Book as soon as possible

Booking early (at least 6 months in advance) lets you lock in the current rate while being able to take advantage of price drops. Unlike other travel reservations, you aren’t locked into a rate and stuck. If the price for your cruise drops, cruise lines will usually honor the lower rate, except during some promotions, as long as it’s not after your final payment.

Book last minute and be flexible

Booking less than 6 weeks in advance gives you last minute deals on cruises the cruise lines are trying to fill but you have to be flexible because you never know which cruises will have last minute deals. A good place to shop for last mintue cruise deals are Cruise Critic’s Last Minute Deals and VacationsToGo’s Last Minute Ticker.

Book onboard a cruise

All cruise lines give passengers special perks for putting a deposit down for a future cruise while onboard a cruise. Usually, they offer onboard credit towards your next cruise and the amount depends on the cabin type you book for the future cruise. This onboard credit will be given on top of any awesome deal from your travel agent!

Book during a sale

The cruise lines often have sales, where they’ll give you reduced deposits, free cabin upgrades, or onboard credit. To find out when sales are, check out my blog about Cruise Deals Newsletters.

Check out Cruising 101: Cruise Planning Tips, Tools, & Resources for more of my tips on getting a cruise deal!

What to Consider Before Using an Online Travel Agent

Fees: Online travel agencies can give you a great deal but there are some trade-offs. Many of them charge fees for booking, cancellation (in addition to what the cruise line charges), changing your cabin, and honoring a price drop. Make sure you read the Terms of Service on their web site and that you’re getting the best price when you factor in any booking fees they charge. Also, if your cruise has a decent chance of being cancelled or postponed, you may want to avoid an agency that charges cancellation or change fees.

Customer Service: You should NOT use an online travel agent if you are looking for a good resource in helping you plan your trip. Don’t expect any hand-holding from them or to answer any questions you have about the cruise itself. Many of these agencies make money by booking in bulk, keeping overhead low, and running their agencies like a call center. When using some agencies, you won’t be assigned an individual agent and will deal with a different person each time you call. You should expect that they will help you with the cruise reservation itself and nothing more. If you want to know about the cruise line, ports, and anything else related to planning your cruise, you will need to research this on your own. With the combination of Cruise Critic, the cruise line’s web site, and calling the cruise line myself, this has never been a problem for me. I love to plan my own trips, do my own research, and become an expert for every place I travel so I don’t mind not having the same level of customer service you would find at a traditional travel agency. However, if you are looking for a travel agent that will help you plan your trip or give you a lot of guidance, you should consider a traditional travel agent or booking through the cruise line directly.

Reputation: Once you’ve found an online travel agent, make sure you check them out by looking them up on the Better Business Bureau and doing a Google search for negative reviews. Even then, you should always get travel insurance that covers financial default, in case the travel agency or cruise line goes out of business.

Finding an Online Travel Agent

So who do I use to book my cruises? I use CruiseCompete.com to find the best deal on the cruise I’m considering. You input the ship, cruise date, number of passengers, cabin category, and if you’ve cruised with the cruise line before. Within a few hours, you’ll receive quotes from multiple travel agents and there is no obligation to book the cruise.

Once you’ve narrowed down a few good quotes, give each travel agent a call and double-check the rate since prices change all the time. Also, the agent may even quote you a better deal because often they cannot publish their best rates.

In addition to using CruiseCompete, I’d also recommend checking these agencies if you are a member:

• AAA Travel
• Costco Travel

Travel Agents I’ve Used

These are agencies I have personally booked and completed a cruise with…

• Cruises-n-more.com
• BestPriceCruises.com
• CruiseDeals.com
• Dreams Unlimited Travel (Disney cruises/vacations only)
• CruiseOne (Anne Waters)

There are a few more agents I’m using for upcoming cruises so I’ll update this list once I’ve successfully completed cruises with them.

Check out Cruising 101: Cruise Planning Tips, Tools, & Resources for more of my tips on getting a cruise deal!

Cruise lines and travel agents use e-mail newsletters to spread the word about promotions going on in the industry. Promotions are usually for a limited time so if you don’t know about it, you’ll miss out. I’m signed up for at least 10-15 different newsletters but I know that is a lot of e-mail to the average person so I’ve listed some of my favorites below…

The Best Cruise Deals Newsletters

These are my “hands down” favorite newsletters and I make sure I read them every week. You never know when your next cruisemay be inside!

• Cruise Critic’s Newsletter: Cruise Critic’s weekly newsletter features some of the best cruise deals you’ll find in the industry. They include a variety of cruise lengths, destinations, and cruise lines so you’re getting a good mix of everything. Even if you have already booked your cruise, it’s good to keep an eye on this newsletter to see if a better deal comes along. (It happened to me and I save $1,000!)
• Travel Zoo’s Top 20: Travel Zoo, who specializes in all travel deals, including cruises, compiles a list of their Top 20 best deals for week. These deals will include everything from vacation packages, airfare sales, hotels, and cruises.

Other Good Deals Newsletters
These are also travel newsletters that I recommend for finding cruise deals. Similar to Travel Zoo, these companies publish weekly deals newsletter that include all types of travel, including cruises, but I don’t find the deals AS GOOD as Travel Zoo’s Top 20…

• Dunhill Travel Deals
• TripAdvisor’s Deals Newsletter

If you are able to cruise “last minute” (within 6-8 weeks), check out Cruises-n-More’s weekly newsletter, which gives a good rundown of bargain last minute cruises.

Cruise Lines

The cruise lines often have sales, where they’ll give you reduced deposits, free cabin upgrades, or additional onboard credit. If you know you’re interested in specific cruise lines, it’s good to sign up for their direct newsletters to stay up-to-date on their sales. For example, Royal Caribbean has their 2-day WOW sale twice a year for and they give their newsletter subscribers a heads up when its coming. Also, if you are a past passenger of a cruise line, they often have promotions for past passengers only and these discounts may not be advertised by travel agents.

To sign up for a cruise line’s newsletter, visit their web site:

• Azamara Cruises
• Carnival Cruises
• Celebrity Cruises
• Crystal Cruises
• Cunard
• Holland America
• Norwegian Cruise Line
• Oceania Cruises
• Princess Cruises
• Regent Seven Seas
• Royal Caribbean
• Seabourn
• Silver Sea

Check out Cruising 101: Cruise Planning Tips, Tools, & Resources for more of my tips on getting a cruise deal!

The Old Backup Plan
Some people backup their photos to the internet but that doesn’t work for us. We don’t always have access to the internet while traveling since we don’t always find it worthwhile to pay for internet at the hotel we’re staying at and don’t want to spend precious travel time using internet cafes. Also, cruise lines charge per minute when using the internet and often having slow connections. Simply checking e-mail can be a chore so uploading gigabytes of photos would be very impractical.

