Pride of America and Oahu Pre-Cruise Review July 14-26

[scopewest]

Really appreciate all the work you're doing on your review, great job!

[pizzalady1]

error

Edited July 31, 2015 by pizzalady1

[greatlakesgirl]

Loved your embarkation segment; well done! Brings back so many great memories. I get a drop-box error when I try to look at the Road Trip segment, though.

 

Looking forward to Maui!:D

[klepton]

Notion_of_the_Ocean:

 

Just a thought, but have you considered uploading your videos to YouTube instead of dropbox. Would be easier for some people to play and also would keep you from needing to buy more dropbox space.

[Notion_of_the_Ocean]

Edit: slideshow error issue still currently being addressed

Edited August 1, 2015 by Notion_of_the_Ocean

[Notion_of_the_Ocean]

Slideshow error glitch repair testing....

 

Pacific Dreamland The Hawaiian Islands Prologue:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/6dcay6v9jj84i6u/Prologue.mp4?dl=0

 

July 14th: Aulani's Aloha

https://www.dropbox.com/s/8sudjyeeu2iwlew/July%2014th%3A%20Aulani%27s%20Aloha.mp4?dl=0

 

July 15th: Paradise Found

https://www.dropbox.com/s/un3ywcj4nhwjyqd/July%2015th%3A%20Paradise%20Found.mp4?dl=0

 

July 16th: North Shore

https://www.dropbox.com/s/dyplwd4vb032pbl/July%2016th%3A%20North%20Shore.mp4?dl=0

 

July 17th: The Road Trip

https://www.dropbox.com/s/mnsliz29r3w100r/July%2017th%3A%20The%20Road%20Trip.mp4?dl=0

 

July 18th: Pride of America Embarkation

https://www.dropbox.com/s/sahh5brrp226fjr/July%2018th%3A%20Pride%20of%20America%20Embarkation.mp4?dl=0

 

Edit: Seems to work this time for me. Please let me know if you still do not have success in viewing. Thank you for letting me know about this.

Edited August 1, 2015 by Notion_of_the_Ocean

[bluesea777]

 

July 18th: Pride of America Embarkation

https://www.dropbox.com/s/sahh5brrp226fjr/July%2018th%3A%20Pride%20of%20America%20Embarkation.mp4?dl=0

 

Edit: Seems to work this time for me. Please let me know if you still do not have success in viewing. Thank you for letting me know about this.

 

I think you got the cabin numbers wrong - there are no 11356 or 11358 on the POA deckplans.

 

I'm gingerly following your review and slideshows - we just booked our POA cruise!

Edited August 1, 2015 by bluesea777

[Notion_of_the_Ocean]

I think you got the cabin numbers wrong - there are no 11356 or 11358 on the POA deckplans.

 

I'm gingerly following your review and slideshows - we just booked our POA cruise!

 

After seeing this, I had to go back and check. You are correct. I goofed and flipped the 5 and the 3. It should read 11536 and 11538 and I will go back in and edit that as soon as I can.

 

This means the July 18th slideshow may not be viewable on dropbox for about 15 minutes

Edited August 1, 2015 by Notion_of_the_Ocean

[Notion_of_the_Ocean]

We were up at 6am and the sun was just crossing the horizon. It was a beautiful sight to see. I took some photos from the balcony and pool deck. We had breakfast in the Aloha Cafe again before heading down to the gangway at 8am. We had a rental car scheduled with Advantage at 8:30 which they picked us up at the pier at about 8:15 with their shuttle. I would say we were in their office for about 10-15 minutes and were on the road by about 8:45. As a last minute decision, we decided to try Road to Hana. This road is beautiful and I really wanted to like this attraction but alas it just wasn't for me. The roads are really windy so if you are planning on driving or riding it then take your dramamine beforehand folks. I'm not one that gets motion sickness that easy so this is a statement that you will very likely need it. We stopped at Twin Falls, A lookout at mile marker 4, I think there was another stop along the way and then we got out of the car to take pictures of the view at mile marker 16. This road is very beautiful but you have to be prepared for a long day that could very well be motion sickness inducing. After mile marker 16, we turned around and, even with only covering that short distance of the road, I was glad that there were port-o-jons back at the Twin Falls stop. The scenic drive adventurers will probably love the Road to Hana though.

