mooline

I'm not sure if this is unique to POA, or if all the ships are like this, but here are the instructions to connect to wifi: Document_2023-07-02_170045.pdf The Internet Cafe folks are very clear that you shouldn't use the NCL app to access wifi - use your browser. That worked pretty well, and as I said before, the wifi "sharing" wasn't a major big deal for us (plus, we had good cell service when in port). However, if you're traveling with kiddos, be aware that sharing wifi will deepen sibling wars. Truth told, the kids engaged in creative pursuits - coloring, journaling, even playing together a bit) when Mom or Dad had the wifi.

@PTV, just our drivers licenses, and the kiddos didn't need anything (their parents were with them - there is an attestation form to be completed if they are traveling with adults other than their parents. I'm not an expert, but I think the copy of your Naturalization certificate would probably suffice, if you're even asked. Does your license indicate other than US citizenship?

@NikiPinkston, just wanted to say thanks again for all of your help to map out our POA cruise. We returned a week ago today and had a fabulous time, all 6 of us! Your review and subsequent posts were so helpful. Thanks for taking the time (and lots of it) to offer all of this valuable information.

@maren91, I'm the one who posted the live review just this month. I've cruised a bit on NCL and other lines, so can offer some frame of reference. The POA cruise is one of a kind. the itinerary can't be beat - and on this cruise, it's all about Hawaii, less so about the ship. That said, the staff was fantastic - to a person, they were kind, hard working and engaging. Our suites were exceptionally comfortable and well-appointed. Yes, we spent a small (well, maybe not so small) fortune on this trip, but: 1: It was a trip of a lifetime and 2: Hawaii is expensive whether you're cruising or not. To your question about a land tour: We could not have seen what we did, in the time we had if we did a land tour. You're in LA, we're in FL, so the travel time and logistics to Hawaii are far different for the two of us. Since you've done your homework, you know that the POA itinerary has 2 overnights, one in Maui and one in Kauai, so there is time to experience those islands in a different way, if you want. We absolutely loved our experience, and if we ever want to go back to Hawaii (which, just make, we will) we now have an idea of what we want to experience a little more deeply. Hope this helps! PS: I'm going to be posting the Freestyle Dailies to my original post, so that might help you a bit with your decision. It's a process, though so bear with me... :)

Thank you, @CruiserBruce, that’s very true in some cases, but others may have airline or connection preferences. For example, we usually fly Delta, and can use points for upgrades, a nice benefit for a trip of this length. And we wanted a flight long enough to allow for sleep with the time change, versus two shorter flights where we'd be more seriously jet lagged coming back. For us, that meant a 3:30 pm departure, 6 hours after disembarking. The tour was a great way to fill that time.

If you’re on a ship (e.g. Pride of America) that ends in Honolulu, you'll probably have a good bit of time to kill before your flight home. Not wanting to sit for hours at the airport, we booked with Private Tours Hawaii to take us to a few sights we'd missed during our short precruise visit to Honolulu. The tour is completely customized, and can be changed on the fly. For example, we visited Diamond Head, then traveled to Leonard's bakery. Next, we wanted to see the Dole Plantation, but when we arrived, it was so jam packed that we couldn’t enjoy anything. Our driver, Adam, who also owns the business, helped us quickly plan a visit to a small village on the North Shore, which we all enjoyed. Our tour ended with drop off at the airport, in plenty of time for our flight. Yes, this option is not inexpensive, but it was, for us, a great way to use the time between ship and airplane.

Another "tip": The Wi-Fi arrangement is confusing! We upgraded our "per stateroom" 250 minutes of Wi-Fi, to unlimited premium streaming. When doing this in advance of the trip, we had the option for the upgraded Wi-Fi for only one person, and that's apparently all you can get if you buy in advance. This means others in your party have to use your sign on, and you have to disconnect their device in order to connect yours. The Wi-Fi wasn’t 100% reliable, but it was "ok". In order to access Wi-Fi (whether you have a prepaid package or not), you do NOT use the NCL app. Here's how you do it: Connect to the ship's Wi-Fi network. Use your browser, type in loginnow.com You'll be brought to the page where you can sign in, either to use a prepaid package or purchase one. If sharing WiiFi, be sure to sign in with the name and birthdate of the person who purchased the package.

