Pride of America Check-in ?

[Beachiekeen]

Cross-post from NCL board

Does anyone know how early we can give our bags to the porters on POA?  I was thinking of maybe doing a downtown tour before embarking but we would need to be free of luggage.  I thought I read somewhere that we won't be allowed to board until noon, is that correct? This will help me determine if we need to wait and do downtown Honolulu after we disembark to kill time or if I will need to plan something else.  TIA.

[SherriM]

On 1/16/2019 at 12:18 PM, Beachiekeen said:

Cross-post from NCL board

Does anyone know how early we can give our bags to the porters on POA?  I was thinking of maybe doing a downtown tour before embarking but we would need to be free of luggage.  I thought I read somewhere that we won't be allowed to board until noon, is that correct? This will help me determine if we need to wait and do downtown Honolulu after we disembark to kill time or if I will need to plan something else.  TIA.

I am wondering the same thing. Wondering if we’d have time to go check out the Flea Market that keeps being mentioned. 

[Beachiekeen]

12 minutes ago, SherriM said:

I am wondering the same thing. Wondering if we’d have time to go check out the Flea Market that keeps being mentioned. 

 

Well I have done some searching since I didn't get an answer and it appears 9:30/10 am.  Hubby wants to get to the ship as soon as possible and just use the day to explore the ship and have it as what will essentially be our only sea day.  So we may end up doing just that although I haven't ruled out exploring downtown and doing the Iolani Palace tour first.  If not, we will most likely do it after disembarking.  

 

You can also check in, store your bags and disembark to go to the swap meet or wherever.  Coming back to the ship, there is apparently a separate line for those who have already checked in, you don't have to stand in line again.  

[SherriM]

1 hour ago, Beachiekeen said:

 

Well I have done some searching since I didn't get an answer and it appears 9:30/10 am.  Hubby wants to get to the ship as soon as possible and just use the day to explore the ship and have it as what will essentially be our only sea day.  So we may end up doing just that although I haven't ruled out exploring downtown and doing the Iolani Palace tour first.  If not, we will most likely do it after disembarking.  

 

You can also check in, store your bags and disembark to go to the swap meet or wherever.  Coming back to the ship, there is apparently a separate line for those who have already checked in, you don't have to stand in line again.  

 

Thank you for following up! That is wonderful news. Now to decide WHAT we would want to do with our “city time”. We took the “free” airfare option, so we don’t know exactly what time we will need to get to the airport to fly home. 

[papa B me]

We are doing a pre cruise stay on Waikiki and when we disembark our flight isn't until 7.  We are traveling with another couple.  So I rented a mini van for each day in Honolulu so that we can do what ever we want to do and not worry about luggage.  This is allowing us to do Pearl Harbor the morning of embarkation.  We booked through Hawaii Discount Rentals and got Alamo and I think it is $53.00 including all taxes/charges.  

[Beachiekeen]

papa B were you easily able to get tickets for the USS Arizona?  It sounds stressful to me!  I know my family will be too excited to get to the ship to go to PH but I did think about doing it after disembarking.  Once we book our flights, we will have a better idea of the time we will have.

[papa B me]

It was really easy.  I went to recreation.gov which is the site to make reservations for US parks.  You go to Pearl Harbor and you will see your choices.  There is a calendar and it gives the times available and the number of tickets still available.  They cost $8 each to reserve a spot.  I was a lot more stressed about this until I decide to book the mini van.  The logistics were concerning me since we would have to go to the ship first without a car to leave the luggage in.  Also they don't allow bags, back packs etc... so you have to leave them somewhere.  The car made all the difference in the world and we are in control of our time.

 

There are a lot of things to see and do besides the Arizona but from what I can tell tickets aren't a problem same day so we only reserved the Arizona.  Keep in mind that the memorial itself is still closed for repairs to the ramp.  A harbor boat tour around the Arizona is in its place currently.  Not sure when your trip is.  Mine is Feb 23 so not thinking it will be open yet.  I've read they were projecting sometime in March to reopen.

 

Hope this helps.

 

Brian

[Beachiekeen]

Thanks so much! Our trip isn’t until November so lots of time to work out the details. Have a wonderful trip, I’ll be following! 🙂

[SherriM]

11 hours ago, papa B me said:

We are doing a pre cruise stay on Waikiki and when we disembark our flight isn't until 7.  We are traveling with another couple.  So I rented a mini van for each day in Honolulu so that we can do what ever we want to do and not worry about luggage.  This is allowing us to do Pearl Harbor the morning of embarkation.  We booked through Hawaii Discount Rentals and got Alamo and I think it is $53.00 including all taxes/charges.  

 

We did the Pearl Harbor excursion when we were last in HI with Holland America. What an amazing, sobering and touching exhibit they have. Stick a tissue or two in your pockets. 

We had rented a Mustang Convertible last time (just the two of us - celebrating our 30th anniversary...now we will be celebrating our 42nd anniversary just a few months off!) and drove the coast and had fun exploring on our own. So we seriously don’t know HOW we want to spend our free time this time around.  

[ThorKY]

There are 7 of us traveling and I'm thinking of getting off the ship on debarkation day and going to the airport to rent a suburban and return to the dock to pick up my family. Is there any issue driving back into the pick up location at the dock?

 

[cruise47]

What is the earliest you can check in and give your luggage to the porters  for a POA Cruise?