Just back from the June 23 sailing - fun family cruise of Hawaii

We just returned today from our June 23 sailing, and would be happy to answer any questions if able.

As others have said, this cruise is more about the ports than it is about the ship. It is the only cruise ship with this wonderful itinerary. But it is not just a floating hotel with small rooms. It is an interesting and fun way, especially for a family, to visit Hawaii.

We found the crew to be hard working, professional, and upbeat. Not much different really than a crew on a ship that is not American-flagged. Everyone from our cabin steward to the staff in the restaurants and purser's desk, went out of their way to be friendly. In fact, it was nice to be able to chat with crew members from the USA, which was different than what we have found on other ships, but not in a bad way. We also appreciated the willingness of the ship's officers to visit with cruise critic members at the meet and greet, and the officers impressed us with their earnestness and interest in making the cruise a wonderful one.

The ship was generally clean and well maintained. We did see some minor things that made us feel that some things are not up to the same standards as on some other ships. For example, drawers that do not open smoothly in the stateroom, small rust spots in the railings of our balcony, some worn spots in the upholstery in our room, and a safe that did not work. These minor things, however, did not in any way spoil our trip. The ship did roll a little, perhaps because of the weather or large Pacific swells. This was more fun than anything, as it was interesting to watch people walking down the long passageways, weaving from one side to the other as they went. The ocean view cabin with balcony we had was small but adequate (and we had four people in it). "Adequate" means that there was room under the beds for most everything, even though it was hard to move around in the room unless someone went out to the balcony or was in the bathroom. The beds were very comfortable.

We went to Skyline (one of the two main dining rooms) only once, and went to a restaurant with a cover charge (Little Italy) only once. Neither really impressed us. The food was OK in both, but not gourmet. The service was faster in Little Italy than in Skyline. It seems that at least on this ship, the "Freestyle" dining may have the result of sending people to the buffet, which was outstanding. We were not interested in waiting to have a long dinner in the main dining room, or to pay extra, to eat somewhere else when the buffet was consistently good. We particularly enjoyed the parts of the buffet where you can get Asian food, pasta to order, and dessert crepes. Yes, the buffet can be crowded at certain times, but this never interfered with the service or quality there. The people who run the buffet do a really great job. We ate there for breakfast every day and also for dinner on five days. For a family with kids, the buffet is convenient and it can't be beat. When using the buffet, remember to go aft to the outdoor portion, which is a pleasant place to watch the scenery while having breakfast or dinner.

We went to a couple of shows, including the comedian and broadway cabarets. The Toby and Beau show and the Frankie Valli tribute were both outstanding. We really liked the comedian too, who drew standing room crowds for his shows. The ship's singers and dancers are excellent. The cruise director is energetic and fun. The teen club is well-run and was a popular spot for our daughter.

Our excursions were mostly taken with private guides. We especially enjoyed our tour to Hana. It was probably the highlight of the trip. In addition, we rented a car and drove to Haleakala to see the sunrise (got up at 2:30 am, and it was mostly rainy when we got to the top). We also enjoyed the ship's snorkeling and zip lining tours in Kona and Kauai.

Embarkation and disembarkation were amazingly smooth. They went better than on any cruise we have been on before. Note that if you have used NCL before you should sign up for "Latitudes" membership, as this will speed up your embarkation process substantially.

We spent three days in Ko Olina prior to the cruise and visited the Polynesian Cultural Center, Pearl Harbor and the Byodo-in temple during that time, and also went on a swim with the dolphins snorkeling trip.

Could you tell me a bit about your time spent at the PCC. We are thinking of doing a Princess tour since the night show runs late and we don't want to miss the ship. lol

I am interested in how much you were able to do while there. How about all the walking, flat and easy? We are seniors and the scheduled trip is quite long. I heard the Breath of ... was a great evening show. Did you do the full day with Luau?

Any help with answers would be appreciated.

Carole

Thanks for posting this information and offering to answer questions.

Keith

Could you tell me a bit about your time spent at the PCC. We are thinking of doing a Princess tour since the night show runs late and we don't want to miss the ship. lol

I am interested in how much you were able to do while there. How about all the walking, flat and easy? We are seniors and the scheduled trip is quite long. I heard the Breath of ... was a great evening show. Did you do the full day with Luau?

Any help with answers would be appreciated.

