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I will be the first to admit that NCL Hawaii (Pride of America) has the best itinerary of the Hawaiian Islands. I've done the cruise. Will never do it again. Here is a comparison. I tried to find like fares. October / Balcony / November 2023 / no taxes, fee, insurance, NCL $2399 / standard fare No beverage package Obstructed balcony 7 days Plus Hotel/airfare/food Pre-cruise on the island. There are only few airlines that will get you to the islands for day of cruise from the West Coast. I find this risky. There is no where to park your rental car without costing you an arm and a leg for overnight stays in Kauai and Maui. Basically a floating hotel. Very little onboard activities. Princess $2524 No Beverage Package Lead in Balcony aft 15/16 days Plus Hotel/airfare/food Pre-cruise, if you need to get to the west coast. Hawaiian Cultural Ambassadors onboard and full of other enrichment activities. I understand that there are passengers who are unable to afford the two weeks to do a Princess cruise. I definitely am a cheerleader for Princess going to Hawaii.

When. you request a shower stool, also request a hand held shower head. If not in the cabin when you check in, crew chat and it will be installed before day's end. But a warning. The stool will take up a significant area of the already very small shower. There are no hand rails to assist you in and out of the shower. You really will not be able to take a shower using just the mounted shower head. Bring binder clips to weight down the shower curtain. Good chance of water spilling out onto the bathroom floor. Just be careful.

I knew someone would know the correct Act. Of course it would be chengkp75. Now to remember that information.

I understand that there are a couple of cruise terminals (not near each other) in Seattle. It's been so long since I've done a cruise from there. I was amiss to not state that the "better" terminal at San Pedro was the on with the building (berth 93). There are several other berths that are used and not as well designed.

Out of all the terminals I have been to, I feel that San Pedro is the most organized and efficiently run. One fast moving line through the terminal doors, Up the escalator (or elevator) Separated for check in (this may change due to “new” rules) Walk down to security (multiple lines) Elite/Suite room. Platinum seating area. Wheelchair assist section. General boarding. Boarding: In-transit, suite/elite, platinum, general boarding starts around 11:15. Terminal is generally cleared by 12:30. Slow down is boarding security posts.

I caught covid while on the Caribbean. My case was very mild, but I was coughing and having a little trouble breathing. I went to the Medical Center and was tested for the flu and Covid. I had my own supply of Paxlovid. The medical center did everything after that. I was allowed to return to my cabin to pack essentials needed for a couple of days. I took the stairs up a couple of flights. I was escorted from my cabin through crew passageways. I was placed in an isolation cabin on Aloha Deck. All meals and anything else I needed was delivered promptly. Everything I could have touched was sanitized on the way up to the new cabin. My cabin was sanitized by the same crew member. When I left isolation, the same crew member sanitized the cabin I was in. Rudi and Andy were my escorts both times. I was taken very good care of both in the medical center and by the crew. Wishing your family a complete recovery. Glad you did not come down with Covid.

By the way, the lady I overheard at embarkation lunch (neighbor down the passage way), finally received her delayed luggage from SEA in Boston. It didn't make the ship in FLL, Norfolk, New York, and we skipped Newport.

This portion of the voyage is over. But I will be repeating most of the ports when we all take the Caribbean Princess back to Port Everglades. As the volunteer in the Quebec Terminal Information Counter said....bring your heavier coat, it will be cold. Thank you all for taking this ride with me. Thank you to @Jadn13 who contributed to the thread with lovely photos. And all (too many to mention) for your well wishes for a speedy recovery and for following our journey. a hui hou, until we meet again.

These are for the ports. Brooklyn.pdf Newport.pdf Bar Harbor.pdf Quebec.pdf

These are for the ship. Customs.pdf Culinary.pdf Disembarkation.pdf

Here is the rest of the paper work handed out during the 13 days. These are for the Suite and/or Elite. Captain Circle.pdf Suite.pdf Suite Invitation.pdf Toilet.pdf

@Australia08 Funny, I have the same maple tree at the beaver pond. There must be a sign that says: "Guides - stop here."

I had heard that and was concerned. My physician wrote me a prescription and had my own on this past cruise. I fortunately also had all of my inhalers. I am a walking/cruising pharmacy.

Thank you for a rational and calm approach. I appreciate your words. I didn't think I had covid. 5 cruises and walked away safely. I tested before getting on the plane. I tested before going on my first excursion. I went to the medical center because I thought I was having a more serious asthma attack. Didn't even consider covid or the flu. Partially my fault for letting my guard down and not masking more diligently. I apologize to those I may have infected inadvertently . Luckily, my cabin mate remained covid free since cabin mate recently had covid. My doctor says that incubation is anywhere from 2-5 days before we would even consider thinking covid. I rarely used the elevator, was semi isolated in the theater, and dining table was off to a corner. It happened. If I got covid with so many precautions, I wonder how many more caught covid. I know that my roll call mentioned several members testing positive once at home. Covid is around. We can only do what we can for ourselves.

Please add that Hawaii residents might actually catch a break in costs. Matson and Horizon are currently the only shipping agencies for the islands that can transport between the west coast and Hawaii. 99% of everything has to be shipped in to the islands, including milk. More importantly, I would be able to sail over to the islands instead of fly. But there are other more serious consequences for doing away with the PVSA.

