Rare 4cats4me Posted February 6, 2011 #76 Share Posted February 6, 2011 We've paid around $1200 each for an nice mid-ship OV cabin on our upcoming 14 night Golden Pr. Hawaii cruise which included return air flights from Toronto to LA so bargains can be had if you look for them. I am fairly certain that your aft balcony at that price didn't include air and that included in the price was for your parent's inside only. I know that if we had the chance at being in an aft balcony for an Hawaiian cruise, even if it was seven night, at $100 more each we wouldn't be in an inside. A regular balcony for our cruise that sails in just over a week was about 7X more than that differences.We've also have had several friends who have cruise NCL within the last couple of years and won't be making that mistake again. Neither will we. It's nice to be able to benefit from others experiences. We really enjoy our sea days when on a good ship so that is why five out of the eight cruises we've done or booked as is currently the case for Golden, in the last two years have been repositioning or itineraries traveling long distances thus have had many of these. In fact I'm just making final arrangement for a 14 night southern caribbean cruise with five sea days. Your post just reaffirms why we are so glad we booked the 15-day out of SF next year! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nancyquilts Posted February 6, 2011 #77 Share Posted February 6, 2011 Your post just reaffirms why we are so glad we booked the 15-day outof SF next year! And since we've got 15 days, how about giving us Kona back and making it 16? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cruise Junky Posted February 6, 2011 #78 Share Posted February 6, 2011 And since we've got 15 days, how about giving us Kona back and making it 16? Never understood why they took Kona off the itinerary, we really liked it. On the Princess itinerary, do you get the afternoon sail past the Napili Coast? I would have to say that was one of the major highlights when we did Pride. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deb in Markham Posted July 18, 2011 Author #79 Share Posted July 18, 2011 We've paid around $1200 each for an nice mid-ship OV cabin on our upcoming 14 night Golden Pr. Hawaii cruise which included return air flights from Toronto to LA so bargains can be had if you look for them. WOW! Where in the world did you find a bargain like that out of Toronto??? Share your secret--please!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
west coast cruiser Posted July 18, 2011 #80 Share Posted July 18, 2011 I have taken this cruise 3 times and have a 4th booked. I take it for the sea days. I agree if it is mainly Hawaii you want, you should just go to Hawaii and spend your vacatin there. I love to read and relax and that is what I do. This cruise is not for those who are not real excited about spending a lot of time at sea. WCC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DMRick Posted July 18, 2011 #81 Share Posted July 18, 2011 We did the NCL one..it was rush rush rush, and although we love HI, we never made it to a show at night, well we did, but we fell asleep. We did the Golden last December and will be repeating it in October. You can do as much or as little as you wish, but we arrived in HI well rested. Then we rented cars on each island and stayed very busy for 4 days, and then got on the ship and relaxed and relaxed. We felt like we had a couple different vacations. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cruise Junky Posted July 18, 2011 #82 Share Posted July 18, 2011 We did the NCL one..it was rush rush rush, and although we love HI, we never made it to a show at night, well we did, but we fell asleep.We did the Golden last December and will be repeating it in October. You can do as much or as little as you wish, but we arrived in HI well rested. Then we rented cars on each island and stayed very busy for 4 days, and then got on the ship and relaxed and relaxed. We felt like we had a couple different vacations. I guess it depends on what your priorities are. The day mine is a Ship's show over more time in Hawaii I'll have my Husband commit me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Putterdude Posted July 18, 2011 #83 Share Posted July 18, 2011 While I am not a huge fan of all of the sea days, I'm retired and have nothing to wind down from, I have said to DW that maybe it's something we should try again in a few years. As much as we enjoy the Caribbean in the winter, as west coasters the flight to and from FLL is becoming a bit of a drag. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cruise Junky Posted July 18, 2011 #84 Share Posted July 18, 2011 While I am not a huge fan of all of the sea days, I'm retired and have nothing to wind down from, I have said to DW that maybe it's something we should try again in a few years. As much as we enjoy the Caribbean in the winter, as west coasters the flight to and from FLL is becoming a bit of a drag. $375 return including all taxes from Bellingham :) be there in 5 1/2 hours Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Putterdude Posted July 18, 2011 #85 Share Posted July 18, 2011 $375 return including all taxes from Bellingham :) be there in 5 1/2 hours As we are at our home in Arizona during the winter we tend to fly SWA out of Las Vegas...good pricing but just a long day. On the other hand we can drive out to San Pedro the morning of as it is just about 4.5 hrs and we have the advantage of the one hours time change....it's pretty easy on the old system.:) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bucky3 Posted July 18, 2011 #86 Share Posted July 18, 2011 Deb - I hope you decide on the Golden to Hawaii!! Our favorite time to cruise there is September/October. We have never had rough seas during that timeframe, but of course that could just be plain luck. You never can be sure of sea conditions. We love family cruise vacations 'cause it's such a great way to be together and yet there is something for everyone to enjoy separately or together. And the best part is no big decisions to be made, no individual food tastes to satisfy, no grocery shopping, etc. etc. With the exception of Oahu (Honolulu), the other islands are ideal for exploring on your own by rental car, and even Oahu is fine to drive outside the downtown area. Hope you have a wonderful cruise with your family, and please let us all know what you decide. Aloha! