Disney Wonder Hawaii Sept. 2015

[woody73]

Well, we did DCL to Hawaii, now we're thinking about going on Princess. But, I'd do DCL again, too.

We were very pleased with Princess to Hawaii.

Our cruise director Dave Cole was fantastic (he's been visiting the islands for 37 years). He's very generous with first hand information about the ports. In other words, he does't just push the shore excursions. For example, he hosted an informal meeting for people wanting to dive or snorkel on the islands. As a certified diving instructor, he shared his favorite sites and how to get there without an excursion. To facilitate sharing private transportation, he had a sign up sheet, which he photocopied and distributed to those attending. This went well above and beyond what a CD typically does.

BTW, on the last night when the Cruise Staff performs "If I were Not Upon the Sea," he's the one wearing the tutu. (Where did you think DCL got it from? CD Brent worked for Princess before he moved to Disney.)

Woody

 

[RaglanRoad]

So if I'm looking at the dates right for the first 1 way Hawaii it would be the following 11 night cruise?

11 Night One Way Hawaii Cruise
Monday 9/7 - Vancouver embarkation
Tuesday - Saturday 9/8 - 9/12 - sea days
Sunday 9/13 - Hilo - Big Island
Monday 9/14 - Kauai
Tuesday 9/15 - Maui (overnight)
Wednesday 9/16 - Maui
Thursday 9/17 - Oahu disembark

I would still prefer the round trip as it was so much fun from Los Angeles but it looks like I am making my alternate plans for a 1 way trip.

 

[Rat-a-too-ee]

Does anyone have trouble with that many consecutive sea days? I had a hard time with just 2 in a row. I guess it would just require taking Bonine each night prior to a sea day. I would love this itinerary but need to work on doing a Med in 2015. Would be awesome to be able to do both ... Dreaming!!

Yes. I was on the first inaugural Hawaiian cruise and the sea days back really got to me. I was missing land and really wanted to go home.

The way there was fabulous, they really took the effort you educate you on the Hawaiian culture. On the way back, there were fewer activities and everything seemed a bit repetitive at that point.

I think in the long run, Disney should look at doing regular ONE WAY CRUISES TO/FROM HAWAII -- and then we can all stay at Aulani pre- or post-cruise.

 

[Sparrow78]

Really really hoping it will start and/or end in Vancouver! Would really cut down on the cost for us!

 

[Poohbear 64]

It would have to be a round trip from either LA or San Diego for us, I am not interested in getting off the ship in Hawaii and flying home. That is the point of a cruise for us, no flying to / from Hawaii. Aulani doesn't do anything for either of us, staying in one place for a week isn't our thing. Put us on a ship and take us places and we are happy campers!!!

 

[PrincessShmoo]

We were very pleased with Princess to Hawaii.

Our cruise director Dave Cole was fantastic (he's been visiting the islands for 37 years). He's very generous with first hand information about the ports. In other words, he does't just push the shore excursions. For example, he hosted an informal meeting for people wanting to dive or snorkel on the islands. As a certified diving instructor, he shared his favorite sites and how to get there without an excursion. To facilitate sharing private transportation, he had a sign up sheet, which he photocopied and distributed to those attending. This went well above and beyond what a CD typically does.

BTW, on the last night when the Cruise Staff performs "If I were Not Upon the Sea," he's the one wearing the tutu. (Where did you think DCL got it from? CD Brent worked for Princess before he moved to Disney.)

Woody

LOL. I hope he's still there when we get around to it. Unfortunately , our cruising plans are pretty much set for the next year and a half. Well, not unfortunately, but we can't plan on Princess right now. Probably have to wait until 2016.

 

[RaglanRoad]

It would have to be a round trip from either LA or San Diego for us, I am not interested in getting off the ship in Hawaii and flying home. That is the point of a cruise for us, no flying to / from Hawaii. Aulani doesn't do anything for either of us, staying in one place for a week isn't our thing. Put us on a ship and take us places and we are happy campers!!!

I would love to have the round trip to Hawaii also. We did the first one and it was great. Like you, we are a short drive to the Port of Los Angeles but San Diego wouldnt be that bad either. I would prefer sitting on the ship again the whole time instead of flying.

 

[CruznLexi]

Having done a R/T Hawaii on RCI with 2 over nights. You must like sea days. And the Pacific can be rough. Puke pouches were on the sailing back to LA. Our cruise left late Oct. We did everything in our own with rental cars in nearly every port. We snorkeled in Kona. Hilo rented a car to go to the Volcano. We did have a sail by but the volcano was quiet and not bubbling. Maui did horse back riding. Oahu we enjoyed the beach and did a luau. There were lots of culture activities on the sea days. Not so much on the return. Would I do Hawaii again. Yes if fly there.

 

[goofynut41]

This cannot be true ???? Leave from Canada to go to Hawaii???? That just dont seem right!!! Why not leave from Southern CA??? And if they don't return wont that made it pricey on airfare??? I was so wanting to do this ,but with a round-trip... I so hope they change to Round trip!!!!!

 

[NancyIL]

This cannot be true ???? Leave from Canada to go to Hawaii???? That just dont seem right!!! Why not leave from Southern CA??? And if they don't return wont that made it pricey on airfare??? I was so wanting to do this ,but with a round-trip... I so hope they change to Round trip!!!!!

