Pride of Aloha ... Just got back

[jasejase]

Just wanted to drop a quick line and let everyone now that we got back from our march 5-15th 10 day P of Al cruise.

 

First of all, the mostly american crew was great! Our houskeeper was excellent, and had a great personallity, As did many of the wait staff... We did run into a couple of stray people with no enthusiasm or customer service appeal, but all in all - they were awesome. We thought that they would letting maintenance go, since the boat is being sent to asia soon, but to the contrary, maintainenance was ongoing, and present! It was nice to see.

 

The food was also a nice surprise in comparison to our 06 NCL Sun experience (which i labelled as a 'good'). I feel the food on the Aloha was excellent. The desserts have gotten much better, and the cuts of fish and meats were excellent as well. We ate in the 'premium' restaurants 7 out of the 10 nights, and were please each time. The italian restaurant was our favorite.

 

We utilized the 'regular' laundry service for pressing, and got it back the next morning. Our friends had things laundered and they got it back the SAME day (and they didnt even select for the expedited service!).

 

the ports of call were also great - Kauai and Maui being our favorites. Rented a car in all ports except Lahaina (everything basically in walking distance that is worth seeing in the small amnt of time you have there)... Thrifty for all rentals but one - worked out great. Discount hawaii rentals arranged our maui rental for a cheaper price than i could find anywhere - they did a great job - no problems.

 

Helicopter tour of kauai was unbelievable... Perfect weather for the ride. Actually in the 10 days we were there, we had a BRIEF shower once on the road to hana... and maybe about 2 hours of rain heading out to the VNP when we were in Hilo... So 2 hours of noticeable rain for a 10 day cruise is definetly bearable! temp ranged from about 78-83 i would say. Perfect. Really no humidity either! Seas were not too bad. You did notice the swells from time to time. Took draminime three nights just to be safe.

 

Did the luau at the Sheraton in kauai (in stead of the NCL one)... the sheraton did a GREAT job. the entertainment was great, and the setting was perfectly situated on the beach front. The ambience was exactly what i had envisioned a luau being! The food was great as well. It was very organized. open bar as well.

 

road to hana was well worth the WHOLE day!. we left the rental place at about 930 am.. .and got back at about 830 pm! stopping at places along the way... and having lunch in hana. We took the road as far as you possibly could before it became impassible. I would say the last 5 miles were the most scenic by far.

 

We also did the sunrise bike tour in maui. It was about 45 on top of the mountain - apparently this was a bit warmer than normal. The sunrise was beautiful, and the bike ride down (Mountain riders) was great. It was well organzied, and the equipment was funcitoning. They stop frequently to allow you to shed layers (it gets warmers as you head down that mountain), and they even stop for a pretty decent breakfast. It was definetly another trip highlight!

 

Sorry for the scattered summary - but i was writing this over the course of the morning while at work...

[lynnemac]

We just got back as well and echo many of the same sentiments.

 

A couple of notes of caution on the ship. While the food was for the most part quite good the portions at asian fusion were for elves. The wait staff suggested that you order 4 different appetizers, so feel free.

 

Debarkation was a hassle for us. Let me explain. We had a 1:30 p.m. flight so wanted to get the last possible exit time. We were given yellow tags for our bags and told to pick them up at the dock when you exit. Sounds good so far. I did notice that the yellow tags said for those continuing on to a hotel after the cruise and asked about this. Was told that it didn't matter that all the bags had to be picked up first at the dock then loaded for seperate hotels, and we could grab ours and head for the airport.

 

Guess what? Got to the dock, no luggage. All the luggage had been loaded prior to debarkation and already sent to the hotels. How, I asked, since we did not put a specific hotel on the tag. The staff at the dock said all luggage is sorted by hotel and all bags not going on are left at the dock for pickup. So where was ours, I asked? Apparently they had to wait until the driver came back from all the hotels to see if he had the bags.

 

Naturally we had to go to the airport for our flight without our luggage. Gave them all the info and said they would contact us on Monday about the results. Well we had to call them. Apparently they found the luggage and were shipping it out Express that day and would call us back with the confirmation and tracking numbers. No call.

 

Called them back today. No one there to take our call. No ship in port.

Still waiting to hear back.

