POA Reviews Encouraging

We have been looking and hoping for some signs of improvement with the Pride of Aloha since first discovering the many negative reviews in July, since we are booked for 12/5/04. There was a time when we seriously considered cancelling. But it is encouraging to now find that passenger comments are improving, that NCL appears to be going in the right direction.

Long Time Cruiser,

We are also encouraged. We are sailing the week after you. Hopefully things will only get better. We will keep our fingers crossed for both of us.

Thanks for your comments.

We sailed the POA 9/12-19. The cruise was good. It wasn't outstanding, but it was definitely OK. The room was clean and made up daily...clean towels...bed made...bed turned down...ice in place. The buffet was not good. Food was bland and frequently cold. They did have fresh fruit, and desserts were scrumptious! The Crossings dining room was nice, food OK, not outstanding, but OK. The basic menu didn't change, but daily there was a Chef's special insert, which we usually ordered. Presentation was very nice. Go there for breakfast and get REAL eggs! They did have eggs Benedict one day! We didn't go to any specialty restaurant--were satisfied with the Crossings. The other included restaurant, Palace, was only open 2-3 nights. We never had to wait more than a few minutes at the Crossings, arriving early so that we could make the 8 PM show. Write this down!!! Pizza in the Pacific Heights! This is a specialty restaurant for dinner, but open during the day for pizza. You can also get the pizza in the evening by going to the Pacific Heights desk and they will get it for you! Delicious!! Everyone cued up an hour early for seating for the outstanding shows. This was my 31st cruise, and these were the best cruise shows ever. Don't miss a one! Tipping...we were never told a word about tipping. We elected to tip the cabin stewardess $20 the first day and told her we appreciate good service, then tipped her $30 the last day. After each meal in the dining room we tipped $5 to whomsoever was our waiter. They were all extremely pleasant and helpful. Some were obviously new, but we all had to start some time, didn't we? We received a letter (same one twice) telling us that NCL realized that the cruise wasn't up to their usual standards, and they had eliminated the $10 a day service charge. So, we definitely wanted to tip each of our waiters for their efforts. Do not listen to the naysayers and complainers, who undoubtely did have bad cruises--but that was then and this is now. Do not cancel your bookings. You will love Hawaii and the shore excursions, and you WILL have a good cruise.

I wonder how many people were on the 9/12 sailing considering they were able to close one of the main dining rooms most nights (probably to get all staff into one dining room) and there were no waits in crossings with the palace closed. it couldn't have been a full house that they could operate with just one main restaurant. think about it. the buffet is still by most accounts terrible so it wouldn't relieve any of the pressure from the dining rooms. just curious rfoster.

Just walkin' the...

Gangplank

I was on the 9/5 sailing and it was really good. If anyone is doing prestay in Oahu before or after you must go and eat at the Top of Waikiki. The food was wonderful and it really was not that expensive. The view is breathtaking. You dont have to get dress up either and check out Duke's in the Outrigger Hotel on the beach its great.

You don't know how glad these reviews are making me! My husband and I are booked on the POA next January with my parents for their 50th. It will be our 16th cruise, but my parents have never cruised and my father wants to keep it that way. My mother is about to bust to get on a ship. We finally convinced my father he could play golf a bunch of times and if he really really hated it they could get off and go to a resort in Kauai for the rest of the week. Then NCL lost their reservation and we had to scramble to get them back on the ship! So as far as I'm concerned I've already had all the adventures I want with this trip.

I was hoping after they got a couple of months under their belts things would turn around, but I've had beads of sweat on my forehead reading all the reviews!

They NCLA were saying 6 months, so by Jan. when you cruise they should be well on their way and up the par, hopefully.

DogofDuras,

The POA has an EXELLENT golf program. Your dad will have so much fun golfing he won't even notice the cruise. One note: Your dad will have to pay a $25 storage fee if he takes his clubs. I was blind-sided by that on my cruise in August.

Cigar

I was on the 9/5 sailing and it was really good. If anyone is doing prestay in Oahu before or after you must go and eat at the Top of Waikiki. The food was wonderful and it really was not that expensive. The view is breathtaking. You don't have to get dress up either and check out Duke's in the Outrigger Hotel on the beach its great.

Thank you maltesemom for this tip! We are staying in Honolulu for a week after the cruise, will definitely explore and enjoy different dining spots. We will be leaving in 4 weeks, and we are not going to cancel. We have been encouraged by the more recent reviews, too. Regardless of what happens, we will enjoy Hawaii for sure.

Oct. 24, POA

Sailing 12/26/04 for New Year's Eve Gala. Definitely nervous, but a little less so now thanks to your review. I won't cancel afterall. Anyone else out there booked on this cruise? Would like to arrange a little get together somehow. Also have pre-rented cars in all ports on itinerary. Any good suggestions for those who have done some exploring on their own? Thanks for the pre and post dining suggestions, will make certain to try them.

We're going on our trip in three weeks, and along with the advise received from other posters and past POA travelers, another great source of information are the books from Wizard Publications, Inc.

They are called "Maui Revealed", Kauai Revealed", and "The Big Island Revealed". Absolutely wonderful guidebooks, and past POA cruisers have said they are right on. I heard they were (may have already) come out with "Oahu" revealed, but I haven't seen that one.

I bought them at a local Barnes & Noble for about $15 each, and they've really helped us in our planning.

Have fun!

Another recommendation for the Wizard Publications Hawaii guide books. We used them on our "land and air" Hawaian vacation a couple of years ago. They are excellent !