mooline

Hi all, I'm resurrecting this post for some opinions: I've found a couple of options for horseback riding on Maui. We're in port for 2 days, Sunday ~8 am to Monday, 6 pm. Ideally I'd prefer to ride on Sunday, so we have no worries at all about getting back to the ship before departure.

However, 2 of the ranches I prefer are closed on Sunday. How confident can I be if I book a ride that finishes before noon, that we'll be back to the ship no later than 5 pm, taking a private car service... is there a worry about traffic, accidents, etc that would cause a 5 hour trip for any reason? I realize very rare situations might occur, but in general... I'm thinking this is a very low risk option. If we do Monday, we'd likely book at Mendes Ranch in Wailuku, which looks to be not all that far from the ship - 30 minutes, maybe?

I am always queasy about considering excursions that aren't ship sponsored as I never want to risk being left waving goodbye, so this is a big step out of the comfort zone.

Thanks for your thoughts!

4 hours ago, cruiseny4life said:

I implore you, absolutely implore you to enjoy Honolulu on Saturday. Go to Cafe Kaila for breakfast. You won't be disappointed, especially if you order the fruit. It's so yummy! Then check out Diamond Head State Monument. Don't get on the ship so quickly since it leaves at 7 PM. Enjoy Oahu! 

Thank you! We also have all day Friday, since we arrive on Thursday. Greatly appreciate your guidance...I know you're right, even though everyone's eager to start the cruise experience!

Thanks so much for all of this helpful information! We're a multigenerational family of 6, in 2 suites sailing in June. The kiddos in our group are first time cruisers. Everyone is so looking forward to this trip and this thread whets the appetites even more! 

We, too have the beverage packages, will that include water? 
 

We're arriving on Thursday afternoon, so will have a full day plus to explore Honolulu. What is the earliest time on Saturday that we can head to the ship? I think everyone will be quite excited to embark even though the ship leaves in the evening.

I’m trying to think through options for disembarkation day. What time should we expect to be booted out? Our flight leaves at 4:30, but from what I’ve heard, we don’t want to hang at the airport all that time. Not sure about Pearl Harbor as we have a 6 year old in the group (and an 11 year old, but she’s old enough to understand- just very emotionally sensitive). Thinking about a day room at a local hotel, but whether that's sensible really depends on the time we're off the ship.

Thanks again for this great thread, here's hoping more 2023 POA cruisers chime in with reviews.

Thanks to both of you, apologies for my very delayed reply. Much appreciated nonetheless.

Hi All, 

My family and I are on POA in June 2023, staying in the Deluxe Owners Suite and Deluxe Family Suite. Wondering if this level of suite receives free or discounted laundry service at some point during the trip?

Thanks for any info!

Thanks, bluetardis, that was my first choice and what we usually do when we have late flights. However, the only post-cruise excursions offered by NCL that will fit our timeframe is Pearl Harbor. We will have a 6 year old in the group and I'm not sure it will be a good one for her. (Actually thinking that the adults and split up and do PH when we arrive, since we have a couple of days on that end.)

Maybe reserve a car service and go to the Polynesian Cultural Center or the Dole Plantation, then to the airport?

Thank you both. After reading all of these comments, I think we'll talk with her, to see if this is something she really wants to do (I can't imagine not, but who knows with kiddos?)

Makani'Olu Ranch looks good, but they say they take age 12 and over. She will be 2 months shy of 12, and where she is already experienced, I hope the might be able to make an exception for her (if their insurance allows.) Triple L seems good also, but I'm not sure that the times of their rides (even if we do a private) will work with the ship's arrival/departure times.

Meanwhile, her little sister (age 6) is convinced that she is a mermaid - so maybe the guys in our group can take her to one of the mermaid swims while we ride - if we ride!  🙂

Hi all, reviving this very helpful post. I'm in the same situation as Kelly68, except our flight leaves at 4 pm, and we're traveling with kiddos. Thinking that arriving at HNL by 2 pm should be OK (we "should" all have precheck, but you never know). That still leaves several hours to kill, even if we disembark at late as 9 am. (I know they need to scoot us off to get the ship ready to go and that's fine of course.)

I love the ResortPass idea, since the kids can swim, the adults can relax and we can all enjoy lunch before we head to the airport.

