norwegian wind

[referee]

We booked an 11 day Hawaiian cruise for march 2006 on the Wind.this will be our longest cruise ever .Is there anything special that we should know about a trip of that length? (packing, dining, tours, etc.):)

[canadiancruise]

We would also be interested to hear how people enjoyed the norwegian wind, as we are thinking of doing an alaskan cruise on her. How was the food, service, entertainment?

tia

[mg93901]

Hello!

 

I guess I should have posted a review. Really didn't think anyone would've been that interested. :p

 

I posted a few times, answered questions, in this thread when I got home: http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=247553&page=2

 

I also posted my photos here: http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=269444

 

Feel free to ask any questions. I'll be happy to answer, but keep in mind this was my first cruise so I have nothing to compare the Wind to. I had a great time! :D

[Chilcotin]

If you are sailing on 11 March take a look at our roll call at:

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=255666

 

So far we have five people on the roll call...hopefully you are joining us.:)

[KeystoneCruiser]

We booked an 11 day Hawaiian cruise for march 2006 on the Wind.this will be our longest cruise ever .Is there anything special that we should know about a trip of that length? (packing, dining, tours, etc.):)

 

We have been to Hawaii twice on NCL. The Star in 2002 & the POA in 2004 although both those were 7 day cruises. The good thing about Hawaiian cruises is that Hawaiian attire is considered "resort casual" for use in the dining rooms. (no shorts mind you, but Hawaiian shirts and slacks for the men and Hawaiian dresses for the women.) On the formal night (which of couse was optional), I think it was about 30% in Hawaiian clothing, 40% in normal resort casual and 30% in formal attire (suits & ties....saw very few tuxes on my hawaiian cruises.)

 

The other thing about Hawaii is that it is always warm. No need to pack a bunch of long sleeve shirts and the only long pants you may need are those for the dining rooms.

 

Great tours to see in Hawaii as well. I have never been to Fanning Island so I can't comment on that. Our Star cruise in 2002 had a medical emergency and we had to turn around enroute and go back to Hawaii. Missed Fanning, but picked up two extra days in Hawaii:) . Of course the Aloha in 2004 did not do Fanning either.

 

Have a great trip.

[professor]

The Wind is a smaller and older ship than NCL's Star-class ships (Star, Dawn, Jewel), but is well maintained and handles rough seas almost as well as the larger ships. I was on the Wind in October, and was surprised at how smoothly she sailed though some pretty choppy seas en route to Fanning Island.

 

Fanning Island is a different world, IMHO well worth the two days it takes to get there. However, it's near the equator, and HOT. This is definitely not the place to skimp on suntan lotion.

 

Because Fanning Island is a part of the Polynesian nation of Kiribati, I thought it would be neat to get a Kiribati stamp in your passport -- but it doesn't happen automatically. Customs clearance is handled on the Wind before arriving at Fanning Island, but with no passport stamp. If you're on the Wind and want a Kiribati stamp in your passport, take it with you when you go ashore, and you will find a little hut with a couple of customs officers stamping passports for everyone who presents their passport to them. Interestingly, they appreciate tips.

 

For a "genuine" Kiribati souvenir, go to the little post office and buy some Kiribati stamps. Any of the NCL crew on the island should be able to direct you to the place where passports are stamped, and to the post office. Both are near the area where locally made souvenirs are sold.

 

Some of the best entertainment on the Wind is not in the Stardust theater. On the top deck is the Observatory Lounge with an excellent vocalist duo. Also, near Le Bistro is a cocktail lounge area with a fabulous jazz pianist who plays at the Halekulani in Waikiki when he's not on the Wind. The Stardust is not an ideal theater, with mid-room posts and other line-of-sight problems in several spots. The 'sofa seating' looks comfortable, but doesn't provide the best view of the stage for the Jean Ann Ryan shows. Also, because seating capacity is quite limited, the room begins to fill up 20-30 minutes before an evening performance.

 

My least favorite thing: The Sports Bar. Inadequate seating for a buffet restaurant, usually very overcrowded.

 

My favorite: The ship's crew. Absolutely fantastic by any standard!

They work so hard at doing their jobs well. I loved the concierge, the room stewards, and practically everyone with whom I had any significant contact.

I don't know how long the Wind will remain in the NCL fleet, but I would gladly book another Hawaiian voyage in a couple years if she's still sailing to Fanning Island.

[betslil]

One more thing to keep in mind, there is NO casino on board.... even thought the brochures say there is, the web sites have pictures of the Casino there is NO casino on board... the only gambling is Bingo and that is only on the 2 days to and from Fanning Island.

Just thougth I'd mention it.

we were on the Wind in November and lots of people were upset about not being able to find the Casino and then they were told that there was no casino, boy were people upset...

[referee]

Thanks For The Info....we Knew About No Casino From Our Travel Agent...just As Well...we Took A Christmas Cruise To Cozumel 12/22/05 On Grandeur Of The Seas Out Of Tampa...we Made Quite A "contribution" At Their Casino...this Time We'll Spend Our $ On Excursions:)

[nappa]

Hi

 

We were on the 11 day cruise that left September 3, 2005 and really enjoyed it. If you're interested I've started uploading my photos of the ship and ports we visited.

 

The address is http://community.webshots.com/user/tgwall

 

I'll gladly answer any questions you might have, just drop me an email.

 

Nappa