Hawaii cruise questions

[shel003]

I am thinking of taking a Hawaiian cruise on Norwegian’s Pride of America.  I am looking at this over the cruise line I usually cruise with because of the itinerary. I have never sailed with Norwegian and have some questions.

 

1.  Any advice or reviews for those who have taken this cruise?

 

2. Are there any tender ports? If so does this ship have any devices or ways for wheelchair users to be able to tender? I use a regular manual wheelchair. I can walk short distances with a cane but have very poor balance and am worried about stepping from a dock across a gap into the tender.

 

3. How are Norwegian’s wheelchair accessible excursions for this itinerary? I haven’t seen any labeled wheelchair accessible on their website, are they just not listed? How do you book accessible tours?

4. Also thinking of doing a pre-cruise land stay in Oahu, does Norwegian provide any wheelchair accessible options for this or do I need to book this separately?

 

5. What island is the best island to do a luau on?  Any favorite ones you’ve been to (is companies)?

 

Thanks in advance for all of the information!

[lobsternight]

We took the Vancouver to Oahu cruise last year but it was on Celebrity.  We had to tender at both Kona and Lahaina (overnight), so essentially 3 tender days. I watched the crew on many occasions help passengers with reduced mobility assist passengers get on board.  Even crossing the gap, they had a crew member either side of the entrance and another on board the tender. I belive the boarding staff are well trained and experienced for this situation. On one tender even say them load a lighter mobility scooter.  Much impressed.

[kokopelli-az]

We were on a Celebrity cruise from Honolulu to Vancouver.   The ports were Kailua, Lahaina and Hilo.  Hilo was the only stop that did not require using a tender.   My husband uses a mobility scooter so Hilo was our best/only option for getting off.   Our highlight in Hilo was a helicopter ride from Blue Hawaiian Helicopter Tours.    https://www.bluehawaiian.com/en/   

 

They have an automatic chair lift for people with mobility issues who could not otherwise board the helicopter.   This worked out perfect for getting my husband on and off the helicopter.   They even came to the port to pick us up (in a wheelchair accessible van) and took us back to the ship afterwards.

 

This was by far the most expensive tour we have ever taken but it was worth every cent.   

 

You sound like you have better mobility so will have more tour options than we did.  

 

Norwegian probably doesn't have all their tour options listed at this point because they are not sailing.  Consider contacting their Access Desk and ask them about accessible shore excursions offered during the timeframe you are considering.   https://www.ncl.com/about/accessible-cruising

The link (at the bottom) also lists Norwegian's tender ports 

[shel003]

I looked on the Norwegian wrbsite, and the only tender port they have listed is Kona. Ideally I would like to get off at every port if possible, but I know I won’t know that ahead of time as tendering depends on weather etc.  My main concern with tendering is if there are stairs involved (stairs are VERY difficult for me) and stepping across the gap to the tender. I would love if there was a ramp or something crossing the gap that I could walk on if I can’t roll onto the tender. Looking specifically if anyone had tendered using the American Pride ship. 
 

Also reading CC reviews of the ship haven’t been super positive so a little concerned about that. Just was wondering if this cruise would be a better or cheaper option than just doing a land tour and taking a plane from island to island. Are there ferries between the islands.... is this a better option???

[chengkp75]

On 11/21/2020 at 2:41 PM, shel003 said:

I looked on the Norwegian wrbsite, and the only tender port they have listed is Kona. Ideally I would like to get off at every port if possible, but I know I won’t know that ahead of time as tendering depends on weather etc.  My main concern with tendering is if there are stairs involved (stairs are VERY difficult for me) and stepping across the gap to the tender. I would love if there was a ramp or something crossing the gap that I could walk on if I can’t roll onto the tender. Looking specifically if anyone had tendered using the American Pride ship. 
 

Also reading CC reviews of the ship haven’t been super positive so a little concerned about that. Just was wondering if this cruise would be a better or cheaper option than just doing a land tour and taking a plane from island to island. Are there ferries between the islands.... is this a better option???

I worked for 4 years on POA's step-sister, the Pride of Aloha, so I know NCL's Hawaii operations pretty well.

 

Yes, Kona is the only tender port, since the ship docks in Kahului, Maui and not at Lahaina, which requires tendering.

 

You will not be allowed to roll across to the tender, no tender has an actual "gangplank" between the ship and boat, since motion between the two is too much to accommodate one.  As noted, there will be crew both on the tender platform and on the tender to take your arm to assist you across the gap.  There are typically stairs from the lowest passenger deck to the tender port (one flight), but mobility challenged guests are usually given permission to use a crew elevator which will take them to the tender port.  But, again, this will require you crossing over a high threshold at the watertight door between the tender port and the crew deck, so you would need to get out of your chair again there, and be assisted across.

 

When it comes to service on the POA, just remember that the crew is virtually all US, and minimum wage, so don't expect the kind of fawning service you get from the international crews.  Look at the ship as a mobile hotel, and the cruise as a means to see the islands.  You spend most of the days exploring the islands, and have two overnight stays, so you can even spend evenings ashore.

 

There are no interisland ferries, except to the small out islands of Molokai and Lanai.  You have to fly between islands (Aloha and Hawaiian Airlines pretty well took care of the Super Ferry about 15 years ago).  So, the big advantage of cruising on POA is not having to pack up, get to the airport, spend time waiting in the airport, waiting for luggage, and then getting to the new hotel.  The hotel travels from island to island.

[GoHuskies!]

Many cruise lines who cruise to Hawaii stop in Lahaina, Maui, because it is a very interesting little town for walkers.  Not only is the Front Street area full of interesting shops and sights, but it has Hilo Hattie's store, the Sugar Cane Train (sometimes available and a very interesting round trip), the interesting waterfront, and a lot of history, especially if you have read Michener's "Hawaii".  However it is a tender port.  

I really prefer Kahului as a stop, where the POA docks and you can either walk (or roll) from there on nice flat ground to a couple of shopping centers (like the Kahului shopping center, which is an old one and very interesting, and the Maui Mall with newer stores--including the Guri-Guri smoothie shop, don't miss!).  Then rent a car and drive to plenty of interesting places--up Haleakala mountain, the Tropical Plantation, Iao Valley, sugar cane factories, down to the Wailea beaches, the Maui Ocean enter aquarium, the day-long drive to Hana and back--and oh so many more.  MUCH more interesting than Lahaina, in my opinion, and we had a condo on Maui for over 20 years and went there every year.

On the Big Island, it's similar--in Hilo, where the POA docks, you can rent a car to get to more interesting places (like the volcano, lava flows, and history like the results of the 1946 tsunami and the small peninsula where a whole school of children and teachers were swept away, and there are coconut trees in a line nearly a hundred feet up above the waterline where coconuts were planted by the tsunami) than in the tender port of Kailua Kona, which is less scenic but has interest to walkers and shoppers.

I would forgo the sun side of both Maui and the Big Island, for the rainy side of both, which are both docking ports.

Sorry--you got me going and I gave TMI!  I love Maui, can you tell??