Hawaii by Land & Sea – POA Cruise 5-14-2011

[Raison]

That photo of Wailua waterfall is stunning, the different colours in the greenery and the waterfall, very nice!

[albertamom]

First of all...I have been quietly LOVING your review. We will be on the POA for our first cruise this December, and your beautiful pictures and in-depth reviews have me positively tingling with excitement!:D

 

I am very intrigued by Airventures Hawaii. Like you, I have stayed away from helicopter tours because of the price, and because my daughter would absolutely hate to be seated beside a stranger (which I assume could happen because of weight distribution). I am heading off to check on their website right now!

[Sunny AZ Girl]

Meeting with the Ship Officers

 

We returned to the ship on the now-running shuttle and watched our sail-away from Kauai from our balcony once again.

 

We had received the invitation from the officers for the end-of-the –cruise review in our cabin the night before. We were invited to attend at 3 PM, after sail away, but before the Napali Coast Sail-by. Once again there was a wonderful turn out by both the ship officers and the Cruise Critic group on the ship. The Captain led the proceedings and was clear that while he appreciated compliments, they benefitted more by hearing where improvements could be made. I am sure he was a bit disappointed as the comments made were overwhelmingly positive. A few concerns were expressed and addressed. I won’t go into a run down of everything discussed, but let me assure you that the officers on this ship are committed to making this ship provide the best vacation experience ever for every passenger on board.

 

 

I will share some plans for the future of this ship the Captain disclosed to us. He said that he had just seen some new plans for the ship at its next scheduled drydock that would convert the Deck 13 forward meeting rooms where we were at that time into suites. He also shared that the theater was scheduled for a makeover. It would be updated to be able to accommodate the larger production shows that have become standard on other cruise ships. I hope that doesn’t diminish the quality of the entertainers on board right now, but I will be happy to evaluate the changes in person once they happen!

 

As we finished the meeting we stepped out on the open deck. We could hear music from below. The ship was alive with the easy atmosphere of being at sea we love so well.

[Sunny AZ Girl]

The Napali Coast

 

Out on the pool deck the party was on! The beautiful weather had brought out many people on this port intensive cruise to finally have some time to enjoy the amenities of the ship. Toby Beau was playing a tribute to Jimmy Buffet at poolside and people seemed to really be enjoying themselves as they danced and started a Conga Line.

 

We watched the activities for awhile and then headed to our cabin. We wanted to experience the sail-by from our aft balcony, relaxing on a deck chair instead of standing at the rail with the crowds. This way we did miss the narration on the deck, but we loved the private show that unfolded in front of our eyes. I was afraid the aft balcony would not give a good, direct view, but I need not have worried. It was magnificent.

 

Soon the coast came into view. It is so beautiful and we were fortunate that the weather was perfect, I will let the pictures speak for themselves.

 

 

 

And here is my version of “The Man in the Napali Coast”!

 

That evening we had a delightful dinner once again at the Liberty Dining Room & attended the Farewell Show and packed our bags to put out for pick up by midnight. It is always a sad time for me. There is so much excitement when we board the ship and the time goes by so quickly. But the vacation is not yet over for us. We will have one more night in Waikiki and we plan to make the most of it!

 

Here are the rest of our Kauai Day 2 pictures.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

Day 7 “Front Page Highlights”

 

Magic Class with John Shryock – 2:00 PM

Final Hula & Tahitian Class – 3:00 PM

Jimmy Buffet Tribute with Toby Beau – 4:00 PM

Stevie Wonder Tribute with Dave Compton - 8:15 PM

Karaoke Stars Competition Part 2 – 9:15 PM

The Second City “Late Night” – 10:30 PM

Showtime Tonight: Farewell Variety Show – 7:00 PM & 9:00 PM

Kanikapila & Hula Graduation – 8:15 PM

[ohsoblessed]

Ginny,

 

Your review and pictures are amazing!!!

 

Trying to plan our Dec trip at times has seemed overwhelming to me. Your review has been very helpful. I now know some of the things we want to do. Again I want to thank you so much for adding mobility information.

