Norwegian Wind 8/3 review (with pre-cruise stay in Honolulu)

[Chicky331]

I want to thank everyone on this board for their ideas and reviews of this ship as it helped us plan a fabulous trip. Hubby and I are 25 and this trip was a belated honeymoon as were married in December. I have cruised to the Caribbean on Celebrity Infinity and this was my husband’s first cruise.

 

 

3 day pre-cruise stay Marriott Waikiki – Very nice hotel and were very accommodating in switching us to a room with a king bed. Please be aware that if you book though NCL for an ocean view room that it does not directly face the ocean. We had a lovely view of Diamondhead, but only about ¼ of our view consisted of ocean.

 

 

We flew in on Sunday and were so tired we grabbed a quick dinner at Hard Rock Café and went to bed.

 

 

Monday: Had breakfast at Lulus in Waikiki – Absolutely fabulous views and the Banana Macadamia nut pancakes! We then took the Deluxe Circle Island tour through Polynesian Adventure tours (owned by NCL parent company). It visited the cultural center for 4 hours as well as the north shore and other scenic locations. Tour was excellent and I would highly recommend it. We loved the cultural center and plan to visit again when we return to Oahu. We had dinner at Dukes which was extremely crowded at 7pm. The wait for the restaurant was almost 2 hours. We opted for the bar menu on the patio and only waited an hour. It was nice to sit on the beach and eat, but the ambience was slightly tainted by the noisy bar.

 

 

Tuesday: We hiked Diamondhead first thing in the morning. We walked to the entrance of the trail from the Marriott which was about 2 miles, but all up hill. We were very tired by the time we got there. I would recommend taking the trolley from Waikiki – it drops you off in the crater. We made the climb which was difficult as there are steep stairs and rocky trails. We took a taxi back to the Marriott for $10 – well worth the money at that point in the day. We spent time at Waikiki beach for a couple of hours and then head to the Royal Hawaiian for the strongest Mai Tais we have ever had!! The location is great for a drink at the end of the day. We then went to Germaine’s luau. We were a little disappointed as it was crowded with over 300 people. The show was great, but did not start until 8:45 pm (hotel pick up was at 4:45pm). Before the show started they asked people to come up on stage to participate in the show. As a couple we were looking for a more intimate experience. I can see how it would be fun for a family or a group of friends though.

 

 

Wednesday: We did the pre-cruise registration at NCL so we left our bags in the room and NCL collected the luggage for us. We took the Pearl Harbor & Honolulu tour though NCL that returned us to the pier. The tour was through Polynesian Adventure tours and was excellent. The lines at Pearl Harbor were incredible!! There was a line for everything from tickets to the gift shop to the ladies room. We got to the pier at around 1pm and were able to skip long lines and go to the Marriott counter. We were on the ship within 15 minutes.

 

The Wind: She is an older and smaller ship, but has a lot of charm and is incredibly clean. We found the staff to be friendly for the most part. I do believe that the automatic tipping does take away some of the staff’s eagerness to please. Service was still good, but I would not rate it as Excellent. We had a BA category stateroom midship. It was a very nice size and had plenty of storage.

 

 

The Food: We sampled every restaurant except La Trattoria because we never got around to making reservations. Le Bistro was fabulous!! We enjoyed the food in the main dining rooms very much. We had several great dinners! We generally ate Breakfast and Lunch in the Sports Bar & Grill. We ate dinner there once and it reminded me of dining in the college dorms. My husband loved the fact that he could wear shorts, though. I thought the quality of the food in the main dining rooms was equivalent to Celebrity, however I thought the buffet on NCL was not as diverse or as health conscious as that on Celebrity.

 

 

Freestyle dining: We loved the concept of not having assigned times or seating. We rarely had to wait more than 10 minutes for a table for two. One night we had dinner with friends we had met on the ship and had to wait 30 minutes for a table. We found there were a number of families on this cruise, so the tables for two were plentiful. One aspect of freestyle we did not like was the incredible casual attire. Jeans were permitted every night in the dining rooms per the Daily. There was not a designated restaurant for formal only on formal nights (despite previous cruises doing this), so we dined next to people in jeans and tanks tops. We found this aspect of the cruise to be unusual compared to what I have read on these boards.

 

 

Entertainment: We found the entertainment to be very good. We were not looking for entertainment during the sea days as we brought some good books with us and were more than happy to sit up on deck and read. We heard the crafts and hula lessons were fun, though. The shows and comedians were great and we looked forward to the nightly shows. Patty, the cruise director, is perky, but we found her to be great at her job. My hubby loved waking up everyday and putting on her morning show on tv.

