Itinerary Help

[Geronamo79]

I will be honeymooning with my new wife in October and would like some advise on our itinerary. We hope to have a nice mix of relaxation with some adventure mixed in. We both enjoy snorkelling and beach days!

 

We plan to arrive in Honolulu on Oct 10th and spend 2 nights prior to boarding the NCL POA.

 

After the POA cruise we are going to fly to Maui and stay 5 nights at the Honua Kai.

 

Cruise Itinerary

 

Maui - Day 1

Rent a car - Road to Hana

 

Maui - Day 2

Rent a car - beaches and snorkelling

Question- Any advise what beach to hit up since we are staying on the west coast for 5 days after the cruise?

 

Hilo

Rent a car - Volcano National Park

Question - Since we are there the week after the iron man should we take an organized tour instead of trying to rent a car? What are the chances that they will run out of cars and not have one for us if we reserve?

 

Kona

Snorkel Excursion

Question - We are torn between the captain zodiac and the seaquest hawaii tours. I'm also a little wondering if we should book privately or through the ship. What are the odds that we would either not port or would be late to port and miss a private booking?

 

Kauai

Question This is where I'm really torn on what to do each day. We plan on taking a helicopter ride (probably Mauna Loa). What day should we do this? What should we do the other day? Rent a car and view the canyon, waterfalls and beaches?

 

As mentioned, we are staying 5 extra days in Maui. We will have a rental these days and plan on hitting up various beaches and snorkelling.

Questions Which locations would be the best in October? We also plan on doing a Luau (probably OLL). Any other major itinerary items missing?

 

Thanking you for your help in advance,

Jason

[Astro Flyer]

I will be honeymooning with my new wife in October and would like some advise on our itinerary. We hope to have a nice mix of relaxation with some adventure mixed in. We both enjoy snorkelling and beach days!

 

We plan to arrive in Honolulu on Oct 10th and spend 2 nights prior to boarding the NCL POA.

 

After the POA cruise we are going to fly to Maui and stay 5 nights at the Honua Kai.

 

Cruise Itinerary

 

Maui - Day 1

Rent a car - Road to Hana For me it's not so much Hana as the destination but is more about the stops along the scenic route. If you can make it to O'heo Gulch that area is nice but be cautious of flash floods if it's raining on Haleakala.

 

Maui - Day 2

Rent a car - beaches and snorkelling

Question- Any advise what beach to hit up since we are staying on the west coast for 5 days after the cruise? Since you'll be in West Maui post-cruise I'd suggest the beaches in front of the Wailea resort hotels or less developed beaches further south in the Makena area. If you continue south of Makena towards La Perouse Bay there are lava fields from eruptions in the 1700s.

 

Hilo

Rent a car - Volcano National Park

Question - Since we are there the week after the iron man should we take an organized tour instead of trying to rent a car? What are the chances that they will run out of cars and not have one for us if we reserve? I doubt if you'll have a problem renting a car in Hilo but would book it now.

 

Kona

Snorkel Excursion

Question - We are torn between the captain zodiac and the seaquest hawaii tours. I'm also a little wondering if we should book privately or through the ship. What are the odds that we would either not port or would be late to port and miss a private booking? If booking any independent excursion I make sure it's refundable particularly with any tender port.

 

Kauai

Question This is where I'm really torn on what to do each day. We plan on taking a helicopter ride (probably Mauna Loa). What day should we do this? What should we do the other day? Rent a car and view the canyon, waterfalls and beaches? Sounds like you have a great plan!

 

As mentioned, we are staying 5 extra days in Maui. We will have a rental these days and plan on hitting up various beaches and snorkelling.

Questions Which locations would be the best in October? We also plan on doing a Luau (probably OLL). Any other major itinerary items missing? October is a great month...still warm with less crowds. I agree with the experts that the OLL is the best luau anywhere in Hawaii. Since it's your honeymoon have you considered the Feast at Lele also located in Lahaina? It is also on the beach but has table service & entertainment during each course is from the same Polynesian culture as that course. The drinks are also better & the executive chef has adjacent restaurants with entrees that begin at about $35 & are highly rated. It's slightly more than the OLL but for a special occasion I think it's great.