 

Moral of story. Don't take the yellow tags unless you are going to a hotel no matter what they tell you. Hope we get our bags soon.

 

Kind of put a damper on our Aloha Spirit. However, loved the ship and of course the islands.

 

Mac:) :) :)

[MPM]

Thanks for the update! We are now just a week away:D I was concerned that with the ship leaving Hawaii soon, service may have been greatly reduced. I am glad to hear people had a good experience - although I am a firm believer that how much someone enjoys something begins with the right attitude, and reasonable expectations! Again, thanks for the feedback.

 

-Mike

[jasejase]

I agree.. attitude and expectations play a big role.

 

Sorry to hear about your luggage problems lynnemac.. that could put a damper on the end of your vaca.

 

We actually used Ez Fly (four of us - Continental Air), and we all got accepted.... And it was the best (not trying to rub it in!!!!).

 

we put our luggage out on friday night.. and saw it again on sunday when we touched down in newark. Ez Fly checks your luggage in, as well as YOU... they slid an ez fly boarding pass under the door in the morning of our departure, and we were able to head straight to the security check in at the airport later that night! it was nice not having to deal with the luggage.. especially since our flight didnt leave till almost 10 pm that night. It gave us a whole extra day - with NO luggage to tote around.

[CC Help Michell]

Good review, Jasejase! I enjoyed reading it, and it was particularly nice to see that Mountain Riders has weathered the bicycle tour changes at Haleakala, as we loved our sunrise bike ride from the summit with them last summer. Our guide was wonderful -- we had Tom ("Pops") -- who was yours? :)

[CruisinMK]

I also was on this cruise.

 

Think its the best itinerary ever for Hawaii, sad it is going away for good next month.

 

Has twice as many days cruising Hawaii as the typical 14/15 day west-coast round trip cruises on other lines.

Sees the Napali coast on Kauai, plus sea day viewing of Molokai/Lanai.

 

Saw many whales from the balcony. Nice crew. Funny you mentioned the great desserts, I also noticed they had some great chocolate ones.

[papillons4u]

We are HOME! It is always good to sleep in your own bed. I must say that the BED was my only grip! ROCK hard and when we first arrived they were in twin config. AGHHH! It did not take long for them to make the correction which was great!

 

Our balcony cabin was nice and clean. Shower plugged on the first night and over flowed into cabin which left a very nasty smell for a couple of days! YUCK> Our room steward did EVERYTHING she could to clean it and freshen it. Too bad I remembered TWO days in that I had brought a freshener for the room. I dug it out of our stored luggage and smells started smelling much better! LOL. When I called about the shower at 10:30 p.m the maintance people were there by 11 to fix it to their best ability! The next day more people came and finished it! Many calls to see if everything was good in the room! I was impressed!

 

Staff all over the ship was great. We thought the age of the passengers was a little shocking! We are late 40's and most passengers were mid to late 70's! They were the rudest people I have ever encountered! I guess when you get that age you think it is all "about you"!! Lots of line skipping.. table grapping, chair nabbing.... elders! We just laughed it off but many were not as light hearted as we were. Not all of the elders were like this but the majority of them were. We met a lot of nice people on this cruise.

 

The biggest problem on this ship I think was there was NEVER , EVER enough tables up at the buffett! We could not find a seat to save our life! Just not enough up there. We even went to the end of the ship and it was better but still not enough. We spent at least four lunches standing and eating. Food in the dining rooms was O.K . The french rest. was awesome!

 

The islands were awesome! Greatest cruise to see the islands. No regrets. We ziplined in Maui...(treetop) was not the greatest. I would suggest if you have zipped before to change it to the other zip. We were expecting more. two rope bridges which was hard for my sister in-law who had back problems. We still had a good time.

 

The Safari Helicopter ride was OUT of this world! Loved every second of it. I did not get sick! Whoo Hoo! Staff was great. Our video arrived home before we did!

 

The Feast of Lele was awesome! Great experience and TONS of food and drinks. The beach was awesome.

 

We also did the Body Glove snorkel. Great company and beautiful boat and snorkeling and the BEST food of our whole cruise! It included breakfast and lunch.

 

If you had any worries about this cruise.. do not worry. It is awesome! You are going to have a great time.

 

If you have any questions... feel free to ask. This was our first trip to Hawaii!!