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DMRick Posted July 18, 2011 #87 Share Posted July 18, 2011 I think you misunderstood. I was comparing being well rested and enjoying HI, versus being exhausted the entire time we were there. Even flying in a couple days later from NYS, while it helped, wasn't the same kind of rest we had on the ship the four days getting to HI and then the rest after our whirlwind trip to the islands. I didn't say we didn't love HI, as we did, but doing all the ports after the trip there, was a bit tiring as we started out tired, and we couldn't enjoy the wonderful amenities of the ship because we were so tired each day. For us, part of a cruise is enjoying the shows and nightlife. I think if I had to fly out again and then be so busy, I would not do a cruise too, I would just stay in one place. That said, any trip to HI is better than staying home. I've gotten to compare both ways of doing it, and I don't think I need to be commited, just because I prefer one way over another. I guess it depends on what your priorities are. The day mine is a Ship's show over more time in Hawaii I'll have my Husband commit me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cruise Junky Posted July 18, 2011 #88 Share Posted July 18, 2011 I think you misunderstood. I was comparing being well rested and enjoying HI, versus being exhausted the entire time we were there. Even flying in a couple days later from NYS, while it helped, wasn't the same kind of rest we had on the ship the four days getting to HI and then the rest after our whirlwind trip to the islands. I didn't say we didn't love HI, as we did, but doing all the ports after the trip there, was a bit tiring as we started out tired, and we couldn't enjoy the wonderful amenities of the ship because we were so tired each day. For us, part of a cruise is enjoying the shows and nightlife. I think if I had to fly out again and then be so busy, I would not do a cruise too, I would just stay in one place. That said, any trip to HI is better than staying home. I've gotten to compare both ways of doing it, and I don't think I need to be commited, just because I prefer one way over another. I don't think I misunderstood you at all. I said it was about priorities. As I've done Pride with my parents and non of us were exhausted at all, in fact we thought the itinerary was amazing with two overnights. We obviously have different priorities when we travel. By husband and father got two golf games in which you don't usually do on exhausting itineraries. As already mentioned by a few people in this thread...if you like sea days and a bit of Hawaii, take the cruise. If you want to see Hawaii, then go to Hawaii. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
denims Posted July 18, 2011 #89 Share Posted July 18, 2011 We're going in early October, so I hope it will still be warm. I know Southern California can still be warm in October. Thanks for all your thoughts. It's always nice to get someone else's point of view. I appreciate it. ;) You don't have to worry about the temp in Hawaii in ANY month. I think I saw a previous poster say it was cold in Hawaii in February. We take a land vacation in Hawaii almost every February (whale watching) and it ALWAYS around 80! You can check other threads regarding the weather to and from Hawaii. It will give you a better picture of what the weather should be. From what I read, the first few days out of LA can be a little cool and sometimes a little rough. But the rest of the trip should be great. Forget NCL…..go Princess!!!:D:D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
js92570 Posted July 18, 2011 #90 Share Posted July 18, 2011 We took this cruise in 08 and are going again in February on the Golden. Loved the sea days, never bored once. Looking forward to the refurbished Golden. We have sailed on her three times. Any cruise is what you make it so if you want to enjoy the sea days, you will.:) I don't know how anyone could get enough of Hawaii.;) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DMRick Posted July 18, 2011 #91 Share Posted July 18, 2011 Yes, you did misunderstand. I didn't say I didn't like HI, and that the cruise was my priority. My 'priorities' are to have a good time. If I get that and rest, it's a bonus. Have you been on both to compare, as others have? If I had only gone on NCL, that would have been the best one for me...then I did the Golden, and that's the one I'm repeating. Throw in the bonus of all there is to do on the ship, and it's a double vacation. My husband loved learning the Uke, as did many others, and that was a bonus! Now, we can have a bit of HI in our home, as he continued learning it. That said, they were both nice (well, the service on NCL at that time wasn't so much, but we still had a good time), and while priorities have nothing to do with it, since we spent a lot of time on both cruises in HI, the relaxing part, for those who have the vacation time was a real bonus. I don't think I misunderstood you at all. I said it was about priorities. As I've done Pride with my parents and non of us were exhausted at all, in fact we thought the itinerary was amazing with two overnights. We obviously have different priorities when we travel. By husband and father got two golf games in which you don't usually do on exhausting itineraries. As already mentioned by a few people in this thread...if you like sea days and a bit of Hawaii, take the cruise. If you want to see Hawaii, then go to Hawaii. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rayandshirl Posted July 18, 2011 #92 Share Posted July 18, 2011 Last December we celebrated our 38th wedding anniversary on the Golden and took the Christmas cruise to Hawaii and back from LA. We enjoyed each phase of the trip so much that we're returning in April with 12 friends/family on the Star out of San Francisco. No airplanes this time! The sea days went by so fast with all of the lectures, events and just enjoying the ocean out of our balcony. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimmy2x Posted July 19, 2011 #93 Share Posted July 19, 2011 Just wondering what some of you frequent Hawaii cruisers think of the sailings that will be going out of San Francisco in a year or so. Thinking of taking the Grand as we would love to spend a few days in the City prior to the cruise. I was home-ported out of Alameda in the early 70's and have gone under the Golden Gate many times. My wife and I loved the time we were able to spend in the City and, although certainly many things have changed, we would hope that we would enjoy our time there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LaCal Posted November 1, 2011 #94 Share Posted November 1, 2011 Were going on the Golden/Hawaii Cruise on Nov 9th and WERE LOOKING FORWARD TO ALL THE SEA DAYS.... Plenty of things to do on the ship PLUS We LOVE the Casino and will be in there All of the Sea Days till the Wee Hours OF Each Night...:eek: Just Hope We Win...:D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arlened236 Posted November 1, 2011 #95 Share Posted November 1, 2011 Just wondering what some of you frequent Hawaii cruisers think of the sailings that will be going out of San Francisco in a year or so. Thinking of taking the Grand as we would love to spend a few days in the City prior to the cruise. I was home-ported out of Alameda in the early 70's and have gone under the Golden Gate many times. My wife and I loved the time we were able to spend in the City and, although certainly many things have changed, we would hope that we would enjoy our time there. We are booked in March 2013 on the Grand out of SF...I was born and raised in the bay area so it gives me a chance to visit family and go under the Gate again. We have done the LA to Hawaii twice in Feb. and love the sea days. So much to do (or nothing if you want) Yes, the first day out of LA had moderate sea's...but not so much that it was a problem, and it was not warm enough to sit by the pool. I would expect going out of SF would be the same. We love the Grand...but have not been on it since it was retro fitted. The crew was the best as was the size of the ship. Like someone said, you are very rested when you get to Hawaii, very busy for several days and then rested when you leave the ship to go home. A perfect vacation. any questions just ask. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jazzpurr Posted November 1, 2011 #96 Share Posted November 1, 2011 My mom & I did a 14-day San Diego-Hawaii in late October last year. This was on HAL, so the average passenger was 65+. The 4 sea days coming back were far too many--not enough to do. If your 15-yr-old wants teenagers for company, a long cruise probably isn't it, as most of the passengers will be older as school is in session. The weather was wonderful throughout the whole cruise Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BosoxI Posted November 3, 2011 #97 Share Posted November 3, 2011 There is no such thing as too many sea days Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rdsqrl Posted November 3, 2011 #98 Share Posted November 3, 2011 there is no such thing as too many sea days + 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrChuckFL Posted November 3, 2011 #99 Share Posted November 3, 2011 We did this itinerary on Celebrity and it was a great way to see Hawaii. I would much rather be sitting on my balcony reading a book or sipping a drink then sitting in a cramped airplane seat for 6 hours. We traveled with several couples that we had met on previous cruises so the sea days were a great way to catch up and relax. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jff50 Posted November 3, 2011 #100 Share Posted November 3, 2011 We did this itinerary on Celebrity and it was a great way to see Hawaii. I would much rather be sitting on my balcony reading a book or sipping a drink then sitting in a cramped airplane seat for 6 hours. I've done Celebrity round trip from LA and NCL round trip from Honolulu. I would much rather be spending 6 hours in a cramped airplane seat and 7 days enjoying what Hawaii has to offer, than 8 days on a cruise ship. I think the beaches and other natural beauty that Hawaii offers are preferable to trivia, production shows and the other entertainment offered on a cruise ship. Especially when 4 of the sea days can be pretty iffy. I've found that the first 1-2 days out of LA and the last 1-2 days back can be rough and overcast--they were on my Celebrity Hawaii cruise, as well as many of my Panama Canal and Mexican Riviera cruises out of LA. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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