Let's talk Hawaii

[Suzila]

It's hot, hot, hot, today, and it looks like I'll stay indoors and 'cruise' the internet. Our (real) cruise to Alaska isn't for another month, and I'm already thinking about what we want to do next year.

Here are the facts, and let's take it from there:

As many of you know, my 91 year old Dad lives with us now. My brother is coming to stay with him while we are in Alaska. He needs someone here with him, and for any length of time (we are going away for just two days this week, and my son and dil are staying with Dad), my brother is the very best choice.

But, having my brother here means we are very limited to the time we can get a vacation. He's a psychologist with his own practice, and August is the best time for him to take a vacation. If we want a week vacation (and that's pushing it for as long as my brother can be away), it has to be in August.

So, next year hubby and I want to go on a cruise (what else?) Our first choice is New England, but looks like they don't go until October, so that's out. We do not want to do the Caribbean again...didn't like it. We've done Baja Mexico many times, and Mexico (Puerto Vallarta, Mazatlan, Cabo) once...would like to do something else. We both love Hawaii and have been there on land vacations about 6 times, but not for years. We would have time just to fly there, tour the islands, and fly back, not cruise to Hawaii.

In reading all sorts of reviews, I'm not thrilled with NCL, and our neighbors did this particular trip (don't remember which ship it was), but they came home, said Hawaii was great (what else is new?), but they didn't like the dining situation onboard.

We are used to traditional dining. Like I said, I've read the reviews about the ship and the service...good ones, very bad ones. Hubby says we should go and decide for ourselves. It's either that, or just go back to Mexico...which neither of us are thrilled about.

So, we have plenty of time to think about it, but what are your suggestions? Should we do Hawaii and try NCL, with an American crew who supposedly give lousy service, for ourselves, or forget thinking about Hawaii until NCL gets more experience, and just go back to Mexico again? I don't want to go to Hawaii with lower expectations. And since we have seen Hawaii many times, the ship experience will be important to us.

I don't have to make any decisions now, but let's start a discussion about it.

[rogue]

We're talking about cruising Hawaii also, but can't decide to cruise round trp from California or do NCL around the islands. We are planning to bring our 2 twenty-somthing sons with us, and, at least for one, the 8-10 sea days may be a major boredom. He has never cruised before, and we're not sure if he would like the sea days ( personally, I think they're great).

I have also read the reviews for NCL, and they do scare me a little. I have noted that the reviews have been improving lately, but it still is a bit of a concern. To be honest, I have read bad reviews about ships that I've been on and have totally disagreed with them so I usually don't like to go by another person's feelings, but there have been quite a few bad reviews.

We also are not yet ready to book, so we'll be interested in the discussion. :huh:

[JohnG]

First, there are cruises to Canada/New England in August. HAL Maasdam, for instance, sails 7 night round trip from Boston and also Boston to Montreal in August 2007, and Carnival Victory does 5 night r/t from New York.

Regarding NCL and Hawaii, first, remember that the ships spend over 100 hours in port in Hawaii, going from island to island. You are taking your hotel room with you, but no unpacking and flying from island to island. Freestyle is not traditional dining, but if you make reservations at the specialty restaurants as soon as you get aboard, you can have nice times. The steak houses and Italian restaurants onboard get the best reports.

You can find my review here at Cruise Crazies of my wife and my Pride of America sailing from last February. I have had several customers on Pride of Hawaii and the reports are all positive, as long as you weren't expecting traditional dining. Frankly, we prefer to eat in the main dining rooms most nights. The wait is generally during peak hours, 6:30 - 8pm. Before and after that is quicker.

A recent comment from a recent customer: "Shipboard service was very good and very friendly, although not as passionate as on foreign flagged ships. Even though we noticed this difference, we had no complaints about service.

And if you use NCL air arrangements, without a pre-cruise stay, they have some exceptional pricing.

[jacketwatch]

:cool: I too have not seen good reviews about NCL's Hawaiian cruises so to use them would require a great deal of aforethought. How about other options? You can do a 7 days Med cruise that time of yr. There are also 7 day European cruises available too not to mention a Eurpoean river cruise on Viking, Uniworld, etc. Another option is Bermuda or the Greek islands. Hope this helps. I would be wary of spending my hard earned $$ on NCL due to the too frequent sub-standard reviews. JM2C. Larry :cool:

[Suzila]

John, you are a wealth of information...thank you so much! Very positive on all fronts. I had no idea anyone had a cruise going to New England/Canada during the summer, and from your review, I'd say we actually have more of a choice now.

I see that you made reservations for two nights on Pride of America in the specialty restaurants, and ate in the main dining room the other 5 nights. Do you need to make reservations for the main dining room, or just show up? And, the main dining room is like traditional cruising, but you sit with different people...i.e.: eating breakfast in the dining room? You pay a cover charge for the specialty restaurants, but not for the main dining room? Your review was very positive, and since I'm talking about a trip next summer, even the kinks should be ironed out by then.

Larry, while we'd love to do a Mediterranean cruise, the time spent getting there and back, plus the cruise, is too long for us at this time. We are pretty much limited in how long we can be away.

[JoeyandDavid]

Sue .. Isn't John outstanding..and aint it nice when dreams can come true. :wink:

[JohnG]

You do not need reservations in the main dining rooms, and there is no cover charge there. There are two different main dining rooms, each with a different theme. We never tried to make a reservation there, but just showed up. At most we had a few minutes wait, one night. You are correct, eating in the main dining room, unless you request a table for two, is much like the breakfast in traditional dining...seated with others.

Even their newest ship, Pride of Hawaii, will have been sailing a year by next summer.

I'm not sure where in the US your are, but from the east coast it was a long flight. We left early in the morning and arrived in Hawaii in mid afternoon their time, which is 6 hours behind the east coast. But, the ship doesn't sail till the evening to allow for that. Coming back, the flights are all later afternoon or early evening flights out of Hawaii, so you are flying over night coming back.

The other nice thing is that with three ships there now, they sail on Sat, or Sun, or Mon, depending on your preference. And you can start in Maui or Honolulu, based on your preference. The ones leaving from Maui generally spend the first night in port.

[Suzila]

I'm in so. California, John, so it's a 5 hour trip for us. Not too bad at all. My very first trip to Hawaii, almost 40 years ago when I was still living in NY was excruciating...took about 10 hours, with a layover.

Thanks again for the info...exactly what I needed.

[schatje]

That's John you answered some questions for me as well. We will not beable to do Hawaii for 3 years but looking forward to it.

[dawson21]

Hubby and I want to do Hawaii next year for our 25th anniversary. Any suggestions on the best way to do it. We would like to keep the cost down some and are thinking maybe Carnival Spirit, pick it up in Hawaii, cruise the islands and it goes back to Vancovour. The current list price for a balcony isn't bad but haven't found the info on air travel yet. Does anyone have any suggestions as to ...... does this sound pretty good or is there a better way?

Thanks,

Carla

aka dawson21