princeton123211

Was going to say-- you are not making a reservation by hitting the button. You are calling the car in real time and UberX does not have a generous waiting period. I've seen folks there a few times confused as to why their driver cancelled on them any why they needed to request another car-- they hit it way too soon. Also worth mentioning that you can avoid LAX-it completely by using UberBlack-- it will cost more (sometimes its not a huge difference during busier times but during slower times it can be a big difference) but they will pick you up curbside and you won't have to use the shuttle. Some folks find the premium to be worth it, especially with lots of luggage, mobility issues, or if you are tight on time.

You might want to consider preserving the points for San Francisco if the price for the Pan Pacific is within budget. San Francisco hotels can be breathtakingly expensive during some parts of the year.

They are primarily done with minibuses. Would not be my first choice in how to do it. Hana really is best done on your own with a rental car-- it's the best balance of cost and flexibility. You'll stop at a few fixed points like Hana Town and some of them go onto the pools. But stops at things like waterfalls will depend on how busy it is when you get there and the availability of parking for a larger vehicle. Private tours are good if its actually private and you're driven in a more comfortable vehicle than the minibuses. Keep in mind that a lot of the "private tours" that are offered are in fact these minibus tours just being marketed to folks staying on the island. Frankly if you don't want to drive yourself I would just find something else to do that day. It's a LONG day crammed into a minibus.

Thats really a shame they didn't arrange for the Manhattan Cruise Terminal for an overnight, especially with a small ship. Uber will be the easiest and fastest door to door. You would have to pretty much take an Uber to other forms of transportation into the city such as trains or ferries, so if time is of the essence just pay a bit extra and take the car all the way into the city. But there are less expensive alternatives such as taking an Uber to Newark Penn Station and taking the PATH train into the World Trade Center area. During the busier time of the morning or afternoon it could take up to 45 minutes from Cape Liberty so I would budget in some time. The ferry boats to the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island run near the Battery and within walking distance of the 9/11 Museum. You can also take a ferry from the New Jersey side where you'll be docked-- again it will be a shorter Uber ride from your pier to where they depart.

You are covering a vast section of the Pacific so it's impossible to give a general answer-- it will vary. For the most part you'll expect weather similar to San Francisco for the first day or two so very cool-- in the mid to low 50s, possibly cooler. You'll only start to pick up the Hawaii weather about a day out and it will gradually warm. Fog is very likely as you pass between cool and warm as we experienced. The one time we did a similar cruise we really weren't able to use things like the outdoor pool at all until we were about a day away from Hawaii and even then it was a little brisk.

It's a fair point-- both the Acela and Regional trains would be roll on/roll off (with a small bridge the conductor puts between the platform and train) and there is generous space in both trainsets to park a scooter with easy transfer to a designated seating area for those that are mobility limited. You would just take the elevators down to the platform at 30th St Station and the same thing once you arrive in NYC.

Holiday weekends to/from NYC are very expensive with a ton of people traveling. Acela is $198-254 one way NYC to Philly. Regionals are $150 per person. Even the Keystone which is always less expensive was $150. None last minute-- booked a couple weeks in advance. Look at fares for Dec 23rd from NYC to Philly-- they were the same ones we had today.

Sometimes yes, sometimes it's a wash. For the most part wouldn't do a car service on my own but when you start getting into 2 or more people the math makes more sense. I'm typing this on an Amtrak train from New York to 30th St Station right now which cost, for two people, close to $400 and frankly it's so packed onboard I wish we had used a car service for what wouldn't amount to be much more.

We use an app called Blacklane from Philly to New York sometimes-- they source among nicer limo services and car and driver quality has always been high. You can choose a larger option for 4 people and it usually will end up being a Cadillac Escalade. But also agree with Amtrak suggestion-- 30th St Station to Newark and get an Uber from there to the pier.

An Uber or a car service like Dial7 or Carmel. NYC taxis are not required to take you to New Jersey (where the cruise port is). Alternatively look at flights into Newark Liberty International (EWR) as it is much closer to the cruise port and you don't have to traverse NYC to get there.

Easiest and quickest way is to fly from Quebec City. Several nonstops are offered each day to the New York airports on Delta, Air Canada, American, and United. Tons of options and if booked in advance can be as low as about $150 per person. American runs three a day to Philadelphia nonstop. There aren't any nonstops to BWI but there are 3 a day to Reagan National in DC on Air Canada. Also three a day to Boston Logan also on Air Canada. These airports with more limited options the prices can be higher than NYC airports. I too loved the train when it used to run from Montreal to New York Penn. Taking a bus would be tedious on this long of a distance and even if it was half off what the plane was it wouldn't be worth it (to me a least).

It's in order to comply with US shipping laws. A foreign flagged vessel cannot convey passengers between two US ports without a stop in a distant foreign port.

