An Exhaustive Review of Our Exhausting Hawaiian Adventure

[vbmom87]

That is a photo that I took of the water from one of the lookouts on the Hana Highway. I Photoshop'd it to the right size for a background. I'll be happy to email it to you it you'd like.

 

Thanks...I found your email in a old post and we will email you. Thanks so much. I am getting excited to start my book. I did a three vacation photo book for my sister using My Publisher. It really came out very, very nice, but it is simply a photo book. I would like to try the scrapbooking approach for our Hawaii book. So far I have to say that My Publisher was a lot more intuitive for me, but hopefully I will get the hang of Mixbook quickly. I am looking forward to learning something new.

[cruisingmimi]

If you are going to take the Blue Hawaiian tour in Kauai, their office is within walking distance of the ship, and there are also shuttles to that area if you don't want to walk. You check in at the office where they weigh you (discretely), give you your seat assignment and do a short safety presentation. Then Blue Hawaii shuttles you to the airport.

 

We actually got into the 70's today, so hopefully winter is over!

 

Well, it's still winter here. Our heat wave lasted one day only!

 

Thanks for the info on the Blue Hawaiian office, makes it easier for us to plan. The ship's tour is a lot more expensive and they probably use the same company. We are still on the fence about booking it, although I know my husband really wants to go so guess I'll have to appease him! LOL

 

Do we have to prepay the tour or do it on the day of the tour? I read your post about the weigh-in. Made me chuckle as that is precisely what I was thinking about.

 

Your info on your photo book is fabulous. I may try to do something like that when we return. I have an Olympus point and shoot camera as I need simple when taking pictures. However, I did take some awesome photos on our Alaskan cruise. We did the float plane tour and I got some really nice shots from the air. I was very surprised they came out as well as they did from the air. I uploaded my photos to Shutterly and made a nice soft-bound album. I was able to select the page layout, cover theme, etc. I was very pleased with it. My sister loved the one I made for her. It's a nice memento.

 

Mary

[cbedics]

How did you plan your excursions for each island? Did you get off the ship on each island and go right to the rental car place?

[devinear]

Thanks so much for your help Donna and all! I appreciate the insight :)

[kwbound]

Well, it's still winter here. Our heat wave lasted one day only!

 

Thanks for the info on the Blue Hawaiian office, makes it easier for us to plan. The ship's tour is a lot more expensive and they probably use the same company. We are still on the fence about booking it, although I know my husband really wants to go so guess I'll have to appease him! LOL

 

Do we have to prepay the tour or do it on the day of the tour? I read your post about the weigh-in. Made me chuckle as that is precisely what I was thinking about.

 

Your info on your photo book is fabulous. I may try to do something like that when we return. I have an Olympus point and shoot camera as I need simple when taking pictures. However, I did take some awesome photos on our Alaskan cruise. We did the float plane tour and I got some really nice shots from the air. I was very surprised they came out as well as they did from the air. I uploaded my photos to Shutterly and made a nice soft-bound album. I was able to select the page layout, cover theme, etc. I was very pleased with it. My sister loved the one I made for her. It's a nice memento.

 

Mary

 

We prepaid our helicopter tour on the Blue Hawaiian website. We tried to prepay as many things as we could in the months before the cruise, just to stretch the costs out a little.

[kwbound]

How did you plan your excursions for each island? Did you get off the ship on each island and go right to the rental car place?

 

I spent months researching prior to the trip and we had a pretty detailed itinerary. We definitely got off the ship at each island! We like to be off as soon as we can. We never had to wait for a shuttle to the rental car office, so picking the cars up was always painless. We used Thrifty and joined their Blue Chip program which saved time. The only port we didn't rent a car in was Kona, where we took a taxi to our excursion.

[heart286]

My folder is kind of like this: http://www.amazon.com/Esselte-Ess-5740404-Oxford-Binding-Pocket/dp/B000V9CQ1Q/ref=pd_bxgy_t_img_a

 

Except mine is clear, and the bottom portion of each pocket is an envelope. It is a pretty heavy gauge plastic and I have been using it for several years. DH saw it somewhere and thought it looked like something I would like and picked it up for me. I wish he had gotten several. I remember he paid like $7-$8 for it and at the time I thought that was kind of excessive for a folder. Now you'd have to shoot me for it! I keep my eyes out for something like it all the time and have never found another one. The nice thing about it being clear is on the inside pocket you can make a "cover" with a photo or details relating to your trip and insert it so that is the front of the folder.....I know, I know...I'm obsessed!

 

 

I saw one that sounds just like the one you were talking about at WalMart yesterday for $4.44! :)

 

We actually opted for different folders for each day so we can just carry one around each day! And if something happens to it, we only lose the one day!:eek:

[heart286]

Just a quick question for you Donna, and Thank you so much for this review! You have helped us tremendously!

