Dalwhitt... any news from the POA

[dalwhitt]

Orderby, yes, it was Amber's idea to do this and it worked very well. We orginally wanted to eat at 7 p.m. but because of the 5:30 p.m. limitation she came up with that idea. She also arranged for us to eat together at Crossings for breakfast the final day with no wait. If you read my previous postings you know that I said I would not tip anyone on this ship. Well, Amber was exceptional so we tipped her $30 the last day. Unfortunately, she's leaving in two weeks after her six-month committment ends. She said she would have left earlier (like hundreds have), but always likes to fulfill her promises. She was a very nice young lady, and even though at 19 she is not a veteran, she tried very hard and I believe she will be a success whereever she goes.

 

As far as room service goes, we never used it at all so I can't give you any suggestions on that. But the breakfast menu in Crossings was quite extensive. Every now and then we would get something cold that should have been hot but they would fix it right away.

[buchie614]

Hello, hubby and I are back. I would consider myself a seasoned cruiser, with over 25, 19 with rccl, my favorite, and I would not sail ncl again, ever, even if it were free, the food in the buffet was not fit to be eaten, except for pizza. The drink containers were always empty, and when asked to refill it, it was always, I'm sorry, and a napkin or towel thrown over it, to signal out of order. Ice was hard to come by also, and when you did, it was in a open pan of sorts, with the scooper thrown it, with all the hands on it, and lying in the ice, I decided I didn't want it, to each their own. The staff works hard, but just to few of them, and to long of hours. Amber is great, ask for her in the dining rooms, we told her we would pass along her name. The hand sanitizer next to the buffet was always empty. Yes, amber did see to us atg 6:30 for our 5:30 reservations, but advised us not to come any later. I did not hear anyone from the entire ship giving good reviews on our sailing, and from talking with staff, the cruise before ours was even worse, so I guess some things improved, they did have daily staff to help, which was good. I felt the ship was dirty, overall, because there was not enough staff to clean up, my husband said the mens bathrooms were dirty, and sinced there was some type of plumbing problems, that would be the reason they were not flushed, and urine all over the floor from overflowing, I guess. The lady restrooms were ok, not perfect, but ok. Did not use the 24 hr. roomservice, but one of the entertainers on board did, and he made the comment the wait time was long. Would I recommend this cruise to my worst enemy. NO....would I recommend it to NCL high uppers yes, so they could see what we the paying passengers had to suffer thru. Our onboard rep, was great in getting us the $100. pp ship board credit. I did not spend any$$ on the ship except for the credit, I refused. I left them with $1.75 of unused credit, because I did not want to go over,dalwhitt was within .05. It was pretty sad, in order to get a decent meal for lunch, we had to eat off ship, every day, and when we returned and wanted a snack, the buffet was not eatable. Orderby, I would not order sandwiches and hold them overnight, that could be a freightening thought. This is just MY personal opinion of the cruise. My husband is the type of person that does not complain, and tells me I should not complain so much, but this time he was complaining, so I knew things had to be pretty bad...Shame

Shame on NCL.......The ship has a lot of problems, and until they are resolved, all I can say is cruiser, cruise it at your own risk. Since I will not be cruising with ncl again, I will not be posting, but will check in and see if anyone has any ?? that I can answer, for the rest of this week. I wish all future cruisers the best of luck, and for those with later cruises, perhaps the 6 month hump will be over, and you will get the cruise that we are all accustomed to. This is definitely not the pampering cruise, and "Free Style" is definitely not for me. On the last day, everyone was out of their rooms, and out and about the ship waiting for their color to be called, this helped the staff out so they could get a jump start on cleaning the rooms for the incoming cruisers. HOPEFULLY, the long wait time for meals in the dining rooms will have improved.....But as for the buffet food, Don't think it will improve, and the selection is really skimpy, and they always run out of food, I just don't understand that.

[cnmiranda]

Thank you Buchie, very informative:)

[buchie614]

oh yes, we did not have to pay the resort fee since we paid for the tips upfront with our cruise package, which makes me think this resort thing, is tips, and one staffer was surprised to learn it was prepaid, as she said she did not get tips in her check, and that her check was so small she wanted to cry when she saw it. Also the 2,50 fee did not show up either, I did inquire at the desk and they said our group was not going to see this on their receipt. Best time to check is before the cruise is over, whenever you see a short or no line. Amber was the only person we tipped, she saved us time in waiting in those long lines, and she earned it. She had 3-4 full tables alone, NO HELP. We felt bad for her so we did not ask for refills on drinks. Oh yes, they run out of lemonaide fast, ran out of pork sausage, and when I ordered wheat bread they didn't have it, although, it was listed on the menu. Most of these posting are not hear-say, but true facts, and can be said as spoken truth. Just please do not take all the short comings on the staff, most are really trying, but you can see it in their face, they are not happy sailors.

