Excursions on NCL Hawaii cruises - cheaper to purchase off-ship?
mike...@yahoo.com
are exhorbitantly priced. My questions are:
1) Is this true? Can you purchase the same tour off-ship, with the same
tour company, for less money if you pay for it without NCL being
involved?
2) Do the tour operators associated with NCL treat people like cattle,
because they know they've got captive customers? Seems like an instance
where lack of competition might drive the quality down.
3) Is it feasible to book similar port excursion tours with other tour
companies given the late timing for actually leaving the ship - e.g.
even if an NCL ship arrives in port at 8am, evidently it can be 2
hours+ before passengers are allowed to hit land. There's also the
constraint of having to board the ship, um, how long before the stated
departure time?
Should I grab a good Hawaii guidebook (I've always enjoyed Lonely
Planet - they never catered to the rich, at least years ago they
didn't) and look for tour operators myself? Just wondering if anyone
has successfully escaped day excursion price gouging on NCL Hawaii or
elsewhere.
Thanks.
mike...@yahoo.com
Is it *generally* cheaper, for any cruise, to purchase port excursions
directly from the vendors, or other tour companies, than to purchase,
in advance, the cruise line offered excursions via the cruise line
itself?
John Sisker
on an NCL Hawaii cruise, aboard the Pride of Aloha. If interested, here is
our photo album of what we did
(http://OurFamilyAlbums.photosite.com/Hawaii/). Of note, all our shore
excursions were indeed selected from the tour companie(s) picked and/or
sponsored by the cruise line. True, our cost may have been a little more,
but at that point trying to squeeze a dollar or two was not our main
priority. When I get the change, I'll try to find our cruise line shore
excursion price break-down to give you an idea of what we spent. Meantime,
NCL's own Website has a pdf file you can download which list every shore
excursion available, including price - and believe me there are more
available than on any other cruise we have been on.
Many of your other questions will answer themselves when looking through our
pictures. Meantime, don't be penny wise but pound foolish, nor let an
inexpensive choice be an expensive mistake. One can always find something
cheaper, but is it better or really less expensive in the long run? Price
alone should not always be the deciding factor.
Happy sailing,
John Sisker, SHIP-TO-SHORE CRUISE AGENCY®
(714) 536-3850 or toll free at (800) 724-6644 & (pagoo ID: 714.536.3850)
www.shiptoshorecruise.com
<mike...@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:1153910557.6...@p79g2000cwp.googlegroups.com...
LeeNY
I rarely book excursions through the cruiseline anymore. I probably
would, if I was going to a more exotic place, but for Caribbean,
Mexico...and Hawaii when we get there, I'll do it all independently.
You might not be able to book with the tour companies that the
cruiseline uses, but you can usually book a tour that pretty much
duplicates what's being offered. You'll most likely get it at a better
price and will get more personalized service (smaller group).
Especially in HI, since it is the U.S., no language barrier to
consider, I wouldn't hesitate to book my own.
Actually, if we do go there, and do decide to cruise, I'm thinking
we'll most likely just rent a car and tour on our own, skipping the
whole organized tour thing all together. I've rented cars in a few
Caribbean ports, and it's been fine, so no reason to think that it
wouldn't be even smoother in HI.
Considering John Sisker's "penny wise pound foolish" argument, keep in
mind that he's not the most objective opinion on rtc. The savings can
be considerable, between what you spend by booking independently vs.
through the cruiseline...enough so over the course of a week-long
cruise to possibly save the cost of an entire excursion - getting 5
independently booked tours for the price of 4 cruiseline booked tours,
say. He's correct that price alone should not be the deciding factor,
but I feel it should be considered in the decision. I wish I had money
to burn, but even if I was Bill Gates, I wouldn't see the point in
overspending for something when the same thing was available for less.
I would follow his advice and download NCL's offerings...use that as a
basis for your research. Go the library, go to your local Barnes &
Noble or Borders, and start reading. Look online, find the names of
independent operators that others have used. Email some of these
companies that interest you. Are they quick to respond? Do they send
out a positive vibe? Talk to friends. coworkers, family that have gone
to HI. Who did they book with?
As far as when yo can get off the ship and when you need to be back on,
that varies. Sometimes ships arrive late to port. These independent
operators keep track of this stuff - and usually, if the ship is unable
to make port, you won't be charged for the tour (at least, that's how
it's worked for me in the Caribbean and Mexico). They know when the
ship leaves port, when you need to be back - getting you back to the
ship on time is of the utmost importance to them ...their reputation
depends on it. Of course, at the end of the day, it's your
responsibility to get yourself back to the ship on time, bottom line.
But, the fear of missing the ship should not prevent you from booking
your own tours. Leave yourself plenty of cushion, and you'll be fine.
Very long answer. Sorry about that.
In answer to your question..."Should I grab a good Hawaii guidebook"?
Absolutely, YES!!! I can't imagine taking such a big trip (at least,
it's big to me) and not doing some reading about the place I was going
to be visiting. I have found that a little preliminary research
definitely enriches the actual experience. Find out all you can!!!
Have a great cruise.
Lee
mike...@yahoo.com
Lee, excellent response. No need to apologizing for providing detailed
advice!
I agree on not cheaping out - e.g. paying a bit less, but getting a
significantly worse product / experience. That's where I need to do my
homework.
However, and I thought I'd read it here, I've heard about people taking
the exact same tour, but saving money by purchasing it independently.
Anyone here on any of the "Pride of..." NCL ships able to do that? Or
maybe it was possible to do so in the past, but NCL America has
prevented the tour operators contractually from doing this.
I'll be going in the off season, so I wonder if there's more price
flexibility then in general.
I'll be on Pride of Hawaii, and would also be interested to hear about
peoples' recent experiences. There were no Cruise Critic ratings for
that ship last time I checked, it being so new. Saw a few comments -
main complaint seems to be the American crew and the food not being
terrific. But not terrific compared to what? Crystal? Celebrity and
Princess?
Although I've traveled a lot, I've never traveled in anything
resembling a luxury manner. Started youth hosteling, then progressed to
modest, non-chain, family run little hotels, etc.
One thing I've heard is to absolutely avoid Carnival Cruise lines. I've
heard Carnival *is* for those who don't mind slumming it - or at the
very least, don't mind fellow passengers whose sole aim is to drink
themselves into oblivion.
I don't need the greatest food / luxury, but I do draw the line at
party-centric cruising. Hopefully there won't be a lot of
Carnival-style shennanigans on the NCL cruise.
Also, I don't know how bad NCL America might be, but I reckoned with a
year 2006 ship, how bad could it be?
LeeNY
mike...@yahoo.com wrote:
> However, and I thought I'd read it here, I've heard about people taking
> the exact same tour, but saving money by purchasing it independently.
> Anyone here on any of the "Pride of..." NCL ships able to do that? Or
> maybe it was possible to do so in the past, but NCL America has
> prevented the tour operators contractually from doing this.
I have encountered, in the Caribbean, tour operators that would not
book independently with passengers on cruise ships, because of some
contractual agreement. But, I really don't know if that's the case on
your port stops in Hawaii. Quite honestly, when booking my tours (which
I usually do ahead of time...not when I show up at port) I don't kn ow
if I'm booking with the same people as the cruiseline or not. I don't
even know if there's a way to find out the names of the companies that
the cruiselines have contracted with...never thought to find out, but I
guess someone out there has posted some kind of list somewhere.