Carole

Hi Carole,

The walking was flat and easy. We got there about 2:00 pm and saw quite a bit by 5:00, which was about when the dinner started. The PCC opens, I believe, at 12:00 and if we had arrived at 12:00 it would have been better in terms of seeing everything. There were demonstrations that we missed since we got there at 2:00, but we didn't mind since we felt three hours was a good amount of time, especially when we were staying for the show. The show was quite entertaining. We probably liked it more than the demonstrations. Some of the demonstrations are fun to see, for example, the one where an islander climbs a coconut tree and then another islander shows how coconuts are broken open and used to start fires. You can also learn how islanders weave using palm fronds, and what games Polynesian children like to play.

After 5:00, there is a luau, and separately there is the Ha show, which involves a different, more traditional, dinner. My impression from reviews and also from tour guides at the PCC is that doing the Ha show and "Premier dining" instead of the luau gives you more choices of food, and that the Ha show may be better than the luau. The show started at 7:30 and by the time the show was over, it must have been around 9:30 or so.

There is quite a bit on-line about the PCC, either on the PCC website, here, or on tripadvisor. One person who recently posted on cruise critic said that "It is listed as a 10 hr tour which included the driving time. They saw the shows--hulas, dancing etc, and in the evening they had the luau. They were there most of the day, and they were the last tour arriving back at the ship, which was at 10:30 pm." I am sure you won't have to worry about missing the ship if you do the ship's tour, but it would be a long day.

Thx for the review!

If you don't mind me asking - how many people turned up for your Meet & Greet?

I just don't know whether to try and set one up for our roll-call - not a lot of participants so far.

We just returned today from our June 23 sailing, and would be happy to answer any questions if able.

 

As others have said, this cruise is more about the ports than it is about the ship. It is the only cruise ship with this wonderful itinerary. But it is not just a floating hotel with small rooms. It is an interesting and fun way, especially for a family, to visit Hawaii.

 

We found the crew to be hard working, professional, and upbeat. Not much different really than a crew on a ship that is not American-flagged. Everyone from our cabin steward to the staff in the restaurants and purser's desk, went out of their way to be friendly. In fact, it was nice to be able to chat with crew members from the USA, which was different than what we have found on other ships, but not in a bad way. We also appreciated the willingness of the ship's officers to visit with cruise critic members at the meet and greet, and the officers impressed us with their earnestness and interest in making the cruise a wonderful one.

 

The ship was generally clean and well maintained. We did see some minor things that made us feel that some things are not up to the same standards as on some other ships. For example, drawers that do not open smoothly in the stateroom, small rust spots in the railings of our balcony, some worn spots in the upholstery in our room, and a safe that did not work. These minor things, however, did not in any way spoil our trip. The ship did roll a little, perhaps because of the weather or large Pacific swells. This was more fun than anything, as it was interesting to watch people walking down the long passageways, weaving from one side to the other as they went. The ocean view cabin with balcony we had was small but adequate (and we had four people in it). "Adequate" means that there was room under the beds for most everything, even though it was hard to move around in the room unless someone went out to the balcony or was in the bathroom. The beds were very comfortable.

 

We went to Skyline (one of the two main dining rooms) only once, and went to a restaurant with a cover charge (Little Italy) only once. Neither really impressed us. The food was OK in both, but not gourmet. The service was faster in Little Italy than in Skyline. It seems that at least on this ship, the "Freestyle" dining may have the result of sending people to the buffet, which was outstanding. We were not interested in waiting to have a long dinner in the main dining room, or to pay extra, to eat somewhere else when the buffet was consistently good. We particularly enjoyed the parts of the buffet where you can get Asian food, pasta to order, and dessert crepes. Yes, the buffet can be crowded at certain times, but this never interfered with the service or quality there. The people who run the buffet do a really great job. We ate there for breakfast every day and also for dinner on five days. For a family with kids, the buffet is convenient and it can't be beat. When using the buffet, remember to go aft to the outdoor portion, which is a pleasant place to watch the scenery while having breakfast or dinner.

 

We went to a couple of shows, including the comedian and broadway cabarets. The Toby and Beau show and the Frankie Valli tribute were both outstanding. We really liked the comedian too, who drew standing room crowds for his shows. The ship's singers and dancers are excellent. The cruise director is energetic and fun. The teen club is well-run and was a popular spot for our daughter.

 

Our excursions were mostly taken with private guides. We especially enjoyed our tour to Hana. It was probably the highlight of the trip. In addition, we rented a car and drove to Haleakala to see the sunrise (got up at 2:30 am, and it was mostly rainy when we got to the top). We also enjoyed the ship's snorkeling and zip lining tours in Kona and Kauai.

 

Embarkation and disembarkation were amazingly smooth. They went better than on any cruise we have been on before. Note that if you have used NCL before you should sign up for "Latitudes" membership, as this will speed up your embarkation process substantially.