 

Joyce and Mike

[Duffys wife 1957]

papillons4u, I Laughed Out Loud when I read your review about the older cruisers..We encountered the very same thing and people all over this board remarked about the crew being rude...We loved the crew, the older people were horrible (not all) but as my DH said the older women were giving body blockers to get to the Buffet, lines ect. They were awful on the excursions and shuttle lines.. We laughed also alot!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I truly think that some of them thought they were entitled.. You made our night...I hope people do read this and maybe see themselves and the next time wait their turn and not grab 5 rolls because they think they are going to run out, or cut in line and then wave 7 of their friends in front of them. Thanks for the laugh..

[hello]

jasejase, lynnemac and MikeKaye

 

Could you tell me if Roberts Hawaii representatives are still passing out brochures for $20.00 tours as you enter the terminal to turn in your luggage? They were last year, but we had already made plans -- we would like to have them do the driving this year if they're still offering those great rates.

 

Thank you.

[whale-watcher]

thanks for the great reviews....makes me with I had taken this longer Hawaiian itinerary while it was still available.

[jetz]

"road to hana was well worth the WHOLE day!. we left the rental place at about 930 am.. .and got back at about 830 pm! stopping at places along the way... and having lunch in hana. We took the road as far as you possibly could before it became impassible. I would say the last 5 miles were the most scenic by far."

Thank you for the review! I'm noticing more and more people are not coming back on-line to give those of us left behind, or waiting, the inside scoop. I'm leaving Saturday morning and can't wait. I was wondering about the RTH. What were you driving? We've rented a Jeep and I was really hoping to drive all the way around so I don't have to backtrack TRH in the dark. Can a Jeep go over the part you said was unpassable? I think I read that it improves further on.

[jasejase]

Good review, Jasejase! I enjoyed reading it, and it was particularly nice to see that Mountain Riders has weathered the bicycle tour changes at Haleakala, as we loved our sunrise bike ride from the summit with them last summer. Our guide was wonderful -- we had Tom ("Pops") -- who was yours? :)

 

Our guides were Mike and Jason. Younger guys, but they did a good job! No complaints!

[jasejase]

"road to hana was well worth the WHOLE day!. we left the rental place at about 930 am.. .and got back at about 830 pm! stopping at places along the way... and having lunch in hana. We took the road as far as you possibly could before it became impassible. I would say the last 5 miles were the most scenic by far."

Thank you for the review! I'm noticing more and more people are not coming back on-line to give those of us left behind, or waiting, the inside scoop. I'm leaving Saturday morning and can't wait. I was wondering about the RTH. What were you driving? We've rented a Jeep and I was really hoping to drive all the way around so I don't have to backtrack TRH in the dark. Can a Jeep go over the part you said was unpassable? I think I read that it improves further on.

 

We were driving a Sebring Convertible (with four adults in it btw)... to be honest with you, the road got really brittle like on a cliff (no guardrails). The girls in the back seat didnt give us a lot of options, other than to turn around! From what i heard, it may be closed. We didnt see any other cars the last 3 miles or so we travelled! Cell reception was very spotty as well. But i did hear that the part that is closed, is also the most beautiful part!

[jasejase]

Hello,

 

Im not sure about Roberts Tours... I dont remember getting the coupons, but since we have our 'itinerary' pretty much planned out already, i may have received the coupons, and just didnt process them into memory!!

 

duffy's wife & papillions4u,

 

we COULD NOT agree with you more. On day one i noticed this situation! our group was about 30 yrs old on avg, and WE usually get the bum rap! But a fairly large percentage of the older community on this ship was a bit over the top. They always seemed to be in a hurry to go somewhere... and that 'somewhere' was usually in front of you, and SLOW once once they got in front of you! It was the oddest thing. And numerous people seemed to have lost their sense of walking ability.... Such as stopping, and just turning around on a dime without even looking, or giving second thought to who was around them.

 

We were jogging on the JOGGING/WALKING deck one morning, and scores of the oblivious were just standing in the jogging lanes, constantly spinning around, not watching where they were going... It was actually dangerous for us as runners, and them as bystanders on a jogging track! And they would give us dirtly looks for running in the running lanes... siiiigh. All in all, it was a minor detail (though annoying), that didnt come CLOSE to ruining our good time! It basically became a joke for us by the end of the cruise... How many times would we be cut off in a given hour! oh well!

