Aloha~! A Photo Trip Report of the POA - 10/11/14

[Miicah]

 

 

We should've tied something to our lanai so we could tell which one was ours, haha.

 

 

After that we wanted to check out that canal from before, so we headed north. It’s really beautiful here, and it’s nice, breezy and shaded, so it’s an awesome place to just come and relax and cool off. There are quite a bit of local residential buildings by the canal.

 

 

 

[Miicah]

 

 

 

 

 

[Miicah]

 

 

 

This was the first hotel ever built in Waikiki.

 

 

 

[Miicah]

 

 

Ron was telling us how Bruno Mars got his start playing music in front of this Victoria’s Secret, and if you walk around this street throughout the day you can find a lot of artists trying to get their start, too. Oddly enough, this store was the first place I was carded at on this trip. Yes, you read that right—I got carded at Victoria’s Secret. Like, who does that? I know I have a baby face, but c’mon! I wasn’t even trying to buy liquor, haha.

 

 

For dinner we headed to IHOP! Did I mention we loved IHOP and wanted to get as much of it in? Haha. My mom decided to get pancakes while I ordered from their dinner menu.

 

 

 

 

And that’s it for this long, action-packed day! The next day coming soon!

[hannibal54]

I know that it takes a lot of work to do a review especially with all of your pictures. Just wanted you to know that I would be interested in reading what ever you have on the rest of your trip. Thanks for everything so far.

[Miicah]

I know that it takes a lot of work to do a review especially with all of your pictures. Just wanted you to know that I would be interested in reading what ever you have on the rest of your trip. Thanks for everything so far.

 

Awn, thank you for continuing to stick around! ^_^ Things have been a little crazy with Christmas and all but I hope to crack the rest of this review out during my week off of work!

[Miicah]

Day 7 – 10/10/14 – My Birthday!

 

So originally on my birthday I was planning on doing some stand up paddling (I never did end up doing it because I was worried about my contacts—but definitely plan to go through with in the future!). Then in May NCL emailed me to tell me that they had to cancel my parasailing excursion for Kona because “the tour operator was no longer able to comply with the insurance requirements set by NCL”, and I was refunded the money for it.

 

I was bummed because I really wanted to try parasailing, so I searched TripAdvisor to find another company to do it with. I saw a lot of snorkeling and surfing companies, but the only one I could find that did parasailing was UFO Parasail. Since I was pretty sure that was the company NCL previously had a contract with, I looked to see if I could do it on any other island, I finally decided the best fit would be to do it during our week in Oahu.

 

I ended up booking with Paradise Watersports, and I was overall very pleased with my choice. My only grievance with them is that I had their photo and GoPro video package, and the video stopped recording long before I finished and returned to the boat—only about five minutes. It sounds like a long time, but I checked out the other videos on their YouTube channel and they had ones that were longer, and that recorded people’s entire trip up and back down. So I was sad about that, but the experience was amazing!

 

Don’t remember what we had for breakfast, haha, but we had an early pickup from the Trump Hotel at 8:20. It was a nice white BMW? I think it was that or a Mercedes, haha. Very posh. We were dropped off at the Hawaii Prince Hotel (the one we passed by earlier in the week), which is near the company’s office to hang out a bit since we were early, and later we signed the waivers here. Not sure if this hotel caters mostly to Asians, but there were a lot of them here.

 

 

 

 

 

[Miicah]

Once done, we headed to the nearby dock and met the other group joining us on this outing, a family of four (one of which was a daughter who also had a birthday today!). What’s nice about having an early slot is that the sun’s not beating down on you, and there’s a lesser wait for your turn up compared to a full boat (obviously). The other group was able to go up twice since we had the extra time (though they had to pay extra for that run). They also bought a photo package on board, which you can add if you didn’t buy one and wanted one once you got on the boat.

 

Although their website stated they don’t allow people to go solo due to weight minimums, I was able to go on my own. I think they didn’t have much of a choice since I wanted a dunk in the water and the two kids couldn’t go with me since the family had a breakfast thing after and they couldn’t get wet, and my mom absolutely refused to go up, haha. I don’t think I went as high as the package I chose (the Whale package) since it was pretty windy that day, but it’s not like I could tell the difference anyway.

 

I’m not sure if it’s because I was moving around up there because of the wind or the boat, but I felt a little nauseated when I came back down. Luckily I didn’t hurl, haha.

 

 

 

 

 

 

You can see the rain coming down inland!

 

[Miicah]

 

 

 

 

 

[Miicah]

 

 

 

 

 

[Miicah]

 

 

 

 

The video from the GoPro that I rented from them. They send it out to someone else to edit it and whatnot.

 

[YOUTUBE]1gP7xm8nZps[/YOUTUBE]

 

Afterwards we returned to the condo to chill for a bit (and for me to change out of my bathing suit). This is the wristband you get from parasailing that’s colour-coded depending on which package you got.

