Critique My PofAm Itinerary Please

[Tatertot]

Finally told mom she's going to Hawaii for her 75th birthday and we're meeting tomorrow to work on shore excursions. We're on the 3/1/08 PofAm. Mom's at least talking like she's a little more adventurous than I thought. It's me (50+ and the designated driver), mom, sis (47) and niece (22 just graduated from Univ. of Oklahoma -- Go Sooners!!). We arrive Feb. 28 at 4 p.m. Here's my tentative plans:

 

Feb. 29 -- Rental car. Punchbowl Cemetary then to North Shore. Polynesian Cultural Center with luau and Horizon's Show.

March 1 -- Rental car to Pearl Harbor bright and early, then check out of hotel and to the ship.

March 2 -- Hilo -- rental car, Volcano National Park

March 3 -- Maui -- rental car, Road to Hana

March 4 -- Maui -- Sunrise at Haleakala with Roberts, self-tour of Iao, ocean center or NCL whale watch

March 5 -- Kona -- Dan McSweeney whale watch (if we don't do Maui whale watch) or rental car, Place of Refuge and points beyond as time permits

March 6 -- Kauai -- rental car, Waimea canyon

March 7 -- Kauai -- rental car, Wailua and points beyond as time permits

March 8 -- Disembark -- To Moana Surfrider. Spa and Beach Day.

March 9 -- Early Morning hike to top of Diamond Head (me and niece). Beach Day. Flight leaves at 7 p.m.

 

I left the Revealed books with Mom for a few days and she wants to do the Atlantis Submarine because she can't swim but wants to see the fish and coral. Don't know which port, Kona maybe?

 

I've enjoyed living everyon'es cruise vicariously and could not have planned this as much as I have if not for you fine folks. Wish I'd had something like this when I was planning the New Zealand/Australia trip DH and I took last year. Ya'll are awesome.

[3boyzmom]

Hi!

We did PofA last Thanksgiving...that's me(35) hubby(40), boys (11,10,6) and my mom (65.) We had a blast!

 

We all loved the Polynesian Cultural Center, but I would recommend you splurge here and do the guided tour (I don't remember what they call this, but it's the most expensive tickets available.) We had an absolutely amazing time, but it was mainly due to the fact that our guide made sure we saw everything. Each "village" has different activities going on at different times, and you can't possibly keep track of when everything is happening. If you just wander around, you'll miss the goings-on and just see the village, which isn't nearly as interesting. Also, the more expensive tickets mean you'll have guaranteed seats in every village as things go on- important if you're travelling with anyone a little older whose feet will give out at some point.

 

As far as The Maui Ocean Center is concerned, we are from California, so for me it was just like most other aquariums. It's not all that big either. If you're going to do an Atlantis sub, you may not need to do the Ocean Center at all...you'll get to see everything better in the sub anyways.

 

As around for the road to Hana idea. That's kind of a big debate, if I remember right. We did it years ago, and I just remember the road being very windy. It makes for a really long day. Yes, it's beautiful, but you seem to have a whole lot of driving in your itinerary already. The road to hana gets pretty backed-up too.

 

Have a great time!!

[judyf]

I guess we all like different things for our group the RTH was one of the major highlights. It's all what you like.

 

Just make sure you do your homework then you know, which it sounds like you did. If we go back to Hawaii we all want to return to Hana.

 

PCC was great only wish we had more time there.

 

Youe plans look well thought out and sounds liek you're going to go with the flow.

 

I also suggest if you do the sub you could skip the Ocean Center

[Cruise_Monkey]

Finally told mom she's going to Hawaii for her 75th birthday and we're meeting tomorrow to work on shore excursions. We're on the 3/1/08 PofAm. Mom's at least talking like she's a little more adventurous than I thought. It's me (50+ and the designated driver), mom, sis (47) and niece (22 just graduated from Univ. of Oklahoma -- Go Sooners!!). We arrive Feb. 28 at 4 p.m. Here's my tentative plans:

 

Feb. 29 -- Rental car. Punchbowl Cemetary then to North Shore. Polynesian Cultural Center with luau and Horizon's Show.

March 1 -- Rental car to Pearl Harbor bright and early, then check out of hotel and to the ship.

March 2 -- Hilo -- rental car, Volcano National Park

March 3 -- Maui -- rental car, Road to Hana

March 4 -- Maui -- Sunrise at Haleakala with Roberts, self-tour of Iao, ocean center or NCL whale watch

March 5 -- Kona -- Dan McSweeney whale watch (if we don't do Maui whale watch) or rental car, Place of Refuge and points beyond as time permits

March 6 -- Kauai -- rental car, Waimea canyon

March 7 -- Kauai -- rental car, Wailua and points beyond as time permits

March 8 -- Disembark -- To Moana Surfrider. Spa and Beach Day.

March 9 -- Early Morning hike to top of Diamond Head (me and niece). Beach Day. Flight leaves at 7 p.m.

 

I left the Revealed books with Mom for a few days and she wants to do the Atlantis Submarine because she can't swim but wants to see the fish and coral. Don't know which port, Kona maybe?

 

I've enjoyed living everyone's cruise vicariously and could not have planned this as much as I have if not for you fine folks. Wish I'd had something like this when I was planning the New Zealand/Australia trip DH and I took last year. Ya'll are awesome.

 

We're on the same trip, I think, sailing this coming Saturday (yay!). We've never been before, but my fiancee is an incredible researcher, so we've got a great game plan.