We’re now on the flight home 😢, but it was a lovely cruise. Dinner at Cagney’s on our last night was absolutely wonderful! Tender steaks, very attentive service and a scrumptious dessert! (OMG cheesecake, and OMG it was!) Our daughter’s cabin had a credit balance, due to a change in shore excursions. They settled her account right on the gangway, and insisted that her refund had to be given in cash. The process took about 10 minutes, and we're still wondering why they couldn’t simply refund to her credit cars. Otherwise, disembarkation was well organized, it was easy off the ship. We had about 5 hours to kill before going to the airport, so we arranged in advance to sightsee with Private Tours Hawaii. It was a great choice, we went to Diamond Head Overlook,Leonard's Bakery food truck, the Dole Plantation (which was mobbed, so we didn’t stay long) and then to a small village on the North Shore, ultimately ending at HNL in plenty of time for our flight home.

For any of you planning a cruise on POA, here's a quick rundown of the shore excursions our family enjoyed in each port. Maui- day 1, we did private horseback riding through Triple L ranch, upcountry. This was our only non-ship excursion. It was a simply wonderful experience and I've posted some details in a thread called “Horseback riding - any islands" on this board Maui Day 2 - Molokini Crater and Turtle snorkeling tour. This was fulfilled by PAC Whale adventures. We had a wonderful crew, very attentive, and took time to fit all of us with wetsuits (optional charge) as well as supplying food (light breakfast and yummy lunch). The crew took great care of us and was very helpful to everyone on the tour. Note, though that it's easy to get seasick on the boat to the snorkeling sites, so be sure to sit in an open area or take meds if you have any issues. Molokini was amazing- crystal clear, lots of fish. The water is chilly but the wetsuit makes it bearable. Turtle town was a bit murkier, but still nice, though unfortunately we didn’t see any turtles. Hilo: Two of us did the Crater Hike and Waterfall Walk - such an incredible sight looking into Kilauea' steamy crater. It's a very steep, narrow, and rugged trail into the crater, both up and down. Be prepared for significant physical exertion and be sure to wear good shoes! A nice sandwich boxed lunch was provided. The visit to Rainbow Falls was the first stop and it is breathtaking… we did see the rainbow at the bottom of the falls! Two others did the Zipline and thoroughly enjoyed the 8 Zipline course. The favorite was the last course, about a half mile long, over impressive forest and a spectacular waterfall. Two others did the Waterfall and Farm tour, they enjoyed it, and got to crack their own macadamia nuts. This tour was pretty low key, not much walking. They did see a small waterfall Kona: we all opted for the Gold Coast and Cloud Forest tour. The tour started with a shot hike along the beach to see ancient petroglyphs, and an opportunity to stroll the shore, spotting sea turtles… we saw two! Second stop was for coffee… we thought we'd be visiting a coffee farm, instead it was a little store with very pleasant people and samples of coffee. There was a bit of education about the coffee growing and roasting process. Finally, we went to the most amazing site, the privately owned Kona Could Forest. Hiking a winding, steep and uneven path, we saw an abundance of plants, some macaws and other birds ( in cages). It was an awe-inspiring experience and a decent workout! Kauai: we only did one tour, the Kauai Outfitters Hidden Valley kayak tour. It was a blast to kayak down the river immediately adjacent to the port. Mountains soar up alongside the river, the scenery is lush and breathtaking. Following g the kayak, we walked about half a mile along a very muddy, rugged and narrow trail, to a brackish water pool with a big rope swing… yes! 5 of the 6 of us took the plunge into “refreshing" (chilly) water! This tour suggests water shoes, but you'd be better off to bring a pair of hiking shoes fit the walk. It's quite challenging with flimsy footwear. Although this was just a half day tour, the guided provided sodas and locally made cookies for the boat ride back to the launch site. Happy to answer any questions that anyone has about any of these tours.

We're on POA now, did 2 nights in Waikiki pre-cruise. We stayed at the Embassy Suites, and had 2 rooms: a 1 br/ 1 bath and a 2 br/2 bath. The 2 br had a king in one br and 2 queens in the other. Both suites were quite spacious. We opted for the Hula Tower based on reviews, and it was a good choice. It was quite pricey, but we were able to use Hilton points to offset some of the cost. It's very conveniently located, easy walk to just about anything.

