What Not to Do

[olemissreb]

Just booked a cruise on the Pride of America for May 2018. My 2 sons (18 & 22 at the time of the cruise) and I (55 at cruise time) will be flying in 4 days before the cruise to get acclimated and spend time seeing Oahu and then probably 3-4 days post cruise either further exploring one of the islands we cruised to or Lanai. As you can see, I've just started research and planning.

 

What are some things we should NOT do? For instance - when we were in Alaska, I messed up the planning and we did a midnight ATV ride the night before we did our trip in to Denali National Park. We got to bed at 2am only to get back up at 6am and over to the park! If I were to do it today, I'd reverse the ATV ride and the Denali NP tour. We don't want to be super active, but if I want to see the sunrise at Haleakala, I also don't want to be doing an ATV tour somewhere until 10pm. I also wouldn't want to be driving across a strange island after dark (well at least for those islands where we have an overnight stay). Any BTDT don't want to do it again type things would be greatly appreciated.

 

I'll be pouring over these boards for the next 2 years gleaning information from all of you and asking for your opinions. Thank you in advance for all your help!

[Susan-M]

Congratulations on booking your cruise - what a great trip to look forward to! :)

 

I think once you start seeing what's on offer for tours, you'll be able to co-ordinate the timing of them easily. It gets dark early in Hawaii (sunset is around 7 p.m. in May), so not a lot of late night activities going on. However, you might not want to do a luau one night (back at the ship by ~10:30 p.m.) and sunrise at Haleakala the next morning (~3 a.m. wake up).

 

The only "what not to do" thing that I'd advise is not to underestimate the danger of the ocean - I don't want to sound too negative, but there are far too many drownings and spinal cord injuries in Hawaii because of people not realizing the power of the surf or strength of the current, and overestimating their own ability. Here's one video worth viewing: http://mauiwatch.com/2015/02/county-debuts-new-ocean-safety-video-for-visitors/

 

Scrolling through the threads here will provide lots of helpful info (trip reports are always good to read.) And on the Hawaii tripadvisor forums (there's a general one for the state and one for each island) you'll find loads of other helpful information - both in the forums and under the Top Questions on each forum. https://www.tripadvisor.ca/ShowForum-g28932-i36-Hawaii.html

Edited March 30, 2016 by Susan-M

[olemissreb]

Congratulations on booking your cruise - what a great trip to look forward to! :)

 

I think once you start seeing what's on offer for tours, you'll be able to co-ordinate the timing of them easily. It gets dark early in Hawaii (sunset is around 7 p.m. in May), so not a lot of late night activities going on. However, you might not want to do a luau one night (back at the ship by ~10:30 p.m.) and sunrise at Haleakala the next morning (~3 a.m. wake up).

 

The only "what not to do" thing that I'd advise is not to underestimate the danger of the ocean - I don't want to sound too negative, but there are far too many drownings and spinal cord injuries in Hawaii because of people not realizing the power of the surf or strength of the current, and overestimating their own ability. Here's one video worth viewing: http://mauiwatch.com/2015/02/county-debuts-new-ocean-safety-video-for-visitors/

 

Scrolling through the threads here will provide lots of helpful info (trip reports are always good to read.) And on the Hawaii tripadvisor forums (there's a general one for the state and one for each island) you'll find loads of other helpful information - both in the forums and under the Top Questions on each forum. https://www.tripadvisor.ca/ShowForum-g28932-i36-Hawaii.html

 

Thank you! CC and TA are both of my "go to" sites for planning. I've also got a Frommers Hawaii book that I've just started reading and marking up with ideas.

 

Thanks for the warning about the surf. My youngest is a swimmer (pool though not open water) and I'm sure he'd think he would be just fine, I'll make him watch the video so he can see it's no joke. I have a feeling though that most of our swimming will be on board the ship, the pre/post cruise hotels, or at the very least at the sheltered cove at our hotel in Waikiki (if we stay at the Hilton Hawaiian Village).

[Susan-M]

You're welcome.:) There are safe beaches in Hawaii -with lifeguards at some beaches, so if the opportunity arises, and the interest is there, they are worth spending time at. We really enjoy swimming & snorkelling in the ocean in Hawaii - but with a good amount of caution. Having personally witnessed a tragedy at a beach on Kauai, it leaves an impression and a desire to give others a 'heads up'.

