand, and then when you do understand, they are repetitive announcements of stuff that is already on the daily planner. This leads me to the biggest gripe and that was the up-sell that continues allllll the cruise. From buy a fancy drink, to take an excursion, to go buy from the shops, till at the end where they had a clearance sale on all the stuff they did not sell earlier. That continual upsell just soured the trip for me. On Celebrity there are morning and evening announcements. Any thing else is something important, not an attempt to get you to the latest game of bingo or to try the drink of the day. I got to say I love Celebrity and have a back to back booked for 2024.