Review-Owner's suite Pride of America 1/7/12

[mydreamvacation]

We are back from our trip on the Pride of America and I am finally coming up for air from all of my make up work. I will begin giving you my installments of my review. I finally have gone through our hundreds of photos and categorized them. As I don’t know how to post them here I will insert a link to the pictures that will take you to my Flickr account and you can view them there.

A little background, we were on the POA 1/7/12 in the owner’s suite number 12000. Traveling was myself, my husband and our 18 year old son. The suite is stunning, actually one of the nicest I have been in. For the most part the trip was wonderful, there were some shortcomings but I nothing is ever perfect…

As an obsessive planner I did everything I thought to make my 50th birthday trip perfect, booked us at the airport hotel the night before our flight, we were traveling the 16 hours in first class and I had a limo waiting for us in Honolulu along with dinner booked at Roy’s Waikiki. Unfortunately even the best planning can’t prevent “bumps in the road”. Our flight out of Hartford was delayed which caused a snowball effect. Needless to say 16 hours after I walked into BDL for my flight I was in a hotel in LA instead of sipping Mai Tai’s in HNL and had done it all in coach. L But we were still pumped to get to Hawaii then next day. We had been re-routed on United and I switched seats with my husband so that he could talk football with my son. (unfortunately we were not in the same row but each a row apart in the window seat but at least first class) when I got on the plane I looked at the man in the aisle seat behind me next to my son and asked if he would like to switch so that my husband and son could sit next to each other. He declined and I sat down. My seatmate arrived and was a charming guy. We were chatting it up and I asked him if he was on business or pleasure. He said he was working, that he was a golfer and had a tournament in HNL later that week- the Sony cup or something like that. We live on a golf course but I personally don’t partake in the sport. I asked him who he was and if my husband would know him as he watches golf all the time. He said; ask him if he knows the name Rocco. So I leaned back to my son (sitting next to the man who would not switch) and said ask dad if he knows someone named Rocco. My husband said- loud enough for us to hear-“She is sitting next to Rocco Mediate? I want my seat back!” All of a sudden the guy behind Rocco and I was more than willing to switch, too bad so sad lol. Rocco was a really funny nice man and gave me an autograph and did photos on my iPhone for my husband. I will frame it at some point.

We arrived in HNL and our limo driver was waiting for us even though we were early- Melvin Lim is a wonderful man. He owns ABC Limo in Honolulu, I had called him when I found out we were not getting to Hawaii as hoped on the 5th and he was just wonderful and said he would be there to meet us the next day. And as promised there he was with a luggage cart and chocolate macadamia nuts the next morning. We used Melvin’s company for all of our transfers in Oahu and I can’t recommend him enough.

http://abclimosvc.com/

Photo of our limo-

http://www.flickr.com/photos/yourdreamvacation/sets/72157629047428729/

We stayed at the Marriott Waikiki in an ocean view room. The hotel was very nice and clean. We really didn’t get to experience much of it though because we only had one night there. Upon arrival we walked down the strip to find out how to get to Roy’s Waikiki. I had reserved us a table for 6:30pm and wanted to get an idea of how far away it was. The walk was very interesting as we passed people carrying surf boards and items you don’t normally see back here in the great white north. We found Roy’s and then stopped into an ABC store to pick up some t-shirts and other nick nacks. After seeing what the price of food was at the Marriott (lunch for three people –just sandwiches and drinks at the pool bar was $85) I picked up some breakfast items there as well to keep in our room fridge. We got changed for dinner and headed back out. In the evening the streets came alive with venders and street performers; it made our walk quite entertaining reminding me a lot of Key West. Dinner was wonderful just as I had hoped it would be. My husband and son feasted on Sushi and Sashimi while I was a bit less adventurous sticking with the short ribs. I had planned in advance and purchased on line a $150 gift card before Christmas and they had a promotion that threw in an extra $20 gift card so dinner only ended up costing me with tip around $30. That is something I will do more often in the future (buy gift cards in advance) I like to have things paid for as much as possible before I travel so I don’t have to think about money just sit back and enjoy the trip. The next morning at 10:45am Melvin was back to whisk us off to the pier.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/yourdreamvacation/sets/72157629047639827/

