Photo story on Carnival Spirit

[Xoe]

We're recently back from Carnival Spirit's 12-day Hawaii cruise (Honolulu to Vancouver). Here's a link for photos, with captions/explanations, if you'd like to have a look:

 

http://fredasphotos1.shutterfly.com/action

 

I've also submitted a review, which should appear in a few days.

[KatSt]

The pictures were beautiful. My DH and I did this same cruise in 2006. It was great. I can't wait to do it again some year.

[MzOhioLady]

I loved those pictures! I guess I'll have to put a cruise to Hawaii on my list of places to go.

[Luckysll]

Thanks for the pictures. I'm looking at doing the reverse trip (Vancouver to Hawaii) in 2010.

[DarthGrady]

Thanks for the pix. We are going on Spirit next year for our honeymoon to Alaska. Less than a year to go, cant wait!

[Cruise, J.D.]

Great photos! Thanks for sharing.

[sillylizzie]

Wow! Looks like you had a blast. What great photos! :)

[Rockee4055]

We're recently back from Carnival Spirit's 12-day Hawaii cruise (Honolulu to Vancouver). Here's a link for photos, with captions/explanations, if you'd like to have a look:

 

http://fredasphotos1.shutterfly.com/action

 

I've also submitted a review, which should appear in a few days.

 

Xoe - I love the picture of Diamondhead. When we were there about 6 years ago, not on a cruise, we rented jeeps to ride all over the island. We were trying to get to the base of D-head but we couldn't find the way. We could see it but it seemed that every road we tried to take led us away....it was so funny, we still laugh about that.

[Xoe]

We hiked part way up Diamond Head 10-15 years ago. I didn't do the driving and don't remember the route, but we certainly did get there! It was a HOT hike -- I would not want to do it again. Living in the Pacific Northwest, I am accustomed to a much cooler hiking climate. It was interesting, though!

[eltigre]

Thanks for the pictures. I'm looking at doing the reverse trip (Vancouver to Hawaii) in 2010.

I was looking at doing a repeat of the 2006 Cruise Vancouver to Hawaii & noticed the ports have changed!:confused:

Used to be 4 islands (1 stop each side) of 3 islands a late night (10pm which is now overnight Maui)

 

Thinking they are trying to save some fuel????

[SkipsMom]

We are doing this cruise in October and can't wait. It sounds like you did the Captian Zodiak Snorkle in Kona... If so, how was it? We are thinking about doing this excursion. :)

[the_woodman]

Terrific photos Xoe. Thanks for sharing.

[Xoe]

We boarded Spirit in Honolulu on May 2 and had an overnight & another day there before sailing, so, Cruise Days #1 and #2 were docked at Honolulu, Oahu; Cruise Day #3 docked at Nawiliwili, Kauai; Day #4 anchored at Kona, Big Island, & Day #5 docked at Hilo, Big Island; Days #6 and #7 we were anchored at Lahaina, Maui, BUT PLEASE NOTE THIS: the ship left Lahaina at 10:30 p.m. on our first day there, and sailed around (in circles maybe?) overnight, then anchored again at Lahaina at 8:00 a.m. the next day, Day #7 of our cruise. Don't know why, but I'll guess it had to do with cutting costs somehow. We met a couple who had rented a car and reserved a B&B upcountry, intending to rise early and be at Haleakala for sunrise the next morning. As they were leaving the ship carrying overnight bags, they were stopped and told if they did that, there would be a $600 fee for leaving and reboarding the ship the next day. Yikes! They changed their plans and lost their prepaid accommodation; they were good sports about it, but were disappointed and wished they'd known ahead of time. It didn't affect our plans at all; we were glad to have the evening in Lahaina so that we could go to Ulalena, which starts at 6:30 p.m. and ends at 8:00, allowing plenty of time to walk back to the tenders. Ulalena is a marvelous show -- go if you can.

 

We were happy having 2 days at Lahaina rather than one day at Lahaina and one day docked at Kahului. The only advantage to Kahului would be if you were driving to Hana -- it's a bit closer. Our favorite areas of Maui are more easily accessed from Lahaina, so we were pleased.

 

Yes, our snorkeling from Kona was the Captain Zodiak excursion. Great fun, and a very bumpy fast ride -- I can see why they say "NO" to pregnant women and people with back or neck problems!

 

Maui is a great place to snorkel too -- it was a freakish set of circumstances that turned our snorkeling there into such a challenging afternoon. That said, if you ever have a choice, BOOK SNORKELING ON MAUI IN THE MORNING!!! Winds frequently become strong there in the afternoons. I have vacationed often on Maui, and consider 8:00 a.m. a very good time for snorkeling!

[Terre]

Thanks for your pix...wish I was still there! We went on the Pride of America last December and I loved it so much. Link to my pix are in my signature.

 

Didn't you just love all those water falls and the Na Pali Coastline is gorgeous!

[biznlarry]

We're recently back from Carnival Spirit's 12-day Hawaii cruise (Honolulu to Vancouver). Here's a link for photos, with captions/explanations, if you'd like to have a look:

 

http://fredasphotos1.shutterfly.com/action

 

I've also submitted a review, which should appear in a few days.

 

Stunning pictures!

[The_Geek]

Thanks for sharing your pictures...they are beautiful!!

My fiance are doing a cruise on Spirit from Vancouver to Hawaii in September for our Honeymoon...your post makes me that much more excited!

[Xoe]

I enjoyed reading your review, and noting the differences between your itinerary on Pride of America, and ours on Carnival Spirit. I would love to have had our sailaway from Nawiliwili go north so as to see Na Pali from the sea, but we didn't go that way, probably because our next port was Kona, a long distance from Kauai.

 

Lucky you, to be moved to a suite!! That happened once to us on Empress of the North, a 240 (+-) passenger paddle-wheeler on the Columbia River. Suites do spoil us!

 

Because my sister lives in Hawaii 2/3 of the time, she and I have vacationed there together often, starting at their home in Honolulu, then heading off for an adventure on another island: Kauai twice, Big Island 3x, Molokai once, and Maui many times. I love all of the islands; each has its own special wonders. My sister and I also took our elderly stepmother on Norwegian Star's 7-day Hawaii itinerary in 2002, which included the run to Fanning Island (good old Jones Act y'know).

 

Thanks for your photos, too. A trip down nostalgia lane!

 

My review of our cruise is now posted, in case you want to check it out:

http://www.cruisecritic.com.memberreviews/memberreview.cfm?EntryID=42152

 

(The way that has printed out, I'm not sure it'll work -- we'll see!)

[Why-wait-to-retire]

We were on this same cruise with you. It worked out really good for us also, because we live in Oregon.

We also did the Zodiac at Kona. What was the name on your raft? Ours was the "REVENGE".(afternoon excursion). WOW! what a ride! I was sitting at the front of the raft and got blisters on my hand from holding onto that rope. But it was alot of fun.

 

Are you already booked on another cruise? We had such a great time, we're looking into booking something for 2010!

 

To anyone else planning to do this cruise.... We did the helicopter ride "Circle of Fire" with Blue Hawaiian. It was the best!!!! This was the only excursion we book on our own (not through Carnival). It's the same one offered by the ship. In fact the other people on the flight with us were from the ship. (We paid $100 per person less)

 

Thank you for sharing your great pic's.

K&C