Final plans-any advice/suggestions?

[lomillerin]

Day 1: Pre-cruise one night at Marriott through NCL, rest, eat at Cheeseburger in Paradise, etc....

Day 2: Breakfast, shuttle to ship, check out ship, cabin, make dinner ressies for entire week,relax, dinner etc...

Day 3: Hilo-renting car, VNP, Akaka Falls and Rainbow Falls (is it possible to do all 3-if not, which falls is better in summer?) dinner, lava viewing from balcony.....

Day 4: Maui-renting car at 9:00am, Lahaina and lunch, afternoon on Kaanapali Beach, dinner, etc...

Day 5: Maui-use car to go to Haleakala sunrise and return car by 9:00am, back to ship, rest/relax/swim day, dinner....

Day 6: Kona: Fair Winds snorkel-we are supposed to be in port at 7:00am but this is a tender port, we will be up early to tender early so hopefully all works out. If not, we know we could lose our money (we chancing it), but what could we do then? Maybe take a shuttle to some beach??, dinner,....

Day 7: Kauai-renting car, Kilauea Lighthouse, Fantasy Island waterfalls, Hanalei Bay and if time a few hours at Poipu Beach, dinner....

Day 8: Kauai-Air Kauai helicopter tour at 9:45 and back to ship by noon, spend afternoon on ship, Na Pali coast viewing from balcony, dinner,....

Day 9: Honolulu- renting car, Hilton Hawaiian Village-Ali'i tower, check in, leave luggage if room not ready, go to Hanauma Bay in early afternoon (hope it is not full), rest, dinner at Golden Dragon (or other hotel restaurant)....

Day 10: Breakfast Wailana coffee shop, pool/beach day/, son and hubby might take surfing lessons, I might get a massage at spa (if I don't on ship), dinner at Duke's, walk around Waikiki, free hula/torch lighting (is this every night?, etc...

Day 11: Pearl Harbor early, see both USS Arizona and the Missouri, afternoon at pool/rest/relax....dinner at Shorebird grill, walk around Waikiki, etc...

Day 12: Leaving, get as late a check out as possible, hike Diamond Head (I know it will be hot, but we don't want to get up early as this will be a long day, we want to spend the morning packing etc,... if time go to Dole Pineapple, maybe drive to see North Shore, dinner (depends on where we are), go back to HHV to get luggage, airport to return car around 9:00pm for a 10:50 flight.

 

Well, I have been working on this plan for awhile.

 

What advice/opinions/suggestions do you have?

Is this too much? Not enough?

There are 4 of us, kids age 14 and 7 and we have never been to Hawaii before....

[Suebee]

It sounds good to me. General tips:

 

When doing a full day of touring, start out and work your way back. This way (like in Hilo for example), if you spend more time at the first thing than you planned and have to cut something short, youre already working your way back to the ship. So if you had to cut out one of the falls, you are still doing well because youre 10 minutes from the ship vs an hour away.

 

Keep in mind that the UV factor here is 12 every day. The sun is very strong here and wipes you out. Even living here we find the need to nap after the morning in the sun sometimes! Make sure you have a strong sunscreen with zinc oxide in it....hats, sun shirts if youre swimming and sunglasses. Dont forget to lather your feet if youre in flip flops. And always carry water. Just today there was a news report of people at diamond head being rushed to the hospital because of the sun/heat. That and water dangers are where most tourists who have to go to the hospital while here get into trouble.

 

The torch lighting/hula is every night. I dont know how your days line up but there are free fireworks every friday on the beach outside of the Hilton Hawaiian Village. In summer its at 8 and winter 7:30. If youre there on a friday, pick up the Honolulu Advertiser for the weekend happenings and you might find more free things like Movie night on the beach, etc. If you DO go to HHV on Friday, get there an hour early and you can see the procession and polynesian show by the pool before the fireworks...also free (you have to be a guest to get a seat, but you can stand outside the pool area and see fine...hundreds of people do this).