We arrived at the port I would say some time around 11:15am or so. I was fairly surprised how industrial it was. We went in to a large warehouse and were directed to fill out the “have you been sick” form. We were directed to the “VIP” lounge which was definitely not like the other’s we have been to before which usually are nicely arranged. It seemed to be an afterthought; there was not enough seating and little organization. Thomas the concierge said that we would be waiting for some more suite guests to arrive and would board as a group. As he was talking I saw a butler come into the room and immediately recognized him from another past guest’s photo as George Rodrigues. I went up to him and introduced myself and asked if he was assigned to our suite. He said he was not and I asked if it could be possible to have our current butler switch so we could have George. George arranged to trade out one of his cabins to Jay (our assigned butler) and we ended up with George. He was a FANTASTIC butler- one of the best I have ever had! (If you see him ask for him his photo is in with the cabin photos section on my Flickr) Unfortunately Jay (our assigned butler) and Thomas must have been upset about my request as both were very cold to me the entire week to the point of making me uncomfortable. However George and our wonderful room steward Leo both more than made up for any chill in the air. When the group was large enough we were escorted to the ship and put on several elevators to be brought up to another room. I can’t recall where we were but it was not pink’s champagne bar. This was a large group, our ship was sold out. I somewhat missed the one on one attention we usually got with the concierge but rolled with it anyhow. Once everyone was brought to the room (which was overflowing) the concierge introduced representatives from the shore excursions departments and the spa. He also introduced a lovely young lady named Rebecca that would be working with us if we had dining reservations. He spoke for a while and then said that people could go to Lazy J’s for lunch and an announcement would be made when our cabins were ready. Most people left but I wanted to make my spa and dining appointments. I had come prepared with a list. The concierge had left and no butlers were in the meeting which was odd, in the past our butler had always escorted us on the ship and to our cabin for us to leave our carryon bag. I knew things were going to be different on this ship and was glad we only had one small bag to carry around. The lady from the spa came by and I wanted to set up some appointments. She was a very impatient woman while I was trying to figure out my times and treatments. Finally I just had her make a facial appointment for me for the afternoon and said I would take care of the rest of my appointments myself. Rebecca came over and I gave her our requests for the week. We prefer to dine only in the specialty restaurants so I like to reserve them early. Originally I was going to have us eat in Lazy J’s that first night but I noticed in the daily they were offering a “Tasting menu” in Bistro that was a sampling of all the specialty restaurants and elected for that instead. Rebecca was so friendly and delightful and quickly made all of our reservations and gave me my receipts. After that we headed to Lazy J’s for lunch. Lunch was excellent, the staff was top notch defiantly the cream of the crop, very attentive and the food cooked perfectly. We walked around a bit checking out the ship. For her age I would say she is in excellent condition. I really liked the décor which was not like most NCL ships, we looked at the various displays of Hawaiian history and then the announcement was made that our cabin was ready. We went right up to deck twelve and found our new home. (One note-on most ships the carpet is red on one side and blue on the other to indicate port and starboard this was not the case on the POA and I missed my cheat sheet lol) We arrived at our cabin, owner suite 12000 and were thrilled when we opened the door. I have sailed in many suites, three on NCL and this was by far the nicest one yet. It was very roomy with a kitchen/bar area, a dining table, a leather couch that turned into a sofa bed, a desk complete with a laptop computer. There was a large master bathroom and a small guest bath but the best part was the veranda. It was huge and complete with my very own hot tub. A fibromyalgia patient’s best friend! In the bathroom there also was a Jacuzzi tub but none of us ever bathed in it. I did use it as a “washing machine” one day though when we came back from hiking and our clothes were especially muddy. George came to the cabin and introduced himself and I gave him my notorious list of requests. (Several CC members felt I was rude to make up my wish list but he said he would rather know what I want than try to guess) It was time for my facial and the guys wanted to watch the NFL play-off game on my ipad so I headed to the spa and them to the veranda. When I got back it was time for the safety drill so off we went. When that was complete we returned to the cabin and enjoyed some champagne while awaiting our luggage. Next was the tasting menu at Bistro which was a great idea that all enjoyed. We decided to skip the show and just head back to our suite to relax before our first day in Maui. When we got to the cabin I was almost overwhelmed as ALL of my requests had been taken care of and even more. I had asked for extra pillows, and possibly some that were memory foam, we had tons! I asked for specific soda’s and water and we had cases of both. Milk was in the refrigerator and bath salts ready for me to soak. George was a true gem and most definitely earned every penny I tipped him. I was glad that I had given him my list as now everything I wanted for the week was in place. A bit over organized maybe but that is how I like my life…. To be continued.

