POAm 07/21-07/28 trip report

We aren’t ready to be home yet. We were so sad to go. This was the best vacation we’ve ever had. Being our 4th cruise, we really don’t understand all the bad reports we’ve read before going. We’ve been on Royal Caribbean Splendour of the Seas to W. Caribbean and Sovereign of the Seas to Bahamas and Celebrity Horizon to Bermuda and the cruise portion of this trip was very comparable. The food was just as good. The cleanliness of the ship just as good. The diligence of our personal room steward was inferior, but still good. The friendliness of the staff was probably superior on POAm above the others. Since they were older, small ships in there respective fleets, the Pride of America (POAm) was superior to them all.

Our Background:

DH and I are 40 and 38. MIL and FIL are 57 and 68 (both somewhat disabled) and DS is 21. We were celebrating DH’s 40th Bday.

Day One: Traveling and Arriving

We flew United from Dulles to Los Angeles – just a one hour touchdown, then on to Honolulu. Both of our flights were delayed and we were 2.5 hours late arriving. I had arranged for a lei greeting with Honolulu Lei Greetings. The leis were beautiful. I kept wearing mine throughout the week – the plumeria smelled so beautiful. I’m really glad I found out that a lei greeting is not automatic anymore. We all would have been disappointed if we’d arrived without one. The lady who met us with the Lei said that people were always coming up to receive leis thinking that everyone gets one – then they were crushed to find out you had to preorder them. We got our bags almost immediately and went to find the Thrifty courtesy phone. We never found it, and there were no signs indicating where the thrifty shuttle would pull up. We asked someone for assistance and they told us to just stand on the rental car shuttle pick up curb and waive one down when they drove up. Blue chip status didn’t help us here as there was only one person working the counter and the couple in front us got to the desk first. We had reserved a minivan with GPS. Once it was our turn we were in our van pretty quickly. We punched in the code to our hotel with the one touch feature of the gps, but we altered the directions to follow the ones in the revealed guide. Take exit 24a - not 22 or 23 – you’ll skip a lot of Waikiki traffic that way.

A Word about the GPS. It was a bit of a pain. Many times it gave bad directions. You would pass a sign telling you to turn but the GPS said go straight or turn the other way – then it would tell you to make a legal uturn and backtrack. It was the most helpful in Oahu, and the most wrong in Kona. For Maui and Kauai we were traveling mostly on single roads that circled the islands so it wasn’t necessary to have a GPS with the revealed guidebook maps.

About the traffic. We were warned that traffic was horrendous. Well, that really depends on what you’re used to. DH drives in Capital Beltway traffic everyday so this was cake for us. Our morning rush hour is hundreds of cars moving about 5 mph backed up for miles. If you’re not used to driving in city traffic you may want to take the ship shuttle or hire a taxi. My morning commute is from the bedroom to the living room office. I was driving around Maui! Hilo, Kona, and Kauai would have been just as easy.

Our hotel was the Sheraton Princess Kuilani. It was just okay. We didn’t want to pay a premium for an ocean view room since we were going to be on the ship for a week and would see plenty of ocean there. Our rooms overlooked the International Marketplace. Be aware that there is live and very loud music that plays every night outside the hotel. The rooms were badly in need of refurbishing, and I think the hotel was in the middle of doing just that. We got one of the rooms that had been updated, the inlaws did not. Even though our room had been redecorated, it still wasn’t great and it didn’t seem to be plush or pristine at all. One thing that struck me as odd was how many places in Hawaii are not air conditioned. The hotel main lobby was open air, as were many shops and restaurants we visited. Their weather is so comfortable all year they don’t have a lot of air conditioning. We just happened to be there during unseasonably warm temperatures – in the 90s. Needless to say, we were hot a lot. Even the residents looked miserably hot. Our hotel rooms were all air conditioned of course. After we checked in we headed to Dukes Canoe Club at the Outrigger Hotel for dinner. We had an hour long wait so we did a little bit of shopping there in the foyer shops. The food at Dukes was great if you like seafood. I don’t - so I thought it was just okay – but the rest of the family thought it was outstanding. We were all exhausted so we went back to the hotel and went to bed by 9.