 

So on the way back we stopped at Paia Town. It was interesting to walk around this hippie town. We wanted to get to West Maui though so we weren't there long.

 

The drive to Lahaina is along the coast with mountains on the other side. There is a scenic lookout to stop at along the way which is worth the time.

 

Lahaina (Front Street) is one long line of shops. If you are looking for Maui souvenirs, then look no further. I got a Maui tank top while I was here and my mom got a Maui bag from a Ukulele store which is off the beaten path in an alley which IIRC is called "Lahaina Luna". There is also a place right next to the Lahaina Luna food stand where you can get chicken bites for $4.99. The portion that you get is plenty for a lunch and it is pretty tasty. Deal hunters take note here as prices like this are hard to find in Hawaii.

 

Kaanapali is gorgeous! When a Hawaii return trip happens, this place is high on the list. We parked by Whaler's Village and they validate your parking if you make purchases there. I was looking for a Pollo shirt but did not find one I liked at Whaler's Village. There is plenty of shopping to be done at Whaler's Village if Lahaina was not enough. Ka'anapali beach is definitely one of the better beaches I've seen with the black rock and mountains off in the distance. The pictures tell the story... this is an A-list beach!

 

We headed back to the ship around 5pm as Ka'anapali is 45 min to an hour away depending on traffic. After getting ready for dinner, I was up on the outside decks to watch the sunset in the mountains. Hawaii has some of the most impressive sunrises and sunsets.

 

This night was the only time we ate in the Main Dinning Room (Liberty). I remember having a Pork Egg Roll, Caeser Salad, Cod, A steak with some Latin seasoning I believe, Bread Pudding, and Chocolate Raspberry Truffle. The fact that the one time we ate in the MDR they had my Grandpa's favorite dessert (Bread Pudding) was neat (and it was very tasty too). They meal was very good but you can still tell that the quality is not quite there with the specialty restaurants.

 

Before going to the show, we stopped in the gift shop and got a POA t-shirt. The show tonight was Aloha Polynesia and it's one of their best. It is pretty informative about the culture of the Polynesian Islands. Also, who doesn't love when the Tahitian ladies come out and shake their hips? :p Oh and I was selected to come on stage to learn the hula dance. It was a hoot for sure. If this was caught on film, then I'm not sure I want to watch it. haha

 

The late night entertainment featured a 50s and 60s party. One of the entertainment staff ladies pulled me on stage to dance with her. It was definitely a fun evening.

 

With that, we called it a night and July 19th comes to a close.

[Notion_of_the_Ocean]

Alright, time to post the new slideshow and do some housekeeping with the updated link to July 18th. Please let me know if any (or in the case of last time...all) of the links glitch and give that error message.

 

NEW:

 

July 19th: Maui

https://www.dropbox.com/s/fbo8lwwd1ji0hke/July%2019th%3A%20Maui.mp4?dl=0

 

Previously posted:

 

Pacific Dreamland The Hawaiian Islands Prologue:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/6dcay6v9jj84i6u/Prologue.mp4?dl=0

 

July 14th: Aulani's Aloha

https://www.dropbox.com/s/8sudjyeeu2iwlew/July%2014th%3A%20Aulani%27s%20Aloha.mp4?dl=0

 

July 15th: Paradise Found

https://www.dropbox.com/s/un3ywcj4nhwjyqd/July%2015th%3A%20Paradise%20Found.mp4?dl=0

 

July 16th: North Shore

https://www.dropbox.com/s/dyplwd4vb032pbl/July%2016th%3A%20North%20Shore.mp4?dl=0

 

July 17th: The Road Trip

https://www.dropbox.com/s/mnsliz29r3w100r/July%2017th%3A%20The%20Road%20Trip.mp4?dl=0

 

July 18th: Pride of America Embarkation

https://www.dropbox.com/s/sahh5brrp226fjr/July%2018th%3A%20Pride%20of%20America%20Embarkation.mp4?dl=0

Enjoy! :D

Edited August 1, 2015 by Notion_of_the_Ocean

[Notion_of_the_Ocean]

Keep the questions and comments coming. Next part of the series will be up later today.

