mel-b

There's a lot on the forum under a quick search of "balcony bungee cord." Everyone will have an opinion. At the end of the day, when you cruise with thousands of other humans on a cruise ship, you must be willing to take the risk that you'll be in close quarters with people doing things you disagree with. Honestly, bullying a person on this forum won't make them change their mind. If you don't want certain things done, then rent a private yacht. It's that simple.

This makes me think of the age old argument about "chair hogs." Y'all can bitch and moan all you want about it, yet it really doesn't ever change cruise to cruise, does it? Chair hogs exist. People do what people do. I'm sure there have been countless times my cabin has existed in close proximity to another cabin where they've opted to leave their balcony door open. Did I notice it? No. Not like chair hogs leaving towels all day on a chair and never using it..that's noticeable to many people. Or a cabin leaving their balcony light on all night? Super noticeable.

So many butt hurt people nowadays. Move on. Enjoy your cruise. Quityerbitchin

Everybody's offended by something nowadays. I say rock on with your balcony door. Whatever makes you happy as it appears you don't waste the A/C and don't keep the balcony light on all night. You pay for the room. I love it too, but I prefer the A/C more while I'm sleeping since I sleep hot. I sure love the meditative sounds of the waves. Enjoy!

I'll throw a different option in this mix! We've cruised quite a bit, and other than booking NCL's Epic when she first came out through a TA friend, I've always gone through the cruise lines directly. I prefer to do my own research online, then call in and speak with a live person at the cruise line.

However, for our upcoming cruise on the Breeze in March, I ended up booking through American Airlines. Since we fly a lot and like to rack up mileage, we jump at the chance to have additional miles. American has been pushing their vacations department, and at least as of last month, were offering up to 3 times the cost of your cruise in mileage. We paid the same cost for our cove balcony through American as if I'd gone directly through Carnival. The added bonus was earning 3 times the cost of our cruise in miles. At the end of the day, that's not necessarily a lot. Unless you're spending $10k on a cruise, then you're looking at 30k in miles, which can easily cover a domestic round trip ticket.

I don't prefer to have a middle man in my vacation transactions, but it was worth it to use American's TA in order to obtain the miles.

We didn't bring anything with us but before we go to the village the guide let's us know that if we want to donate towards the rice and beans that the company buys we are able to. Everyone chipped in and we had extra to buy moon pie/ oatmeal pie snacks for the kids. Was a great experience. Also we wore old tennis shoes that we could toss out after and brought flip flops with us.. there was no saving the shoes or socks after.

Thanks so much for your help! Pro Excursions was very prompt in returning my email, and I plan to book with them for the buggy tour. Good idea about the old tennis shoes. Sounds like a muddy good time!!

I actually did the buggy tour with Pro Excursions two years ago and we LOVED it. When we got off the ship we went to the meeting pace where a taxi took us to Bayahibe where we start from. After we were checked in we went to the buggies at their ranch. along the way we were given information about the culture. When we got to the ranch we loaded up in our buggies and off we went. We went to the sugarcane fields, a Haitian village were we were able to donate items for the children. After that we went into the jungle to a river to rinse off before we went to the ranch house where we were given locally grown food to eat. After we headed back to the ranch and back to Bayahibe for a short time before going back to the port. The whole time we had a local photographer with us who got some amazing shots while we were driving through the mud. We ended up getting the disk for around $50 and it had close to 100 pics on it. We had an amazing day and want to go back there again. The staff was great and we always felt safe and they always had drinks for us. If you do decide on this tour I would advise taking a bandanna with you to keep the dirt out of your nose. We also had to rinse off/ shower about five times to get the mud of but it was completely worth it.

Thank you for responding! THIS is what I was looking for! Carnival offers a buggy excursion through the ship, but the minimum age is 8. Our son is 7. I will need to inquire with Pro Excursions if they have a minimum age. I hope not as I think this will be a good experience for us as a family, and for my son especially.

Did you bring items to donate to the children in the village and if so, what did you bring?