Day Two: Pearl Harbor and Island Drive

Back to The Outrigger for Breakfast at the Hula Grill at 7am (made reservations the night before) The dining room was on the patio overlooking the beach. – Very nice. The food was great! Banana Macadamia nut pancakes with coconut syrup and Pineapple upside down pancakes. Definitely worth a visit. Stopped at the ABC store for water and a couple necessities. The ABC stores are everywhere! Easily one on every street. Then we drove over to Pearl Harbor. We arrived much later than we wanted to – about 9:30am – but the line moved fast and we had our number in about 15 minutes to watch the movie and go to the memorial at 11:15. Make sure you get the audio guide for $5. You just punch in the number that coincides with the exhibit you’re looking at. After the first couple of exhibits, there was a huge backup to get into the museum area. We were told we could go through in reverse order as the exhibits were numbered. We did this to save time, and it was effective, but I think it would have been more enjoyable to do them in order. Everything was very interesting and moving. When we were finished – we decided that we were glad we did Pearl Harbor at the beginning of the trip instead of the end. It is very somber and we wouldn’t want to go home on such a sad note. We then began our own circle island tour. First a stop at Leonard’s Bakery for Malasadas. Very yummy, but we foolishly expected them to be the size of Dunkin Donut holes so we ordered 2.5 dozen. Yikes – these are the size of full size jelly donuts. We ate them for 3 days then finally threw the last 4 or 5 away. We headed up to the north shore taking the H3. Driving through the scenic Pali Cliffs was breathtaking! We drove around Kaneohe Bay and saw the Chinaman’s Hat. Stopped at Laie point and saw the hole in the cliff. Had the shrimp from Giovanni’s Shrimp Truck in Haleiwa. Shaved Ice with Macadamia Nut Ice Cream from Aoki’s - better than a snow cone. Stopped at the North Shore Bonzai pipeline. The waves are not as impressive in the summer, but still fun to watch the surfers that were there. We saw giant turtles sunning on the beach a little further down the coast. Drove back down to Waikiki and did a little shopping at the International Marketplace. This is the cheapest shopping of the trip. (We didn’t go to Wal-Mart or Hilo Hattie’s so I don’t know how it compares to them.) Most of the souvenirs from all islands are sold here and these are the cheapest prices you’ll find. Bought Dh 2 Hawaiian shirts for $12.99 each. $65 on the ship and $26-$40 in all other shops. The deeper into the market you go, the cheaper the prices get. We skipped dinner and had a hotdog in the marketplace.

Day 3: Embarkation Day.

Drove up the Pali to Kilauea. Stopped at the Pali overlook. Very cool. Ate at Cinnamons for breakfast. Quaint little local place. Carrot cake pancakes with cream cheese frosting - very good. There is a little antique store in the courtyard where I found a gorgeous antique tea cup and saucer. Drove back into town and visited the Kawaiaha'o Church. Went to the Mission House, but we didn’t want to spend the $10/person to go in. So we took the free tour and looked at the pictures of the postcards in the gift shop. After a quick trip to Borders, we returned the rental car. This was a hassle! Thrifty’s downtown return is hard to find. There are no signs. It’s in the box office area for Cirque Hawaii. Then they make you drive the car up to the 10th floor of the parking garage. Make sure you take their phone number with you if you get lost. Then shuttled over to the ship. Embarkation was very quick and easy. I think we were on the ship in less than 15 minutes.

The Ship:

The POAm was beautiful. I had read prior to traveling that she wasn’t kept up well. That’s not true. She’s in excellent condition. Very clean. Lots of America themed decorations and murals. Checkout the mural of Monticello outside of Jefferson Bistro – its missing the dome! Since we’re coming from DC – that was noticeable to us. In fact, we laughed at how we flew 12 hours away to land at the White House! (The reception area) The first order of business was specialty restaurant reservations. They were being taken upstairs in Pink’s Champagne Bar.

Specialty Restaurants:

I was helped by April D. who was fantastic. She made great recommendations. I was in a balcony cabin, so I could only make my reservations for one day ahead. I made Little Italy for the first night. This is a free specialty restaurant and you might think about doing it later in the week to take advantage of the first night half price special – DON’T DO IT! Get your reservation for this right away – your first or second night. This was the most popular restaurant on the ship and the hardest to get into. For our second night we picked Jefferson Bistro – DH’s 40th birthday. Now here’s an important tip. I could not make anymore reservations – BUT – April told me I could make requests for the rest of the week. This meant if the restaurants did not get fully reserved, they bump up your request to a full fledged reservation the night before. We requested East Meets West for Tuesday, the Liberty for Wednesday (Lobster Night – reservations helpful) and Lazy J for Thursday. Each morning we woke up we had a reservation slip on our cabin door that all our requests were granted. If you need to make restaurant reservations throughout the week, the counter is to the side of the reception desk on deck 5. There are TV screens throughout the ship that show the restaurants and how full they are. How long of a wait you’d have based on group size, etc. The only areas that appeared to be packed throughout the week were Little Italy – packed every night and the buffet. We got the impression that not everyone tried to eat in the special restaurants on this cruise.

Back to check-in: We were still full from breakfast so we hung out at the John Adams Coffee Bar instead of going to the buffet. I bought a foofy non-alcoholic drink called a billy bunter – banana, strawberry and chocolate. These were really yummy and the first of many for us throughout the week. By around 3pm, an announcement was made that all cabins were ready. None of our room cards worked. My son and I took all 5 cards to the reception desk and had new ones made. We never had another problem the rest of the week with them. Except that they fly out of our pockets to buy things too freely. But maybe that’s just us.