 

On Carnival cruises you can carry on a couple bottles of wine; is there anything like this on NCL? I drink Monavie every day and NEED to have it on the cruise! It looks like a bottle of wine, although it is only fruit juice! I don't want my luggage confiscated and have to go hunt it down!:eek: I was hoping to carry it on so they could see it wasn't actually wine!

 

We will have it packed in our luggage for the flight, but want to take it out before we board the ship!

 

We just found out we were going on this cruise on Feb 12th and we will be sailing on May 7th! All of your research and your reviews have been a Godsend for us! :D

[kwbound]

Just a quick question for you Donna, and Thank you so much for this review! You have helped us tremendously!

 

On Carnival cruises you can carry on a couple bottles of wine; is there anything like this on NCL? I drink Monavie every day and NEED to have it on the cruise! It looks like a bottle of wine, although it is only fruit juice! I don't want my luggage confiscated and have to go hunt it down!:eek: I was hoping to carry it on so they could see it wasn't actually wine!

 

We will have it packed in our luggage for the flight, but want to take it out before we board the ship!

 

We just found out we were going on this cruise on Feb 12th and we will be sailing on May 7th! All of your research and your reviews have been a Godsend for us! :D

 

 

If it is only fruit juice I don't see why there would be a problem carrying it on. We carried things on at almost every port - usually bottled waters or Red Bull and nothing was ever said.

 

I'm glad you found my review helpful. I hope you have a wonderful trip. I'm sure you will. Please post a review when you return.

 

Donna

[vbmom87]

Donna, could you please send me the water pages that you used in your book. The ones you said you took yourself?

 

mdomazatgmaildotcom

 

Thanks so much

[kwbound]

Donna, could you please send me the water pages that you used in your book. The ones you said you took yourself?

 

mdomazatgmaildotcom

 

Thanks so much

 

 

I'll do it right now. Can't wait to see your book!

 

Donna

[bensmom1]

I have so enjoyed your review! We'll be doing many of the same things on our 4/16 cruise. In fact, your rave reviews inspired me to book both the SeaQuest snorkel tour and the Blue Hawaiian Kauai tour ("you're in Hawaii, just do it!") So THANK YOU! :D

[yusi1906]

Hi Donna,

 

Thanks so much for such a wonderful review! Would you be so kind and send me an email to yusi954@aol.com? Have a question for you, thanks in advance!

[KirkNC]

Wow, great review!

 

Kirk

[kwbound]

I have so enjoyed your review! We'll be doing many of the same things on our 4/16 cruise. In fact, your rave reviews inspired me to book both the SeaQuest snorkel tour and the Blue Hawaiian Kauai tour ("you're in Hawaii, just do it!") So THANK YOU! :D

 

I don't think you can go wrong with either one of those excursions. Please post a trip review when you get back.

 

Donna

[Rina155]

Donna:

What an amazing review! We are going on the round trip from San Diego Oct. 2011, this will be my 2nd Hawaii Cruise and my BF's first.

 

I can't wait until I have a high speed connection to look at your photo book and am thinking I would like to try my hand at it with my previous Alaska cruise. Again thank you for a PERFECT review.

 

I second that you should be a travel writer!

[clearwatergirl]

Thank you for creating and publishing the best review I have ever read. This is an outstanding review with excellent pictures. We are going on the POA in July of 2011 and this review has been invaluable . Thanks

 

I'm in total agreement. Was sad to see it come to an end.

 

We will be sailing on the 6/25 cruise and we're just starting to plan. Your itineraries are invaluable to us at this point. Will copy and paste into a word doc so I can share with my Mom. We will be spending a week prior to cruise so we should get in all that we've listed thus far. Since we're traveling with a group of 23, not sure how we'll work car rentals on each island. May just be my Mom and me.....

 

And I plan on that heliocopter ride too....Thanks again! :D

[kwbound]

Donna:

What an amazing review! We are going on the round trip from San Diego Oct. 2011, this will be my 2nd Hawaii Cruise and my BF's first.

 

I can't wait until I have a high speed connection to look at your photo book and am thinking I would like to try my hand at it with my previous Alaska cruise. Again thank you for a PERFECT review.

 

I second that you should be a travel writer!

 

I'm in total agreement. Was sad to see it come to an end.

 

We will be sailing on the 6/25 cruise and we're just starting to plan. Your itineraries are invaluable to us at this point. Will copy and paste into a word doc so I can share with my Mom. We will be spending a week prior to cruise so we should get in all that we've listed thus far. Since we're traveling with a group of 23, not sure how we'll work car rentals on each island. May just be my Mom and me.....

 

And I plan on that heliocopter ride too....Thanks again! :D

 

 

Thank y'all for the kind words. I'm so glad my review was helpful. Y'all will have a wonderful time I'm sure.