 

I have contacted Ricky and will probably go with his tour in Hilo.

 

I do have a few questions for you. Air Ventures Hawaii sounds just what we are looking for. I was wondering since you have to walk to Anchor Cove Mall if there is taxi service that can take us to that mall from the pier POA will be docking at?

 

I am also interested in the Roberts Wailua River & Fern Grotto tour with maybe the Smith Family Luau added. When I went to Roberts website I didn't see this option. Did you have to call them and ask about adding these two tours together?

 

Do you think we would have time to do both Air Ventures and Roberts our first day in Kauai? I was thinking maybe if this is possible we would have our second day to stay on POA and enjoy the ship.

 

TIA,

 

Sheila

[ohsoblessed]

Forgot to ask you how far in advance did you make your reservations? We are just under 6 months before we leave. I was also wondering if all these tour companies offer a good cancellation policy? Gosh, maybe I should just pick up the phone and call them.

[doxie2cruise]

I love your review so far. We are going Dec. 17,2011. I have found your plans very helpful as I'm now starting to make plans for our cruise. I too am a fluffy plus gal. I'm checking into Air ventures for us also. I've seen on CC that alot of people rent and drive cars. Would you recomend this also as you stated that you had done this? Was it easy traffic for driving in? Thanks again for your wonderful review. Doxie:)

[Sunny AZ Girl]

Ginny, Thanks so much for your detailed review of Kauai by air. I thought we would take the helicopter tour for our trip in December, but after reading and seeing your review, I think the small plane is better - safety and cost wise. Thanks again for your great review of POA and your excursions.

Mahalo. I sure you will have a great time! AirVentures was very professional to deal with.

 

That photo of Wailua waterfall is stunning, the different colours in the greenery and the waterfall, very nice!

Coming from you, after your terrific review, that is very flattering. Mahalo!

 

First of all...I have been quietly LOVING your review. We will be on the POA for our first cruise this December, and your beautiful pictures and in-depth reviews have me positively tingling with excitement!:D

 

I am very intrigued by Airventures Hawaii. Like you, I have stayed away from helicopter tours because of the price, and because my daughter would absolutely hate to be seated beside a stranger (which I assume could happen because of weight distribution). I am heading off to check on their website right now!

AirVentures worked out well for us. One of the nice thing about the flight seeing in a plane versus a helicopter is that every passenger does have a window seat. Since I love to photograph being stuck in the middle would not have worked at all for me.

[Sunny AZ Girl]

Ginny,

 

Your review and pictures are amazing!!!

 

Trying to plan our Dec trip at times has seemed overwhelming to me. Your review has been very helpful. I now know some of the things we want to do. Again I want to thank you so much for adding mobility information.

 

I have contacted Ricky and will probably go with his tour in Hilo.

 

I do have a few questions for you. Air Ventures Hawaii sounds just what we are looking for. I was wondering since you have to walk to Anchor Cove Mall if there is taxi service that can take us to that mall from the pier POA will be docking at?

I would consider booking a little later tour, one with the pick up after 8:00 AM as I was told that is when the shuttles begin to run to Anchor Cove. I wish we would have done that. AirVentures seemed to think the shuttle would be running for the early flight, but it was not.

 

I am also interested in the Roberts Wailua River & Fern Grotto tour with maybe the Smith Family Luau added. When I went to Roberts website I didn't see this option. Did you have to call them and ask about adding these two tours together?

It did not show up on the regular website until our actual cruise date excursions were available. Once they became available the combination tour showed up at the top of the options for our cruise date.

 

Do you think we would have time to do both Air Ventures and Roberts our first day in Kauai? I was thinking maybe if this is possible we would have our second day to stay on POA and enjoy the ship.

I would think so, if you do one the morning flights. I would choose possible a 10:00 - 11:00 flight at the latest, depending on when they have availability. The flight itself is an hour. That would give you time to return to the ship and have lunch before the 2:30 pick up for the River Tour/Luau Combination Tour. Also, the shuttles are running on Day 1 as soon as the ship docks.