The Rooms:

Our cabins were balcony cabins on deck 8, starboard side. This was a first for us to have a balcony and we loved it. It was also a first to have a refrigerator in the room. The room was not big, but we never felt that it was too small. I think part of our challenge was the sofa bed took up a lot of space while open. If the sofa bed is open, you have to climb up on it to step over it to get out on the balcony. There were lots of places for storage, and there was plenty of room under the bed to store the suitcases. Our room steward was very nice and did an acceptable (not fantastic – but acceptable) job keeping up the room. Be Aware: we had a very nice, very helpful gentleman who was working with the luggage on embarkation day who kept introducing himself to us and offering assistance. We kept asking him if he was our room steward and he kept dancing around the subject. He was fishing for a tip. We didn’t see him for the rest of the week and it occurred to me – he doesn’t work on the ship. He lives in Oahu and works on embarkation day! I might of given him a tip if I’d known who he was up front – but there was something strange about the way he was dancing around the subject. I would have been upset if I’d given him a 20 to ensure good service throughout the week and he disappeared. Anyway, I took Lysol wipes and wiped down the door handles, light switches, remote, phones and bathroom areas when we arrived. While the room was clean, we got the impression in both rooms that the steward did the bare minimum throughout the week. The beds were always made, the towels always changed, Trash emptied, but no real cleaning was done. If you left a mess on the counter, it was there when you came back. If you noticed the floor needed vacuuming, it needed it all week. Perhaps this is customary on all ships and we’ve never really paid attention before. By the way, make sure to use the medicine corner cabinet in the bathroom to put away toiletries. It’s hidden and you won’t necessarily notice it if you aren’t looking for it. Use the dial outside your room to have it made up or turned down. We took post it notes to communicate with our steward when we wanted an extra pillow and when we weren’t returning overnight in Maui. You can request items through the TV in your room, but he can’t ignore a birght green post it note smack in the middle of the bed. We also used them to leave notes on each others doors when we were going to the buffet or shopping or returned to the room. Sometimes you don’t want to knock on the door if your next-door companions might be asleep. We had a routine that the first one awake put a note on the other door. Whoever woke up next knew the other room was awake so you could call over or knock to go to breakfast together.

Customer Service:

The staff were all very friendly. We never had a single problem with anyone. They were almost desperate to please you. We wondered if this was because of all the bad reviews they keep getting. One of the specialty restaurant managers met my son and gave him his card to make reservations directly with him if we had trouble getting in. We had a few customer service issues that were always handled professionally and with courtesy. I had an on –board credit that was not applied to my account that was researched and fixed. The shore excursions desk was very helpful about my inlaw’s disability and a health issue that arose during the vacation that caused us to consider cancelling my FIL’s excursion at the last minute. (My FIL spent some time in the hospital while in Maui, but that’s another story) I bought a bottle of wine in Kona that was confiscated by security getting the tender boat. They told me I could pick it up at the end of the cruise (or pay a corkage fee to have it opened.) My luggage tags were delivered late and the wine pickup had expired so when we went to pick it up they couldn’t get it for us. They told me to come back in the morning, but we wouldn’t be able to pack it if we did that. The young lady made a lot of calls for me and finally we decided that the best option was to have the ship mail it to me. About a half hour later, here she comes to the room with the bottle of wine.

Entertainment:

Being a family vacation, we spent more time together talking and hanging out than at ship activities. These were the ones we saw. We went to see a comedian – Bud Anderson. Very clean, good show. The production number – On the Radio was very good. The second comedian – Chris Alpine was HILARIOUS! We were really disappointed to miss his late night show but we were just too exhausted. We saw the magician/comedian in the Mardi Gras – I’m sorry, but LAME! If this is the same act that performs in the main theater at night I’m glad we were in Maui when he was on. The crew show was very good. I wish I remembered her name, but the girl from the reception desk who sang His Eye is on The Sparrow was beautiful. There was a guest talent show. This apparently is a standard on NCL – our first cruise with them so we didn’t know. My son happened to take his guitar so he entered and performed an Italian song he wrote himself. I was so proud of him – he did great. He lost to a professional Elvis impersonator from Las Vegas – who was great! I really got a kick out of the gentleman who sang the Rainbow Connection and did the parts of both Kermit and Miss Piggy.

Day 4 – Hilo

You will get a note in your stateroom the night before Hilo that you can order flowers at the pier. I wanted to take advantage of this – but when I saw the anthurium I thought they were hideous. They looked like plastic. The florist agreed to make me a bouquet of just orchids and a type of bird of paradise. I loved them! Then we shuttled to Thrifty. Most people on the shuttle did not have reservations with any company. They hopped on our shuttle to Thrifty because it was the first to arrive. Here’s where we learned that the first one off the shuttle will be the first one in line. So unless you don’t mind waiting an hour – sit or stand in the front to get out the door fast. All the shuttle drivers gave us the drive guides for each stop. These are very useful. Blue Chip status was very helpful (except for Oahu) as it got us served before everyone else in line. It also sped up the process by pre-booking and entering our credit card information in at home. All we had to do was flash our blue chip card, drivers license and the cc we booked the car with and we were off in just a few minutes.