Confirmed: The Key West Bar is open, and right beside the bar, they serve sandwiches and grill food at lunchtime, buffet style.

Update, dining and a Kauai shore ex: The Skyline MDR was great! I know it is the same menu and presumably same staff as Liberty, but it was much better for us! The sirloin was more tender, the pork loin was excellent, the tilapia and lamb shank entrees were very good, and the ziti was also good. Coconut shrimp was one of the appetizers last night… yum! Service was very well coordinated and attentive. We may have had a better experience partly because the ship was not at all full, several hundred passengers headed out to the luau. Kauai shore ex: we did the Hidden Valley Falls Kayak. It is awesome, incredible scenery paddling along the river at the foot of soaring mountains. There's a hike of about half a mile to a small waterfall stream and pool, with a rope swing to plunge… and yes, we did it! Be aware, though that the hike is over a very rough, narrow, and muddy trail. If you have only flip flops or water shoes, it's challenging! That said, we'd definitely do it again… and none of us tipped over!

And, here is the official review of our horseback riding experience: EVERYONE LOVED IT! Triple L Ranch was a fantastic choice, the horses are very well cared for, the open range ride was like nothing we have seen or ever will see in Florida, and the staff treated us like family. Our tour included a cheeseburger lunch, since this is a working cattle ranch, you know the beef is fresh… very distinct, delicious flavor! The ride was 3 hours plus about 30 minutes for lunch and the sights were amazing. Travel to and from the ranch was through Aloha Maui Limo, our driver Steve was right on time and very cordial.There is zero chance of a quick Uber or Lyft to this remote spot, so Aloha Maui was a very good choice. With the wait time at the ranch and the hour plus drive each way it wasn’t inexpensive, but very much worth the price. We would do it gain in a heartbeat!

We're in Hawaii, on the Pride of America right now, so I’m able to give a legit review of several experiences including a Honolulu luau. Experience Nutridge is everything that’s been posted here and more! Six of us ranging in age from 6 to 70 had a fantastic time! We opted for the luau provided transportation and the van was right on time at our pickup point very close to our hotel. There is a distinct family feel, aided by the relatively small number of guests, 80 or so. The performances were all very educational, beautiful and fun. There were activities before dinner… leaf bracelet making, henna tattoos, spear throwing, and Hawaiian bowling. We had hula lessons as well! There was ample time to wander the breathtakingly beautiful grounds. The food was outstanding and "seconds" were provided. Everything was authentic Hawaiian, including roast pig, chicken, taro-wrapped purple sweet potatoes, and more. We were SO impressed that the staff took time at the end for special recognition of veterans and active military in the audience. And, remarkably, there was absolutely zero pitch, overt or subtle, for tips.It truly felt like a wonderful dinner and socializing time with a large extended family!

How right you are! We are starboard… and I was a sailor a while back so you'd think I wouldn’t make that rookie mistake. Yes, the room is hard to get, we booked this cruise more than 18 months ago, and this was my least preferred week in the month of June, but the suite was booked every other week. My husband is loving the wood fired pizza, so yes, it must still be good! The Key West bar is indeed open and serving drinks. Not sure about food but I'll check. Actually, yes there are shipping containers yet the scenery beyond them is beautiful. We are sailing Na'Pali, I think we are one of the last if not the last to do it.

Do it! We're already talking about the same. So much to see and do, so little time. 😊

PS: The kids and my daughter had a lot of fun at the ribbon lei making class yesterday, so put that activity on your list - and it’s free!

Apologies for the typos in my first post. I don’t see the edit option on the post, guessing that’s because I’m using my iPad vs. computer. We're on the way to Kauai, have been sine last evening. We're steaming along at a good clip, some rocking but nothing at all extreme. My poor 11 year old granddaughter has been queasy most of the trip and Dramamine isn’t cutting it for her. Scopolamine for her next cruise for sure! Everyone else is fine (and my scopolamine patch takes care of my problems) Update on La Cucina: The food was very, very good. Once again, though, the service seemed disorganized. My husband's lasagna entree was brought out with the appetizers (and only 3 of us had apps). My granddaughter asked for no mushrooms on her fettuccini, but there they were. It wasn’t a big deal to her, so she ate around them. The waiter refilled my wine even though I said I was good with what I had. We're pretty chill people by nature so none of this rose to the level of complaint for us, but it might irritate others. Tonight is Skyline, the sister restaurant to Liberty, so we'll see how we fare. And, today is the Hidden Falls kayak trip… with an exuberant 6 year old… wish us luck! 🤪

Aloha! 🥰 We are on the Port side, our kids have a forward facing cabin. The ship sails at night (except for the last day) so there isn’t much to see land wise, but PLENTY of stars! Plus, it’s ails in a circular route, so my guess is at one point or another, every balcony has an island view.