 

TIA,

 

Sheila

I hope that helps!:)

 

 

Forgot to ask you how far in advance did you make your reservations? We are just under 6 months before we leave. I was also wondering if all these tour companies offer a good cancellation policy? Gosh, maybe I should just pick up the phone and call them.

I usually make reservations quite early, but this was pretty last minute for us. We booked it in March for our May 14 sailing and had the choice of several times to go. Different times of the year may be busier.

 

I love your review so far. We are going Dec. 17,2011. I have found your plans very helpful as I'm now starting to make plans for our cruise. I too am a fluffy plus gal. I'm checking into Air ventures for us also. I've seen on CC that alot of people rent and drive cars. Would you recomend this also as you stated that you had done this? Was it easy traffic for driving in? Thanks again for your wonderful review. Doxie:)

Driving was very easy where we did it. The only exception was in Honolulu/Waikiki. We rented a car there since we were staying on the North Shore and once out of the Honolulu traffic it was a breeze. I would not rent a car if your plans are to stay in the Waikiki & Honolulu areas. The next part of my review will go into how we got around in Waikiki a little better. Everywhere else you are fine. We rented cars based on what we wanted to do on each island.

[ohsoblessed]

Yes Ginny you are a big help. Thanks so much!!

 

Just wondering if you and your family are safe and out of harms way with all I am seeing about fires in Arizona. My heart and prayers go out to everyone. We live in Alabama and know how bad Mother Nature can be at times.

 

Please stay safe...Sheila

[AZ Karaoke Girl]

Yes Ginny you are a big help. Thanks so much!!

 

Just wondering if you and your family are safe and out of harms way with all I am seeing about fires in Arizona. My heart and prayers go out to everyone. We live in Alabama and know how bad Mother Nature can be at times.

 

Please stay safe...Sheila

 

Sheila: Not sure when Ginny can post but I assure you that she is okay. The fires are not near her area or mine but they do have a big impact on our state and places that we all hold dear to our heart. I understand we just lost Greer which is a little town filled with log cabins that I stay in when I ski at Sunrise in the east and is heading toward my brothers property which is about 20 miles from Springerville. They have evacuation orders for Springerville & Eager now which is horrible. I also believe my church retreat was lost on the fire in southwest AZ. Thanks for thinking of us.

[clearwatergirl]

Ginny,

Thank you so much for such a wonderful review. My family and I will be leaving soon to spend a week pre cruise in Honolulu then the cruise leaving 6/25.

 

It was suggested on our roll call to contact NCL for a meet and greet after reading your review. Hope it works out.

 

We finally decided against renting a car in honolulu due to traffic, gas prices and parking. We arranged 2 tours. Circle Island through E Noa and PCC through Roberts. We will be using theBus the rest of the week to see Pearl, Bishop Museum and Diamond Head.

 

We rented a car on Maui as this seemed the best way to get around independently. We're sticking to the drive to Lahaina and north on the first day, Ioa Needle the second. RTH will have to wait for another trip.

 

We're touring with Robert's on Kaui to Waimea Canyon and Fern Grotto. It's an all day tour with several stops. We felt it wasn't fair to the driver if we rented a car. Second day will be beach day.

 

Like most, we will be visiting VNP in Hilo. We're rented 3 vans as there are 21 in the group. This was the least expensive way to tour this area.

 

Kona will be our slower day. Plan on utilizing the trolley and spending a couple of hours on the beach.

 

So, there it is. A 2 week vacation that's taken over 6 months of research. CC has been a tremendous help with planning. Your review was a great read especially so close to our departure.

 

Mahalo :D

[ohsoblessed]

Sheila: Not sure when Ginny can post but I assure you that she is okay. The fires are not near her area or mine but they do have a big impact on our state and places that we all hold dear to our heart. I understand we just lost Greer which is a little town filled with log cabins that I stay in when I ski at Sunrise in the east and is heading toward my brothers property which is about 20 miles from Springerville. They have evacuation orders for Springerville & Eager now which is horrible. I also believe my church retreat was lost on the fire in southwest AZ. Thanks for thinking of us.

