Your favorite cruise line to take to Hawaii

[CruisingSince2012]

Not sure how much you cruise..

 

There aren't any more "kids" sailing Hawaii on NCL than any other line. AND with NCL's intense port options, the ships are empty most of the day, with their dining concept - working out perfectly on this itinerary. You can see and do plenty. Significant benefit of adding Hawaii time easily. Not available with sailing out of CA.

 

You have your fixed ideas - which is a plus you "know" them. Hopefully you will find options that are good for you.

 

I like traditional dining. My last cruise got me hooked on it. I need to think a lot about having only casual anytime dining in the MDR after my experience on the Sapphire Princess.

[CRUZBUDS]

Not sure how much you cruise..

 

There aren't any more "kids" sailing Hawaii on NCL than any other line.

.

 

I never did NCL America, but I'm willing to bet that are a lot more kids on the POA than on any line's 15 day round trips from the west coast. We did a HAL R/T cruise that had just one kid aboard.

 

-- it's just one more reason why we love them. :)

 

Aloha!

[Cruisin' Chick]

I like traditional dining. My last cruise got me hooked on it. I need to think a lot about having only casual anytime dining in the MDR after my experience on the Sapphire Princess.

 

Same here. We did not care for anytime dining at all the one time we couldn't clear the waitlist.

[mattson]

Like others have said, but reaffirming it for another PoV...

 

When we cruised on the NCL PoA back in April/May of 2014, with our then 4 year old daughter, she was one of around 20-30 kids... I can't remember the exact number, but it was bugger all compared to the last 2 CCL cruises I've been on, and the kids club girls were like, this is a "big" group of kids.

 

That said, other than the night they were showing "frozen" in the kids theatre, I never saw all of them together... at most I saw around 5-6 swimming in an empty pool one afternoon, I think it was the Maui sail-away.

 

my research indicated it was favoured by the middle-age demographic and that was reflected in the majority of the guests...

 

If you "hate" even the remote possibility of seeing any kids on the cruise, then NCL isn't probably isn't for you.

 

Anyway, Traditional dining vs freestyle isn't as bad as it seems either, for 7 nights it's neither here nor there... as we were so busy during the day, some nights we just couldn't muster up the energy to sit through the dining room experience, we just ate at the buffet and went to bed early.

 

Any cruise will be what you make of it.

[greatlakesgirl]

I never did NCL America, but I'm willing to bet that are a lot more kids on the POA than on any line's 15 day round trips from the west coast. We did a HAL R/T cruise that had just one kid aboard.

 

-- it's just one more reason why we love them. :)

 

Aloha!

Nope. Our POA sailing had about 8 kids, and that included our 2 and our nephew.

[CruisingSince2012]

Nope. Our POA sailing had about 8 kids, and that included our 2 and our nephew.

 

Which month was that?

[greatlakesgirl]

Which month was that?

February during mid-winter break. Maybe there would be more in the summer? I think that would be true of any cruise line, though. :)

[CruisingSince2012]

February during mid-winter break. Maybe there would be more in the summer? I think that would be true of any cruise line, though.

 

So I should be OK when school is in session - assuming there is a reason to like NCL.

[greatlakesgirl]

So I should be OK when school is in session - assuming there is a reason to like NCL.

LOL I guess so. If you'd take the time to actually read some recent reviews here on the Hawaii board and the NCL board, you'd see that plenty of people really enjoyed the cruise.

[CruisingSince2012]

LOL I guess so. If you'd take the time to actually read some recent reviews here on the Hawaii board and the NCL board, you'd see that plenty of people really enjoyed the cruise.

 

People who love traditional dining and formal nights on other cruise lines? Or do they like NCL because those policies don't exist anymore?

[CRUZBUDS]

Nope. Our POA sailing had about 8 kids, and that included our 2 and our nephew.

 

According to my calculator -- that is 8 times as many kids as our HAL cruise ;)

[greatlakesgirl]

According to my calculator -- that is 8 times as many kids as our HAL cruise ;)

Your idea of "a lot" of kids is eight?

