UBD Leaving Kauai or Maui

[sprshop]

We are in Kauai and then Maui Oct. 12 & 13. We want to try the UBD one of those nights. Which one would have the best sail away scenery? Has anyone had this experience , which port did you chose?

 

Thanks in advance:D

[Molokai-Chuck]

Okay...I am going to bite on this .... what is a "UBD"?

 

Chuck

[sprshop]

:DSorry, it means Ultimate Balcony Dinner on Princess cruises. I guess that means you have not had that experience;).

 

Thanks for asking.:)

[cr8tiv1]

It would all depend if you are on a NCL or other cruise. With NCL, you will be in Kahului Harbor. Not much around. If you are on another cruise, you will be anchored off of Lahaina. The Golden Princess had the Port Side facing Lahaina. It will also depend on what your next port will be. Princess sailed west between two islands as we returned to LA.

 

 

Leaving Nawiliwili was very exciting (again...this was from Starboard Side). This harbor is very tight. As we left, I stood outside on the balcony and watched us navigate the breakwater. From the Port Side, you will see the beach and Marriott hotel.

 

 

 

Click on the above photo and it "may" play as a video.

 

Both times we sailed around sunset.

 

Since you will there in October (rain may be a factor), there will be no whales to watch from your balcony as you depart Maui.

[Astro Flyer]

For me the best would be the evening in Honolulu where we enjoyed our UBD but my 2nd choice would be from Kauai.

 

I've sailed several times from Lahaina on Princess & with the tradewinds blowing even stronger due to the venturi effect in the channel between Maui & Molokai it's always been very windy. Even the time we had the Champagne Breakfast the morning after sailing from Lahaina en route to Ensenada if was still very windy. And those tradewinds are very consistent & are the Islands 'natural' airconditioning. ;)

[sprshop]

:DYou both have been very helpful, with pictures and of your experience with UBD.

 

It sounds like Kauai would be the better choice. We sail from Kauai to Maui and then Hilo.

 

Any chance of seeing lights from Kauai from our starboard balcony, or will the ship be too far away?

 

Thanks again for your help:):).

[Astro Flyer]

:DYou both have been very helpful, with pictures and of your experience with UBD.

 

It sounds like Kauai would be the better choice. We sail from Kauai to Maui and then Hilo.

 

Any chance of seeing lights from Kauai from our starboard balcony, or will the ship be too far away?

 

Thanks again for your help:):).

I think your route to Maui would have the open ocean on the starboard side & Kauai off the aft end of the ship.

 

On one of our UBDs from Santorini last December it was too cold & windy even on our larger Caribe deck balcony. Instead we had it in our cabin which was much more comfortable if more crowded but still was great.

 

On our last UBD we asked the room-service supervisor organizing our UBD about exchanging the half bottle of champagne for a full bottle of wine. He gave us a full bottle of Kendall-Jackson Cabernet Sauvignon which cost the same $32 as the half bottle of champagne. :)

 

I don't know if that's always possible but I'll request it again for our next UBD on the Royal Princess in October. :D

[sprshop]

From your description, it sounds like Maui would be too windy. We now have an all day into night excursion planned in Honolulu, otherwise, I would think that would be the better port to see night lights from as the ship leaves.

 

I would like to know why you would pick Kauai.:D Can you see any lights on at night on that island? Or would the ship be too far out in the ocean? I would imagine the scenery would be fantastic.

 

Thanks:).

[Astro Flyer]

From your description, it sounds like Maui would be too windy. We now have an all day into night excursion planned in Honolulu, otherwise, I would think that would be the better port to see night lights from as the ship leaves.

 

I would like to know why you would pick Kauai.:D Can you see any lights on at night on that island? Or would the ship be too far out in the ocean? I would imagine the scenery would be fantastic.

 

Thanks:).

My experience has been the only lights on shore that I was able to see was a glow on the horizon of Honolulu. As I recall sailing from Honolulu was at 11:00 PM so that would be your best bet to see something from the ship.

 

I had hoped to see something while at sea however with the ship sailing at night only the glow of the Honolulu lights were visible to us. To me Kauai is the best option & even if it's during daylight the island disppears rather quickly.

 

Have a great cruise & UBD...:D

[cr8tiv1]

I was sitting up in Skywalkers when we left Honolulu at 11 PM. Unfortunately, we were heading for Kauai...that meant that when we left the harbor, we "turned" right and headed west. You could see some of the city lights (not Waikiki), lots of the industrial area near the ports, then the west coast of the island which is less populated. They were way out to sea before you could see Aulani and Ko'Olina.

 

Once you leave Kauai, you won't be able to see much on your way to Maui. Now if you get up very early, you might be able to see Lanai, Kahoolawe, and maybe even Molokai.

 

Have you considered doing the Ultimate Breakfast instead? I haven't done either so have nothing to compare. I would definitely do room service on your entry to Honolulu Harbor. I was really impressed by that. But you have to be up really early. We rounded Diamond Head very, very, very early and was pulling up to the pier before Sunrise. But that is spectacular. Sunrise over Diamond Head.

 

 

 

Here is a link to the map of the islands (in reference to what is around Lahaina).

 

http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://vulcan.wr.usgs.gov/Imgs/Gif/Hawaii/Maps/map_location_hawaii.gif&imgrefurl=http://vulcan.wr.usgs.gov/Volcanoes/Hawaii/Maps/map_location_hawaii.html&h=436&w=609&sz=12&tbnid=JD-YRG-NNZ_naM:&tbnh=86&tbnw=120&prev=/search%3Fq%3Dmap%2Bof%2Bhawaiian%2Bislands%26tbm%3Disch%26tbo%3Du&zoom=1&q=map+of+hawaiian+islands&usg=__5d5-orfT224QgjU3abmVTW-gxGc=&docid=qo2dQXnv1E2bbM&sa=X&ei=bzUkUpDoJoznigLFhoCgAQ&ved=0CC0Q9QEwAA&dur=583

[Cruisin' Chick]

We've done this cruise three times, always during the holiday period, but we don't book balconies so we always go up on deck during sailaway. Even though you'll have a balcony, check to see when Elua will be performing up on deck on the Star Princess. (they will also perform in the Piazza)

 

We seem to always see whales while in Lahaina. This last December, I had gone back to our cabin (aft inside on Aloha deck on the Golden) with my teen after we got back on board. Just minutes later, my hubby stormed in and said we had to go to the aft deck -- there were tons of whales hanging out by the ship. This was while the ship was still anchored there -- maybe the whales can tell they're being watched as they put on a show for us and for the boats hanging out there too.:) Of course, that was in the midst of whale season there, but if your research tells you that whale watching is possible in October, it may be a good port to do your UBD.

[Astro Flyer]

I think that Pacific Whale Foundation is a great source for whale activity & they say 1st sightings are late September or October with the peak of the season typically being February & March.

 

http://www.pacificwhale.org/content/faqs