 

Lisa, so glad to know you two are ok. This is so sad to know this fire continues to rage out of control. My prayers are with all of you.

 

Sheila

[sue402001]

The Napali Coast

And here is my version of “The Man in the Napali Coast”!

 

Love it Ginny!, I think you win the prize!! :)

[rascalrider]

Ginny, just finished reading your review and loved every minute of it. Your descriptive style of writing is very engaging.

 

I also appreciated having mobility issues addressed. My mobility problem is a little more unique than yours since I use mobility scooter, but perhaps you can answer a question for me. Would I be able to get a small scooter on the flat bottom boat that went to fern grotto? Also, I think you mentioned some steps between the boat and the grotto. About how many and how high are they? Roberts Tours description did not mention anything about a walk beween the boat and the grotto. I emailed the Smith Family about the accessibility of their boat and have not received an answer.

 

I will be visiting the Hawaiian ports in December and again in January, but on HAL and Princess ships...no flying and lots of sea days. I will have two days in each port, only separated by a couple of weeks.

 

One more question...when you walked from Nawiliwili port to excursion pick-up point, what route did you take and about how many miles did you walk? All I remember about that port is the Marriott Resort being fairly close and a Wal-Mart about 2.5 - 3 miles up the hill.

[AZ Karaoke Girl]

I personally doubt that your scooter can go on the boats. The scooter is too heavy to board and can't do steps as Ginny described. Just like tenders won't allow you to tender. If you had a standard wheelchair & able to walk a few steps & perhaps up a step or two, that is a different story. I haven't done the tour that Ginny did but I have a good friend that uses his scooter when he cruises (has one leg) and he can't even get on a tender boat to enjoy Cabo.

 

As for the distance to Anchor Cove shopping center it isn't really any further than the Marriott. It's less than a mile. Probably a 10 minute walk if I was to guess. Its been a couple years since I did it & my memory isn't perfect but thats my guess unless someone else can correct me.

[Sunny AZ Girl]

Yes Ginny you are a big help. Thanks so much!!

 

Just wondering if you and your family are safe and out of harms way with all I am seeing about fires in Arizona. My heart and prayers go out to everyone. We live in Alabama and know how bad Mother Nature can be at times.

 

Please stay safe...Sheila

Thank you for your concern. As Lisa said, we are out of harms way where we live, at least for now. It is an annual event here, almost a season in itself. After fire season we have the monsoon season, which we hope will soon come to put the fires out!

 

Sheila: Not sure when Ginny can post but I assure you that she is okay. The fires are not near her area or mine but they do have a big impact on our state and places that we all hold dear to our heart. I understand we just lost Greer which is a little town filled with log cabins that I stay in when I ski at Sunrise in the east and is heading toward my brothers property which is about 20 miles from Springerville. They have evacuation orders for Springerville & Eager now which is horrible. I also believe my church retreat was lost on the fire in southwest AZ. Thanks for thinking of us.

I always hate these fires. So many acres of natural beauty is destroyed. Coming home from work tonight I noticed our sunset was spectacular. I am sure that was due in part to all the smoke in the atmosphere.

 

Ginny,

Thank you so much for such a wonderful review. My family and I will be leaving soon to spend a week pre cruise in Honolulu then the cruise leaving 6/25.

 

It was suggested on our roll call to contact NCL for a meet and greet after reading your review. Hope it works out.

 

We finally decided against renting a car in honolulu due to traffic, gas prices and parking. We arranged 2 tours. Circle Island through E Noa and PCC through Roberts. We will be using theBus the rest of the week to see Pearl, Bishop Museum and Diamond Head.

 

We rented a car on Maui as this seemed the best way to get around independently. We're sticking to the drive to Lahaina and north on the first day, Ioa Needle the second. RTH will have to wait for another trip.

 

We're touring with Robert's on Kaui to Waimea Canyon and Fern Grotto. It's an all day tour with several stops. We felt it wasn't fair to the driver if we rented a car. Second day will be beach day.

