Cruise Review - Super Long

[txn_crzn]

Just got back from a 10 days on Pride of Aloha and wanted to post my review because I found everyone else’s reviews very helpful. Thanks to CC for making our vacation amaizing!!!

Ship

Like many of you we weren’t expecting too much from the ship after reading the bad reviews, but the ship wasn’t bad. We had AC in our cabin which was kept clean and never had any major problems. The food wasn’t as bad as we expected either. We had breakfast everyday in the buffet, dinner at the Crossings dining room every night and lunch at the Crossings when we had lunch on the ship. The service was usually average not that great but not the worst we’ve had. The first few nights we shared a table with people, but towards the end just wanted to have dinner on our own and there wasn’t ever a wait to get a table for 2…and we ate at various times.

Bringing a power strip was very useful. We heard several other pax talking about how there's no room for their plugs. We didn't have that problem!!!

We didn’t eat at the Palace because they don’t allow jeans/shorts for dinner and that’s all my DH brought for the trip. The food at the Crossings was always good. We also had dinner at the Royal Palm Bistro which was very good (lobster shrimp ceviche..yummy). The only reason we ate there was because we purchased the romance package. I didn’t think the romance package was worth what we paid for because we didn’t get chocolate covered strawberries the first night…we got some not very good desserts. One of them was actually two Andes mints stacked on top of one another…creative huh?! Then for the canapés that was part of the package we ended up getting a cheese plate which is free off of the room service menu. The champagne and wine were good.

We were kept entertained on the ship with the various shows and activities. We really enjoyed the comedy shows and the cast productions. DH enjoyed hours of volleyball while I relaxed by the pool…which is a salt water pool. Big surprise when I took a quick dip for the first time.

This was our first cruise so we were wondering how we would be able to handle the sea days…but it was enjoyable because it gave us a chance to just relax instead of constantly being on the go. We also liked the freestyle concept because it was so relaxed…we didn’t need to dress up for dinner and we could just go with the flow. We are very laid back easy going people so this fit perfectly.

Embarking was a breeze. We got to the airport and they brought us out to the shuttles. The shuttles filled up quickly because we flew in from San Francisco and I’m pretty sure the majority of the passengers were going on the cruise. When we got on our cabin wasn’t ready so we decided to go to Waikiki beach just so we could say we’d been. There’s a bus stop that takes you straight to Waikiki right by the pier. I think there are 3 bus routes, but we took the 19. It didn’t take too long for us to get to Waikiki (~30 min)…we walked along the beach and then checked out the shops. Stopped by the ABC store and picked up some water, and a bottle of Crown and a bottle of tea. Drank down the tea and poured in the Crown…passed security check with no problem! Hopped back on the bus using the transfer pass to be back in time for the muster drill. The stop for the pier is Restaurant Row.

Kauai

Decided to go with a rental and just drive around and explore on our own. We rented through Thifty blue chip and when we got to the rental place had no problems. We did have to wait for the Thrifty shuttle when it seemed everyone else’s shuttles showed up (about 20 to 30 minutes). We got a jeep and decided to explore the North Shore. There was just no way we could see the whole island and get back in time for the luau that evening. During the flight, I read about a short off road drive/hike that we could do in the Ultimate Guide to Kauai. Since we had the jeep we decided to put it to some use so we took the short drive…and it really paid off. DH really enjoyed the off roading…it wasn’t super crazy but it was fun. It took us to this nice little beach which was completely deserted so we hung out there for a while. Also climbed up some rocks where there was a fisherman and one hiker…there was a beautiful overlook to ocean as well. There’s no way through so we took the same way back. We were a little concerned because it was a one lane road but luckily no other cars came along.

We headed further north to Secret Beach (also found in the little blue book)…it’s a bit of a steep hike down to the beach but worth it once again. We went there so that we could see the Secret Lava Pools just to the left of the beach. Not too many people were there and we were able to just lounge a bit in the pools…but there was so much more we wanted to do…so we had to leave.

We didn’t have a final destination after that…we just wanted to drive a bit to see the whole coast. On the way up we stopped at the Wishing Well in Hanalei for shave ice….the Rainbow with mac nut ice cream was DELISH. We decided to go all the way North until we couldn’t go anymore (DH loved driving the jeep) and ended up at Ke’e beach. Luckily as we got there a car was pulling out so we got prime parking. The water was crystal clear and the beginning of the Napali coast was breath taking. The beach was pretty crowded but the water was calm compared to the other two beaches we had been to, so it was nice to just relax in the water.