Others have suggested just using several memory cards. My preference is to backup photos every day and we have 2 cameras so I would need at most 24 memory cards for a 14-day trip. Reusing memory cards for multiple days and only having that 1 copy of each photo increase my risk of losing more photos if that memory card become stolen/lost/damaged. Even if I used each card for 2 days, I would still need 14 cards and this puts me back in the “there’s got to be a better way” mindset.

My previous backup plan was taking our Samsung NP-NC10 Netbook and every night, I would copy photos from the camera’s SD card on top the Netbook so if the camera is every stolen, lost, or damaged, I would only lose that day’s photos. The Netbook would be kept in our room safe.

This backup plan worked perfectly until the advent of tablet devices. Chris and I each have our own Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1, which is obviously thinner, lighter, and more convenient than lugging our netbook. Trouble is that tablet devices and ultrabooks don’t have a lot of storage space. My Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 has only 16 GB of storage space and, with the apps and other stuff I already have on it, less than 10 GB is actually available for me to use at the moment.

The New Backup Plan
It took a few days of research and trying different accessories but I finally figured out how I can backup photos using my Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1.

Here’s what I use:

• Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1
• Galaxy Tab USB & SD Connection Kit
• USB Hub with at least 2 ports
• 32 GB USB Flash Drive
• SD card reader

The best thing about the list above is that you may already have most of the items. The only thing I had to purchase was the Galaxy Tab USB & SD Connection Kit.

Here’s how to back up your photos:

1. Plug the USB hub into the Galaxy Tab USB adapter
2. Plug the USB drive and SD card reader into different ports of the hub
3. Insert the SD card from your camera into the SD card reader
4. Plug the Galaxy Tab USB adapter into the Galaxy Tab

Once the Tab has recognized all the devices (this usually takes longer the first time you do it), you can go into the My Files app and copy the photos from your SD card directly on to the USB Flash drive. It takes longer than it would on a netbook/laptop but it works. You can even copy entire folders this way.

Once you’re done, make sure you properly unmount the Galaxy Tab USB adapter by clicking on the USB symbol in the bottom right corner of your screen before disconnecting any of the devices. Keep the USB Flash drive in safe place. I keep mine in my hotel room in the safe, if available.

I’ve used this method on several trips now and couldn’t be happier! I have the peace of mind knowing my photos are backed up but at the same time, I can travel lighter!

Happy Lighter Travels!

• Band-aids
• Antibiotic ointment (Neosporin)
• Anti-itch stick for insect bites (After Bite)
• Tylenol, Advil, or other pain relief/fever reducer
• Anti-gas/antacid (such as Gas-X, Maalox, Alka Seltzer)
• Cough drops
• Ginger pills & meclizine for motion sickness
• Anti-diaherra & laxatives
• Melatonin (a sleep aid supplement)
• Nail clipper for hang or chipped nails
• Tweezers for splinters (or unruly eye brows!)
• Red eye relief drops (Visine)

I also take additional steps to prevent getting sick by taking Emergen-C or Airborne daily, wash my hands frequently, and use the hand sanitizer stations before meals.

If you plan to go shopping during your vacation, it’s handy for carrying all of your new possessions and when you decline those plastic and paper bags at stores, it’s good for the environment too! I always buy more than I planned and inevitably buy things that are fragile. An extra tote bag is a great backup plan when your suitcase won’t close anymore and it can be carried onto the plane when you’ve bought valuable or fragile items, keeping them safe and sound from rough baggage handlers.

Check out more of my travel tips:

• Cruising 101: Cruise Planning Tips, Tools, & Resources
• All Travel Tips

You can save money and stick to your favorite brands by bringing your own non-alcoholic drinks onboard. To check them in with the rest of your luggage before boarding the ship, I recommend putting them into sealed extra large Ziplock bags, in case they spill or explore, and then into a tote bag or suitcase with your cruise luggage tag on it. Some porters will not accept a case of water/soda with a luggage tag slapped on it. If you don’t have an extra tote bag or suitcase to put drinks into, you should hand-carry the drinks onboard. I have not heard of any cruise line that does not allow you to bring non-alcoholic drinks onboard. In addition to carrying them on at embarkation, you can also buy more drinks at ports of call but could be very inconvenient, depending on the port and your shore plans.

If you like to have a little fun in your drink…as in alcohol, alcoholic drinks are always extra and start around $3.50 per drink. Some cruise lines do not allow passengers to bring alcohol onboard so check the cruise line’s alcohol policy ahead of time or you may have your fun confiscated and end up in the “naughty room”, the room where you claim your contraband luggage and get a stern lecture.

Check out Cruising 101: Cruise Planning Tips, Tools, & Resources for more of my cruise tips!

• $1 bills: Tips for porters ($2 per bag), room service ($2-5 depending how much food ordered), and self-service laundry (change available in the laundry room or from front desk). I try to bring at least $20 worth.
• $50-75 cash in $5, $10, & $20: Cash tips on top of cruise line gratutity for excellent crew members. We usually wind up giving extra tips to our room attendent, waiter, and any exceptional reception staff who help us out. U.S. dollars are fine on any American cruise line, meaning you don’t need to tip in Euros on a European cruise.
• Address labels: for your disembarkation luggage tags
• Battery-operated alarm clock: most cabins do not have a clock
• Meclizine (Bonine/Dramamine: Less Drowsy Formula): prevent sea sickness
• Power Strip: cabins have very few plugs to recharge your electronic gadgets
• Small flashlight or night light: it’s pitch black at sea
• Hair elastics: outside decks are very windy for women with long hair
• Highlighter: to highlight interesting activities on the daily schedule
• ID Lanyards: onboard the ship, cruises are cashless so leave your wallet and purse in your cabin safe and wear your cruise card around your neck. You can also get a retractable ID holder.
• Insulated lunch bag & Ziplock bags: if you plan on packing lunch for a busy port day
• Laundry detergent & dryer sheets: for ships with self-service laundry. I HIGHLY recommend Purex Complete 3-in-1 Laundry Sheets! Each sheet contains both detergent and dryer sheet so you don’t have to worry about messy liquids and powders. If you plan to do your own laundry, don’t forget to bring quarters too.
• Magnets: Cabin doors are made of metal so I put our cruise itinerary and weather forecast on the back of the door
• Magnetic hooks: Hang your ID lanyards on the back of the door
• Post-it notes & pen: for writing little notes to your room attendant. I stick them in the middle of the bathroom or desk mirror so he/she will see it.
• Sea Bands: prevent sea sickness without drugs
• Waterproof watch: you’ll be hard pressed to find a clock anywhere in the public spaces on the ship, including the pool areas
• Small scissors or pocket knife: to cut off airline & embarkation luggage tags. Your airline tag should be be removed before arriving at the port. Your embarkation tags should be cut off before leaving out your luggage for disembarkation.
• Clear Packing Tape (Tear By Hand): for attaching and securing embarkation luggage tags
• First Aid & Medicine Kit
• Downy Wrinkle Releaser: Cabins don’t have irons and cruise lines do not allow you to bring your own because they are a fire hazard. Some cruise lines have irons in the self-service laundry but when they are there, there are very few and you are restricted to using the iron in the laundry room.
• Drinks: Save money & enjoy your favorite brands by bringing your own drinks
• Extra Tote Bag: Pack an Empty Tote Bag, especially shopaholics!
• Formal Attire: For formal nights, including dresses/suit, evening bag, dress shoes, and jewelry
• Day Bag(s): Consider what you might need…a port purse, backpack, beach bag, and reusable tote for shopping

Check out Cruising 101: Cruise Planning Tips, Tools, & Resources for more of my cruise tips!