Here are links to the first day’s free style daily and our cabin photos.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/yourdreamvacation/sets/72157629045774677/

[hill6]

Great review so far. Can't wait to read the rest.

[Kruisenut]

Have the flip side OS 12500 booked next April, great review and photos, will be following closely.

[DMH15]

Enjoying your review. Thank you.

[BlueJai]

Loving your review and your pictures are wonderful! I have never seen a balcony of an owners suite - amazing! Looking forward to more.

[BlueJai]

Enjoying your review very much and your pictures are wonderful. I have never seen the balcony of an owners suite - WOW is all I can say! Looking forward to more!

[mydreamvacation]

Day two Maui-(or day one in Maui depending on how you look at it lol)

I had prebooked a whale watch directly with the Pacific Whale Foundation and a rental car (note if you prebook with PWF you save a lot of money off of the exact same excursion that the cruise line offers and will be in a smaller group.I had researched it and found that the water would be calmest (and easiest to see whales) in the morning so we selected the 11:00am tour. After a wonderful night’s sleep we went down to Lazy J’s: for breakfast. For anyone concerned about the comfort on the new sofa beds in the owner’s suite my son said he slept great. I will say though that I think it would be pretty tight for two people to sleep in that one bed- it was about the size of a double bed. The bed in the master bedroom was great, it was so nice to NOT have two twins pushed together but a real king bed. No matter how hard cruise lines try to cover up that seam I can always feel it so having a real king is greatly appreciated. The glass doors between the bedroom and living room did very well in blocking out noise as our son’s sleep schedule includes staying up late watching TV while we old folks pass out. Our wonderful butler was able to get us memory foam pillows which help so much with the herniated discs in my neck. Not only that but he got me enough pillows to support my arm and leg while sleeping- it is hard to get old lol.

Upon arrival to Lazy J’s we were greeted by lovely Rebecca who had made all of my reservations that week. She was always so cheerful and sweet each morning. We all tried the Belgian waffles which were delightful, husband and son enjoyed the coffee from the French press and I sipped orange tea. I believe my husband had a cappuccino in the cabin while I was showering but since he is supposed to be cutting back on caffeine we will never know for certain- although the frothed milk sitting on the Lavazza machine was somewhat of a giveaway ;)

We had a rental car booked with Thrifty so took the shuttle over and picked it up, couldn’t have been easier with the Blue Chip membership. I had directions already inputted into my phone so we set off to the harbor in Ma'alaea. It was a pretty short ride, under a half hour. We checked in with the desk and explored our lunch options and found the rest room. Our whale watch was from 11:00-1:00. We found a “beach bar” down on the lower level that conveniently had big screen TV’s (keep in mind the NFL playoffs were going on and my two guys were going through major football withdrawal) I was happy as long as I could look at the water while we ate. We poked around in the shops and then when it was time our group walked down to the pier. I was very impressed with the people at PWF. They all seemed to have a real dedication to the environment and a true love of the whales. We had been on a whale watch in the past at Cape Cod so we did have a pretty good idea of what to expect. Recalling that outing where my husband had turned green at the gills I planned ahead. The night before I had everyone take one Bonine and I bought these neat little bands called “bio bands” They work on the same premise as the wrist bands that you see people wearing on cruise ships but are a bit more high tech, les noticeable or more fashionable and you only have to wear one. Another good thing is they are adjustable. Not sure which worked, or if the sea was just not as rough as when we were in Provincetown but no one had any problems sea sickness wise. I am glad I bought them and next time one of us has the stomach flu I am going to try them out for nausea, supposedly they are great for morning sickness but that will not be happening in my life again unless there is some divine intervention lol. I bought them on line here- http://www.biobands.com/

Personally I was the one most looking forward to the whale watch, ok truth be told I was the ONLY one looking forward to it, the guys came along because it was important to me but it was not something they really wanted to do. We didn’t even get to hear the whole safety drill before the “show” began a mother and young calf were in front of us and the calf was showing off breaching repeatedly. It was too fast for my camera and finally I gave up trying to capture it and just stood back and enjoyed. I then looked over at my son and husband and noticed they were huddled in front of his iPhone- they were watching the playoffs streaming live lol. There could be worse offenses and as long as we were all together that was all that mattered to me. My son soon became quite popular (or hated, depending on which spouse was looking at him, as people were asking for updates on the score etc.) After two hours of beautiful scenery and whales we headed back into the marina. We ate lunch at the beach bar -I didn’t write down the name but it is on the first floor of the Harbor shops where the restrooms are located- it was decent and reasonably priced. The guys got their football fix, there was no snow, and all was good. The waitress did give a curious look at my son’s fashion statement –a knit cap that he has taken up wearing. Yes I too thought it was unique with his shorts and summer shirt but as long as he keeps his grades up in college and acts respectful towards us I have learned to overlook his expressing his “individuality”. (At least it is not permanent like a big tattoo scrawled across his face or something)