Just wondering if there is a better option for 4 hours...

(Kelly68, thanks for letting me take your thread semi-off topic.)

Thanks, georgiacat; I did look but only see 2 bedroom units, even when looking at specific unit #s that are listed as 3 br. You're right, though, the prices are actually much better than the ES.  Maybe I'll contact them directly by email and see what they say.

A family member did an AirBnB a few years ago; I'm wary of those for a trip like this, though. We won't have a car, so purchasing our own consumables might be a logistical issue, and take time away from fun things.

Thank you both! This makes me feel much better. No disrespect taken at all, my friend is apparently just ultra cautious. The adults in this group grew up in big cities (Boston and NYC), so we understand the need to always be aware of your surroundings, especially in tourist areas.

I've already booked Embassy Suites (Oceanview suites using points to offset some of the cost). If there's a better choice for us, please let me know. The important thing for this group is that the adults have separate bedrooms from the kiddos, so we thought ES made sense. We have a 2 br suite for the mom, dad and 2 sisters, and a 1 br suite for the grandparents. 

If there's an option that allows the 6 of us to be together in one place, with at least 3 and preferably 4 bedrooms, I'm all ears. Or, if the area that ES is in is really trashy, we can easily change hotels.

Thanks!

Thank you all for your advice! I greatly appreciate the comments and perspectives.

She is an experienced hunt seat rider, but has never done a trail ride. Her mom and I have ridden many (many) moons ago and would certainly go with her while the rest of the gang does something else. I did look into Triple L which sounds great but as you say, it is not exactly close to the docks. 

What about Turtle Bay in Oahu? We're arriving a couple of days ahead of departure, so could probably arrange to head up there one of the days. However, that's not exactly next door to the docks, either...

Hi everyone,

Anyone have experience with horseback riding tours in Hawaii?  Our 12 year old granddaughter is a rider and I think she'd love a trail ride or beach ride somewhere in the islands.

We're on POA next June, with 2 days pre-cruise in Oahu. POA overnights on both Maui and Kauai; we have full due in Kona and Hilo. Could plan the ride in any of these places. I'm fine with ship tours, but unfortunately, NCL doesn't offer a horseback riding tour on this itinerary.

Many thanks!

Hi all,

We're on POA next June, a multi-generational family of 6, ages 70 to 6. The kids (2 of them) are first time cruisers.

We plan to arrive on Thursday for the Saturday evening departure, and thought we'd just enjoy many of the sights in Honolulu. However:

A friend who lived in Hawaii, and has visited recently, said Honolulu is not a good choice, due to crime at night and throngs of tourists by day. She suggests staying on the north shore and heading back on Saturday for the cruise.

I'd love to hear from any of you who've recently experienced Honolulu, especially with kiddos.

Thanks!

Thanks so much to all of you and apologies for my late acknowledgment.

These are AWESOME tips - I so appreciate all of you taking the time to comment.

Dexddd, I understand we have the OS with the whirlpool, the deluxe OS - so I'm sure the kiddos will be hanging out with us a lot when we're not on excursions! (Mom and Dad will no doubt appreciate that.)

Treasure Hunter, yes, we're flying in on Thursday for a Saturday departure, to ensure that we have no delayed/missed connections and to counter the jet lag. Any ideas for things to do with the kiddos in Honolulu (short of not staying in Honolulu, which I've heard is the best idea!) Beaches may not be the premier attraction since we live in FL, but I do realize that Hawaii beaches (and waves) are completely different from anything they've seen. And, about the Zodiac - the little one is a thrill seeker, she will be driving the boat no doubt. It's the adults we need to worry about! 😂

BirdTravels, thank you for the many excellent tips! I hadn't thought about the quick enrollment in and orientation to the kids club - should we do that even if they're not sure they want to go? And the butler suggestion is fantastic - thanks!

GenealogyFan, thanks to you, too! We normally do ship excursions since none of us wants to get left behind. (We had an experience like that on the Spirit cruise while at the Alhambra - there was s huge traffic issue and our bus was an hour late returning, but fortunately it was a ship tour!) It's a different story for sure with an overnight in port, though and we'll look into the ones you've suggested.

