kcfoxy

Thanks, we had the same wonderful crew on the Jan 19-26, 2014 sailing and they were amazing. Most fun crew I have ever sailed with. Especially, Messiah! We loved him!

Just FYI- Other Crew Members were:

Alfie Barrete: Guest Service Manager

Lito Santos: Executive Chef

Jose Omier Wilson: Executive Housekeeper

NCL has sent us a few changes, but we had not asked about the entire bunch:

Captain: Kenneth Harstrom

Hotel Director: Richard Janicki

CD: To be announced

the F&B Director is still Messiah Ritzinger, can't wait to meet him!

I think we had Captain Harstrom on the Spirit back in 2011 if memory serves me well.

Following our 4/20/14 repositioning cruise via PC, will be the 2 week dry dock.

Some will stay on to assist, some go on a mini vacation, perhaps? :p

We've loved Moderno from first bite. Salad bar is excellent, they include quite a lot on a smallish seeming station...will give an overview then a couple platings:

The garlic mashed potatoes, rice, beans and plantains are okay but for the carnivore in me, mostly filler, and I tend to fill up fast.

Best meats IMHO? The lamb, their own specialty sirloin (cap), and the marinated chicken leg. The chicken breast, wrapped in bacon sounded great but was still dry.

The other sirloin and filet mignon were surprisingly tough and dry. I imagine if we had asked for rare on the later, it would have faired better. The lamb being fairly fatty was quite succulent, and after the first medium chop, our request for medium rare was met with complete lamb frenzy, (sorry 4H kiddos).

The best side IMHO was the amazing grilled pineapple. The high sugar content combined with brown sugar and tiniest amount of cinnamon made for a caramelized treat indeed. It also served to cleanse the palate between offerings.

The cheese rolls, made from tapioca flour rather than wheat, are gluten free if that's important. Sometimes these have been melt in your mouth-like crisp Thai shrimp chips made with tapioca-but a couple times actually rather tough for some reason.

Best dessert IMHO? The coconut flan by a mile! If there's any room left...

I don't know if this is still true, but recall that as long as we didn't eat an entree in a specialty restaurant, we were NOT charged a cover fee...if that still holds, and the salad bar is your pleasure, it would make a lovely light meal in itself and the price is right...worth checking out, eh?

The 24/7 Comfort Food eatery, Blue Lagoon on most NCL vessels, (aka O'Sheehan's on the mega liners), has been charging for wonderful milk shakes for at least a couple years.

Had a delicious chocolate one on POA last May and also noticed in Spring 2011 on NCL Spirit, an upcharge for shellfish at the eatery, oysters I do believe...so this is not all new to this munchery, as one poster laments.

That Ultimate Sundae certainly looks scrumptious but the soft serve cones, sherbet and regular ice cream in all-included venues will suit until we decide if ever to deviate from our beloved Jewel-class vessels and brave on of the more culinary tempting behemoths :p

We just came back from POA cruise last week of April into first week of May and were told the ship continued to be 'at or near sellout' every week.

Great cruise, by the way, service overall quite attentive and I reviewed it from a disabled pax viewpoint...4.5 out of 5 stars :p

Your best bet is Cabo since Purerto Vallarta doesn't have any pharmacies near the port unless you are venturing off somewhere. But everywhere you go the price is different so I recommend you shop around and you can negotiate a little too. Remember where you stopped so you can go back to get what you want. I found the best price was tucked behind Soloman's Landing restaurant. There was one directly behind it on the corner but the one that was lower priced was further down a little. Walk along the Marina just past the restaurant and keep looking to your left behind the other restaurants because shops are in the back.

Thanks again, Lisa! RNs 4ever!!! :D

I have bought them in Cabo mostly at a pharmacia at the Marina behind Solomans Landing. I had the guys' business card too cuz he said he would mail them to me but I'm not sure if I still have it. If you cruise anywhere in Mexico, you can find Amoxicillian or even Z-packs. The last bottles I bought were in Ensenada.

Thanks for getting back to me with this info, Lisa. We will have port stops in Puerto Vallarta and Cabo along with another 2 after transiting the PC. Appreciate your help! :)

I buy amoxicillian every trip to Mexico and I've never needed an RX including when I went in Feb this year. I wrote down on customs form that I bought amoxicillian. The customs agent looked at my form and waived me thru no issue. I also hate going to the Dr for a script for something I know I have. When I take them, my ailments disappear so they work fine and for a fraction of the cost. Why pay my $25 copay to my doctor, miss work to go to the Dr, plus a $25 copay for the RX when I can buy 2 big bottles of Amoxicillian for $33 that treats me for several issues over the year?

