Hawaii Honeymoon Reviews

How I Could Have Planned My Honeymoon Better

March 6, 2011 By admin

Creative Commons License photo credit: jurvetson

I don’t regret copping out on the expensive hotels and resorts. Lucky for me (and my wallet), I was able to use a friend’s timeshare near Poipu Beach, Kauai. I’ll even admit sneaking into the nearby Hilton Hotel to take advantage of their pool shaped like a lagoon, complete with water-slide. At night, my new husband and I would walk down the dark marshy paths to the beach and reach the ocean with a bottle of wine in hand. The days were spent lazily, with scheduled massages, decadent food, and embracing the warmth of the sun.

When I got home from my trip, everyone wanted to know how it went. Did you see a luau? Yes, I’d say and it was spectacular. How was the food? Epic. Did you seek out the “xyz” waterfall? Err… no, I’d respond. Did you try parasailing? No… we didn’t get that far.

This is when I began thinking about how we could have made more of our Hawaiian honeymoon. So, here are a few things to consider before saying your vows and boarding that plane to paradise.

Snorkeling

During our stay, we rented snorkeling gear at Poipu Beach and tread into the surf where we’d wrestle with our rubber gear and clear our mask until the sea was somewhat visible… you know, in between the waves, children and rocks that constantly disrupted the water. Now, also imagine fighting the tide and hope that you and your new spouse are good swimmers. When we finished, my toe was bleeding and I couldn’t help but think– this wasn’t how I pictured it.

So, before you think that beach snorkeling will aptly replace the catamaran boat ride… think again. It’s really worth the money to board a boat for the day, and experience snorkeling in an uninterrupted environment. You’re also more likely to encounter a larger variety of sea life; like sea turtles, dolphins, and tropical fish.

I was so upset about our ‘snorkeling’, that I made sure in the following days we would do it properly. There’s only one word for it; breathless.

Hike

Being very much of the opinion that honeymoons are meant to be relaxing, I still regret not seeking out any hiking trails. We drove down to the Na Pali Coast, but that time was spent in a car bumping along a dirt road. I would have much preferred to see it in a more natural setting. A couple we met during at the time share showed us a view of the photos they had taken on the Na Pali Coast trail. The trail arched like a rainbow, they said, you climb over tree roots into the cliffs until you reach a waterfall that turns into a river which flows into the sea. Sigh… I should have done that.

Some people only visit Hawaii once in their lives. So even though it’s your honeymoon, don’t take the time for granted. Experience it with your new spouse; there is nothing more romantic.

Food

When I received my credit card statement, I couldn’t believe how much money we had spent on expensive restaurants. I could have done without some of the indulgence. I recommend visiting the nearby market as soon as possible so that you don’t spend 10.00 for something to just ‘hold you over.’ Remember that you’re most likely in some kind of tourist trap… and very easy to lose track of your spending. I can imagine it’s even easier at a fancy resort if you start using room service.

There you have it- my tried and true “take-aways” about planning a Hawaii honeymoon. Even though your wedding day might just be the most important day of your life… the honeymoon is a beginning to the rest of it.

**MHH would like to thank Anna for sharing her story with us. If you have a Hawaii Honeymoon story, and would like to be apart of our growing website, please email us at: MyHawaiiHoneymoon@gmail.com

Top 5 Tips for Cruising with the Princess

November 17, 2010 By Lakaeli

One boat. Endless adventure. This is what I learned from my Hawaii honeymoon experience on Princess Cruises.

1. Rent a car on each island

2. Get a room with a balcony. No absolute need for a suite, though. Just remember that any cabin will be much smaller than most hotel rooms.

3. Relax! Sleep in when you want to. The activities will proceed without you!

4. Pack nice clothing, including formal wear. There will be a few formal nights! (Meaning a tux or nice suit for guys, cocktail dress for ladies.) Or, you could just stay in on those nights…

5. Enjoy each other. This may likely be the best vacation of your lives.

My husband and I were married in October 2009 and knew in advance that we wanted to splurge for our honeymoon. We had no idea when we would have the time or resources to take another vacation like this again. Hours of following links on the internet led us to the same conclusion: Hawaii or bust. But as like most adventures, it’s all about the journey… and neither of us had been on a cruise before.

That led us to Princess Cruises, an obvious choice considering both the options and the budget. Even better, the embarkation and disembarkation were in Los Angeles; perfect for us California residents.

Since this was our one and only honeymoon, we agreed on the no holds barred method of financing… well, as much as we could possibly stand anyway. So that meant a mini-suite with a balcony. As much as I loved our room, the mini-suite (or any suite) option would not be mandatory for our next cruise. It was often nice to have the extra room, but honestly we didn’t use that space too often; even our room service we often enjoyed either in bed on on the balcony. Speaking of the balcony, this is a must! We will never cruise without a room with a balcony…ever. You don’t know what you’d be missing… or maybe you do. It was thrilling to sit outside on our semi-private deck, playing cards, watching the waves and eating our breakfast, lunch, dinner… or one of the myriad of snacks in between.

Speaking of food, Princess has some fantastic dining options. Choose between either buffet or sitting down to a meal with a menu that changes daily for breakfast, lunch and dinner. There are also a few restaurants when you feel like indulging in filet mignon, lobster tail… and for only $20 each, we were able to eat whatever we desired. It was definitely worth it!

I have heard horror stories about people who took a cruise and felt obligated to attend each and every activity. But on the Princess, we didn’t feel overwhelmed in the least. Sure, there were activities every hour of the day… but participation wasn’t mandatory and that allowed us to take the time we wanted. Although, the activity that we did partake in almost every night was the aptly named Movies Under the Stars on the top deck, which played on the gigantic screen above the central swimming pool. The stewards even walked around with blankets, popcorn, chocolate chip cookies and milk!

The magic of feeling free from obligations, relaxing on our balcony and falling asleep on a deck chair lasted for 14 days. Of course, four of those days were spent visiting four Hawaiian islands: The Big Island, Kauai, Oahu and Maui (in that order). Princess offers excursions (like guided tours, etc.) that can be purchased ahead of time, even long before you board the ship, but personally I don’t recommend those for honeymooners.

Here’s my recommendation: rent a car and go exploring. Make your own adventure. These islands are small; grab a road map, get some advice from the locals, and start driving. You won’t be disappointed! Of course, just be sure to get back in time so the ship doesn’t leave without you.

Princess is perfect for honeymooners who want to get a taste of Hawaii without having to choose just one island while also enjoying the luxuries that this cruise has to offer. A huge perk is the savings: you won’t have to buy a flight to Hawaii!