 

Like most, we will be visiting VNP in Hilo. We're rented 3 vans as there are 21 in the group. This was the least expensive way to tour this area.

 

Kona will be our slower day. Plan on utilizing the trolley and spending a couple of hours on the beach.

 

So, there it is. A 2 week vacation that's taken over 6 months of research. CC has been a tremendous help with planning. Your review was a great read especially so close to our departure.

 

Mahalo :D

It sounds as if you have made a wonderful plan! You will have a wonderful time. I like the idea of spending that Day 2 in Kauai on the beach. When we go back (and we will go back) we will probably do the same.

 

The most important thing is to take what you can use from my review and the reviews of many others and create what will work best for you. It sounds as if you have done that perfectly.

 

Mahalo for your nice comments.

[Sunny AZ Girl]

The Napali Coast

And here is my version of “The Man in the Napali Coast”!

 

Love it Ginny!, I think you win the prize!! :)

Oh no! I didn't catch the dog.:D There are lots of other contestants coming up before the contest is over.

 

Ginny, just finished reading your review and loved every minute of it. Your descriptive style of writing is very engaging.

 

I also appreciated having mobility issues addressed. My mobility problem is a little more unique than yours since I use mobility scooter, but perhaps you can answer a question for me. Would I be able to get a small scooter on the flat bottom boat that went to fern grotto? Also, I think you mentioned some steps between the boat and the grotto. About how many and how high are they? Roberts Tours description did not mention anything about a walk beween the boat and the grotto. I emailed the Smith Family about the accessibility of their boat and have not received an answer.

 

I will be visiting the Hawaiian ports in December and again in January, but on HAL and Princess ships...no flying and lots of sea days. I will have two days in each port, only separated by a couple of weeks.

 

One more question...when you walked from Nawiliwili port to excursion pick-up point, what route did you take and about how many miles did you walk? All I remember about that port is the Marriott Resort being fairly close and a Wal-Mart about 2.5 - 3 miles up the hill.

I think that the Smith Family can give you a more accurate answer, but I agree with Lisa. I do not see how the scooter can work on the boat. I am sure we had a couple of steps and the aisles are narrow. There was a walk to the Fern Grotto and I do not believe it would be accessible for the scooter. It was at least a city block each direction. I found a good video on Princess's excursions that shows the steps both on the boat and at the Fern Grotto. It is listed as moderate activity. I hope that helps.

 

I do not know the exact distance to the Anchor Cove Mall, but perhaps 6 blocks.

[Sunny AZ Girl]

Back in Oahu – Honolulu & Waikiki, the Final Chapter

 

As we awoke the following morning the ship was slowly pulling back into the harbor in Honolulu. Being in the aft we could only see where we had been from our balcony door, not where we were going. However the Pride of America, like many ships, has a channel on the television that features the bow camera. This allows us to have a “window” up front. It is the best of both worlds. Usually some kind of music is playing on the channel and we often have the volume turned off or down. Those of you with inside cabins may enjoy keeping this channel on so you can also “see” where the ship is without having to run out to the main deck. We could see Honolulu ahead and we knew our cruise was almost over.

 

One thing I liked about NCL versus other lines I have cruised is that you do not get the feeling that you have to hurry off the ship in record time so they can begin to embark the next set of passengers. Yes, you should be off the ship by 9 AM, but the feeling of pressure seems to be less. We usually feel as if the ship’s personnel are saying that they are done with us, now get off! Not so here. We were able to choose our own disembarkation time which was very nice. We had a leisurely breakfast in the Aloha Buffet. We actually ate in the Gold Rush Saloon which is adjacent to the buffet and never seems to be crowded. We enjoyed chatting with some of the other Cruise Critic members who sat by us as we had breakfast. It is so nice to make new friends on a cruise.

