POA vs Spirit

We have some extra available vacation time in late November/early December this year. Normally we are restricted to 1 week so we have done many Caribbean cruises, primarily on RCI and Celebrity lately. We have never cruised with Norwegian. With up to about 12 days to travel , we have been searching for something interesting and different.

We have found the itineraries on POA and Spirit intriguing though the reviews on both ships are not glowing. We'd appreciate your take on each ship and itinerary and if you have any other ideas (cruise or not) for us to consider that time of year, we'd love to hear it. We've enjoyed our cruises so much we tend to stick to them but we don't often have this much extra time for travel, so we'd be open to anything.

Here's my commentary on POA and Spirit based on what I've found so far:

Norwegian Spirit

Barcelona, Casablanca, Las Palmas Tenerife, Funchal, Malaga, Alicante

We've always wanted to see Barcelona so we'd be able to add a couple days there. The price is reasonable and it includes a drink package which is also very nice. We don't know that much about the Canary islands or the other port stops though I read about 60 reviews and people seem to enjoy them. Hearing from someone who's done both this itinerary and Hawaii would probably be very helpful.

Norwegian Pride of America

Standard Hawaiian Loop

Hawaii is on our bucket list (as it is for many people). We could spend a couple extra days in Honolulu, which is nice. The port stops and the sail along the Na Pali Coast looks pretty amazing.

The all in cost of this vacation will be significantly higher than the Spirit and will exclude a drink package. We are willing to pay more for a bucket list vacation so cost is a consideration but not the main factor. We are also considering a 2 island land (Oahu and Maui) vacation in Hawaii as an alternative, but the sense I get from the POA reviews is that most people prefer getting a taste of all the islands on the ship.

So what's your opinion CC friends? Canaries on the Spirit? Hawaii on POA? 2 Island Land Hawaii? A different idea we haven't considered (bearing in mind we have up to 12 days in late November/early December)?

I've not been on the POA yet, but will be going this Summer. I have been on the Spirit a few times though, and am currently on the last day of the Canary Islands itinerary which you are referring to.

I love the Spirit. The POA is bigger, but the Spirit has some great features which make it one of my favourite ships.

However, itinerary wise there is absolutely no competition, in my opinion. The Canaries are nice, but no more than that in my opinion. We are always happy to visit, but there are many itineraries that I would prefer. Hawaii is, as you say, a bucket list place for many people. I would have no hesitation in picking it over the Canaries. It is unfortunate that the other Med itineraries aren't an option in your time frame.

Certainly do stay in Barcelona for a few extra days if you do come this way. Great city.

I have done both itineraries, and would choose the Hawaii cruise over the Canary Islands cruise any time, simply because it is a more interesting itinerary. The Canary Islands are just vacation/resort islands that are great for Europeans to visit during the winter time as they have a warmer climate than main Europe, but the islands are absolutely not "bucket list material".

If you do choose the Hawaii cruise (which I loved), since you have the time, fly into Honolulu a few days early and see the many sights on Oahu. This also gives you the opportunity to get used to the time change.

I like the Spirit but sailed her out of Boston. Hawaii on the POA is all about the itinerary, not the ship. Just think of her as your hotel. We stayed in Oahu a few days before the cruise started. Two days each on Maui and Kauai was great! The big island is just that, BIG. I think I would have preferred staying either in Hilo or Kona as we could probably have seen more since getting and returning cars took up precious time! If you rent a car in Kona, DO NOT get it at the airport. There is a rental place right at the port (Dollar Kona King Kamehameha Hotel - Cruise Ship Arrivals). The price is a bit more but makes up for the cab you have to take to and from the airport, plus the 30 minutes to and from. They are located right in the hotel. Best to book in advance. The ship does not have a casino and has an American staff so you will see the difference in their ways. A helicopter tour in Kauai is not to be missed! DH has a fear of heights and he really enjoyed it!