One of the things I like about independent tours is that the group has
always been much smaller. If you are able to book directly with the
operator that the cruiseline is using, you'll still be herded on the
big busses with the masses from the ship...so there goes that benefit.
You might save some money, but you'll have the same "sheeple"
experience, which is something I try to avoid, by booking my own tours.
> main complaint seems to be the American crew and the food not being
> terrific. But not terrific compared to what? Crystal? Celebrity and
> Princess?
Reviews have been really mixed on the whole NCLAmerica cruiseline. But,
seeing is that you have no basis for comparison, you'll probably have n
no problems with the food. But, actually, I think folks have been
saying that food & service are not up to par with any of the mass
market lines - Carnival, Royal Caribbean...and up the ladder.
We've been kicking around the idea of trying one of the "Pride of"
ships, but would view it as more of an inter-island ferry rather than
as a cruise. We're thinking about one week on board ship and then a
second week just on one island. It's a great way to see a little of
each island. Port stops are nice and long, so you'll actually have time
to do things.
> Although I've traveled a lot, I've never traveled in anything
> resembling a luxury manner. Started youth hosteling, then progressed to
> modest, non-chain, family run little hotels, etc.
As long as your expectations are realistic, I doubt you'll be
disappointed. Those of us that have cruised many times might have a
more critical eye, with more experience to base our critique on. Don't
sweat the small stuff. This cruise is about Hawaii more than it is
about the ship and shopboard experience, is the way I look at it.
> One thing I've heard is to absolutely avoid Carnival Cruise lines. I've
> heard Carnival *is* for those who don't mind slumming it - or at the
> very least, don't mind fellow passengers whose sole aim is to drink
> themselves into oblivion.
Carnival has its fans and its detractors, but I can't imagine ever
referring to Carnival as "slumming it". I've been on two Carnival
cruises, and while they don't suit my tastes as well as some of the
other lines, I think they put out a quality product and very good
vacation value. Service is excellent, food is just fine...it's a good
product. You certainly could find drunks on Carnival, but I've seen
them on all lines. So, don't think that, by selecting another
cruiseline, you'll be assured of not seeing obnoxious, drunken
behaviour. It can happen on any ship at any time. It's really the luck
of the draw.
> I don't need the greatest food / luxury, but I do draw the line at
> party-centric cruising. Hopefully there won't be a lot of
> Carnival-style shennanigans on the NCL cruise.
Like I said, you just never know what you're gonna get. Best idea is to
just do your own thing, and try not to let other passengers' behaviour
get in the way of your good time.
> Also, I don't know how bad NCL America might be, but I reckoned with a
> year 2006 ship, how bad could it be?
I'm sure the ship, itself, will be beautiful, and since it's relatively
new, you shouldn't see too much in the way of wear and tear. But, these
ships need constant and diligent maintenance to keep up their
appearance. So, while the ship is new, if proper upkeep isn't happening
on board, it won't take long for signs of neglect to become evident to
passengers.
Please post a review upon your return.
Lee
Don & Lynn
Good luck to you folks. I remember hearing something on a cruise once to the
effect---You people setting up your own excursions, be sure to take a camera
so you can get a good picture of the ship sailing away.
Smooth Sailing,
Don
"LeeNY" <lee...@campmor.com> wrote in message
news:1154009580....@m73g2000cwd.googlegroups.com...
Jr.
book the excursions through Princess. The reason being, if you purchase your
trip insurance through the cruise lines they generally will not insure the
excursion.
Last cruise we could not dock in Barbados due to a combination of bad
weather and broken bow thrusters.
We were credited the full amount of the excursion back to us on our ship's
account.
If you book independently before you get there you might have quite a time
getting your money back.
LeeNY
Jr. wrote:
> If you book independently before you get there you might have quite a time
> getting your money back.
So far, it hasn't been a problem. I have been on a few cruises where a
port stop has been cancelled and an independently booked tour was
missed. A simple email when I get home, and all fees have been
refunded. Some don't even put the charge through until you actually
take the tour. They've all been pretty up front about their
cancellation policies. Again, they know their customer base, and their
reputations depend on them providing not only a good product and good
service, but also being able to accomodate their guests, which come
mostly from the cruise ships. They wouldn't stay in business long, if
they didn't offer a similar refund policy that the ships' excursions
desks do.
just another scare tactic perpetuated by the cruiselines, so that
you'll be convinced to overpay for their tours...at least, that's my
opinion.
Lee
mike...@yahoo.com
until mid to late Fall.
Don & Lynn wrote:
> Good luck to you folks. I remember hearing something on a cruise once to the
> effect---You people setting up your own excursions, be sure to take a camera
> so you can get a good picture of the ship sailing away.
Good scam / scare tactic. :-) Cruise lines must be getting fat
commissions from the tour operators to employ used car salesman-like
techniques. Makes good business sense, even if it's a bit sleazy. More
people doing their own thing means less profit for the cruise line.
Sleazy Sales Tactic #1: Generate Fear, Uncertainty, and Doubt (FUD) in
the minds of those whose business you may lose to a competitor.
It's an especially bogus line when a ship arrives early, overnights,
and spends at least a half-day in port the next day like my itinerary
will - once in Maui and once in Kauai.
Of course it could be good advice for clueless cruisers who've never
traveled independently or made their own arrangements. This will be my
first cruise / package tour ever. Having traveled widely on my own, I
reluctantly made a concession with cruising Hawaii because it's such an
expensive place to travel.
Come to think of it, I typically hate tours of any kind. I always see
and experience more on my own schedule and pace, with my own transport.
Lee made some great points there.
However, if I'm going to take a tour, I don't want to pay artificially
inflated prices. Seems like renting a car may be the best option after
all, expecting and figuring in some delay for traffic or whatever. I'm
the type of person who arrives ridiculously early for flights.
Of course there's nothing ridiculous about getting first dibs at the
exit row seats for business class stretch room at coach prices. :-)
LeeNY
Don & Lynn wrote:
> Good luck to you folks. I remember hearing something on a cruise once to the
> effect---You people setting up your own excursions, be sure to take a camera
> so you can get a good picture of the ship sailing away.
> Smooth Sailing,
> Don
First of all, why did you email this to me personally?
Second of all, I've booked independently many, many times and have yet
to miss my ship. We consider you folks...you sheeple...as suckers, for
falling for the cruiselines' pitch. Your cruise...you can certainly do
as you please.
Thirdly, if I ever did get left behind (highly unlikely...but if it
should ever happen). Really, no problem. Hardly a panic situation. I
always have a credit card with me a copy of my passport and my drivers
license for i.d.. It might cost me, but I can always catch up with the
ship in a day or two. I'd consider it an adventure more than anything
else. Since the OP on the thread was talking Hawaii, island hopping is
a no brainer, should he miss the ship. Certainly not a reason to get
suckered into the cruiselines' scare tactics for booking tours through
them.
With a little planning, including lots of cushion in your schedule,
your chances of missing the ship are really minimal...not a strong
argument against booking tours on your own, imho.
But, you just go on ahead and do your sheeple thing. Have a great time.
And, please don't email me privately again.
Lee
number6
LeeNY wrote:
> Jr. wrote:
>
> > If you book independently before you get there you might have quite a time
> > getting your money back.