We had considered visiting the ocean center but after looking at their brochure decided to skip it. Don’t get me wrong it looked like a great place but we have been to hundreds of Aquariums from Monaco to Boston and were recently at the Shark Reef exhibit at Mandalay Bay which had the same type of tunnel to walk through while the sharks swim over you. For people who have never been to Shark Reef I would definitely recommend it. I can’t recall the price but it was not very high-$20 or less per person. We opted to head back to the ship, stopped and returned the rental car and took the shuttle back to the ship. A quick note about Thrifty. I have never used them in the past and I was most impressed. When we got back to the security gate of the port after leaving the shuttle my husband realized he left his cellphone in the cup holder of the car. I tried calling Thrifty but had no way to reach the Maui office directly. Thankfully our son has a brain in his head and called his dad’s phone. No one picked up but he figured they would know we were looking for it. A few minutes later a call came in on my son’s phone from a guy that worked at Thrifty. He had the phone and was going to run it down to the port. He couldn’t come into the gated area and asked my husband to wait outside for him. I was really impressed! A lot of people would have just pulled the sim card out and say “well I have a new iPhone 4S” sadly honesty is not a core value for a lot of people nowadays. Needless to say my husband was very grateful towards the gentleman. With the phone back we headed up to the ship to take showers and relax with some drinks on our beautiful veranda. Dinner that night was East Meets West. We have always enjoyed that restaurant and it did not disappoint on the POA. The daily lists it as having “Hawaiian influence in the menu” or something of that nature, it seemed to me to be the same menu we had on the Epic last Christmas, not that it was a bad thing. We loved the menu (definitely try the sweet and sour pork!) Our waitress was a delightful young lad named Chelsea who we were lucky to be graced with on a second occasion. She was a wonderful waitress and as friendly as can be. Again we skipped the show opting instead to go in our own hot tub, this soon became our theme. Enjoy a lovely day on shore, eat in a specialty restaurant and then head back to our cabin. A lot of people say that they don’t spend any time in their cabin and don’t understand why I would spend the money to always get suites. For me the cabin is so very important. My career is spent constantly talking and interacting with people. To have my own sanctuary to retreat to is what I really want when I vacation. I have a feeling that if we had not been in the suite I would not have enjoyed the cruise as much. I did see several glimmers of the complaints people have regarding the service on the Pride of America and after talking with several staff members I can confirm that their attitude is different than on other ships. One young lady was very forthcoming. She said a lot of kids right out of college sign on for one contract so that they get to see Hawaii. They are given at least minimum wage and if they are lucky enough to get a better position or be in a specialty restaurant they do even better. She was making $10.25/hr. paid no room or board and had several hours off each week to explore the islands. Just as my son is not very vested in his part time job I think that is the mentality of many of the POA workers verses the crew on other ships who are there to support their families. The staff that interacts with the suite patrons or that are in the specialty restaurant seem to be a much higher quality than those who were just there to “put in their hours”. That is not making a blanket statement of all of the non-specialized staff, I found the people at shore excursions and the front desk very pleasant, and I can’t make any judgment on people in the main dining rooms or the buffet as we never went in there. I base it mostly on the interactions that I will note as I go along; definitely there was an air of indifference around many people. A quick example is this is the first ship in our multiple cruises that no one seemed to care if you used hand sanitizer or not. The receptacles were always available but on other lines, and even other NCL ships it was mandatory that people sanitize their hands when getting on the ship or before entering restaurants, that was not a priority on the POA.

We headed off to bed as we had an early pick up at 7:30am for our day with Wade- the highlight of our trip.

Freestyle daily –day two

http://www.flickr.com/photos/yourdreamvacation/sets/72157629060316211/

Photos from the whale watch we paid for and the free one we got on our balcony (details in days three)

http://www.flickr.com/photos/yourdreamvacation/sets/72157629056177647/

[scopewest]

Thanks for posting your comments and photos as this is a cruise which I hope we can do one of these days.