[segerd]

Orderby,

 

Room service is not one of the POA's strengths. The sandwiches weren't worth eating, nevermind holding them over. The breakfast room service is still a mystery. We ordered it a few times and it never showed. I too recommend those internet cafes if you need to get online. Very expensive on this ship.

[margu1241]

We had good service with the room service breakfast. It is however a very light continental breakfast, but we always had it on time, most days a little early and everything was there. On days when you want to get off ship early, it is the only way to eat breakfast.

Patty

[Jeannell]

I had a family on the POA July 4 Sailing who sent a 7 page distress letter to NCL detailing problems on their cruise. Anyone else on that sailing?

[Jeannell]

Am interested in what NCL is offereing passengers as compensation for their poor cruise experience on the POA. Anyone with details to share, please do so.

[cnmiranda]

Travel Agent Jeanell, have you checked the reviews section yet at the top of the screen? Try the "traveler reviews". There are quite a few reviews from the 7/4 sailing. Also a few other message boards have posts regarding NCL compensation thus far, some have received onboard credit, some have received $$ off future sailings.

[Cruise News Daily]

I had a family on the POA July 4 Sailing who sent a 7 page distress letter to NCL detailing problems on their cruise. Anyone else on that sailing?

Yes, Jeannel, I was on that sailing.

 

Was it perfect? No. Was it this horrible, awful, hellish experience some people say? No. I think some people, for whatever reason, want to see nothing in between. I think instead of judging the experience on its own, there are people want to put it up against the best cruise experience they ever had, and therefore just because it wasn't the absolutely delightful experience their previous cruises have been, they classify it as terrible. I just saw it as not the best cruise I've ever been on.

 

Most of the problems I saw, in my opinion, seemed to come from a large percentage of the staff being on their own for the first time right out of training. They just didn't have the experience to meet the high expectations many of the passengers had set.

 

I did see a management team onboard that was very willing to talk with passengers and fix things on an individual basis when issues were brought to their attention and presented in a reasonable manner with reasonable expectations.

 

The passenger reaction to the startup of Pride of Aloha I see as being very similar to the passenger reaction I have seen when other new type of operations have been started by cruise lines. Examples are Radiance of the Sea's as a new class of ship, with a high percentage of newly hired crew members and a new type of hotel organization, QM2 with a one off type of ship and a high percentage of new crew members, and Norwegian Star with a new type of operation in Hawaii. Each of these have been turned around in just a few months. The problems are usually quick for the lines to identify, but it takes a couple of months for the solutions to resolve the problems.

 

If you have other questions pertaining to that sailing, please e-mail me your phone number at alanwilson@cruisenewsdaily.com

 

Alan Wilson

Cruise News Daily

[Palmist]

Yes, Jeannel, I was on that sailing.

 

Was it perfect? No. Was it this horrible, awful, hellish experience some people say? No. I think some people, for whatever reason, want to see nothing in between. I think instead of judging the experience on its own, there are people want to put it up against the best cruise experience they ever had, and therefore just because it wasn't the absolutely delightful experience their previous cruises have been, they classify it as terrible...

 

Guess it depends on the meaning of the word horrible. On my7/25 cruise NCL let the POA sail with a crew of less than 700 (normal staff is 950). The food in the main dinning rooms was not as good as the food on my previous cruises (RCCL, Princess, and NCL). The buffet food for the most part was not fit for human consumption. The service was by far the poorest of any of my 10 cruises, our room was not cleaned until evening (then only after complaining to the Housekeeping Manager), and we had to search for clean bath towels and ice on our own. The ship was dirty, never saw any crew with a vacuum or mop. On Monday we noticed coffee was spilled all over the tile floor by the forward elevators on deck 11, that floor was still dirty Sunday morning before we disembarked. With 2 overnights in port, what was NCL thinking when they either closed or no longer seated anyone in any of the dinning venues after 9:00 PM? I came back late from a shore excursion and my food choices were either room service pizzas with over a 2 hour wait, to go ashore again and try to find food, or go hungry. Last but not least, the metal lock washer placed in my DH’s eggs in the Crossings dinning room.

 

BTW, this was the quietest, most subdued crowd by far of any of my cruises (service and food issues wore people down). Anytime I had a conversation with my fellow passengers the subject always turned to the problems on the ship. These problems may or may not qualify as horrible, but they sure spoiled a lot of expensive vacations.

[Traveler39]

Yes, Jeannel, I was on that sailing.

 

Was it perfect? No.