 

Ok. :rolleyes:

Edited June 15, 2015 by greatlakesgirl

[CRUZBUDS]

Your idea of "a lot" of kids is eight?

 

Ok. :rolleyes:

 

This is kind of silly, as a general rule -- on average any 7 day cruise almost anywhere will have more kids than a 15 day. The cost and time of of a 15 day cruise knocks out a lot of families with kids.

[punkincc]

This is kind of silly, as a general rule -- on average any 7 day cruise almost anywhere will have more kids than a 15 day. The cost and time of of a 15 day cruise knocks out a lot of families with kids.

 

And so does a flight from the mainland or elsewhere with a few kids;). That airfare is not cheap, and neither is the fare on the POA, as it is the ONLY ship doing Hawai inter island cruises, and is also US flagged. So, that is a bit of a deterrent to families who are vacation planning and are much more likely to go for the much cheaper and closer to home Caribbean cruise that leaves from the mainland.

 

But, the argument IS a bit silly. I have no idea how many kids were on our August POA cruise. I really did not notice any. When you are off the ship all day, every day, seeing Hawaii, the idea that a handful of kids, probably well behaved, that you MIGHT come across out of a few thousand people is a little ridiculous. How do you survive in the real world?:).

 

I abhor HAL, but even I would consider a cruise with them if they did inter island, because when you are in a port every single day, and with overnights in both Maui and Kauai, that itinerary tops all other considerations. And how many kids there would be onboard would be the very last thing I thought about.

[Cruise Junky]

This is kind of silly, as a general rule -- on average any 7 day cruise almost anywhere will have more kids than a 15 day. The cost and time of of a 15 day cruise knocks out a lot of families with kids.

 

Maybe a 7 day Carribean but not with the price of Pride and then add in the airfare. You can't compare Pride to a regular 7 day cruise and if you do, you're doing yourself a disservice.

[CruisingSince2012]

This is kind of silly, as a general rule - on average any 7 day cruise almost anywhere will have more kids than a 15 day. The cost and time of of a 15 day cruise knocks out a lot of families with kids.

 

That implies you will see a a lot more kids on the POA than you will on a HAL or Princess Hawaii cruise because they have 15-night itineraries. In other words, it is more likely you will see kids on POA because of the shorter duration, whether the family likes NCL or not. I am just guessing here, but if I was a mom I would not use the high cost of airfare as a deterrent if it meant being better for kids to sail on.

 

Now, back to the original question: If all 6 major cruise lines did Honolulu round trip cruises (pretend the PVSA does not exist for argument's sake), would there still be more kids on the POA than other ships?

[Freehike]

That implies you will see a a lot more kids on the POA than you will on a HAL or Princess Hawaii cruise because they have 15-night itineraries. In other words, it is more likely you will see kids on POA because of the shorter duration, whether the family likes NCL or not. I am just guessing here, but if I was a mom I would not use the high cost of airfare as a deterrent if it meant being better for kids to sail on.

 

Now, back to the original question: If all 6 major cruise lines did Honolulu round trip cruises (pretend the PVSA does not exist for argument's sake), would there still be more kids on the POA than other ships?

 

No idea, but the POA really needs some competition. It's priced high for what you get and its really not that great of a ship.

 

 

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[punkincc]

No idea, but the POA really needs some competition. It's priced high for what you get and its really not that great of a ship.

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But, it has the superior itinerary if the primary goal is to maximize time in Hawaii.;) True, the POA is not a Breakaway Class ship, but all those extras would be wasted on a cruise around Hawaii. Are you really going to skip an afternoon in Maui to walk a ropes course on the ship? We had zero complaints about the ship or the service. After 10 to 12 hours ashore, all we wanted was some food and a bed.

 

If someone just wants to "cruise" and enjoy a ship's amenities as the primary goal, there are plenty of ships with all the bells and whistles elsewhere. You can book a Caribbean cruise and not even get off the ship;).