 

I like Frommer's too ... and planning is a lot of fun!

 

All the best!

[olemissreb]

Does anyone know if there are any coupon books similar to the Alaska TourSaver books? I'd love to be able to save a little bit on excursions/hotels/car rentals that way.

[olemissreb]

You're welcome.:) There are safe beaches in Hawaii -with lifeguards at some beaches, so if the opportunity arises, and the interest is there, they are worth spending time at. We really enjoy swimming & snorkelling in the ocean in Hawaii - but with a good amount of caution. Having personally witnessed a tragedy at a beach on Kauai, it leaves an impression and a desire to give others a 'heads up'.

 

I like Frommer's too ... and planning is a lot of fun!

 

All the best!

 

I'm like a kid in a candy store when it comes to planning things like this. I really need to figure out how to make a living at it!:)

[millineumwoman]

Does anyone know if there are any coupon books similar to the Alaska TourSaver books? I'd love to be able to save a little bit on excursions/hotels/car rentals that way.

 

 

 

Check out Groupon

[kgymn]

I do suggest consider sunset rather than sunrise at Haleakala depending on if you are morning or night people. I'm not sure what your hesitation is with driving across the islands in the dark? It's really no different than the mainland (as long as you avoid certain coastal roads in Maui) I definitely second being aware of ocean safety! However, there are some amazing ocean activities you may want to consider such as snorkeling which you can do quite safely with a boat tour, many that require a life jacket. The ocean can be dangerous, but is also one of the biggest assets in Hawaii so don't avoid it entirely.

I'd say one big don't is for oahu- don't hunker down in Waikiki the entire time you are there. Go see the rest of the island, Waikiki is very crowded and touristy but we have rural areas and, I may be slightly biased, but many of the best beaches of the islands. If you need and specific suggestions for Oahu particularly beaches, let me know. I'm seriously obsessed.

 

Another big don't- if you rent a car DO NOT leave anything in the car. Ever. If you are going to be where the car is out of your sight, take everything with you. Hawaii is one of the safest States in the country, but car break ins are common especially rental cars. It's horrible, but it's true, some people will target tourists so watch your belongings.

 

And then my last don't is don't pay for expensive tours to things that are free. There is a lot to do for free here. For example on Oahu the beaches, hikes, many botanical gardens, Arizona memorial - all free! With multiple kids paying for tours per person will add up much more than renting a car and going yourself. Sometimes tours are worth it, I did a circle island tour with my family when they visited Oahu that was well worth it for the information the tour guide gave and also included entry to a couple places that do charge admission. Sometimes the tours aren't going to give you much you can't do or learn on your own.

 

~Katy

[olemissreb]

I do suggest consider sunset rather than sunrise at Haleakala depending on if you are morning or night people. I'm not sure what your hesitation is with driving across the islands in the dark? It's really no different than the mainland (as long as you avoid certain coastal roads in Maui) I definitely second being aware of ocean safety! However, there are some amazing ocean activities you may want to consider such as snorkeling which you can do quite safely with a boat tour, many that require a life jacket. The ocean can be dangerous, but is also one of the biggest assets in Hawaii so don't avoid it entirely.

I'd say one big don't is for oahu- don't hunker down in Waikiki the entire time you are there. Go see the rest of the island, Waikiki is very crowded and touristy but we have rural areas and, I may be slightly biased, but many of the best beaches of the islands. If you need and specific suggestions for Oahu particularly beaches, let me know. I'm seriously obsessed.

 

Another big don't- if you rent a car DO NOT leave anything in the car. Ever. If you are going to be where the car is out of your sight, take everything with you. Hawaii is one of the safest States in the country, but car break ins are common especially rental cars. It's horrible, but it's true, some people will target tourists so watch your belongings.

 

And then my last don't is don't pay for expensive tours to things that are free. There is a lot to do for free here. For example on Oahu the beaches, hikes, many botanical gardens, Arizona memorial - all free! With multiple kids paying for tours per person will add up much more than renting a car and going yourself. Sometimes tours are worth it, I did a circle island tour with my family when they visited Oahu that was well worth it for the information the tour guide gave and also included entry to a couple places that do charge admission. Sometimes the tours aren't going to give you much you can't do or learn on your own.