 

 

 

Alan Wilson

Cruise News Daily

 

Alan, since you chose to post on this thread, C.C. to state your position and/or opinion.. I have a question for you....

 

Taking your opening statement above... please explain in reasonable detail why you felt the cruise was not PERFECT ( which is probably not a word I would use) and also give us what you believe the ship was... It was OK?.. It was fine? etc... It had a lot of problems, or It did not deliver the normal cruise experience of a cruise... or how would you state what the cruise was to you and most passengers? Please do not use being in Hawaii as a reason for passengers to accept this ship although it does have the problems that have been posted over and over by recent passengers...

[Palmist]

Alan Wilson,

Did you pay for your cruise?

[dalwhitt]

Alan,

 

I subscribe to your publication and you know I respect your opinion. But you are way off base on this one. When I pay top dollar for a cruise (this was the most expensive cruise I've ever been on) I expect top service, not what I got on POA. This ship has been in service (as POA) for more than two months, and instead of things getting better, they have gotten worse. You sailed on POA early on. I suggest you sail on her now and you will see the difference.

 

The crew is absolutely beat ... you can see it in their eyes ... and they will talk openly with you about the problems on this ship. I talked to several crew members who were not returning when their contract expires. This says to me that the lack of crew will continue to be a problem.

 

As far as the crew being on their own ... Amber was on her own and simply adapted. Other crew will do the same thing. The problem is that NCL management put a poor plan in play and have been unable to adapt as things got worse.

 

Alan, you can say what you want, but unless NCL makes major adjustments, this debacle will continue and passengers will continue to be upset. Many of the changes are common sense and suggested on this board.

 

To top it off, NCL adds a non-refundable service charge (and doesn't tell people until they are on the ship) and a "donation" to the Bishop museum (and doesn't tell people until the last day). Is this good business? You should never piss off already pissed off customers.

 

NCL needs a few lessons in public relations. But based on what I see NCL just doesn't care about the people they are suppose to serve.

 

I was on that ship last week ... and I came in with low expectations. I also expected some form of good service, but you won't get it on this ship, not now, not until the crew gets up to staff, and maybe even never.

 

Worst thing on the ship was the buffer. This food was absolutely inedible. How can you go 9 weeks, with complaints weekly about this food and doing nothing to change it.

 

I stand by my opinion of this ship and cruise experience. It isn't worth the money, and it would be almost criminal for me to suggest people sail on this second-rate cruise at top dollar.

 

The facts back me up. I've seen it and talked to the people directly involved -- the crew.

 

Even Holly, the assistant hotel director, told me that they have had many problems onboard this ship, but couldn't promise me when or if things would change.

 

As far as new ships taking time for crew to adapt ... this is NOT a new ship. Secondly, Buchie has sailed on inagural sailings and I sailed on Voyger of the Seas when it was 3 weeks old. Neither of us have everhad a problem ... until now.

 

And lastly, I'm not going to apologize for wanting to be pampered and made to feeel special when I cruise. That's what I paided for, thats what I want.

[buchie614]

On the positive side, there are plenty of clothes hangers in the room, at least in the balcony ones, with a coffee machine, cups, coffee, creamer, sugar. The closet space is very, very small, but luggage can fit under the beds, there is a very small couch, and the counter space is small, the room is tight, but the beds are super hard. Some like it that way, after the second night, my back was aching, so I ordered a egg crate cushion, and one was delivered to our room before we retired for the night, just ask if you need one. The drawer space is very limited, and there is a safe in the closet, just have to enter you a password, and it is good to go. The excerise room has 6 treadmills, only 4 was operable on our trip, and there was a 30 minute wait time, but the view was good once you get on. The stem room was broken 3 out of the 7 days, but was ok, so my hubby said after that. The seating on the lower level of the stardust lounge, in the very back, has very tight seating, and trying to manuever can be tough, so try and get in early to get a good seat. Beach towels are available to check out before your leave the ship, so you will not need to take any towels from your room. There is a hot tub at the back of the ship, and was usually empty, or near empty, we did not use it, but if the other ones are crowded, you might try there. If I think of anything else, will post it. Again, if you are on next week, ask for AMBER, she will make the dining experience a lot less painfull...........

[Island Gem]

Thanks for all the information you've provided. Can anyone remember what time you were able to disembark in Kauai on the first day. I am trying to see if I can make it to the Marriott for an 8:30 a.m. pick up.

[lbryant]

Dalwhitt / Buchie:

For those who have time to cancel- I hear you loud and clear: You recommend staying away from this ship.

For those who sail soon (for us 6 weeks) and cannot cancel without losing lots of money...what do you suggest? What do you wish you knew before you went? Assuming things don't change or improve, are there ways of working with the situation to make the experience better?