The most important thing to keep in mind is Caribbean hurricane season, which officially runs from June 1st to November 30th. October has the most frequent occurrence of hurricanes and June is second. Of course, this doesn’t mean that a hurricane won’t hit outside of these dates but it’s much more likely to occur within these dates. It also doesn’t mean you shouldn’t travel to the Caribbean during this time period but if you do, make sure you have good travel insurance. Learn more about hurricane season in the Caribbean.

Chris hates hot weather so he wants us to avoid the hottest months. This is a great web site that shows the Average Weather in Caribbean by Month for the Caribbean’s most popular cities so you can look up the cruise ports you’ll be visiting and what the weather will be like. It turns out the hottest months are summer, which overlaps with hurricane season.

Finally, even if you don’t have kids like us, knowing the school holidays is important. Caribbean cruises tend to cost more when kids are out of school: holidays, summer vacation, and March because of spring break. Cruises during these times will also have more families onboard so I’ve officially made a mental note to avoid Caribbean cruises during the summer.

• Friday night (Maui): Costco & Walmart shopping
• Saturday (Maui): Kapalua Beach, snorkel Black Rock (Kaanapali Beach), dinner at David Paul’s
• Sunday (Maui): Lahaina, checked into POA, unpacked, dinner at Mama’s Fish House
• Monday (Maui): Waterfalls & Rainforest Hike with Hike Maui
• Tuesday (Hilo): Mauna Loa Mac Nut Factory, Puna area (Lava Tree Park, Champagne Pond, Kapoho Tidepools, Ahalanui Park)
• Wednesday (Kona): Snorkel Two Step / Puʻuhonua o Hōnaunau (aka Place of Refuse), walk around Snorkel Puʻuhonua o Hōnaunau and Kona
• Thursday (Kauai): Wailua Falls, Lydgate Beach Park, Poliahu Heiau, ‘Opaeka’a Falls, Queen’s Bath, Hanalei Overlook, Wishing Well Shave Ice, Ha’ena Beach & Dry Cave, Waikanaloa Wet Caves, Ke’e Beach, dinner at Hukilau Lanai
• Friday (Kauai): (originally booked Tubing Adventure but it got cancelled) slept in, Anchor Cove Mall shopping, lunch at Cadillac Diner, Napali Coast sailby
• Saturday (Oahu): North Shore – LOST Other’s Camp / YMCA Camp, Haleiwa, Matsumoto’s Shave Ice, Papa’iloa Beach (also from LOST), Turtle Beach, Shark’s Cove, Dole Pineapple Plantation, dinner at Sushi Sasabune (DH demanded we go back!)
• Sunday (Oahu): Hiked Diamond Head, Pearl Harbor – private tours of Ford Island & Hickman Air Force Base by our friend stationed there, small museum at Pearl Harbor that opened in December

I’ll be uploading photos from the trip and writing a full report later but in the meantime, feel free to comment or contact me if you have specific questions about the trip.

• Street Sensation: Great shop-by-shop outline of London’s most popular shopping streets
• Official London Theatre: Find out what is showing in London theatres
• Theatre Monkey: Theatre floor plans & seat reviews
• tkts: The famous half-price “tkts” booth at Leicester Square sells tickets for 25-50% off on day of performance. Web site tells you what tickets they have for sale today.

View Photo Book

Our Asia cruise was from March 29-April 12, 2011. We began our trip by spending 3 nights in Hong Kong before sailing away on Princess Cruises’ Ocean Princess for our 12 night cruise to Taiwan, South Korea, and China. Here is our itinerary:

March 30-April 2: Hong Kong
April 3: At Sea
April 4: Keelung, Taiwan
April 5-6: At Sea
April 7: Incheon, South Korea
April 8: At Sea
April 9: Tianjin (Beijing), China
April 10: Dalian, China
April 11: At Sea
April 12-13: Shanghai, China

See all the photos

My Travel Tips

• Backup Travel Photos on Samsung Galaxy 10.1 Tab
• Credit cards & ATM cards for foreign currency
• Cruising 101: Cruise Planning Tips, Tools, & Resources
• Packing Tips: Pack a Empty Tote Bag
• Packing Tips: Pack a First Aid & Medicine Kit

Favorite Travel Articles

Air Travel Tips[deliciousAirTravelTips]See all air travel tips

Hotel Tips[deliciousHotelTips]See all hotel tips

Car Rental Tips[deliciousCarRentalTips]See all car rental tips

Travel Ideas & Inspiration[deliciousTravelIdeas]See all travel ideas

My Favorite Travel Resources
These are resources I use every time I plan a trip!

• VirtualTourist.com
• TripAdvisor.com
• Frommer’s: Frommer’s Guide Books is my favorite series of travel guide books. They have a book for just about every destination I’ve ever wanted to travel to.
• Frommers.com
• World Taxi Fare Calculator: Use it to figure out how much it’ll cost to get from the airport to your hotel or cruise port! Also useful in deciding between taking public transportation, renting a car, or taking taxis when sightseeing.

My Cruise Tips

• Backup Travel Photos on Samsung Galaxy 10.1 Tab
• Best time to cruise the Caribbean
• Credit cards & ATM cards for foreign currency
• Cruise Deals: Best Cruise Deals Newsletters
• Cruise Deals: Use a Cruise Travel Agent
• Cruise Deals: When to Book a Cruise
• Cruise Packing List: What to Pack for Every Cruise
• Packing Tips: Pack a Empty Tote Bag
• Packing Tips: Pack a First Aid & Medicine Kit
• Saving Money on a Cruise: Bring Your Own Drinks
• Sea Sickness Prevention & Remedies
• Travel Tips

Also see My Travel Tips. Many of them apply to both land and cruise vacations.