I'm a long time RN. After 24 years with the same Medical Center, our entire (mostly nurse) department were handed pink slips...many of us just a few years from retirement. So no health insurance but many health issues. Would you mind sharing where you purchased your antibiotics? This is what I need the most. I can provide my email if you'd prefer....

Thanks in advance for your help :)

I was thinking of storing my wheelchair in the shower at night if need be. Nice to know that worked out well. All this information has really put my mind at ease and I can begin to get excited. I feel like I have been waiting an eternity and finally the cruise is right around the corner! :D

It is unusual for me, as a long-time RN, becoming less and less mobile and all the various hurdles encountered. But, and it's a large one, now there is more time available for travel and I like to share what I can that is helpful for others as many on NCL and CC boards in general have so generously shared of their experiences.

It's all good and with less anxiety over the "What ifs" and "How can we manage?" you can give yourself permission to let the excitement build and have a wonderful cruise experience :D

Thank you for this information. It is very helpful. I can walk with assistance for short distances so I don't mind if I have to fold up my wheelchair somewhere that is slightly inconvenient. It is really having the grab bars in the bathroom and the seat in the shower that is vital.

On our most recent cruise, even though we had an AC Balcony room, it was still nice to get the WC out of the way, so we folded it up and DH placed in in the shower space, when we weren't using that. BTW: I kept my quad or tripod cane close by...also can walk for short distances assisted...should give you guys more room.

The grab bars are extra sturdy, so is the swing up/out of the way shower chair.

The closet rod is set up to come down to you when seated for ease of hanging stuff...those attached hangers are a bit of a pain otherwise. All light switches on rocker panels and call/panic buttons in bathroom and cabin are again, reachable if need be :)

Sorry, I don't know this cabin's number but it was Port Side

 

From foot of bed down "hall"

 

Closet and storage shelves

This really helps get a good idea of the obstructed AC cabins on Deck 8 of the Jewel class ships. BTW, we will be in 8100 for next year's April Panama Canal/repo 15 day cruise...first time in this class on NCL, usually have AC balcony..suite a couple times when able. One question, I assume the door shown in the picture is the bathroom...where does the cabin door open...is it right by the bed opposite the TV?

Did I miss the rest of this review ? It seems to have just stopped in the middle .

It's all here, Cousin! See page 4 for Big Island and Kaua'i, page 5 Circle Island Tour Oahu and sad goodbyes plus epilogue. I think we just all wanted it to keep on going forevah ;) because it is soooo good!

We had a sideways obstructed view cabin on the Jewel last summer. I preferred the layout over the "normal" OV since we could actually access the window without standing on the bed!

 

The entrance was at the foot of the bed, the bed was to the right. As you can see, we used the window ledge for extra storage. Our view was obstructed but not enough to make it a deal breaker. We've booked the same category for a 34 day cruise next year.

Are these the large sideways cabins near the aft stairs? Did you hear very much running in the hallways due to the offset? Thanks!

Very interesting to read another view point so soon after our own wonderful Hawaiian vacation and cruise. Loving all the detail, planning ahead of time and photos.

So far my only questions are 1) who was the Hotel Director, since Cary T. was just starting his well-deserved own vacation 5/4, and 2) really curious to know what Ike, your driver to Hanauma Bay, felt were the ways you could spot a wealthy person/tourist :cool:

As always, thanks so much for sharing :D

I tried it. It was good but no way as good as the tuna. Miss that so much. I would have that every single day for lunch if I could!

A moment of silence now, for the dearly loved and greatly lamented removal of the delectable Grilled Ahi Sandwich...lightly buttered and just barely toasted freshly made bun, a lovely fillet of yummy ahi tuna, grilled to perfection while still pleasingly moist...and not a fishy nuance to be found:

Suite breakfast and lunch menus unchanged. Crab cakes eggs Benedict still available.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk - Jim

Missing the Grilled Ahi Burger for lunch...swordfish just isn't the same. Cary, now on vacation but usual POA HD, also agrees ;)

Thank you for the review! We leave in 8 days on the Pride of America and are booked at Cagney's the first night. I'm looking to try the new menu and, for POA, Cagney's is a new venue (replacing their old steakhouse). Will report back -

Just back from POA 5/4. Here is the information re changes during drydock including changing Lazy J's to Cagney's Steakhouse. Old/original menu prevails, at least for the time being...some photos and menu selections included:

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1840538

After looking at the Ocean Blue menu and the Cagney's, I'll definitely be doing Cagney's.