>
> So far, it hasn't been a problem. I have been on a few cruises where a
> port stop has been cancelled and an independently booked tour was
> missed. A simple email when I get home, and all fees have been
> refunded. Some don't even put the charge through until you actually
> take the tour. They've all been pretty up front about their
> cancellation policies. Again, they know their customer base, and their
> reputations depend on them providing not only a good product and good
> service, but also being able to accomodate their guests, which come
> mostly from the cruise ships. They wouldn't stay in business long, if
> they didn't offer a similar refund policy that the ships' excursions
> desks do.
Exactly ... how much would early bookings go down if word got out they
didn't refund ???
Close to zero IMO ...
RichC
"Jr." <pauls...@insightbb.com> wrote in message
news:CM2dnZ5R1NUlclXZ...@insightbb.com...
>I don't know about Hawaii but when we sail to the Caribbean we generally
>book the excursions through Princess. The reason being, if you purchase
>your trip insurance through the cruise lines they generally will not insure
>the excursion.
Why bother with the cruise line insurance & pay more when you can save using
independent insurance?
> Last cruise we could not dock in Barbados due to a combination of bad
> weather and broken bow thrusters.
> We were credited the full amount of the excursion back to us on our ship's
> account.
> If you book independently before you get there you might have quite a time
> getting your money back.
I reserve my tours through indrpendent vendors & don't pay anything until I
arrive & start the tour. Try booking a tour onbord the ship & then cancel
the tour before you arrive- good luck.
RichC
"Don & Lynn" <dmci...@earthlink.net> wrote in message
news:v66yg.831$0e5...@newsread4.news.pas.earthlink.net...
>
>You people setting up your own excursions, be sure to take a camera so you
>can get a good picture of the ship sailing away.
This comment is made on all the cruise ship tour meetings & very rarely
happens unless your totaly oblivious to the time. I know some one will
comment that they know a friend this has happend to but if you're careful
about what you do & put off the shopping until the last thing near the ship
most people will be fine. The ships tour personal love to put the scare into
their pax to keep up their onboard sales just like the remarks about
shopping in the "approved stores".
Don & Lynn
"LeeNY" <lee...@campmor.com> wrote in message
news:1154022026....@m73g2000cwd.googlegroups.com...
LeeNY
mike...@yahoo.com wrote:
> Thanks Lee. I will try to remember to post a review. But it won't be
> until mid to late Fall.
>
> Don & Lynn wrote:
> > Good luck to you folks. I remember hearing something on a cruise once to the
> > effect---You people setting up your own excursions, be sure to take a camera
> > so you can get a good picture of the ship sailing away.
>
> Good scam / scare tactic. :-) Cruise lines must be getting fat
> commissions from the tour operators to employ used car salesman-like
> techniques.
Glad to see you're catching on. I would never call what the cruiselines
do a "scam" because you are, after all, receiving the product that
you've agreed to and paid for. And, some people find that the
"benefits" of booking through the cruiseline are well worth the
additional cost; knowing that the ship won't leave without you, knowing
that the tour operators provide a good product, being first onto
tenders if the ship is anchored rather than docked (I really resent
this one). But, I prefer a little adventure in my life...I don't
like/need to know every little thing that's going to happen.
You've obviously had considerable travel experience - you know how to
do it the way that suits you best.
Lee
LeeNY
Don & Lynn wrote:
> Sorry, I clicked on the wrong thing. It will not happen again.
Thanks.
Sue and Kevin Mullen
RichC wrote:
> Try booking a tour onbord the ship & then cancel
> the tour before you arrive- good luck.
The cruise line will refund your money, as long as you follow their
guidelines. They always publish a date that you have to cancel by if
you decide not to go on the excursion. As I recall it is 24hrs before
and they will make exceptions and allow last minute cancelations for
medical reasons.
sue
D Ball
You have pointed out an important distinction between cruiseline-offered
insurance and third-party insurance. Many people do not understand that if
they buy the cruiseline's coverage, e.g., Princess Travel Protection Plan,
they are NOT covered for any independently-purchased travel associated with
their cruise trip, including not only port day excursions, but also airfare
and pre- and post-cruise land arrangements.
It is true that many port excursion operators will refund any deposits or
other pre-payments in the event your ship misses the port for some reason. I
have had that experience in the Caribbean, and in fact, many operators
advertise they will do so. The issue of "what if our ship doesn't arrive as
scheduled" is something a traveler should always discuss in advance.
**However** not all port tour operators work that way, especially with
respect to top dollar tours (like flightsees) or all-day tours. In Hawaii,
to stay with the place the OP is going, we found all of the operators that
required a deposit or other pre-payment also had a strict cancellation
policy that did NOT embrace refunds if your ship missed the port. Therefore,
third-party insurance was necessary to cover those potentially
non-refundable costs.
Diana Ball
near Houston, TX
"Jr." <pauls...@insightbb.com> wrote in message
news:CM2dnZ5R1NUlclXZ...@insightbb.com...
LeeNY
D Ball wrote:
> In Hawaii,
> to stay with the place the OP is going, we found all of the operators that
> required a deposit or other pre-payment also had a strict cancellation
> policy that did NOT embrace refunds if your ship missed the port.
Wow! good to know. We will definitely keep this in mind if/when we plan
HI.
Lee
Scott W
A while back I wondered if the cruise lines were bumping up the prices
of the excursions. I did some comparisons for their prices and what it
would cost if you went directly to the tour, in every case the price
was the same. The one caveat is that you can almost always find a
discount book and get a bit taken off the cruise, but this might be
hard to do ahead of time.
There are also a number of tours that are not offered as an excursion.
Also in our town (Kona) there is a lot to do in town and so one could
have a good time without doing any excursions. The tender boats drop
you off at the pier, which is right in town. There are a bunch of nice
shops and a samll but nice beach with pretty good snorkeling.
Scott
Charles
Lynn <dmci...@earthlink.net> wrote:
> Good luck to you folks. I remember hearing something on a cruise once to the
> effect---You people setting up your own excursions, be sure to take a camera
> so you can get a good picture of the ship sailing away.
> Smooth Sailing,
I don't know where you heard that but I have been on over twenty
cruises and usually do my own thing in port. Never came close to
missing the ship. Usually (not always) the independent tours are both
better and less expensive than the ships excursion.
--
Charles
Charles
LeeNY <lee...@campmor.com> wrote:
> First of all, why did you email this to me personally?
If you post your e-mail address to a newsgroup why would you expect
people not to e-mail you? And why should anyone here think that there
is something wrong with e-mailing privately? There is no netiquette
against replying by private e-mail. Some times the reply should be by
e-mail. If you don't want e-mail replies I suggest either not using
your e-mail address, or putting something in your signature lines
requesting that all replies be to the newsgroup.
--
Charles
John Sisker
did on the Pride of Aloha. This may help a bit in your overall evaluation of
NCL itself. As for providing further information on getting shore excursions
through a source other than the cruise line, it seems that this has already
been addressed by others, and in quite some detail. However, if you would
look through the pdf file of NCL's available shore excursions, you will find
that many are actually reasonably priced.
Review: NCL's Pride of Aloha
By John Sisker
When we originally posted a photo album link to our Hawaii Cruise aboard
Norwegian Cruise Line's (NCL) Pride of Aloha, it was suggested by some that
they would like some type of review, or evaluation, of the ship itself.