We drove to Volcano National Park and stopped at the visitor center. As per instructions here at Cruise Critic, we drove around clockwise instead of counterclockwise as suggested at the visitor center and Revealed Guide. We were never inundated with crowds at any stop. Sometimes we were completely alone. I’m going to shock some people here – but we found VNP interesting, yet somewhat boring. It was not the life changing experience everyone described it to be – for us. We stopped at several overlooks and saw the craters. We drove down Chain of Craters Road and saw the lava. Note – you have to walk half a mile from where you park to where the lava begins. We didn’t do the whole tour, and we couldn’t do the Thurston Lava Tube – it was wet and raining and the way down was kind of steep. We left and had lunch then went to Rainbow Falls, Pee Pee Falls and boiling pots. Now THAT we loved! The waterfalls are beautiful and very easy to get to. No hiking involved.

Day 5 - Maui

Another Day, Another rental car. Maui was beautiful. Our favorite Island. The perfect balance of tropical feel and activity. First we dropped DH off at Lahaina Divers for the Turtle Reef Scuba. He loved the dives and the company. He is a new diver, recently certified. His only complaint was the number of completely inexperienced divers on the trip that slowed things down a lot. The rest of us headed up to Kaanapali Beach to the Royal Lahaina Resort. They have cottages that you have to walk to on one end of the property and the parking is quite far away. You pay $10 a day to park yourself or $15 a day for valet parking. It’s a no brainer. Pay the $5 and let them bring up the car. The cottages are huge and the bed was the most comfortable bed I have ever slept in away from home – but the rooms were old and dirty – not from lack of cleaning but from age and traffic. The resort is in the middle of remodeling and when they are finished I’m sure it will be gorgeous. It will probably also be unaffordable. I had called ahead and reserved a cabana. They are 2 person beds with hoods overlooking the ocean. Nothing is in front of them but beach and water. Absolutely gorgeous. We were in Heaven. The water was gorgeous. We swam and laid on the beach all day until I had to pick up DH. That night was our luau right there on the resort property.

Day 6 – Maui

DH had a morning dive at Molokini Crater while we laid on the beach some more. He absolutely raved about this dive. He hung out with the camera men and dive master on both dives and had such a blast. Lahaina Divers puts out a CD of pictures and a video from your dives. He bought both. Once we met up again, we did a little shopping in Lahaina on Front Street and rented our snorkel gear from Snorkel Bob’s for Kona. Back to the ship early for a nap.

Day 7 – Kona

We were early risers so we went to the Mardi Gras to get our tender tickets at 7:30. We were in the tender boad about 15 minutes later. This was the easiest port to rent a car in. Dollar is in the King Kamehameha Hotel at the pier. We were the only ones in there so there was no line. We went to Kahulu’u beach park for snorkeling. There are 2 vagrants who live at the park in the picnic table area. They periodically walk around the parking lot and check the cars for any that are left unlocked. We actually saw them do this. Don’t leave anything there. Check your stuff into a locker. This was my first time snorkeling and I was terrified. The beach was rocky and it hurt my feet. The big rocks in the water were slimey and painful. It was hard to get out there. You can’t walk in flippers. I hate the mask and water goes in my snorkel. DH dragged me out where my feet kept cramping up in the fins and I couldn’t stand up. How do we know they clean these mouthpieces between renters anyway.? I hate snorkeling. He said just stick your face in the water. OH MY GOD LOOK AT THE FISH! We got out 2 1/2 hours later. There were thousands of fish swimming all around me. All different colors and shapes. I was hooked. (pardon the expression) I LOVE snorkeling. It was hard getting used to breathing just through my mouth, but as soon as I relaxed my feet stopped cramping. I had to hold his hand the whole time ‘cause I was still afraid, but I had a blast. Now a criticism about other snorkelers: This was my first time – but even I know not to vigorously kick your fins through a group of people and soak everyone or swim like crazy through the school of fish that you are there to see. Kahulu’u was amazing – the only downside was that everyone else goes there, by the tour-bus-full. After, we stopped by the oldest church in Hawaii (interesting) and them drove down to the painted church (beautiful) and the Bayview coffee farm for free samples (without cream I have no idea if the coffee is good or not but I bought it anyway) and shopping.

