Checking in from POA

[cruiseat50]

We will be on the POA next June so will be following this thread to get any helpful hints. Neither DH and I had ever been to Hawaii before but we actually just got back from Maui yesterday. I surprised DH with a last minute trip for his 60th bday.

 

I have two things that I will HIGHLY recommend doing in Maui. One is the aquarium at Ocean Center. I have never seen any aquarium so well done and beautiful before. The other is if you want to see a real luau and learn some history at the same time go to the one everyone recommends - The Old Lahaina Luau. We almost didn't get to see it because we are not good at scheduling we're more freestyle people. When we got to Maui on 7/25 I called to get a reservation and was told that they were booked up until 8/13. They did say that they do get cancellations so we asked to be put on a waitlist. The girl seemed a little surprised and said that they have never done that in the past but would try. It wasn't the best of seats as it was at the back but we could still see everything very well. The food was very good but the drinks are weak but VERY sweet but they are included in the price. Too sweet for me so I finally asked for a rum and coke (which I still think they added some guava or something sweet to it but at least it was drinkable).

[hill6]

I have two things that I will HIGHLY recommend doing in Maui. One is the aquarium at Ocean Center. I have never seen any aquarium so well done and beautiful before. The other is if you want to see a real luau and learn some history at the same time go to the one everyone recommends - The Old Lahaina Luau. We almost didn't get to see it because we are not good at scheduling we're more freestyle people. When we got to Maui on 7/25 I called to get a reservation and was told that they were booked up until 8/13. They did say that they do get cancellations so we asked to be put on a waitlist. The girl seemed a little surprised and said that they have never done that in the past but would try. It wasn't the best of seats as it was at the back but we could still see everything very well. The food was very good but the drinks are weak but VERY sweet but they are included in the price. Too sweet for me so I finally asked for a rum and coke (which I still think they added some guava or something sweet to it but at least it was drinkable).

 

Thanks for the drink info on the luau. I am the overplanner and by the time we make it to Hawaii it will be almost two years in the making. We had to cancel last year three days before going due to DH gallbladder and surgery. It got rescheduled for same week one year later. The luau has been reserved since Dec 2011.

[SharonK]

We have the Old Lahaina Luau booked, rental cars booked, and Blue Hawaiian Helicopter booked in Kauai! I love reading everyones posts and getting more ideas for our upcoming trip!

[hill6]

We have the Old Lahaina Luau booked, rental cars booked, and Blue Hawaiian Helicopter booked in Kauai! I love reading everyones posts and getting more ideas for our upcoming trip!

 

Sounds like you are all set too.

 

My only thing to figure out is what to do in Oahu that last two days of our trip.

 

We fly in Thursday afternoon (late). Friday we are doing north shore drive around. Saturday is Pearl Harbor and most likely USS Missouri then board POA.

 

We fly out 11 pm Sunday. Just need to figure out what we are doing Sat and Sun. Will do Missouri on Saturday if we don't go before the cruise.

 

Plus I need three dinner reservations for Oahu. Will do either Dukes or Hula Grill last night as we are staying at Outrigger Waikiki after the cruise. This way we eat before we go to the airport and it is right at hotel.

[hill6]

We have the Old Lahaina Luau booked, rental cars booked, and Blue Hawaiian Helicopter booked in Kauai! I love reading everyones posts and getting more ideas for our upcoming trip!

 

Here are links to some older reviews that are very good and I got alot of ideas from.

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1298051

 

http://moonprincess.com/travel/479/

[buckeyeinmd]

Here are links to some older reviews that are very good and I got alot of ideas from.

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1298051

 

http://moonprincess.com/travel/479/

 

Disembarking in an hour. Hope to post a review within the week.

 

Doug

[spacepotatoes]

I'd highly recommend driving up Haleakala while on Maui. It is incredible. Better if you can do it on your own in a rental car since it's something more enjoyable without a crowd, but there are lots of excursions that go up for sunrise/sunset/during the day. You can even bike down if you're into that. It's just a breathtakingly beautiful place.

[SharonK]

Here are links to some older reviews that are very good and I got alot of ideas from.

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1298051

 

http://moonprincess.com/travel/479/

Thanks for the links. I am still reading the first one and only halfway through--very detailed and well worth looking at. I wondered about Franko's Maps that she referred to???

[hill6]

Thanks for the links. I am still reading the first one and only halfway through--very detailed and well worth looking at. I wondered about Franko's Maps that she referred to???

 

I actually ordered them. (My trip is rescheduled from last November)

 

Do a search for them online. They are nice little maps that offer alot of detail about stops. They are not regular paper but a stronger material and they are great. I ordered the complete set for all the islands as we will have a car in every port but Kona (two ships tours that day - Fishing and Historic Kona). They are reasonably priced too.

[SharonK]

Sounds like you are all set too.

 

My only thing to figure out is what to do in Oahu that last two days of our trip.

 

We fly in Thursday afternoon (late). Friday we are doing north shore drive around. Saturday is Pearl Harbor and most likely USS Missouri then board POA.

 

We fly out 11 pm Sunday. Just need to figure out what we are doing Sat and Sun. Will do Missouri on Saturday if we don't go before the cruise.

 

Plus I need three dinner reservations for Oahu. Will do either Dukes or Hula Grill last night as we are staying at Outrigger Waikiki after the cruise. This way we eat before we go to the airport and it is right at hotel.

We are planning to do Diamond Head while in Oahu.

[willysgrandma]

How is the service and is the ship in good condition?