While the album did include pictures while on-board, as well as our ports
and shore excursions during the 7 days, we did not provide any personal
evaluation of how we liked or disliked the ship itself, and as to any
comments of how we felt Norwegian Cruise Line is doing in this all-American
market. This is especially pointiest since many of the comments and reviews
since the debut of this ship, for this itinerary, have been so negative. In
fact, after reading most of these reviews ourselves, we started having
second thoughts if this ship was actually a good choice. However,
understanding that such reviews are rather subjective in nature, and finding
some discrepancies in their reporting here and there, we decided to take a
change, and go forward with our original plans. After all, where else could
we get most of Hawaii in one convenient package, without sailing across the
ocean for days on end just to get there? And besides, now that we were aware
of the possibly negatives, we also knew what to expect and what to look out
for. The bottom line is, this turned out to be a most enjoyable cruise, with
the ship itself far exceeding even our expeditions. It wasn't the best ship
we have been on, nor was it the worst, and this was our 12th cruise.
However, if all we were intending to do was find fault and problems, just
looking for the worst, we surly would have found it, no matter what ship or
cruise line we would have been on. Yet, on a scale of 1 to 10, we would rate
this ship as an 8. Of course, others may disagree, especially depending when
they experienced this ship. Yet, that's our evaluation, but is indeed taking
many factors into consideration.
While some press and general information was circulated by both agents and
NCL, the Pride of Aloha was not actually a new ship when it made its
inaugural Hawaii debut. Originally built in 1999 as NCL's Norwegian Sky, it
went through a multi-million dollar remodeling and was reflagged into the
U.S. registry to assume the Pride of Aloha itinerary. The 2,002 passenger
(2,400 maximum) state-of-the-art ship began sailing as Pride of Aloha in
early June in California and culminated with an inaugural celebration and
ship christening on July 4th of 2004 in Hawaii, when she then begin
seven-day inter-island Hawaii cruises. Aboard the 77,104 GRT (Gross
Registered Ton) Ship, we experienced NCL's freedom of Freestyle Cruising,
whether you're in the mood for the casual atmosphere of a cafe or the formal
scene of a restaurant. The four Seasons and Seven Seas Dining Room offers
picturesque views, while Horizons of Italy is high-end Italian cuisine in an
intimate dining setting. LeBistro offers delicious French Mediterranean
cuisine, table-side cooking and inside and outside dining. Ciao Chow, on the
other hand, is casual Italian; a Chinese eatery offers everything from pasta
and gourmet California-style pizza to potstickers and saki. The Garden Cafe
indoor snack facility serves breakfast/luncheon buffets and snacks; food
action stations during lunch offer paella, sushi, crepes, meat and fish
carvings, and Chinese noodle soups. Great Outdoor Cafe serves
breakfast/luncheon buffets and snacks.
Likewise, the Showrooms, bars, lounges and other amenities aboard the Pride
of Aloha were diverse as well, starting with the Stardust Theatre, which
soars three decks with European opera house ambiance and full production
shows. Dazzles Lounge offers cabaret shows, dancing and also functions as a
disco. Gatsby's Champagne Bar offers fine champagnes by the glass. Havana
Club offers hand-rolled premium cigars, humidor, fine cognac served in warm
glasses, malt whiskey and relaxed seating. The Red Lion English Pub offers
darts, pints, pool, and large screen TV for sports broadcasts. The Java Cafe
offers majestic atrium views, offers specialty coffees and pastries, while
the Circus-themed Karaoke Bar include 6 private rooms. And, Spinnakers
Observation Lounge has live music and dance floor.
Yet, our experience and this review are not just about a cruse line generic
description of the ships features. Therefore, from now on, it is our
personal feelings, what we experienced and how we felt NCL lived up to its
intended goal, yet, all the time keeping in mind the initial negative
reviews by others. Were we disappointed in the ship, the staff, the
service, etc., all in relationship to what we were told to expect by others?
Not at all! In fact, our August 14 - 21, 2005 experience aboard the Pride of
Aloha was met with many pleasant surprises. Yet, this is not meant to imply
that everything was picture-perfect aboard, for based on our past cruise
experiences, it was obvious that NCL still had some things to work on. Yet,
our goal is simply not to find fault, but to point out what we feel were the
issues and items NCL needed to address at the time.
Now, let's look at the ship itself. One thing we really liked was that this
ship was specially designed just for Hawaii cruises. It isn't the typical
ship that just happens to include Hawaii now and then in their itinerary;
this ship, from stem to stern is Hawaii. From the settings, décor,
decorations, nomenclature, design, etc., it is Hawaii in itself. This
certainly added that extra touch for us while cruising the islands. We felt
we were suppose to be there, were all part of the glitz and glitter of
Hawaii, not just a visitor on a typical ship. Now, please don't get us
wrong, there is nothing at all wrong with any of the other cruise lines and
ships that cruise the Hawaii islands, it is just that this particular ship
gave us the feel of actually being part of Hawaii, not just cruising from
port to port.
Yet, beautiful decor or not, it's the service aboard that is really the
bottom line no matter how you look at it. Reports of the past gave NCL's
Pride of Aloha some pretty low ratings in that category, which if you think
about it, is the most important element anyway. However, during our cruise,
the service had obviously been addressed, greatly enhanced from what we
originally read in some of these reviews. But, this is not to say that some
additional improvements were still not needed. It is just that it wasn't
quite as bad as we thought we might encounter. Likewise, on previous cruises
with different cruise lines, we had better service, yet we also had worse.
Yet, for the most part, the personnel were friendly and knowledgeable
enough; it was mainly isolated to the Food and Beverage department that
really needed some attention. But, remember, it has now been some time since
our Hawaii cruise, so that in itself may have been addressed. Most of the
other issues raised in reviews of the past were not a problem or issue when
we sailed. Furthermore, we had no problem with the food or beverages itself,
and we are quite fuzzy in that category, especially since my wife Deborah is
a gourmet cook.
It is just that the service in just about all the dining rooms was extremely
slow, and not only that, the service personnel seemed to care less. I'm sure
NCL is and/or was well aware of this shortcoming, for what else is a cruise
better know for but the food. So that definitely needed some improvement.
Freestyle dining is one thing (dining where and when you want), but missing
many of the shows because of extremely slow service is another. We did
indeed give ourselves plenty of time, well, so we thought. In spit of us
expressing our concerns about this, the service and personnel were basically
very slow anyway - nothing improved. However, worst of all, was the bar
service. Bar tenders seemed to tend to those and the age group they bonded
with the most, basically ignoring us to the point where we simple ended up
ordering the dinks ourselves at the bar, and forgetting the cocktail
personnel altogether. In fact, on a few evenings, so many of the bars and
lounges had closed early, we only had the option of the two left on the ship
that were open for any type service at all. And even these two were geared
to the late night, young crowd, with very loud music, not really our style.
Actually, this was indeed the worst service we ever received from any
bar/lounge we were at on any cruise ship and with any cruise line. What we
finally did, was buy the drinks from the only open bars, then take them
ourselves into a much quieter location, actually a closed bar area. For the
most part, while the bar service may be closed, the bar location itself is
available. After two dinks, and no munchies, we went to bed anyway. Of
course, if you're in that much younger age group, well then, this may not
perceive as a problem. After all, it's all perspective.
That was it. All in all, the cruise was great and the ship pretty good. We
simply can't mean mouth a whole ship and cruise on just the bar service
alone, even though the food service could also use some improvements as
well. In this aspect, we would still recommend seeing Hawaii via the Pride
of Aloha. Why not simply take the Pride of Hawaii instead? Probably no
reason why not, but this a review of the Pride of Aloha, not the Pride of
Hawaii. Yet, we're sure by now, even these shortcoming have improved, it was
too obvious not to be. In reality, we think we would actually chose the
Pride of Aloha again, even over the newer Pride of Hawaii, for there is just
something about a bit smaller ship, and with more of the classic line look,
than the newer bog box ships.