We gravitate to Carnival over NCL. I will say we've cruised NCL twice, on the Epic and on the Pride of America. I don't dislike NCL. I actually think they ARE nicer ships, and the new ones they've rolled out I'm very intrigued with. We sailed the Epic when she first came out, and loved our balcony room. We took our two teenagers (at the time) and one of their friends, and had two connecting balcony rooms. My DH and I were in one, the three teens in the other. We had a great time no doubt. And of course, Pride of America is an anomaly. We loved our time on the POA last April (I wrote an extensive review under that forum).

Since Galveston is our home port, we prefer Carnival over NCL (out of Houston) and Royal. We've been on the Magic twice, and Triumph twice. I'm looking forward to the Breeze coming there this year. We are booked on the Breeze out of Miami this March. The primary reason is the 8 night Southern Caribbean itinerary. We've been everywhere else but those 4 islands. I really really wanted to book NCL for this spring break cruise. Maybe the Getaway or Escape. But when we take our 7 year old, it just doesn't make sense to pay more for NCL. I think they're worth the (more often than not) higher cost, most of the time..

We'd like to do an Alaskan cruise this summer. I would definitely consider NCL and not Carnival. Not only because of the destination, but because it will be just me and DH. When just the two of us cruise, we prefer better amenities or itineraries. We want to try Celebrity one day and maybe Alaska will be it. When we cruise with our young child, or our now 20 year olds, we generally choose Carnival because why pay more? And, we've not yet been let down by Carnival in any way.

Does Mauna Loa Helicopter have copters that take 3 guests? We did a plane tour in Alaska that took 6 passengers (my family made up 5 of them) and it was very nice. Similar to your experience, the pilot had music playing that so perfectly fit the scenery that it brought tears to my eyes. Reading your description, I got misty eyed.

 

I just realized I didn't address this question! I believe Mauna Loa can take three guests. We were seated in the two back seats, pilot in the front right seat. There is a front left seat, and I recall the pilot mentioning a person could sit there. All depending on weight limits I'd imagine. It'd be worth inquiring with them!

 

Does Mauna Loa Helicopter have copters that take 3 guests? We did a plane tour in Alaska that took 6 passengers (my family made up 5 of them) and it was very nice. Similar to your experience, the pilot had music playing that so perfectly fit the scenery that it brought tears to my eyes. Reading your description, I got misty eyed.

 

Does Big Island Aina Tours offer different types of tours? My sons will be 17 & 21 in June 2017, when I plan on being there, and I don't think they would want to see the macadamia nut farm nor the orchid gardens. They might like doing a 4x4 tour or something along those lines - a little bit of an adrenaline rush but not so much that dear old mom gets worried!:)

 

You said you were able to get in the family suite next to yours. I am considering that for the 3 of us. Did you happen to get any pictures?

 

Thanks again for jump starting my planning. I'm sure my son will love his trip as my as my oldest loved Alaska.

Hi Olemissreb! Thanks for reading this review. I'm glad to hear it's been helpful in your planning. Let me see if I can answer some of your questions.

I believe Big Island Aina Tours only offers the type of small group tour we went on with those particular stops mentioned. I'm not aware of them offering a private tour for cruise ship passengers. However, it wouldn't hurt to contact Gil. He was super quick in his response and very kind and helpful. If he can't accommodate y'all, he might have a suggestion. http://www.ainatours.com/cruise-ship-tours.htm

There might be another tour operator that offers a 4x4 type of excursion, or perhaps through the ship? Another idea might be to rent a vehicle and go off exploring on your own. The Hilo side would be super easy to do that, even though you would need to obtain your rental vehicle at the airport (grab a taxi from the cruise port or perhaps the rental agency would offer a shuttle to pick you up).

I did not get a picture of cabin 9698, the 2 bedroom aft wraparound suite. I did find this picture online, and it's accurate of the balcony.

Good luck and let me know if I can answer anything else!

A big thank you, mel-b, for a informative, entertaining, fun and enjoyable review. I took plenty of notes, as I also am my own TA :)

 

I know it takes a lot of work/time to do a review, and I really appreciate it - for me it was very helpful.

Dani, Aloha and Mahalo! I'm so glad to hear this review was helpful for you!

I cannot find this app. What does the icon look like?

TexasLadyBug - here's a link online to the app

https://shipmateapp.com/

Looking for ideas for a Kid friendly excursion. My daughter is 7 so looking for something fun and not heavy with 'education'.