 

Your plan sounds great, but I'll mention a few things, FWIW.

 

--We're going to pass on Pearl Harbor, at least the full tour. From what I've heard, it's getting up really early and standing in line a lot.

--On the North Shore of Oahu, we're going mainly to watch the surfing; you don't mention that specifically, but it should still be going on at the end of Feb.

--We're skipping anything that requires us to be up before dawn :D but that's personal sleeping preference rather than a comment on the activity!

--We're going whale watching, and would pick that over the ocean center.

 

Overall, it sounds like you'll have a great time! Enjoy!!

[CC Help Michell]

We're on the same trip, I think, sailing this coming Saturday (yay!). We've never been before, but my fiancee is an incredible researcher, so we've got a great game plan.

 

Your plan sounds great, but I'll mention a few things, FWIW.

 

--We're going to pass on Pearl Harbor, at least the full tour. From what I've heard, it's getting up really early and standing in line a lot.

--On the North Shore of Oahu, we're going mainly to watch the surfing; you don't mention that specifically, but it should still be going on at the end of Feb.

--We're skipping anything that requires us to be up before dawn :D but that's personal sleeping preference rather than a comment on the activity!

--We're going whale watching, and would pick that over the ocean center.

 

Overall, it sounds like you'll have a great time! Enjoy!!

 

To the OP, I hadn't replied because this is one of the best itineraries I've seen posted for comment, and I didn't have much to say! :) You have a nice mix of different activities and sights to see.

 

I did want to reply to the above-highlighted quote, though. Pearl Harbor was among our top three activities in Hawaii, even though it did require us to get up early (we did that anyway -- we are from the East Coast and were up at o'dark'30 every day without an alarm clock). But even if we hadn't been up early, I considered this not-to-be-missed, and I was right, for US. Like the above poster, your mileage may vary, but there was no way I was going to miss Pearl Harbor, especially as both my parents remember it (as children), and from their stories I remember my own feeling on 9/11/01 -- "This is our generation's Pearl Harbor." I had to see it and I wouldn't have traded a second of that visit for anything else we did in Hawaii. It wasn't exciting, scenic, or colorful -- it was sobering, thoughtful, and incredibly moving. I felt privileged to be able to acknowledge and honor the sacrifices of those present at Pearl Harbor on 12/7/41, and pay my respects to those who paid the ultimate price that day.

 

Considering your mom's age, I can't imagine she'd go to Hawaii and NOT want to visit Pearl Harbor and stand on the Arizona Memorial. If you arrive by 7:00 AM you will wait in line half an hour, and get a ticket with your tour time on it (which might be within the next hour, in which case you could tour the museum right there at the Memorial), but in any event should be within 2 hours or so (in which case you could check out the Bowfin or Missouri located nearby). Basically if you beat the tour buses to the Memorial (getting there by 7:00 or so beats most of them) you should have an early tour time.

 

 

Have a wonderful trip (and again, I know other people may feel differently, and consider the Memorial and Pearl Harbor in general just "a line to wait in after getting up early" -- but I wanted to at least put forth a different view of one of the most historically-important locations in the U.S. 20th Century).

[Tatertot]

We made a few changes after we met Saturday. Again, I'm surprised at mom's adventurous spirit.

 

We've decided on the Maui whale watch thru Pacific Whale Foundation. We'll keep the rental car from the day before. We'll do the tour at 11 a.m. which should give us time to get back to ship, I hope. In fact, I'm hoping we can make it up to Whaler's Village after the whale watch but I remember some posts about traffic problems. I'll go back and find those.

 

We added the Atlantis Submarine in Kona and -- the big shock -- Kaui helicopter tour. :eek: Well, at least that will give me more incentive to diet since now I'll have to post my weight on the reservation form.

 

I'm talking with Melvin Kim at ABC Limo about their Pearl Harbor Tour. If he can get us there early enough on Saturday, I might just leave the driving to him. Not much more expensive than keeping the rental car another day and paying the valet and I get a day off from driving. Anyone done the ABC Limo PH Tour?

 

Again, thanks ya'll. There's an ice storm in Oklahoma. 100K+ without electric. I'm too far south for this one to hit me but mom and sis are in the middle of it -- ours was in January '07 when we lost power for a week. And in December '00 we were without water for 14 days and no power for 17. Looking forward to Hawaii even more :cool:

[Osnab]

March 4 -- Maui -- Sunrise at Haleakala with Roberts,

 

Looking forward to your comments about this when you return. I';m doing the same thing, also with Roberts. I figure I can nap when I get back on the ship! :D

Felicia

[scubaju]

Ditto to MichellP's remarks concerning Pearl Harbor. After enduring the "rockin & rolling" POAm 12/1 - 8 trip, and being disappointed at missing Kona, two scuba dive trips and the helicopter trip of a lifetime in Kauai, I was not about to leave Honolulu without seeing Pearl Harbor. It was truly a moving experience, something that I have dreamed of doing for most of my life. We also toured the USS Missouri. I found the combination of the two sites--Pearl Harbor being the beginning of US involvement and the Missouri--the site where Japan surrendered to end WWII was such a fitting combination. This is all such an important part of our history and should not be missed! By the way...booked our Pearl Harbor/Missouri tour with Polynesian Adventures. I was very concerned because I had read that they had a tendency to cancel tours, but that was not the case here. They went out of there way to assure me that they would accommodate me, and they came through! Our driver /tour guide was Kino, and he did a fantastic job!