 

Bob and Cindy were leaving today to go back home, so we said good-by to them before breakfast. They had a ship tour to Pearl Harbor to see the Arizona Memorial. The tour would allow them to keep their bags on the bus while they toured. After their visit to the Arizona Memorial and a short tour of Honolulu they would be dropped off at the airport in time for their flight. I have done this type of tour before when I had a flight the same day the cruise ended and this is one of the times I would highly recommend a ship’s tour. The convenience is worth the slightly higher cost of doing something similar on your own. Plus, you have something to look forward to upon disembarking. It is like a little bonus at the end of the cruise. There were several tours from which to choose depending on your flight time. Unfortunately, they had to take the shorter option which only visited the Arizona. They would have liked to have seen more Pearl Harbor sights, but their flight was too early.

 

Our color was called at 8:45. We finished our breakfast and conversation, bid goodbye to our new friends and went to Deck 5 to leave the ship. Here is where I discovered I had made a novice’s mistake. Remember those bags we set out the night before? As always, I had undressed, put my dirty clothes in one of our checked bags, put on my pajamas and then Steve put the bags outside the door. Yes, I left my next day’s clothes out to so I would not have to wear a ship’s robe into Honolulu (the standard CD’s joke, actually not heard on this cruise) but I HAD packed my cruise card in the checked bag, still safely tucked into a pocket of the capris I had worn the day before. Knowing I had to use that card to disembark I went to the purser’s desk & offered to stay on board for another cruise since I apparently could not leave. He mentioned they had an opening for a dishwasher. Since I do not like to do dishes at home I reluctantly agreed to let him make me a new card. Soon we joined the fast moving line to the door and stepped off the ship.

 

What a difference not going through customs and immigration makes! We found our bags quickly and went out to find a cab to take us to our hotel in Waikiki. I had not made prior arrangements for the transport as we did not know what time we would be leaving. We did not have a set schedule and when that happens, we like to take our time. There are shuttle services that are very affordable, but we did not want to spend our remaining time in Hawaii on a long bus ride as the shuttles stop as various hotels on their route. So the $38 cab ride plus tip was worth the extra expense to us. Our destination was the Outrigger on the Beach in Waikiki.

 

There were plenty of cabs available at the cruise port. Our friendly driver delivered us to the Outrigger in a timely manner, where we were greeted by a bellhop. Since it was early and our room would more than likely not be ready he assured us that our bags would be kept in a monitored, secure area until we called for them. We went to the desk to check into our Partial Ocean-View room and we were offered a Full Ocean-View room for a “today only special upgrade of only $55”. The special was shown to us on a well-worn laminated card the check-in clerk pulled out from his top desk drawer. That room would be ready immediately while we would have to wait until 3 PM for our reserved Partial-Ocean View room. Since our bags were safely stored and we had plans to visit the historic district of Honolulu we declined. Perhaps if I had wanted to immediately change into my bathing suit and hit the beach I would have accepted the offer. However, I felt it was a cheap and obviously often used ploy for an otherwise classy establishment.

 

The lobby area of the Outrigger is tastefully decorated and I was excited to see all the things I had been reading about for over a year. On the lobby level is the Hula Grill where we would have breakfast the next morning and on the lower level is Duke’s Canoe Club, where we had reservations for dinner that evening.

 

 

We stepped onto the famous Waikiki Beach and into a world a million miles away from the hustle & bustle on the street side of the hotel. I was not expecting Waikiki Beach to be as stunning as it was. Already there were many people in the surf and on the sand enjoying the morning sun. It was an inviting and fun atmosphere, but we had places to go this morning. We would return to the beach later in the day.

 

[Sunny AZ Girl]

Iolani Palace & Historic Honolulu

 

The traffic in Honolulu lives up to its reputation. Traffic is bumper to bumper, the expressway delays are legendary and the one way streets will keep anyone unfamiliar with the city layout in a constant state of confusion. It seemed that without the beach we could have been in any other large city. Differences from my experiences in other cities soon became apparent, though. For one thing, drivers were polite. They actually stopped for pedestrians in cross walks and were not concerned about getting from one place to another in record time. For another thing, public transportation seemed to be actually safe. When it was suggested to me that we take a city bus to the downtown district from Waikiki I was stunned. The city bus? I had not been on a city bus since I was in junior high school, and that was in my home town where I was familiar with where I was going, where to get off and in a seemingly safer time of history. However, so many people were singing the praises of TheBus in Honolulu that I decide to investigate further. We did not want to spend $38 on another cab to go to the Iolani Palace. That was fine with luggage, but now we were unencumbered and feeling a little adventurous. So, I went back to my trusty Google Maps. From the Google Maps sight I went to the “My Maps” selection. From there I put in Honolulu, where I was coming from and where I wanted to go. My confidence was increased when I saw that there is a public transportation option, showing us where to catch the bus, what bus to take and where to get off. So, map in hand we headed out.

