DwayneG

We rented a Chevy Suburban from Alamo. One of us took a cab to Alamo airport ASAP, others had leisurely walk-off and I was back by then. Suburban seats 8 easily, but not all that luggage. Plus you don't want luggage exposed in the car when you park. So used Airport Delivery and Storage...they picked everything up at the ship, delivered it to the airport that evening right to baggage check area.

We always eat in MDR and find that every meal it's hard to choose from the available entrees (also apps and desserts). So much so that we'll usually order multiple apps and desserts so we don't have to decide.

Many on this board and Hawaii board have endorsed discounthawiicarrental.com ... I noticed that their page which lists rental vendors, says brand 4 offers "reduced young drivers fee" on rentals booked through them.

This company is ON SITE at the airport. Per their website they are the only one onsite. Aloha Airport Delivery and Storage. They will meet you anywhere at the airport including adjacent car rental sites for bag pickup. Rates are $20 for first bag and $5 each additional. For return of the bags, they will meet you back anywhere on property within minutes of your call.

 

808-638-1816

Not only will they pick up your bags at the airport, they'll also pick them up at the ship. We did that a couple of weeks ago because our flight left after 10 PM...Aloha grabbed our bags and kept all day, then delivered them to airport when we were ready.

As others have said, this is a great cruise if you know what to expect. It's not a "traditional" cruise, where it's all about the ship. It's a great floating hotel and restaurant that lets you walk out the door to wonderful places each day. If you plan to enjoy activity-filled days aboard ship, go to the Caribbean or do a trans-Atlantic because this just isn't the right cruise for you. You'll notice fewer restaurants open during the day, fewer bingos and trivia meets, even smaller crowds for theater entertainment, because everybody's out on the island all day and comes back worn out. True, the cabins are on the small side, but we probably spent less than a half hour a day awake in the room. Food and service were generally as good as other cruises. Staff was friendly and evoked an OHANA (family) spirit. We just got back last Saturday and had a fantastic time, but it's probably a one-time thing for us. Now that we were able to sample four islands we can drill down to what we want in a land vacation next timr we come to Hawaii.

The walk from the overnight lot isn't bad for an able-bodied person, but it's at least several blocks. And you can't drive your rental to the ship to pick up others unless you have a handicapped tag, you'll be stopped at security. This was a problem for one in our party who could walk but not that far.

Arizona is free, but a nominal charge for advance reservations, about a buck as I recall. You reserve on line 2 months before the date (7 AM Hawaii time, I think), but be online as soon as you can. I tried about an hour after reservations opened and all but two time slots were full already. They offer a VERY limited number of these advance tickets, max 6 per account. This is because they hold back tickets for same-day on line reservations and stand-in-line reservations.

While we're at Kona we'd like to buy some fresh bags of coffee to bring home for our serious coffee drinking friends. Any problem bringing it back on ship or flying home from HNL with it?

We've signed up for the Marriott Waikiki for a couple nights before our cruise, and did it through NCL. I understand there's a special NCL desk where we can sign in for our cruise. Has anyone used this, and how does it work?

Guest services will give you whatever keys you need. But you'll still need your original key for ID and charging.

Found the same to be true for mine, but at 12:30 AM 90 days out reservations were available.

How about giving her a digital photo frame? Load it with some of the many pix of your trip you can find online, including here on CC. Shouldn't take many pix before she realizes what's up!

I'm working on scheduling the evening on Saturday POA (sailaway, shows) and wonder how much time to allow for dinner at Tepanyaki...can I eat early enough to be finished before 7:00 sailaway activities?

Sounds like Legoland is too far for this trip, but I'd suggest it for some time in the next few years. It's a great park for young kids because it's BORING for kids over 12 or so. Result is that the park isn't crowded with bands of teens, and that enhances the park experience for the younger kids.

We're looking at a company that will pick up our bags at the ship, hang on to them all day, then deliver to airport when we call. I've had some communications with them, sounds ideal. Aloha Airport Delivery http://www.alohaairportdeliveryandstorage.com/

I know the BAGs program (where they pick up your luggage from cabin and check through to plane) comes and goes at various ports. Can anyone who's been on POA lately tell me if it was offered? Our family will have too much luggage for our minivan and BAGs sure made it simple last summer in Whittier.

We've used NCL's BAGS program in Alaska and it was great. Did you hear anything about whether it's offered on POA? We're renting a van for sightseeing while waiting for a late flight and it would be great to not have to handle luggage. They picked up our luggage at night like everyone else's, but we didn't see it again until home airport. Also gave us boarding passes.

The train is surprisingly inexpensive and a pleasant trip. Probably costs less than one way rental fee plus gas from Vancouver. In Seattle you could take the Metro light rail to SEATAC and rent a car locally if you want to drive around for a while, maybe stay out near airport for less than downtown if staying overnight.

Just got back last Monday and had one of our best cruises ever! The Cruise Director staff was outstanding, servers in MDR smiled a lot, made us feel welcome. Just like magic our cabin was spotlessly clean every morning and evening. Ate most meals in the MDR, even had surf n' turf with lobster tails one night, and we were quite satisfied. We had balcony cabin, thought the size was as good as any we've been in. The push for photos, Bingo and pull tabs was low key, not pushy. Last sea day included a crew talent show, I highly recommend. I honestly can't think of a thing to complain about.

Some rooms have a pull down bunk for a fourth person, similar to beds on a train.

I don't know where to get an authoritative answer on this. When I asked my PCC about this a couple months ago she said it wasn't offered this year. But it was in the Freestyle daily beginning the first day.

We were pleasantly surprised to find the BAGS program available in Whittier again. We were able to leave our bags outside our cabin on last night and never touch them again until our home airport. This was good for us because we had 6 passengers and rented an Avis minivan one way to ANC for sightseeing. I brought straps to put luggage on the roof, but BAGS was a much better option.

The BAGS program (leave bags outside cabin and they magically appear all checked in at airport) seems to be on again off again in Whittier. Anyone cruised this year that can tell me if it was offered. Northbound Sun July 21, ending in Whittier, AK.

Three times now we have taken our various grandkids on the cruise package: 4 nights at WDW, 3 on a Disney ship. The package is exceptional...handed our bags off at Orlando Airport, they took to our Disney resort room, then picked up from our room and took to ship. Because you're at a Disney property you can move freely between the parks. And the service on the cruise was great. Last time there were 8 of us, 3 generations, and when we sat down to dinner the server called each of us BY NAME...guess he'd been studying the cheat sheet. Kid's club and onboard shows are great. And every step of the way everyone treated the kids as if they were real people, not a sub-class.

Definitely going! He chose Alaskan cruise over trips to London or Paris. The cruise should be enough fun even if he doesn't meet others his age, and he's looking forward to salmon fishing charter. I figure I'll hook him up with CC Roll Call, see if he can meet others in advance.