 

We spent three days in Ko Olina prior to the cruise and visited the Polynesian Cultural Center, Pearl Harbor and the Byodo-in temple during that time, and also went on a swim with the dolphins snorkeling trip.

Who did you do the Tour to Hana with and what made it the hilight of your trip?

Thanks so much for giving me information about the PPC. First hand response is so helpful.

Thx for the review!

 

If you don't mind me asking - how many people turned up for your Meet & Greet?

I just don't know whether to try and set one up for our roll-call - not a lot of participants so far.

I think we had only 14 cruise critic members (including some kids) at our meet and greet. Even though we would have liked more, it felt very worthwhile. The ship had us in the Lanai Bar on deck 12 or 13, which is not a big space, so it felt OK (prior to the event they ask how many will attend, so they plan accordingly). It was wonderful to meet the captain, the cruise director, the hotel director, and other officers. They impressed us as customer-service oriented people. The ship's group events coordinator provided mimosas, and everyone from NCL was very cordial, and they did not seem to mind that it was a small group. It was a nice way to start the cruise.

Thank you for posting your experience. By any chance do you have the dailies?

Who did you do the Tour to Hana with and what made it the hilight of your trip?

We used Wade Holmes, No Ka Oi Adventures - he provides private tours. His website is http://www.nokaoiadventures.com.

It was the highlight for all four of us (two adults and two kids) since Wade really is a wonderful tour guide. He can bring you to places other tours do not stop at, like trails to beautiful waterfalls and pools that you can swim in. We also walked through a bamboo forest, black sand and red sand beaches, a lava tube (he provides flashlights), and scenic vistas. The twelve-hour tour went by very quickly. We were never bored. He has a comfortable SUV which is perfect for four passengers (I can't remember if it could hold more, but it might). He provides snacks and beverages, and also brings you to a nice place for coconut ice cream (amazingly good, ask for the original - which has roasted coconut candy in it), and later, for lunch in Hana.

Wade used to be a middle school teacher and has studied ethnobotony in college, so he is a perfect teacher, good with kids as well as adults. None of our hikes were too strenuous, but he can adjust the hikes to the fitness level of the participants. Make sure, though, that you wear tevas or similar footwear since some of the hikes can be muddy. It was nice to see the other side of the island.

We learned a lot about the plants and culture of Polynesia. Although Wade has certain places on the route that he likes to show you, he is also flexible and will adjust the tour as needed. He enjoys what he does and it shows. In addition to providing tours to Hana he also does other tours on Maui, such as a tour of the west side of the island. If we get back there, we would take one of his other tours.

Thank you for posting your experience. By any chance do you have the dailies?

Yes, I saved at least some of them, but don't know how to post them. :confused: Any advice?

I think we had only 14 cruise critic members (including some kids) at our meet and greet. Even though we would have liked more, it felt very worthwhile. The ship had us in the Lanai Bar on deck 12 or 13, which is not a big space, so it felt OK (prior to the event they ask how many will attend, so they plan accordingly). It was wonderful to meet the captain, the cruise director, the hotel director, and other officers. They impressed us as customer-service oriented people. The ship's group events coordinator provided mimosas, and everyone from NCL was very cordial, and they did not seem to mind that it was a small group. It was a nice way to start the cruise.

Thx very much for this info - I was beginning to think that our roll call would be "too small" to plan a M&G for (about 25 people in the roll call - not sure yet how many would be interested in an M&G). Now I think it may be a possibility.

Thank you so much for your review. Is the aft outdoor portion of the buffet area covered so that you are out of the sun?

Thank you so much for your review. Is the aft outdoor portion of the buffet area covered so that you are out of the sun?

Much of the Aloha Cafe Lanai is covered, but not all. The extent of sun there depends on the time of day. It can be quite sunny. We enjoyed it the most in the morning when the sun was not as warm. It is an especially nice place for breakfast.

Hi soxfan1495,

can you please tell me which swim with dolphins operator you used in ko olina? we are thinking about doing one also. would you recommend them?

how did you set up your meet and greet? in the roll call section I don't see any links to NCL.

thanks, ellen

We used Wade Holmes, No Ka Oi Adventures - he provides private tours. His website is http://www.nokaoiadventures.com.

 

It was the highlight for all four of us (two adults and two kids) since Wade really is a wonderful tour guide. He can bring you to places other tours do not stop at, like trails to beautiful waterfalls and pools that you can swim in. We also walked through a bamboo forest, black sand and red sand beaches, a lava tube (he provides flashlights), and scenic vistas. The twelve-hour tour went by very quickly. We were never bored. He has a comfortable SUV which is perfect for four passengers (I can't remember if it could hold more, but it might). He provides snacks and beverages, and also brings you to a nice place for coconut ice cream (amazingly good, ask for the original - which has roasted coconut candy in it), and later, for lunch in Hana.