Not as prevalent in Hawaii as they are in other areas of the world like the Caribbean. I'm not saying there won't be some but at best you won't have the choice you would in other places you've visited and a worst there won't be any. In Hawaii a lot of activities are bookable at kiosks a resort hotels (which also provide beach services for their guests). Activities are usually (but not always) bookable by non guests here. Could be a strategy if you don't find what you are looking for off of the boat. It would obviously require transportation there and back.

Only those that are directly adjacent to the airport. For a hotel downtown near Canada Place terminal there will not be any hotels offering shuttles from the airport. This will depend entirely on your budget. The cruise terminal is right downtown so hotels are going to be more overall in the city but there is a wide selection of budget to 5 star hotels. We'd need more info to make a good rec. You can actually stay at a hotel called the Pan Pacific which is in the cruise terminal (so eliminating a need for a shuttle) but it can be pricey. For the night before your cruise is currently showing for CA$359 which is not bad for them and even better when you consider the favorable exchange rate from the US to Canadian dollar.

Bermuda has some of the most beautiful beaches in the world (not an exaggeration). We've done the Insignia a few times down there and frankly, while we love the smaller ship and the ability to dock at Hamilton/St George, the small pool onboard leaves a lot to be desired. Perfectly servicable while at sea or for a quick dip but not where I'd want to spend my vacation lounging for a week. Get out there and go to a beach. Like Charles said there area few limited number of resort for a day options. We have also gone and booked a hotel for a night, while on a cruise, and used their facility over two days which was a lot of fun and provided access at a nicer resort that doesn't do day passes.

Which work(s) of Michelangelo? If you are talking about the Sistine Chapel, no you are not allowed to take photos and they will heavily police it. If you are talking about his other famous works like David or even other works in the Vatican, you can generally take pictures without a flash.

UberBlack can pick up curbside at LAX.

If you want to spend a bit more for UberBlack the OP can get picked up curbside and not have to go to LAX-it lot-- worth mentioning in case of mobility issues etc.

Agree. You can wing it in Maui if you are tendering to Lahaina. But I wouldn't try and wing it being docked all the way out in Kahului.

Fly. No question. Fly. On a 16 day Princess itinerary cruise you literally only get 4 days in Hawaii and not enough time in any of those ports to do the things you'll want to do. Unless you are someone who literally lives for days at sea you will get to the islands and be incredibly disappointed that you can't stay longer and explore deeper. I spend a lot of time in Hawaii and I think that cruises are one of the worst ways to see the islands (which I get is counterintuitive). But inter-island flights are so cheap and quick you can easily get anywhere you want to go. Flights from the east coast are long but there are good options including Hawaiian Airlines which is our favorite way to fly there. If you went to Hawaii for 16 days you could easily go to 2-3 islands and have a great balance between relaxing and sightseeing. Even if you flew there for 7-8 days you would do and see so much more than you would on a round trip cruise from the west coast like the one you mentioned.

It's very straight forward at Cape Liberty. Compared to Manhattan, Miami, or other places you may have cruised from it is tiny and only handles one ship at a time. There is a long drive to drop off at that is covered from the elements, where luggage can be deposited, and then one main entrance into the terminal itself for check in.

Newark is physically the closest major airport to Cape Liberty Cruise Port in Bayonne but being a "best option" will depend on where you're coming from. Is there a direct flight? Are flights into LaGuardia or JFK less expensive or at better times? Do you have a good early afternoon return flight option for the day you get back? What is your budget? There are all of the usual suspects in and around EWR. Personally I prefer the full service Marriott that is right on hotel grounds but there are a ton of options depending on what brands you prefer and how much you want to spend.

There's not a lot in the immediate vicinity-- most of the island's spas are at the resorts. You honestly might be less expensive overall with the one on he ship when you consider pricing and then the cost of transportation. I think the nearest is Cambridge Beach Resort and their spa is between $120-200 for a massage. Have not personally experienced there so cant speak to the quality or overall experience. I don't believe Fairmont Southampton has reopened so that most likely isn't an option. I've personally been to the spa at the Fairmont Hamilton Princess in town (which wouldn't cost you a ton to get to-- take the ferry and its then within walking distance) but spa services are going to be more like starting at $200 for a 60 minute massage and go up to $300 for a 90 minute. Very high quality and the facilities are great. I've also been to the Rosewood Spa which is much further and even pricier so not really worth considering in the context of your question. Bermuda is not an inexpensive place-- I would see if your ship offers in port specials on spa treatments while you're docked-- they are often much less expensive than when the ship is at sea and will most likely be less expensive than what you'll find on Bermuda.

Thats Boston!

There is nothing more spectacular than arriving into central Venice via water taxi from the airport after a transatlantic flight. There are plenty of hotels in the St Marks area that you can arrive directly by water taxi and not have to shuffle with your bags at all-- they do tend to be on the more expensive side and you do need to factor in the water taxi costs. But don't assume you'll have to schlep your bags yourselves all over just because you're not staying in P Roma-- a good number of hotels have private docks the water taxis can pull right up to. Also if you have Marriott Bonvoy points there are some great opportunities for redemption at some of Venice's priciest hotels for either totally free or the combination of points and a much lower nightly rate.