 

Thanking you for your help in advance,

Jason

Hope some of this will be helpful for your honeymoon trip & having lived in Maui let me know if you have more questions...Aloha! :)

[Astro Flyer]

Geronamo79...since this was only your 3rd CC post just replying again to bump it up on the list just in case you're having problems locating it which isn't unusual particularly for someone who's new to CC. :)

[Ilovesailing]

For Kauai what we have done is heli tour morning of second day as it's only a stone throw away from the pier to airport. On first day rent a car and drive through the taro fields (amazing) on the way to the Town of Hanalei and then spend time at Hanalei bay just down the road, it's a beautiful beaches not crowded surrounded by mountains.

If you don't want to spend time at beach at least go to take some pics then go back the town of Princeville to the light house. This was such an amazing trip that we have done it three times.

[Michele M]

Our itinerary is very similar to yours, arriving in Oahu on Oct 10, doing the POA cruise on the 12th, and then a week on Maui. I rented a car at all ports and feel I got very good prices through hawaiidiscountcarrentals. We reserved OLL for during our week on Maui. If you decide on it, reserve now, for best seats. I am also planning to order Franco's maps as a way to get oriented as to where we will be driving before we go. Happy planning!!

[Astro Flyer]

Our itinerary is very similar to yours, arriving in Oahu on Oct 10, doing the POA cruise on the 12th, and then a week on Maui. I rented a car at all ports and feel I got very good prices through hawaiidiscountcarrentals. We reserved OLL for during our week on Maui. If you decide on it, reserve now, for best seats. I am also planning to order Franco's maps as a way to get oriented as to where we will be driving before we go. Happy planning!!

Have you considered the great "Revealed" guidebooks for each island including Maui Revealed?

 

They are very helpful & have excellent maps & directions and for about $13 through Amazon are a well worthwhile purchase. Some locals don't like these guidebooks because they 'reveal' less known locations but I'm respectful & cautious of conditions and I've experienced much more of Maui as both a visitor & a resident.

[sotiris]

We have done both luaus and I preferred the Feast. It might have been our seats (we were front row, almost centre), the fact we had our own table, and that we were served. The food was delicious and attractively presented.

 

I thought the OLL, which we went to a couple of years after we went to the Feast, was more family oriented, with lots to see and do before eating.

 

The setting for the Feast was absolutely gorgeous, with the setting sun behind the dancers. It was a truly wonderful, romantic evening.

 

BTW, as one of the other posters said, the earlier you book your tickets, the better your seat. I can't remember exactly, but I know I booked at least 6 months in advance. If you have some flexibility, check to see if there are better seats for other days. I know that's what I did for the OLL. The one day I thought would be busier actually had closer seats available.

[Astro Flyer]

We have done both luaus and I preferred the Feast. It might have been our seats (we were front row, almost centre), the fact we had our own table, and that we were served. The food was delicious and attractively presented.

 

I thought the OLL, which we went to a couple of years after we went to the Feast, was more family oriented, with lots to see and do before eating.

 

The setting for the Feast was absolutely gorgeous, with the setting sun behind the dancers. It was a truly wonderful, romantic evening.

 

BTW, as one of the other posters said, the earlier you book your tickets, the better your seat. I can't remember exactly, but I know I booked at least 6 months in advance. If you have some flexibility, check to see if there are better seats for other days. I know that's what I did for the OLL. The one day I thought would be busier actually had closer seats available.

I agree that the OLL is the best luau but that the Feast at Lele is exceptional & mo bettah! :D

 

Definitely book early for best seating for either one & like you we got a table for 2 directly in front of the oceanfront performance. Although being a smaller venue all of the Feast at Lele seats appeared to be good ones.

[cr8tiv1]

Have you considered the great "Revealed" guidebooks for each island including Maui Revealed?