Thanks,
John Sisker
www.shiptoshorecruise.com
http://www.ourfamilyalbums.photosite.com/Hawaii
mike...@yahoo.com
NCL PDF,
look at the options, pricing, and start investigating alternatives. I
will also
check the Hawaii forum at CruiseCritic.
Lee:
> One of the things I like about independent tours is that the group has
> always been much smaller. If you are able to book directly with the
> operator that the cruiseline is using, you'll still be herded on the
> big busses with the masses from the ship...so there goes that benefit.
> You might save some money, but you'll have the same "sheeple"
I go to great lengths to avoid crowds, so that's good advice there.
I travel off season (less people, better prices, friendlier tourist
industry staff).
It's a huge disappointment to me not to be able to leave the ship in
the wee hours
of the morning, while the sheeple are recovering from drinking binges,
just taking it easy,
or spending several hours getting children ready.
The early bird typically gets the best experience. Case in point, when
I traveled to the Greek mainland to see ruins, I stayed in a private
room in a hostel in Athens, got up early, walked to the Acropolis, and
got in as it opened, about 30 to 60 minutes before the tour buses
descended on the place. At opening time, it was just me, about three
other people, and a mangy dog waiting to get in. :-)
I have plenty of people-free pictures of the Acropolis and it was an
amazing experience. Sure enough, minutes after the tour buses arrived,
it was a different place. As it got full, I was on my way out. That's
how I like it. So cruising is going to be frustrating. Less control
over *when* I see what I came to see. And that can make a huge
difference.
Had other great experiences in Greece traveling to ruins on local buses
/ walking. The tour buses would drive in. Spend about 20 mins or less,
then leave. Not enough time to check out a lot of the more interesting
nooks and crannies. Case in point, I doubt any bus tour groups visiting
Corinth have visited Acrocorinth - the fascinating set of ruins above
Corinth is on a road too narrow for a tour bus. I would never have
experienced Acrocorinth if I was on a bus tour. And so it goes.
> I've been on two Carnival cruises, and while they don't suit my tastes as well
> as some of the other lines, I think they put out a quality product and very good
> vacation value. Service is excellent, food is just fine...it's a good product. You certainly
> could find drunks on Carnival, but I've seen them on all lines
Good point. But where did you cruise with Carnival and when? I imagine
that has some bearing on what you find with passengers. I've heard with
Carribean Carnival cruises, you tend to get a younger, Spring-breakish
type crowd - with nude bathing pools? If it was a Europe cruise with a
European clientele, this would make sense. In America, however, where
people are prudish, it probably means only one thing - an invitation to
party!
I might give Carnival a try on, say, an Alaskan cruise. That just
doesn't seem like the type of location where partying cruisers would
predominate.
*Can* a cruise experience with the same line be completely
passenger-wise depending on the location? My guess would be yes. Also
the time of year. I bet there's a seasonality to passenger types.
Rich wrote:
> about what you do & put off the shopping until the last thing near the ship
> most people will be fine. The ships tour personal love to put the scare into
> their pax to keep up their onboard sales just like the remarks about
> shopping in the "approved stores".
Fortunately, I don't travel to shop - only tiny trinkets for my niece /
nephew. And heck, they're usually content with key chains and spare
currency. :-)
Tour buses bringing you to "approved" stores seems to be a worldwide
grift. I typically spend that time reading a guidebook entry for the
next destination. I often get better information from guidebooks than
tour guides. The Blue Guide series of books is absolutely fantastic for
art, history, and archaeological ruins. I found many interesting nooks
and crannies at sites in Greece that I never would have known about
otherwise - and I noticed I was typically alone exploring these
corners. The tour bus crowds had no clue about the places my Blue Guide
brought me to.
I've also been brought to tourist restaurants on bus tours. Another
near-universal grift. Poor fare, high prices. At one stop, I watched
the driver. He went to eat next door with some locals. I followed.
Better fare, cheaper prices. He sure looked surprised. :-)
Scott W wrote:
> The one caveat is that you can almost always find a discount book and get a bit taken
> off the cruise, but this might be hard to do ahead of time.
Thanks Scott. Can others confirm that the tour prices are uniform in
Kona and all
the other islands in Hawaii? Scott, when did you do your research and
did you only
check for Kona?
> There are also a number of tours that are not offered as an excursion.
> Also in our town (Kona) there is a lot to do in town and so one could
> have a good time without doing any excursions. The tender boats drop
> you off at the pier, which is right in town. There are a bunch of nice
> shops and a samll but nice beach with pretty good snorkeling.
Thanks again. I presumed there would be delightful stops in port where
I didn't have to pay someone to bring me to. Looks like on the Big
Island, Hilo is the place to catch tours to the National Park, etc. Is
it not feasible to get to the Volcanoes from Kona? Didn't see any
volcano tours originating from Kona, so perhaps Kona will be my
snorkeling stop.
Are there any local buses I can take near port in Kona to get to a
coffee plantation?
If I can balance out free or low-cost activities close to port, then
I'll be less concerned on cost.
John Sisker wrote:
> Freestyle dining is one thing (dining where and when you want), but missing
> many of the shows because of extremely slow service is another. We did
> indeed give ourselves plenty of time, well, so we thought.
How do you interpret "plenty of time" precisely? I'm an early bird all
around - heck, I go to lunch at 11, 11:30, or even 11:45 to beat insane
noon-time lunch crowd rushes. Some people think I'm nuts for taking
early lunches. What I think is nuts is to go to lunch at the
traditional time of noon (for the US), then stand in line for 20
minutes or so, get slow service, etc. If there's a known rush and I'm
able to plan to avoid it, I always do.
Is the service on NCLA *always* slow, or is there variation in the
slowness depending on what time you show up? It amazes me how
inflexible some people can be - I look for the problem spots, then work
around them as best as I can.
jim
<mike...@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:1154086146.9...@m73g2000cwd.googlegroups.com...
> Thanks to all for the great advice. I will definitely start with the
> NCL PDF,
> look at the options, pricing, and start investigating alternatives. I
> will also
> check the Hawaii forum at CruiseCritic.
>> well
>> as some of the other lines, I think they put out a quality product and
>> very good
>> vacation value. Service is excellent, food is just fine...it's a good
>> product. You certainly
>> could find drunks on Carnival, but I've seen them on all lines
>
> Good point. But where did you cruise with Carnival and when? I imagine
> that has some bearing on what you find with passengers. I've heard with
> Carribean Carnival cruises, you tend to get a younger, Spring-breakish
> type crowd - with nude bathing pools? If it was a Europe cruise with a
> European clientele, this would make sense. In America, however, where
> people are prudish, it probably means only one thing - an invitation to
> party!
>
> I might give Carnival a try on, say, an Alaskan cruise. That just
> doesn't seem like the type of location where partying cruisers would
> predominate.
>
> *Can* a cruise experience with the same line be completely
> passenger-wise depending on the location? My guess would be yes. Also
> the time of year. I bet there's a seasonality to passenger types.
Damn Mike! I have done almost 20 CCL cruises and have yet to find any "nude
bathing pools"! Now there is a topless deck way up top out of sight of
anyone but many up there still are wearing tops and there are certainly none
that are nude! Really, CCL is very much like NCL, RCI, and all the rest. The
differences in the cruiselines are rather small overall but those small
areas are what makes it or breaks it for many.