Day 8 Kauai

This was our only NCL shore excursion - Wailua River and Fern Grotto. You’re on a bus with 50 other people. It was very slow. It was the low point of a fabulous vacation. We were all kind of bored - and you're locked in! You can't just leave because you don't want to be there anymore! You have to wait for the group. First we met the tour in the pier terminal. Everything was easy to find and very clearly marked. The bus ride to our first stop was about 45 minutes. We stopped to look at Opeka falls and the Wailua River. There is a little stand here selling coconuts and pineapples and cookies. Back on the bus to Smith’s River launch. There is musical entertainment before and during the slow river cruise. The Fern Grotto is interesting – for a few minutes. It might be more interesting if it weren’t 150 degrees there. They supply umbrellas since the heat and sun are so fierce. Then they sing the Wedding Song – which is beautiful. Then back up the river – back on the bus – and back to the pier. Rather anticlimactic. (to us – it may be just your cup of tea). Anyway, after our excursion – the rest of our group went back to the ship while DH and I rented a convertible and drove up to Hanalei. The rental process was a hassle here – it took a long time for the shuttle to arrive, then they had the least experienced person work the blue chip desk. She was so clearly confused, and everyone else was getting their cars and leaving that I finally had to request backup. The manager came over and the lightbulb went off and we were out in 5 minutes. Of course they didn’t have our car. Strange, since we reserved it in March. Hmmm. We may just have been the only convertible on the road that was driving with the top down. It was a lovely drive and we enjoyed the view of Hanalei and Hanalei bay. I desperately wanted to get out and swim but I refrained since the car had cloth seats. We stopped at a fresh fruit/smoothie stand on the way back into town. While we enjoyed ourselves, I don’t think we will ever rent a car for just a couple of hours again. We rented cars every day. While convenient, it is exhausting. Waiting for the shuttle - getting in line - going through the process - getting the car - driving around - getting gas - returning the car - getting another shuttle - etc. Every port. We went through the car rental process 5 times. After a long week and a half we were tired of renting cars.

Day 9 Kauai

We only have one activity planned for today. A Blue Hawaiian Helicopter tour. We only got to choose morning or afternoon – not specific times. We were assigned an 8:15 check in. We went down to catch the free shuttle to the Harbor Mall only to find out it doesn’t start until 9am. So we had to walk the 15 minutes to the office. Not a big deal, but you need to plan for it. I was nervous about the weigh in. I’m not over the limit to where they require you to have 2 seats, but I was uncomfortable anyway. Since everyone else in there was super skinny that just made it worse. While everyone in there knows what you’re doing (since they had to do it too) it is done discreetly enough. The helicopter was cool. I expected it to be the highlight of the trip – but after all the weight anxiety and the motion sickness – it couldn’t compare to swimming in Maui. DH had another shaved ice before we headed back to the ship and found our family. We had foofy drinks and played cards in the game room with the inlaws, something we always enjoy.

Day 10 Final Hours on Oahu

We finally break down and have breakfast in the Buffet. I saw James and wanted to say hi – but just as I walked by his supervisor sent him off. Hi James! We didn’t want to rent another car or do anymore sightseeing so I arranged for us spend the day shopping and at a spa. We disembarked – and for the first time the entire trip felt harassed by locals. The taxi drivers at the port are relentless. The followed us around. I actually needed a taxi but they turned me off by being so pushy I turned them all down. The lovely lady for the free Hilo Hattie shuttle told the drive to drop us off at the Aloha Tower Marketplace. So we had a free ride. FIL and DS went shopping and had some pizza while DH, MIL and I went to the Heaven and Earth dayspa - just a $5 cab ride from the Aloha Tower Marketplace for massages and pedicures. Much more fun than renting a car. DH walked the 10 minutes back to the Marketplace while MIL and I went to Afternoon Tea at Tea@1024. We called a taxi to pick us up at tea and swing by the marketplace to get the rest and drive us to the airport. 5 people – no luggage – 15 minutes - $25 including tip. We so didn’t want to leave.

Meals:

We loved all of our servers. Everyone was friendly and the service was fantastic.

Saturday: Little Italy – Shere and Andrew – busy restaurant. When we showed up for dinner, there was a line of people being turned away at the door for not having a reservation. Here is a good example of where freestyle “whenever” is a bit of a misnomer. The food was great. The servers were great. The atmosphere was cool. It was the best lasagna I’ve ever had in a restaurant. I would say it is a bit higher end than the Olive Garden it has been compared to. Our server Shere recommended the teen passport for me. For $40 you get 20 coupons to use for sodas or non-alcoholic drinks. The non-alcoholic smoothies and floats and such are $4-$5 a piece. We used these coupons for foofy drinks only – it was a great deal.

Sunday: Hilo (pronounced Hee low)

Breakfast – Cadillac Diner

The food was good and the atmosphere was fun. The menu is limited, so unless this is your favorite food, once for breakfast here is enough. Service was slow. (Service was slow for breakfast EVERYWHERE on the ship! We found out later from 3 different sources, its because a lot of the staff have hangovers in the morning. hmmm. . . .)

Lunch – McDonalds

You’re in Hilo on Sunday. It turns out a lot of places are closed. The place we went to for lunch as referred in the Revealed Guide – closed. We ended up eating at McDonalds. I did not travel all the way to Hawaii to eat in McDonalds! But, what can you do – we were starving. Plan ahead for Sunday and make sure your restaurant is open.