[Bronx Bomber Girl]

I will be sailing on Oct 10th POA cruise so you are really giving me so much insight into what to expect. Thank you so very much for all the effort you are putting into it. The slideshows are super!!!! Keep up the great work, you are only adding to my excitement.

[Notion_of_the_Ocean]

I'm going to start off this portion with a piece of advice right off the bat... Don't let the 6pm departure time fool you into thinking you have a lot of time on Maui still. Get an early start. You will be scratching your head at 4pm wondering where the time went before you know it.

 

As for me, I pulled my get up at 6am routine again for the sunrise. We got on the road at 8am (which looking back, I think is too late...I would have wanted more time but the rest of the group would not get up earlier) for Ka'anapali. Just before 9am we pulled into our first stop, Ka'anapali Country Club. I really wanted to find a golf/polo shirt from this area and I found one here. Very pricey but it is one of the best shirts I own and is one that I will save for special occasions. Parking for the day is again at Whaler's Village. You will either pay by half hour or have your ticket validated by purchasing items there. It was a beautiful sunny day for the beach that really showed off the mountains. You can see Black Rock off in the distance and there will be people that cliff jump off of there all day long. The Westing has chair and umbrella rentals and we purchased them there. Also, there was a craft festival that happened to be going on there on this day that we checked out. Noon came in a flash and we decided to stay an extra hour until 1pm. At 1pm, we headed back to the car. On the way back the Hana side of the island was getting drenched with rain.

 

At about 2pm, we stopped at Fabric Mart. My mom is a quilter so this stop was to be expected. The car was returned at around 2:30 and we were at the ship by 2:50. Lunch buffet closes at 3pm so we were one of the last ones through it today. We stopped at the Cadillac Diner for mozzarella sticks. This place comes in handy when you are touring all day and need something to eat when you come back.

 

On the pool deck, there was an ice carving demonstration in progress. This is always fun to watch.

 

Latitudes party was at 5pm right before sail away. This party is like gold for free drinks (I saw wines and rum punches flowing freely). During the party, they introduce all of the key staff to your sailing which is very interesting. I got to talk to the captain which was a real treat as he was familiar with my neck of the woods. He also tipped me off that he was heading back to the bridge to take the ship out. This is the cue to take the drinking to the open decks. The Maui sail away (6pm) is again not to be missed. Do not get caught up in drinking in Mardi Gras enough to lose track of time or make your dinner reservation before 7:30pm. My guess is you'll regret making either one of these mistakes if it's a halfway decent day.

 

The Maui sail away is rather unique. The sun will probably be sinking into the mountains when you first leave the dock but as you sail out along them and further away from them you may be lucky enough to be able to see the setting sun again before it reaches the horizon. YMMV here but it sure caught my attention. Either way, it's beautiful!

 

We ate at Le Bistro tonight. What a surprise this restaurant is! I had scallops, salad, lobster, creme brulee, and chocolate napoleon. It was all scrumptious and I think this place may even be slightly better than Cagney's. It seems to have a more elegant feel anyways.

 

The late night venue of choice tonight was One Hit Wonders. My sister knew a lot of the songs... only knew a few but what can you expect of someone who's main music genre is Hawaiian reggae (Ever wonder why the music selections in the slideshows match so well? There you go... this is one rare time in my life where my music tastes fit in)

 

There was Karaoke Idols tonight which certainly was entertaining. I did not participate but it was still a hoot. The winning song was a country tune "Itty Bitty".

 

With that, July 20th over and out.

 

Coming up:

 

July 20th: Ka'anapali Returns Slideshow

July 21st: Big Island Aina Tours

Edited August 3, 2015 by Notion_of_the_Ocean

[Notion_of_the_Ocean]

New slideshow time! As always let me know if technology gets cranky and gives an error message for any video.

