franandaj
I'm so happy, I could BOUNCE!
- Joined
- Nov 15, 2009
- Messages
- 37,723
So, here we are again with the Widow and the Spinster on another trip. This time we are visiting Aulani on the island of Oahu. If you don’t know who we are, here's a few photos of us from previous trips. These two are from our Westbound Transatlantic Cruise.
And this photo is from a trip last spring to WDW.
I realize that it’s been a little while since we got back, and I’m still working on the WBTA TR here. There are a couple more updates. Plus I have the TR from our holiday trip going on here. I didn’t want to have three trip reports going at the same time, but I realized that if I don’t get this one started, I may never get it started. So here I am with three trip reports at once. Hopefully I can wrap up the cruise within a week or so, and just have the two.
If you’ve read any of my trip reports before, you know there is a back story to this trip, (just because all my trips have a back story.) You might as well go get yourself a tasty beverage right now, sit back and relax, because that’s what’s coming.
Ready?
OK. So, I’m a planner. Shocked?
Back in 2023 my wife, Fran and I sailed on her last cruise just six weeks before she passed away. On that cruise we had booked a placeholder cruise. So in June of 2023, Jill (the Spinster, and my new travel partner in crime) and I already had plans to go to Egypt for one of her “zero” birthdays. She was already thinking about the next year, 2024, as good planners do.
We had our eyes set on a cruise on the Fantasy in October of 2024 to celebrate her birthday, but when they released the itineraries, we were not fans. We ended up on the Westbound Transatlantic on the Dream using Jill’s placeholder. I gave you the link above, but that’s not what this trip report is all about. That same day, when Platinum cruise booking opened, I used my placeholder to book a Half Trans Pacific Cruise on the Wonder from Honolulu to Vancouver.
Well the fires ravaged Lahaina and when we went to look at excursions on Maui, they had been slashed, so that there was really nothing we wanted to do. When we looked at the Big Island, we were only there from 9AM-3PM. Not enough time to get a rental car and visit the volcanoes. Also the stop on Kauai had been eliminated from the cruise entirely (it was on the 2020 itinerary which Jill had been booked on).
As you know I manage apartment buildings and oftentimes, my work spills over into my vacations. Well on a trip in Canada to visit @DnA2010, one of my buildings had a plumbing mishap. The estimate to fix this was nearly five figures! The Paid in Full date for the cruise was looming less than a month away, and it was just sounding impossible that I would have the funds to manage that.
Jill and I talked. Between the limited ports and excursions, and the fiscal irresponsibility of taking another cruise, we decided it would be better to cancel the cruise. However, using fuzzy Disney math and DVC, it would be almost “free” to extend the 3 days we had already booked at Aulani and just spend a week at Aulani! Win / Win situation!
So with a new trip in motion we began the planning all over again! Jill and I are not people to lay around the pool, so if you’re looking for a description of how to get beach chairs, what tasty cocktails your server can bring you, or a review of all the QS restaurants at Aulani, you’ve come to the wrong place.
However, if you’re interested in a tour of the island, some interesting off campus sights, and the meals at the full-service locations at and around Aulani, that’s what you’re going to get!
Whew! That was a lot of words! I think it’s time for some more pictures!
Now I don’t want to spoil too much, especially for those of you who were not following along on FB or Instagram. But here’s Aulani, that’s where we will be staying!
There are some beautiful ocean views!
There may have been some volcano action (or not).
And certainly good eating, no, that’s not the good eating you’ll have to stick around for that!
So let’s get this party started!
And this photo is from a trip last spring to WDW.
I realize that it’s been a little while since we got back, and I’m still working on the WBTA TR here. There are a couple more updates. Plus I have the TR from our holiday trip going on here. I didn’t want to have three trip reports going at the same time, but I realized that if I don’t get this one started, I may never get it started. So here I am with three trip reports at once. Hopefully I can wrap up the cruise within a week or so, and just have the two.
If you’ve read any of my trip reports before, you know there is a back story to this trip, (just because all my trips have a back story.) You might as well go get yourself a tasty beverage right now, sit back and relax, because that’s what’s coming.
Ready?
OK. So, I’m a planner. Shocked?
Back in 2023 my wife, Fran and I sailed on her last cruise just six weeks before she passed away. On that cruise we had booked a placeholder cruise. So in June of 2023, Jill (the Spinster, and my new travel partner in crime) and I already had plans to go to Egypt for one of her “zero” birthdays. She was already thinking about the next year, 2024, as good planners do.
We had our eyes set on a cruise on the Fantasy in October of 2024 to celebrate her birthday, but when they released the itineraries, we were not fans. We ended up on the Westbound Transatlantic on the Dream using Jill’s placeholder. I gave you the link above, but that’s not what this trip report is all about. That same day, when Platinum cruise booking opened, I used my placeholder to book a Half Trans Pacific Cruise on the Wonder from Honolulu to Vancouver.
Well the fires ravaged Lahaina and when we went to look at excursions on Maui, they had been slashed, so that there was really nothing we wanted to do. When we looked at the Big Island, we were only there from 9AM-3PM. Not enough time to get a rental car and visit the volcanoes. Also the stop on Kauai had been eliminated from the cruise entirely (it was on the 2020 itinerary which Jill had been booked on).
As you know I manage apartment buildings and oftentimes, my work spills over into my vacations. Well on a trip in Canada to visit @DnA2010, one of my buildings had a plumbing mishap. The estimate to fix this was nearly five figures! The Paid in Full date for the cruise was looming less than a month away, and it was just sounding impossible that I would have the funds to manage that.
Jill and I talked. Between the limited ports and excursions, and the fiscal irresponsibility of taking another cruise, we decided it would be better to cancel the cruise. However, using fuzzy Disney math and DVC, it would be almost “free” to extend the 3 days we had already booked at Aulani and just spend a week at Aulani! Win / Win situation!
So with a new trip in motion we began the planning all over again! Jill and I are not people to lay around the pool, so if you’re looking for a description of how to get beach chairs, what tasty cocktails your server can bring you, or a review of all the QS restaurants at Aulani, you’ve come to the wrong place.
However, if you’re interested in a tour of the island, some interesting off campus sights, and the meals at the full-service locations at and around Aulani, that’s what you’re going to get!
Whew! That was a lot of words! I think it’s time for some more pictures!
Now I don’t want to spoil too much, especially for those of you who were not following along on FB or Instagram. But here’s Aulani, that’s where we will be staying!
There are some beautiful ocean views!
There may have been some volcano action (or not).
And certainly good eating, no, that’s not the good eating you’ll have to stick around for that!
So let’s get this party started!
so beautiful! 
they have one here that comes with a mini kitkat
I hear ya about multiple TRs going on and the effort. I super wanted to finish my Asia-Australia one before I launch my Africa one. I've not read too many (if any really) Aulani reports, so am looking forward to this. 