 

In addition, depending on the time of day - we did feel it was very hard to get a table at the buffet as well.. we also thought the buffet lines were pretty long as well... But the buffet all the way on the rear deck was usually quicker. tables were a problem, especially if you didnt want one directly in the direct sunlight - but a minor issue in our book. Mostly an issue for breakfast, as we were not on board for many lunches.

 

One thing that i do miss from our last ncl cruise on the ncl sun, was the pasta station... they did have one on the aloha at the buffet, but the other station seemed to have many more options. the one on the aloha, basically always had something 'already made', rather than being able to choose your sauce options, etc. another MINOR detail. Like i said in my initial review, the premium restaurants were spectacular and kept us out of the buffets for dinner on most nights!

[dougweaver]

Jasejase thanks for the great review ... I enjoyed reading it. Question about the sunrise bike tour ... about how long after sunrise was it before the bikers head out? We are going to be in a car and I think I read that you are not supposed to pass the bikers with a car. Is that true? If so I might want to try to get out in front of them. Thanks for any info you can give. dpw

[Pinkkitty]

Reading these really good reviews from Pride of Aloha, I have to admit I was a little nervous but am feeling much better. Sounds like the problem lies with the passengers (of certain ages) not with the crew. We are in our mid 40's and will be taking the 10 day leaving 4/16 and are so very excited this will be our first time to Hawaii. I really have 2 questions....the first would be the beds, I have heard that they are very hard and not comfortable I thought I read several months ago that you could request feather bedding and feather pillows....is this a myth? My second question is regarding an excursion that we booked through the ship and that is the Kauai Canopy Zipline, anyone do the one through the ship and was it worth the money or should we look at a different one. We want the best experience for the money and also our first try at a Zipline.

Thanks to all who have provided great feedback on their cruises.

27 days till we go!!

[jasejase]

Jasejase thanks for the great review ... I enjoyed reading it. Question about the sunrise bike tour ... about how long after sunrise was it before the bikers head out? We are going to be in a car and I think I read that you are not supposed to pass the bikers with a car. Is that true? If so I might want to try to get out in front of them. Thanks for any info you can give. dpw

 

Shortly after the sun came up I would estimate. Here's how it works from what i saw.. On our tour (and others that we came across), the bikers go first (our group had about 7 with the tour leader on a bike). The van follows the pack and keeps cars at bay. The driver of the van is in touch with the leader of the bike pack... Every now and then when a car comes up behind the pack, the van radios to the leader of the pack to pull over and the pack leader pulls over.. the group of bikers do the same, and so does the van... This contuinues for the rest of the ride. it didnt happen nearly as much as you would think. the speed limit on that road is about 25 mph and 15 in the turns. the average speed of the bike ride is about 18 mph... In the 26 miles or so, we only pulled over 6 or 7 times im guessing..

 

So, in summary - Don't worry about it! If you stumble across one or two tours, they will quickly pull off to the shoulder. Also, the tour doesnt start from the top where you watch the sunrise.. The van takes the bikers to the starting point which is on the side of the road on a pull off.. where they unload the bikes and give the lesson on how to ride, etc. So your not starting the actual bike ride for a good hour or so after sunrise...

[jasejase]

Reading these really good reviews from Pride of Aloha, I have to admit I was a little nervous but am feeling much better. Sounds like the problem lies with the passengers (of certain ages) not with the crew. We are in our mid 40's and will be taking the 10 day leaving 4/16 and are so very excited this will be our first time to Hawaii. I really have 2 questions....the first would be the beds, I have heard that they are very hard and not comfortable I thought I read several months ago that you could request feather bedding and feather pillows....is this a myth? My second question is regarding an excursion that we booked through the ship and that is the Kauai Canopy Zipline, anyone do the one through the ship and was it worth the money or should we look at a different one. We want the best experience for the money and also our first try at a Zipline.

Thanks to all who have provided great feedback on their cruises.

27 days till we go!!