 

NEW:

 

July 20th: Maui Ka'anapali Returns

https://www.dropbox.com/s/modxastsgmsjjpe/July%2020th%3A%20Maui%20-%20Ka%27anapali%20Returns.mp4?dl=0

 

Previously posted:

 

Pacific Dreamland The Hawaiian Islands Prologue:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/6dcay6v9jj84i6u/Prologue.mp4?dl=0

 

July 14th: Aulani's Aloha

https://www.dropbox.com/s/8sudjyeeu2iwlew/July%2014th%3A%20Aulani%27s%20Aloha.mp4?dl=0

 

July 15th: Paradise Found

https://www.dropbox.com/s/un3ywcj4nhwjyqd/July%2015th%3A%20Paradise%20Found.mp4?dl=0

 

July 16th: North Shore

https://www.dropbox.com/s/dyplwd4vb032pbl/July%2016th%3A%20North%20Shore.mp4?dl=0

 

July 17th: The Road Trip

https://www.dropbox.com/s/mnsliz29r3w100r/July%2017th%3A%20The%20Road%20Trip.mp4?dl=0

 

July 18th: Pride of America Embarkation

https://www.dropbox.com/s/sahh5brrp226fjr/July%2018th%3A%20Pride%20of%20America%20Embarkation.mp4?dl=0

 

July 19th: Maui

https://www.dropbox.com/s/fbo8lwwd1ji0hke/July%2019th%3A%20Maui.mp4?dl=0

Edited August 3, 2015 by Notion_of_the_Ocean

[Notion_of_the_Ocean]

Gosh it's quiet on here. I am assuming you all are still reading and viewing these things right?

 

 

 

Up at 6am again for sunrise. I don't believe I missed a sunrise or sunset on this cruise. My mom was up on deck fairly early today for a couple pictures.

 

Breakfast at Aloha Cafe and then we were down at the gangway at 7:50. They opened the doors a few minutes before 8.

 

Time really matters at this port too. There is a lot to see and the best way to see as much as possible is through a private tour. We booked Aina Tours and cannot say enough good things about them. If you reserve one of their two vans then they will ask you over the phone what you would like to see. Yes, you can design your own tour! No filler stops like there usually is on larger excursions and you decide if you want to spend longer at a particular stop. They will have pineapples and a box of Macadamia Nuts for you on your tour. Rain gear is also supplied but that wasn't needed on our day. :D

 

Price $89 per person (Akaka Falls is an $11 add on which we did)

 

Gil was waiting for us right outside the port building. Our first stop was Akaka Falls. This park is beautiful! When you picture Hawaii in your mind, this park probably looks exactly like you imagined it. Tropical plants and Banyan Trees are all around. We did the loop counterclockwise which is imo preferred because then you go down the stairs to the falls and makes for a great photo opportunity and first impression from the stairs. The loop is under a mile and paved so it can be walked very easily.

 

Rainbow Falls was next. This morning was very sunny which really lit up Akaka in beauty and put said rainbow in Rainbow Falls. A great site to see with the lava tube and rainbow but Akaka Falls is bigger and better. But what Ohioan can complain about sun, waterfalls and a rainbow in the same photo? It's all beautiful!

 

Next stop was the Mauna Loa Macadamia Nut Farm. Well, I'm nuts about macadamia nuts now. They are great! The entrance by the sign leads to a gift shop and sampling station. My personal favorite were the cookies and creme macadamia nuts. This was also a food stop as there is a snack shop right outside the gift shop. We had some deli sandwiches and then ordered some macadamia ice cream. This vanilla ice cream with macadamia nuts was very tasty.... a must eat if you are there.

 

And now the feature event.... Volcanoes National Park! Our first stop was the Jagger Museum. Standing before a steaming crater is definitely a treat. I could just imagine the force that created these islands while I was there. The inside of Jagger Museum was overcrowded at the time so I pretty much skipped it. Next stop was the steam vents. It's hard to imagine how hot it is standing by the railings of these vents until you are there. The trail out to another overlook of the craters was neat as well. We made a brief stop at the Volcano Lodge for an attempt at finding some Souvenirs. No one bought anything though. Next was Kilauea Iki crater. I am sad that there just is not enough time to do everything as hiking down to the crater floor would have been something special (ah well guess that is on the list for a return trip) as well as go all the way to the end of chain of craters road. The lookout for Kilauea Iki Crater is once again stunning and hard to imagine that is was live lava not all that long ago. The Thurston Lava Tube is another loop trail that is under a mile I think. It winds around the rainforest until the bridge to the tunnel. The bridge is very popular for photos so expect to wait about 5-10 minutes in line for your chance to walk across the bridge. The tube is lit but the path is slightly uneven with puddles all of the ground. The dripping from the ceiling was refreshing as it was quite warm today. After something like 800ft or so you come to stairs that take you out of the tunnel (don't know if the adventurers can still continue on to the unlit portion of the tunnel). The trail returns to the parking lot very quickly from there.