[sprout76]

Thank you for taking the time to write such an extensive review! I'm planning one for Mar/April timeframe 2014...I know...what can I say I like to plan! And since I already have my 2012 and 2013 cruises planned 2014 is the next time my calendar is free:D Can't wait to read more!

[mydreamvacation]

The next installment will come either later tonight or tomorrow. Been bogged down working on our taxes all day.

The next day in Maui was by far the best of the entire trip!

[mydreamvacation]

Day three- Maui-

Today we had a full day private tour booked with Wade Holmes the owner of No Ka Oi adventures.

http://www.nokaoiadventures.com/

He is by far one of the best private guides we have ever had! I found Wade accidentally when searching for a guide for Maui. I had contacted several guides that had been recommended to me but none of them seemed to “click”, some never even bothered to get back to me. From the moment I received his first email I could tell Wade was special. As a business owner myself I always try to search out local companies to patronize when I am in various countries or ports. Nothing against the cruise line but #1 I don’t care for the cattle call approach of busses and #2 I would rather pay more money to have a day planned completely around me.

Wade was picking us up at 7:30am (an ungodly early hour for our son) so we all stumbled down to Lazy J’s an hour earlier to get some breakfast. Rebecca was there as cheerful as always and we did our best to not look half asleep when walking to our table. This morning I tried the French toast which was amazing! Mike was adventurous and had the crab cakes with eggs benedict and Jay had French toast as well. Michael is your typical teen and really not a breakfast (or morning) person so I was surprised that he actually indulged each morning, it was a great compliment to the chef. Turns out it was good the boy had some food in his stomach as he was going to need fuel for today’s event.

For weeks, well actually months, Wade and I had exchanged emails discussing my desire to challenge my son and husband while not sending myself to an early grave. My illness does create some stumbling blocks especially after a year of being on Lyrica and prednisone helped add an additional 50 pounds to my never svelte body. Fortunately I was off those meds and slowly losing the weight and gaining more mobility but I did know my limitations. I knew that this was probably the only time we would visit Hawaii so I wanted to make certain that in each port our experience was unique and memorable. Originally we were going to do the hidden waterfalls tour with him but after a lot of discussion it seemed that the West Maui tour would work out better. Wade really wants to craft the day around his clients. He created the perfect balance of excitement and challenge including slipped in “rest periods” for me. Not once did I ever feel he thought I was terribly out of shape, instead he was encouraging made sure to keep the pace where I would not faint lol. We began our day in Wailuku and a trip to the Iao Valley where we were able to view the famous Iao Needle. We hiked in the park and Wade was a wealth of knowledge explaining to us the different plants that were indigenous and the ones that were brought to the area from other countries. He went on to explain the devastation that the sugar industry had created by diverting the water and streams away from the villagers and their taro fields. It was a sad story of greed and I was so impressed by his social conscience. After our hike he drove through another part of the park that had examples of all of the various influences on the area from Chinese and Japanese temples, to Portuguese and Samoan villages etc. there was a garden for each type of community that contributed to what made up Maui. We left the area just in time as the rain was setting in, he explained that the island is full of micro climates and it might be pouring in one part of the island but just five minutes away it would be dry. We headed west and stopped for some delicious banana bread, REALLY it was the best I had ever had, also some dried mango. Wade paid for it all and actually bought another container of Mango and a loaf of bread for us to take home. He was fully prepared with all kinds of snacks (trail mix, pineapple, turkey jerky, waters, juices etc.) along with bug spray, sunscreen, towels and more. There was nothing he did not think of! We went on a “highway” that turned into a one lane winding road that I am certain we would have perished on if my husband was driving. You could see some people that were obviously tourists that appeared to be a bit overwhelmed. I know a lot of people say that the best thing to do is just rent a car and “wing it” and that might be true in some areas of Hawaii but I was very glad to have an expert driving for us. In fact I later found out that Wade truly IS an expert on the road to Hana (it is not pronounced Hannah btw I found out but haa-na). He is recognized for his expertise by the Hawaii Visitors Bureau and just finished filming a segment for the travel channel. We didn’t go to Hana but I just thought I would throw that in thinking of the winding roads.