Mearsfansinboise, was the rough sea incident on the crossing, or inter-island? Nonetheless, we will definitely load them (and me) up on GingerAle and maybe Bonine (need to check if the 6 year old can take it)

A couple more questions:

1: A friend who lived in HI said to avoid Honolulu, even for our pre cruise 2 days. She suggests going to the north shore. She tells me that Honolulu around Waikiki is unsafe at night, and so overrun with tourists by day that it is unpleasant. Thoughts?

2: Anyone know of beach horseback riding excursions? The 12 year old is a rider and would, I think, greatly enjoy the experience of riding on a beach!

3: So the kids clubs are a big hit with the kiddos, huh? Do the clubs take the kids on any tours? Is it worth having the kids skip a tour to stay in the clubs?

No doubt more questions to come as we get closer. Thank you again for sharing your experiences and expertise.

Hi everyone,

Returning to cruising after a 5 year hiatus. Yay!  Celebrating our 50th wedding anniversary with our daughter and her family, with a splurge cruise on POA June 2023. Our entourage includes 2 kiddos who will be 6 and nearly 12; both kids are first-time cruisers. We are staying in suites: we have the Owners Suite; our daughter and her family are in a 2 br Deluxe Family suite.

Lots of questions for you experts!

       1: What are the seas like on POA cruises (any seasickness concerns?)

       2: What advice do you have for traveling with kiddos who've never cruised?

       3: How, if at all, should we plan for potential seasickness with kids of this age?

Most of our cruises have been on NCL; yet our last NCL voyage was in 2013, so I'm sure much has changed.

       4: We typically book suites and enjoy the suite perks. What's the biggest change, in your opinion, in the NCL's suite experience over the last 10 years?

Dining seems to have changed a bit, for example it looks like Cagney's is now priced a la carte; when we last sailed I recall that the cost for Cagney's was simply a per-head surcharge of something like $20/$25.

      5: How does speciality dining work now (in terms of cost and availability)?

      6: Does anyone have a wine list for POA? Would like to see what they have since we'll want a really special wine for the anniversary celebration.

Any and all advice, comments, suggestions, etc are welcomed! This is a special event and I want to plan well to ensure that everyone in our family (ages 70 to 6) enjoys him/herself to the max. By the way, we all do spend a lot of time together and we know we enjoy each others' company, so that's a great foundation to build upon!

Thanks! It feels good to be coming back!!

Yes, we had two stops on our walking tour, both were clean and well appointed -even had TP, :)

Hi Ranchette,

We took two excursions: The Old Havana Heritage Walking Tour (roughly 3.5 hours) on Day 1 and the Best of Havana bus tour (roughly 8 hours) on day 2. The Walking Tour was fantastic; highly recommend it. It's roughly 2 miles with several stops along the way (where the guide explains the historical significance of a site) and a cigar rolling demo with cigar-rum-coffee tasting at the end. The streets in Old Havana are all cobblestone, meaning walking on uneven surfaces. We had no issues at all and found the pace to be very leisurely, but we walk nearly every day.

The bus tour was good, but if I had to choose, the walking tour would win hands down. The bus tour felt a little rushed, despite its length. There was a wonderful lunch included and we did see some great sights, just wish we could have spent longer at some and heard more of the history behind the location. The bus tour does not include Old Havana, so the two tours complemented each other.

Hope this helps!

I've posted a full review of our trip on the RCCL board, but thought I'd share here the content that relates specifically to our experience in Havana. So happy we made this trip; special thanks to VidaNaPraia and others on this board for the very helpful advice that made our trip fantastic!

Havana: In a word, Fascinating!! We heard very mixed reviews among our shipmates. Some were upset by the level of poverty, apparently abandoned dogs and run-down buildings. However, though our eyes, we saw many people doing the best they can to have a good life by their own definition, and a country whose political and economic systems radically differ from ours. That is neither good nor bad, it just is. The Cubans we spoke with - tour guides, shop managers, people on the street have tremendous pride in their country and are eager for the improvements that are slooooowly coming as tourism increases.

We were surprised at fairly long lines for Cuban Immigration, since other CC posters have said the lines are becoming shorter. It wasn't a problem at all, just not as simple we expected based on other posters' comments. Took probably 20 - 30 minutes to clear immigration and the security scans - and we were among the first off the ship.

