Sept 13-20 POA Cruise Review - pt. 3

[azappraiser]

Part Three – Almost everything you wanted to know about a trip to Hawaii, but were afraid to ask…

 

Rule number one in Hawaii… everything is expensive! I never saw gas any cheaper than $4.29 per gallon on Oahu. However, I did see it as low as $3.99 on Maui, but on the Big Island and Kauai, it was back up to $4.50 and higher. Although I don’t smoke, I saw Marlboro cigarettes selling for as much as $11.50 per pack! I never priced a gallon of milk… I always got mine by the glass.

 

Now that you know you’ll need to bring more money than expected, let me share a few more facts & tips about Hawaii and the Pride of America. If you still have questions after you’ve navigated my diatribe, send me an email or post a response to the thread… I’ll do my best to get you an answer. So, for Hawaii in general, here goes…

 

What to bring:

What you pack (or don’t pack) can have a major impact on your Hawaiian experience. Aside from the usual vacation clothing, you need to consider what you have planned during your stay. If you want to go to the top of Haleakala Crater, you should consider packing a lightweight jacket… unless you’re going up at sunrise or sunset; then you’re going to need to pack something much warmer. It’s not uncommon for temperatures to dip down to the low 40s during those times… then factor in the wind chill. Be prepared or you’ll be frozen and miserable.

 

Flip-flops are fine for the pool or the beach, but make sure you also pack a good pair of comfortable walking shoes... and don’t forget to bring your hat and a good pair of sunglasses. Don’t take up valuable space & weight by packing sunscreen… you can pick that up at any ABC store, at pretty close to the same price as the mainland. FYI… ABC stores are everywhere. They’re Hawaii’s answer to 7/11… part convenience store, part souvenir store.

 

If you’re planning to take any pictures, make sure you bring plenty of film or memory cards, as well as back-up batteries and/or chargers. Although you can probably pick up what you need or forgot on any of the islands, they will most certainly cost you more than they would had you brought them with you.

 

Schlepping another bag through the airport or sending a package home:

Our chosen airline charged bag fees, on a per person basis… $25 for the 1st bag & $35 for the 2nd. It cost less for me to send a package to our hotel than it would have to check an extra bag, so we sent our toiletries and a few other things we needed for the cruise itself a few days before we left. My package was waiting at the bell desk upon our arrival. We also sent a couple of packages home during our trip; macadamia nuts and Kona coffee take up quite a bit of room... so do knick-knacks, t-shirts, sea salt, specialty soaps & lotions. Needless to say, we did more than our fair share to support the local economy

 

What may surprise you:

Traffic in Honolulu is horrendous. Whether or not you rent a car, you’re going to discover the traffic in and around Honolulu is like nothing you’ve ever seen before… with the possible exception of New York City. Regardless of the direction you’re heading, “your” traffic signal will always be red! If you’re driving a car, don’t stop on a “yellow” light… that apparently means “speed up” which is exactly what the guy behind you is going to do, so use your mirrors and be aware of your surroundings.

 

The Honolulu traffic creates another economic issue; using a taxi can be quite expensive. The meter still runs while you’re waiting for the light to change, so, if possible, you should make prior arrangements with one of the many shuttle services on embarkation day for your transportation from the airport or hotel to the pier.

 

Should you decide to rent a car, don’t leave home without your Garmin. You can add one to your rental, but that will run you another $10 or more per day. Also make sure your maps are updated. In my opinion, a GPS device is worth its weight in gold when trying to navigate the streets of Honolulu. I never would have found Leonard’s Bakery at 5:00 in the morning without it… and you can’t leave Honolulu without trying a malasada from Leonard’s Bakery. The device also proved its worth when locating an ATM or gas station before returning the car. Keep this in mind if you’re staying in Honolulu and renting a car for a few days before or after the cruise… you’re going to need to park the car overnight! Parking on the street is next to impossible in Honolulu, so check with your hotel beforehand to see where their guests park. Our hotel had a parking garage across the street, which was also open to the public. Fortunately, hotel guests could park there at a reduced rate… the public rate was more than $30 per day.

 

There are no “big” banks in Hawaii. We opened a checking account with the Bank of Hawaii a couple of months before our trip, so we didn’t need to carry a lot of cash nor did we incur any ATM fees to get cash when we needed it.

 

Purses, backpacks and camera bags are not allowed through the gates when you visit the Pearl Harbor Museum and the Arizona Memorial. There is a place to the right of the entrance where you can rent a locker, but to tell you the truth, I’m not sure of the size nor the cost to use them as we already knew the rules, so we walked right through. Once through the gates, there is a gift shop, snack bar, museums and the theater. Guests are ushered through the theater according to the time on your ticket. After viewing the documentary on the Pearl Harbor attack, you exit to the launch for the 5 minute boat ride out to the Arizona Memorial. Visitors have approximately 30 minutes at the memorial site before queuing up for the ride back to the visitor center. If you have children with you, please remind them to be respectful at the memorial site… that goes for many so-called adults as well.

