Just back from POH

Since I read so many of the helpful reviews posted on this board before I left, I decided to post my own. Feel free to ask questions.

I sailed with my 19 year old daughter my sister in law and my 16 year old niece on May 7. We arrived a day early from Toronto and decided to stay the night at the Best Western Airport hotel. It was fine for what we needed (just a place to crash).

We did Pearl Harbour the next morning before embarkation onto the ship. It was worth the trip...very touching. We took the bus for $2 each. couldn't have been easier. The bus driver was very helpful.

The ship:

Embarkation was long and we were early, but it ran fairly smoothly.

The ship is big and very clean.

Cabins: We had 2 inside cabins on deck 9. They were very small if you are used to cruising with other lines, but sufficient. The shower is pretty small if you are a little bigger...especially for broad shouldered men. It had a closet and I think 4 small drawers...I would not reccommend putting more than 2 people in a cabin. We actually had cabins that were fit for three and had a fold down bunk. With it folded down, the room feels very small and the person underneath cannot sit up..lol I am 5'3. There were no complimentary toiletries like on other ships I have been on, so come prepared or ready to pay a premium on board.

Dining: I must admit that the food on this ship was a little below par, but certainly not enough to ruin our vacation. We only ate in the free restaurants, mainly in the 2 main dining rooms Alizar and Grand Pacific. The food was mediocre and I found the variety to be rather dull compared to other ships where much more exotic food is served. At times the service was slow, but we were not in a rush. On the first night in Maui and Kauai, the ship is almost empty for dinner due to the amount of people of the ship for luaus so you basically have your choice of venue those nights.

Service: Like others have mentioned before, the service on this ship is very poor if you are used to being catered to on Caribbean cruises. Only one time were we approached on deck for drinks.(by the way, the pool bar closes at 7pm, but pools/hot tubs are open until 11). There were a few staff who seemed eager to please, but for the most part, they were distant and seemed annoyed at requests. Your room will not get made up unless you remember to turn the dial outside the door, they do not tell you this onboard so needless to say there were many unhappy people.

Entertainment: It was very mediocre. Although there were not many people at the shows as everyone was so exhausted every night, there was not much effort put into the variety. the first three nights on board they had the same magician playing. The "broadway" style shows were ok.

This is longer than I expected it to be:) onto the fun stuff.

Ports:

We rented a car through Thrifty in every port except Kona and it was so worth it. We also rented a GPS in every port as we are all direction challenged.;) It was only $10 and well worth it for us. It makes driving so much less stressfull on everyone.

Hilo: picked up our car and did VNP. It was so interesting to see the contrast in Hilo, part rainforest part barren lava fields. It was about a 40 minute drive there...very easy and took us about 3 hours. We also went to the Hawaii Tropical Botanical Gardens which was beautiful(also has a waterfall and a gorgeous ocean view inside) We then went to Rainbow and Akaka falls. Akaka falls was so beautiful and majestic(a little bit of a walk to get to it. This is the night you sail past the volcano. we had a pretty good show, but unfortunately the pictures did not turn out.

Kahului, Maui: Picked up our rental car and drove the West Maui circle. They will not allow you to drive a portion of the north as it is apparently unpaved private road now. We went to Iao valley/needle which was very pretty. We also visited the Maui Tropical Plantation. If this is your thing...I would say skip the Dole Plantation on Oahu and come here. It was way better. The tour was informative and there was much more to see here. Also went to Lahaina and some beaches we found along the road. We started to do the road to Hana a little later in the afternoon just to get a taste of it, but my 19 year old gets car sick....not a good combination:eek: . Day 2 in Maui we headed up to Haleakala. We did not go at sunrise, but it was well worth the trip anyway. It was amazing to watch the clouds. They would be completely covering the crater one minute and the next you could see everything. It is cold, so bring a sweater. It actually does look like the moon too! After the windy drive down we headed to BIG Beach on the South West coast. You can see Molokini crater from here. It was a beautiful gold sand beach that did live up to its name. It wasn't too rough, but I wouldn't suggest it for small kids. It is less well known than Kaanapali so it wasn't very busy.