 

They are very helpful & have excellent maps & directions and for about $13 through Amazon are a well worthwhile purchase. Some locals don't like these guidebooks because they 'reveal' less known locations but I'm respectful & cautious of conditions and I've experienced much more of Maui as both a visitor & a resident.

 

I have a copy of "Hawaii (the Big Island) Revealed" and never really read through it. Thought it was good guide book until I read selections in the "Maui Revealed" book this past Christmas. Use it as a starting point only. It seems as though it is not written by a local. There were a few minor, but important, errors in the book when it came to the cultural information. It is good for activities and places of interest.

 

When in Maui for your 5 days, If you have the time, it would be worth while to take the ferry over to Lanai for the day. Maybe even have tea at the Lodge at Koele. Also, if you are a history person, this would be a great opportunity for you to take a tour of Kalaupapa. A once in a life time event. Once these residents are gone, who knows what will happen to this area. I did this tour and highly recommend it to everyone who visits the islands.

 

http://www.HawaiiSaintTours.com/tour.html

 

Kauai - My kids did the kayaking down the Hanalei River (one of the few navigable rivers in Hawaii). They did come back sunburnt, so be prepared. Also, I have heard good things about Tubing the Ditch, but on your own (not with the ship).

 

Happy Marriage.

 

Renee (displaced local girl)

[Michele M]

Have you considered the great "Revealed" guidebooks for each island including Maui Revealed?

 

They are very helpful & have excellent maps & directions and for about $13 through Amazon are a well worthwhile purchase. Some locals don't like these guidebooks because they 'reveal' less known locations but I'm respectful & cautious of conditions and I've experienced much more of Maui as both a visitor & a resident.

Thanks, I have the Maui revealed and just started looking through it.

[Astro Flyer]

I have a copy of "Hawaii (the Big Island) Revealed" and never really read through it. Thought it was good guide book until I read selections in the "Maui Revealed" book this past Christmas. Use it as a starting point only. It seems as though it is not written by a local. There were a few minor, but important, errors in the book when it came to the cultural information. It is good for activities and places of interest.

I don't know if the authors were born in Hawaii but based on this statement they've been there a long time..."Best-selling author and longtime Hawai‘i resident, Andrew Doughty".

 

I think as a guidebook it is good for activities & places of interest but there are better books for a more accurate historical perspective. I enjoyed author Gavan Daws' Shoal of Time: A History of the Hawaiian Islands as a more accurate story of the history of Hawaii & read other books of his such as Holy Man: Father Damien of Moloka‘i. He has a Ph.D. in Pacific History from the University of Hawaii at Manoa & is well respected.

[Geronamo79]

October is a great month...still warm with less crowds. I agree with the experts that the OLL is the best luau anywhere in Hawaii. Since it's your honeymoon have you considered the Feast at Lele also located in Lahaina? It is also on the beach but has table service & entertainment during each course is from the same Polynesian culture as that course. The drinks are also better & the executive chef has adjacent restaurants with entrees that begin at about $35 & are highly rated. It's slightly more than the OLL but for a special occasion I think it's great.

 

We are leaning towards the Feast at Lele luau. My fiance does not eat seafood which could be a problem. Would they give her extra of the other dishes? How is the food served? Are there plates for each person or do they bring out a dish for each couple to share? Really like how you are served instead of buffet style and also think we would enjoy the fire dancing. One other question: As we will probably have a few drinks at the luau, what are the best options to get to and from our condo (honua kai). How much is a cab each way? are there any shuttles that we could use?

[jdblakeslee]

We are opting for the Feast rather than the luau...just sounds a little more like something we would enjoy and remember...

 

Also, be sure to check with your car rental agency about taking your rental car on the Road to Hana. Some agencies forbid it.

 

All your plans sound lovely. Hope it's a honeymoon to remember in every way!

 

Jennifer

[MalervyC]

Hi Jason - We were torn on what to do in Kauai also. Just last night we booked a 3 hour ATV tour with Kipu Tours. We reserved online and saved 10% and just had to pay a small deposit. We are going on our honeymoon also and my fiance doesn't just want to sit on a beach on every island. This is very out of my comfort zone, but completely in his!!! I'm sure it will be an experience we will not forget!