Headed back to return the rental car and make it in time for the Kalamaku luau. The show was very good…but I have nothing to compare to. The food was good. I did hear some people saying the food was a little too exotic for them, but we are Asian and the food was food we are familiar with. We thought it was worth the $95 for the show and food. We were seated right next to the bar so we made sure we got our money’s worth with drinks since we were shelling out for it. The mai tais were strong and did their job!

Second day we had a morning helicopter tour of Kauai and it was amazing. We booked through Blue Hawaiian directly so we saved a little bit. It’s about a 10 to 15 minute walk to their office from the ship. When DH booked he requested that we get the front seats and we ended up getting them. They had said it depended on weight distribution and luckily it worked out. Very amazing views!

Hilo

Again rented a car through Thrifty blue chip, and again waited and waited for the Thrifty shuttle, while all other shuttles came. Finally showed up and luckily we were able to pile into the shuttle. The driver dropped off everyone at a non-blue chip desk except for one other couple and said blue chip members had cars ready for them at the airport. Thought we had it made. Got to the airport location and there was a very long line. Only a handful of people in the blue chip line, but only one person working both desks. We finally got our car and headed to VNP. We did the 11 mile drive around the park in reverse, so we it wasn’t too crowded when we got to the Thurston lava tube. We brought flashlights but not very good ones, so we didn’t go all the way in. DH wanted to hike across the Kilueuea crater but that was a 4mile hike and we didn’t think we’d have enough time. Just something we’d have to do next time we go back.

We then drove down to Punalu’u beach to see the black sand. Very glad we did this because we got to see 4 sea turtles laid out on the sand. First time I’ve ever seen them so I was very excited!

Headed back to town and stopped off at the Mauna Loa nut factory to sample some nuts and get ice cream.

Maui – Kahului

We booked a jeep tour that a fellow CC had mentioned. After countless times of trying to reach the tour guide I had given up. DH said he would try one more time and we were able to arrange the tour. This was by far the GREATEST excursion we went on. It was just the two of us and Arnold, the tour guide. It was supposed to be a half day tour but ended being about 7 hours. We did the entire road to Hana which he had not planned on doing but he decided to ahead and get to the end since we were so near. On the way he made several point of interest stops and knew that I really wanted to swim by a waterfall, so he stopped at this great spot and we were able to swim and get some great pics. There were a few other people there so I’m sure you could find this spot on your own., but Arnold was full of information. He picked fruits for us to try, flowers for me and we even sucked on some honeysuckle. He even stopped at a local banana bread stand and bought us some bread to try.

It was a great tour because he completely customizes it to what you want to do. Towards the middle he had asked if we wanted to stop and hike into this back area where we could see a raging waterfall, or if we would like to keep going. We opted to keep going and he decided then to take us to the Blue Pool…which was absolutely gorgeous. There was a waterfall (not fully flowing, but still beautiful) into a freshwater pond, and just over a few rocks was the ocean. We stayed there swimming for about 30 minutes and decided it was time to go back. If you go to this place on your own, you’ll see signs saying Blue Pool closed, then Private Property signs but Arnold told us it doesn’t belong to anyone. You do have to hike to the Blue Pool and pay $2 parking fee in the lot before you start the hike. Once you get to the end of the path there is a little pool of water but you have to keep going to the left along the rocks to get to the pool.

The tour cost $100 per person and was money well spent. You can reach Arnold on his cell phone at 808.264.1423. Only thing was we didn’t have any kind of confirmation just a verbal confirm over the phone. We called him the day before the tour to confirm again and then met him at the pier for the tour. Highly recommended!!!

After the tour we just vegged because we were doing the downhill bike ride the next morning (or should I say later that night?!). It was a little disappointing because it was too cloudy to actually catch the sunrise. The ride wasn’t what we expected but it was still fun. We went through Mountain Riders. DH is an avid mountain biker so he wanted to go a little faster but we went as fast at the slowest rider could go. The beginning of the ride was cold and wet because of the clouds, but finally the sun came out and it was very nice. The guides only stopped for one picture opportunity also, and it would have been nice to have a couple more stops.