Favorite Cruise Articles

Cruise Tips[deliciousCruiseTips]See all cruise tips

Cruise Ideas & Inspiration[deliciousCruiseIdeas]See all cruise ideas

Cruise Resources

• Cruise Critic’s First Time Cruisers Guide
• Warm Weather Cruise Packing List
• Cold Weather Cruise Packing List
• Cruise Budget Calculator
• Cruise Tip Calculator
• Cruise Emergency Contact e-cards
• CruiseJunkie.com compiles reported incidents on cruise ships
• DIS Boards: Disney Cruise Line
• Cruise Critic Forums

Ports of Call Planning

• Cruise Critic: Their Ports of Call section is a great start in planning your port days but their Forums are essential for getting your cruise questions answered and meeting others on your cruise
• Frommer’s Cruises Guide Books: My favorite travel guide book series Frommer’s has several guide books writted specifically for cruisers and the unique situation they face with limited time and land transportation. They have an overall guide book, Frommer’s Cruises & Ports of Call, as well as cruise destination specific books: Frommer’s Alaska Cruises & Ports of Call, Frommer’s European Cruises & Ports of Call, Frommer’s Caribbean Cruises & Ports of Call

• NabeWise: Dallas, Texas
• Trazzler: Houston, Texas
• CitySeekr: Florence, Italy
• El Reno, Oklahoma Convention & Visitors Bureau

We visited Hawaii from November 24-December 5, 2010. Our trip consisted of 3 nights on Waikiki Beach in Oahu, 7 nights on Norwegian Cruise Line’s Pride of America visiting Maui, Island of Hawaii, and Kauai, and returning to Oahu for 1 night.

Trip Report
Below are links by day to my DETAILED trip report with photos:

+ Day 1: Oahu – Honolulu & Sushi Nazi
+ Day 2: Oahu – Grand Circle Island Tour
+ Day 3: Oahu – Dolphin Encounter, Polynesian Cultural Center
+ Day 4: Oahu – Iolani Palace, Chinatown
+ Pride of America review
+ Pride of America Tips
+ Day 5: Maui – Haleakala National Park, Iao Valley, Old Lahaina Luau
+ Day 6: Maui – Road to Hana
+ Day 7: Hilo, Big Island – Volcanoes National Park, Rainbow Falls
+ Day 8: Kona, Big Island – Body Glove Snorkel
+ Day 9: Kauai – Waimea Canyon, Glass Beach, Poipu
+ Day 10: Kauai – Helicopter Tour, Napali Coast
+ Day 11: Oahu – Hilton Hawaiian Village, Waikiki Beach
+ Day 12: Oahu – Pearl Harbor

Trip Photos
+ Hawaii Photos
+ Hawaii Photo Book

All photos were taken with Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS1 up to our visit to Iao Valley in Maui. After that, photos were taken with Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS6. Underwater photos were taken with Fujifilm Finepix XP10. (I do not recommend this camera. If you are looking for a waterproof camera, I recommend the Panasonic Lumix DMC-TS2.) Many of the photos of Chris and I together were taken using Xshot Camera Extender/Monopod.

Trip Planning
I am an obsessive trip planner and detailed-oriented. These were the resources that helped make my trip a success:

+ Guide Books: I HIGHLY recommend the Revealed series of guide books (“Oahu Revealed”, “Hawaii the Big Island Revealed”, “Maui Revealed”, and “The Ultimate Kauai Guidebook”) by Andrew Doughty. These books were the backbone of the planning for this trip! You have to use some common sense if you follow the advice in the books though. (For example, I don’t recommend you follow the advice where it says to ignore trespassing signs.) But for the most part, the books tell you about some gems you might otherwise miss! I also used Frommer’s Hawaii but definitely recommend the “Revealed” series over it.
+ Cruise Critic Hawaii Forum: The folks on the Hawaii Forum are SO helpful. I read the forum daily while planning my trip!
+ Cruise Compete: Get the best deal on your cruise by getting quotes from multiple travel agencies at one time! I’ve used this site to book 4 cruises now and have always gotten a killer deal!

It was our last day in Hawaii and our plan was to spend it in remembrance of the men & women who served at Pearl Harbor. Our flight home was at 8 pm but Chris is a HUGE war history buff so I knew he’d want to see every single exhibit and read every informational plaque so I allocated the entire day for Pearl Harbor. People on the Cruise Critic Hawaii Boards and travel guides recommend getting to Pearl Harbor when it opens at 7 am to get timed tickets for the USS Arizona, which can run out. I had in my notes to LEAVE Waikiki by 6:30 am to make the 45 minute drive to Pearl Harbor. That didn’t happen.

We woke up at 6 am and watched the sunrise from our lanai. It was gorgeous but we couldn’t linger since we were already “late”.

View from our balcony of the sunrise over Waikiki Beach

After packing, checking out of the room, putting the luggage in the car, and walking to Wailana Coffee House, it was 6:50 am. We had breakfast. The place reminds me of Norm’s in Los Angeles. It was old school and very homey. We had Portuguese sausage, eggs, and hash browns. It was very good. It was almost 7:30 am by the time we were on the road to Pearl Harbor.

We arrived at Pearl Harbor around 8:10 am. The parking lots closest to the entrance were full but there was still parking in the lots just next to them. There was a security guard patrolling the lot so that made me feel better about having all of our luggage in our car but I’m still glad that they weren’t exposed and obvious.

Pearl Harbor

View of U.S.S. Missouri & U.S.S. Arizona Memorial in Pearl Harbor

We went directly the Pearl Harbor Visitors Center and picked up tickets for the USS Arizona Memorial. Our tickets were for 9 am but we had to get in line to see the documentary film at 8:30 so we literally had time to use the restroom really quick and then get in line for the movie. I’d say that was perfect timing! The documentary was very moving. I gave a speech about the Pearl Harbor attack in my Model United Nations class during my freshmen year of high school and saw the “Pearl Harbor” movie starring Ben Affleck and Josh Hartnett so I knew about what happened and the causalities but the documentary made me cry…and not just a few tears. I was near bawling. Being reminded of how this attack shattered America’s feeling of security and how brave those service men and women were…It was very moving. Bring tissues.

After the movie, we walked to the dock for the ferry that would take us to the U.S.S. Arizona Memorial. The ferry ride is very short and a nice ride on the waters of Pearl Harbor. When you see the Memorial and once inside, you can’t help feel that it is such a sacred place. Unfortunately, I think that is lost on some of the foreigners who visit. They took photos of themselves smiling and holding up the “Victory” sign. I tried my best to ignore them but it was very annoying that they don’t realize this is supposed to be a solemn place.

The Memorial is built over the sunken U.S.S. Arizona battleship. 1,177 men lost their lives on the Arizona on December 7, 1941 when Pearl Harbor was attacked by the Japanese. 1,102 of them are entombed in her wreckage forever and some of the survivors of the attack have chosen to have their remains interred with their shipmates after they passed away. As I said, the Memorial is very solemn and sacred. You can see parts of the Arizona sticking out of the water, including 2 of the gun turrets. Oil from the Arizona continues to seep out of her and it swirls and glistens on the surface of the water. The Memorial is not very big so they limit the number of people that go there at one time. You’re only allowed to spend about 20 minutes there before you have to get back on the ferry to Pearl Harbor and they do require that everyone leave in the same group that you came with so you don’t have the option to stay longer if you wanted. However, I felt that 20 minutes was plenty of time. Even with a full ferry, we got to see each section of the Memorial and read all of the information there.