Are there details, or tidbits or tricks you learned while onboard that helped you overcome or avoid any of the problems?

I appreciate all the input people have given. We've been able to incorporate some of them into our plans (ie, carry on our clothes for the first evening / night just in case our luggage doesn't get to the room on time - for me that's a big one because the first night is my birthday and I plan to dress up).

Also, did you happen to get copies or photos of any menus (dining room or specialty??). Any dishes you feel are worth steering people toward? Or for that matter - away from? Again, thanks for your input.

Laura

[Island Gem]

lbryant

check out the roll call Aug. 15 thread; someone posted a link to the freestyle dailies/menus and other info. there.

[Traveler39]

Hello Dalwhitt and others.... I have yet to get an answer to the question: Does the poa still have the pizza stand and what times of the day is it in operation? Do they have a good selection? I know that the same pizza is served in the buffet but need to know if it is still available elsewhere... Thanks

[dalwhitt]

Unfortunately, the pizza is only served in the buffet.

[lbryant]

Island Gem,

thank you for pointing me to that link by wer3angels. She did a fabulous job of posting the dailies and some of the buffet menus. I was actually hoping someone has copies or took photos of the dining room menus and specialty menus. I know those aren't usually given to the passengers, but many seem to be able to take digital photos of them and then post the photos. I had hoped perhaps someone had those.

Thanks for your help.

Dalwhitt, et al., I look forward to your full review (no pressure now..).

Again, thank you.

Laura

[dalwhitt]

I am about two thirds done with the review. Unfortunately, I had to return to work so that I can pay for next year's cruises.

 

I have so much information that I know I will have to edit it down. But don't worry, I feel no pressure. I'm hoping that I can finish it by tomorrow night. No promises, but that's the hope.

[FPerez]

OK, enough grousing. Some positives about POA:

 

-- I admit to liking cigars, and I have sampled the cigar bars on all the cruise ships I have sailed. Captain Cook's Cigar Bar, aboard POA, is one of my favorites.

 

-- The pizza was good, but couldn't match the 24-hour pizza station found on Carnival ships.

 

-- The cabins (outside, oceanview for us) were small but functional. We found them roomier when the beds were pushed apart.

 

-- The service got better as the week went out. Apparently, NCL began bringing in one-day temps in some of the port to help with cleaning and other rudimentary chores. You could really tell the difference.

 

-- Getting on and off the ship in the ports was fast and efficient.

 

-- There was great 100 percent Kona in the Coffee Bar.

 

-- I bought a wireless internet access package for my laptop and it worked great. It was very fast.

 

-- I am a news junkie and was able to stay abreast of things thanks to CNN and ESPN on the ship's TV.

 

-- The sports bar was quaint and neat.

 

-- I love golf, and the POA has the first golf pro shop I've ever seen on any cruise ship. It was first rate.

 

-- I forget the name of the specialty restaurant we ate in, but I thought it was pretty good, certainly worth the $15 cover. I wish we had eaten in the speciality resturants more often.

 

-- Amber, our waiter, really cared. She has hustle, spirit and vibe comparable with any international worker.

 

-- Most of the staff was very, very friendly.

 

-- After the first day, we never really encountered any overly long lines for anything.

 

Hope this helps.

 

Cigar

I was on the 8/8 POA cruise as well, there was 1 day of improved service, the same day as the $100.00 use it or lose it credit was given. The day NCLA flew in a corporate excecutive to tour the ship to investigate the extremely high level of complaints, 2 days prior to a dignitary tour, Bush Administrations Transportation Secretary Norman Mineta & the Hawiian Governors visit on Friday, August 13th! After talking to the POA Food & Beverage Manager, it was obvious that he attempted to pass the buck onto the Charter Company. Although the charter company has a responsibity to all of their guest, I was informed, by the POA F&B Manager, that extented service hours were not negotiated, which happen to be one of the complaints. My opinion is that the NCLA Sales department dropped the ball.

 

Some of the legitimate complaints on this particular cruise were safety, hygienic, food & dining options, quality and logistics, as well as guest relations related:

*Bar services did not cooincide with entertainment.

*NCLA employees inserting wall panels, above the bar area while large groups of passengers were still enjoying the entertainment, as in to close down the party.

[imnrn]

My husband and I are on the 9/12 sailing and we are really regreting not canceling when we could. We were on the Saturday after Thanksgiving cruise on the Disney line and they had no problem canceling because of the Norwalk virus. We got 100% back and 1/2 off a future cruise and on Disney that is still expensive. If NCL wants to keep any customers they really need to dry dock until they get their issues straightened out. Everyone please keep posting good and bad to keep us future cruisers informed. Thanks!