 

Our bed was two twins pushed together... Im not sure if it was the bed, or my near exhaustion after each day of sites and activities, but i had NO trouble sleeping, and my wife and I each thought the bed and pillows were great, despite despite being a glorified cot! The pillows were also good (they felt like a down or feather type of fill), and there was a total of four pillows on the bed. The other couple we went with said the same - surprisingly, the bed was comfy. Like i said, being tired after a full day could have had something to do with it, but i slept better on that ship than i do in my tempurpedic at home!

 

I dont have any info about the zip line tour taken thru NCL... I do know, as a general rule of thumb, the NCL tours are more expensive than booking yourself. We didnt utilize any NCL Tours. Check into the price of booking directly.

 

NCL excursions guarantee you wont miss the boat should the excursion run long, etc... but if you pick an excursion on a day that in port overnight, or if the excursion ends with plenty of time to get back, i don't really see the added value.

[kapoho2]

Pinkkitty....we took the Kauai Canopy Zipline shore excursion last year when we were on the Pride of Aloha. It was worth every penny. We were picked up at the ship and taken directly to the tour company headquarters where we were outiftted with harnesses, helmets, etc. and weighed (:eek: ) before heading up the mountain. We could have saved a few bucks and done this on our own, but we were not renting a car in Kauai. Actually, the van ride with the other cruisers gave us an opportunity to bond with our fellow zippers!! Have fun!!

[jasejase]

Pinkkitty....we took the Kauai Canopy Zipline shore excursion last year when we were on the Pride of Aloha. It was worth every penny. We were picked up at the ship and taken directly to the tour company headquarters where we were outiftted with harnesses, helmets, etc. and weighed (:eek: ) before heading up the mountain. We could have saved a few bucks and done this on our own, but we were not renting a car in Kauai. Actually, the van ride with the other cruisers gave us an opportunity to bond with our fellow zippers!! Have fun!!

 

Car rental is an issue... and i agree.. sometimes, the package tours are much cheaper taking into account the rental fees being a bit high in some ports. However in the three excursions we booked separate from NCL, they ALL had shuttle pick ups at the pier, even though NCL had no part in the booking. Food for thought. Im sure you will enjoy it however you do it!

[Duffys wife 1957]

We requested a egg topper first thing when we got on board.. EEK..(It didn't really make a difference for us the beds were very firm.:p okay hard....) But again no crabbing on our part we were in Hawaii.:D

[lynnemac]

Hi Hello,

 

Yes the Robert's reps are handing out the coupons. As a matter of fact there were two reps and we got all kinds of offers and coupons. They were standing right by the door as you entered the pier building itself.

 

Mac:) :) :)

[jasejase]

You definetly feel the insert in certain spots (the piece that they wedge between the two beds to make a double)... but i didnt sleep in the middle of the bed (too often!), so it wasnt an issue... there was NO topsheet btw... only a bottom sheet... and a down like comforter with a duvet over it. our 'cot' did feel hard, but i guess we got used to it quickly.. or passed out on it!

[hello]

Great news, lynnemac, we'll be on the lookout for them again!! Thank you.

[dougweaver]

Shortly after the sun came up I would estimate. Here's how it works from what i saw.. On our tour (and others that we came across), the bikers go first (our group had about 7 with the tour leader on a bike). The van follows the pack and keeps cars at bay. The driver of the van is in touch with the leader of the bike pack... Every now and then when a car comes up behind the pack, the van radios to the leader of the pack to pull over and the pack leader pulls over.. the group of bikers do the same, and so does the van... This contuinues for the rest of the ride. it didnt happen nearly as much as you would think. the speed limit on that road is about 25 mph and 15 in the turns. the average speed of the bike ride is about 18 mph... In the 26 miles or so, we only pulled over 6 or 7 times im guessing..

 

So, in summary - Don't worry about it! If you stumble across one or two tours, they will quickly pull off to the shoulder. Also, the tour doesnt start from the top where you watch the sunrise.. The van takes the bikers to the starting point which is on the side of the road on a pull off.. where they unload the bikes and give the lesson on how to ride, etc. So your not starting the actual bike ride for a good hour or so after sunrise...

 

Thanks ... that info is appreciated. Its good to know we don't have to rush to leave before the bikes. We are planning on stopping at Kula lodge for breakfast on the way back and then a visit to Iao valley before heading to the POAM around 1pm for the 2pm departure. Hopefully we can do all that with out rushing around. dpw