U.S.S. Arizona Memorial

Inside U.S.S. Arizona Memorial

American flag at the U.S.S. Arizona Memorial

U.S.S. Arizona Memorial: Names of those that made the ultimate sacrifice

Gun Turret from U.S.S. Arizona Memorial

Oil from U.S.S. Arizona Memorial

We did not realize this until later but the day we chose to visit was 2 days before the anniversary of the attack and we were fortunate enough to visit Pearl Harbor during the 69th Anniversary Commemoration Events. This day in particular was Kama‘aina Day, a day in remembrance of civilians and what they endured during the attack on Pearl Harbor and the years after. Throughout the entire day, there was Hawaiian and military performances in the Visitors Center area. There was also the “Pacific War in Miniature” Model Exhibit, which Chris loved! It was amazing to see the intricate detail and accuracy that went into each model of the military aircraft, ships, and vehicles used during World War II. The hobbyists are definitely dedicated! When we were viewing the models, the man in front of us was a Pearl Harbor survivor and WWII veteran. He pointed out which ship he was on when the attack occurred and he seemed to really enjoy the models. I guess they brought back good memories in addition to sad ones.

“Pacific War in Miniature” Model Exhibit

Seeing so many survivors of the attack was another amazing part of being at Pearl Harbor so close to the anniversary. We met at least 7 of them during our entire day there. 5 of them were in a group together and you could tell it was a special day for them too since they probably don’t get to see each other all that often either.

Pearl Harbor survivors

Also as part of the 69th Anniversary, the Pearl Harbor Visitor’s Center were going to open 2 new exhibits on December 7th. Unfortunately, we were 2 days early so we didn’t get to see them. If you will be visiting Oahu around the Pearl Harbor Anniversary (December 7th), I highly recommend you check out the Pacific Historic Parks web site to when commemorative events are going on. Being at such a sacred place during the anniversary was very special.

After walking around the Visitor’s Center area, we headed over the U.S.S. Bowfin. The World War II Submarine Memorial in front of the submarine. I had no clue that we had lost so many submarines with some of them are still missing in action.

World War II Submarine Memorial

It was 11 am when we got to the USS Bowfin. Admission is $10 and includes a self-guided audio tour, which was very good. As you walk through the submarine, you hear information about the sub, its history, and interviews with servicemen who actually worked on her. The submarine has a couple of steep stairs and several narrow doorways. It was fun talking around in it but it could be uncomfortable for people who don’t like tight spaces. There are also a few things you can “play” with like controls and the gun on deck. We spent about an hour at the Bowfin.

U.S.S. Bowfin

U.S.S. Bowfin deck

Me manning the U.S.S. Bowfin submarine

U.S.S. Bowfin: Chris walking through one of the narrow doors

U.S.S. Bowfin: Manning the guns!

After seeing the Bowfin, we headed over the Submarine Museum right in front of it. It’s not very large but it has A LOT of artifacts and exhibits from many of the submarines deployed during World War II. It was very poignant to see the bells from the submarines lost in the war. Surprisingly, Chris didn’t look at EVERYTHING in this museum and we spent about 30 minutes there.

Bell from the U.S.S. Wahoo (who was sunk by the Japanese) inside the Bowfin Museum

After the museum, we grabbed some hot dogs at the small food stand in front of the museum. I know a lot of people don’t consider hot dogs a decent lunch and would rather have sandwiches or something more gourmet but I personally LOVE hot dogs! So I was happy. =)

After lunch, we visited one of the gift shops and then got on the shuttle to the U.S.S. Missouri, which is located on Ford Island. Since Ford Island is an active Navy base, you cannot drive there yourself and you are not allowed to take photos on the shuttle once you’re at the Ford Island Bridge. The ride there is very short and the shuttle is a big motorcoach so it’s nice and comfy.

The area outside of the U.S.S. Missouri has a gift shop, food concessions, and restrooms. The walkway up to the Missouri is lined with American flags and quite a sight to see.

U.S.S. Missouri

Walking up to U.S.S. Missouri

Pearl Harbor, and the loss of U.S.S. Arizona, was where the United States’ involvement in World War II began and the U.S.S. Missouri is where it ended. It was the site of Japan’s unconditional surrender on September 2, 1945, ending World War II. Seeing the Arizona first and the Missouri last on this day of remembrance brought everything we experience on this day to a full circle.

We got to the Missouri around 1:25 pm. Right when you board the U.S.S. Missouri, you begin a 35-minute guide tour of the deck and upper level of the mighty battleship. Our group had about 30 people in it and sometimes it was hard to hear our guide or take photos without someone getting in the way. Despite that, the guide gave very interesting history and information about the U.S.S. Missouri. As part of the tour, you get to stand in the same spot where the Japanese signed the agreement to unconditional surrender, ending World War II.

U.S.S. Missouri: Gun Turret

U.S.S. Missouri: Spot where World War II ended

At the end of the tour, you are then free to explore the ship on your own. The ship is pretty massive. Underneath the deck, there are galleys, mess halls, officers’ lounges, rooms for seamen and officers, dentist office, post office, and the list goes one. It’s literally a mini-city! There were also a couple of exhibits about the war, along with things that were used on the battleship and models of her. Above deck, we saw the bridge and control room. Lots of neat things to see! We spent about 1.5 hours here, including the guided tour, and were done around 3 pm.

U.S.S. Missouri: Officer’s Lounge

U.S.S. Missouri: Control Room

U.S.S. Missouri: View of U.S.S. Arizona Memorial from upper levels

Our time in Hawaii was coming to an end. We returned our rental car to Thrifty between 4-4:30 pm and took their shuttle to the airport. We had quite a bit of time before our flight so we had a “snack” of fried chicken at Lahaina Chicken Company and did some shopping at the gift shops. I bought Dole Pineapples that are prepackaged and already approved to be taken out of Hawaii to the mainland. OMG! These pineapples were so delicious. It was nice to have a taste of the islands in the weeks after we got home.

Lahaina Chicken Company

Dole Pineapples

Our flight home departed at 8 pm and we arrived home in Dallas at 7 am. Since it was a red eye flight and I had to work the day we got back, I wanted to get SOME sleep on the plane so we upgraded to First Class using our miles. On American Airlines, it cost 15,000 miles + $175 per person. We had a really nice meal and snacks. The seats are hard to describe. It’s better than domestic first class where the seat is just leather and wider but not as good as international first class where the seat converts into a flat bed. It reclines fairly far back but not as flat as the ones that convert into a bed and not as private as international first class where it’s like you’re in your own cubicle. Regardless, it was still much better than coach and made it much easier to get some zzz’s.