We'll be in GT in March for our first time with our 7 year old son. Since we're only in port until 130pm ship boarding time, we plan to walk down the pier directly to the beach and make it a beach day. My son is pretty content with a day or two like that to make friends and play in the sand.. Many people stop at Margaritaville. I believe there's a pool and inflatable water toys in the ocean. Others walk a bit further down to Jack's Shack. Supposedly it's less rocky down that way.

I considered renting a golf cart or jeep through Wet Money to explore on our own. That's still a good option, but I think due to the time, letting my son play on the beach is best for us. Good luck!

Just curious what your kids thought about Camp Carnival on the Carnival Breeze? Our first Carnival cruise on the Dream, our kids were not fans of the club. The staff did not interact with the kids very much and they were kind of left to find things to do on their own. I am hoping that the Carnival Breeze experience is much different and they will enjoy it a touch more.

 

Also curious about the night owl program, is it worth the additional charge?

I'm curious about Camp Ocean on the Breeze as well. My DS is 7, and enjoyed the kids camp both times we sailed the Magic with him. I'm hoping his experience on the Breeze is just as good.

Hi all. We'll be in La Romana for a day on the Breeze. Has anyone done the buggy tour? Whether through the ship or an outside vendor? If so, what did you think? Was it worth it? Also, I've read there's a stop in a local village with the opportunity to provide items to the children. Did anyone do this?

Secondly, is anyone familiar with Pro Excursions? They offer a buggy tour and this would be going outside the ship excursion. I'm looking for individuals who chose this company. What did you think about them? Was it worth it? Seemless and easy to return to the ship?

Thanks in advance!

I want to join everyone else and thank you for your wonderful review. I know it was a lot of work. Really appreciate it!

Thank you, KCalla. I'm glad this review has been useful! Unfortunately, I don't write as many reviews as I should. But with the POA, it seemed high time to have a good review available.

On a side note, I downloaded the App called "Ship Mate." I think there are a few more positive reviews of the POA on that app. This might be a good tool for y'all as you research this ship or others.

Great review, looking forward to the next installment! Especially looking forward to, like many others, info on the La Romana stop. I'll check the link on Seavis.

Thanks for posting this very detailed account.

 

After reading, I think the hubs and I may just do the car rental thing for RTH and the sunrise crater. I had considered booking thru NCL but we can handle the driving I think. It will be more personal and certainly more affordable.

 

I am still wrestling with where to stay pre/post cruise. I still have LOTS and LOTS of time (we don't go until March 2017) but I am a planner! I am going to book our airfare this summer and then book hotel rooms so I can be a little more flexible with the air dates.

 

Again... THANK YOU for this review and GIG 'EM!

I'm excited for you!! Planning is half the fun, I think. I have a few friends who use travel agents. For me, I AM my own travel agent! And I love it. Let me know if I can be of further assistance as you finish your plans.

Whoop!!

We did this cruise in August. Only complaint is dining room food. Montonous

Cajun, this seems to be the prevailing complaint. Hopefully they can up their game in that area. There must be an obvious quality gap between MDR and specialty dining. I'm really glad we had the NCL deal for upgraded dining.

I don't hit the NCL boards often but it's good to read a review as detailed and positive about POA as this was. Great job.

 

Good to see not a lot has changed since we went in 2012. Your explanation of the American crew is spot on. Loved them and never had an issue. Our one con would be regular dining in the MDR at night. Not the best selection. But absolutely loved sitting out for breakfast on the fantail watching the sights of Hawaii. Looking forward to going again.

 

Dan

Thank you, Dan. I'm just now finding myself back on this board too. I'm glad I checked in. You and me both...can't wait to go again. Happy New Year!

Thank you so much for your AMAZING review! Part of my family and I will be leaving in 12 days (December 19th) to go on this cruise. There are 13 of us in total, 6 adults (our mom is in her late 70s), and 7 kids (from 17 to 7 years). I am finalizing our Christmas plans and thankfully found your review. Thank you so much for everything you posted, such a wealth of information.

I am so glad to know this review was helpful to you. How was your trip?!! What did you think?

