Pride of America /Marriott Waikiki night before the cruise.

Hello! We will be cruising on the POA June 30- July 7, 2018. We selected the free pre-cruise night stay at the Marriott Waikiki. From reading other cruise critic posts, it was my understanding that on embarkation day we leave our luggage in our room and that NCL will collect it and it will then appear in our cabin. Passengers are then transported to the POA separately. Since it is Hawaii, (and our room most likely won't be ready until the afternoon,) I don't want to waste a beautiful day waiting around the ship so I have booked a private tour to the north shore with a 3 pm drop off at the ship.

When checking with my travel agent she said that NCL said that we had to "travel to the ship" with our bags. This is contrary to everything we have read on Cruise Critic. (It's my guess that maybe NCL says that for security reasons...?) I would love it if anyone who has stayed at the Marriott Waikiki recently before getting on the POA could confirm the luggage protocol so we can change plans if necessary.

Also, I know that we aren't allowed to bring water or soda on to the ship. We were planning on bringing re-usable water bottles and filling them up in our room before leaving on excursions for the day. I understand that we will have to empty them before getting back on the ship. Has anyone done this and did you have any problems with it?

Thank you in advance for all of your help and tips!

You probably have POA transfers as well. Normally cruise line pre cruise include transfers from hotel to the pier.

If thats the case , they expect you to be on their bus for the reason's your TA mentioned.

Yes we do have the hotel to pier transfer. However, how are they going to know if we don't get on the bus? From what I've read, they take your luggage beforehand and load it up on a different vehicle and shuttle people over in different groups on buses. Our plan was to just not get on the bus. I can't imagine that they would pull our luggage off after it's loaded because we weren't on the bus (especially if there are multiple buses... )

Are they checking off names when you load the bus? I'm 95% sure that we will be okay, but that 5% of me would sleep better knowing I'm going to have clothes to wear on the cruise...... That's why I'm hoping someone who has done this recently can walk me thru how it went.

They usually have a ticket system . This ticket is given to you with instructions at what time is your bus. They also assign your names to the ticket. I’ve seen bags removed from a transfer bus if passengers don’t show up as required.

As I recall, in 2012 we had to walk our own luggage through security before we were allowed to drop it off with the porters. Without you, your bags will probably just sit on the curb and not get loaded onto the ship.

I went ahead and called the Marriott Waikiki and asked what hours the NCL desk was open. (Which for those of you who are interested are Wed & Fri 2-5pm, Sat. 7-9am. Hawaii time.) I then called back and spoke directly with one of the NCL desk workers. They said that we would receive a letter detailing how the transfer occurs at check-in but basically you leave your luggage in your room and they collect it, then you are assigned a time to be transported to the ship. I explained that we wanted to do an all day excursion and asked if we had to accompany our luggage to the ship. She said we DID NOT need to accompany our luggage, however to let them know that we would not be on the transfer ourselves. YAY!! Big sigh of relief. Apparently people do this all the time in Hawaii, because it's HAWAII!! Who wants to hang about on the ship with a beautiful island to explore?! I'm sure it's different in other ports, but I'm not complaining on this one.....

I'm sure its different in other ports, but I

Hey @cshamm, we're on that same cruise!

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I went ahead and called the Marriott Waikiki and asked what hours the NCL desk was open. (Which for those of you who are interested are Wed & Fri 2-5pm, Sat. 7-9am. Hawaii time.) I then called back and spoke directly with one of the NCL desk workers. They said that we would receive a letter detailing how the transfer occurs at check-in but basically you leave your luggage in your room and they collect it, then you are assigned a time to be transported to the ship. I explained that we wanted to do an all day excursion and asked if we had to accompany our luggage to the ship. She said we DID NOT need to accompany our luggage, however to let them know that we would not be on the transfer ourselves. YAY!! Big sigh of relief. Apparently people do this all the time in Hawaii, because it's HAWAII!! Who wants to hang about on the ship with a beautiful island to explore?! I'm sure it's different in other ports, but I'm not complaining on this one.....

I'm sure its different in other ports, but I

I'm so glad you thought of this question and got to the bottom of it. Thank you!

I went ahead and called the Marriott Waikiki and asked what hours the NCL desk was open. (Which for those of you who are interested are Wed & Fri 2-5pm, Sat. 7-9am. Hawaii time.) I then called back and spoke directly with one of the NCL desk workers. They said that we would receive a letter detailing how the transfer occurs at check-in but basically you leave your luggage in your room and they collect it, then you are assigned a time to be transported to the ship. I explained that we wanted to do an all day excursion and asked if we had to accompany our luggage to the ship. She said we DID NOT need to accompany our luggage, however to let them know that we would not be on the transfer ourselves. YAY!! Big sigh of relief. Apparently people do this all the time in Hawaii, because it's HAWAII!! Who wants to hang about on the ship with a beautiful island to explore?! I'm sure it's different in other ports, but I'm not complaining on this one.....

I'm sure its different in other ports, but I

Thank you so much for the info. We will be there in two weeks and will report back how it goes for us.

Great post. I am concerned about our luggage being left in the room for NCL pickup. Worried my bags and me do not both get to the ship.

Does anyone know what is the last bus leaving the hotel for the pier? I too have a tour planned that morning, and I was going to ask if they would put me on the last bus to the pier? Has anyone every done this?

Just returned from Feb 10 PoA. Luggage pickup worked great. Left bags with ncl tags inside the room at Marriott and they appeared at the cabin late afternoon. I believe the last shuttle was ~11:30. The NCL agent in the lobby could confirm on Fri. If you miss shuttle transport to pier is easy by taxi or other.

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We were on the March 3rd 2019 cruise and elected to to do the one free night at the Marriott. NCL provided buses to the ship around 11 am. The y took our luggage to the ship around 10 am. VERY WELL ORGANIZED!

I might add that we arrived 2 days earlier and were permitted to stay in the same room for the 3 nights. We rented a car and did things on our own for 2 days.

You cannot bring water or soda on board. We were allowed to bring one bottle water or soda a board at the other Hawaiian Island ports.

We were on the March 3rd 2019 cruise and elected to to do the one free night at the Marriott. NCL provided buses to the ship around 11 am. The y took our luggage to the ship around 10 am. VERY WELL ORGANIZED!

 

I might add that we arrived 2 days earlier and were permitted to stay in the same room for the 3 nights. We rented a car and did things on our own for 2 days.

 

You cannot bring water or soda on board. We were allowed to bring one bottle water or soda a board at the other Hawaiian Island ports.

Curious what category of accommodations you had booked that they let you stay the 3rd night without moving? I am considering a suite and wanted to call first to confirm that Marriott would let me pay the difference for that 3rd night so we didn't have to move.

We were on the March 3rd 2019 cruise and elected to to do the one free night at the Marriott. NCL provided buses to the ship around 11 am. The y took our luggage to the ship around 10 am. VERY WELL ORGANIZED!

 

I might add that we arrived 2 days earlier and were permitted to stay in the same room for the 3 nights. We rented a car and did things on our own for 2 days.

 

You cannot bring water or soda on board. We were allowed to bring one bottle water or soda a board at the other Hawaiian Island ports.

I am sorry. I also wanted to ask you whether the Marriott charged you the resort fee or any additional guest fees for that free night or whether NCL covered them? One of the things that is leaning me against the Marriott is that in addition to $37 resort fee per day (which I realize others charge as well), the Marriott is going to charge me $90 per night for each of my 2 kids.

I am sorry. I also wanted to ask you whether the Marriott charged you the resort fee or any additional guest fees for that free night or whether NCL covered them? One of the things that is leaning me against the Marriott is that in addition to $37 resort fee per day (which I realize others charge as well), the Marriott is going to charge me $90 per night for each of my 2 kids.

I was charged the resort fee for the first two nights, not the night free NCL night. I believe it was around $40 per night for one room. I read somewhere that resort fees are standard in Waikiki.

Curious what category of accommodations you had booked that they let you stay the 3rd night without moving? I am considering a suite and wanted to call first to confirm that Marriott would let me pay the difference for that 3rd night so we didn't have to move.

We had a balcony room on the POA and a standard King room at the Marriott. I was told I had to wait until I arrive to find out if I could stay in same room. It depends on availability. I did the same thing on a tour in Germany last year with response.

I was charged the resort fee for the first two nights, not the night free NCL night. I believe it was around $40 per night for one room. I read somewhere that resort fees are standard in Waikiki.

Good to know...thanks. Yes, I know that the resort fee is standard there, especially at the true "resorts". But it's the extra $180/night that the Marriott wants to charge me to have my kids in a room that it claims sleeps 4 anyway that really gets me....:)

Thank you Romoad & Sail_TN for confirming the luggage situation! Even though NCL said that's what would happen, it's nice to know that it actually does. I will enjoy embarkation day much better now knowing that our luggage will be on the ship when arrive back from our private tour.

Good to know...thanks. Yes, I know that the resort fee is standard there, especially at the true "resorts". But it's the extra $180/night that the Marriott wants to charge me to have my kids in a room that it claims sleeps 4 anyway that really gets me....:)

I don’t know what the cutoff age is to be considered “children,” but our family just stayed at Marriott Waikiki and we were not charged extra to have our 16 yr old and 13 yr old children in the room with us. We had 2 beds for 4 ppl.

I don’t know what the cutoff age is to be considered “children,” but our family just stayed at Marriott Waikiki and we were not charged extra to have our 16 yr old and 13 yr old children in the room with us. We had 2 beds for 4 ppl.

12 and 9. Maybe if call to book they will waive it?

I went ahead and called the Marriott Waikiki and asked what hours the NCL desk was open. (Which for those of you who are interested are Wed & Fri 2-5pm, Sat. 7-9am. Hawaii time.) I then called back and spoke directly with one of the NCL desk workers. They said that we would receive a letter detailing how the transfer occurs at check-in but basically you leave your luggage in your room and they collect it, then you are assigned a time to be transported to the ship. I explained that we wanted to do an all day excursion and asked if we had to accompany our luggage to the ship. She said we DID NOT need to accompany our luggage, however to let them know that we would not be on the transfer ourselves. YAY!! Big sigh of relief. Apparently people do this all the time in Hawaii, because it's HAWAII!! Who wants to hang about on the ship with a beautiful island to explore?! I'm sure it's different in other ports, but I'm not complaining on this one.....

I'm sure its different in other ports, but I

Thank You! I had called NCL and was told I had to be with my bags. I was trying to figure things out since I'm visiting Diamond Head that morning. I never thought to call the actual NCL desk at the hotel. Now I just have to call myself since NCL is no longer using the Marriott but switched over to the Hilton Hawaiian Village.