American Airlines First Class: Honolulu to Dallas

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Our wonderful cruise on Pride of America came to an end on this day but we took our sweet time getting off the ship. We picked the latest time available for disembarkation, which was 9 am. We had one last breakfast in Aloha Cafe at 8:30 am, returned to our room to get our bags, and disembarked the ship shortly after 9 am. We had to wait a little while for the Thrifty shuttle but it came as others have reported. (If you decide to book a different car rental company than Thrifty, be aware that Thrifty was the only rental agency that had a full sized bus as their shuttle. Other companies used vans and several times we saw that they couldn’t fit everyone who was waiting so people had to wait for the next shuttle.)

At the Thrifty office, we decided to upgrade from a Compact to a Standard because we needed a car that would fit all of our luggage in the trunk without it being visible. We were planning to go to Pearl Harbor the next day with all of our luggage in the trunk and didn’t want to risk it being broken into. Throughout Hawaii, we kept getting the Dodge Caliber and once we got a Ford Focus. Thrifty was going to give us another Dodge Caliber but we couldn’t fit our luggage in the back without it being visible so we upgraded to the Ford Fusion, which is a Standard car. That worked out nicely.

We drove to our post-cruise hotel, Hilton Hawaiian Village (aka HHV), and got there around 10:40 am. Here’s a lesson we learned the hard way: this place is HUGE!! Drive directly to the main lobby building and drop off your luggage before parking in the self-parking lot. They will make sure it gets to your room in the correct building you’ll be staying in. We parked and then dragged our luggage through the entire resort. It was such a pain. We were staying in the Ali’i Tower, which has its own reception desk, so we checked in there. Unfortunately, it was still early and our room wasn’t ready yet so we had the front desk store our luggage.

As I mentioned before, HHV is huge!! In addition to sitting on Waikiki Beach, it’s got 5 towers, 5 pools, and 90 shops! We spent the morning just exploring the resort. It is also home to flamingos, penguins, ducks, and koi! We visited all the animal displays, walked around the Super Pool, Oahu’s largest pool, and went shopping. My favorite shops were the Honolulu Cookie Company, Crazy Shirts, ABC Store, and Pearl Factory.

Koi Pond at Hilton Hawaiian Village

Super Pool at Hilton Hawaiian Village

Flamingos at Hilton Hawaiian Village

Penguins at Hilton Hawaiian Village

It was around 12:45 pm once we were done shopping and exploring. We drove to Ono Hawaiian Foods, which had been featured on Travel Channel’s “Man v. Food”, and well-known for their traditional Hawaiian food. Parking outside is metered only so bring quarters! The place is pretty small so we had a short wait before we were seated. If you are in a large group, you may want to come during off hours or be prepared for a longer wait. We ordered the Combination Plate, which includes Kalua Pig, Laulau, Pipikaula, Lomi Salmon, Haupia, and rice or poi. I also order a side of Chicken Long Rice. It was a good sampling of the most popular Hawaiian dishes and it was delicious!! If the only Hawaiian food you’ve ever eaten was at a luau, you gotta try Ono Hawaiian Foods! The food was SO delicious and leaps & bounds better than any luau, including Old Lahaina Luau. I think a lot of quality gets lost when they’re trying to cook for so many people at one time. Anyway, the food was awesome here and you gotta try some real Hawaiian food (outside of a luau) while you’re in Hawaii!! My favorite dishes were the Laulau, Lomi Salmon, and chicken long rice!

Ono Hawaiian Foods

Ono Hawaiian Foods

The hotel called my cell phone when we were on our way to Ono Hawaiian Foods to let us know our room was ready so when we finished lunch, we returned to the hotel to get our room. Since we were only staying for one night, I decided to splurge and booked an oceanview king room in the Ali’i Tower, which costs more than the other towers because it has its own private pool, fitness center, reception, and concierge. It was $274/night with AAA discount or $299/night without AAA. The woman at the front desk said that the oceanview room they were going to give us was no longer available because the person that was staying in it got sick and has to stay there longer so she upgraded us…to a one-bedroom suite!!!! I was happy about the upgrade but still wasn’t expecting much. We got to our room, the Aupuni Suite, and thought we had won the lottery! The living room and bedroom were huge and there were 2 bathrooms!! The master bathroom had a shower, full-sized tub, bidet, and toilet. The other bathroom had a shower, toliet, and sink. There were also double sinks in between the 2 bathrooms! It was so spacious! The best thing about the room was the huge lanai (or balcony) and view of Waikiki and Diamond Head! Gorgeous, gorgeous!! I found out that the suite costs $635/night! After having our socks knocked off by the suite, we went back down to the reception and tried to tip the woman who upgraded us but she refused to take our tip. I was very, very impressed.

Living Room in the Aupuni Suite at Hilton Hawaiian Village

Bedroom in the Aupuni Suite at Hilton Hawaiian Village

View from the balcony of the Aupuni Suite at Hilton Hawaiian Village

Since I stayed in both Outrigger Waikiki on the Beach and Hilton Hawaiian Village, people often ask which I liked better and would recommend more. The answer to that is it depends on what you’re looking for. HHV is much nicer, luxurious, and newer but it’s also more expensive. There is SO much stuff to do at the resort from the beach to shopping to dining to penguins that you need to devote a day just to see everything there. It is the perfect place if you are looking for a place where you don’t have to leave the resort. However, HHV is one one end of Waikiki so it is not a good location if you want to explore Waikiki. If you’re looking for a place in the middle of the action in Waikiki, I would recommend the Outrigger. The Outrigger is a great hotel also. While it doesn’t have flamingos and 90 shops, it has 2 wonderful restaurants and in prime location on Waikiki Beach. It also has more of an old nostalgic Hawaiian atmosphere and great shopping surrounds the hotel. I wouldn’t hesitate to stay in either of these hotels again and would highly recommend them both to anyone visiting Honolulu.

Now that we got our room, we decided to head down to the beach. We stayed on the beach at Outrigger on Waikiki Beach for 3 nights pre-cruise but never got to spend any time on Waikiki Beach so I made sure to carve out time to hang out post-cruise! We got to the beach around 2:30 pm and rented an umbrella and 2 lounge chairs from the hotel. I dragged Chris into the water for about 15 minutes but the water was pretty cold and the sand was very rocky. I didn’t even want to stay in the water that long. There was something really neat about being in the waters of Waikiki Beach and seeing Diamond Head from there though.

I got a pina colada from the bar and a small cup of peanuts. That cup of peanuts made me a huge celebrity to the beach pigeons. There was one pigeon that particularily melted our hearts, a white one with only one leg. He seemed to know how to work us over by blinking his eyes pathetically and gesturing to his missing leg. We called him Stumpy and snuck him peanuts when we couldn’t help ourselves any longer.

Waikiki Beach

In the water at Waikiki Beach

Stumpy the Pigeon at Waikiki Beach

Surfers at Waikiki Beach

We laid out on our beach chairs, enjoying the Hawaiian sun, until about 4 pm and we went back to the Ali’i Tower to check out the private Ali’i pool. It was very quiet there with mostly sunbathers laying out on the chairs. Since the pool is located on a terrace on the 2nd floor of the tower, there was also a wonderful view of the beach. We did a little soaking in the hot tub and then more laying out in the sun before heading back to the room around 4:45 pm. While we were getting ready for dinner, we caught the sun beginning to set from our wonderful balcony!