The Alaska cruises end in Vancouver on Sept. 7. The ship can legally do a one-way cruise from Canada (Vancouver) to a US port (Honolulu) without violating the Passenger Vessels Services Act (PVSA). However, it can't sail one-way between a port in California and Hawaii without stopping at a distant foreign port. That's why the cruises that go to Hawaii are mostly roundtrip - except for the few repositioning cruises in May and September when ships move between Alaska and Australia.

From the Hawaiian ports calendar - it sure looks like two one-way cruises to me between Vancouver and Honolulu.

 

[luv2sleep]

This cannot be true ???? Leave from Canada to go to Hawaii???? That just dont seem right!!! Why not leave from Southern CA??? And if they don't return wont that made it pricey on airfare??? I was so wanting to do this ,but with a round-trip... I so hope they change to Round trip!!!!!

I wouldn't want it either. Airfare to and from Hawaii is pricey.

 

[GatorMomInNC]

I wouldn't want it either. Airfare to and from Hawaii is pricey.

I'm the opposite -- I would like it one-way. That way we can spend time in Hawaii on either end of the cruise. I got Hawaiian Airlines Visa several years ago and I've been saving up points so that we can do something like that...

 

[NancyIL]

I wouldn't want it either. Airfare to and from Hawaii is pricey.

Yes, airfare to Hawaii is expensive, as is airfare to Europe. It's certainly something to consider when choosing a cruise, but expensive airfare isn't a reason for cruise lines not to offer a particular itinerary.

 

[Sur]

Try Europe to Hawaii! Whew!

 

[luv2sleep]

Oh I'm not doing a Europe cruise any time soon for that exact reason. My preference for roundtrip is personal. No airfare and I loved the 8 sea days. Nothing to do with what the cruiseline wants. Lol.

 

[NancyIL]

Oh I'm not doing a Europe cruise any time soon for that exact reason. My preference for roundtrip is personal. No airfare and I loved the 8 sea days. Nothing to do with what the cruiseline wants. Lol.

I wasn't very fond of last May's Transatlantic itinerary from Galveston to Barcelona, with only 3 port stops and 10 sea days. In spite of that, I booked it because I wanted to go on a longer Disney cruise at a reasonable price. I LOVED the sea days - because DCL had plenty of activities for adults.

I would no longer turn up my nose at a DCL Panama Canal cruise with limited ports and a lot of sea days, or a roundtrip to Hawaii on DCL if it had a much lower starting price than for the 2012 cruises. However, my preference for a Hawaii crises would still be for a one-way so I could spend time in both Vancouver and Honolulu. I also wouldn't mind staying on a non-Disney ship as it continued to Australia!

 

[luv2sleep]

I wasn't very fond of last May's Transatlantic itinerary from Galveston to Barcelona, with only 3 port stops and 10 sea days. In spite of that, I booked it because I wanted to go on a longer Disney cruise at a reasonable price. I LOVED the sea days - because DCL had plenty of activities for adults. I would no longer turn up my nose at a DCL Panama Canal cruise with limited ports and a lot of sea days, or a roundtrip to Hawaii on DCL if it had a much lower starting price than for the 2012 cruises. However, my preference for a Hawaii crises would still be for a one-way so I could spend time in both Vancouver and Honolulu. I also wouldn't mind staying on a non-Disney ship as it continued to Australia!

Thing is a one way won't be half the price of the RT. I highly doubt it. It will likely be more. Add airfare and it's an even more expensive trip. Well I'm glad I at least got to do it in Oct 2012. It was heaven.

 

[jdb in AZ]

I wasn't very fond of last May's Transatlantic itinerary from Galveston to Barcelona, with only 3 port stops and 10 sea days. In spite of that, I booked it because I wanted to go on a longer Disney cruise at a reasonable price. I LOVED the sea days - because DCL had plenty of activities for adults.

I would no longer turn up my nose at a DCL Panama Canal cruise with limited ports and a lot of sea days, or a roundtrip to Hawaii on DCL if it had a much lower starting price than for the 2012 cruises. However, my preference for a Hawaii crises would still be for a one-way so I could spend time in both Vancouver and Honolulu. I also wouldn't mind staying on a non-Disney ship as it continued to Australia!

Yep. Cruising from Los Angeles (anywhere on the west cost) to Hawaii to Australia would be soooo much more comfortable than flying sitting up in a sardine can for 15 hours. I told DH if we ever go back to Australia/New Zealand it will be on a ship. Compared with the $$$$ to fly first class from Los Angeles to Sydney, it's much cheaper to cruise there.

 

[NancyIL]

Yep. Cruising from Los Angeles (anywhere on the west cost) to Hawaii to Australia would be soooo much more comfortable than flying sitting up in a sardine can for 15 hours. I told DH if we ever go back to Australia/New Zealand it will be on a ship. Compared with the $$$$ to fly first class from Los Angeles to Sydney, it's much cheaper to cruise there.

I flew from Sydney to Dallas a month ago on the sardine can! The Qantas flight #7 I took is the longest (mileage) flight in the world - but I survived and would do it again...using airline miles.

 

[ACDSNY]

I'm the opposite -- I would like it one-way. That way we can spend time in Hawaii on either end of the cruise. I got Hawaiian Airlines Visa several years ago and I've been saving up points so that we can do something like that...

That's my plan too. The best of both land and sea.