 

~Katy

 

I am more of a morning person. After a day of touring/sunning/general running around, I get really tired and just want to chill with a glass of wine. The kids are more evening people. With sunset being fairly early though, we might just look into that. Is it a lot less crowded? I'm thinking of just renting a car so we can come and go as we please - can we get all the way to the top of Haleakala for sunset?

 

I've gotten to the point that I really just don't like driving at night especially in areas that I'm not really familiar with. That's my only hesitation with driving on the islands after dark. And thank you for the tip on leaving things in the car. Usually I'll only take my purse and that would go with me wherever we go, but the boys tend to bring phones, ipods, gameboys etc. I guess they'll just have to leave most of it at home!

 

As for Waikiki, I've been there before and the kids will love it, but I do want to get them to another part of the island. My XDH took me there and I can't remember which way we went, but it was very peaceful and very lush and very little traffic! The views were just spectacular!

 

I think the only thing that we would "buy" at the Arizona Memorial is the audio tour. XDH and I did that when we were there 7 years ago - it was so worth the small cost. We'll also pay to see the Mighty Mo - make those US History lessons come "alive" for both boys!

 

Hopefully you are a frequent visitor to this board so I can bounce ideas off of you as I start to firm up plans. Thanks again for the great suggestions.

[kgymn]

My husband and I went on cruise last year. We rented a car in Maui and drove Haleakala ourselves for sunset. We had plenty of time. I've heard sunset is less crowded because most people go for sunrise. I do recommend though leaving early enough to see the craters etc before the sun goes down, we didn't get there while it was light enough to see the landscape (beautiful sunset though!)

 

If you keep posting in this thread I'll see, my phone will notify me of any more posts. :)

 

~Katy

[cb at sea]

Will you be on Maui during your pre-cruise stay? If so, THAT is the time for the sunrise Haleakala trip! You will be "up and at 'em" early the first 2 days....jet lag and all that jazz...and it makes getting up at 4 am a breeze!!

 

Bring WARM clothes...it's freaking FREEZING up there!!!

 

 

The roads in Hawaii are well marked, with lots of shiny "glow in the dark" things...very easy to drive at night!

Edited March 31, 2016 by cb at sea

[olemissreb]

My husband and I went on cruise last year. We rented a car in Maui and drove Haleakala ourselves for sunset. We had plenty of time. I've heard sunset is less crowded because most people go for sunrise. I do recommend though leaving early enough to see the craters etc before the sun goes down, we didn't get there while it was light enough to see the landscape (beautiful sunset though!)

 

If you keep posting in this thread I'll see, my phone will notify me of any more posts. :)

 

~Katy

 

I told my kids of an excursion where we see the sunrise and then bike down the volcano. They were all over that! Maybe we'll do both - sunset and then up early for sunrise! :) If we do it that way, we should get to see some of the craters. Either way, I have to remember to take the camera!

 

[olemissreb]

Will you be on Maui during your pre-cruise stay? If so, THAT is the time for the sunrise Haleakala trip! You will be "up and at 'em" early the first 2 days....jet lag and all that jazz...and it makes getting up at 4 am a breeze!!

 

Bring WARM clothes...it's freaking FREEZING up there!!!

 

 

The roads in Hawaii are well marked, with lots of shiny "glow in the dark" things...very easy to drive at night!

 

No - we're going to stay in Oahu for pre-cruise. Although, now I'm second guessing that.

 

Oh and those glow in the dark things - those actually have a name...Botts Dots. My son learned that in a science camp! Thanks for letting me know though. That does make it easier to navigate at night.

[MikeWazowski]

Just booked a cruise on the Pride of America for May 2018. My 2 sons (18 & 22 at the time of the cruise) and I (55 at cruise time) will be flying in 4 days before the cruise to get acclimated and spend time seeing Oahu and then probably 3-4 days post cruise either further exploring one of the islands we cruised to or Lanai. As you can see, I've just started research and planning.