 

Now, I got to see were lava flowed for the very first time. The emptiness of the 1974 flow is remarkable. We got our picture by a fallen tree in the lava, a crater, and a formation from the lava. It is difficult to walk here and ambulances come and ambulances seem to be frequent visitors to this attraction as the lava is sharp.

 

The last stop was the black sand beach. Very interesting and so different from the beaches I am used to seeing. We also ran into CC username Imalismom who her and her family were on the same cruise as us.

 

Our return to the ship was around 3:30pm. We went to the Cadillac Diner and I got mozzarella sticks and a salad.

 

We were on the pool deck after until 5. The sail away is at 6 and again I am a big advocate for keeping dinner reservations out of the way of sail aways but that is just me. Ideal dinner time in my opinion for this day is about 7:00 - 8:00

 

Went looking for souvenirs and had a glass of wine before dinner. Tonight was again Le Bistro at 7pm. My selections were the same except I double ordered the scallops and lobster tails.

 

Tonight's show was a magic show. He got my attention when he said that he would be doing an underwater escape act at the pool on Friday. Now that was cool!

 

The dance party tonight was ABBA themed. Plenty of people loved it. This music was not exactly for me though.

 

The night ended with Karaoke. I sang "Wherever You Will Go" which is kind of a go to song when I do do these kinds of things.

 

That's a wrap for my Hilo narrative.

 

Coming up:

 

July 21st Hilo - Aina Tours Slideshow

July 22nd Kona Narrative

[Notion_of_the_Ocean]

New slideshow time! As always let me know if technology gets cranky and gives an error message for any video.

 

NEW:

 

July 21st: Hilo - Aina Tours

https://www.dropbox.com/s/7534x018iv12jae/July%2021st%3A%20Hilo%20-%20Aina%20Tours.mp4?dl=0

 

Previously posted:

 

Pacific Dreamland The Hawaiian Islands Prologue:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/6dcay6v9jj84i6u/Prologue.mp4?dl=0

 

July 14th: Aulani's Aloha

https://www.dropbox.com/s/8sudjyeeu2iwlew/July%2014th%3A%20Aulani%27s%20Aloha.mp4?dl=0

 

July 15th: Paradise Found

https://www.dropbox.com/s/un3ywcj4nhwjyqd/July%2015th%3A%20Paradise%20Found.mp4?dl=0

 

July 16th: North Shore

https://www.dropbox.com/s/dyplwd4vb032pbl/July%2016th%3A%20North%20Shore.mp4?dl=0

 

July 17th: The Road Trip

https://www.dropbox.com/s/mnsliz29r3w100r/July%2017th%3A%20The%20Road%20Trip.mp4?dl=0

 

July 18th: Pride of America Embarkation

https://www.dropbox.com/s/sahh5brrp226fjr/July%2018th%3A%20Pride%20of%20America%20Embarkation.mp4?dl=0

 

July 19th: Maui

https://www.dropbox.com/s/fbo8lwwd1ji0hke/July%2019th%3A%20Maui.mp4?dl=0

 

July 20th: Maui Ka'anapali Returns

https://www.dropbox.com/s/modxastsgmsjjpe/July%2020th%3A%20Maui%20-%20Ka%27anapali%20Returns.mp4?dl=0

[kmcnally]

Hello ,

 

Love your review . We are booked for Nov 2015 . I noticed you have had Lobster several night for dinner on the ship....I have read in passed reviews that they only serve lobster on Kona(Wednesday night)

 

How much was the extra charge ?

[Notion_of_the_Ocean]

Hello ,

 

Love your review . We are booked for Nov 2015 . I noticed you have had Lobster several night for dinner on the ship....I have read in passed reviews that they only serve lobster on Kona(Wednesday night)

 

How much was the extra charge ?