 

And the competition thing really is not going to happen. We can all understand why it is priced as it is, given the limited number of berths per week and the higher operating expenses related to being US flagged and the associated wage and training costs. It is what it is.

[CruisingSince2012]

But, it has the superior itinerary if the primary goal is to maximize time in Hawaii. True, the POA is not a Breakaway Class ship, but all those extras would be wasted on a cruise around Hawaii. Are you really going to skip an afternoon in Maui to walk a ropes course on the ship? We had zero complaints about the ship or the service. After 10 to 12 hours ashore, all we wanted was some food and a bed.

 

If someone just wants to "cruise" and enjoy a ship's amenities as the primary goal, there are plenty of ships with all the bells and whistles elsewhere. You can book a Caribbean cruise and not even get off the ship;).

 

And the competition thing really is not going to happen. We can all understand why it is priced as it is, given the limited number of berths per week and the higher operating expenses related to being US flagged and the associated wage and training costs. It is what it is.

 

But here's the thing: As much as I want to spend more time off the ship and visit more ports in Hawaii, I also want a great ship for food, entertainment, etc. since I will be on it every night. I am a night owl so there better be fun activities for me after supper. Of course, I also need a great cabin because I will sleep in it every night. If NCL does not have these things on other ships older than the Breakaway, I can't expect to find them on POA.

[Cruise Junky]

But here's the thing: As much as I want to spend more time off the ship and visit more ports in Hawaii, I also want a great ship for food, entertainment, etc. since I will be on it every night. I am a night owl so there better be fun activities for me after supper. Of course, I also need a great cabin because I will sleep in it every night. If NCL does not have these things on other ships older than the Breakaway, I can't expect to find them on POA.

 

That's when you have to decide on your priorities. Is it entertainment and food or is it Hawaii? Kind of a no brainer once you figure out what the main reason for the trip is. You either suck it up for the best Hawaiian itinerary on the seas or you book a second rate itinerary for the food and the entertainment.

[CruisingSince2012]

That's when you have to decide on your priorities. Is it entertainment and food or is it Hawaii? Kind of a no brainer once you figure out what the main reason for the trip is. You either suck it up for the best Hawaiian itinerary on the seas or you book a second rate itinerary for the food and the entertainment.

 

It is not always that simple. I want to come back to the ship to great food and a soft bed after a long day in port. Even if the entertainment sucks and there isn't much to do onboard, just having a pretty good ship is important between ports. I want both Hawaii and great food - can't choose between one or the other - if I am taking a cruise.

[punkincc]

It is not always that simple. I want to come back to the ship to great food and a soft bed after a long day in port. Even if the entertainment sucks and there isn't much to do onboard, just having a pretty good ship is important between ports. I want both Hawaii and great food - can't choose between one or the other - if I am taking a cruise.

 

It really is that simple.:). The POA is not a Motel 6. It is very similar to all the ships in the NCL fleet other than the 3, soon to be 4, megaships. And those older ships are very similar to every other mainstream cruise line when it comes to cabins, food and entertainment. I know, because I have been on them. At our anniversary meal in Le Bistro, we probably experienced the finest service we have ever had on a cruise ship, possibly on land as well. ( They pick up Kona lobster at the Kona port stop and many book a specialty that night to try it. You can't get any fresher than that. ) The filet in Cagney's is like butter. NCL I believe has the largest number of Specialty Dining venues of any fleet, steakhouse, French, Churrascaria, Italian, teppanyaki and Asian. That covered lanai on the back of the ship for breakfast ( it converts to an open air lounge at night complete with couches and soft lighting ) is the most enjoyable space we've ever found on a cruise ship. Soft breeze, soft lighting, soft guitar in the background, martini in hand and an island receding into the sunset. Ahhhh. We managed to make the Mojito tasting one afternoon and it was a blast. All ingredients such as various fruits and mixers on the table, and you got to create several of your own. Great fun.

 

And they are known for their entertainment. Most comparisons I see of entertainment rank NCL equal to or often better than other lines. There is plenty to do on board.

