Maui: Sun, Sand, & Shopping

Our  first port on our cruise consists of 2 days in Maui. There is so much to do here it is good to have 2 days.

A lot of people like to do the drive to Hana which is 60 miles with more than 300 switchbacks. It takes at least 3 1/2 hr. one way. The views are breathtaking with many gorges and waterfalls on the way. However the driver has to watch the road so you might want to consider doing this on a tour.

Another choice is going to Haleakula National Park, where we will se a dormant volcano. It is windy and chilly as it is over 10,000 ft. above sea level so go prepared.

There are also many whale watching and dolphin  tours that you can do here. However because we will be there in May the whales have migrated to Alaska for the summer.

This particular group of ladies decided they want to go to Lahaina and shop. Our ship will dock on the opposite side of the island which is about a 45 minute drive.

The ship does offer a transfer at 9:30 am with a return at 3 pm for about $37 per person. However we decided to rent a minivan so we can stay later. The cost of this for 2 days is $150. There is very little transportation on Maui but I understand it is easy to drive here.

Want to take vacation in Hawaii? Give me a call at 336-922-1837 to take care of the details.

Cruising the Hawaiian Islands

Today we will check out of our hotel and go to the pier where we will board Pride of America, Norwegian Cruise Line's ship.  We will cruise for 7 days seeing all the main islands and only have to unpack once.
  This is the only ship that departs from Hawaii - all the other cruise lines depart from the west coast so you will have multiple days at sea.

 

 We booked our cruise 6 months in advance in inside cabins and have managed to get an upgrade to ocean view cabins. (You can email me if you want to know how we did this).

The ship departs at 7pm so we would have time for more sightseeing in Honolulu. However I think we will take our luggage to the ship and explore our home for the next 7 days. Although I have been on at least 15 other cruises some of the people in our small group have never cruised before.

Tomorrow we will wake up in Maui!

Pearl Harbor and Circle Island Tour

Thursday will be a time to enjoy the beach and wander around on our own at our own pace.

Friday will be a full day as we will start by meeting our tour at 6am. We will be traveling on a trolley to Pearl Harbor and we must get there early in order to get our tickets before they are gone for the day. This is a must see for everyone's first time to Hawaii.

After our tour here, which I estimate will be about 2 hr., we will get back on our trolley and go on a 120 mile tour around the island. By combining these 2 tours we will save ourselves time and the cost of transportation. And I think the trolley will be a fun way to see the island and with half the number of people that would be on a bus.

One of our first stops will be at Dole Pineapple Plantation. I understand the Dole Whips are very good and will be a good mid-morning snack.

 Because we have a lot of area to see we won't spend too long at any one place. Rather the Circle Island Tour is a good one to get an overview of the island.

We will continue on to the North Shore to see the beaches (and hopefully surfers.)  I understand the food trucks here have very good shrimp so I hope it will be lunch time.

We should arrive back to Waikiki Beach about 4pm. I will post a more thorough description and review after I get back.

Which Luau?

Going to Hawaii would not be complete without taking in a luau and it's not about the food so much as the experience.

I have read lots and lots of reviews and it came down to a choice of either Old Lahaina Luau on Maui or Chiefs Luau on Oahu. They both have great reviews and I know we would not be disappointed with either one.

Because we probably won't rent a car I had to take into consideration the transportation to get to and from the luau. (Yes, the ship offers one as a shore excursion in Maui but it is not one of the better ones in my opinion.)

For that reason I decided to go with Chief's Luau on Oahu because they offer bus pickup and drop off at Wakiki Beach where we will be staying. It also happens to be a bit less expensive at $80 (or $93.75 with the bus) vs. $109 for Old Lahaina Luau.

Because we will get to Oahu on Tues. evening I reserved our luau for the next evening and that will be a great way to start our vacation.

I am really looking forward to this!

Planning a Trip to Hawaii

  

Follow along as I plan a great vacation to Hawaii for May 2014.

This trip is for 6 ladies all in their 60's although you can get a lot of ideas for your vacation whether you are a couple or a larger group.

None of us have been to Hawaii before so we are going fly to Honolulu on Waikiki Beach for 4 nights and then take the NCL cruise for 7 nights from Honolulu to the various islands in order to get an overview of each of the islands.

First of all I booked the cruise and the flights 6 months ahead to get the best prices. 

After looking at the many options for hotels and condos I decided on Outrigger Reef on the Beach. We opted to get "cheaper" rooms rather than oceanfront to save a little but we do have the convenience of being on the beach and in a good location.

Next I will look at the various activities for the 3 days on Oahu.

Contact me at 336-922-1837 to start planning your trip to Hawaii today!

Want a Warm Winter Escape?

Now is the time to go somewhere warm and there are plenty of good deals on cruises.

How about relaxing on a warm Caribbean beach?

Would you like to shop in St. Thomas?

Maybe snorkel or scuba dive in Belize?

See the Mayan ruins in Tulum?

Give me a call and I will find the perfect cruise for you and at the lowest price.

While you sit back and relax I will take care of the details for you.

Just call me at 336-922-1837.

Special Prices on Med Sailings

Take your whole family on a Med cruise! Check out these prices on Royal Caribbean.
On Navigator of the Seas for 7 nights departing from Rome with ports of call in Greece and Turkey prices start at $569pp for adults and kids in the same room are only $199 pp.
Or for the Western Med go on Liberty of the Seas for 7 nights departing from Barcelona with ports of call in France and Italy. Prices start at $799pp for adults and $199pp for kids in the same room.
Give me a call soon for more information - 336-922-1837.

Enjoying the surfrider on Liberty of the Seas.