 

The map stated that the “B” bus was the one we wanted to take. Ever a skeptic, I confirmed this with the hotel excursion desk. So far, so good. The bus stop was easy to find on Kuhio Ave., the one way street heading toward downtown Honolulu and about a block from the hotel. We walked through the International Marketplace which was directly across the street. Steve was sidetracked by, you guessed it, the Hawaiian shirts on sale at many of the shops and we resolved to stop back here later. Finally we made it to the other side of the market and to the bus stop. The B bus runs regularly between Waikiki and downtown. There are several buses that would have taken us there, but the B bus was more direct. Once onboard we saw the lighted sign at the front of the bus announced every stop and the attractions that were nearby. A very nice local man who was on his way to Chinatown chatted with us and also pointed out our stop. It was easy. The cost of a one-way ticket was $2.50 per person (exact change). A free transfer was included with our tickets. The driver on the return trip accepted our transfers, although I am sure they were expired by then. So, for $5 the two of us had a nice self directed tour.

 

Our main destination was the Iolani Palace. We love historic places and the palace intrigued us. We arrived just in time to join a docent tour. We were not sure what would be available for tours when we arrived. As it turned out, docent tours were the only way to see the palace that day. We paid $20 per person for the tour and it was worth every cent. The docent was very knowledgeable and made the history of the Palace and Hawaii come alive. We restored an old house when we lived in North Central Illinois that was built about the same time as the palace, doing much of the work ourselves. Steve was enthralled by the craftmanship. He inspected every hinge and thoroughly enjoyed himself. The docents are very protective of the furniture and woodwork, as they should be. We wore booties and could only sit on designated benches. No photographs are allowed inside, so you will have to go and see it for yourself! The exterior and grounds are stunning, though.

 

 

 

Across the street from the palace is the King Kamehameha Statue, standing in front of the Judiciary Building. Every time Hawaii Five-O came on television for the year prior to our trip Steve asked if he would get to see that statue, so we had to include it in our itinerary.

 

There are many other things to see in the historic district, but we had accomplished our goal to see and tour the palace and were ready to head back. We found our return bus stop across from the historic Kawaiahao Church, the oldest church in Hawaii and where a pew is still reserved for descendants of the Royal Family.

 

TheBus returned us to the front door of the Outrigger Waikiki. It was lunch time so we decided to go back to the International Market for lunch and shopping.

 

Here we found the perfect gifts for a couple of the people still on our shopping list and enjoyed the friendly bartering that set the real prices on most of the wares on display.

[Sunny AZ Girl]

Our Last Evening in Hawaii

 

By 3 PM we were done shopping and ready to see our room at the Outrigger Waikiki on the Beach. Our room on the 15th floor was ready. We were pleased by the spacious and well decorated room. Everything was in good repair and clean. It was a relaxing atmosphere.

 

While the room was a bit larger than the one we had at Turtle Bay, the lanai was smaller. We did have a partial ocean view, but it was only visible from the very edge of the lanai. This would have been disappointing had we chosen to stay here longer, but we had chosen the Outrigger mainly for its location to the places we wanted to go and convenience to transportation for our short one night stay.

 

Upon opening the door to the lanai I was listening for the same sound of the surf crashing on the shore that had greeted us at Turtle Bay. But alas, the sounds of the city covered any evidence of being at the shore.

 

Our luggage arrived to our room immediately. We settle in and headed back downstairs to enjoy the late afternoon on the beach.