 

You can get Lobster Tail every night in the specialty restaurants Cagney's and Le Bistro. The extra charge for the full lobster on Wednesday night is $10 on top of your cover charge (or just $10 if you have UDP).

[goinggoinggone]

Enjoying your review Notion of the Ocean!

 

I was wondering about the Lattitude's Party. I'm a Lattitudes member and was wondering if you receive an invitation in your cabin or if it's in the dailies and you just show up. It's the first night at 6pm correct?

[Notion_of_the_Ocean]

Enjoying your review Notion of the Ocean!

 

I was wondering about the Lattitude's Party. I'm a Lattitudes member and was wondering if you receive an invitation in your cabin or if it's in the dailies and you just show up. It's the first night at 6pm correct?

 

I wasn't aware of one on the first night. The latitude's parties will likely be right before the Maui sail away and right before Kauai sail away (this one is on the front crew only deck).

[Notion_of_the_Ocean]

If you like coffee or lobsters then this is your port.

 

Up at 6:30am for sunrise... the ship is already approaching the port at this time. Sometime around 7am the lifeboats are lowered. This is interesting to watch. Slightly before 7:30am the tenders started carrying people ashore. The Kona Inn shops and Kona Marketplace are about 1/2 mile from the tender pier and are great for souvenirs. I found my big island golf shirt here in a store that had them hidden in a side closet. Great find!

 

We walked back to the Marriott by the pier and some of our group returned to the ship. My mom and I walked up to the fabric mart which is about 2 blocks from the pier. I took advantage of the Marriott Beach afterward and the iron man beach. The building there is very historic and great to have as a view in the water. We stayed here about an hour. Next, we headed to the Whaler's shop to buy macadamia nuts.

 

We returned to the pool deck around noon for lunch at Aloha Cafe and swimming. They had a parody iron man competition around the pool that involved pushups, swimming, steering a ball with a hockey stick, jumping jacks, and finishing with striking an iron man posed. Me and my brother-in-law Matt were both in it. Kudos to NCL for making their poolside contest relevant to port they were in. This is one of the better efforts I have seen for poolside entertainment contests.

 

Being on deck at 5:00pm is awarded with getting to watch the crew raise the lifeboats. Sail away is at 5:30. It is very scenic and making your dinner reservation before 7:30 is probably a mistake. We made ours for 6:30 and I found myself walking out after appetizers to capture the sunset before returning for the rest of the meal. Tonight is the Kona Lobster Live Lobster Night and it is not to be missed if you like lobster (Cagney's and Le Bistro only). We also had a bottle of wine tonight thanks to Kyle in group services. The Oh What a Night Tribute Band was performing tonight and they sound just like the Four Seasons. The show was very enjoyable. The White Hot Party was that night and it is the biggest dance party of the cruise.

 

Kona seems to be the "down day" of the cruise if you are not a snorkeler. This was fine by me with such a busy schedule all of the other days.

 

End of July 22nd Kona Narative.

 

Slideshow:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/098utvprxhj4jh7/July%2022nd%3A%20Kona.mp4?dl=0

 

Next up:

July 23rd: Kauai (The Ke'e to Kauai)

[slckac77]

Thanks so much for your great review! I've been reading it every day. We are going in January 2016! Can't wait!

[goinggoinggone]

I am loving your slideshows. In one of the pictures, I think it was Maui, there was a tote with smaller bags in the same hawaiian print. Looks like you bought them there. Where was the store where they were purchased? I'd like to pick up some for gifts. Thanks.

 

Was there any free juices or lemonade, etc.?

 

I hope I get an invitation to the Latitudes parties. Free drinks are a good thing. This will be my third NCL cruise.

[HACKT]

Great review! We're cruising on PoA in sept 2016 so your detailed info is much appreciated. We're DVC members so Aulani info was great too, thanks!

[sunnyvegas]

Thank you so much for your review! I appreciate the time that you have taken to put all the photos and slide shows together.

 

Also, thanks for the tip on Aina Tours. I just booked them for our Hilo excursion--now I just have to wait another 10 months until we set sail :D.