Scarab4life... We signed up recently through AAA for a Royal Caribbean Cruise in September. We had to give passport and CC information to pay the down payment required. When I emailed AAA for a receipt and asked a few questions.. one being when our date was to pay the balance.. They replied "Your deposit of $500 has been processed by Royal Caribbean and your final payment will be charged to the card on file July 1, 2014." That was news to me.. but I was watching over hubby's shoulder when he filled out the online AAA travel form to sign up for the cruise where you enter all that info.. I suppose it's possible that there was a box checked regarding the rest of the balance being charged to the card.. I'm not sure.. or something maybe in the terms that I'm sure we had to check a box for .. They did seem nice and helpful enough in their reply.. and either way we will be paying from that account on that date.. so I'm ok with it I guess. I did like that we got a couple of extras going through AAA like A Complimentary Soda Package and One Dinner for two at a Specialty Restaurant on Board the ship in addition to the extras from Royal Caribbean :) Have a great trip.. This will be our third Cruise through Royal Caribbean. Jazziegirlie

I looked at the shore excursions available at the ports you'll be stopping at, and here are my suggestions: Hilo: I wouldn't book any activities in the Hilo area until you get there, as it will probably be raining (at least in the morning). I'd skip the Volcanoes National Park, unless there is lava flowing. Otherwise, there's not much to see. Thurston Lava Tube is interesting if you've never been in a cave, but it's only a few hundred yards long (if you take a flashlight, you can go another 1000 feet). Akaka Falls, Rainbow Falls, and Pe'epe'e Falls are nice--I was there in 1993, all in the same day. Kona: I've not been to Place of Refuge, St. Benedict's church, Parker Ranch, or any coffee farms, so I can't give an opinion on any of them. While in Kona, I'd probably go snorkeling or on some kind of boat trip. Deep sea fishing is good there, if you like that sort of thing. We went fishing in 1993 and our boat caught two 60-pound striped marlin. If you go snorkeling on your own, try Captain Cook Monument, Honaunau, or Kahulu'u Beach Park. Honolulu: Honolulu is just a huge city that happens to be on the beach, so you'll probably want to get out of town. I recommend snorkeling at Hanauma Bay, which is not far from Honolulu. But you'll want to get there early if possible. We got there at 8:15 in the morning and there were still parking spots, but by 9:00 they were gone. The hike to the top of Diamond Head is tiring, but the view is great. The "famous" north shore is OK, but nothing spectacular. There will be people surfing most likely, but they are pretty far away. I haven't been to the Polynesian Cultural Center, but I'm sure you'll find lots of reviews and opinions on Tripadvisor. If you don't have enough time to drive very far, visit Pearl Harbor (I've never been there) and walk around the International Market Place. Kauai: The Waimea Canyon is spectacular! A helicopter ride would be a great way to see it, as it would take a while to drive there from port. I have kayaked up the Wailua River, (but not all the way to Fern Grotto) and I recommend that if you want physical activity. If you'll be on Kauai for a while and want to hike, I can recommend a couple trails. Snorkeling on Kauai is good in Poipu. Keep in mind that it may be rainy on Kauai, especially in the northern part of the island. Maui: Great views of the crater on Haleakala; definitely worth the trip. Iao Valley is real pretty, but I don't think I'd go there if I had only one day on Maui. The road to Hana is a nice (but very twisty) ride. We did not go all the way, as it takes a long time. Lots of waterfalls along the way. Maui has too many beautiful beaches to mention. You may want to spend your day just beach hopping. We went on a whale watching trip on Maui. It was fabulous! The whales (a mom and her calf) swam right under the boat! I'll never forget it! If you want to see whales, Maui is the best place, as they come closer to that island. I have found that Webshots is a great place to see photos of just about any tourist attraction, so do some searching there. I'm sure there are photos of all the popular waterfalls and beaches, as well as the volcanoes. Here is a link that might be useful: Webshots

The last three years I've vacationed in Alaska. Twice on a cruise (Holland America and Celebrity cruise lines) and one land tour for the Iditarod. This year (last month actually), I did a 16 day Panama Canal Celebrity cruise. There are pros and cons with both destinations. Alaska: There's a comfort level because it's part of the US, no money exchange worries and the language is familiar. The ports are lovely and especially enjoyable if you hit them on a good day. It can be bitterly cold in AK, at least for a So Cal girl like me, but I enjoy the cold (my vacation previous to AK was Antarctica). I've hit ports in AK when it was pouring rain sideways and during record high temps. I enjoyed both for different reasons. I go for the adventure and wildlife, not the weather. Panama Canal: If you're intimidated by cultural differences, language barriers and money exchange issues this may not be the tour for you. Some of the ports are even considered dangerous. The weather is hot and only gets hotter and more humid as you head closer to the equator. If you're prone to burning, this may not be a good choice simply because the sun is so intense. Even with sunscreen we saw plenty of burned people. A lot of people never left the ship for the majority of the six port cities we stopped at. They cruise for the ship, it's amenities, companionship and food. The ports to them are secondary. It's the trip, not the destination they like. The time spent in any given port city is usually pretty short so I look at cruises as a scouting trip to sample places I might want to come back and visit some day. It works well if you keep that in mind. Plus between the ship and dockside kiosks, there are usually plenty of opportunities to cram a lot of stuff into a very short stay...if you have the funds. Note: fewer funds are needed for shore excursions booked off the ship but the ship will not wait for you should your tour bus break down 40 miles out of town causing you to miss the departure time. Book on board (for roughly twice the price) and they will wait. As far as the Caribbean goes, I'd pass too. Been there, done that, moved on. :-) Jodi-

Please don't take this as spam, it is a personal recommendation. This company is very good because they are excited about every trip they plan. It is not just a job for them, they genuinely love what they do. They are a little more expensive than the competition in our city but it is for extra nice accommodations. If you go to a large city anywhere, they have a step on guide to show you the sights of the city and give you the history. On a ship one of them is in the atrium coffee shop 95% of the time to answer question during the cruise. I don't know where you live but if you want to go with them, they arrange your flights and you meet them at the international airport. If you live far away you could not do the bus tours which are great also. I quit because I don't care for cruises and I can't do the long bus tours anymore. Getting on and off the tour bus so many times during the day is to hard on this old body. I would like to go on their Tahiti/Hawaii cruise early next year. You fly to Tahiti, spend 2 nights there I believe and start cruising. You will find it on their sight. Here is a link that might be useful: Kansas group