We were going to book through Phil’s Cruisers because what we read about the bikes being super comfy but they were charging about $20 more per person. I’m glad we didn’t end up going with them because I saw them at the top of the mountain and they were riding the same bikes we were.

Overall we were disappointed with the ride because this was the first thing that we booked and we had high expectations for it. If you are riders you might think about booking a self guided tour where the company drops you at the top and you can go at your own pace down.

Kona

At the last minute we booked the Captain Zodiac tour through NCL. We decided to go through NCL because of the whole tendering thing and didn’t really want to risk missing the tour if we went with Sea Quest. This was also a wonderful excursion. Riding on the raft was a lot of fun and not as rough as I expected. We got to see two types of whales that are in Hawaii year round, pilot whales and some other species that the guides were not 100% sure what they were. The pilot whales swam right by our raft and right under. Then we saw 2 pods of dolphins and the guides said there was a dolphin baby boom currently, which we got to see a little baby dolphin jump right out of the water!

This was a snorkel tour but that wasn’t the best part for me. I guess I’m not into snorkeling as much as I thought because it took me a while to get use to the gear. We went to K-bay right by Captain Cook’s Monument…which was nice, but I think when I snorkeled in Cancun there was a lot more wildlife. Although some people on our raft saw a turtle swimming by. The coral was really nice and it was pretty cool and slightly scary to see the sea cliff drop.

After snorkeling we went to the various lava caves and tubes off the coast. All very beautiful. We had lunch at the Kona Inn, which was recommended by the captain. DH enjoyed the ahi tuna poke…not a fan of fish…but the seafood salad was very good.

Maui – Lahaina

This was the last stop and we were missing our baby girl very much! We left our 7 month old at home with grandparents to go on our belated honeymoon. Next time she’s coming with!

We decided to just take it easy and just walk around town. We tendered here as well, and then took the bus to Whaler’s Village/K’anapali beach. The bus picks up in the back of the Wharf Cinema. We spent most of our time on the beach just relaxing. The waves were a little big but nothing too wild. We enjoyed the crystal clear water. Took a picture by Black Rock.

Took the bus back to town to have lunch at the Lahaina Fish Company. We sat there for about 20 minutes asked 2 people if we could order. One lady said the waitress would be with us in a minute. When we asked the waitress she said the computers were slow so she’d get to us when she could. We also heard another waiter tell his table the same thing, but 2 minutes after he said it he came over to take their order. Our waitress hadn’t even asked if we wanted anything to drink. So we picked up and went over to Kimo’s. The service there was much better. The menu selection wasn’t as good as Lahaina Fish Company but we weren’t about to pay for that kind of service. The food was good but I think I might have preferred staying K’anapali and finding something to eat there so we could have had more beach time.

Finished up buying some souvenirs from one of the thousand ABC stores and got back on the ship for our last night.

We had a WONDERFUL trip. I’m glad we didn’t have a real honeymoon before so that we could completely splurge on this one!!! This was our first time in Hawaii and on a cruise, so we didn’t know what to expect. This ship hasn’t scared us off cruising, in fact DH is already talking about the next cruise. Hawaii was absolutely amazing, and we thought it was a great way to get a taste of all the islands. We definitely will be going back. Recommend this cruise to anyone just wanting to see all the islands.

[lynnemac]

Thank you so very much. We will be going in March 2008 and your review certainly has helped fill in some of the blanks.

 

Thanks again,

 

Mac:) :) :)

[Disneyworld]

I am a little anxious now about the romance package that you mentioned you weren't too happy with. I bought this as an anniversary surprise for DH. Did you go to the Captain's reception that is suppose to be part of the package?

Did any of the pax on your cruise mention having been on the Mountain Safari Adv. by NCL in Kauai? WE have asked a few times on these boards for feedback on this and no one has responded.

Glad you had a great time.

[CC Help Michell]

Great review, thank you for taking the time to furnish so many details! Like Disneyworld, I was interested in your comments on the romance package -- I've never seen anyone say it wasn't worth the money, even though some parts of it (the canapes are notorious) have been "dissed" sometimes.

