Table Of Content
The Big Island of Hawaii, also called the “Island of Hawaii,” is the southernmost and the largest island in the Hawaiian archipelago. Maui, renowned the world over for its idyllic beaches, coastal vistas, & the Road to Hana, the most scenic coastal drive on the planet, is a true Eden on earth! You get two days in Maui, of which I recommend spending one day exploring West, Central, and Upcountry Maui; you can find more details in my Maui Travel Guide, and one day driving the iconic Road to Hana. The following morning we decided to spend the day at the beach, and do this through an excursion called “Beach Day in Maui.” We met a tour bus at 9 am on the pier, which took us down to Wailea Beach. The main port of Honolulu is off the beaten path from the main city. We didn’t spend much time here as we wanted to board the ship early in order to find our rooms and get familiar with the ship, as this was our first cruising experience.
Land Vacations
Follow our social media and blog for the latest cruise and travel news, including our best vacation deals. With an overwhelming world of choices, we understand you may need some personal assistance to plan your perfect vacation. From finding the right destination to choosing the best departure date, we're here to help.
What to see and do with one day on Maui
So, from a culinary standpoint, the ship doesn’t offer a true Hawaiian experience. Decor-wise, we liked the restaurants and lounges that had a “Hawaiian-feel” to them, but there weren’t many places onboard like that. The Aloha Cafe, the main buffet restaurant of the ship, had some Hawaiian touches. We normally grabbed breakfast from here and took it out to the adjacent Aloha Lana’i Bar seating, which is alfresco. Pinks Champagne Lounge seemed to be an ode to the Royal Hawaiian hotel.
What is it Like to Cruise the Hawaii Islands?
The highest point on Maui, Haleakala (meaning "House of the Sun") rises 10,023 feet above sea level. The views at its summit are magnificent; on a clear day, you can even see the peaks of the Big Island's Mauna Loa and Mauna Kea volcanoes above the clouds. Other intriguing sights include the ahinahina (silver sword) plant, which grows nowhere else in the world, and the endangered nene (Hawaiian goose), Hawaii's state bird. If you're up for thrills, consider taking the tour that includes a bike ride back down the volcano; photographers on overnight stays won't want to miss the sunrise or sunset versions for the best light. With ports often far from key attractions, Hawaii is one of those destinations where shore tours can help you maximize your day in port. (The alternative is typically a car rental.) Cruise ships recognize this and provide a wide range of offerings for everyone from active types to the more culturally minded.
How To Best Enjoy Hawaii On A 7-Night Pride Of America Cruise
Norwegian Cruise Line Won't Require Passengers to Book Shore Excursions Through Ship - Travel + Leisure
Norwegian Cruise Line Won't Require Passengers to Book Shore Excursions Through Ship.
Posted: Tue, 04 May 2021 07:00:00 GMT [source]
Our ship left the island at 6 pm that night as we headed to Kona, on the other side of the Big Island. Our trip for the day was a bike ride around the Kilauea Volcano at Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. We met our excursion guide in the terminal building and hopped into a van that took us to the top of the Kilauea volcano. Here we were able to view the volcano before we were fitted with our bikes and helmets. We ate lunch at this waterfall and then headed back to the beach where we got back on the boat in time for a nice nap by the pool.
Spa and Fitness on Pride of America
Following is a sampling of the great shore offerings you can consider when you visit a Hawaii port, all of which will make your island cruise vacation truly memorable. One more point regarding time and tours, don’t try to be overly ambitious with the tours you choose that are outside of what the cruise ship offers. If your tour runs late, you might risk missing the ship, and getting back to the ship will be at your own expense.
More about Norwegian (NCL) Pride of America
We are committed to providing you with quality tours at a great value for a memorable and enjoyable vacation experience. We guarantee a return to your ship well before sailing time, and we will fully refund any tour purchased if your ship is detained from making port. This one's only for passengers with late nights or overnights in port (like those offered by Norwegian's Pride of America).
Hawaii: Seven Days, Four Islands, One Cruise - Paste Magazine
Hawaii: Seven Days, Four Islands, One Cruise.
Posted: Wed, 06 Jul 2022 07:00:00 GMT [source]
On this tour, you’ll soon experience the traditions of some of Hawaii’s original habitants at the Polynesian Cultural Center, Kualoa Ranch, and Dole Plantation. Whether it’s hanging ten, exploring the mountains and untouched beauty of Ko’olau Mountain Range, or learning an authentic hula dance, there is much to see, do and experience. We look forward to providing you with an authentic Hawaiian experience every step of the way. A 45-minute helicopter ride takes you over the Kilauea Volcano's most active sites.
10 of 913 Norwegian Hawaii Cruise Reviews
There are bubblegum hues in Pink's Champagne Bar, for instance, and a riot of vivid bead-inspired colors in the Mardi Gras Cabaret Lounge & Nightclub. There are two pools, multiple hot tubs and lots of appealing outside deck space—including the Aloha Lanai Bar aft on deck 11—ideal for sail-away cocktails at sunset. So, those were all kind of first-world problems, but still, when you’re paying for a good experience and not getting it, it’s disappointing.
We arrived at Kahului (Maui) at 8 am on our second day of the cruise. After grabbing a hearty breakfast from that “build your own crepe” bar, we were ready for adventure. The cruise boarding started around 1 pm for early arrivals.
As such, we’d like to share some thoughts and suggestions on the top tours to do in each port. Depending on the booking situation, various excursions are also offered in German, Spanish, French, Italian or Russian (minimum number of 30 participants). Please see the detailed information for your shore excursion on board.
Discover the recently refurbished Norwegian Spirit as you witness the South Pacific’s untouched islands on a Hawaii and French Polynesia cruise. Experience the lush forests, crystal-clear turquoise waters and colorful undersea life that will have you feeling like you are in paradise. Per the itinerary, you get about two days on the island of Maui, Big Island of Hawaii, and Kauai, which is a very reasonable amount of time to explore the islands’ main attractions. Exploring Oahu, which unquestionably is a must-do, you can either arrive a couple of days early in Oahu before boarding the cruise or explore Oahu upon returning from your cruise.
You'll find a good mix of families and older couples with some younger (in their 30s) mixed in, but you won't find many college-aged spring breakers. This means that evenings are pretty tame and child-friendly (you likely won't see people shot-gunning beers and cheering at the poolside bar). Americans make up the majority of passengers followed by Australians (thanks in part to Australia's proximity to Hawaii). You'll also be sailing with British citizens, as well of people of Hispanic and Asian heritage. Pride of America's wide variety of restaurant and entertainment offerings allows passengers with different interests to find the place that works for them. The Gold Rush Saloon, for example, is a nice spot for those looking for a casual evening of beer drinking and listening to karaoke.
We noticed that the closer that we got to our sailing date, the prices of the excursions increased. If the ship could change anything structurally, which is extremely unlikely, we would suggest more elevators. At peak times of island arrivals and returns from tours, there could be long elevator waits. Many times, we opted to climb up or down four or five deck levels instead of waiting for the elevators.
No comments:
Post a Comment