Latest Travel Blog Entries

Friday, February 19, 2010

Maui...close your eyes and picture this.  A towering waterfall cascading down a lush canyon wall. A white sand beach with the sparkling blue Pacific beyond. A giant humpback whale breaching near a catamaran's bow.  A serene sunrise over a volcano's immense crater.  A fire-red sunset glowing over an ancient tropical island.  The memories last a lifetime.

Browse through our Hawaii tour and vacation packages.

Sunday, January 31, 2010

As you get ready to travel?

Here are some tips to give you peace of mind while you are away and make sure you do not make your house as a target of opportunity. These are some simple precautions from the experts.

• Be mindful of who is around when you are discussing your trip - there is no need to let too many people know or draw attention to the fact your house might be empty for a period.
• The best deterrent is to have someone housesit. If that is not possible, ask a trusted neighbor or friend to take in the newspaper, mail, and any other deliveries and keep an eye on the house. Give them your trip plans and an emergency phone number so they can reach you in case of an emergency. You can also arrange with the post office and newspaper to suspend delivery for the time you are away.
• Lock doors, windows and secure sliding doors (a metal rod or a broomstick in the sliding door track is an inexpensive lock), as well as the garage, the basement, and the attic. Some people even disconnect the power to motorized garage door openers.
• Move any valuables from plain sight.
• Check on your appliances, unplug anything that doesn't need to be on while you're away. Lower air conditioning/heating units to energy-saving levels.
• Set timers to turn on lights if you do not have someone staying at the house.

Thursday, December 24, 2009

Are booked on an NCL Hawaii Cruise?

These adventures are sure to make your NCL America cruise vacation even more incredible.  They are time to fit in perfectly with your hotel stay and ship schedule in Honolulu before or after your cruise.  When you book your tours through NCL America, we’ll pick you up, drop you off, arrange for your luggage to be there when you arrive and more.

We suggest booking prior to your cruise, as some shore excursions do sell out.

PEARL HARBOR & HONOLULU CITY TOUR

Learning can be fun and inspirational too.  Check out the history of Hawaii from it’s simple beginnings to its complex role during World War II.

GRAND CIRCLE ISLAND TOUR

120 miles of absolute grandness includes Diamond Head crater, the spouting Blow Hole, North Shore’s Waimea Bay, Sunset Beach, the Banzai Pipeline and more.

CIRQUE HAWAII

The aerial Acrobatics of the more than 30 performers from around the world are nothing short of jaw-dropping.  So go ahead – run off and join the Cirque.

OAHU GOLF

Brag about the views, if not your score.  Nestled at the foot of historic Pali Lookout, the Ko’olau Golf Club looks out over the Pacific and the 2000-foot cliffs of Ko’olau Range.

HAWAIIAN WATERFALL HIKING ADVENTURE

Go take a hike – way into the Ko’olau Mountains to an incredible rainforest world complete with magical waterfall.

O’AHU DELUXE HELICOPTER

See Hawaii’s awesome rainforests, beaches, Pearl Harbor, Battleship Row, Punchbowl National Memorial Cemetery, Diamond Head Crater and Sacred Falls from a different perspective.

POLYNESIAN CULTURAL CENTER

It’s a day-long reality adventure unlike any other.  Take a canoe ride past island villages.  Have dinner at the Ambassador Buffet.  Then enjoy a nighttime show that includes over 100 performers and a volcanic eruption.

USS MISSOURI, ARIZONA MEMORIAL & PEARL HARBOR

Pay your respects at Pearl Harbor’s Arizona Memorial and Visitor Center.  Tour the battleship USS Missouri.  Drive through historic downtown Honolulu and see the Punchbowl National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific.

Friday, December 04, 2009

General Travel Tips

• Make sure your passport does not expire within six months of your date of travel. Some countries insist that your passport be valid for at least a six-month time period.
• Place an envelope in one of your checked bags containing copies of your passport, birth certificate and a back up form of photo I.D. in case your passport is lost or stolen.
• Place a copy of the detailed itinerary of your trip inside each piece of luggage. If your luggage is lost, this will help the airline locate you while you're traveling.
• If you are on Medicare and traveling outside the United States, be aware that Medicare does not cover any of your medical bills abroad. It's a good idea to get a travel protection policy that will cover these costs.
• Plan at least a day or two after your return home before scheduling any commitments; you may be tired after your journey.

Don't Forget

• Stow away some antibacterial wipes-they're a convenient way to clean up on the go.
• Bring a voltage converter with you, along with an adapter (to fit electrical plugs into foreign outlets). Note that some adapter kits don't include converters.
• Pack an extra pair of prescription glasses or contacts in case they are lost or broken.
• Comfortable, broken-in walking shoes are a must. Never pack new shoes.
• Wrap a long strip of duct tape around a pencil and bring it along for the ride. Duct tape is the magic fix for everything from torn suitcases to a broken sandal strap.

Click here for over 50 posts with helpful travel tips and advice.

Monday, November 23, 2009

Fanning Island is your best chance to see what Hawaii and much of the South Pacific must have been like a century ago. This remote island is home to friendly islanders, truly unspoiled beaches and some excellent diving. The majority of homes are grass huts and you're just as likely to see a wild boar on the beach as you are a sand crab.

Even if the last thing in the world you can imagine doing on this pristine island is shopping, bear in mind that most of the collectibles sold here are one-of-a-kind items handmade with indigenous materials. You'll find grass mats and baskets made from palm tree fronds, bowls made from small shells and knives made from shark's teeth, not to mention the rare Republic of Kirabati stamps coveted by philatelists.