April 29, 2012 ~ Aloha! ~ Wonder to Hawaii- who is with me? pt2

[seaulater]

I was just looking at Pacific Whale Foundation the other day ! I am really interested in this. Do you know how far it is from port ? I wouldn't rent a car and was wondering how much for a taxi ?

Do you remember the name of company ? Thanks for the info. sounds like fun !

I was also thinking about this. The tour company has a guarantee of seeing Whales through May 15th. We will be in Maui on May 5th. When trying to find a tour for this ALL the others only go through April. Pacific was the only one that goes in May. May not be PEAK season for it but we should still see some.

The Pacific Whale Foundation would be about a 20 minute ride from the port. You might want to contact them and see if they will be running a shuttle from the port.

On tubing the ditch. Here is their website. http://http://adventureinhawaii.com/kauai_tubing.htm

I think we will see whales, but not as many as there are in February, March and April.

 

[seaulater]

No, the island of Hawaii that has active volcano. Honolulu is where Waikiki beach is. A 10:30 departure might give you time to hit a luau on Waikiki but it would be cutting it close.

I think we are leaving Honolulu later because with an excursion to Polynesian Cultural Center and the dinner and show (the pineapple boats with sherbet are to die for) doesn't get you back into Honolulu until 10 pm. So my guess is it is for the PCC buses. And if DCL has an excursion I would definitely take that one, because it is a two lane highway both ways and the drive can be slow, so in case they were running late, the ship wouldn't leave without you!

 

[seaulater]

Let's have a party! Happy Birthday Erik. Enjoy your day!

 

[Yensidfan]

Happy Birthday Erik!!! Have a great and fun day.
I have to agree, Michael sure knows how to create a a fun and informative personal excursion.

Faith & Pete

 

[castoff]

Whoever suggested trying on men's shirt for sizing..........great idea ! I wen't to walmart and I am going to keep the size I ordered but wear it open. I found a solid periwinkle shirt for 4.00 !!!! I think it would be better on me that way. They have a TON of colors and sizes if anybody is looking for them.

 

[kugalbelle]

Thank you Alan for sharing your Club 33 photos.
Can only dream!!!

We were at Steakhouse 33 last night celebrating our 29th wedding anniversary which was lovely, our first choice was Napa Rose but they were booked out by D23.

Hello All!
We just got back from the Alaska cruise and I sent an email to my DU rep asking for her to be on the look-out for a Hawaii ressie and she emailed today - wahoo!!
We got a cat 10C although I was hoping for a cat 9, but with the price bump since release, it is probably a blessing.
Now I just need to fully convince my hubby this is BETTER than just flying to Hawaii for a visit.

Welcome aboard.

We have done the helicopter tour on Maui. The helicopter leaves from the Kahalui Airport. You can see Haleakala Crater and waterfalls, etc. It is fun. The ship will port in just 5 minutes from the Kahalui airport, however the helicopter pad is all the way around the other side and you have to travel all the way around the airport, so I would guesstimate about 15 minute drive.
Someone asked about rental cars in Maui. Like I said the airport is just 5 minutes from the port, we have used National and Hertz in the past. The drive to Hana is well worth it, however, you need to NOT be afraid of cliffs and narrow winding roads. Plan on all day in order to take the road to Hana and the Seven Sacred Pools. There are several beautiful stops along the way where you can hike and see waterfalls and even swim.

Thank you for the info.

Hey all,
Happy Sunday----life has been crazy here so I have been lurking at best for the past few weeks. Work is crazy for both of us. Cheerleading tryouts start tomorrow for 2 of my 3 teams so it's been a mad dash to get girls ready and prepped for tryouts. We're neck deep in wedding planning now (which is exciting and fun....but also stressful...AND EXPENSIVE!!!). We even JUST started trying to work on fundraising for the AIDS Walk here in Rochester that we do every year and it's less than a month away----yikes we procrastinated! AND we're prepping for our WDW/DCL trip a week from Thursday.....we're calling it our "honeymoon dress rehearsal"
Anyhow...Jason is downstairs making me breakfast (today is my 37th birthday!) so I have a few moments of quiet time.
I have our order form filled out and scanned. I'll email it as a PDF later today...but we'll be ordering two Medium shirts.
We generally agree. I know DCL excursions are more pricey....but I really don't like to have to do the research and planning associated with figuring out how to do off-ship adventures in a strange city or country....and I like the security of konwing you can't be left behind...so we always do DCL excursions, too! The only exception we've ever had to that was in San Fran on the recent repo from LA to Vancouver. We were there overnight so we planned our own day (with the help of some local friends) knowing that if we got terribly lost and couldn't get back we at least had the whole night....and then we did our friend Michael's personal tour that he had planned for the 2nd day in San Fran which was A-M-A-Z-I-N-G!!! For the Hawaii trip I think we'll be doing all DCL trips (unless Michael organizes another one).