Money Exchange: Our tours departed very quickly, so there was no time to exchange money. However, all 3 shops where we bought items (including one stop in the Almercera Marketplace) accepted US$, and the merchant simply calculated the 13% exchange/penalty. However, US bank credit cards (including Amex) are still not accepted anywhere as best we could tell.

Ship-sponsored Excursions in Havana: We did the Old Havana Heritage Walking Tour on one day and the Best of Havana Bus Tour on the next day. The walking tour was fantastic. Our guide was highly knowledgeable and engaging; he showed us many little out of the way places that have historic significance to Havana. We also enjoyed a cigar making demo and a cigar -rum- coffee tasting in a beautifully restored hotel. There is stained glass everywhere in Havana and much of it is intricate, making for beautiful sights.

The bus tour was good. The stops felt a bit rushed (though the entire tour was 8 hours long). Along the way, our guide pointed out many significant sites and explained the history of each. We visited Revolution Square, the Colon Cemetery (a must-see), Hemingway's estate (where many classic cars were parked, allowing for good photo ops) and the quirky artist colony called Fusterlandia. We also had a nice lunch in a restaurant called El Tocoroco. Some on the tour complained because they did not think the food was "Cuban enough". We thought it was great! Lunch consisted of rice, shellfish and either a fish or meat accompaniment. We were also treated to a Pineapple Juice and rum drink,with a second drink of one's choice also provided. Dessert was a delicious maple-molasses sponge cake.

We did not do the Tropicana Cabaret, but spoke with others who did. They said the show was fantastic, just be prepared for no dinner - only rum and peanuts. The early seating at 9 pm saw a show starting around 10, running to just past midnight. And - a word to those booking this trip: Apparently there was no difference in the experience for those who purchased the "VIP option". The establishment did not recognize the VIP ticket as being anything different from the regular tickets, and said that the ship paid them one price for all. However, this was the first overnight for Empress, thus the first time that passengers could enjoy the Tropicana excursion, so it may be a simple miscommunication

As we pulled away from Havana on Thursday evening, we felt a sense of sadness watching the many people lined up, waving goodbye to the ship. It felt like we were leaving friends. The Cuban people really touch your heart.

An interesting side note on Havana: No bugs! We sat on our balcony quite a bit while in Havana, and never saw or felt a mosquito, or any other type of insect. Same was true walking around the city.

Here is the linkto the full review posted on the RCCL board, in case you have interest:

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2516665

Hi,

Just returned from RCCL's first Havana overnight. The lack of bugs was notable!! We fully expected to be eaten alive as we are here in FL, but not a single bite. We stayed on the ship in the evening, but spent much of the time on our forward facing balcony, overlooking the city. Again, not a single bug.

Can't say if this is typical, but it was our experience. Undoubtedly the bugs would be more prevalent in areas where there is more vegetation.

Just returned from Empress' first Havana overnight trip. We LOVED Empress, though she is the smallest ship we have ever sailed. The staff was awesome and the food was great!

Note that there are very few balconies on this ship, which may be your determining factor. We've sailed many NCL ships but not Sky, but I know that Sky has many balconies.

We sprung for a suite on Empress, and enjoyed a huge balcony (forward). We used the balcony extensively on the trip; the ship's speed was fairly slow (9-12 kts, mostly) so we did not have the strong winds that can sometimes keep one off a forward balcony. Although there is no Concierge Lounge on Empress, suite and elite loyalty passengers do receive 3 drinks per person per day loaded on to the SeaPass card; these can be used in any bar from 5:00 - 8:30 pm. There are other perks too, such as hors d'oeuvres, robes, priority boarding, etc.

Tampa is a super easy port and certainly has a much more traveler-friendly airport than Miami, for any who are flying in for the cruise.

Enjoy your trip, no matter which ship you choose!

Hello,

We just returned from RCCL's first Havana overnight cruise. We arrived in Havana mid-day on June 28 and departed in the evening on June 29.

The ship-sponsored excursion groups were first off (we were among them; our group was the 3rd to depart the ship). Immigration and the subsequent security scan took about 20-30 minutes in all, including waiting in lines. Lines appeared to be increasingly longer and more groups disembarked.

Hope this helps!