Just checked (cruise ended a week ago). Nothing on my account. Sigh. But I will check more often. thanks.

@Steelers36 All good points. It's very complicated. I was trying to simplify a maze of twists and turns. Probably not a good thing to do. I have been pleased with EZ Air. There are a few instances when it was cheaper to buy the airfare on my own, but meant shelling out the cash immediately upon booking. On my last cruise, Jet Blue had a Black Friday Sale in November 2022...I bought a ticket right then and there for a cruise in July 2023. EZ Air never could match that price. Bought a ticket to Japan via EZ Air. Phenomenal pricing. But it was code shared. Nobody would touch my questions. Had to get it ticketed before I could select seats. The more fingers in the pot, the more difficult to work with all of them. I consider myself very savvy when it comes to air travel. I do feel for those who are less experienced. One of the best things to come out of the pandemic was the ability to change your dates/fare without penalty and/or get e-travel credits when booking directly. You still have to pay the difference. I racked up so many travel vouchers for cancelled/changed flights, it gave me a few years of "free" travel on Hawaiian Airlines. Regardless, EZ Air is still a bargain, most of the time. You really have to be diligent and watch your reservations.

I did not ask him that question. He likes to talk. I just listened. He explained that he now does 2 months at a time, then goes to India to visit his mother or back to Poland where his family is. I'm guessing all the Restaurant Managers know him...and boy, does the MDR perk up when he walks in! We chatted about mutual crew that we both knew.

You can request early ticketing at any time. I believe you can even do it before final payment. Once you get an eticket number, you are locked in to a "restricted" fare. No more changes. If you are comfortable with the ticket. price, you can ask them to ticket the fare. But that would negate the flexibility of EZ Air. You might as well just book directly with the airlines. At least you will get ecredit if you change your plans on most airlines.

I find it ironic, idiotic, sad, ridiculous, that we need to come to Cruise Critic to get answers from Princess. And even when we do this, we can't guarantee that what is posted is "gospel".

I don't have an answer for that. I know I had to request isolation since I was traveling with a non-relative and had covid. I think the key here is that I had to have it documented by the medical center.

There are so many threads on the topic of the new enhanced perks of the beverage package that I don't know which to add this to. Decided this is the one "Suite Perks" that I will be following more closely than the others. I really like Dons Vacation. He is such a level headed guy and usually on a pretty level keel. But today's webair for travel agents really got the hair on the back of his neck riled up. Princess needs to fix this. Not a good idea to get your TA's upset.

@beckntom Last year, my sister had to put in a claim for "our" cruise. I didn't have to do anything but go on the cruise as a solo. My supplement kicked in from the insurance. But I did have to "chase" and follow up often. Ended up writing a letter and someone did call me and the claim was finally settled. I have all the time in the world. My next final payment isn't due until Spring of next year (I will apply FCC/cash reimbursement) to that cruise. I am really good about following up and monitoring responses. Thank you for the heads up.

Isolated for 2 days. It is documented on my Medical Report (that I paid $28). I had to ask for the instruction letter as I was being escorted to my New digs. Just started the claims process with AON. Also backed up by sending information to Medicare and my Secondary. I am in for the long haul (3-4 months). Some have said I will get the isolation credit back in a check. Others have said it will show up as FCC. My medical will be covered by somebody. This is what my "letter" said: "If you miss cruise days, including time in onboard isolation or quarantine (as required by our onboard medical team), will I be compensated? • A Future Cruise Credit worth 100% of the per-day cruise fare for the missed days • a refundable credit to your onboard account for missed pre-paid onboard experiences (such as spa appointments and specialty dining reservations) and shore excursions. • a refundable credit for the refundable portion of taxes, fees and port expenses for ports visited after disembarkation." end of quote

My most recent experience, August 4, 2025 on my way home. Purchased EZ Air tickets: Quebec to Toronto to LAX = $551.02 really early in planning. Perfect itinerary: Leave the ship late, bus transfer to YQB, 4 hour layover in Toronto, get into LAX at 6 PM. Change 1: YQB to Toronto changed to 2 hours later. No problem. Still plenty of connection time. Outside of Final Payment Change 2: After final payment: YQB flight on Rogue CANCELLED. Still showed on personalizer. I should have gone future into Manage Flight to see all the changes. Did not understand why my flight was not showing up on Air Canada website. (Lesson learned) Change 3: WithIN 45 days. No flight from Quebec (multiple calls by myself and TA) Change 4: Finally got a flight out of Quebec to YUL to LAX with a one hour connection in Montreal. EZ Air booked it for more (more than $600)/not charge difference, but also would not put me on an earlier, more expensive, flight with a better connection time. Pop up warning that stated 90 minutes is connection time. But since EZ Air booked it, I was not going to be concerned. I tried to do same day standby. Very hard to do on the day a ship disembarks. No room. Air Canada was there every step of the way and ushered me through Montreal to make my connection. Stress level off the charts. But EZ Air did work for me. Second story. Just cancelled EZ Air outside of 45 days (but after final payment). Booked directly with airline for less than my flexible fare. Expecting to get full refund. Original fare dropped and I had rebooked after final payment. Refund to credit card. When it works, it works fine. If you are willing to do the extra mile, it is worth booking and checking.