Kona: We took the Captain Zodiac raft and snorkel tour off the ship. It is well worth the money. The ride out there is so exciting and Captain Mike went out of his way to show us Pilot whales and Spinner Dolphins. The snorkelling at Kealakekua Bay was amazing. I have snorkelled in the Caribbean and have not had great experiences. I was ready to give up, but my daughter talked me into going on this tour that got such great reviews. The fish were abundant and colourful...just what I wanted to see. We even saw some humuhumunukunukuapua'a. lol took me all week to learn that. We webt to some sea caves and lava tubes on the way back. It was so much fun. One of the highlights of our trip. They give you flutter boards if you are not a strong swimmer, but the cove is fairly calm.

Kauai: We drove to Waimea Canyon. This is a must see, even if you have seen the Grand Canyon and think it is going to be the same. It is so beautiful. If you drive further up the road in the park to the North, there is a lookout with a nice view of the Napali Coast. on the way down we stopped at JoJo's for some authentic shave ice. It was delicious (get the macnut ice cream on the bottom!) We went to a black sand beach that is near the Russian fort, but do not swm in here. it is where the wailua river meets the ocean and it is not the most sanitary place, but nice to look at. We had to stop because the youger girls wanted to stand on a black sand beach. We also went to wailua falls and opaekaa falls(sp?) as well as the spouting horn....you must be patient, a good blast will come eventually. We saw some green sea turtles here as well. Day 2 we drove to Hanalei/Princeville area. We had a south pacific fan so we had to go. it was a nice view, but not much else up there other than a very exclusive golf club. Sailing by the Napali coast was one of the most amazing sights I have ever seen...just gorgeous.

We stayed 3 extra night in Waikiki at the Waikiki Banyan hotel. We rented a private condo off of VRBO and saved a lot of money! of course we went to Waikiki beach, the International Marketplace etc. We also visited Hanauma Bay to snorkel, but it didn't come close to

Kealakekua...there were way too many careless people there standing on the coral etc. we went at 8am it opens at 6, probably would have been better then. On the last day we rented a car and headed to thenorth shore. Went to turtle beach, but didn't see any turtles. The Bonzai pipeline was so cool. even this time of year the waves were at least 8 or 9 feet. I thought that the beaches on the North shore were the nicest on Oahu and way less crowded than Waikiki.

Overall we had an amazing vacation. The cruise is what you make it. If you let the little things bother you, there will be a lot to complain about, but hang loose, you're in Hawaii!!!

Hi, so glad you had a great vacation. We are going on the POH in August and looking so forward to it. I am so happy for this board and all the wonderful advise from CC's, I've learned a lot since I became a member years ago and I look for information here for every cruise I go on. This will be my 13th, but first with NCL. Because of yours and other CC's reports I already know not to expect too much from the ships crew and their service so I won't be disapointed when something happens. I am going to be more interested in seeing the sights that beautiful Hawaii has to offer than worry about what's going wrong on the ship. I really don't plan on spending too much time there anyway. Now, I have a few questions for you regarding your trip.

Thrifty-Did you rent directly from them or through one of the on line sites that book them for you? Are you a Blue Chip member and if so how were you treated on the islands by Thrifty. I have used Thrity before and always had a good experience with them but have heard different views here about them. Also, what kind of car did you rent and what was the average daily carge? I am in the process of booking for our trip and just curious if I'm getting a good rate.

Road to Hana-I know you didn't do it all, but would you advise someone to drive it themselves or do a tour from the ship. I have heard pros and cons and trying to make up my mind on what to do. I understand why you wouldn't do it because of your daughter getting motion sick because I use to be that way when I was young too but not anymore. I guess I outgrew it. How was she on the ship?

I know I will probably have other questions, but I will wait for your reply for these first. Thank you for writing your post to let us know what to expect and being truthfull, but not condensending.

Does "no toiletries" mean I need to bring a bar of soap?

Thanks for the review. Did you forget to pack anything you wish you had?