 

Donna

[smrtypnts]

Did you find your Frankosmaps to be helpful even though you had Homer to guide you? Were they worth the "investment"?

[kwbound]

Did you find your Frankosmaps to be helpful even though you had Homer to guide you? Were they worth the "investment"?

 

 

I definitely felt they were worth the investment. They are more than just maps. They are loaded with tons of information, websites, phone #s, etc. So they provided info that Homer couldn't.

 

Donna

[cruisingmimi]

Hi Donna,

 

We are back from our Zaandam Hawaii cruise. Arrived home 3/15 at 1 am after a long day of flying. Our flights were good but you know how it goes w/ a plane change, etc.

 

We are still trying to recuperate from the jet lag. We live on the East coast so it's more difficult flying home w/ the jet lag.

 

We loved Hawaii and our port stops went too quickly. One day is certainly not enough time to take in all the beauty of Hawaii. Of course, we had a little excitement w/ the tsunami after we left Maui. Unbeknown to us, the Zaandam passed the tsumani at 4:30 am the morning it hit. We received the announcement at 8 am. Captain said that we were in the safest place at sea so were not in any danger. My husband and I slept right through it and I am a very light sleeper. We felt so sorry for all those people that were in harms way of the hurricane and the tsunami. Our family were sending texts because they heard about the tsunami b4 we did.

 

Our day visiting Pearl Harbor was a very moving and memorable one. The new Museum is very well presented w/ lots of exhibits, etc. to view. We felt that everything at Pearl Harbor was well done. Certainly, the most impressionable thing was visiting the Arizona Memorial. We left Pearl Harbor w/ different feelings than when we started. We also were taken on a city tour and visited Punchbowl Crater. Very moving there as well.

 

Hilo - we had arranged for a private tour guide to pick us up at the ship. We had a party of 8 and had a nice day in Hilo. The volcano erupted the day after we were there. Bummer - was hoping we'd see some activity.

 

Kauai - we did the bus tour to Waimea Canyon and viewed the Grand Canyon of the Pacific. It was cool and foggy when we reached the top but the fog did clear so we got some views. Also saw the Spouting Horn blowhole, etc.

 

Maui - our absolute favorite day! Weather was fairly decent. We took the 8 hr. bus tour to the Haleakala Crater upon the advice of a friend of ours and were very happy we did. The ride to the top was spectacular, scenery so beautiful and green. Of course, when we got to the top it was 30 deg., very chilly, windy and fog engulfed the crater! I just stood in the little visitor's center w/ my camera aimed at the crater, and the fog finally moved out of my way so I could get some pictures! It was so chilly we didn't walk the trails, etc. As we descended the mountain, the fog was less and less. Go figure. We also stopped at the Iao Valley State Park and walked around there. Beautiful vista, scenic, waterfalls, very green. We enjoyed seeing it.

 

All in all, our 4 days in Hawaii went all too quickly. As everyone who has been there knows, it is a place that you won't forget too quickly.

 

Thanks again for your wonderful review and your helpful hints. You can't possibly see and do it all in 4 days so that means you have to go back again. The Hawaiian people were so friendly and helpful also.

 

Take care everyone.

 

Mary

[kwbound]

Mary -

 

Sounds like you had a wonderful trip. And I agree, there is no way to see it all in one trip. We have decided to sacrifice some vacations for the next couple of years and take a longer Hawaiian vacation next time. I'd love to see some of your pictures if you can post them.

 

Donna

[cruisingmimi]

Will post some pics once I transfer them to my computer. If we go back to Hawaii, we have decided that we would have to fly there vs cruising. As much as we love our cruising, we found the 8 sea days to and from Hawaii to be very long. There were plenty of activities aboard the ship but you just want to get to Hawaii! Then of course, we had the company of the tsunami on the return trip.

 

Mary

[kwbound]

Will post some pics once I transfer them to my computer. If we go back to Hawaii, we have decided that we would have to fly there vs cruising. As much as we love our cruising, we found the 8 sea days to and from Hawaii to be very long. There were plenty of activities aboard the ship but you just want to get to Hawaii! Then of course, we had the company of the tsunami on the return trip.

 

Mary

 

 

I think when we go back, we will still do the POA but we will fly into Oahu on Wed and then get off the ship on Friday in Kauai and fly back from there on Mon. That would give us 3 nights on Oahu, 6 nights on the ship and 3 nights in Kauai (actually 4 but one would be on the ship). Of course that is assuming they will let us do that. That is what I would like to do though.

 

Donna

[Travelfor4]

Thank you so much for the wonderful review. It has been very helpful and I'm super excited about our trip coming up in May.

 

P.s. I am also a 'fluffy runner" and often wonder how that is possible:rolleyes: