How Early Can we Check In POA ~ Hawaii

[MISWANS]

Well, I tried to do a search to find this information; but I just kept getting errors. We sail Pride of America, November 11. We would like to check in early and ditch our bags so we can go do some sightseeing.

 

Does anyone know how early we can check in? When we cruised Carnival out of New Orleans we were able to check in at 9:00am and then go do some touring....

 

Thanks for your help, Marie

[jczc2003]

Just bumping because I would like to know this also! We'll be on the POH

Thanks

[CruisinMK]

They don't start checking in before noon. Sometimes they start a little later.

[KeystoneCruiser]

and the mandatory lifeboat drill is at something like 5:00 p.m.

 

It takes them about four-five hours from the time they dock in the morning to get the passengers off and get the ship cleaned before they can start letting the new passengers on.

[tomluvsaida]

Is there something like automatic check-in when we get picked up? We are being picked up by POH and brought to the ship. Is it possible for them to just go ahead and check in the bags for us?

I also know about the Easy Fly Program where the ship takes our bags in the morning and we don't see them again until we are at our home airport. This costs $20.(I'm not sure if that is per person or per cabin.) I'm wondering if that can work the other way around. That is can we check in our bags at the airport terminal and not see them again until we are in our cabin?

Along that same line, I know that on dis-embarkation day there are some ship excursions that will carry your bags while on the excursion then drop you and your bags off at the airport. Time allowing we plan on doing this with the submarine ride. This actually makes the NCL price better than on our own. I'm wondering do they have excursions in Oahu on the first day where you can check in your bags then go on an excursion.

[KeystoneCruiser]

Is there something like automatic check-in when we get picked up? We are being picked up by POH and brought to the ship. Is it possible for them to just go ahead and check in the bags for us? .

 

I was on the POA in 2004 during her first year and also did the Star in 2002 in Hawaii and used NCL transportation both times. On both of those occasions (as well as my other two NCL cruises), you had to claim your own bags off the carousel at the airport. Even though we used NCL transportation, when we got the pier in Hawaii, we had to identify our bags once again when they got off the bus before they would take them.

 

Along that same line, I know that on dis-embarkation day there are some ship excursions that will carry your bags while on the excursion then drop you and your bags off at the airport. Time allowing we plan on doing this with the submarine ride. This actually makes the NCL price better than on our own. I'm wondering do they have excursions in Oahu on the first day where you can check in your bags then go on an excursion.

 

I have never heard of tours on arrival day. Most flights get into Honolulu between noon and 2:00 and with the time it takes to get to the pier and go through processing, there really isn't any time for NCL to offer a tour before the Lifeboat drill at 5:00. (during which there can be no ship activity)

 

Hope this helps.

[MISWANS]

and the mandatory lifeboat drill is at something like 5:00 p.m.

 

It takes them about four-five hours from the time they dock in the morning to get the passengers off and get the ship cleaned before they can start letting the new passengers on.

 

Well, I don't want to get on. I just want to check in, get rid of my luggage and come back later. I'd love to do that as early as possible. I guess I could call NCL and try to talk to somebody.

I want to use that Saturday in Oahu as a "port" day. We fly in on Friday night and want to try to get to the USS Arizona, the Aloha Swap Meet and maybe Diamond Head. I'm just afraid to have the luggage in the car; I've heard so much about theft.

Thanks, Marie

[KeystoneCruiser]

Well, I don't want to get on. I just want to check in, get rid of my luggage and come back later. I'd love to do that as early as possible. I guess I could call NCL and try to talk to somebody.

 

I want to use that Saturday in Oahu as a "port" day. We fly in on Friday night and want to try to get to the USS Arizona, the Aloha Swap Meet and maybe Diamond Head. I'm just afraid to have the luggage in the car; I've heard so much about theft.

 

Thanks, Marie

 

You really want to get to the Arizona when they start handing out tickets (at 7:30 a.m.) otherwise, you may not get to go out to the memorial. All tickets are gone by about 11:00 a.m. We got there at 8:15 and got tickets for a 9:45 shuttle boat out to the Memorial. By the time we got in line at 9:30, they were handing out tickets for 2:00 p.m. tours. The Arizona Memorial is close to the ALoha Swap Meet, so you could probably do both in the morning before reporting to the ship. Having a car at the Arizona is actually helpful since you are not allowed to take any purses, fanny packs, back packs or even camera cases into the Memorial grounds. I don't know about thievery at the Swap Meet.

 

Diamond Head is on the far end of Waikiki and traffic between Pearl Harbor and Waikiki and the Pier and Waikiki is terrible. When we flew out the last time, it took us 30 minutes to drive the few miles between Waikiki and the airport. (going past the pier.)

 

Another possibility is that NCL offers tours on the day that you arrive back in Honolulu. These tours end at the airport and NCL takes care of your luggage. They have tours that go to the Arizona and I also believe one to Diamond Head.

 

I'm sure that you could check in your luggage as soon as they start embarkation. But you would still need to be back for Lifeboat drill at 5:00 p.m.

[jame_g]

Official Embarkation time was listed at at 1:00 pm on my docs.

 

You should be on board prior to the lifeboat drill at 5:00 unless you have an NCL arranged flight that arrives too late like we did. (And they practically pushed us through the doors at the port so they could lock them behind us at about 6:00 pm)

 

Can you have the hotel hold your bags for you and then pick them up just prior to returning the car? Some hotels do offer this service, although more are charging for it these days.

[tomluvsaida]

They don't start checking in before noon. Sometimes they start a little later.

Actually you gave me some great ideas on another thread:

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=394101

Thanks!:D