To those who used a travel agency to visit Hawaii

[silkiechicken]

So my mom has a request of me. Find a travel agency, that offers a whole package deal trip to Hawaii and/or all the other islands some time this summer/fall. Something with lots of sight seeing and activities suitable for older people. My parents are in their late 50's mid 60's, and my gradparents (whom my mom wants to take) are in their 80's. So no windsurfing or hiking... and my mom gets motion sickness really fast... No idea why they want to go because they are all just going to complain that it's too hot, humid, and costs too much.

As good as the "let's take the train to california" idea... forfitted the tickets back and took the plane! I told them so!

So I'd like to hear of the company anyone used and their experiences with them. The pros and cons, even if it was a scuba diving, wind surfing type of trip, as I'm sure they have all kids of packages.

Thanks for any suggestions! Personal expreinces are great. Google has soo many options, no idea what is good or not.

 

[adoptedbyachicken]

We booked ours through the auto club BCAA so that's not really a help to you except that your AAA might do the similar thing. It went off without a hitch and we did not have to book the activities till we got there which we liked. That way a local can tell you what your really going to get or see for that time of year.

We went for the hotel room with a kitchenette so we could just make coffee and toast or buy some fruit and bagels in a store for breakfast and snacks. The food is very expensive and honestly not that good. One of the best meals we had out that trip was at Denneys on the way to the airport! Lots of places near the beaches have lunch buffets and most days we would take those in and then not eat dinner, or just snack in the room. Most of all the beef and the seafood were very disappointing.

If they want to make coffee and have a kitchenette make sure to tell them to take coffee filters with them. Honestly this was a sore point to us, the hotels do not provide them and to buy them in a store that size we had to get 200 as they were the basket type. If I went again I'd take a few from work, or stores here you can get a reasonable amount. Even the wrong size would be better than what we did. Or take a cone filter holder and those filters and just boil water. We got talking to other couples on one tour and they all had the same issue with their hotel, like it was a big joke. We gave away 20 or 30 filters to each new couple we saw arriving after that, just so they did not have to shell out $30 on filters they would not need 10% of. Coffee is really expensive but the Kona is so good made in your room, or brought home. All coffee is horrible if you get it in a restaurant there, or anywhere, so for a coffee addict it is not heaven.

I loved the weather, it is the same all the time it seemed, day and night and week in and out. Sun with a breeze, not humid so much as fresh. I could take a steady diet of that.

 

[silkiechicken]

Thanks, maybe I can look at the AA here and see if the have something of the sort. I keep telling my mom that she's not going to like it... I think I know her preferences better than she does!

She wants to go on a cruse... but she became seas sick on a ferry ride that was only 45 min!!! And this is still after I told her she shouldn't take the train for 3 days... and turned out she can't take the swaying of the train!

 

[Nuggetsowner:)]

I know you said your Mom gets motion sickness but if she speaks to a Dr. there are many simple solutions now days. My girlfriend also gets very motion sick, she can't even ride in a car for more than 20 minutes!! Anyway, she recently go back from a 5 day cruise to the bahamas. She loved it and said there were no problems!! Her new hubby really wanted to take a cruise and she thought she would give it a try and absolutly loved it!! I can't remember exactly what it was she took or if it was a patch or something. If you want I could ask her. Also the nice thing about cruising is that most everything, except excursions, is included. My parents went on a 10 day cruise to Alaska last year. Dad said he was going to hate it but now they are planning another cruise! Anyway, just my two cents worth. If your parents really want to go somewhere warm and tropical where all iclusive is the norm have them check out Mexico. The Playa del Carmen region is awesome. We also enjoyed Puerto Vallarta but the water isn't as pretty.

 

[tropicdoc]

Scopalamine patches work well for some, while drammamine is an old standby oral drug. My family has had good luck with simply taking diphenhydramine (Benadryl is one brand name). For any really persistent nausea, talk to your doc about getting phenergan suppositories. They're undignified, but if something won't stay down orally...
Definitely suggest the Polynesian Cultural Center on Oahu, along with Kualoa Ranch, where many shows and movies are filmed. Both handle guests of all ages and activity levels.
Expensive is definitely right for most of the Waikiki area, although there are surprising bargains. There's also a really big flea market at the ball stadium on the weekends.
Good luck!

 

[silkiechicken]

Thanks for the pointers.

My mom doesn't take western medicine so she doesn't take pills and such for anything unless it's 100% required.. ie. being hospitalized for a whole month and mandated to take something.

From what I see with just google, most places will get you there, but you'll have to figure out where to go and what to see after you arrive.

I have no interest in going so won't be able to be there to pick things out for them to do on the spot. I am continuing to search though.

 

[texaschickmama]

Hey Silkie. I visited family there twice and spent about 3 months there on Oahu. There is a lot to see and do, but I love to snorkel, hike, and swim. A great place for them to stay if they are going to Oahu is Ko Olina. They have a fantastic swimming pool and they have great golf and they have 4 manmade inlets that are SO gorgeous. They are like BIG swimming pools because there are no waves at all. Very calm. Even on Waikiki the waves are a pain if you just want to relax and not surf. The North Shore is a lot of fun but it is mostly surfers. The shops are cute and the shaved ice is great. In Honolulu, it is so crowded. I just didn't like it. Chinatown is cool. I just don't like the big city thing. My family lived in Waipahu, not far from Honolulu and not far to the North Shore. Let me know if I can help you, if I did at all.

 

[silkiechicken]

Thanks!

I spoke with my mom again tonight and turns out her reason for wanting to visit hawaii is because her sister said it was a nice place... 30 years ago! The Polynesian Cultural Center sounds like a good idea for them. They can all take it slow and see stuff, rather than do stuff.

Anyone have an idea where to look for "retirement age" type tours? Golfing, swimming, hiking... the fun outdoors stuff requiring physical motion on two feet... which seems like 95% of what is there might not work out so well. At the moment, she is dead set on hawaii, as soon as she get's granted citizenship.

When I asked specifically what she wanted to see, all she could say was "shows." Not sure what that means.

 

[tropicdoc]

The concierge at most of the hotels can book tours and get discounted transportation if asked. Quite a variety of interest and effort levels. I went to Hawaii about 20 times per year over the last six years, transiting out to Micronesia teaching medicine; I usually stayed at the Hilton Hawaiian Village (very nice for tourists) and the Alana Doubletree (much easier for a business traveller to get in and out). Both were able to book any tours I wanted, even on the other islands with a couple of days notice.

For the nausea, check out a mother-to-be store near you for some anti-nausea lolipops. Sounds weird, but they work. Only flavorings and essential oils like peppermint and ginger, both good for queasy stomachs, are in them.

 

[texaschickmama]

HMMMMM, Silkie, by shows does she mean Luaus? I saw one, it was pretty good. I think it was Jerards or Gerards something like that. It was right there by Ko Olina. They bused people in from Honolulu to see it. It was cool for me because it was like I lived there and could go back to the comfort of a home and not a hotel. Although some of the hotels are great. Turtle Bay on the North Shore is excellent for golf. That is world famous. I don't know if anyone plays golf. They also have the Pineapple Plantation. That is pretty cool. They also have a swap meet every Wed and Sun I believe. That is located around the Aloha Bowl there right at Pearl Harbor. Pearl Harbor is a must see. Hope that helps.