Jim
mike...@yahoo.com
>Damn Mike! I have done almost 20 CCL cruises and have yet to find any "nude
>bathing pools"! Now there is a topless deck way up top out of sight of
Sorry, "my bad." I meant a topless deck. :-) No moral objections there;
just thought it could be a magnet for college students beer-bonging,
etc.
>that are nude! Really, CCL is very much like NCL, RCI, and all the rest. The
>differences in the cruiselines are rather small overall but those small
>areas are what makes it or breaks it for many.
I'd heard the quality on RCL was significantly better than Carnival.
Glad to hear the differences are small. Competition ought to, in
principle, ensure that.
But CCL, NCL, and RCL are in a different class of service than Princess
and Celebrity, correct? There must be some difference corresponding to
cost. Unless Princess and Celebrity cruisers aren't paying attention,
or for who cost doesn't matter.
I know Princess and Celebrity are out of budget. And the die has been
cast - I will be cruising on NCL, since I have already paid for it.
Trying to make the best of it.
LeeNY
mike...@yahoo.com wrote:
> > I've been on two Carnival cruises, and while they don't suit my tastes as well
> > as some of the other lines, I think they put out a quality product and very good
> > vacation value. Service is excellent, food is just fine...it's a good product. You certainly
> > could find drunks on Carnival, but I've seen them on all lines
>
> Good point. But where did you cruise with Carnival and when? I imagine
> that has some bearing on what you find with passengers. I've heard with
> Carribean Carnival cruises, you tend to get a younger, Spring-breakish
> type crowd - with nude bathing pools? If it was a Europe cruise with a
> European clientele, this would make sense. In America, however, where
> people are prudish, it probably means only one thing - an invitation to
> party!
Both my Carnval cruises were in the Caribbean, the most recent one just
this past March 2006 (Miracle). The crowd was mixed - families,
seniors, my demo (40's), and twenty-somethings. There isn't a nude pool
but there is an out-of-the-way nude sun deck. If things are indeed wild
up there, it has no impact on the rest of the ship. I think it's pretty
quiet up there, though. There's no band...not even sure the bar waiters
go up there.
The Miracle was pretty active during the day (sea days). I found the
band on deck was too loud and the atmosphere around the bandstand was a
little rowdy for my tastes...for during the day, but sitting by the
midships pool definitely cut out a lot of the noise...reading,
snoozing, no problem. I send a lot of time in the casino, in the
evenings. It was a busy, active place, but not overrun with drunks. I
was surprised, though, that the disco was completely vacated, when I
would walk by it, on my way back to the cabin at midnight or later. If
there was partying going on, on the ship until the wee hours, it wasn't
happening in the casino or the disco.
Don't believe everything you here...I don't know what else to say.
You're right that Carnival has the party reputation, but like I said,
you can find obnoxious drunks on any ship, any line, on any given week.
You just never know.
> *Can* a cruise experience with the same line be completely
> passenger-wise depending on the location? My guess would be yes. Also
> the time of year. I bet there's a seasonality to passenger types.
Well, obviously, you'll find more kids on board during summers and
other school breaks. And, you'll find more seniors on cruises longer
than 7 days in duration. And, you're probably right that a Caribbean
itinerary will attract a more party-oriented crowd than a European or
Alaskan itinerary.
But, these are all great generalizations. I remember one cruise (HAL
Zuiderdam) where I was subject to the most obnoxious cruise passenger
behavior - and we're talking HAL, which has a reputation for being the
line for seniors, quiet, sedate, etc.). It was the day on their private
island. I settled myself in for a peaceful day of sea, sun and sand. A
while later, a large group of middle-aged folks set up camp, not far
from my chaise. I'm guessing there were about 20 of them and they were
probably in their late 50s, early 60s. These were the loudest, most
obnoxious people - totally disruptive to the whole area of the beach,
and I had walked down quite a distance from the tender dock, to find
what I had hoped would be a quieter spot. They drank until they were
falling down, seriously making a spectacle of themselves, the ones on
the beach screaming to the ones that were in the water. It was chaotic.
Not what you would expect from HAL or that age group, but you just
never know. I've been on 2 Carnival cruises and haven't seen much
evidence to substantiate the reputation of them being party ships. I
know folks here have seen Carnival drunkards...I haven't...I've seen
HAL drunkards.
I just think it's not a great idea to assign labels to cruiselines,
because, really, you just never know what you're gonna get.
Lee
jim
Okay, this is MY opinion and everyone seems to have their own.
Generally, CCL has better food than NCL and RCI. (actually I personally
think it one of the very best of all lines). Service is more 'formal' on RCI
than CCL or NCL. RCI has ships that look nicer and less glitzy as well as
have more things to do such as rock-climbing, ice skating, etc. The Cruise
Directors on CCL are 'better'. The size of the rooms on CCL are better. The
furnishings on RCI are better. I think the for the money, CCL has a better
product. Many others have the opposite feelings. I have cruised on both many
times and will still cruise on both. I am not a fan of NCL. I have only
cruised once on NCL and it was a very bad experience so I cannot be
objective or fair to them until or unless I cruise again on another NCL
ship. I have seen more drunks on RCI. I have also met every 'class' of folks
on both ships from CEO's to Labourers. I have detected more folks on RCI
that try to 'impress you' with how important and rich they are. <G>
Jim
<mike...@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:1154093611.8...@m73g2000cwd.googlegroups.com...
George Leppla
"John Sisker" <jsi...@sprynet.com> wrote
> Sorry, but I don't have a review of the Pride of Hawaii, but here is one I
> did on the Pride of Aloha.
John is getting more mileage out of this one "review" than the US Cavalry
got out of a government mule. I did a quick Google search on
Review: NCL's Pride of Aloha
with the author John Sisker
and found John had posted the exact same thing on
January 19, 2006
January 23, 2006
March 25, 2006
April 6, 2006
April 15, 2006
May 21, 2006
May 31, 2006
July 28, 2006
I would like to suggest to John that he just post this every month and get
it over with. Yes John, we all know that you once went on a cruise. Very
nice. You post about it so often that it must have been the high point of
your life.
Of course, the OP wasn't asking about this ship but don't let that stop you
from posting this over and over and over again.
--
George Leppla http://www.countryside-travel.com
October 29, 2006 - SLEAZY 4! http://cruisemaster.com/sleazy4.htm
February 10, 2007 - Valentine's Group - http://cruisemaster.com/grandeur.htm
April 29, 2007 GGC2007 http://cruisemaster.com/pride.htm
October 14, 2007 MOAGC 3 - http://www.moagc-3.com
LeeNY
mike...@yahoo.com wrote:
> But CCL, NCL, and RCL are in a different class of service than Princess
> and Celebrity, correct? There must be some difference corresponding to
> cost. Unless Princess and Celebrity cruisers aren't paying attention,
> or for who cost doesn't matter.
You know, I don't think there's really that much difference between all
of the mass market lines. While Princess, Celebrity and HAL might try
to target a more upscale passenger demographic, I have personally found
very little difference in the passenger mix from one ship to the next.
HAL does tend to be my favorite of the mass market lines, but I have
found that service on both Carnival and RCI to be much better. My one
and only cruise on NCL was pre-freestyle, and it was my very first
cruise. So, with no expectations, nothing to compare it to, etc., and
it being my first cruise, of course everything was fabulous. Overall, I
have experienced worse service with the "better" mass market lines than
I have on CCL and RCI - better food, but worse service.