I had been thinking of starting a thread " Is the PAO still good to go?". Thank you for your great review as you have answered my question.

Thank you for reading this review!! :)

Thank you so much for this wonderful review! We are taking the POA in June of 2016 and spending a few days on Oahu first. We have an ATV tour booked at Kualoa Ranch on the windward coast and definitely want to have time to enjoy the Byodo-In Temple on the way. How long would you say is required to see everything and enjoy the setting?

 

Once again, I so appreciate your willingness to take the time to share this with us.

 

Mahalo!

Aloha! My apologies for just now checking into this thread. Happy New Year to you! I'm glad you're wanting to visit the Temple. I really think it's one of the least popular "attractions" on Oahu, which is a shame because the grounds and replica are stunning. But, this is good too because the crowds are minimal. I would allow yourself at least a half hour to tour the immediate Temple area. The grounds are so inviting, if the weather is cooperating, I would recommend allowing yourself an hour or more to sit, read, meditate, perhaps have a snack or lunch. The Temple itself is tucked back into a memorial grounds, easy to get to. But so serene. It was raining a bit when we were there, so we didn't stay much past an hour I'd say.

We haven't yet sailed the Breeze (will in March), but sailed the Magic twice. Most of the time when we cruise, regardless of liner, we choose aft extended balcony if it's available. Then we choose mid to aft regular balcony if the aft extended isn't available. However, after having a cove balcony on the Magic the 2nd time we cruised her (primarily to give it a go), we were hooked. Our first time on the Magic, we booked a cabin on deck 9. I can't recall the exact cabin at this moment, but we weren't totally opposed to looking down on deck 5. But after having had both types of balcony rooms on the Magic, I preferred the cove over the regular balcony on deck 9.

If the Breeze had an aft balcony for our March sailing, I would've probably chosen that. However they didn't, so I didn't hesitate to book a cove balcony again. We really like being close to the water line. Not to mention, the balcony feels more private and secluded than other balconies.

This review has to win the award for the longest, most drawn-out review ever! I realized I was near the end, but didn't add a few details that might be helpful to some.

We really enjoyed the Sheraton on Waikiki Beach. The location was great. Next to all the shops, lots of dining options, and right on the beach. Actually, the property is right on the ocean with steps heading off towards Diamond Head to the actual sand. We spent most of our time enjoying this area. We did venture around the island one afternoon. We went towards the North shore area with the intention of eating at one of the most tasty shrimp trucks. Giovanni's gets the most recognition, but we ended up at Mackey's and were not at all disappointed. We got there just in time to beat a very large tour group. Mackey's had prepared their meals ahead of time, so it was clear they were prepared to feed that large of a group. I recall ordering the garlic, and I'm salivating to this day it was that good.

We drove on through the North Shore area and around to the eastern side of the island. It was an overcast day, and we did not have enough time to stop everywhere we wanted. It was important however to have enough time to explore the Byodo-In Temple located in Kaneohe on the eastern side. We were glad we stopped here. It is beautiful. The temple is a non-denominational shrine located at the Valley of the Temples. It was dedicated in August 1968 to commemorate 100-year anniversary of the first Japanese immigrants to Hawaii. The temple is a replica of a 900-year-old Buddhist temple at Uji in Kyoto prefecture of Japan. Contrary to popular belief, it is not a functioning Buddhist temple in the proper sense as it does not host a resident monastic community nor an active congregation. I easily could have spent an entire day on the grounds, reading a book or just simply meditating in my own thoughts.

We dined at Duke's a couple more times, once having mai tai's (again) and listening to live music on their outside patio. We finally had the hula pie, and it was worth every calorie. You almost need to go there just for that. It's huge.

We did not attend an official luau (I more than likely would have chosen Chiefs if we had time on Oahu). The conference we attended put on a mini luau of sorts at the Sheraton. We had the traditional Hawaiian fare along with a live musical performance. I was okay with not attending a professional luau, but should we return, I would probably book one just to say we did it. If we'd had time on Kauai, I would've preferred to do the Smith Family luau there over all others.

I think this wraps up our Hawaiian escapades. I can't think of a better way to have spent these days, and I wouldn't hesitate to do it again. Feel free to ask questions! I'll try to check in here periodically. Mahalo!