Mahalo

KKCruisers,

we rented directly through thrifty and yes, we did have a blue chip membership. It was helpful as there was a separate line for us and they already had all of my information. It just made the process quicker. We paid for a mid size vehicle for about 30+ per day, but we got upgraded to a full size every time.

as for the road to Hana, I would reccommend that you do it yourself, but only if you are a confident driver and not tired...lol no room for error. By taking the tour you don't have the freedom to stop and see what you want at your own pace. It can be nerveracking driving with the locals on that road as they do not slow down to let the tourist putter along. My daughter was fine on the ship...I guess it is just driving.

Spleenstomper,

By no toiletries I mean there was no toothpaste, razors, mouthwash etc. They did provide body wash and shampoo in a dispenser in the shower and hand soap next to the sink, but we chose to use our own. There was no conditioner if you will be needing that.

Hope that answeres your questions...keep em coming:)

KK:

We are also going in August. What day are you going? We are going the 13th. I can't wait.

Crusin Mom:

Thank you so much for the great review. It is really helpful. We have a big group going. Did you see any big groups and could they eat together? Just wondering. Also, my dh wants to know if he has to pack pants or will shorts do?

Thanks.

Dem920

I'm so glad that you enjoyed your cruise! With some of the negative comments I've read lately, I was getting worried...especially since we sail on May 28!

I do have one question, though. Are the bathrooms are equipped with one of those retractable clotheslines like some of the hotels have? If they don't have one, I guess it's time to invest in some suction hooks for the wet swimsuits!

Did you need reservations to eat in the dining rooms? Did you have to wait long to get a table?

Dem920,

yes we did see large groups travelling and from what I understood they were able to reserve one side of the main dining rooms for themselves. They also did not have to wait in the line! We did not pack pants although the dining rooms and other public rooms were a little chilly. If you are planning to do VNP or Haleakala I would suggest bringing a sweater or jacket(we wore capris and a sweater) but shorts should be sufficient for most of your days ashore. The key is layering on these days.

Xene97,

Yes, there was a very small clothesline across the shower which was good for 2 bathing suits and maybe a shirt so long as no one was trying to shower in there. It is not retractable though.

I hope you enjoy your trip...it is truly the most beautiful place I have ever seen!!

Umbarger,

We only ate in the 2 main dining rooms Alizar and Grand Pacific, so we did not need reservations for these. We never experienced any wait for these restaurants and we went at a different time every night from 5pm-8pm for dinner. We got a window seat every night except 1. Grand Pacific has a nice view when pulling out of port.

Your sad face at the start of this made me think you had a horrible time!! Glad to hear you didnt.

Thank you for the great review---each review I read lets me plan a little better! My question: Captain Zodiak...My husband is a great swimmer----I am a non-swimmer, but snorkel with him in the Carribean in calm waters by using a blow-up life vest. You mentioned flutter boards on the Captain Zodiac trip---do you think the trip is okay for a nonswimmer or would you suggest that we stick with our plan to snorkel off of the beach in Kona?

I'm so glad you had such a nice time!

tmm100,

this snorkel excursion is not to be missed. The waters in the bay are pretty calm as there were young kids snorkelling as well. We also had a non swimmer in our group who was afraid of deep water, but once she got in the water she was fine with just the flutterboard, not even a lifejacket. It just takes a few minutes to get used to using the flutterboard, but after that she said she was fine and was able to enjoy the excursion. Hopefully you will have the same experience!

Hi - what is a flutterboard please? It is not a term I am familiar with. My husband is not a good swimmer and will not go in water out of his depth so I was thinking I would not be able to go snorkeling. Would a flutter board help him?

Cruisin Mom: Thanks for the info. I thought I read somewhere on this board that the tour they have stops at all the interesting spots and even stops for lunch someplace along the road, but I'm really not sure because I have read so much, I might have it confused. Maybe someone will calrify that for me. Does anyone else know if the tour for the Road to Hana stops to see sights and to eat?

Dem920: We are going the 27th of August, too bad we won't be on the same cruise. So far I have only found one other party that is going on that date, maybe more will sign up as it gets closer. Please let us know about your trip when you get back, I'm sure you will have a great vacation. Are you spending any extra time in Oahu? We are going in two days early and staying in Waikiki. Can't wait!!

