Tljcruiser

On 12/30/2023 at 1:34 PM, schmoopie17 said:

I just stumbled into this discussion. How does the the car get returned to Turo? I assume you would leave the key in the lock box and they would come to pick it up? Or is it not that easy?

Yes the car had a lock box and we just left the key in the box at the same location as pick up.  Very easy!

On 7/27/2023 at 11:48 PM, milmor said:

I am think of using the Turo option in Maui...Can you rent the car at the Maui Seaside Hotel? I have never use their service. How did you get the keys from them?

We were able to pick up the car at the strip mall across from the pier.  It is closer than the hotel.  The owner parked the car in the lot and the keys were in a lock box on the door handle.  The communication was done through the app and text.  She sent us the code for the lock the morning we picked up the car.  It was easy.  You can download the app and search for cars.  There were many available some have delivery options some do not.  We just made sure to pick one that did.  

We only rented at the airport in Kauai and Honolulu.  In Maui we rented through Turo and picked up across from the port via lockbox.  We got off fairly early in Kauai and there was no line at the rental agency.  There was one party in front of us when we got there. I am not sure if that was because we arrived via cab or because it was early.  We were off the ship by 8:15 If I remember correctly.  The last day we had a late flight out, well we were supposed to have a late flight out, it ended up rescheduled for Sunday morning but that is another story!  So we rented a car for the day in Honolulu.  We took an Uber from the pier to the airport and there was no line there either.  I know the lines can get bad though they had it roped off like lines at Disney World in both places.  I would say it is when large planes arrive that it gets super busy.  We had no issues. 

On 7/13/2023 at 7:16 PM, ERNLYN said:

TlJcruiser, So sorry Iam so dense,

Brewster was referring to Lanai Airport which is on another island.  To which island or islands are you referring to regarding

The $20.00 cab ride?

The "car rental shuttle"?

The Avis/Budget shuttle?

Which island did you use Discount Hawaii Car Rental?

This was on Kauai. We used Turo in Maui

15 minutes ago, steveknj said:

 

Glad to see your recent review, since I know that there have been differences that I have noticed on NCL since the pandemic on two "more traditional" ships, the Breakaway and Getaway that we sailed on last year.   Still had a wonderful time, but those ships felt understaffed (even though the ship on one of those cruises was half empty) and they seem to cut down on activities.  For a cruise on the POA, I don't even NEED a lot of those things.   A cabin, food and really not much more.   By lacking customer service skills can you provide an example of where you saw that?   I've seen that sort of thing happen on other ships as well, and trying to gauge if it is much worse than anything else I've seen.

I meant to do an actual review but life got in the way once we got home!  Maybe I will get around to it.  The main things that we  had issues with were service related that I chalked up to this ship being America staffed and just different.  I hope what we experienced is not fleet wide on NCL.  It has been years since we have cruised with them. 

When we arrived our cabin was not clean.  The beds were made, but there was so much dust on every wooden surface that you could write your name.  There were bits of paper and stuff in the floor, just looked like it hadn't been vacuumed.  The mirrors had handprints all over them.  My mom walked down to guest services to ask if we could get it gone over again and discussed with the person at guest services that we had read online that there had been an outbreak of norovirus the week prior, so we just want to make sure the room was cleaned sufficiently.  The guest service agent did not deny the outbreak.  He asked her to go back to the room and stay until someone came to inspect.  So she sat in the room for over an hour and then went back down.  She spoke with a different agent who was rude and said all the rooms were throughly cleaned and that there had been no cases of noro the week prior.  He sent her back to the room but a supervisor came fairly quickly.  She ran her finger across the cabinet and when dust flew everywhere she apologized and said the room would be cleaned while we were at dinner.  We left at that point and came back a few hours later to a cleaner room but it was 10:00 pm and the bed had not been made for my daughter.  We had no idea how to assemble it and had no linens.  Had to call beck to guest services and ask for the bed to be made.  Our room attended came at this point and made up the bed.  We explained that we have 3 people in the room and would need towels for 3 at this point there were only 2 towels and 2 wash clothes.  We had to keep asking all week for an additional towel and wash cloth.  He just kept leaving 2 all week long.  The only time we had enough towels would be if we saw the cart outside and just took what we needed.  It was very odd. 

We only ate in the dining room twice but both times it took an extremely long time to be waited on and served.  Both times we had to ask for bread it was not automatically brought and both times did not receive it until our entrees arrived.  Both times water glasses were left empty for long periods of time.  Both times at least one of us did not enjoy our entree and did not eat much, we did not want anything else, but on any other cruise I have been on the server would notice and encourage the guest to order something else.  I have had this happen several times on other ships when I have just been too full to finish, they are always concerned that I did not like what I ordered and want to bring something else.