Here we are on Day 5 of what’s been a great cruise so far! I'll give a Cliff Notes version of our experience to date. There are 6 of us, in two suites. My husband and I are in the "Deluxe Owner's Suite with Large Balcony"; it's also called the Grand Suite. Our daughter and her family (husband and 2 girls, ages 6 and 11) are in a Deluxe 2 bedroom Family Suite. The Deluxe Owner's Suite is huge for just 2 of us, but it's fantastic space to gather our whole family from time to time. It has a beautiful grand piano, which has a piano disc self play system. The system is pretty loud even with the volume at minimum, so we haven’t used it often. My favorite thing about this suite is the huge balcony which is the perfect spot for my morning readings. Our daughter's suite is great in that it has a totally separate sleeping area for the kids, about the size of an inside cabin. It's separated from the parents' sleeping area by a good sized hallway and a door. And, it has us own bathroom with shower! Tip: If you have European power adapters, bring them, In both suites, outlets are not plentiful. The kids' room in the 2 bedroom suite has one standard USB outlet in each bedside light, but none of the other selling areas do. We arrived in Honolulu on the Thursday prior to embarkation day. That afforded a nice time for a brief visit to the city. On Saturday, we arrived to board the ship at our appointed time, 11:30. The embarkation area was jam packed! I’ve planned every detail of this trip with laser precision, but… I forgot to print my E-docs, which are needed to pass through Port security! Luckily, I was able to pull the docs up on NCL's app. Whew! Once into the boarding lounge and answering some "are you sick" type of questions, we were escorted to the ship with about 16-20 others. The suites are beautiful and our butlers are phenomenal! My son in law loves basic American coffee, and his butler, Zoie, happily changed out the Nespresso machine for a drip coffeemaker. Our butler, Maria, learned that we have 2 young girls in Our group, and she is keeping us supplied with cookies, gummy bears and cut up fruit. So far, we've enjoyed breakfast at Cagney's just once, as most of our shore excursions have been very early. Otherwise, we've ordered Room Service, which Maria has delivered promptly at the requested time. About the food: Cagney's for lunch on embarkation day, and for breakfast has not disappointed! I'll offer a dinner review in a few days, as we're scheduled there on the last night of the cruise. The big surprise has been the buffet - the Aloha Cafe. We've had no trouble getting a table for 6, and have never encountered long lines. The food at the buffet has been extremely good! We ate one night in the MDR - the Liberty Restaurant. I hesitate to be negative, as every crew member we've met has been pleasant and hard working, but this spectacular setting was mediocre at best in the quality of food. Roast beef and steaks were tough, pasta dishes were meh, the sides are nothing special, but the desserts (Chocolate Lava Cake and Tiramisu Cake) were great. Unfortunately, the service overall was chaotic. Our server did her best, but all of our entrees came out at different times, enough so that a few were finished before others were served, and one appetizer never made it to the table. Tonight it's La Cucina, and we have high hopes. 😊 Thermal Spa.. man, what a treat!! For $100, you have full access all week to the steam, sauna and meditation room with heated stone loungers. My daughter and I each bought a package and we've used it every single day! Shore excursions: Except for one, our excursions are through NCL. The only one that was not was a custom horseback trail ride at Triple L Ranch in the west Maui mountains. We arranged car through Aloha Maui limo, and our driver waited while we rode (for 3 hours!). This was an incredible experience overall! We all did Molokini Crater and Turtle Town snorkeling, which was great, despite not seeing any sea turtles. Two of our group did the Zipline in Hilo, two others did the Waterfalls and Farm tour, and two of us did the Crater Hike. Everyone had a terrific time… and word to the wise, the Crater Hike is intense. We're in very good shape, used to walking at least 4 miles a day, yet this hike was a challenge. Many parts of the trail to and from the crater are very steep and most of t is extremely uneven. Nonetheless we would do it again in a heartbeat to see the spectacular sight of a volcano emitting steam from its crater. Today, in Kona, we all did the Gold Coast and Cloud Forest, which also included a hike, but far easier than the Crater hike. It, too, was a great tour! At this point, I'll stop so any of you can ask questions, and I'll continue to post as our week continues.