Dinner – Jefferson Bistro

Best meal all week. We adored our servers Christopher and Matt. Christopher was a riot! Service was fabulous! Christopher could easily be a Cruise Director if he wanted to. He was so much fun. The food is wonderful. The cover charge is soooo worth it. The décor is beautiful. I want those butterfly plates big time! Whatever Christopher recommends – just get it. He knows what he’s talking about.

Monday: Maui

Breakfast – Skyline

Nice selection. Very slow service. The worst all week. Not a problem mind you – unless you’re in a hurry – which we weren’t . We had been warned by CC members that service here is slow. It was also noticeably disorganized. Um . . . hangovers.

Lunch - Sandwich/ice cream shop at Royal Lahaina Resort

Surprisingly good and very convenient.

Dinner – Royal Lahaina Luau

Okay, unless you’re a luau connoisseur, how do you know how they compare! This was very good. The food was okay, probably the same anywhere. The entertainment was great. So its not completely authentic . . . they never claimed it to be. They give you a great show of the history of hula – including in TV and movies. As far as open bar and watered down drinks – honestly I wouldn’t know about it – but my punch was watered down. We chose this luau because we stayed at the resort and it was convenient and we got a discount. We really enjoyed it.

Tuesday: Maui

Breakfast – Royal Lahaina Resort

Excellent! You eat on the patio overlooking the ocean. Great food and great selection. Very creative menu items for breakfast. The service was good. The birds love it here too so check your seat before you sit down and protect your toast.

Lunch – snacked on the ship

Dinner – East Meets West

East Meets West includes: Shabu Shabu (Mongolian Hot Pot), Teppanyaki (Japanese Steakhouse - chefs perform tricks) Sushi (pay per piece) and Asian Fusion Menu (Traditional Chinese with a Hawaiian influence) we had the Asian Fusion Menu. Our server Bryan made great suggestions and brought an assortment of appetizers. I enjoyed the Kung Pao chicken with macadamia nuts and banana wontons. Bryan’s a big fan of green tea. I thought it tasted like it was made of grass. Try it, but have a back up plan.

Wednesday: Kona

Breakfast – room service - very limited selection. Mostly just continental breakfast. We asked if we could order eggs and were told no. Just what was on the menu. We set delivery for 7 am and delivery was late. They were very nice and apologetic about it which goes a long way with us. We still gave a nice tip to the delivery person. If you have to leave, set delivery for earlier to ensure you aren’t held up. If you have a booked shore excursion, eat really early or at the buffet.

Lunch – Island Lava Java

This place was recommended in the Revealed book. The food was very good and the Kona Coffee mocha milkshake was delicious! Eat outside with a view of the ocean and the ship in the background. We would eat here again!

Dinner – Liberty Dining Room – Lobster Night

Beautiful dining room. Our server Derrek was great. He was really hoppin! I think the workers in the main dining rooms are a bit overwhelmed. They seem to have fewer servers for more tables. The lobster was very good and the prime rib was great.

Thursday: Kauai

Breakfast – Skyline – Same as before

The inlaws ate at the Aloha Buffet. They thought the food was good with an excellent selection.

Lunch

Dinner – Lazy J

Our servers were Derrick and Matthew (I think) and they were very friendly. The food was good. The service was wonderful. To be honest – I can eat steak anywhere, and with a cover charge of $20 per person, I’d rather spend my money at Jefferson Bistro if I were choosing between them. I can pay $20 for a full price steak dinner at home, but Jefferson Bistro would easily be $100/per person. Still, Derrick said Lazy J was the most reserved restaurant in the fleet.

Friday: Kauai

Skipped Breakfast – why add the unnecessary 2 pounds before the helicopter ride.

Lunch – Cadillac

We went back to the Cadillac for lunch and to watch music videos. When we arrived we were the only ones in there and yet the video screen was playing a bunch of stuff someone else had filled it up with. They reset it for us so we could pick what we wanted and play it right away. The food was very good, chili dogs and cheeseburgers! The mac n cheese was not real cheesy, but it wasn’t bad. The brownie sundae might be the best dessert we had all week. (hmm, except maybe the Crème Brule in the bistro)

Dinner – Jefferson Bistro Again

We not only loved it here, but we requested our favorite servers again, Christopher and Matt. We made a request earlier in the week after eating here Sunday. Being the last night of the cruise, the specialty restaurants were all reserved. If you really want to eat in one, you must make a reservation earlier in the week. We must of heard them sing “Let me Call You Sweetheart” 10 times Each Night! Everyone it seems, us included, celebrates their special occasion with a visit to the Bistro. So EVERYONE in there is having an Anniversary or Birthday. Hearing that song over and over, while well done, gets very monotonous. Of course our fabulous server, in a moment of shameless spite, had it sung to us just to rub it in! No one in my party was celebrating an Anniversary, but we got the song anyway.