Deals can be had on any of the cruiselines - price differences never
seem to be significant enough to be a deal breaker, at least for me. I
know I didn't get a great deal on Carnival this past March...I paid a
lot less for a comparable cabin on HAL, six months earlier.
Believe me (or not...just my opinion), Princess and Celebrity aren't as
special as you seem to think they are. I've been on both - nice
cruises, but not so different than anything else out there in the mass
market cruise industry.
Cost matters to Princess/Celebrity cruisers, just as it does to
Carnival, RCI and NCL cruisers...none of these lines are as "lifestyles
of the rich and famous" as you seem to think.
Now, when you jump up to the next level of cruising...Crystal, Oceania,
Regent (Radisson)...that's when you'll see the real jump in fares, and
hopefully a real difference in both food and service. Have yet to try
any of these, but am considering the 10-day Barcelona to Athens cruise
on the Oceania Nautica for next August...I'll report back my findings.
Lee
mike...@yahoo.com
> Cost matters to Princess/Celebrity cruisers, just as it does to
> Carnival, RCI and NCL cruisers...none of these lines are as "lifestyles
> of the rich and famous" as you seem to think.
Thanks Lee. Good stuff.
> Now, when you jump up to the next level of cruising...Crystal, Oceania,
> Regent (Radisson)...that's when you'll see the real jump in fares, and
> hopefully a real difference in both food and service. Have yet to try
> any of these, but am considering the 10-day Barcelona to Athens cruise
> on the Oceania Nautica for next August...I'll report back my findings.
Please do! I was very close to doing an eastern mediteranean cruise on
either
Celebrity, Princess, RCL, or Costa (an Italy-based cruise line that
markets mostly to Europeans).
The "only" reason I did Hawaii was because I couldn't get frequent
flyer mile seats to the port (Venice or Rome). Getting free seats from
the east coast of the US to Hawaii made the Hawaii cruise a wiser
choice financially. And I've been to the mediterranean before - loved
it - but never been to Hawaii.
RCL, Celebrity, and Costa had some great itineraries, but I wasn't
interested in the ones originating out of Barcelona. I think it was
Celebrity that had a really amazing 21 day eastern mediterranean
cruise.
Some of the ports I was excited about include Dubrovnik, Croatia
(evidently quite safe now, and gorgeous), Piraeus (Athens - arriving
early and doing the Acropolis on my own; Don't miss Delphi if you like
ruins and can manage to get there), Ephesus, Rhodes, Istanbul, etc.
Costa, I believe, included stops in Egypt and possibly even Cyprus
(which I've heard described as an outdoor museum).
Cruising to the mediterranean would be a great way to visit several
interesting countries with very little hassle. If I'd found frequent
flyer seats, that's what I would have done.
I don't think Hawaii will be a disappointment however. :-)
Cathy Kearns
<mike...@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:1154021908.1...@i3g2000cwc.googlegroups.com...
> Thanks Lee. I will try to remember to post a review. But it won't be
> until mid to late Fall.
> Of course it could be good advice for clueless cruisers who've never
> traveled independently or made their own arrangements. This will be my
> first cruise / package tour ever. Having traveled widely on my own, I
> reluctantly made a concession with cruising Hawaii because it's such an
> expensive place to travel.
I've taken cruises to Alaska, the Baltic, the Mediterenean, and I got to
say, I would never, ever consider cruising Hawaii. Hawaii is extremely easy
to get around on your own. You can even fly from island to island fairly
cheaply. Accomodations range from ultra luxury to bed and breakfasts or
very inexpensive condos. But my favorite part of Hawaii is the early
mornings and the evenings. I like hearing the birds harmonize with the
waves as you wake up. I love jogging along the beach watching the sun rise,
putting toes into the ocean on deserted beaches as you cool down. The smell
of the cool mornings, before the sun heats everything up, is amazing. In
the evenings when I picture Hawaii I picture palm trees sillouetted against
the sunsets. Again, walking along the beach in the moon light. And the
food! Fresh fish, exotic fruit, sweet onions, Kula vegetables, you can
either go out for macadamian nut encrusted mahi mahi, or cook for yourself
with fresh produce from the local farmers market and enjoy what the islands
have to offer. Hawaii durning the day is nice. Hawaii in the early mornings
and evenings is paradise. I think sitting that far off shore, that close to
paradise without being there would just be torture.
LeeNY
Cathy Kearns wrote:
> <mike...@yahoo.com> wrote in message
> news:1154021908.1...@i3g2000cwc.googlegroups.com...
> > Thanks Lee. I will try to remember to post a review. But it won't be
> > until mid to late Fall.
>
> > Of course it could be good advice for clueless cruisers who've never
> > traveled independently or made their own arrangements. This will be my
> > first cruise / package tour ever. Having traveled widely on my own, I
> > reluctantly made a concession with cruising Hawaii because it's such an
> > expensive place to travel.
>
> I've taken cruises to Alaska, the Baltic, the Mediterenean, and I got to
> say, I would never, ever consider cruising Hawaii. Hawaii is extremely easy
> to get around on your own. You can even fly from island to island fairly
> cheaply.
I agree with you...to a point...even though I've yet to make it to HI.
I think, if we do the cruise route, we'll spend a week on a ship and
then a week on one island, to experience everything you've described
about the Hawaiian experience. But, really, I think the NCL "Pride of"
ships are a great way to get a sampler of what HI has to offer, if only
to whet your appetite for your next land-based visit. Alas, most of us
will probably only ever get to go to Hawaii once (if that), so having
the chance to visit several islands over the course of a week is kind
of an appealing feature of the cruise option.
Island hopping by airplane, is, I know, an easy and relatively
inexpensive thing to do. But, think about how much time is involved in
it, and how much time is wasted in the process. Getting to the airport,
checking in, waiting through security lines, waiting for the flight,
waiting out flight delays, getting from the airport to the hotel...it
could easily kill the better part of a day. On the cruise, your days
are in port, and you're moving from island to island at night, while
you sleep.
I've heard more than one person suggest that one should limit
land-based Hawaiian vacations to two islands. So, how do you choose?
They each offer something different, unique, special. With the cruise,
you can squeeze in more islands...if only for a day...but, still. With
careful planning, I believe you can get a true taste of each island
during a one-day cruise stop, just as you can get a taste of a
Caribbean island from a one-day stop. It's not ideal, it's not perfect,
but, it's not bad, either.
Lee
mike...@yahoo.com
> I've taken cruises to Alaska, the Baltic, the Mediterenean, and I got to
> say, I would never, ever consider cruising Hawaii.
Gee, thanks. Nah, it's ok. :-) If I like it, I'll return another time
and do an overland trip.
Neither I or my fiance have cruised before, so it will be a novel
experience for us both. I'm a big fan of hiking and biking (she is not)
and she really wanted to go on a cruise, so this was a nice compromise.
Also helped with the budget because, as I may or may not have
mentioned, I was able to get two free RT tickets from the east coast of
the US to Honolulu with frequent flyer miles. Airfare can be a budget
buster, and I couldn't get free tickets to any mediterranean ports - no
availability.
Cruising may not be the best way to see Hawaii, but it will work out
just fine given my circumstances.
> to get around on your own. You can even fly from island to island fairly
> cheaply.