 

 

Overall we had a fabulous time and enjoyed the relaxed atmosphere aboard the ship. We do not need a lot of frills as we are young and do not get to have a vacation like this every year. We did have a few issues that bothered us. This cruise had a lot of families and a number of teenagers because there was a teen dance group on the cruise. There were several occasions where we saw teens and children unattended and misbehaving. The staff did not appear to know how to handle the situation as they rarely approached them or tried to locate their parents. I think this was an unusual occurrence as most reviews said the ship was generally an older crowd, but if you are looking for a peaceful vacation without disruption I would avoid the time when schools are out.

 

 

Shore Excursions (all booked through NCL):

 

 

Hilo: We had scheduled ATV tour through NCL, but it got cancelled at the last minute due to weather. We ended up taking a tour through a local company at the pier to Volcanoes National Park. Tour filled the day and took us to see the park, but was not the same quality has those booked through NCL or Polynesian Adventure tours.

 

 

Fanning: Went to Napali beach. The price was $15 as it did not include the T-shirt. It was well worth the money, but sign up early so you can be on 8am excursion, because those who signed up late had to leave from English Harbor at 12pm. The beach was great in the morning because it was not as hot. English Harbor was not nearly as nice as Napali. There were more craft vendors, but the beach was much smaller with a crowded swimming area. The flies at English Harbor were annoying too. We loved Fanning Island and it was well worth the two days at sea each way.

 

 

Kauai: Jungle Mountain Trek and Zipline adventure. The tour was incredible. We got to see so much vegetation, have swims in swimming holes and of course zipline. The zipline was not very high off the ground (good for those afraid of heights) and the tour guides made you feel incredibly safe. The tour ended at Kipu falls (featured in the beginning of Raiders of the Lost Ark) where we got to go swimming and my hubby went off the cliff on a rope swing. The guides were incredibly knowledgeable and friendly. This tour was the highlight of my hubby’s trip.

 

 

Maui: Molikini Snorkel. We ended up not getting to go to Molikini Crater as the waves were too high for good snorkeling and everyone on trip was upset about this with the exception of us. We just wanted to snorkel and the alternate site provided a great location and we even got to see 5 Sea Turtles. They are so gorgeous and friendly and we were able to get within a few feet of them without them getting scared off. The tour included complimentary drinks and it gave a beautiful view of the West Maui coastline. We then returned to Lahaina and had an early dinner at Cheeseburger in Paradise. They had incredibly good burgers and drinks. We then walked around and did some shopping in Lahaina – there is so much to do right within walking distance of the pier.

 

 

Kona: Kahua Ranch ATV tour. We rescheduled our ATV tour for this one. It was a great tour. The bus ride to the ranch was about an hour way, but the driver gave a great narration and you learned a lot about the Big Island. We all got our own ATVs to ride around the ranch while accompanied by guides. There were some incredible views from up high on the ranch and we also got some insight as to the daily activities on a cattle ranch. We returned to Kona and got drinks and snacks at Bubba Gump Shrimp Co. This is a really cute place if you liked the movie Forest Gump and the food was very good. The patio provided nice views of the harbor. Shopping is much better in Lahaina than Kona, so plan to do your shopping there and do not wait until the last day.

 

 

We really enjoyed our trip and plan to return to Hawaii for a land vacation so we can see things at our own pace. We are looking into sailing with NCL on the Star next year for Alaska, because we loved freestyle dining.

[p2lockhart]

Thank you for taking the time to post your great review. I am looking forward to our 11/26 11 day cruise. We have an aft balcony.

Did you use the concierge for any reservations and if so, who is the concierge and is he/she easy to get in touch with? If you used the concierge for anything else, what other services was he/she able to perform?

Did you use room service? Can you order dining room food for your cabin so you can enjoy dinner or lunch on your balcony?

Would you mind describing the balcony and the balcony furnishings, and the door to the balcony, please? I would also appreciate you describing the balcony railing and the divider between the neighboring balconies.

Thank you in advance for answering my questions.

p2

[LadyHill]

Glad you enjoyed your trip, great review, if you kept your dailies can you post them?

