hawaii on the cheap article..

[sdcruisers]

Just got this great article emailed to me that explains how to enjoy hawaii on the cheap,,,

[url="http://www.frommers.com/destinations/article.cfm?articleid=1778&destid=781"]http://www.frommers.com/destinations/article.cfm?articleid=1778&destid=781[/url]

R & M

[bobnsandi]

So [i]that's[/i] how its done!!! ;-)

Seriously, those are some good tips. I'd add one to the meals part. Look for a place that sells "plate lunches". A plate lunch usually consists of a styrofoam container with two scoops of rice, macaroni (sometimes potato) salad, and some sort of local meat or fish dish. The cost ranges from $6 for a full one, but a mini (one scoop rice) can sometimes be had for $4.50 or so. My husband and I usually share a full meal and find it quite satisfying.

You'll find a plate lunch place in almost every strip mall. Sometimes it is nothing more than a window in a wall. Just follow the locals around lunchtime and you can't miss them.

June & Dec '03 [I]Norwegian Star[/I]
June '00 [I]Columbia[/I] / [I]Matanuska[/I]
Mar '97 [I]Star Clipper[/I]
Oct '81 [I]Azure Seas[/I]

[bobnsandi]

So [i]that's[/i] how its done!!! ;-)

Seriously, those are some good tips. I'd add one to the meals part. Look for a place that sells "plate lunches". A plate lunch usually consists of a styrofoam container with two scoops of rice, macaroni (sometimes potato) salad, and some sort of local meat or fish dish. The cost ranges from $6 for a full one, but a mini (one scoop rice) can sometimes be had for $4.50 or so. My husband and I usually share a full meal and find it quite satisfying.

You'll find a plate lunch place in almost every strip mall. Sometimes it is nothing more than a window in a wall. Just follow the locals around lunchtime and you can't miss them.

June & Dec '03 [I]Norwegian Star[/I]
June '00 [I]Columbia[/I] / [I]Matanuska[/I]
Mar '97 [I]Star Clipper[/I]
Oct '81 [I]Azure Seas[/I]

[spleen93]

The only problem with plate lunches is that they don't tend to keep well. A better option if you want to purchase somewhere and hang on to it for a while before eating would be a bento. A bento is a Japanese term for a portable lunch and in Hawaii, usually consists of a bed of rice witih various types of food on top - the most common version comes with teriyaki beef, fried mahi, fried chicken, and a slice of the ubiquitous Spam. Get one from Zippy's here on Oahu - it's called a Zip Pac. [img]http://messages.cruisecritic.com/infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif[/img]

Spleen

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Carnival Conquest - W. Caribbean - 10/03, Celebrity Infinity - Alaska - 6/03, Ocean Princess - Alaska - 7/02

[Suebee]

Ah back to zippy's...I love that place. And for those not local, Zippy's is everywhere like MacDonalds here. From my house to Pearl City (15 minutes) I pass at least 4 or 5 Zippy's and only a few MCD's. You can also get a small Saimin for $2 and the lunch plates cost less than 6 dollars in a lot of instances. Also, you can trade the macaroni salad for a green salad but you have to ask.

For a family of 4, zippy's can work out to be cheaper than McDonalds and way more options. My son (4) can share a plate with me and my daughter wont get anything but the Saimin. That brings the dinner bill to about 11-14 dollars before beverages. We will often take out too and have a picnic at the zoo or at a park.

NCL Star 1/04
What's Next? Alaska 2005 - Ask me about an official CC group!