Ali’i Pool at Hilton Hawaiian Village

View of Waikiki Beach from the Ali’i Pool & me looking toasty already!

View from our room of the sun beginning to set over Waikiki Beach

We drove over to Alan Wong’s for dinner. The building doesn’t look like much but there is a decent view of the city from their 3rd floor location. We had the 5-course Tasting Menu, which was $75 per person. Each dish was absolutely delicious and a sight to behold!! My favorite was the Kona Lobster of course! I can never have too much lobster!! The Coconut dessert was also amazing!! It was cococut sorbet enrobed in chocolate and nuts so it looks like half of a real coconut! The food was amazing! We also drank Mehana Blue Humpback Whale, a beer from Hilo. It was also wonderful!

Kona Lobster at Alan Wong’s

The Coconut: Coconut sorbet wrapped in chocolate and nuts

It was around 8 pm when we finished dinner. We headed back to the hotel to pack and turn in so we could get up early the next morning for Pearl Harbor before flying home.

+ See all Oahu photos
+ Read more about my Hawaii 2010 trip

We were booked on Blue Hawaiian Helicopters’ Kauai Eco Tour for 10 am this morning. We were required to check in by 9:15 am so we got off the ship at 8:50 am to make sure we had enough time to walk to Harbor Mall. We lucked out and the Harbor Mall shuttle just pulled into the pier so we hopped on. We got to Harbor Mall before 9 am and check-in with Blue Hawaiian Helicopters.

When we checked in, we were weighed and since it was still early, they asked us to come back at 9:45. We walked around the shopping center but there wasn’t many stores opened. Chris got sucked into the model train store and I browsed jewelry. We returned to the Blue Hawaiian Helicopters office and it was now filled with people, including people who booked directly through NCL. We watched the safety video and then they called our names, forming us in groups of 6 for each helicopter. We were each given a number, which would be our seating arrangement in the helicopter. We were driven to the helipad in a van and waited in a seating area under a tent until they called our group. When our group was called, they asked us to line up by our number and then we were taken to the helicopter.

The Eco-star helicopter has 3 seats in the front row with the pilot sitting in the left window seat. There are 4 seats in the back row. From what I recall, this is where each number sits…

1. Front row middle seat
2. Front row right window
3. Back row left window
4. Back row left middle
5. Back row right middle
6. Back row right window

I was #1 and Chris was #2 so we were in the front row with me in the middle. In the back row, an older couple had the right-side and a younger couple on the left-side. The seating arrangement would be unfortunately become a pain point for this flight, as you’ll find out later.

Blue Hawaiian Helicopters

It was around 10:15 am when we lifted off. Before this year, I had never flown in a helicopter but we flew in one when we went to Alaska in July so this was my second heli ride ever and this year! LOL! Since this wasn’t our first time, I think that took away some of the newbie excitement we had when we rode in a helicopter for the first time. That being said, it was still very exhilirating! There’s no other feeling than taking off straight up into the air and feeling like you are flying because you are surrounded by windows!

Here’s a list of what we flew over during our helicopter tour:

Nawiliwili Harbor (including a view of the ship)
Haupu Ridge
Keoneloa Beach / Shipwrecks Beach
Poipu & Mahaulepu Beach
Koloa
Kauai Coffee Company’s coffee fields (largest coffee plantation in U.S.) in Eleele
Hanapepe Canyon
Waimea Canyon
Waimea & Waimea River
Kokee State Park
Napali Coast
Ke’e Beach, Kalalau Beach
Honopu Valley
Kalalau Valley
Whale watching over the ocean
North Shore: Tunnels Beach, Lumahai Beach
Hanalei
Very far view of Princeville
Mt. Waialeale (wettest spot on Earth) & Waialeale Crater (home to 64 waterfalls)
Kilohana Crater (birthplace of Kauai)
Far view of Wailua & Kapaa
Sleeping Giant

The highlights of the flight were definitely Waimea Canyon, where you could see the river cutting through the ridges, the gorgeous jagged Napali Coast jutting into the ocean, and the countless EPIC sky-high waterfalls in Waialeale Crater! It was pretty rainy in Waialeale Crater but I guess that’s pretty normal since it is the wettest spot on Earth! Also, the rain fills those gorgeous waterfalls!

Kauai Coast

Waimea Canyon

Napali Coast

Waialeale Crater Waterfalls

Waialeale Crater Waterfalls

The helicopter flight was wonderful and we’re very happy we did it! However, there were a couple of dampers on our flight. First of all, Blue Hawaiian Helicopters’ web site specifically says that we were supposed to see Wailua Falls and the map on their site makes it look like we were supposed fly over part of the east side of the island. However, during our flight, we didn’t see Wailua Falls and once we reached Hanalei, we pretty much flew directly south back over Kilohana Crater to Lihue, not flying over the east side of the island. We did see Wailua from very far away but we certainly didn’t see Wailua Falls. I was disappointed by this because we didn’t visit Wailua Falls by car since I thought we would see it from the helicopter ride so sadly, we left the island without getting to see the falls. (I even bought a postcard of Wailua Falls thinking I’d see it during the helicopter tour.) In the grand scheme of things, not seeing Wailua Falls isn’t that big of a deal but I’m disappointed that I expected to see it because of the web site description. I actually e-mailed Blue Hawaiian Helicopters about this to find out why my flight may have skipped Wailua Falls and I received a direct reply from their CEO Dave Chevalier:

“First I want to thank you for flying with us. We have traditionally shown Wailua falls on our tour but we have begun to receive complaints from overflights by ground visitors there. When a pilot notes a significant presence of ground visitors they have been instructed to give it a wide berth. I appreciate you bringing this to my attention. I will clarify that situation on our website. Although Wailua falls is impressive from the ground it does not compare to the waterfalls in Waimea Canyon, which can only be seen by air. We have compensated by including more waterfall views in the remote Waimea Canyon area. Not as well known but more spectacular than Wailua Falls, especially from the air. Notwithstanding this disappointment I hope you valued your experience.”

I found his prompt response to be very professional and appreciate that he took my concerns seriously. I think this just further shows what an outstanding company Blue Hawaiian Helicopters is and I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend them to anyone.