 

No problem with our cabin. Plenty of storage. If you want truly deluxe treatment, book a suite in the the Haven and enjoy the services of butler and concierge and all the related perks. The other cruise lines do not offer anything close to the perks you get.

Edited June 17, 2015 by punkincc

[Freehike]

It really is that simple.:). The POA is not a Motel 6. It is very similar to all the ships in the NCL fleet other than the 3, soon to be 4, megaships. And those older ships are very similar to every other mainstream cruise line when it comes to cabins, food and entertainment. I know, because I have been on them. At our anniversary meal in Le Bistro, we probably experienced the finest service we have ever had on a cruise ship, possibly on land as well. ( They pick up Kona lobster at the Kona port stop and many book a specialty that night to try it. You can't get any fresher than that. ) The filet in Cagney's is like butter. NCL I believe has the largest number of Specialty Dining venues of any fleet, steakhouse, French, Churrascaria, Italian, teppanyaki and Asian. That covered lanai on the back of the ship for breakfast ( it converts to an open air lounge at night complete with couches and soft lighting ) is the most enjoyable space we've ever found on a cruise ship. Soft breeze, soft lighting, soft guitar in the background, martini in hand and an island receding into the sunset. Ahhhh. We managed to make the Mojito tasting one afternoon and it was a blast. All ingredients such as various fruits and mixers on the table, and you got to create several of your own. Great fun.

 

And they are known for their entertainment. Most comparisons I see of entertainment rank NCL equal to or often better than other lines. There is plenty to do on board.

 

No problem with our cabin. Plenty of storage. If you want truly deluxe treatment, book a suite in the the Haven and enjoy the services of butler and concierge and all the related perks. The other cruise lines do not offer anything close to the perks you get.

 

I wasn't impressed with the POA. It wasn't an awful Carnival cruise (sorry Carnival), but for the price paid I was very disappointed. The idea behind an American theme on the ship is great, but it's poorly executed. The specialty restaurants were great, I agree with you there. The other restaurants were very average and the buffet was the worst I've ever had, by far.

 

Our cabin # was 11040. It was a great location and surprisingly quiet for the pool deck. The cabin itself needed an overhaul. 3 of the storage drawers were broken. Stains on the carpet. The TV had 2 channels, everything else was static. The shower was ridiculously small. We never met our room attendant even once during the entire week (they were taking care of the room, but I have never been on a cruise where they didn't introduce themselves).

 

I could go on and on, but there is no point. We had a great trip overall and Hawaii was amazing. I just think that for the price paid the POA is simply not that impressive.

 

 

 

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[punkincc]

I could go on and on, but there is no point. We had a great trip overall and Hawaii was amazing. I just think that for the price paid the POA is simply not that impressive.

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Your opinion and mine are but two out of the thousands who cruise on the POA every month year round. Anyone considering the cruise would do well to read many reviews to get a sense of whether or not it will work for them. I have yet to have a cruise that exactly mirrored the reviews I read prior.

 

And again, the price paid for the POA is not because it is the Waldorf Astoria. It is because it is the ONLY cruise ship sailing year round Hawaii, and because it is US flagged in order to be able to do so.

 

I agree that in today's cruise culture, having a steward you never meet is a rarity, but it is always humorous to me when I see "complaints" about this. Can you imagine spending a week in a hotel and then complaining that the maid from housekeeping never introduced herself? There was a time ( and maybe it still exists somewhere ) where service was expected to be very unobtrusive, descrete, and invisible. We have enjoyed some chats with staff, but if my cabin is spotless, and my steward is invisible, that fact will probably not even register with me. I just assume he is busy doing his job, or maybe he is very new, or maybe he is just shy. Or, on the POA, the fact that he was likely "American" might have a little to do with it;).

[Cruise Junky]

I just think that for the price paid the POA is simply not that impressive.

 

 

 

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That is probably a common mistake. You're not paying the higher price for a 5* ship, you're A: paying for US wages and Taxes and B: paying for no competition. Pride is what it is, its the itinerary that is the draw.