 

What are some things we should NOT do? For instance - when we were in Alaska, I messed up the planning and we did a midnight ATV ride the night before we did our trip in to Denali National Park. We got to bed at 2am only to get back up at 6am and over to the park! If I were to do it today, I'd reverse the ATV ride and the Denali NP tour. We don't want to be super active, but if I want to see the sunrise at Haleakala, I also don't want to be doing an ATV tour somewhere until 10pm. I also wouldn't want to be driving across a strange island after dark (well at least for those islands where we have an overnight stay). Any BTDT don't want to do it again type things would be greatly appreciated.

 

I'll be pouring over these boards for the next 2 years gleaning information from all of you and asking for your opinions. Thank you in advance for all your help!

I recommend that you NOT organize an activity that ends at 2AM with an activity the next day that starts at 6AM.

 

My second recommendation is to not get caught up in the excitement of these forums or other public displays, talk to your family and plan something that YOU want to do!!! Who cares about everyone else.

[murphy4]

tagging along on this thread. might book the Pride for March 2017

[Susan-M]

 

My second recommendation is to not get caught up in the excitement of these forums or other public displays, talk to your family and plan something that YOU want to do!!! Who cares about everyone else.

 

Forums are a great way to get firsthand feedback from others who have been to a destination. I didn't get the impression from the OP that they weren't going to do what they want to do - I think she's wise to do the research that she is doing here and on TA, as well as via guidebooks.

[olemissreb]

I recommend that you NOT organize an activity that ends at 2AM with an activity the next day that starts at 6AM.

 

My second recommendation is to not get caught up in the excitement of these forums or other public displays, talk to your family and plan something that YOU want to do!!! Who cares about everyone else.

 

Oh trust me, I'll be talking to my family. Problem is to get them to commit to anything so I just end up planning & booking things that I think all of us will enjoy. I think if they had helped out in the Alaska planning, we might have gotten more sleep! :)

 

I just have to make sure that my youngest doesn't injure himself before we leave. 2 weeks before we left for Alaska, he broke his foot so I had to scramble for a "Plan B". Luckily, it was only 1 excursion and my oldest and I did what was originally scheduled and the XDH and the youngest did the Plan B. I swear, I'm going to wrap him in bubble wrap and he can put his cap and gown on over it and then waddle across the stage to get his diploma!:eek:

[olemissreb]

Forums are a great way to get firsthand feedback from others who have been to a destination. I didn't get the impression from the OP that they weren't going to do what they want to do - I think she's wise to do the research that she is doing here and on TA, as well as via guidebooks.

 

Exactly! Cruise Critic and TA haven't steered me wrong yet. Guidebooks just give me ideas of some things we might want to see. We've enjoyed so many things and seen so much more than many of the people that just book cruise excursions - nothing wrong with that, but it became a little "stale" for us. Now I'm all about the research and finding unique things to do for my family. We've enjoyed TomCars in Aruba, the ATV ride in Denali, white water rafting in Denali, a private sailboat and snorkeling in St. Thomas. One excursion we're considering now is Sunrise at Haleakala and then biking down the mountain - Mom would just have to ride in the van on the way down though. My cousin also recommended a zipline on Maui - so who knows!

[Astro Flyer]

To me sunrise from the top of Haleakala is much better than a sunset.

 

Sunrise is as close as we get to a sunrise from space...a darkened sky that begins with a soft golden glow on the horizon which spreads across the horizon until the sun rises above the ocean. Arrive at least 30 minutes before official sunrise to have that amazing experience.

 

Sunset wasn't nearly as spectacular to me & I can see beautiful sunsets daily from the beach which I enjoy more.

 

Not only will it be much colder at the summit (standard temperature lapse rate is 3° per 1000 foot of elevation so about 30° cooler) but it can be windy & adversely affect anyone with health issues breathing the thin air at 10,000 feet. The Upcountry area around Kula is beautiful & offers amazing views of Maui so you might consider a stop there on the way down the hill if not taking the bike tour. The Maui Winery offers free tastings & is also in Upcountry located in Ulupalakua.

 

What not to do??? Try to not see too many things from your car and to take some time to truly experience Hawaii & then to return again to the islands that you enjoy the most to explore more of Hawaii. :D

Edited April 3, 2016 by Astro Flyer

[olemissreb]

Funny - the line about not trying to see everything from our car - same advice we got about Alaska. We took that advice then and will do the same in HI!