Been on both twice. POA had drydock in 2016 and looks great. Spirit probably our favorite NCL ship despite being the oldest in the fleet.

Spirit is a great, classic ship. Rooms are a bit dated but the suites are some of the nicest.

Thank you for the outstanding feedback. The comments from seasoned, experienced cruisers was exactly what I was hoping to receive. I also really appreciate the tips on what to do on each Hawaiian Island. The helicopter tour looks amazing and the car rental tip is valuable to save us some precious time.

Thank you for the outstanding feedback. The comments from seasoned, experienced cruisers was exactly what I was hoping to receive. I also really appreciate the tips on what to do on each Hawaiian Island. The helicopter tour looks amazing and the car rental tip is valuable to save us some precious time.

I’m sure that people who have actually been there will be able to give better advice, but this is what we have planned so far.

Remember, we are a family with a teenage kid, so are planning a bit of down time that others may not need.

Maui: hiring a car. We are going to drive up Haleakala on the first day. Would probably do Road to Hona on second day, but may stay local instead.

Hilo: hiring a car and going to Volcanos National Park.

Kona: not decided yet. This is a quiet day and looks like the area close to the port is nice.

Kauai: helicopter tour booked. Nothing else planned yet.

This will be our first 7 day cruise for a few years. It seems so short.

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Just got off the Spirit . Beautiful, well maintained, excellent food, great entertainment , and a happy staff.

I’m sure that people who have actually been there will be able to give better advice, but this is what we have planned so far.

 

Maui: hiring a car. We are going to drive up Haleakala on the first day. Would probably do Road to Hona on second day, but may stay local instead.

With all due respect, it would be better if you do the road to Hana the first day and a ride up Haleakala the second day because going to Hana requires a full day. To try it on your second day would make it rushed since you have to be back to the POA before it sails at 6 p.m..

With all due respect, it would be better if you do the road to Hana the first day and a ride up Haleakala the second day because going to Hana requires a full day. To try it on your second day would make it rushed since you have to be back to the POA before it sails at 6 p.m..

We aren’t doing the road to Hana at all.

If we do change our minds and decide to do it then yes, we would certainly do it that way round.

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Thank you for the outstanding feedback. The comments from seasoned, experienced cruisers was exactly what I was hoping to receive. I also really appreciate the tips on what to do on each Hawaiian Island. The helicopter tour looks amazing and the car rental tip is valuable to save us some precious time.

Car rental is great option. Do a Luau - there are a couple good options at each overnight port. Don't recall name on Maui but on Kauai Smiths is a good option.

We aren’t doing the road to Hana at all.

 

If we do change our minds and decide to do it then yes, we would certainly do it that way round.

 

 

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If you change your mind about Hana, I would take a tour so you can really enjoy it. Also, some car rentals advise you not to take their cars on that road. Very narrow, but beautiful.

I’m sure that people who have actually been there will be able to give better advice, but this is what we have planned so far.

 

Remember, we are a family with a teenage kid, so are planning a bit of down time that others may not need.

 

Maui: hiring a car. We are going to drive up Haleakala on the first day. Would probably do Road to Hona on second day, but may stay local instead.

 

Hilo: hiring a car and going to Volcanos National Park.

 

Kona: not decided yet. This is a quiet day and looks like the area close to the port is nice.

 

Kauai: helicopter tour booked. Nothing else planned yet.

 

This will be our first 7 day cruise for a few years. It seems so short.

 

 

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Hilo - Close to the port is also Rainbow Falls. There is also a Mauna Loa macadamia nut visitor center.

Kauai - We did the helicopter tour in the morning and they dropped us off to pick up our car rental. The drive over to Wiamea Canyon is nice.

Maui - We drove a nice scenic route over to Lahaina.

I really appreciate the tips and will get into greater detail on what to do at each Port stop soon. The more pressing item now will be booking my flights and as such I will have to figure out exactly how long we are going to stay in Hawaii. As it looks right now, we are probably only going to get one night prior to the cruise. I know more time would be better to get adjusted to the time zone and recover from the long flight but I don't think work schedules will allow it.

We will have time after the cruise so now I'm trying to decide how many days and where to stay. We can probably do about 4-5 days max. I had thought about going to Maui or one of the other islands but logistically it probably doesn't make sense for such a short period of time. Agree?

With 4-5 days in Oahu, we are thinking about renting a car for a day or two and driving the island and exploring the other side, doing a bit of snorkeling and visiting Pearl Harbour. Most likely some exploring of Honolulu and R&R the rest of the time. Is 4-5 days on Oahu reasonable? Other things you recommend we do? Can anyone recommend a hotel? I know there are lots there but perhaps best bang for the buck.

I really appreciate the tips and will get into greater detail on what to do at each Port stop soon. The more pressing item now will be booking my flights and as such I will have to figure out exactly how long we are going to stay in Hawaii. As it looks right now, we are probably only going to get one night prior to the cruise. I know more time would be better to get adjusted to the time zone and recover from the long flight but I don't think work schedules will allow it.

 

We will have time after the cruise so now I'm trying to decide how many days and where to stay. We can probably do about 4-5 days max. I had thought about going to Maui or one of the other islands but logistically it probably doesn't make sense for such a short period of time. Agree?

 

With 4-5 days in Oahu, we are thinking about renting a car for a day or two and driving the island and exploring the other side, doing a bit of snorkeling and visiting Pearl Harbour. Most likely some exploring of Honolulu and R&R the rest of the time. Is 4-5 days on Oahu reasonable? Other things you recommend we do? Can anyone recommend a hotel? I know there are lots there but perhaps best bang for the buck.

We rented a condo through VRBO and stayed in Waikiki. We arrived three days prior to cruising and had time to do a lot. We drove the perimeter of the east side of the island making stops along the way. We went to Pearl Harbor and the Dole Pineapple Plantation. We did not get to the West side although I'm not sure there is much there, but I didn't look into it, just that there are only a few roads. I actually didn't find I had jet lag and we flew in from Massachusetts (13 hours). It's going home that you get the jet lag. Have fun planning!

Great to hear. We are flying a similar distance and were concerned about having only 1 day to deal with the jet lag. Any jet lag after the vacation will be well worth it and manageable!

I really appreciate the tips and will get into greater detail on what to do at each Port stop soon. The more pressing item now will be booking my flights and as such I will have to figure out exactly how long we are going to stay in Hawaii. As it looks right now, we are probably only going to get one night prior to the cruise. I know more time would be better to get adjusted to the time zone and recover from the long flight but I don't think work schedules will allow it.

 

We will have time after the cruise so now I'm trying to decide how many days and where to stay. We can probably do about 4-5 days max. I had thought about going to Maui or one of the other islands but logistically it probably doesn't make sense for such a short period of time. Agree?

 

With 4-5 days in Oahu, we are thinking about renting a car for a day or two and driving the island and exploring the other side, doing a bit of snorkeling and visiting Pearl Harbour. Most likely some exploring of Honolulu and R&R the rest of the time. Is 4-5 days on Oahu reasonable? Other things you recommend we do? Can anyone recommend a hotel? I know there are lots there but perhaps best bang for the buck.

We used a driving guide app for several stops. I can't remember the name, but there was a picture of the "Shaka" sign. They have them for several islands and some islands have several tours. We used one for Volcanoes Nat'l park that was excellent. We also enjoyed the great circle tour on Oahu. It's like having a guide in your car - but one you can ignore at your pleasure!

Vic

We will have time after the cruise so now I'm trying to decide how many days and where to stay. We can probably do about 4-5 days max. I had thought about going to Maui or one of the other islands but logistically it probably doesn't make sense for such a short period of time. Agree?