 

Edited December 24, 2014 by Miicah

[Miicah]

We then headed to the Royal Hawaiian Center for lunch. I was really impressed that the pair of Caucasian girls who worked at the Japanese place my mom got her lunch from spoke Japanese pretty well—though considering the high volume of Japanese people around, it probably helped a lot with business. When we were done we just walked around.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Miicah]

 

 

 

 

 

[Miicah]

This is the plaque outside the Moana Surfrider, the first hotel in Waikiki.

 

 

Since it was our last full day in Oahu, we visited the canal one last time, and I got my mom to do this pose with Diamond Head in the background (though it almost works for the random person the photo too, haha).

 

I also just remembered that a lot of the streets around here are one way, so if you're driving yourself around and you miss a turn, it's a long circle around until you're back to where you started again.

 

 

I mentioned before how there are a lot of wedding photoshoots going on? This was another one we happened upon. The group would run out onto the road during an all way crossing and jump up into the air and whatnot, haha. Pretty awesome!

 

 

 

Every Friday night the Hilton Hawaiian Village puts on a fireworks show (though this time I liked to think it was just for my birthday, haha). We had an awesome view from our lanai.

 

 

I’m glad we did, because the crowd leaving the beach afterwards was insane!

 

 

[YOUTUBE]lNaRpU0LOBE[/YOUTUBE]

Edited December 24, 2014 by Miicah

[Miicah]

For dinner we went to Roy’s, and since I forgot to call in for a reservation we had a 20 minute wait, but it wasn’t all that bad.

 

These drinks are the second time I got carded on this trip…sorta. The waiter asked my age and I told him I just turned 27 that day, and though I don’t think he entirely believed me (about my age or my birthday, haha), I still got the drink.

 

 

We ordered the dish that said something about ‘for two’ so my mom and I could share it, but I think it was an appetizer since it was so small, haha. It was filling enough, anyway.

 

 

 

[Miicah]

Afterwards we ordered desert.

 

 

 

And after my mom pestering our poor waiter for something for me since it was my birthday, we finally got this cake, haha. I think the guy finally believed me when he tried to give the bill to my mom and she said that I was the one paying it, haha.

 

 

 

And that’s it for our final day in Oahu! The long awaited cruise portion is coming up soon!

[js4rq]

Enjoying your review so far. We cruised the Hawaiian islands on the POA back in February and loved every minute! :)

[pizzalady1]

I am loving your review. Today I booked a Dec 2017 cruise on the POA--it is a long way off but it is for our 50th anniversary. We were on the Pride of Hawaii for our 40th anniversary.

 

Can you direct me to the condo unit you rented?

[Miicah]

Enjoying your review so far. We cruised the Hawaiian islands on the POA back in February and loved every minute! :)

 

I'm glad you're enjoying it, thank you for reading! ^_^ It would've been awesome to go in February, the whales were still around then right?

 

I am loving your review. Today I booked a Dec 2017 cruise on the POA--it is a long way off but it is for our 50th anniversary. We were on the Pride of Hawaii for our 40th anniversary.

 

Can you direct me to the condo unit you rented?

 

Hi again! I answered your question about the condo in your last comment here, but maybe you didn't see it.

 

There isn't a listing for the actual condo we stayed in-- they mention it in this listing on the third floor that they have. I'm sure if you contact them (Kai should be the one who responds) and inquire about the 11th floor condo he'll be able to help.

 

It's crazy how ten years change things! I hope you enjoy your trip!

[js4rq]

I'm glad you're enjoying it, thank you for reading! ^_^ It would've been awesome to go in February, the whales were still around then right?

 

Yesss! And we saw dolphins from our balcony. It was magical! :)

[pizzalady1]

There isn't a listing for the actual condo we stayed in-- they mention it in this listing on the third floor that they have. I'm sure if you contact them (Kai should be the one who responds) and inquire about the 11th floor condo he'll be able to help.

 

 

Yep I did miss it, thank you

Edited December 24, 2014 by pizzalady1

[cruisingcasinos]

can't wait to read more

[Loucat]

I wonder if the cruise ever starts! Thanks for your review so far but what about your cruise on POA?

[Notion_of_the_Ocean]

Looking forward to hearing more about the cruise portion of the review! :D

[Miicah]

Merry Christmas everyone! Hope today treated you well!

 

Yesss! And we saw dolphins from our balcony. It was magical! :)

 

Awn, that's amazing! I did see dolphins, but not from our balcony, haha. You're so lucky! If I ever go back to Hawaii, I'll definitely have to go during the whale season.

 

Yep I did miss it, thank you

 

No problem! Happy to help!

Edited December 26, 2014 by Miicah