So anyhow at the top of a steep mountain he pulled off the road and said to me that if I didn’t mind he would like to take Jay and Mike somewhere special but it probably would be difficult for me. As I discussed with him before I did not want them to miss out on anything due to my limitations and I was enjoying the scenery and peace and quiet. There was a huge boulder near where he parked and I said I could sit on that. He gave me his keys and a water bottle and said they would be back in a half hour or so. I told them to take their time and off they went on a “path” that no one could see but Wade. (He was very smart and had removed his logo labels from the truck when he parked so no one will be able to find his secret place.) I am not sure how long they were gone, I was just zoning out enjoying the solitude and watching a bird that apparently had built a nest in the side of the mountain when I heard voices. I walked over to where the “path” (more like an indentation in the grass if that) was and saw the guys coming up. Wade had the biggest grin on his face and said “they did it!” My husband was panting a bit and Wade got out some waters, apparently he took them down the path to a Banyan tree which they had to climb down the roots (thinking survivor here) after accomplishing that task they hiked on until they reached a magnificent waterfall and they each took turns taking a “refreshing” shower. Wade took photos of the guys for me and I am certain it was a great bonding experience for my husband and son. I am CERTAIN that I am glad I didn’t try to do it lol.

Next on the list was to cross jumping off a cliff into the water –something my son had been dying to do. Wade and I had many discussions about this as I had visions of Mike becoming crippled or cracking his head open. Wade assured me that it was safe and he was a certified padi rescue diver and that they would start small. We drove to the top of a huge mountain (or at least to me it was) and he had us get out and pointed down to the surf saying- do you see those tidal pools down there that is where we are going, the water will be warmer. I thought it looked lovely and was looking around to where the elevator might be. Wade got the cutest boyish grin on his face and said to me, “don’t worry you can make it.” I looked at him like he must be crazy but decided to be a good sport and give it a try. To be honest I did not think there was any way in the world I was going to be able to play mountain goat but he was very patient and led the way. He encouraged Michael to help me and found the best footings. Inch by inch, foot by foot we descended the rock wall. Each time I would slip my heart would race but he would just call back, “good job Ann you are doing great”. It seemed like it took an hour to get down to the sea level but I am sure it was much less. Once we were down on the level of the tidal pools there was still the issue to get out to where we needed to be. We used stepping stones to cross the water and finally arrived to one of the deepest pools. Wade said that it was about 15 feet deep in the middle. Across the way was a rock formation. I am guessing it was 30 feet high. Everyone hopped in for a swim, well everyone but me. I was looking around and calculating the difficulty of climbing out of the “swimming hole” and decided that I was very content to sit back and enjoy the view. (also wondering where they would land the rescue helicopter to get me back UP that mountain)

After a bit Wade turned to Mike and asked if he was ready pointing up with his chin to the cliff. I was thinking he should have asked ME if I was ready lol. Actually I felt very confident in Wade’s judgment and his ability to keep my son safe. He and Michael had to navigate across another tidal pool on stepping stones and climbed the lava cliff. He pointed out to him where the deepest part of the tidal pool was and how to stand and balance on the edge of the rock. Wade dove in first and then waited for Mike. I held my breath and he jumped and lived. Of course after that he had to do it over and over. Wade said that there was one higher cliff he would take him to but it would depend on how the waves were if he would allow him to jump. Turns out the waves were crashing and he felt it would be too dangerous so we passed on that but 30 feet is still good enough to cross cliff jumping off the boy’s list. I could go on for hours about our day, Wade was so charming and full of knowledge-just an all-around likeable guy. He knows everything Hawaiian from the history to the plants and animals to the language. He brought us to so many places it would take me all day to type it all, we were together for at least seven or eight hours. We visited the dragon’s teeth a unique lava formation that was created by the waves “freezing” lava, nearby there was a spiritual rock labyrinth a “Zen” type creation that he said was to help people clear their minds. He took us to the Petroglyphs which were off a dirt road that I am fairly certain many people never see. They were carvings made in smooth lava by ancient Hawaiian’s before there was a written language. It seemed he knew of every special secret place on the island. We cut through Lahaina so we could see the tourist area. It reminded me a lot of Key West. Colorful but touristy. Then we headed for a late lunch at a hidden gem called Star Noodle http://mauinow.com/2011/01/29/eat-like-a-star-star-noodle-in-lahaina/