Hi - what is a flutterboard please? It is not a term I am familiar with. My husband is not a good swimmer and will not go in water out of his depth so I was thinking I would not be able to go snorkeling. Would a flutter board help him?

Kick board, boogie board -- there probably are differences between them, but I consider them the same thing. It's like a mini surf board that you hold on to or rest on and use your legs to motor around.

tmm100,

this snorkel excursion is not to be missed. The waters in the bay are pretty calm as there were young kids snorkelling as well. We also had a non swimmer in our group who was afraid of deep water, but once she got in the water she was fine with just the flutterboard, not even a lifejacket. It just takes a few minutes to get used to using the flutterboard, but after that she said she was fine and was able to enjoy the excursion. Hopefully you will have the same experience!

Thanks for the encouragement----I think I will explore the option!

Kick board, boogie board -- there probably are differences between them, but I consider them the same thing. It's like a mini surf board that you hold on to or rest on and use your legs to motor around.

And don't forget the sunscreen. Many years ago, my brother came home with a blister the size of a grapefruit after a funfilled day on a boogie board.

We got an upgrade offer we couldn't refuse the week before we left that took us from inside to an outside balcony 10th floor. It was worth it. Being able to cruise by the volcano at night and Napali and watch from the comfort of the balcony was so nice. Bring binoculars - we were pretty far from the lava flow. Both were spectacular shows. Note: the boat does a 360 at the lava flow but not at Napali. For this, the PORT side is best.

Specialty restaraunts: Realize EVERYONE is different. Papas (free) was excellent food, and I eat a lot of Italian. The next day in the car rental shuttle I heard someone say it was terrible. Go figure. We ate at the Teppanyaki and at the french one. Teppanyaki was good but not worth the extra cover. Local Teppanki in Phoenix is better and cheaper. We passed on the saki at $7 for 3 ounces! The french restaraunt was good but not extra special.

Main dining: Not as diverse as other cruises, not gourmet, but good. Service is hit or miss. Once it was poor, once it was average and once it was good. If you get a good one in the beginning, ask for him/her the nexst time - might have to wait a few minutes. Try Jenny on the deck 6 restaraunt.

Did Avis in Maui - no hassles. Decided to return and re-rent the next day rather than worry about parking. They're open late. Did Alamo in Kauai. Hassle free also and no lines at 9am.

Room and service: we had worries when we first boarded cause the room wasn't turned over well. As a result, however, the unopened wine in the refrige left over from previous cruisers was a bonus. After the first day, service was excellent.

We were tired. No down time. What a great way to see Hawaii.

Specialty restaraunts: Realize EVERYONE is different. Papas (free) was excellent food, and I eat a lot of Italian. The next day in the car rental shuttle I heard someone say it was terrible. Go figure. We ate at the Teppanyaki and at the french one. Teppanyaki was good but not worth the extra cover. Local Teppanki in Phoenix is better and cheaper. We passed on the saki at $7 for 3 ounces! The french restaraunt was good but not extra special.

I'm glad you put that into perspective! A while ago I was trying to compile a list of the "good" restaurants from posts on this board, but it was fruitless as everybody started to contradict each other. I've found many posts saying Papa's was awful, and many saying the opposite. Same for Paniolo's. I've since given up on that research and am just going to go to whatever restaurant I feel sounds good.

How far are the rental car places from where the ship docks? Are they right at the dock, or do they have to get you there?

Do you know if Hertz is located at the docks? (we have a connection w/ Hertz, and would prefer to use them, if convenient)

Thanks for any info you can provide!

Thanks so much for the review. It is very helpful. We are going soon, and I wanted to know about the docking locations at Hilo and Kona. Are they close to the towns? We have tours scheduled for the afternoon and will have our mornings free at both places. What would you recommend we do with 5 hours time at both these ports?

KK:

 

We are also going in August. What day are you going? We are going the 13th. I can't wait.

 

Dem920

Wow! I finally found another cruise-mate! My fiance/wife-at-time-of-cruise and I will be there. I started a roll-call to see if others are attending this same cruise. Feel free to post more at http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=560473

-Randall