You can fly out of Honolulu to a neighboring island within hours of disembarking the POA and start enjoying those 4-5 days right away. What part doesn't make sense?

Losing the hours in the airport. Are one of the other islands going to provide a better experience for 4 days? If so, I'd consider it. From what I've been reading we should enjoy our time in Oahu.

Losing the hours in the airport. Are one of the other islands going to provide a better experience for 4 days? If so, I'd consider it. From what I've been reading we should enjoy our time in Oahu.

There are flights from Honolulu to Kona almost every hour, and it’s a domestic flight so not much time wasted at the airport. We did POA then 6 days outside Kona, I’d do it again in a heartbeat! There’s some wasted time whenever you disembark a ship and move to a different location, I try and enjoy the slower pace and get ready for the next part of the adventure.

We too came from the east coast (Ontario, Canada), the jet lag is brutal but if you fly in the day before the cruise, you’re guaranteed to be up early and ready to get on the ship :). We arrived in Honolulu late at night and boarded POA the next day, we were awake at 4am and first in line for breakfast at the hotel.

Best of luck with your plans!

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Losing the hours in the airport. Are one of the other islands going to provide a better experience for 4 days? If so, I'd consider it. From what I've been reading we should enjoy our time in Oahu.

With all due respect and just being honest, Maui is not an island that you should have to be talked into visiting. If you enjoy Oahu, that should certainly be the place to spend your time. The whole idea is to enjoy Hawaii and have a great vacation.

With all due respect and just being honest, Maui is not an island that you should have to be talked into visiting. If you enjoy Oahu, that should certainly be the place to spend your time. The whole idea is to enjoy Hawaii and have a great vacation.

Please understand that I am happy to receive any advice and am very appreciative to those who share their thoughts.

I have never been to Hawaii and I am open to any suggestions anyone is willing to provide. Last night I ran into a friend who has been to Hawaii 10 times and his recommendation was to minimize our time in Honolulu and go straight to Maui after the cruise or even skip the cruise altogether and spend 12 days in Maui. He made quite a compelling argument so needless to say, we are now weighing our options.

Please understand that I am happy to receive any advice and am very appreciative to those who share their thoughts.

 

I have never been to Hawaii and I am open to any suggestions anyone is willing to provide. Last night I ran into a friend who has been to Hawaii 10 times and his recommendation was to minimize our time in Honolulu and go straight to Maui after the cruise or even skip the cruise altogether and spend 12 days in Maui. He made quite a compelling argument so needless to say, we are now weighing our options.

Your head must be spinning now! I guess only you would know if you could spend 12 days in one place. Has this friend been on a cruise, any other islands or just Maui? I would say it would be less hectic to stay in one place as you don't have to deal with multiple car rentals, time lost coming and going, etc. Good luck on your final decision! Maybe you could stay on Maui for the most part and visit another island for a couple of days.

Your head must be spinning now! I guess only you would know if you could spend 12 days in one place. Has this friend been on a cruise, any other islands or just Maui? I would say it would be less hectic to stay in one place as you don't have to deal with multiple car rentals, time lost coming and going, etc. Good luck on your final decision! Maybe you could stay on Maui for the most part and visit another island for a couple of days.

Ha ha ha yes, my friend has certainly made us rethink our plans. He has stayed in Oahu, Kauai and Maui in the past and said Maui was his favorite and he'd gladly stay there for weeks.

Staying in Maui for the 12 days or even 3 days in Oahu and 9 days in Maui is significantly less expensive than a cruise and stay though we like the idea of seeing all the Hawaiian Islands on one trip with the cruise. All 3 options seem nice but it's just tough to decide which to do.

What I'm leaning towards now is arriving in Honolulu the day before the cruise (I don't think we can go any earlier because of work), sailing for the 7 days and then flying to Maui right after the cruise and spending 4 nights there before flying home. It means missing Pearl Harbor on this trip but I'm sure we will be back again.