Pride of America 8/6 cruise

[cruisecrasy]

Thank you, Donna, for the onfo on the cabin. I have booked the same cabin for June and knowing that the cabin is 138 ft. and the balcony, 95 ft. and now, being aware of your comments on the bathroom and nice furnishings, there will be no surprises. I appreciate your time and info and am making many notes. If there's any other points for this particular cabin, please let me know(viewings and such) already noted Hilo and Kaua'i.

Thanks again.

 

if the other balcony cabins listed on the NCL deck plans for P. of America at 169 sq ft include the balcony or is that extra sq footage or are the numbers on the plans misleading? Curious that these other cabins are only 138 sq ft or does that have something to do with being fore and aft with extra large balconies? Perhaps amidship cabins are the larger ones with smaller balconies? Anyone know? I ask because I don't use a balcony much and wld prefer the larger cabin if there are any?

 

Thanks in advance & happy cruisin'!

[DaisyL]

if the other balcony cabins listed on the NCL deck plans for P. of America at 169 sq ft include the balcony or is that extra sq footage or are the numbers on the plans misleading? Curious that these other cabins are only 138 sq ft or does that have something to do with being fore and aft with extra large balconies? Perhaps amidship cabins are the larger ones with smaller balconies? Anyone know? I ask because I don't use a balcony much and wld prefer the larger cabin if there are any?

 

I think the balcony cabins listed at 169 sq ft include the balcony square footage. The standard balcony cabins are 138 sq ft and the balcony sizes vary. For example, we just booked cat. BE in the front of the ship with the balconies at 89 sq. ft. but the cabin at 138 sq ft. The cabins in the aft BE also have the larger balconies. When our TA called to book 3 cabins for us, this was confirmed. Our TA was on the POAm, CTN in NYC, and was aware of the difference in cabin/balcony sizes. The midship balcony cabins are also 138 sq ft but with smaller balconies.

 

BTW, if you go through a booking on the NCL web site, the cabin/balcony square footage in the description seems to have been resolved to reflect this.

 

As my TA said, you really don't spend much time in the cabin on the port intensive Hawaii itinerary; just sleep and get dressed ... ;)

[ErinFl2003]

Thanks so much Donna for the very thorough review. This will prove very helpful in our future cruise on POAm. It was also very kind of you to take time during your cruise to keep us posted. Thanks again. Erin

[ejnsb]

We booked BG on the Pride of America near the front of the ship to get the larger balcony. NCL said our cabins 7514, 7516 are 138 SF, with 89 SF balconies.

[crzn4fun]

Donna:

 

Thanks so much for your great reviews of the ship and islands. We have reservations for the Marriott prior to our cruise and don't get in until midnight. You mentioned NCL picking you up at the airport and taking you to the hotel. I didn't see that in the description on the NCL website. Did I just miss it?

 

Thanks!

[donna@donnaanderson.com]

If you paid for transfers and booked the airline with them, they will be there waiting for you and will provide transportation to the hotel.

Make sure you also call Marriott and request such things as a non-smoking room; recommend higher floor due to traffic noise on lower floors; join Marriott rewards to get some points for staying there.

NCL will not accommodate you in the hotel unless you booked the hotel through them. I had bad experiences with them event though I booked through NCL for hotel and whole trip, but hopefully I was the exception to the rule; had very bad experiences in general with NCL off the ship; on the ship they were excellent or above-average.

Again, even if you did not make arrangements with NCL, reconfirm ressies at hotel, and for that matter call the airline the day before and just before you leave to see if there are any changes or flight delays.

Don't hesitate to ask more questions.

[missjanet]

My husband has been a Marriott Rewards member for years so when we planned this cruise I thought we might use his points for a hotel room in Honolulu. When I checked the Marriott web site, I found that it would have cost us the points PLUS $90 per night which seemed absurdly expensive. Instead we booked the Marriott through NCL (through a TA) because the rate was decent enough - $499 for 3 nights pre-cruise. I thought that I could just call up Marriott and get points credited to my husband's account for this stay, but they told me on the phone that since we booked through someone else (NCL), we wouldn't be earning points. I was VERY disappointed to hear this. Also they have no record of our reservation since it was booked through NCL (I will take Donna's advice & contact the hotel directly to make sure we have a reservation waiting for us).

 

To make matters worse, when I spoke with the Marriott agent on the phone 2 weeks ago, she told me that now I could have used my points without the additional cash to get a nice room, plus a possible upgrade. But I knew for sure (having made notes at the time) that when I originally looked into booking a room directly with Marriott that a hotel room would have cost me the extra $90 per night. Apparently, the hotel lowered the cost for the room because they're not fully booked yet.

 

Just want people to know that Marriott doesn't give points (at least that's what they told me) if you don't book directly with them. I am going to have my husband bring his Marriot membership card with him anyway to see if we have better luck when we're actually at the hotel in September, 2005.

[tak2]

When the ship cruised Na Pali coast, you noted that 6:30 - 7:30 was the best scenery. Was it the effect of the late afternoon sun? Which side of the ship was facing the coast first? I assume the ship then turned around to let the other side of balconies/outside staterooms get the view.

[donna@donnaanderson.com]

Port side for best viewing of Kauai; ship did not turn. Best time due to when ship hit the top of Kauai which happened to be near sunset as well.

In the beginning after departure it is pretty, but got boring, so we went to the cabin which was not on the port side; we should not have, because it only kept getting better.When we went to take Chloe to the kid's club at 6:50 we could not believe the view and we asked others how long the incredible scenery was there, they said the last 1/2hr.

Go to back top deck with bar and small pool--best place to view unless you have port side balcony.

[tak2]

Port side for best viewing of Kauai; ship did not turn.

According to the original itinerary map in the NCL brochure, the ship after leaving Nawiliwili travels clockwise towards Na Pali coast then turns back. It now seems that it goes the other way, travelling counterclockwise giving the portside balconies view of the coastline all the way around the island . Did I get it right? I asked because I have the option of getting either side balcony cabin at the moment. Thanks for your response.

[donna@donnaanderson.com]

Port side is the best side yes; we missed some of it, because in the beginning the scenery was pretty, but not outstanding; sorry we left and went to our cabin since the scenery just keeps getting better with the best scenery just before sunset around 6 - 7. This is gorgeous. Also Kauai was our favorite port; you really should rent a car here!!! There can be a lot of traffic though, so make sure you leave a lot of time to get back to the ship.

[cruisin deb]

Hi Deb, when are you going next June? We have a CC group going June 10, will you be on the same trip?

 

Hi, Thanks for asking, but we're going June 17th. This was the only date that all of us could get vacations. I'm sure you'll all have a great time-it sounds like so much fun. For our post cruise we'll be staying at Sheraton Moana Surfrider until June 26th--maybe we'll bump into some of your Pineapple cruisers-

have a great time! Enjoy!! Enjoy!!