[lambs2]

Sounds good and workable! We had time on Hilo to see VNP, akaka Falls, Rainbow falls, Banyan Drive, Peepee falls and the Boiling Pots, Plus drive through the cute town of Hilo getting gas to return our rental car. We got off the ship just as early as possible that morning (Sunday) and caught the very first Thrifty shuttle so it all worked for us!

 

I agree that the Polynesian show and fireworks at HHV on Friday nights is really something not to be missed, if at all possible! Really gets you in the mood for your cruise the next morning! have a fantasic time and don't stress over any little difficulties or delays you may encounter. It will all work out!

[beachchick]

Sounds good. You've done your homework. Now a few words of (first hand) advice: Do not adhere so strictly to your schedule that you are watching the clock all the time or force yourselves to live in the straight-jacket of "but that's what my list says." My first trip I scheduled us too much (and that was leaving time for "relaxation"--sheesh, why would I ever list relaxation from X to Y times). I had a big list and printout, and my DH (who had spent a great deal of time in the islands before me) just shook his head and sighed. He let me figure out for myself that it's not good to plan your day to death. Go with the flow sometimes; allow things to go the way they will; get into the hang loose, aloha spirit. It's so much better when you feel like you've truly rejuvenated yourselves, then when your memories are of an almost military (no offense to the military--that's how it's supposed to be when you're in the military; but I'll bet even the military allows for the "fudge" factor from time to time) rigid schedule of rush, rush, rush to adhere to a set and firm schedule. Be flexible--that's the best advice I can give you.

 

Otherwise, the things you've planned are good, and you know what you like to do. You may have overplanned a few days, but you know that because you mention that some activities are more important than the "if we have time" ones. That's the right way to planl.

 

beachchick

[lomillerin]

Thanks! We are excited. We leave this Sunday.

 

My only concerns are the complaints of the Pride of Hawaii ship. I hope we have more luck than some others have had.

[beachchick]

I think that if you go with an open mind and understand right up front that this is not the so-called "traditional" cruise and ship that you will have a great time. I don't mean that you should have to put up with truly bad problems. I do mean that the ship has no casino and has a US crew that is not used to the subservient type of service that some (not all) cruisers expect. I do mean that you will be spending most of your time in port, so the whole glamour cruise thing isn't as important, IMO. And remember that this is a new ship that is still shaking out the flaws and working out the bugs.

 

Also remember that personal reviews are just that, personal. Sometimes a poster will report that their cruise was "ruined" and then we come to find out that it was because of something truly minor. Read the balanced reviews that give you the ups and downs. Remember that whenever someone writes that they had a horrible cruise because it was not the same as the "fancier" cruises that the poster should have known that going in--anyone who does any research will learn that these ships, while perfectly fine I'm sure, are not the QM2 or what have you. I have no tolerance for those who do no homework and then come here later (as new members) to completely trash a cruise or cruise line. Give me the good and bad, and be honest. I am not an apologist for any cruise line and do believe that things can always be better, but I'm not a basher either. We've had a good time on every cruise we've taken (not all that many compared to some, that's for sure); none were perfect, all were enjoyable.

 

I believe you will have a wonderful time. I hope you do.

 

beachchick

[lomillerin]

I agree. We are not going to be on the ship that much.

 

I believe it will be great.

[rosiej]

Doing the same cruise, 1 week later. Good advice for me as I'm finalizing our intinerary. Trying not to overplan (so MUCH to see!)

 

Question regarding the HHV: We will be arriving in Honolulu for our 3-day pre-cruise stay on a Friday afternoon and would LOVE to see that show. We need to eat dinner somewhere. Is there a nice restaurant in the HHV or in the area that has a nice view of this show? We will be staying at the Marriott Waikiki, is the HHV walkable, or would we want to take "the bus" or a cab?

 

Appreciate any info you can share. Thanks!