Another issue was the towel stand closes really early.  Usually you are able to get a clean towel in the evening if you want to swim or sit on deck or whatever.  We went to get beach towels around 6 one day, found the towel stand closed.  There was a lady cleaning up the ice cream stand right beside the towel station who was super nice..  She noticed us with our wet towels and asked if we needed help.  We explained we just needed new beach towels.  She said they were closed but to go to guest services they could exchange them for us.  So we walked downstairs where we were met with disdain it seemed for thinking they could give us towels.  There were two agents at guest services and both were rude and acted like we were bothering them asking for towels.  We were onboard over the 4th and on 7/4 we stuck around Hilo harbor to watch their fireworks display, which was great!  It was a little chilly on deck and would have been great to have a towel to cover up with.  All the ships I have been on in the past have a towel stand open for night swimming, or movies on deck that people want to use a towel for.  

The day we tendered, we walked down to get the tender tickets and were told to go directly to deck 3 to disembark once our number was called.  I asked to verify this again because that was NOT was printed in the Daily for instructions on how to tender the night before.   It stated to go to deck 5 prior to getting on tender.  Our number was called so we went down to deck four as that was a far as the elevator went and were going to walk down the steps to 3 but there was a long line and people were not happy that we were "trying to cut". we were just following the assistant cruise director's instructions that she gave us when they handed us the tickets.  So we went back upstairs to 5 (as the written instructions said) to  join the line and hand over our tickets.  It just seemed like they do this every week all the crew members should know the process.  

In the buffet restaurant the ice machines were often out of ice and there were many times that you would need to go to various drink stations in order to find clean cups.  There is apparently not enough cups to go around.  

One morning when we were getting off it was raining a little and they were selling ponchos as you left.  They were wrapped in plastic and I could see the NCL logo on the package but I couldn't tell if it was on the poncho and just visible thought the plastic or if it was on the wrapping.  I was just curios if it was a think plastic poncho with a logo or if it was a thin plastic dollar tree poncho that would tear after 1 use.  (it was the latter). I picked one up just to look at it closer, I did not open the package.  The crew member selling them told me not to touch it if I was't going to buy it.  It was so absurd I thought he was joking but he didn't appreciate me laughing. A few years ago on a Disney cruise when it rained they passed out the nice thick Disney parks ponchos as we disembarked for free.  I was just trying to see if it was like that or not.  I can't imagine any other crew member on another ship fussing at a passenger for looking at an item for sale.  Again I never removed it from the package. 

Overall it wasn't anything horrible, but just a general lack of service and several crew members who seem like they could care less about the guests onboard experience.  It was just different from any cruise I have been on in the past.  We have sailed several times since covid and have seen a little difference in the crew seemingly being overworked but this did not feel like that.  As I stated we did not have very high expectations for the actual cruise experience after reading reviews of the ship so we were prepared and it was fine.  It was just a whole lot of money for subpar service.  It was a way to see multiple islands without the hassle of packing/unpacking and having to fly to various places so I don't regret it, but I hope that their other ships do better! 

4 hours ago, ERNLYN said:

Thank you Tljcruiser for the clarification, do you think the sign that "car rental shuttle" was just for Avis and Budget?

I am not sure but I did not see any other shuttles either at the airport or the pier with a "cruise shuttle" sign.  That one is the only one I had read about prior to going, so I think it is probably the only one.  We actually rented the car through Discount Hawaii Car Rental it was a little cheaper than using Budget directly.  They had an airport shuttle and that separate cruise shuttle, they did not use the same bus. 

11 minutes ago, ERNLYN said:

"The cab ride was $20 to the airport. " so, the cab from pier to Kahului Airport was $20.00 not $45.00?

If you schedule ahead of time apparently the charge is $45.  When we just got in the taxi that was at the pier when we walked off it was $20.  It is metered and a short trip.  I guess the extra $25 is for peace of mind of knowing you have transportation waiting.  

11 hours ago, Brewster said:

Thank you. Much appreciated for your very helpful info!! Just one question..for Kauai, is the street where you parked in a neighborhood? Just trying to get a general idea via Google Maps (I'm a huge pre-planner, can't you tell :). Also, assume the area is safe to walk back after dark (looking to take a possible excursion that would get us back around 9 pm. Thanks, again! 