 

 

We had dinner reservations at Duke’s Canoe Club. Arriving at the restaurant we found our Cruise Critic friends Burke and Kate were also there with reservations at the same time. We quickly changed our reservations to a table for four and had a nice dinner relaxing with friends once again. The restaurant had a beach side table for us. We watched the Pride of America sail past with a whole new group of passengers bound for a week of adventure & romance. Raising our glasses we toasted the ship that had given us our own week of wonderful memories.

[Sunny AZ Girl]

Our Final Aloha.....For Now

 

Sunday morning in Waikiki began quietly. The streets had been freshly washed with an early morning shower and a sense of peace was in stark contrast to the busy festivities of the night before. With a tug of sadness tempered with the excitement of the past 11 days we got ready to have breakfast in the Hula Grill in the lobby level of the hotel. Macadamia & Coconut Banana Pancakes with coconut syrup were on the menu. We each ordered one kind. This should have been another split meal. We each could only each half of the abundant order, but so, so good.

 

We had just a few hours before we had to leave and we wanted to press the magical sights & sounds of Hawaii deep into our memories. There was one thing I still wanted the see – the Duke Kahanamoku Statue a couple blocks up the beach from the hotel. We decided to take a morning walk to work off those pancakes. We found the statue commemorating the famous surfer and Olympic Champion in a beach park filled with people of all ages.

 

Unlike the streets this morning the beach was hopping. There was a surfing competition in progress. The waves were the largest we have seen so far and the surfing talent was skilled. Families, young singles and older adults had come down to the beach to enjoy the activities. It was a fun way to end a wonderful week.

 

 

After returning to the hotel we collected our things and went to meet the airport shuttle arranged through the hotel’s excursion desk the day before. And so we bid Hawaii Aloha, confident that, God willing, we will once again hear the music of the surf on the white sands and blue seas that are Hawaii.

[rascalrider]

I think that the Smith Family can give you a more accurate answer, but I agree with Lisa. I do not see how the scooter can work on the boat. I am sure we had a couple of steps and the aisles are narrow. There was a walk to the Fern Grotto and I do not believe it would be accessible for the scooter. It was at least a city block each direction. I found a good video on Princess's excursions that shows the steps both on the boat and at the Fern Grotto. It is listed as moderate activity. I hope that helps.

 

I do not know the exact distance to the Anchor Cove Mall, but perhaps 6 blocks.

 

Thanks, Ginny and Lisa, the video showed me what I needed to know. After seeing the steps into the boat and again up to the path to the grotto, I will abandon that idea! However, my scooter has been on a lot of tenders and I plan to have it on a lot more. The secret is that I use a small, light weight travel scooter. NCL's criteria is scooter must be under 100# and I need to enter tender on my feet...but the crew helps me. If the water is too choppy, I might be denied.

 

I will keep looking for something new to do in Kuai. Might ask the pilot at Air Venture if he can get help me into his plane. That would be a new experience!

 

I am relieved that you are not in the path of the fire. I pray that your relatives homes are spared, too. Mother Nature has been very cruel with fires, floods, earthquakes and tornados.

[stki]

Gidday to Ginny & Lisa,

 

Remember the Aussie group from the Mariner last May?:)

8 of us are doing Hawaii this Sept. NCL cruise & 7 days in Waikiki.

 

It has been so great reading your review, lots of great info.

 

Kevin & I have just returned from a wonderful trip to Alaska & the Canadian Rockies, & now I have to start planning for Hawaii. Would you mind if I emailed you directly. My email is tmullock@optusnet.com.au

 

Cheers

 

Tanya

[FunCruiser56]

I enjoyed your trip alot! Thanks so much for taking all the time to post it and also for the wonderful pictures.

My Dad was in the Air Force and we were stationed in Hawaii for 2 years in 62-63 I remember wide open beaches and and wonderful time! Alot has changed over the years but I have been looking forward to returning for a long time. Our cruise is almost 2 years away and I am reading all I can to make the most of the trip. I will save your report for more reading when our trip gets closer.

Thanks again and I hope you can return to wonderful Hawaii again sometime.

 

Bev