 

I've never done a cruise, so forgive the perhaps naive question: Did someone say you can get several appetizers (and the single entre)? Because that would make me very happy! I'm a totally appetizer boy!

 

Richard/Tralfie

You can order more than 1 starter, soup, salad or dessert. For example, when I ordered the grilled asparagus (no longer on the new menu), I ordered 2 servings because they only gave you 3 lonely spears. The crab cakes (gone now, too) were quite rich as were the mushrooms. If you order more than 1 entree you are generally rung up as a doulbe charge.

After a 10 oz filet, we'd order 2 or 3 desserts to share. The raspberry brulee and apple crisp were particularly good, and if we go again...even without the prime rib and filet, DH would probably order the bone-in 18 ounce rib eye rare while I would cross my fingers that my lamb chop entree might actually arrive medium rare...I'd like to try those new onion rings...hopefully they are the flakey, steak house sort.

Oh and the shrimp cocktail, which is actually prawns...they will give you 4 at dinner but only 3 at lunch time...feel free to order a couple ;)

Little known fact, if you do not order any entrees, guess how much you or your children are charged?

Anyone know if there were changes to the breakfast and lunch menus?? If there are no more crab cakes.....will there be crab cakes Benedict? They already took away my favorite tuna burger for lunch.....if they take away the crab cakes Benedict, I may reconsider my future bookings in full suites....:(

That grilled ahi burger was the best. I may be mistaken but the substituted, and likely more bottom-line friendly, swordfish would seem to have higher mercury counts...limits the amount of times I can enjoy a delectable finned filet sandwich.

Lobster Bisque is gone too. :( I know it was a favorite of many.

Perhaps so, but personally I hated it...more tomato bisque with a bit of lobster.

On the other hand, I don't read any Upcharge Items here...so the Lobster Tail is the same...wonder if this is for the usual unlimited aps, soups, salads and desserts but just the one entree? :D

I, too would love to know what happened with Steve Knott.

I have sailed with him twice, he addrsesed our last Meet & Greet

and was really so accomodating.

 

Does anyone know WHY he is no longer with NCL?

 

Thanks!

He was wonderful on the Sky October 2011...ran into a few small wrinkles and he smoothed them all out with a 'can do' attitude plus being quite upbeat for our M&G and always available.

Steve and John were two of my favorite HDs...sad to think they would (both) be gone...such a solid resource for NCL!

What are the fares from the airport to the hotels in Waikiki?

 

What are the transport options? Are there any good shuttle deals?

Thanks in advance.

Kev

There are taxis, shuttle vans, limos and The Bus (limited luggage).

We chose to go with Robert's who guaranteed a maxim of 5 stops and the excellent price of just $8.

BTW: it was also the same price from our hotel to the pier and from the pier back to the airport.

hth :)

NCL Spirit, I noticed the SF Penthouse Suites Forward had Zodiac names on this former Star vessel, (also no rooms with the 'unlucky' number 4 in them)...

Our home away from home was 10022, the Aries suite...and how sweet it was! :p

We will be sailing on the Sky next October for one of her 4 day Bahamas cruises and have booked an aft penthouse suite...I think it was listed as SE. Alas, it is on deck 8, so above the showroom/stage...

There are several very good You Tube videos demonstrating the separate living/sleeping areas, showing the baths and amount of balcony space as well. This one appears to have a slider in both the living area and bedroom and I've read up here about pax sleeping with both fresh air and soothing water sounds available to them ;)

Hope this helps, and have a fantastic time!

I found Costa Maya as well as our 3 other ports for an upcoming cruise listed under Caribbean header...lots of tips and the most current information.

Majahual, now known as Mahahual is the main beach but it is not the one at the cruise dock. That is a little artifical village that does seem to have a Disneyesque flavor it. There is a swim up bar and eatery you can visit along with some pricey souvenirs to be had just steps from the pier.

You will find soldiers guarding gates and stone/cement fencing along the edges of this ersatz village. Go a few steps outside the gate and there are taxis and buses that will take you directly to Mahahual. They will drop you off a some point near the center of that post 2007 malecon (beach walk).

Plenty of small seafood spots with some recommended more than others. A few like 100% Agave and Nacional Beach Club (no cost) really caught my eye. Friends who have tried it say the sovenirs were less expensive and sometimes also of higher quality than at the Costa Maya 'tourist village' locale.

Perfect for me would be medium rare...nicely charred on the outside, pink on the edges and pinkish red in the middle. I find this the easiest to chew, and more well done are generally drier.

DH likes his rare-warm and if the cut is very thin, as in MDR then I might order that as well, fully expecting medium rare to medium, so then just happy with any amount of pink left...