[sun_set00]

DH and I spent 8 days on Maui last May and had a great time. I highly recommended the road to Hana: watch out for rainbow trees, tons of waterfalls, great spots to pull over and see the ocean, O'heo Gulch with the 7 sacred pools (may be closed if there is flooding), a stop at the black sand beach (watch out for jellyfish, there were tons the day we were there). One day you should go to Haleakala, it has great views but is very cool and windy. DH and I loved the blue water rafting tour to the lava fields, sea caves, and the molokini crater (they take you to the back side the visibility is amazing). Just be cautious it is a very rough ride but great fun.

Kauai it has been 5.5 years since we honeymooned there but I loved the Blue dolphin charters Na Pali cost tour because the Na Pali coast is amazing and there are tons of dolphins that come up to the boat. Poipu beach is great and the canyon was also nice.

Have fun!

[Astro Flyer]

We are leaning towards the Feast at Lele luau.

 

My fiance does not eat seafood which could be a problem. Would they give her extra of the other dishes? You could call them to ask about it.

 

How is the food served? Are there plates for each person or do they bring out a dish for each couple to share? They serve the courses from each of the Polynesian cultures with courses brought on a serving plate with portions for two to share.

 

Really like how you are served instead of buffet style and also think we would enjoy the fire dancing. One other question: As we will probably have a few drinks at the luau, what are the best options to get to and from our condo (honua kai). How much is a cab each way? are there any shuttles that we could use?

The cab would be your best bet & based on this site would be about $12 each way: http://westmauitaxi.com/.

 

There is a shuttle but don't think it would work for you: http://thewharfcinemacenter.com/bus-schedule/

[Astro Flyer]

Geronamo79...if you search YouTube for Feast at Lele there are many videos and this is just one example. We reserved early and had one of those tables for two right in front of the performers. :)

 

http://youtu.be/WhNJMZ8LIcs

[Geronamo79]

Thanks for all the advice. We have decided on the feast a lele and made our reservation the other night....very exciting.

 

We are still torn on what day to do the helicopter tour in Kauai. We would ideally like to do it the 2nd day, leaving the whole first day open to exploring in our rental car but also think the highlight of our trip will be the helicopter ride. What are the odds of it being cancelled? Our other thought is to book it the first day giving us a second chance if it were to be cancelled, however this would limit the rest of our itinerary.

[Astro Flyer]

Thanks for all the advice. We have decided on the feast a lele and made our reservation the other night....very exciting.

 

We are still torn on what day to do the helicopter tour in Kauai. We would ideally like to do it the 2nd day, leaving the whole first day open to exploring in our rental car but also think the highlight of our trip will be the helicopter ride. What are the odds of it being cancelled? Our other thought is to book it the first day giving us a second chance if it were to be cancelled, however this would limit the rest of our itinerary.

To me that's a tough call but if it were me I'd choose the #1 thing that I didn't want to miss on the 1st day to have the next day as a backup.

 

I had a career flying helicopters however not in the Islands so I don't know how often they cancel flights. Helicopters are very maneuverable and can fly in conditions an airplane cannot.

 

For that reason I doubt if they would have to cancel often although weather could obscure your visibility of some of the things you want to see. I've read that Mt. Waialeale is the wettest spot in the world (450") so I don't know how many days it's clear on top of the mountain but there are plenty of other places filled with the beauty of Kauai.

 

Good luck with your plans & have a great honeymoon cruise in Hawaii! :)

[aub]

Having just returned from a 3 day stay in Honolulu and the POA cruise here is my 2 cents worth. Maui, do the flyin Hawaiian zip line. Not cheap but has the wow factor.

 

Stay away from the tours on the ship, busy and over priced.

 

As for Kauai we did the helicopter tour(Blue Hawaiian) on the first day and rented a car as well. (helicopter tour was 60 minutes overall time 2-3 hours. No car on the second day as the ship leaves early.