Saturday: Disembarkation Day

Breakfast – Aloha Nui Buffet

I am not a fan of buffets. The food is usually lower quality than in a formal dining room and I hate people pushing to get food in front of me like they’re going to starve in the next 60 seconds. Needless to say, this was our only meal at the buffet. And it was mediocre quality, high selection, and chaos. The cinnamon buns were few in number, but man were they good. Get them while you can.

Lunch – Tea @1024

I love afternoon tea and this place doesn’t disappoint. Just a couple of blocks from the Aloha Tower Marketplace. Visitors pick out their teacup and don a fancy hat and feather boa. The menu is traditional afternoon tea with a selection of teas, finger sandwiches, scones with cream and jam, and tiny sweets. The sweets are very sparse (just right for me – I’m more into the sandwiches) but they have a lovely little salad they serve as a first course.

Final Comments

We constantly met folks on staff who commented about how nice it was to meet such a nice family and thanked us over and over again for being pleasant to them. We didn’t do anything special. It really makes me wonder how badly are they used to being treated by other people. I left a comment card about every server we had and praised their efforts to try to make up for some of it – and it was all true. In my opinion, the freestyle dining concept is a hotbed of trouble. You either need to know how to work it so you enjoy it, or you need to really have the attitude of “whatever”. The easy fly program was worth ever penny. So nice to have the last day unencumbered. I’m sure someone on my ship had a bad experience – legitimately. People make mistakes; we don’t always handle things well. But the other 99% might just be creating a lot of their own problems.

Go prepared and have a wonderful trip! :D

Thanks for taking the time and posting a well written and detailed review.

We'll be staying at the same Sheraton Princess as you and I was disappointed to hear it described as okay. Did you stay in the tall tower or one of the other buildings? I requested the tower based on a review I read. The writer said there was a noticeable difference and the non-tower buildings were not what you'd expect from a Sheraton.

Thanks for the Pearl Harbor tip. I've been debating when to go. I've been inclined to go our first morning pre-cruise, but started thinking about post cruise. Based on your comments, I agree that pre-cruise is better.

Glad to hear that you and your family had a great time. It seems that you all get along well and that makes a big difference in determining whether the trip is enjoyable or not.

We'll be staying at the same Sheraton Princess as you and I was disappointed to hear it described as okay. Did you stay in the tall tower or one of the other buildings? I requested the tower based on a review I read. The writer said there was a noticeable difference and the non-tower buildings were not what you'd expect from a Sheraton.

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Thanks for your comments! We do get along well.

I think we were in the tower because we took the elevator just to the left of the front desk and my inlaws were in a different wing. Don't be disappointed that it was just "okay." What the room lacked in plushness and appearance it made up for in location. You'll have a wonderful time. A great positive about it is the location. We could walk to the beach, the Outrigger, the ABC, the International Marketplace - it was all across the street. Very convenient. What I would do is call the hotel and request/require a room that does not face the marketplace on account of the music and ask for a remodeled room. I thought my room was just okay until I saw my inlaws room - theres was downright icky. When we swam in the ocean on Waikiki beach in the moonlight! We never gave the room a second thought! :D

Although I'll be on different ship, I have really enjoyed your review.

I have a question. I know you didn't book with NCL's Molokini Crater snorkeling but I just want to get general idea.

If you don't mind asking, how much did you pay for the CD pictures and vidoes? Do they accept credit card or is it cash only?

My DH and son will be doing NCL's Molokini Crater Snorkeling and I won't be going with them. I want pictures so I'm hoping they have professionals there that will sell CD pictures and/or videos of them snorkeling.

My DH doesn't want to buy any pictures but being scrapbooker, I need pictures!

Thank you.

Day 6 – Maui

DH had a morning dive at Molokini Crater while we laid on the beach some more. He absolutely raved about this dive. He hung out with the camera men and dive master on both dives and had such a blast. Lahaina Divers puts out a CD of pictures and a video from your dives. He bought both. Once we met up again, we did a little shopping in Lahaina on Front Street and rented our snorkel gear from Snorkel Bob’s for Kona. Back to the ship early for a nap.

Thanks for your comments! We do get along well.

 

I think we were in the tower because we took the elevator just to the left of the front desk and my inlaws were in a different wing. Don't be disappointed that it was just "okay." What the room lacked in plushness and appearance it made up for in location. You'll have a wonderful time. A great positive about it is the location. We could walk to the beach, the Outrigger, the ABC, the International Marketplace - it was all across the street. Very convenient. What I would do is call the hotel and request/require a room that does not face the marketplace on account of the music and ask for a remodeled room. I thought my room was just okay until I saw my inlaws room - theres was downright icky. When we swam in the ocean on Waikiki beach in the moonlight! We never gave the room a second thought! :D

Thanks for the response. I feel better now.:) Our reservation shows Ocean View, so we should not be facing the Int'l MP. The location seems great, which was an important factor in the selection process. Thanks for pointing out all of the places close by.