[Chicky331]

The balcony room was more than adequate for two people and we enjoyed retreating there on one rainy day at sea when everyone else was in public areas. Let me try to describe it....there was a large closet on the right when you walk in and then bathroom on the left. There was a small desk between the bathroom and the bed. The chair for the desk blocked access to my husband's side of the bed, so we moved it to the living area. The living area had a loveseat and two chairs (smaller than club chairs, but not like desk or dining chairs). There is also a glass cofee table and an ottomon. The TV is ontop of a dresser that has three drawers and a cabinet for the fridge. The balcony was beyond that. The door was not a slider like on my celebrity cruise, but a typical door. The door had a full length glass pane and there was a full length window next to the door. The balcony railing was about chest high for me with slats running to the floor. There were solid metal dividers between the balconies. There are two chairs and small table on the balcony. We rairly heard noise from the other balconies. I am trying to attach a picture below - I am sorry if it does not come out.

 

We never used the concierge. She never introduced herself to us. Around day 4 we got a letter from her in the cabin telling us who she was and what she did. We never needed her for anything. We made reservations in person at Le Bistro one morning early in the cruise.

 

As for the dailys I have them and will try to post them this weekend. I am still recovering from the trip. As a frequent traveller across time zones - I am surprised how hard it has been to get readjusted from this trip. Let me know if you have any more questions.

[Chicky331]

Sorry I forgot about room service. We used them only for breakfast on mornings we had early tours. They were incredibly prompt and would call to announce they were coming and usually were knocking within 2 minutes of the call. We would frequently bring back food from the buffets. We ate our Chocolate from the Chocoholic buffet on our balcony since the rest of the ship was crowded. We never ordered anything from the main restaurants, but I believe you could do that. I hope this helps.

[hotspur]

I thought the quality of the food in the main dining rooms was equivalent to Celebrity, however I thought the buffet on NCL was not as diverse or as health conscious as that on Celebrity. [/font][/size]

Nice to see someone else saying that food in NCL dining rooms is equivalent to that in Celebrity's. The small size of the Sports Bar on Wind and Dream certainly limits variety, but, on the other hand, NCL offers an evening buffet whereas Celebrity does not.

[BeerCap]

Thanks for the great review. Glad to hear that the food was good. I am booked on the Wind for my Honeymoon on Oct 26 and will be staying at the Marriott for 3 nights prior.

 

Can you please explain the Pre-Cruise registration? Is this done prior to arriving at the hotel or can you arrange to have your luggage brought to the ship during your hotel stay. I do not plan on going to Pearl Harbor, but rather have rented a car and will be visiting friends on the island on the wednesday that we are to board the ship. Will the hotel/cruiseline take my luggage to the ship from the hotel by completing the Pre-Cruise registration or am i not understanding what this actually is.... yes I am confused?!?

 

I am also curious about the evening night life. Was there dancing in the disco and what time did it close. Mary and I are 30 years old and still like the nightlife, like when we were in University...

 

You also stated that you enjoyed the Le Bistro restaurant. Can you remember what the menu was? Does it change daily or is it the same everyday?

 

Did you bring any formal wear. You stated that guests were wearing jeans and shorts, I have read on other posts that on the first formal night 75% of the guests did dress formal. Did your hubby bring a suite jacket?

 

 

Sorry about all the questions, but we are really looking forward to the cruise and our Honeymoon.

 

Thanks,

BeerCap

[Chicky331]

Hi,

 

The pre-cruise registration is done at the NCL office in the Marriott. We did it the day before our cruise. You just go to the office and tell them you want to pre-register. They take your picture, your credit card and get all the necessary information for you to board. Then when you get to the pier you go to the Mariott line (much shorter) and pick up your key card.

 

If you have booked the hotel through NCL they will automatically have your bags picked up in the hotel room. You leaved them tagged with your cruise tags in the room. I understood that the hotel prints a list of all NCL rooms for the bellmen to pickup the luggage. Our luggage arrived at the ship with no problems.

 

I think our cruise was a little unusual for nightlife. We had a number of teenagers on board b/c it there was a dance team onboard and it was summer. We found the disco was crowded with teenagers. After 11pm it is supposed to be 18 and older, but we found most of the teenagers did not follow this and NCL did not enforce it. The one night we spent a lot of time in the disco was Latin night and the kids were not interested in that music as much, so they were not trying to dance, but rather trying to get the DJ to change the music. I think the disco was open past midnight, but I will have to check the dailys. There are bars open all over the ship and there was always a place to get a drink away from the kiddies though.

 

Le Bistro was fabulous. They have the same menu everyday it consisted of Filet Mignon, Sea Bass and a chicken I believe. I had the Filet and Hubby had the Sea Bass. We both loved our meals. There is also a surf (lobster) and turf (filet) option for an additional $5. For dessert I had heard that the chocolate fodue was great, but the waitress recomended the Creme Broule and it was out of this world!!