 

Alcohol is not served nor is it available anywhere at the Polynesian Cultural Center. Photography is also prohibited during the evening show. So, if you want to partake in a luau and enjoy a Mai Tai or other tropical treat while you dine, you’ll need to find another venue. We went to Germaine’s Luau the night before we boarded the ship. Our tickets included transportation to and from the site, the buffet dinner, and three drink coupons per person. The bar was also open for cash purchases once you ran out of tickets. Photography was also allowed throughout their performances. I would recommend bringing your tripod and a remote shutter release… then let your camera due the work on the “Sensitivity Priority” setting. I set up my gear by the bar (behind the seating area) so I wouldn’t block anyone’s view… this also allowed me to shoot from an angle above everyone’s heads. I did get some pretty hot shots of the fire dancer doing his routine. Sorry… I couldn’t resist.

 

Finally… get away from Waikiki. Don’t get me wrong, Waikiki is nice, but it’s not the real Hawaii. Take a day trip to the north shore or check out some of the beaches on the east side of the island. We stopped at a pristine, white sand beach during our photo tour that was at least a ½ mile in length with no one on the beach or in the water. What an amazing site to see… and I have the pictures to prove it.

 

Now for some pointers on the ship…

 

We generally used the elevators for going up. If we were headed down, it was usually faster to take the stairs… unless my hands were full.

 

If you want to catch an elevator (going up)after one of the shows in the Hollywood theater, walk directly to the aft elevator just outside the Skyline Dining Room.

 

There are two pair of elevators located mid-ship… one pair forward, the other aft. The aft elevators go down to deck 3, whereas the forward elevators go to deck 4. This is important when leaving the ship in port… everyone must exit & enter on deck 3.

 

Never leave the ship without your photo ID and ship card… never, never, never!

 

If you’re awake early in the morning and want a cup of coffee, head to the Cadillac Diner on deck 6… the Aloha Café doesn’t open until 5:30am. I would get up and take my overly large coffee cup and the pot from our coffee maker in the cabin down to the diner. I’d fill my cup with coffee and the pot with hot water for DW’s tea. I’d then go back to the cabin, turn on the burner to keep her water hot and go sit on our balcony, sipping my morning Joe… watching the water and the stars. What a tough life, eh?

 

For a mid-afternoon snack, head up to the Lone Star Saloon on deck 11 for some fresh popcorn.

 

If you’re having dinner in one of the main dining rooms and you don’t like anything on the dessert menu, don’t be afraid to ask for the Crème Brule from Jefferson’s Bistro. You may have to ask your server to “check with the guy in the suit”, but in the end, they’ll get one for you.

 

The hot tub/Jacuzzi at the aft of the ship on deck 12 rarely, if ever, has anyone in it after 7:00pm. I enjoyed this one several nights during our cruise… and always had it to myself.

 

If your Latitudes level is Silver, Gold or Bronze, be sure to attend the sail away from Nawiliwili Harbor in Kauai. The party is out on the bow, which is accessed from deck 7, all the way forward on the starboard side. Be sure to take your invitation with you. It does get a bit warm out there, but once the ship turns around and starts moving, the breeze feels great. The free-flowing champagne feels pretty good as well.

 

There were also plenty of free drinks flowing at the Latitudes party in the Mardi Gras Cabaret & Nightclub, which was open to all latitudes members.

 

I’m sure I’m leaving something out, so again, if you have any questions, feel free to post a reply or send me an email. I bid a fond “aloha” to my Cruise Critic “ohana”… looking forward to sailing with you again.

 

Mahalo

[Molokai-Chuck]

All I can say is ... EXCELLENT, and Mahalo!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Chuck

[Ducky61]

Thank you for your detailed cruise review, we are taking the POA cruise next month. Was glad to see your positive review of Oahu photo tour we also have booked the sunrise tour

[carsaw]

Thanks, I really enjoyed this review. There is some helpful information for our POA cruise in a few weeks. :)

[Keith1010]

Very nice writeup.

 

Keith

[greatlakesgirl]

Well done review! Glad you enjoyed your time in Hawaii and the POA! :)

[sc2011]

Really appreciate your awesome review. We're booked for next September.

[Hikini]

I didn't comment on parts one and two - just wanted to read them all together and then comment. Great review - thanks for all the time you spent putting it together!

 

We haven't done this cruise yet. We love Hawaii, and we love cruising, but I just haven't been able to wrap my head around the idea of not being "in" Hawaii if I'm there on a cruise. I love waking up to the sounds of the waves crashing in, while we're in our hotel or condo.

 

But someday we will take the POA and this review is super helpful!

[acescruise]

I hope this doesn't sound stupid but when you mailed things home, where did you find a post office or mail store?

[azappraiser]

I hope this doesn't sound stupid but when you mailed things home, where did you find a post office or mail store?

 

Sorry for not getting back to you sooner... I've been off the forum for a couple of days.

 

I shipped my packages back by FedEx. There are several drop-off locations throughout the islands, and since we had a rental car, I just used the "Garmin" to find them.

 

On the morning before we embarked from Honolulu, I dropped off a package on my way to dropping off the rental car.

 

On Maui, I stopped at an Office Max to pick up a box, tape & bubble wrap and then shipped the package from there.

 

On our 1st day on Kauai, we picked up another shipping box at Walmart, then took that back to the ship to pack up everything we planned to send home. The next day, I had a flight scheduled with "Wings Over Kauai" and their office is next to the FedEx location at the airport, so I took the box with me to drop off.

 

In each case, I already had the airbills filled out & ready to attach to the package. I also have a FedEx shipping account, so billing is automatic.

Edited October 10, 2014 by azappraiser