Thanks so much for your review. This certainly shows that we all expect certain things out of our excursions, and we all have different likes and dislikes. Some people feel that the Heli is the highlight of vacation, others due to certain circumstances don't enjoy quite as much, even though it was enjoyable. So, this proves, that to enjoy a vacation, do the things that you think you'll enjoy and just embrace the moment without putting other peoples experiences and expectations in the mix.

Glad that overall it was a great experience for all of you. Also, just a note about being cordial to the staff and receiving comments of thankfulness for that. I guess the golden rule of treating others as we would like to be treated can go a long way.:)

Although I'll be on different ship, I have really enjoyed your review.

 

Thank you!

 

I have a question. I know you didn't book with NCL's Molokini Crater snorkeling but I just want to get general idea.

 

If you don't mind asking, how much did you pay for the CD pictures and vidoes? Do they accept credit card or is it cash only?

 

My DH and son will be doing NCL's Molokini Crater Snorkeling and I won't be going with them. I want pictures so I'm hoping they have professionals there that will sell CD pictures and/or videos of them snorkeling.

 

CD of pictures was $60

Video was $125

We used our credit card

 

My DH doesn't want to buy any pictures but being scrapbooker, I need pictures!

 

I completely understand! My DH bought an underwater camera and when he surfaced he had lost the camera. The quality of the pictures we bought are professional - so much better than the throwaway camera would of been. If you go to snorkel Bobs - they give you a color chart of what you'll see. Get extras and you can cut the fish out for the scrapbook.

 

Thank you.

They will love Molokini Crater

I read your review on the main page and posted some questions .:D

Graet review, love all the details.

Oh, in addition to my earlier reply on the Norwegian board, Gloryb2god, I had a couple of other things I wanted to ask/comment about. First, on your Thrifty experience in Lihue -- you seem to have encountered the same hassle/delay that we did on pick up. Were there any problems on return? I'm just wondering what the deal IS with that location and how they handle their customers. You had the same troubles we did -- the staff just couldn't seem to get it together even when we were the only people in the office. :( I just hope your drop off was better than ours!

 

And the comment -- I LOVED your description of your first snorkeling adventure! I remember mine and had the same initial reaction you did, as well as the same 180 degree turnaround once I put my face in the water! :) To this day if it's been a while since I snorkeled, I tend to breathe too shallowly and quickly at first -- I have to get my mask in the water and find something amazing to see and my breathing settles down right away. Just wanted to say thanks for that vivid description, which is also helpful to first-time snorkelers.

The pickup of the rental car in Lihue was very disorganized. I think the girl who came over to the blue chip counter was inexperienced. (At least I hope that was her problem) When she walked away to another computer to look up more stuff?? :confused: a manager walked in and asked if we'd been helped. I said I think she needs help. The manager took over - the girl was like OOOOhhhh - obviously the delay was a picnic (problem in chair not in computer) We were out in 5 minutes. It was frustrating to waste so much time - plus the added time of waiting for them to track down and deliver a car, but everyone else seemed to know what they were doing. It was just our girl. Bringing the car back was a breeze. They had someone outside waiting to check us in.

After our trip, DH said his favorite part of the vacation was the snorkeling because I held his hand the whole time. I said - You know that was terror and not romance right? ;) I can't wait to snorkel again.

Thanks for the GREAT review...love your humor (hangover, ummm lol) Could you comment a bit more about Blue Hawaiian heli on Kauai, please? We're on the Aug 25 PoAm and we're also doing the Blue Hawaiian 50 minutes tour at 9:00am. Beautiful, scary, worth it, motion sickness, etc....??? Did you have any problem getting to the helicopter other than the 15 minute walk?

Thanks,

Red

Thanks for the GREAT review...love your humor (hangover, ummm lol) Could you comment a bit more about Blue Hawaiian heli on Kauai, please? We're on the Aug 25 PoAm and we're also doing the Blue Hawaiian 50 minutes tour at 9:00am. Beautiful, scary, worth it, motion sickness, etc....??? Did you have any problem getting to the helicopter other than the 15 minute walk?

 

Thanks,

Red

It's very professionally done. Its easy to find. There is a small safety demonstration first about putting on your life vest. Then they break you up into groups, a short van ride to the field, you're assigned numbers. These numbers correspond with your seating plan inside the helicopter to balance the weight. Everyone gets a good seat with a great view - but if you're in the back in the middle your picture taking opportunities are limited.

The ride was not scary for us - we aren't afraid to fly. DH and DS LOVED it! It was totally worth it. It just wasn't our favorite thing. The pilot takes you in real close to everything. He even turns the helicopter around so the other side gets just as good a view. I got a little motion sick and had to keep my head facing forward until the last minute to look at something. That works for me to not get sick. The next trip we take to Hawaii I would do the helicopter tour over the Volcano on Hilo.