Hi all,

Just back (today) from our trip! Thanks to all of you for your WONDERFUL suggestions! Here's a quick review of what we found most useful, and not. This is what worked for us, every trip and every person is different, so all suggestions had value - thank you all for contributing your ideas!

Useful:

Binoculars!! Thank you so much! We did see a school of dolphins, and got a closeup look at several schools of tiny flying fish. The binocs were also really valuable as we sailed into each port.

Multi-outlet plug: Ours has 4 outlets and 2 USB ports . Really important, since outlets are extremely limited on Empress (and we were in a suite).

Trash bag for dirty clothes and dryer sheets to keep them deodorized: Superb! We stuffed it under the bed, easy to keep all of our dirty clothes out of the way, and not commingle with out clean items.

Pen: Yup, the lowly pen! The one we brought was the only one we had!

Sunscreen: A must - and I wish I had stronger than 30. Even as a Floridian, the intense UV in Key West and Havana took a bit of a toll.

Hats: Ditto above, plus quick protection form little showers (had rain slickers in case of downpours, but didn't need).

Ziploc Bags: Great for keeping things that might leak or open, such as sunscreen (even in a spray bottle) away from passport, etc.

Clorox Wipes: Popped a few in a zip top sandwich bag and gave everything the once-over when we boarded.

Brought, but didn't use:

Magnets: No place in our room other than the ceiling, and we didn't need to hang anything .

Post-its: We traveled as a couple and stayed together essentially the whole time, so no need to leave notes for each other. We saw our cabin steward regularly, so no need to leave him notes either.

Lanyard: LOTS of people had them - but my little silicone cell phone wallet was perfect for holding my Seapass card, and my cell was my camera, so always with me. If I didn't have that, the lanyard would have been a useful item.

Bug repellant: Can you believe it - no mosquitos anywhere, even on our balcony during the overnight in Havana. I'll bet they all got that word that we packed the bug spray!;p

Wish I had:

Water! Really wish we had brought at least several bottles if not a case. We did not spring for the Evian package, but were given 2 bottles of a generic bottled water (we were in a suite) on day 1. Really missed having water readily available. The ships tap water was OK, but not great.

So that's it! Thanks again all!

A great trip! This was our first time on RCCL. I want to post my photos for you, but haven't figured that out yet...

Here are the highlights:

Port of Tampa: Easy on and off. We live within a short drive of the Port and were pleased with the plentiful parking literally across the street. For any who are flying in the port is not far from TIA. Once inside, the terminal is spacious, clean and comfortable. US Customer and Immigration consisted of a friendly "hello, welcome home", and a quick scan of our passports. We were asked if we were carrying any rum, cigars and other items from Cuba (we were, and stated so) and were just waved right through.

Amazingly calm seas and fabulous weather. This of course is pure luck, especially during hurricane season. For most of the trip, the ship's speed was between 10 and 14 kts. Seas were maybe one or two feet at most. It made for a cruise that was smooth, quiet and incredibly comfortable.

Key West is always fun. We've been many times by ship or car. We opted for the Key Lime Bike Tour and had a great time getting exercise and hearing many stories from our guide. It was HOT, though (and we're Floridians). Absolutely bring the sunscreen and hat; the bike tour provides bottled water but carry your own if not on a tour.

Havana: In a word, Fascinating!! We heard very mixed reviews among our shipmates. Some were upset by the level of poverty, apparently abandoned dogs and run-down buildings. However, though our eyes, we saw a many people doing the best they can to have a good life by their own definition, and a country whose political and economic systems radically differ from ours. That is neither good nor bad, it just is. The Cubans we spoke with - tour guides, shop managers, people on the street have tremendous pride in their country and are eager for the improvements that are slooooowly coming as tourism increases.

We were surprised at fairly long lines for Cuban Immigration, since other CC posters have said the lines are much shorter. It wasn't a problem at all, just not as simple we expected based on other posters' comments. Took probably 20 - 30 minutes to clear immigration and the security scans.

Money Exchange: Our tours departed very quickly, so there was not time to exchange money. However, all 3 shops were we bought items (including one stop in the Almercera Marketplace) accepted US$, and simply calculated the 13% exchange/penalty. However, US bank credit cards (including Amex) are still not accepted anywhere.