 

Wade used to be a middle school teacher and has studied ethnobotony in college, so he is a perfect teacher, good with kids as well as adults. None of our hikes were too strenuous, but he can adjust the hikes to the fitness level of the participants. Make sure, though, that you wear tevas or similar footwear since some of the hikes can be muddy. It was nice to see the other side of the island.

 

We learned a lot about the plants and culture of Polynesia. Although Wade has certain places on the route that he likes to show you, he is also flexible and will adjust the tour as needed. He enjoys what he does and it shows. In addition to providing tours to Hana he also does other tours on Maui, such as a tour of the west side of the island. If we get back there, we would take one of his other tours.

I'm pleased that you had a good time with Wade - we have booked his West Maui tour for our upcoming trip in October. We would have done the Hana tour but the following morning (!) my daughter and son-in-law are going on the Haleakala sunrise tour and thought a 12 hour tour the previous day may be just a bit too much :eek:

Thank you!

Hi soxfan1495,

 

can you please tell me which swim with dolphins operator you used in ko olina? we are thinking about doing one also. would you recommend them?

 

thanks, ellen

We went on an excursion pre-cruise with Ko Olina Ocean Adventures. They have very good reviews on tripadvisor. If you want a chance to be in the water and see spinner dolphins, I would recommend them. They also bring you out to see fish, however, and for this, it is not nearly as good as the snorkelling near the Captain Cook monument near Kona. The water off Ko Olina is not as clear or calm. Several passengers got a bit seasick. :eek: Also, it is problematic whether you actually "swim with" dolphins. The captain puts the boat ahead of a pod of dolphins, and then you just step off the boat and float and watch around you to see if the dolphins swim nearby. We really did not "swim" with them. We floated nearby.

The dolphins might be feeling playful or curious, or they might not. On our excursion we tried to do this twice but the dolphins were not coming close, and were running short on time. On the third try we were successful, but by that point both my kids had given up on getting in the water with dolphins. I did see them swim right below me, however, and it was a thrill.

Hi soxfan1495,

 

 

how did you set up your meet and greet? in the roll call section I don't see any links to NCL.

 

thanks, ellen

There is a section in the boards for roll calls and then under that there is a section for NCL. Try this link- it takes you to the place in the roll call section for NCL http://boards.cruisecritic.com/forumdisplay.php?f=110.

Once you know how many people want to participate, NCL takes it from there. You need to send them an email (groupeventamerica@ncl.com) and then they will send confirmation and tell you the location of the event.

I'm pleased that you had a good time with Wade - we have booked his West Maui tour for our upcoming trip in October. We would have done the Hana tour but the following morning (!) my daughter and son-in-law are going on the Haleakala sunrise tour and thought a 12 hour tour the previous day may be just a bit too much :eek:

I know what you mean! We did the 12 hour tour on day 1 in Maui, and then on day 2 we got up at 2:30 am and drove to the top of Haleakala to see the sunrise. My daughter really wanted to do it...

We made sure we retired early on Sunday night. We got back to the ship by 8:00 pm after the drive to/from Hana and were able to get a few hours of sleep before starting our drive up Haleakala. After seeing the sunrise we were a bit tired, but a nice breakfast at the Kula Lodge on the way down, with lots of coffee, was a perfect cure.

Yes, I saved at least some of them, but don't know how to post them. :confused: Any advice?

I believe people scan them pdf and then post then some how or I can give you my email address.

I believe people scan them pdf and then post then some how or I can give you my email address.

If you could please provide me with your email address, I will send them to you.

Hi soxfan1495,

thanks for the info about the dolphin excursion and the NCL meet and greet. I'll have to see if people on my roll call are interested.

what day and time did NCL hold the meet and greet?

If it wouldn't be too much trouble, could you also email me copies of your dailies? my email is ewertheim@bloomberg.net

thanks, ellen

Hi soxfan1495,

 

thanks for the info about the dolphin excursion and the NCL meet and greet. I'll have to see if people on my roll call are interested.

 

what day and time did NCL hold the meet and greet?

 

If it wouldn't be too much trouble, could you also email me copies of your dailies? my email is ewertheim@bloomberg.net

 

thanks, ellen

We did the meet and greet on Saturday after boarding and the safety gatherings at muster stations, at 5:45 pm. I will send along the dailies.

If you could please provide me with your email address, I will send them to you.

Thank you so much

my email is sandracordovi@yahoo.com