Happy Birthday Erik, hope you are having a wonderful day!

 

[castoff]

Happy Birthday Erik ! Hope you are having a "Wonderful " Day .

 

[castoff]

hmmm, Aulani is on Oahu - I wonder if they are thinking of doing an early luau we could attend.

When I told my DH about the time change that's the first thing he thought of !

The Pacific Whale Foundation would be about a 20 minute ride from the port. You might want to contact them and see if they will be running a shuttle from the port.

On tubing the ditch. Here is their website. http://http://adventureinhawaii.com/kauai_tubing.htm

I think we will see whales, but not as many as there are in February, March and April.

Thanks for the link. Just put it in my favorites. I will contact Pacific tomorrow and report back on here.

I think we are leaving Honolulu later because with an excursion to Polynesian Cultural Center and the dinner and show (the pineapple boats with sherbet are to die for) doesn't get you back into Honolulu until 10 pm. So my guess is it is for the PCC buses. And if DCL has an excursion I would definitely take that one, because it is a two lane highway both ways and the drive can be slow, so in case they were running late, the ship wouldn't leave without you!

If Disney does this one then I will go through them. I am hoping they offer something for Aulani. Also with the change of time shows me they are firming thigs up with the tour companies. Hope they will post what's offered soon on DCL site.

We could wear our shirts for this .

 

[granmaz]

Someone told me they don't present birthday cakes onboard now but just give a one person dessert to the one celebrating. Is this correct? Not that it is my birthday onboard, just interested.

 

[Janis]

Erik!!!

and happy wedding planning!!!

 

[tig82174]

Someone told me they don't present birthday cakes onboard now but just give a one person dessert to the one celebrating. Is this correct? Not that it is my birthday onboard, just interested.

On the Alaska we were at a table with 3 separate birthdays and they did NOT bring that cake anymore, they brought out a special chocolate dessert (maybe it was some kind of mousse? I can't remember----Deb aka EpcotKilterFan was one of the birthdays, she might recall).

In my opinion it was WAY better. We were celebrating our anniversary on one of our first cruises and they brought us that cake and we were mortified because they brought it after dinner and dessert when we were so stuffed we couldn't move...and then they brought that HUGE hunk of cake...and we felt guilty but we just couldn't eat more than a bite or two of it and so most of it went to waste. Another time we had dining partners who had gone to Palo for their birthday on the last night of the cruise and our servers brought that huge hunk of cake to breakfast on disembarkation day and we all looked at it like----do they really think we're going to eat that for breakfast? Or carry it off the ship? Since then we've seen more than a few of those "hunks-o-cake" sitting on the floor in the hall outside stateroom doors----probably for the same reasons....so it's always been kind of a running joke to us. When we saw the smaller more reasonable cute dessert they are serving now, we thought that was a smart move on DCL's part!

 

[granmaz]

On the Alaska we were at a table with 3 separate birthdays and they did NOT bring that cake anymore, they brought out a special chocolate dessert (maybe it was some kind of mousse? I can't remember----Deb aka EpcotKilterFan was one of the birthdays, she might recall).

In my opinion it was WAY better. We were celebrating our anniversary on one of our first cruises and they brought us that cake and we were mortified because they brought it after dinner and dessert when we were so stuffed we couldn't move...and then they brought that HUGE hunk of cake...and we felt guilty but we just couldn't eat more than a bite or two of it and so most of it went to waste. Another time we had dining partners who had gone to Palo for their birthday on the last night of the cruise and our servers brought that huge hunk of cake to breakfast on disembarkation day and we all looked at it like----do they really think we're going to eat that for breakfast? Or carry it off the ship? Since then we've seen more than a few of those "hunks-o-cake" sitting on the floor in the hall outside stateroom doors----probably for the same reasons....so it's always been kind of a running joke to us. When we saw the smaller more reasonable cute dessert they are serving now, we thought that was a smart move on DCL's part!

Oh I so know what you mean. Such a waste. Yes, it was a chocolate mousse that the person who told us about it had presented to her. Much better idea though not quite the same effect of the cake.

I think one cruise we were on we must have been the only couple who didn't have a birthday in our dining room that week. This should save them a bit of money.

 

[BoosGram]

Thanks for the support, I always get the feeling on these boards people do not like the DCL tours. Granted they are more money, but the money spent to me is called peice of mind.

