Honeymoon - Oahu Stay and Hawaii island Cruise plus San Francisco and Vegas
Mar 15th, 2012, 02:46 AM
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Honeymoon - Oahu Stay and Hawaii island Cruise plus San Francisco and Vegas
My fiancée and I are from Scotland, we are getting married in February 2013. I am planning the honeymoon. We have been on a Mediterranean cruise before and loved it so considering doing a Hawaiian cruise.
Neither of us have been to Hawaii before, I am planning 5 nights in Oahu, Hawaii followed by a 7 day cruise of Hawaii then San Francisco for 10 nights and 3 nights to Las Vegas to see a couple of shows before heading home.
My current plan is to arrive in Honolulu on 4th February 2013. Stay somewhere relaxing / romantic in Oahu for 5 nights then go on the weeks cruise with NCLs cruise ship “Pride of America” from 9th February. The itinerary starts in Honolulu and visits Maui for 2 days, Hilo for 1 day, Kona for 1 day and Kauai for 2 days
Does anybody have a recommendation for somewhere to stay in Oahu that is romantic / relaxing (not the hustle and bustle of Honolulu), has anybody been on Pride of America or have any thoughts on the itinerary and what are your thoughts on my thoughts? Is it better to plan our own itinerary of Hawaii for 2 weeks?
Neither of us have been to Hawaii before, I am planning 5 nights in Oahu, Hawaii followed by a 7 day cruise of Hawaii then San Francisco for 10 nights and 3 nights to Las Vegas to see a couple of shows before heading home.
My current plan is to arrive in Honolulu on 4th February 2013. Stay somewhere relaxing / romantic in Oahu for 5 nights then go on the weeks cruise with NCLs cruise ship “Pride of America” from 9th February. The itinerary starts in Honolulu and visits Maui for 2 days, Hilo for 1 day, Kona for 1 day and Kauai for 2 days
Does anybody have a recommendation for somewhere to stay in Oahu that is romantic / relaxing (not the hustle and bustle of Honolulu), has anybody been on Pride of America or have any thoughts on the itinerary and what are your thoughts on my thoughts? Is it better to plan our own itinerary of Hawaii for 2 weeks?
Mar 15th, 2012, 05:21 AM
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Well I've done a great deal more reading on this website and it seems that the cruise is a poor way to get the most out of the island. For that reason we'll probably have 10-14 nights total in Hawaii... that opens it right up eh?!
So... any suggestions for honeymooners from Scotland that would rather not cook (we do enought of that at home) and want rest and relaxation to begin with and sightseeing afterwards....
So... any suggestions for honeymooners from Scotland that would rather not cook (we do enought of that at home) and want rest and relaxation to begin with and sightseeing afterwards....
Mar 15th, 2012, 09:58 AM
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Tornadoes are pretty rare in Hawaii and major flooding is also not too common. However, late winter/early spring are usually the rainiest times of the year. We do get the occasional "storm" during this time (which generally translates to several consecutive days of rain), but more usual is a passing rain shower that clears up later.
That being said, you can't really predict the weather. Certain parts of each island are rainier than other parts - if the weather is a concern, you could look at staying places that generally get less rain. For example, the Windward side of Oahu usually gets more rain than Honolulu, the west side or the North Shore.
The North Shore is quiet and relaxing, though it is somewhat removed from a lot of the usual sightseeing stops on the island. As far as the no cooking issue - unless you are staying at the Turtle Bay Resort, your main dining options are located in Haleiwa town. You would need to look carefully at the location of a vacation rental if you want to avoid a lot of driving to eat out.
The west side with the Ihilani resort is considered more quiet than Waikiki, though perhaps less so now with the opening of the Disney resort next door. This area is a little more convenient (drive time wise) to the usual sightseeing stops than the North Shore.
Kailua and Lanikai are popular areas for B&Bs or vacation condo rentals. Even more convenient to the sightseeing stops than the west side, but these towns are on the windward side, so you need to think about your weather concerns (if any).
The Kahala Hotel is only about 10 minutes out of Waikiki, but is really quite secluded and quiet. It sits at the end of a mostly residential street next to a country club. The beach fronting the hotel is pretty much only used by the people staying at the hotel because of how it's situated. Being so close to town, this is the best location as far as giving you options of where to eat.
As far as not doing the cruise, I think that's a good idea. With 10-14 nights, I would think you could easily visit 2-3 islands, depending on how much sightseeing you wanted vs. relaxation.
That being said, you can't really predict the weather. Certain parts of each island are rainier than other parts - if the weather is a concern, you could look at staying places that generally get less rain. For example, the Windward side of Oahu usually gets more rain than Honolulu, the west side or the North Shore.
The North Shore is quiet and relaxing, though it is somewhat removed from a lot of the usual sightseeing stops on the island. As far as the no cooking issue - unless you are staying at the Turtle Bay Resort, your main dining options are located in Haleiwa town. You would need to look carefully at the location of a vacation rental if you want to avoid a lot of driving to eat out.
The west side with the Ihilani resort is considered more quiet than Waikiki, though perhaps less so now with the opening of the Disney resort next door. This area is a little more convenient (drive time wise) to the usual sightseeing stops than the North Shore.
Kailua and Lanikai are popular areas for B&Bs or vacation condo rentals. Even more convenient to the sightseeing stops than the west side, but these towns are on the windward side, so you need to think about your weather concerns (if any).
The Kahala Hotel is only about 10 minutes out of Waikiki, but is really quite secluded and quiet. It sits at the end of a mostly residential street next to a country club. The beach fronting the hotel is pretty much only used by the people staying at the hotel because of how it's situated. Being so close to town, this is the best location as far as giving you options of where to eat.
As far as not doing the cruise, I think that's a good idea. With 10-14 nights, I would think you could easily visit 2-3 islands, depending on how much sightseeing you wanted vs. relaxation.
Mar 15th, 2012, 11:34 AM
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Compare the cost of the cruise to the cost of flights plus hotels plus whatever meals you would eat on the ship. Then think about the fact that you have little control over how long you stay at each island. Remember if you take excursions from the ship you will have to pay extra for those.
Personally, and I confess to being an non cruise person, I would much rather spend a few days on Oahu, then pick a couple other island (Big Island and either Maui or Kawai) with a rental car would be my choice.
Personally, and I confess to being an non cruise person, I would much rather spend a few days on Oahu, then pick a couple other island (Big Island and either Maui or Kawai) with a rental car would be my choice.
Mar 15th, 2012, 11:39 AM
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Well, I am a huge fan of Kauai, but in February I would probably look into Maui as whales will be in season (although the folks in Kauai report seeing a lot from shore as well). I'd look into staying in either Wailea area or a condo in Kihei that time of year. Remember just because you have a condo or kitchenette does not mean you have to cook (I do not consider coffee and toast/fruit as cooking, nor cutting up cheese for appetizers).
Mar 15th, 2012, 11:40 AM
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With two weeks you could self-plan a fantastic vacation and see 2-3 islands. Personally I would not cruise Hawaii. I'm not generally a cruise person either, but specifically for Hawaiian islands I think it's not the best choice.