 

Formal attire: I would say that 75% dressed up the first night and much less the second night. Hubby brought a suit for one night and then wore his navy jacket with tan dress pants another night. We saw maybe 10 people in tuxedos. The photographers take some nice pictures and we enjoyed getting dolled up for pictures. I think we changed into more casual clothes after dinner though.

 

Honeymoon: This was our honeymoon too and I would highly reccomend the honeymoon package for $79. It was well worth the money and provided a nice special twist to the cruise.

 

Let me know if you have any other questions and I hope you have a fabulous trip!

[BeerCap]

Thanks for the quick reply.

 

I am glad to see that the Marriott offers the Pre-Registration onsight. Sounds like it will save us some time getting on the ship.

 

I will have to try the Surf and Turf at the Le Bistro. I love lobster.

 

I think my father has purchased the Honeymoon package for us as part of our Wedding gift, but i had to look up what canapes are. I had never heard of them before.

 

Thanks and I hope you get over the jetlag.

BeerCap:)

[p2lockhart]

Chicky, thanks for the great pic of your balcony! Now I am even more excited about our cruise. Tell me, is that curtain between the bed and the sofa merely decorative, or can it actually be drawn all the way across the room?

 

How much shelf space was in the bathroom? I am wondering if I need to bring my 2 over the door shoe holders- one for shoes, one for other stuff.

 

Did you by chance notice whether the cabin door was metal? I am going to decorate my door and want to know if magnets will work or if I need something else.

 

Thanks so much for indulging me.

[p2lockhart]

Chicky, can you suggest anything we need to bring for the balcony or the cabin?

[Taterhead]

This is our first trip with the Wind. Where did you go to find out about Formal Night or anything else we would need to know before sailing? :confused:

[Chicky331]

Hi Everyone,

 

Hopefully I will remember everyone's questions. The bathroom has tons of shelf space. There were three cornershelves and 2 or 3 (can't remember) shelves underneath the sink. We had bought hanging holders from LLBean and they hung nicely over the toilet from the towel rack, but they were not necessary. I put some things on the corner shelves, but nothing under the sink.

 

The curtain between the bed and the living room can be drawn to separate the room. Our Cabin Steward routinely closed it at night.

 

As for formal nights. I had read the dailys from a June cruise and found out that there were two formal nights. I can tell you from my experience that they were the first day at sea and the last day at sea after Fanning Island. I hope this helps.

 

I don't remember if the doors were metal - I am sorry.

 

As for things to bring for the cabin - if you are going to have multiple electrical items - a power strip. We found the cabin to be more than sufficient. Bring a pair of binoculars though. We enjoyed watching the Wind sail into Honolulu from Waikiki with them and also used them for the lava viewing. It is also night to check out shore from your balcony sometimes.

 

Have a wonderful trip everyone- I can't wait to go back!

[p2lockhart]

Chicky, did your cabin have a coffee maker, robes, or a safe?

How about the derriere hugging shower curtain-any improvement? ;)

Regarding the balcony door, could it be left open? If not, do you think a buny cord would help keep it open if I broght one?

Thanks.

[corina27]

What a great picture of your cabin and review.:) :)

[Taterhead]

We've picked out most of our shore excursions for our Hawaiian triip but are stumped as to what might be the most interesting to do in Hilo and Fanning Island. Does anyone have feedback on some of your excursions to these areas?:confused:

[Chicky331]

Tater,

 

Regarding the balcony door. It did not stand open by itself. I propped it open with the chair from the balcony. A bungee cord may help. We found it too noisy to leave the door open at night b/c of the wind. We would have it open when we were in the room sometimes, but it interferes with the A/C and the room would get hot and muggy. We had ropes and a safe in the room, but no coffee maker. Sorry, the shower curtain is the same as on other ships!

 

As for excursions. We had booked an ATV adventure for Hilo and it was cancelled due to weather. I got the impression that a number of activities in Hilo get cancelled due to weather. I would reccomend you go Volcanos National Park - it was interesting and less likely to cancel as it is just a bus trip. Hilo was our least favorite port as there was not much to do.

 

Fanning Island - you should definitely go to Napali beach and try to get on the morning excursion. The beach at Napali is so much bigger than the one at English Harbor. We found that the flies at English Harbor were not to pleasant either. At Napali everyone gets a beach mat and chair and many of the chairs had umbrellas. Book in advance so you can be on the first tender over, so you can maximize your day. We got to Napali by 9 am and left around 11:45. We had lunch and did shopping at English Harbor. We were back on the Wind by 2:30pm and found the jacuzzi's and pools empty - so we got some quality time there.

 

Enjoy your trip.