Silver Sweethearts

Regent and Silversea have been happy to order our favorite wine and have it delivered to the ship for us. The sommelier keeps it stored and will bring us a bottle whenever and wherever we wish it served. We pay for it using on board credit. There may be great selections on board, but this way we are assured of having what we want.

With all due respect, the area around Kahului Harbor is not a tourist spot and therefore does not attempt to cater to visitors. Providing overnight parking for visitors there has never seemed a priority.

If you mean from Kahului Harbor to Kahului Airport, you can take a taxi. The distance is about three miles. People have been known to park anywhere/everywhere around the port overnight, but at many places, parking is illegal (such as private property) and you will be taking a chance on your car being towed. Legal overnight parking is available at the airport.

You have quoted "POM" and "POV". Do you mean "POA" (Pride of America) instead? If so, it should dock at Kahului (at least we saw it there yesterday) and you should be renting a car at Kahului Airport (about three miles from the harbor).

We were told that everyone has to pay corkage. Did this rule change?

If your husband isn't keen about going as far as Hana, he is going to be even less thrilled to continue on and not backtrack because that means you'll be spending a good ten hours looking out your car windows. It ties up far too much of the short time you have on Maui.

Short answer: No.

Strictly FYI, on your return to the ship from Mama's, remember that it will be late afternoon on a work day (Monday). Going through Paia and then Kahului (from restaurant to harbor) can give you a fair amount of slow traffic around then. If your cab isn't allowed to drop you at the ship and you have to walk from the pedestrian entrance at Wharf Street and Hana Highway, that will be about a 10 minute walk to the ship.

It would be a shame if you go straight back to Kahului. It is a commercial/industrial area with nothing to offer visitors. If you don't want to go to Lahaina, Kihei and Wailea are closer and offer so much to do (beaches, shopping, restaurants, etc.). Please check those areas out.

If you are not a fan of days at sea, note there is also the Pride of America with its 7-day cruises around the Hawaiian islands every week.

Unless we are missing something here, if a suite does not have a sofa bed then it would indicate that it cannot accommodate a third person. There may be room, but they don't want to do it for whatever reason.

Try www.101thingstodo.com/maui and see if that works for you.

We have had no problem in requesting SS to order several cases of our favorite wine (not found on board) and having them deliver it to the ship where it is held by the sommelier until we wish a bottle with lunch and/or dinner. They deduct whatever the charge is from our OBC. Works quite nicely.

Small world department. We sailed with Sitmar often from the mid-70's until its demise. After that we started with Silversea and then Seabourn. Now Silversea and Regent get our business, but we have everything on hold because Maui is more to our liking at the moment than the rest of the world.

We have used Luggage Forward for years for both domestic and international travel and are most pleased with the service they provide. Go to their website for answers to any questions you may have and for pricing. The service is expensive, but better of course than your luggage getting lost or your back giving out while you are trying to muscle your bags. Also say goodbye to waiting at baggage claim.

It seems a shame that you are not going to avail yourselves of all that Maui has to offer. Kahului is strictly a commercial/industrial area that has nothing to offer visitors. The best advice about what to do there is to get away from there. We suggest you might skip the tourist areas and head Upcountry for a less crowded and more peaceful look at Maui. Google the area to see if it appeals.

According to Maui Now, Iao Valley State Park will be closed from August 1, 2022 until January 15, 2023 to complete repairs and other work in the area.

This is how it worked for Regent, and we suspect O is the same: In multiple experiences in Miami with Luggage Forward. we tagged our luggage (as everyone does with the colored O luggage tags) and left it outside our door the evening before departure. We next saw it when we disembarked and went to the luggage storage area on shore. We took the bags through customs right at that area and proceeded outside the building. A Luggage Forward representative was just outside holding a sign that said "Luggage Forward". We handed the person the bags and left. That's it. Our luggage showed up at our home a few days later.

Outside of making good on any cruise line arranged airline travel, we do not see why the cruise line should be held accountable for whether you reach the ship or not.

We don't want to worry about our luggage, so we send it on ahead to our suite on the ship by way of Luggage Forward (there are several companies who can do this. Choose the one you like best). Take a small carry-on with you to hold just clothes and such that you will need until you board the ship.

Pre-Covid our TA was able to get invitations for his clients and business associates to tour ships both in Lahaina and Kahului here on Maui. We have enjoyed tours and full luncheons with wine with Silversea, Crystal, Seabourn, Regent and Celebrity. There was no charge.

Truth be told, and at least in our experience, it really isn't that much fun. We like to dine earlier than the Captain/Officer usually does. Their table tends to be one seating six to ten guests, which makes conversation difficult with anyone not immediately around you. It can get a bit loud. The food can take longer to come out because the galley may wait until they have everyone's orders together so they can serve them all at once. We're hardly social animals though, and no sour grapes meant at all.

We must be missing something here. It sounds like you are surprised the ship has to move from island to island. As mentioned earlier, they sail at night.

We wonder why people would pay for a cruise and then leave it to stay and pay elsewhere?

Do remember that Hawaii is the real attraction, and the POA is merely your transportation around Hawaii (and a very smart way to get a taste of our islands). Warmest Aloha!