Very helpful, thanks, @BermudaBound2014

Wondering if anyone has up to date information on the situation regarding Kilauea? Specifically, would like to know the impact on local communities, and how everyone in the area is faring during this time.

@nitecapt, with absolute respect: It seems from reading your posts, that you have a long and growing list of reasons not to go on the cruise. Dislike of hobnobbing, eating minimally, seeing a ship as transportation vs pleasure, a new and lucrative job, family illness, preferring not to socialize or partake in activities, and more. You sound very introverted, which is absolutely fine, but if that's correct, it's very understandable why the notion of a cruise isn't your ideal vacation. My daughter and one of my granddaughters are extreme introverts, so we gravitate to quieter and smaller gatherings for them. For example, for our Hawaii cruise next month, we'll skip the extravaganza luau in favor of a small, intimate one we found on Oahu. We won't go to shows on board the ship - never do - and will likely have at least one family dinner in our suite. You do say that you'd enjoy time with the grandkids, yet believe that they will be so busy you won't see them. Again, please know I'm doing my best to be very respectful, but there seem to be many assumptions in your posts. Is this one? Even if your family is busy, there will be some times you'll be able to connect. Is there a grandchild who also loves solitude and quiet? Could you connect with him or her on your balcony and simply watch the sea in peace, or share simple, peaceful conversation? Ultimately, it's entirely your choice of course. By all means bring your laptop and take advantage of the time to work if that will make you happy. Eat only what you want, as little as you wish. Sit quietly and watch the world go by. A grandfather is a gift to his or her grandkids, a bridge to their past and a valuable guide for their future. You don't need to hobnob, overeat, dance with a lampshade on your head or swim with sharks... I'll bet your presence is the best present you could give them. Wishing you the best, whatever you decide.

Hi @nitecapt, welcome to CC and to the world of crusing! I understand how you feel. We're plain ol' regular folks too. By the looks of us, one would think we need a few bucks for dinner. I've had the same LL Bean handbag for 25 years, and my husband still wears clothes he's had for more than 10. We don't go to fancy restaurants (actually, we rarely eat out) and Publix's BOGO wines are my favorites. That said, my one guilty pleasure in life is high-end travel. We've always booked suites on cruises, upgraded rooms or suites in hotels, and usually fly first class. Why? I'm not sure, maybe because it's something so out of the ordinary for us it makes our trips all the more special. You will enjoy the peace and better location of your suite, plus you'll be near your family - and that's what life's all about! The butler won't make you feel uncomfortable - he or she will do as much or as little for you as YOU wish. In fact, our experience is that the butler can be nearly invisible if that's your preference. Our butlers have stocked the suite with our favorite things while we've been on excursions, have put coffee in the suite before we've woken up, etc. - if that's what we've indicated we prefer. They are superb listeners and observers, and seem to have a 6th sense about what you will most enjoy. Plus, don't hesitate to tell them - they've seen every kind of passenger imaginable, so your situation won't be new to them. They will be very grateful that you are the kind of passenger who isn't demanding, arrogant, or full of himself We've enjoyed talking with our butler, concierge and cabin stewards, simply to get to know them as people, hear their stories, and understand their worlds. Will you cringe when being led by other passengers waiting patiently in line? Maybe, and I get that. I never, ever flaunt my travel status (I mention it here only because I'm not personally known). You're not the kind of person to look down on people, it seems, so don't let it worry you - the special treatment won't change who you are. As for internet - we had the option to purchase an upgraded, unlimited package that, on balance wasn't awfully expensive. There's a substantial discount when it's an upgrade from a provided internet package. Relax, enjoy, be yourself and view this experience as an adventure. You'll have a great time!

Yes to what @mjkacmom said, and on our reservation summary the shore excursion credit is listed as a benefit for a specifically named passenger (who happens to be the first person named on the reservation). The good part of this benefit is that it applies to all shore excursions for that person, not just one. So, this can be a meaningful benefit if many shore excursions are booked. Hope this helps!