Ship-sponsored Excursions in Havana: We did the Old Havana Heritage Walking Tour on one day and the Best of Havana bus tour on the next day. The walking tour was fantastic. Our guide was highly knowledgeable and engaging; he shoed us many little out of the way places that have historic significance to Havana. We also enjoyed a cigar making demo, a cigar -rum- coffee tasting in a beautifully restored hotel. There is stained glass everywhere in Havana and much of it is intricate, making for beautiful sights.

The bus tour was good. The stops felt a bit rushed (though the entire tour was 8 hours long). Along the way, our guide pointed out many significant sites and explained the history of each. We visited Revolution Square, the Colon Cemetery (a must-see), Hemingway's estate (where many classic cars were parked, allowing for good photo ops) and the quirky artist colony called Fusterlandia. We also had a nice lunch in a restaurant called El Tocoroco. Some on the tour complained because they did not thing the food was "Cuban enough". We thought it was yummy! Lunch consisted of rice, shellfish and either a fish or meat accompaniment. We were also treated to a Pineapple Juice and rum drink, with a second drink of one's choice provided. Dessert was a delicious maple-molasses sponge cake.

We did not do the Tropicana Cabaret, but spoke with others who did. They said the show was fantastic, just be prepared for no diver - only rum and peanuts. The early seating at 9 pm saw a show starting around 10, running to just past midnight. And - a word to those booking this trip: Apparently there was no difference in the experience for those who purchased the VIP option. The establishment did not recognize the VIP ticket as being anything different from eh regular tickets, and said that the ship paid them one price for all. However, this was the first overnight for Empress, so it may be a simple miscommunication

As we pulled away from Havana on Thursday evening, each of us shared that we felt a sense of sadness watching the many people lined up, waving goodbye to the ship.The Cuban people really touch your heart.

An interesting side note on Havana: No bugs! We sat on our balcony quite a bit while in Havana, and never saw or felt a mosquito, or any other type of insect.

Empress MDR: Food was great! Not 5 star, but quite good. The staff - from the Dining Room Manager, to the Head Waiter, to our own wait staff, were so service oriented and kind. We went back every night except the last one, as we had a Chef's Table reservation.

Speaking of Chef's Table: Wow, just plain WOW!!! 10 couples (none of us knew each other but became fast friends by the end of the night), incredible food (this WAS 5 star) and very good wines. It was, for us, a FOUR HOUR experience, with many laughs and lots of talk about many subjects. This is another must-do and we were lucky enough to be able to book this for the night of our wedding anniversary, making it extra special! Absolutely worth the price, without question.

Our Room: Owner's Suite forward, 7506 - huge balcony, great place to watch sailaway and to relax while cruising. Highly recommend getting an OS or the RS is there is any way you can fund it. Believe me, the balcony was absolutely worth every penny! OS guests do enjoy several amenities including luxury robes, 3 drinks per person per day in any bar on the ship, upgraded toiletries (Gilchrist & Soames), breakfast in Chops (we did it only once and were not impressed - Windjammer was great and not crowded), fee-free Room Service (we didn't use this benefit). We did enjoy priority boarding, and were supposed to have priority disembarkation at all ports and not he final day, but that didn't happen either, and we didn't mind at all.

Only one word of advice - other than to encourage you to GO to this most fascinating place that has not yet found the 21st century....

If you book anything in advance: shore excursions, spa treatments, dining, or if you receive gifts (from yourself or others), BRING HARD COPY RECEIPTS. We ran into confusion on several things booked ahead where the reservation/request was lost. Everything was ultimately corrected, but best to be prepared.

I will post my pics as soon as I can find a place to do that - wished I could have embedded them here in my post.

If you have ANY questions at all - just ask!

We did not do valet but we did do the prepay parking, which I liked a lot. Just like you I wanted one less thing to think about.

 

The parking garage is literally across the street. They have some covered (if you get there fairly early) as well as uncovered. Just park, take the elevator down, walk across the street and you are there.

 

 

Have a wonderful cruise!!!

Thank you Diane. Greatly appreciate your helpful response.

Have fun on your trip!

 

When I saw your original post, I thought about a camera first! I am a photographer by hobby, though.

 

Please let us know what you used and didn't use afterwards!

Most definitely. I always do a review of my cruises, so will for certain include a review of the "one thing" list. :)