Could you give me a sample budget for a 7 night non-cruise trip to
Hawaii for two that
would go to the Big Island, Maui, Kauai, and O'ahu? How much, for
instance, would the cheap airfare cost in total for two adults?
Some sample flight legs would be:
Oahu > Maui
Maui > Kauai
Kauai > Big Island
Big Island > Oahu
4 separate flights. Times 2 = equivalent of 4 RT flights.
Does cheap mean $50 for each "RT" flight, = USD $200? Which isn't bad.
Or does cheap mean $100 for each "RT" flight = USD $400? (not so good,
relatively speaking).
Let's say it's $400 for inter-island flights for 2 people. I don't know
if that would cover taxes or not.
> Accomodations range from ultra luxury to bed and breakfasts or
> very inexpensive condos.
Ok. What would it cost per night on average for accomodations assuming
no multi-night discount, with the facilities and amenities of a cruise
ship? Typically I don't care about amenities, but that will be the fun
part of cruising - having at least a little luxury for a change.
$100 per night? $50 per night? $75? Let's say $100/night.
7 x $100 = $700, not including tax. How much is tax for accomodations
in HI?
So far, it's:
$400 airfare
$700 hotel
====
$1100 subtotal
On to food...
Let's say breakfast is $5/per person = $10 per day.
$8/per person for lunch = $16.
What's a modest dinner go for. $30 for two including tip? Doubtful,
let's use that figure.
That's a food budget of ~$50/day. Times 7 = $350.
Subtotal:
$400 airfare
$700 hotel
$350 food
========
$1450.
That's already more than what I paid for two tickets on the cruise.
Granted, the experiences you described sound wonderful. But I'm
interested in seeing a lot in a short amount of time without being
overwhelmed. Typically, when I travel I stay several nights in the same
place and take longer trips, but this time I'm not. A cruise seems like
a way to see a lot without getting completely exhausted in getting from
place to place.
Must be nice to check-in once, then see so much. I've never traveled
that way before.
Traveling from airport, to ground transport, to activities, to hotel,
to ground transport, to hotel, to activities, to hotel, to the airport,
etc, etc, etc sounds like a hassle.
Now, doing 7 nights on one island or at most two - that's more like it.
But again, my fiance really wanted to go on a cruise. So it wasn't just
cost.
mike...@yahoo.com
feelings / philosophy pretty well on the HI cruise.
What I neglected to mention is that I did consider doing 1 week on the
cruise and 1 week on a single island, or maybe two. But that would have
been a budget buster.
I'm getting married on Disney property in Orlando before the cruise.
Spending 4 days there first, but getting a 40% Cast Member discount
through family on accomodations. It's reasonably affordable to get
married at Disney if you keep the wedding party to 18 guests or less. I
never wanted a huge wedding anyhoo. Great excuse not to invite those I
wouldn't want there anyway, because the cost of the wedding goes up by
around 5X once you add a 19th guest. :-)
Anyway, since it will be off season at Disney, we're probably going to
spend several more nights On Property due to the off season / family
discount rates. Lines will be short in all the parks. Great time to be
there.
Being on the go too much while traveling can be exhausting. I always
relax when I'm at Disney.
John Sisker
Hawaii photo album as well. In spite of your speculations, and as I did
point out, the review was simply to allow the original poster some access to
information on NCL itself. Besides, not everyone has the technology, or even
a reason, to search for past posts by select individuals.
Now, in answer to the actual subject of the original post...
John Sisker wrote:
> Freestyle dining is one thing (dining where and when you want), but
> missing many of the shows because of extremely slow service is another. We
> did indeed give ourselves plenty of time, well, so we thought.
"How do you interpret "plenty of time" precisely? I'm an early bird all
around - heck, I go to lunch at 11, 11:30, or even 11:45 to beat insane
noon-time lunch crowd rushes. Some people think I'm nuts for taking early
lunches. What I think is nuts is to go to lunch at the traditional time of
noon (for the US), then stand in line for 20 minutes or so, get slow
service, etc. If there's a known rush and I'm able to plan to avoid it, I
always do."
"Is the service on NCL *always* slow, or is there variation in the slowness
depending on what time you show up? It amazes me how inflexible some people
can be - I look for the problem spots, then work around them as best as I
can."
When we sailed on the Pride of Aloha, we gave ourselves two hours to have
dinner and then make the main show(s). It wasn't enough. I said service was
slow. Hopefully, it has improved by now.
John Sisker, SHIP-TO-SHORE CRUISE AGENCY®
(714) 536-3850 or toll free at (800) 724-6644 & (pagoo ID: 714.536.3850)
www.shiptoshorecruise.com
mike...@yahoo.com
> When we sailed on the Pride of Aloha, we gave ourselves two hours to have
> dinner and then make the main show(s). It wasn't enough. I said service was
> slow. Hopefully, it has improved by now.
Dang, that is slow.
However, when do the shows start? 7pm? Meaning you arrived at 5pm for
dinner? Or do shows start at 8pm, meaning you showed up at 6pm?
What time of day did you typically arrive for dinner is what I'm after.
Thanks.
mike...@yahoo.com
last port - for my itinerary, I think that puts me in Kona / the Big
Island. Then to stay there as long as I want, and take a one way flight
back to Honolulu. That may work, since my return flight back to the
mainland can be changed.
mike...@yahoo.com
to the Hawaii port forum at CruiseCritic.com.
Thanks to those who suggested CruiseCritic.
Dillon Pyron
>I don't know about Hawaii but when we sail to the Caribbean we generally
>book the excursions through Princess. The reason being, if you purchase your
>trip insurance through the cruise lines they generally will not insure the
>excursion.
>Last cruise we could not dock in Barbados due to a combination of bad
>weather and broken bow thrusters.
>We were credited the full amount of the excursion back to us on our ship's
>account.
>If you book independently before you get there you might have quite a time
>getting your money back.
>
Shoretrips guarantees that if you miss the excursion due to the ship
not making port, etc, you get a refund to your card.
--
dillon
JAFO
Bocephus
news:ead4f...@news2.newsguy.com...
>
> "John Sisker" <jsi...@sprynet.com> wrote
>
> > Sorry, but I don't have a review of the Pride of Hawaii, but here is one
I
> > did on the Pride of Aloha.
>
>
> John is getting more mileage out of this one "review" than the US Cavalry
> got out of a government mule. I did a quick Google search on
>
> Review: NCL's Pride of Aloha
>
> with the author John Sisker
>
> and found John had posted the exact same thing on
>
> January 19, 2006
> January 23, 2006
> March 25, 2006
> April 6, 2006
> April 15, 2006
> May 21, 2006
> May 31, 2006
> July 28, 2006
>
> I would like to suggest to John that he just post this every month and get
> it over with. Yes John, we all know that you once went on a cruise. Very
> nice. You post about it so often that it must have been the high point of
> your life.
This was a high point in my life george. I went on a cruise one time from
California to Okinawa in the Pacific. It was the middle of July; hot and
humid and no air conditioning. The passengers were all grumpy, we ran out of
some perishable food items like milk. I thought there was going to be a
mutiny on board. We also had to dodge a hurricane right after we left from
our stopover in Hawaii and had one day of rough seas. Other than that, we
survived and I made a vow to never again go on a cruise. of course, this was
paid by the US Government and was a troop ship taking soldiers overseas
during the vietnam war. A litttle uncomfortable but I enjoyed it.
BTW: In case people don't know it, george is one of the best agents around,
when it comes to cruises. he's the master.