 

Having done that I would rent a car on the first day and explore. Do the canyon its fantastic. There are several small towns on the way or the way back that are great to explore. There are many waterfalls and other drives you could do. Return your car the next day, we used budget and was shuttled to and from the ship.

 

Important, book your helicopter tour for the first departure on the 2nd day. You will have plenty of time to get back to the ship. We felt that we lost the second day doing everything on the first day which was a little rushed. I think you would enjoy the helicopter tour more having seen some of it from the ground first.

[uncletr21]

Maui - Day 1

Rent a car - Road to Hana For me it's not so much Hana as the destination but is more about the stops along the scenic route. If you can make it to O'heo Gulch that area is nice but be cautious of flash floods if it's raining on Haleakala.

-------

I keep going back and forth in my mind about Road to Hana. If I just want to drive part of it but not all they way around, it there a fairly 'safe' section at the beginning?

What do you do about rental car co's prohibiting going on the road to Hana? Do they all prohibit it? I thought I read that and can't imagine driving where rental company forbids it.

[sail2sea]

I keep going back and forth in my mind about Road to Hana. If I just want to drive part of it but not all they way around, it there a fairly 'safe' section at the beginning?

 

Yes, the first half is very safe and well within the beat track. It's the other side (south side) of the volcano that's less traveled.

[Desert Cruizers]

We did the OLL during our 08 RT Hawaii so next year off our Transpacific, we will do the Drums of the Pacific and during the Hawaii cruise which will follow and return to Lahaina we will do the Feast of Lele.

[Astro Flyer]

Maui - Day 1

Rent a car - Road to Hana For me it's not so much Hana as the destination but is more about the stops along the scenic route. If you can make it to O'heo Gulch that area is nice but be cautious of flash floods if it's raining on Haleakala.

-------

I keep going back and forth in my mind about Road to Hana. If I just want to drive part of it but not all they way around, it there a fairly 'safe' section at the beginning?

What do you do about rental car co's prohibiting going on the road to Hana? Do they all prohibit it? I thought I read that and can't imagine driving where rental company forbids it.

I haven't seen a prohibition against driving the southern or northern ends of Maui in many years but check any contract to see if there is one.

 

The main portion of the road was nicely paved decades ago to Kipahulu by the little church where Charles Lindbergh is buried. Beyond there the road is still maintained but was a graded gravel road until closer to Ulapalakua with a lot of vibrations. It was interesting to see once but is a much more barren windswept section of Maui.

[brrrdog]

I'll chime in as somebody whose toiling over planning myself - my problem is that my trip is in a month.

 

As it is right now we're spending 3 days in Honalulu before boarding POA. If i could do it over again I'd add a day or two to the begining or end and hop to the big island for a couple of days. There are several unique experiences to have on the big island many of which are at night which is not conducive to the two separate ports of call on opposite sides of the island. We're going to go to the top of Mauna Key and do an observatory tour and visit the true summit. If I had more time i'd do this at night for either a guided or unguided tour for what's dubbed the "worlds best" stargazing.

 

To make more time I've just about commited to skipping the boarding in hilo (see my other post). And driving around to kona the following day. However, I won't be using my one night there for Mauna Key, but instead I think we're going to do the lava hike at Kalapana in the late afternoon - all the dramatic pictures of glowing lava are at night. That in mind, we'll probably also take a quick drive into VNP to see the glow of the lava lake before passing out from exaustion at a local B&B in Volcano. We'll then get up in the morning and do the rest of VNP before stopping at the near by black sand beach to hopefully see a glimpse of some sea turtles, and then beginning the drive north to Kona to return the rental car and finally get back on the ship.

 

Other points high on my list is Halakeala, both the summit for a sunrise or sunset and maybe a hike to see some of the out of this world landscape. If we have time to do a checkout dive, I'd also love to dive the Molokini crater but I think we might have to settle for snorkeling instead.

 

Take that for whatever it's worth. When we first planned this trip we thought the cruise would be a good idea to get a taste of each island without torturing ourselves with packing and travelling every couple of days. However, nobody told me that visiting each island is like opening a bag of Doritos - really hard to stop eating at just a taste.