Tips and Secrets of the POH

[jwmcq]

Please tell you best found hideaway or not commonly known fact about the Pride of Hawaii. I would love to hear any of your advice. Thanks in advance!

[dynarider]

Me too... me too...

 

POH 11/12/2007

[kathiean]

It's free and in my opinion, the best food on the ship. If you can get a penthouse suite...go for it. We had the Emerald Suite on the inaugural cruise from LA to Hawaii in May 06. By far the best service and most elegant, cleanest cabin and prettiest ship I have ever been on. You will LOVE her!!!

[CC Help Michell]

Things we really enjoyed on the POH:

• the Bali Hai bar (up a level from the lido deck -- great view for people watching, great view over the railings out to the Hawaiian islands, great bar staff;
  
• Papa's Italian restaurant (I agree with the above poster) -- wonderful food and service;
  
• the lanai area of the Aloha Nui buffet -- when the interior buffet's a madhouse, go all the way aft to the outdoor area;
  
• the sushi bar -- great chef, great service, reasonable price;
  
• the Blue Lagoon restaurant -- service a tad spotty here (tends to be where "junior waiters" are earning their stripes) but the food's good and the views are very nice;
  
• Spinnaker's Lounge -- don't miss the "flower" chairs.

[jwmcq]

Those are all great! Thank you for taking the time to post! Keep 'em coming - I am making a list! :D

[kapoho2]

If you plan to do a day by the pool....try to get the loungers that line up right along the pool. Right above these are the "misters" and every few minutes they emit a fine cool mist....which feels like heaven when basking in the hot sun. A really nice touch!!!

[judyf]

Great thread, keep them coming!

 

the lanai area of the Aloha Nui buffet -- when the interior buffet's a madhouse, go all the way aft to the outdoor area;

 

I find this to be the best area on most of the NCL ship I have been on.

[RachieLnnn]

These are great tips, and making me so excited to finally see this ship in person!

 

Michelle, do you know if the Blue Lagoon is "really" open 24 hours a day? Just wondering. Seems like a good place to pick up a snack.

[jeffh228]

Go to the Pub Crawl on Tuesday afternoon - I was a bit aprehensive at first but it turned out to be one of the highlights of our trip!

 

We still laugh thinking about it!

[RachieLnnn]

That sounds like fun! Tuesday...that would be the day we are in Hilo? Do you remember what time the pub crawl was? I know we will be off the ship for most of that day at VNP...

 

Thanks!

[jwmcq]

I've heard that leis are passed out on deck 12 at the sailaway party. But I've also heard at 5:30 PM. Does anyone know when/where for sure?

 

I'm loving these tips. Thank you all so much for sharing.

[CC Help Michell]

These are great tips, and making me so excited to finally see this ship in person!

 

Michelle, do you know if the Blue Lagoon is "really" open 24 hours a day? Just wondering. Seems like a good place to pick up a snack.

 

I believe on our cruise it was 23 hours a day. :)

[judyf]

Where's a good spot to sit in the shade and sun and hear the band by the pool? If there's a band by the pool.

[cruisinHawaii]

Ok these are great!!

 

Going to try to see if I can get my answer here. Does anyone know what it takes to reserve the private Karoake booths in the Medusa Lounge?

 

MichellP-on the off chance you read this...my hubby and I watched your slideshow of pictures!! They were wonderful!! Makes us even more excited!! We leave 2 weeks from Friday!!!:eek:

 

Letha

[jeffh228]

That sounds like fun! Tuesday...that would be the day we are in Hilo? Do you remember what time the pub crawl was? I know we will be off the ship for most of that day at VNP...

 

Thanks!

 

If I remember correctly check in was at 4 or 4:30 - more than likely you'd be back on board by then - some of the people in our group had been to VNP that day...

[RachieLnnn]

Yes, we should be back by then. We want to take it easy and just plan on being at VNP that day, with maybe a quick stop at Volcano Winery.

 

We want to make sure there is plenty of downtime on this trip, so we haven't added any other sight-seeing to that day.... I wouldn't mind being back on board early. I hate cutting things close, anyway! Who needs that type of stress on vacation? It isn't worth it to me to cram more stuff in...

 

Sorry just being chatty! :)

 

Anyway, thanks for the info! Sounds like a fun time!