It is just street parking located above the pier area.  If you can find the ABC store to the right of the terminal on google maps the streets leading up to the store from the port had parking.  There is also a cross street that runs in front of the ABC store that is a little closer to the pier with parking. Wasn't what I would call a neighborhood although there was a gym or some type of athletic facility right there also.  It was my mom, my 14 year old and me all female felt perfectly safe.  We came back Thursday around 6 pm but left super early Friday morning to get to our Napoli Coast boat trip (which was excellent and I would highly recommend).  We were off the ship by 6:45 am and didn't see anyone else wandering around but still felt safe.  Sorry if I was better with maps I would ad a link! It isn't marked, we were told as long as the curb isn't red or yellow you are allowed to park there.  

Just looked it up it's Nawiliwili Road.  Can park on either side of the road.  It is not as far as it looks on the map!

Booked through Turo for the first time last week on Maui.  It was great no issues at all.  We kept the car overnight and parked at the Maui Seaside Hotel for $26.  The owner did ask us not to park at the mall across the street because they had had a car stolen from there.  The hotel had security and we did not need to reserve ahead of time.  Just showed up and went in the office and paid.  

We just debarked Saturday.  The reviews are right the ship is not the best BUT it suits the purpose of getting to see several islands without having to unpack and repack and fly around.  If you go into it with low expectations of service and food quality and use it as a floating hotel and a means to get from one place to another you will be fine.  As a cruise it was by far the worst service (dining room, cabin attendant etc) that I have ever experienced, but the islands are great and it got us where we needed to go.  The ship itself is very pretty with great public spaces, the staff is just lacking in basic customer service skills.  The cabins are super small compared to other ships but that wasn't really a problem for us. Overall the benefits of seeing all we saw were worth the negatives of the poor service.  Just don't go into it thinking you will receive 5 star service our expectations were low so we were not disappointed or surprised with what we got. 

I contacted Kauai Taxi Co to prearrange a taxi to the airport to pick up rental car and was quoted $45.  We walked off around 8:15ish and there were a few taxis lined up, not many but there were no people waiting for any.  Our driver took us to the airport and headed straight back to the ship.  It was $20.  We did not have anywhere we had to be by a certain time that day though so that does make a difference.  We were just driving to the Canyon and the beach. That should give you an idea about charges though! 

If it is we didn't find it!  I asked at the info booth by the tender dock and was directed to a hop on hop off bus but it was $35 per person.  It ran the same route as I had read the free one did.  We just wanted to go to the beach and snorkel, so it probably wasn't any more than a cab two directions would have been.  The driver gave a lot of good historical info, so It was worth it to us but free would have been better!! 🙂 

We just got back.  Rented a car from Budget.  They have a shuttle (shares with Avis) that picks up right at the pier however the NCL rep at the pier directed us to a cab and said Budget does not pick up at the pier.  Had we continued walking the way we were headed (past the NCL employee) we would have exited the building and seen the sign that said car rental shuttle.  Instead, he directed us to exit to the left where there were waiting cabs.  No problem getting one, but it was fairly early.  I think we were off by 8:15ish.  The cab ride was $20 to the airport.  Once at Budget they told us they run a regular shuttle and that we would be able to take it back to the ship when we returned the car.  We kept the car overnight and just parked on the street as did many many others.  It is a short walk, less than 10 minutes and my mom has knee issues and walks slow.  Had it been just myself and my daughter it would have been less than 5 minute walk.  We left super early the next day to get to a Napoli Coast boat tour about an hour away and had no issues with anything.  Returned the car after the boat tour and took the Budget/Avis shuttle back to the pier where we were dropped off right at the door that we should have exited the morning before!  Super easy!  On Maui we rented a car for the two days from Turo and they dropped it off across from the pier for us.  We parked overnight at the Maui Seaside Hotel for $26 and walked back to the ship.  It was a longer walk but flat and easy.  If you have any questions just ask while it is still fresh on my mind 🙂. I had some trouble finding information on POA planning prior to going.  

My daughter cruised for the first time at age 3.  I think it is a perfect time to go as others have said as long as potty trained.  We picked a small radiance class ship, 5 night to start just because we didn't know how she would do.  She had a great time even though we were on a ship without any bells and whistles.  She is now almost 14 and diamond plus and much prefers the ships with the bells and whistles.  Take lots of sunscreen, a few water toys and unless you are in a suite make sure your child is okay in a shower vs a tub.  I think that was the biggest adjustment for her when she was really little.  Have fun!!  