Yeah, DH and I are not exactly risk takers, so we almost always opt for Disney transfers, excursions, etc. Big sissies, I know.

I was also thinking about this. The tour company has a guarantee of seeing Whales through May 15th. We will be in Maui on May 5th. When trying to find a tour for this ALL the others only go through April. Pacific was the only one that goes in May. May not be PEAK season for it but we should still see some.

Thanks, that would be sooooo cool!

Anyhow...Jason is downstairs making me breakfast (today is my 37th birthday!) so I have a few moments of quiet time.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!! Party hardy!

hmmm, Aulani is on Oahu - I wonder if they are thinking of doing an early luau we could attend.

That was the first thought I had, too. Hmm, great minds...

 

[gdaneowner]

It is still theer 15 min later. I am shocked. I am more shocked that I liiked at the Itenerary again and noticed that our departure time in Honolulu has changed to 10:30 P.M.

I know I am late to this party, but, we have been without power since 1130 central time Thursday night due to heavy storms.

I have to say that I am super excited about this!.. As I have wanted more island time since I saw the orginal itenerary.

 

[Pixiegran]

I know I am late to this party, but, we have been without power since 1130 central time Thursday night due to heavy storms.

I have to say that I am super excited about this!.. As I have wanted more island time since I saw the orginal itenerary.

Hope you came through without any property damage and just power loss. Have a friend stationed in Kansas who posted pictures of her backyard and her daughters trampoline - it was almost a block from their house all twisted up with a second trampoline from another house and together they took out a fence of a third house and the chain link was added to the mess. Isn't it unusual for this type of storm this time of year?

 

[Pixiegran]

Erick I hope you have a great day. Sorry I am not technically educated so no fancy pictures or icons...just sincere wishes. And a request for Merlin update!!!!!!!

 

[Frodo UK]

Is the port we are leaving later from now the one that sailing from would take us past the spectacular volcano? I know people were hoping for a night sailing past it. I'm not well up on the islands yet as I haven't started the planning.

That makes 2 (4) of us

 

[valbob89]

I spoke with a representative of the Pacific Whale Foundation. She confirmed what Bob and I remembered: It is about an hour drive from our port, Kahului, to their boats in Lahaina. It is a lovely drive with a number of nice snorkeling sites along the way. The other issue is that, while they guarantee you will see whales, it is not a money-back guarantee. They give you another whale watching trip, which is fine if you are staying in Maui but not so good if you are there only one day.

If you are interested in a whale watching tour, they did a lovely one. Something they did that others we have been on have not is they had a hydrophone to pick up and identify the humpback's songs. We could hear the songs of the whales we were watching -- very neat.

Regarding the sail by of the volcano: Those of us who will sail on the Wonder before our Hawaii trip, such as Corinna and Graham, maybe we could ask the captain if it is in the plans. I know the exact course they take is at the discretion of the officers of the ship. Might a little eager encouragement help?

 

[gdaneowner]

Hope you came through without any property damage and just power loss. Have a friend stationed in Kansas who posted pictures of her backyard and her daughters trampoline - it was almost a block from their house all twisted up with a second trampoline from another house and together they took out a fence of a third house and the chain link was added to the mess. Isn't it unusual for this type of storm this time of year?

We were lucky in that we didn't have any property damage. Around our neighborhood, there were huge trees pulled from the ground by their roots. One house had a tree fall over into their house. It is a mess!..
This has been an unusally active storm season. I can't remember when we have ever had a summer with so many sever storms and so much tree damage. Even our local power company said this is the worst storm year that we have had.

 

[MousseauMob]

In my opinion it was WAY better.

Totally agree! Our very first cruise I was talked into doing all 4 birthdays - we ended up with 4 of these cakes - I never made that mistake again, it was just TOO MUCH! Happy Birthday and Best Wishes!

When I told my DH about the time change that's the first thing he thought of !

That was the first thought I had, too. Hmm, great minds...

From all our great minds to theirs - please please please! Ideally, I keep hoping for a combo tour of Pearl Harbor in the morning and Aulani later with a luau! But even two different tours that can be done back to back would make me excited!

Regarding the sail by of the volcano: Those of us who will sail on the Wonder before our Hawaii trip, such as Corinna and Graham, maybe we could ask the captain if it is in the plans. I know the exact course they take is at the discretion of the officers of the ship. Might a little eager encouragement help?

What a great idea! Keep us posted. I'm not holding my breath on this, because I think the sail by is easier when the itinerary goes from Hilo to Kona sailing around the bottom of the big island, but I'm remaning hopeful just in case. What may be easier for them to do and from what I hear almost as spectacular is if they will do the sail around Kauai. Would you please ask them about this one as well?