[CC Help Michell]

Ok these are great!!

 

Going to try to see if I can get my answer here. Does anyone know what it takes to reserve the private Karoake booths in the Medusa Lounge?

 

MichellP-on the off chance you read this...my hubby and I watched your slideshow of pictures!! They were wonderful!! Makes us even more excited!! We leave 2 weeks from Friday!!!:eek:

 

Letha

 

Glad you enjoyed the pictures -- have a wonderful cruise! :) (wish I knew the answer to your Medusa question -- we did have a drink there one evening, but I avoid karaoke because I love other people too much to wish my singing on them! ;) )

[cruisinHawaii]

Glad you enjoyed the pictures -- have a wonderful cruise! :) (wish I knew the answer to your Medusa question -- we did have a drink there one evening, but I avoid karaoke because I love other people too much to wish my singing on them! ;) )

 

Yes that is why I want the private booth...so I can relinguish my wonderful voice talent on my husband only!! LOL:D

[hazeleyez3]

I believe on our cruise it was 23 hours a day. :)

 

 

We tried to go there the first two nights - once at 10pm, the other around midnight. Both times they were closed so we just gave up.

 

My co-worker went back in March. It wasn't open when she got back from the luau (hers was in Maui), and wasn't open when she got up for the sunrise tour a few hours later.

[judyf]

We tried to go there the first two nights - once at 10pm, the other around midnight. Both times they were closed so we just gave up.

 

My co-worker went back in March. It wasn't open when she got back from the luau (hers was in Maui), and wasn't open when she got up for the sunrise tour a few hours later.

 

Somewhere I read the times that were posted. I think the NCL website but I can't remember. :o It was open like 3 different times breakfast, lunch and dinner. And closed in between these times, which I thought was funny :rolleyes: cause on the Dawn, Star and Spirit it was open like 23 hours as Michelle said. Sorry I didn't wirte the times down.

[CC Help Michell]

Somewhere I read the times that were posted. I think the NCL website but I can't remember. :o It was open like 3 different times breakfast, lunch and dinner. And closed in between these times, which I thought was funny :rolleyes: cause on the Dawn, Star and Spirit it was open like 23 hours as Michelle said. Sorry I didn't wirte the times down.

 

It might be highly specific to the individual cruise (at least in Hawaii). As I said above, they tend to put junior waiters who are gaining experience in this location (at least, the three times we ate there every single person we encountered waiting tables had a "junior waiter" nametag on). Given some staffing problems on the Hawaii ships -- thankfully that seems to be getting better rather than worse over the last few months -- it could be that while the intent is there to make Blue Lagoon a nearly-24-hour venue, the staffing sometimes doesn't permit it for Hawaii.

 

It was open on our cruise every time we/I went there to eat (twice it was "we" -- both mid-afternoon, and once it was "me" at 2:00 AM -- what can I say, the fish and chips were calling me?!) -- and every time the food was really good, even allowing for service which at times was noticeably slower/more confused (no, ma'am, I didn't order those wings with my giant platter of fish and fries!) than other restaurants on the ship.

 

PS I didn't even recall my late night/early morning visit until I mentioned this to my SO, who asked "Oh? So where DID you get that malt vinegar breath in the middle of the night?!!!" <sigh, darn his memory!>

[jwmcq]

Judy - I hope you have a fabulous cruise this week. Please come back with lots of new tips and secrets for us. I will be looking forward to your review! (And figure out when the Blue Lagoon is now open!):p

[cruisinHawaii]

Hear, hear!!! Have a great time Judy!! Hope to get to talk to you before we leave but if not I will make sure to email you once we get back!!

 

Aloha

Letha

[judyf]

Thanks everyone. I will check that out for you! No more work days left!

 

Letha, I will e-mail you for sure before you leave!!! Have a great cryise too!

[judyf]

Hey I found it, I haven't even left yet and I can help :)

 

http://www.pitchforkprincess.com/poh/

 

6:30am to 10:30am

11am to 4:30 pm

and

10:3pm to 5pm

 

The restaurant hours are on page 4. Check another day then day 1 as the first day is always different.

 

I knew I read it somewhere it was when my girlfriend came over who has never been on a cruise and we looked at these so she could see an example of what was happening on the ship.

 

Remember things can change but it gives you an idea.

 

Hope this helps someone.