On 3/21/2023 at 9:47 AM, NellieVA said:

MOOLINE -- I was able to find a private company that can accommodate our schedule, and our flight is at 3:30pm, too.  If you want the name of the company, just let me know.  Their price is almost identical (a little less) than the tour/transfer offered by the cruise line, and they've guaranteed us Arizona tickets and drop off at the airport by 1:30pm.

I would like to know the tour company you found please! We are trying to find something to do after our cruise in July. Thanks!

I have tried to get the towel the last 3 cruises and keep being told they are out do to global supply chain issues.  The cruises were 3 different ships in June/October and last week on Oasis.  I have called the C&A number and spoken to loyalty ambassador on board, I was told they have no logo products available.  Maybe next time!

On 11/11/2022 at 6:53 PM, BirdTravels said:

Royal Caribbean allows you to bring water and soda onboard

And wine!!!

Just watch the drinks being made!  A couple of times on our last two cruises when I ordered a regular daiquiri and a virgin I ended up with both with alcohol.  My mom kept telling me to keep an eye on it and I thought she was being over the top but then I actually saw them accidentally pour liquor two different times.  Works out okay.... the adult just ends up with an extra drink  but you want to make sure you catch it!! 🙂  Both times it was just me at the bar picking up the drinks never happened when my daughter was with me.  I think they just got busy and overwhelmed with orders.  

Good luck!  I accidentally left my jacket and my daughter's jacket hanging in the closet on our last cruise.  I left them out for the plane and apparently had a brain fart and left them there.  I filed a report immediately after arriving at the airport less than 2 hours after disembarking.  Described both items fully and noted exactly where they were left with cabin number included.  I kept getting updates every few weeks saying "searching for your items". finally after a couple of months I got a sorry we can't locate your lost items.  My lost items weren't valuable but made me think they do not put any effort into finding lost items.  

3 hours ago, Biker19 said:

Compensation for missing any port usually doesn't depend on anything but the diff in cost between the time booked and the date of the miss.

Maybe that is where the op's $15 obc came from! We didn't have anything out of the ordinary on our account other than a $107 obc from a price drop disappearing from our account.  That took over 45 minutes at guest services and a shore side call to straighten out, but that was week 2 not the week the ports were changed.  

10 hours ago, PompeySailor said:

We received some port fees and taxes back on folio $15.45 each

We did not pursue any compensation or OBC.

 

Maybe some did.

 

Happy Days!

 

We did not receive anything back other than refund of a booked tour.   We also did not pursue any compensation. I was just curios if anyone else had and had any luck.  Not really expecting anything but would have been pleasantly surprised if it happened and wanted to inquire if it was even a thing!   

Any chance of any type of compensation for port fees?  I am pretty sure port charges are more in Aruba and Curacao than the ports that Royal owns right???  I realize that itineraries can change and that is a risk when cruising this time of year but like others have said take away 2 great ports and substitute with your own ports?  Doesn't make for the best vacation.  Anyone ever have any luck arguing this case with Royal?  I would be happy with just some OBC for the next cruise!

On 7/3/2022 at 5:11 PM, estrawn said:

On Oasis Class ships I always try to get the very last cabin toward the Aquatheater on any deck from 8-12.  Looking at the deck plans for Wonder I see that all of those cabins are marked as obstructed view (25%).  I don't recall obstructions on any of the other Qasis class ships I have been on so far.

 

I can't find any pictures of that area online.  Does anyone here know what the obstruction is and if it is really an "obstruction"?

 

Thanks for your help

It's probably just the slide.  Seems like every other deck is a little less obstructed based on the curvature of the slide but I can never remember if it is the odd or even ones.  

On 7/6/2022 at 8:02 PM, Floating Lanai said:

Hi everyone

 

Have a harmony cruise coming up next month and wanted to know if anyone has experience renting cars in these ports.

I found what looks to be legit options in each port.

 

Jeep rental in St Thomas

https://www.jeepsvi.com/index.php

 

And car rental in St. Kitts

https://www.avis.com/en/locations/sk/basseterre

 

Are these walkable from the ship?

Are there other options I'm missing? 

Any experience with these options I found? Obviously Avis is well known and I assume it's locally owned. 

 

Thanks for any help 

I would ask in the forum section for ports but that tends to be not very active. 

The jeep rental in st thomas is located at Havensight.  Harmony docks at Crown Bay which is several miles away.  There are car rental places that will pick you up at the pier and take you to get your car.  I haven't been to STT since covid but prior to that it was a fairly quick and easy process. 

It was only running 1 way the last 2 weeks.  As others said security was on the ship.  This was on Explorer.