Second, I must warn you that your experience could vary greatly on what seat you have on the helicopter. The best seats are the front on the right side but you have no control over where you are seated because it is decided by weight. We were very lucky to get seated in the front row with the pilot. Unfortunately, someone has to sit in the “bad” seats, which are in the back row on the left. As I mentioned before, it was a young couple on our flight and the woman complained throughout the whole ride that she couldn’t see anything. On one hand, she was exaggerating and a bit melodramatic. When we were flying over the canyons and in the crater where the waterfalls are, there are views on both sides. It was when we were flying along the coast that it was really only the right side that can see it. On the other hand, our pilot also could have made more effort to turn the helicopter around a few times to let both sides see, especially after she complained. He spent 5 full, long, boring minutes over the ocean looking for whales that never came and I would have much rather he spent those 5 minutes giving the left side of the helicopter a chance to see Napali Coast. I felt bad for her but at the same time, she was ruining our ride by complaining so much. It was a major buzzkill and I even felt guilty that we got the good seats. (When I watch the DVD of the flight, I cringe every time I hear her whine.) When the ride was over, we saw her complaining to the staff at the office but I don’t know what came of it. Obviously, what seat
you get is a gamble and someone has to sit in the “bad” seats. Perhaps the Blue Hawaiian Helicopters should make it more clear to people that not all seats are created equal when they book the tour. But I would hope that if it were me that got the worst seat, I would just accept it and make the most of the ride anyway.

That looks like a lot of negative to me but seriously, we are so glad we did this helicopter ride and it was really amazing!! As I said before, I bought the DVD of our actual flight. I watched it to make sure this review is accurate about what we saw and when I watched it, I was just struck about how gorgeous the flight was all over again, especially Napali Coast and the waterfalls in Waialeale Crater. The DVD gave me chills!!

We returned to the Blue Hawaiian Helicopters office in Harbor Mall around 11:15 am. We had to wait about 15 minutes for them to make our DVD. Chris went back to the model train store to finish browsing. We walked around the rest of the mall to find a place to eat lunch and settled on Kalapaki Joe’s. Chris got fried shrimp and I got shrimp tacos. The food was okay but nothing to write home about. I was pretty stressed out the entire meal because I was worried we wouldn’t get back to the ship on time. We got our food around 12:30 pm and finished quickly so it wasn’t a problem at all. I even had time to get a lychee-flavored shaved ice at Halo Halo Corner Shaved Ice in the mall on the ground floor in front of the shuttle stop before boarding the last shuttle back to the pier at 1 pm. I loved this shaved ice!! I definitely think ordering fruit flavors is the key for me to enjoy shaved ice!

People who read my blog often ask me if there is anything I’d do different during a trip and this was one of the days I would have changed. I thought I’d have plenty of time after the helicopter tour to walk around and eat lunch before getting back on the ship and that wasn’t the case. We didn’t even have a chance to explore the Anchor Cove Mall across the street. If I had to do it over again, I would have focused on walking around after our helicopter tour and waited until we got back on the ship to eat lunch since we had to be back on the ship by 1:30 pm anyway. Then we wouldn’t have spent so much time eating lunch and not enjoying it because we were stressed about getting back to the ship.

Shrimp tacos from Kalapaki Joe’s

Halo Halo Corner Shaved Ice

When we got back onboard, we finally spent some time exploring the ship. Ironically, it was the last night of the cruise but this itinerary was so intensive that we just never had time to explore. Read my Pride of America review to see my thoughts on the ship. We also got to see one of the tugboats that would escort our ship out of Nawiliwili Harbor do donuts in the water!! The gift shops on the ship had a Blowout Sale and I spent some time shopping. There were some great Hawaii shirts for low prices. (I think $10 per shirt.)

Video of tugboat doing donuts in the water!

Chris did some packing before the Napali Sailby. I’ve read people recommend on the CruiseCritic’s Hawaii Boards to get a spot for the sailby 45 minutes before the Daily Schedule says it will start, which was 5:15 pm for our cruise. Since Chris was in the middle of packing, we didn’t get out on deck until 5:00 pm and good thing to because we saw the coast immediately. The ship sails by the Napali Coast on the port side first and then turns around for the starboard side. Some people report that the starboard side sailby is shorter and farther away and since we had a starboard side balcony, we decided to go out on deck to watch it during the first pass. Instead of going to the upper decks like many people do, we went to Deck 6 and watched it from there. It was not crowded there at all and we thought the view was great! The railing is also a bit taller than your waist so there isn’t any protective barriers that block photos. We could also clearly hear the narration (see the video below and you can hear it too). I thought it was a great place to view the sailby! The Napali Coast sailby was absolutely gorgeous! It was great to see it from the helicopter early in the day and then see it again from the ship. It seemed so close too!

Napali Coast Sailby

Video of Napali Sailby

Immediately after the port side sailby, we went to eat dinner. We could see the ship passing Napali Coast from the starboard side through the windows and Chris thought the distance from the coast was the same, if not closer, and lasted just as long. So for our sailing, it seemed like we could have just watched it from our starboard balcony and gotten the same experience but I can’t guarantee that for other sailings.

+ See all Kauai photos
+ Read more about my Hawaii 2010 trip

I’m pleased to announce my first giveaway!! I often get asked questions about cruises from my friends and am working on creating a list of great articles and tips for first time cruisers. I would love to hear your favorite cruise tips! In return, I’ll be giving away 2 Princess Cruises “Shipwide Savings Coupon Book” to 2 lucky people!

About the Coupon Book:
This coupon book is NOT the Passport to Savings coupon book that every passenger receives! This coupon book is only available to passengers who book with specific travel agents during a special promotional period! It contains up to $325 in savings! The coupons are valid on all Princess Cruises sailings up to Dec. 31, 2011.

List of coupons:

• 15% off one bottle of Opus wine
• $5 off Maitre D’/Sommelier Wine Club Seminar Fee
• 10% off Boutiques Onboard
• $10 off single purchase of $100 or more Boutiques Onboard
• Lotus Spa Port Day Special: $40 off Exotic Lime & Ginger Salt Glow with Massage
• Lotus Spa Port Day Special: $40 off Aroma Stone Therapy
• Lotus Spa Port Day Special: $35 off OxyDermy Facial
• Lotus Spa: Free Metabolism Test ($35 value)
• Photo-Video Gallery: 50% off Scenic Photo Album Package
• Photo-Video Gallery: 50% off Digital Print Services
• Photo-Video Gallery: Buy One, Get One Free Princess Collectors Edition DVDs
• Casino: Buy One, Get One Free Tournament Entry
• Internet Cafe: 15 minutes free with purchase of any internet time package
• Art Auctions: Save $10 on any frame purchase

How to Enter:

You can receive up to 3 entries by selecting from the following entry methods:
a)  Leave a comment to this post with your favorite tip for first time cruisers or getting a good cruise deal. If you have never cruised before, post a question you have about cruising.
b)  Follow me on Twitter at @cruisinggoddess and then tweet about this promotion. Leave the URL to that tweet in a comment on this post
c)  Blog about this promotion and leave the URL to that post in a comment on this post

Comments must be received by Friday, May 13, 2011 at 11:59 am PST. 2 winners will be chosen at random and winners will be contacted by e-mail so make sure you enter it correctly!

Looking forward to reading your tips!!