 

Did you enjoy your dinner at LeBistro, with the included bottle of wine? All by itself that's approximately a $60 item ($20 each for dinner, ~$20 for the bottle of wine). Were the other elements you received worth the additional $19 of the package cost? (sparkling wine at embarkation, the $15 photo credit, the cake and champagne party, etc.)? I'd hate to think I've been giving bad advice on this program, as for us it was certainly worth it so I recommend it a lot. I noticed you said you wouldn't have eaten at the Bistro without the package, so perhaps that does explain your thinking on the value -- we'd have eaten at the Bistro even without the package -- I've loved their food since my first NCL cruise in '97! :)

 

Again, thank you so much for taking the time to share your thoughts!

[judyf]

Great review, we are planning to visit the Blue Pool I loved reading the details you posted about the location, Thanks

 

You day 1 in Kauai sounds great. We're not sure exactly what we're doing yet. I have a plan A the Canyon and Plan B the North shore, we will go with how ever we feel that day.

[beachchick]

Terrrific review. I'm especially sorry to hear about your service problems at Lahaina Fish Company. That's one of our absolute faves for dining in Lahaina. We've never had a problem like that. In fact, one time we came in on a later flight and didn't get to Lahaina until nearly 10 pm and didn't get to looking for food until a bit after that. Many places were closed/closing, including LFC. The hostess took one look at our bedraggled, tired travel faces and said, "Come with me." She seated us at the deserted (as in closed) downstairs area over the water, grabbed a waiter from the upstairs restaurant, and we were taken care of beautifully. It really eased the fatigue of a long travel day. Boy, what a lousy first impression for you! We also prefer the menu/food at LFC over Kimo's, but Kimo's is very good too. (If you decide to eat in Ka'anapali next time, Hula Grill is a good choice.)

 

beachchick

[Mandy W]

Can you advise how much the bus cost and how to get to the back of the Wharf Cinema?

 

Thank you!

[txn_crzn]

Can you advise how much the bus cost and how to get to the back of the Wharf Cinema?

 

Thank you!

 

its $1 each way...no transfers! i believe its the number 25 that takes you to whaler's village.

[txn_crzn]

I am a little anxious now about the romance package that you mentioned you weren't too happy with. I bought this as an anniversary surprise for DH. Did you go to the Captain's reception that is suppose to be part of the package?

Did any of the pax on your cruise mention having been on the Mountain Safari Adv. by NCL in Kauai? WE have asked a few times on these boards for feedback on this and no one has responded.

Glad you had a great time.

 

 

we didn't go to the cake and champagne party. we fell asleep and didn't wake up in time for the party. i didn't hear anything about it from the other pax.

 

didn't hear anything about the mountain safari adv. sorry!!!

[txn_crzn]

Great review, thank you for taking the time to furnish so many details! Like Disneyworld, I was interested in your comments on the romance package -- I've never seen anyone say it wasn't worth the money, even though some parts of it (the canapes are notorious) have been "dissed" sometimes.

 

Did you enjoy your dinner at LeBistro, with the included bottle of wine? All by itself that's approximately a $60 item ($20 each for dinner, ~$20 for the bottle of wine). Were the other elements you received worth the additional $19 of the package cost? (sparkling wine at embarkation, the $15 photo credit, the cake and champagne party, etc.)? I'd hate to think I've been giving bad advice on this program, as for us it was certainly worth it so I recommend it a lot. I noticed you said you wouldn't have eaten at the Bistro without the package, so perhaps that does explain your thinking on the value -- we'd have eaten at the Bistro even without the package -- I've loved their food since my first NCL cruise in '97! :)

 

Again, thank you so much for taking the time to share your thoughts!

 

we did enjoy eating at the Bistro, but probably wouldn't have done it if it wasn't part of the package. the food in the main dining rooms was good enough for us. the wine and champagne were good as well but we could have done with out. the photo credit they actually only gave us $5 off an 8x10 b/c we didn't go to the cake and champagne party and didn't take a picture there. so we kinda got screwed there...our own fault since we were just lazy bums! hee hee!

[kkjbb1]

Thanks for the great review. It sounds like to you really had a great time. I'm glad to hear that since there seems to be many people who don't care for the ship or the service. I still think, its your vacation, and you make it what you want!:D We will be with a group of 10 and we travel quite a bit together, and we always have a good time no matter where we are. My only concern is getting to do everything that we want and still have time to relax!:D I'll probably need a vacation from my vacation.