What a great spot- one I would never find on my own. Wade recommended dishes for us and we ate a shared meal like a family which was a perfect way to end a perfect day. We tried things that were out of our normal realm such as Thai Padi, fiddle head salad and pork ramon. For desert we had what I can only describe as fried donuts with dipping sauce. It was all unique and wonderful- WADE paid for it all! When he says his prices are all inclusive he means it! I had told him when he picked us up that I had a spa appointment in the afternoon so we had to be back by 3:30pm at the latest. (I definitely had to bathe before going to the spa after all that exercise) He dropped us off at the gate and I felt like we were leaving a dear friend behind. I could not have asked for a better day. As we walked towards the ship I noticed Mike rubbing his neck, he had been complaining about his neck for a day now and I asked him if he wanted me to see if I could get him a massage appointment too. So it ended up we both went to the spa and my husband had a cocktail and played words with friend’s on the veranda. When we got back I was in a bit of dismay in regards to our clothes, apparently this ship does not have the special “fill a bag for X amount of dollars” and I was not going to pay $2.00 a pair of undies for laundry. That is one beef I have with NCL and their suites, Princess, Holland America etc. give suites unlimited free laundry. If I am giving you ten grand for the week you could was some of my clothes in my opinion. BUT I did have a great idea. I remembered when our washing machine had broken at home and the vender could not deliver a new one for three days. I decided to take the clothing up to our bathroom and fill the Jacuzzi tub up throw in some soap and wash them that way. I did the same thing in the Jacuzzi bath in our suite. (Not the hot tub outside) After I “washed them” I laid them out on the veranda on one of the loungers on a towel. They were not really clean but at least they would not stink up the suitcases on the way home. We all sat out on the veranda relaxing and a huge pod of spinner dolphins (must have been at least 30 of them) decided to put on a show. In the middle of them was a playful humpback whale. (refer back to the whale videos from yesterday's post)

We had dinner at Bistro that night. The menu was much different than I recalled from the Epic or the Jewel and there was nothing Mike saw that he liked. I spoke to the restaurant manager a great guy named Christopher Tobin and asked if it was possible to get him something from another restaurant. I really didn’t want to pay $20 cover charge for a bowl of soup. He was great and said whatever Mike wanted he would get, Mike asked for spaghetti and meatballs and it was delivered quickly. Mr Tobin is a class act. The next day we were heading off to fly over the volcano so I went to bed with dreams of lava flows running through my head.

Photos of our day with Wade- http://www.flickr.com/photos/yourdreamvacation/sets/72157629060794977/

Freestyle dailies for day three- http://www.flickr.com/photos/yourdreamvacation/sets/72157629075011269/

[meandmy]

great review but i think i could have 3 cruises in steerage, for the price of your one.and enjoy it just as much.how the other half live eh!

[DMH15]

great review but i think i could have 3 cruises in steerage, for the price of your one.and enjoy it just as much.how the other half live eh!

 

That is the beauty of NCL and freestyle. CHOICES FOR ALL! I love it.

[sprout76]

Would you do a suite again? I know that it is each individual's preference...as heavenly body stated they would cruise in a lower cabin to get in more cruises, but everyone has different ideas of what vacations mean to them. I like to stay in suites, but have not done such a port intensive cruise and would like to see if you could shed some light on that.

[mydreamvacation]

Would you do a suite again? I know that it is each individual's preference...as heavenly body stated they would cruise in a lower cabin to get in more cruises, but everyone has different ideas of what vacations mean to them. I like to stay in suites, but have not done such a port intensive cruise and would like to see if you could shed some light on that.

 

Everyone has different priorities. To me a suite is very important, no I would not change having at suite at all, to me it is a line in the sand, if I couldn't afford it then I simply would not go. I would rather have what I like than settle for less. I enjoy my cabin and the privacy of my retreat. It does not mean that someone who opts to do inside cabins is making a wrong choice just the wrong choice for me.

 

I found several things lacking on the American based ship and was glad that I had the opportunity to enjoy my vacation my way. I am fairly certain I would have been quite dissapointed if I had not done things the way I am used to, it really was not even a passing thought.

 

We spend lovely days in port, ate in the specialty restaurant and went back to our delightful suite. We were able to watch the dolphins and whales while sipping wine on our veranda instead of crowded up on deck. That is the way I prefer to travel, I only sail in suites, that is my preference- some people spend far more on their vehicles than I would ever consider spending on mine- everyone has priorities.

 

I work extremely hard as does my husband and we treasure the two or three times a year that we can get away and do it in a manner that makes us comfortable.

[mrsbuddha123]

I am super excited to read your review. I am booked in the owner's suite for 8/25/12. I figure this is my once in a lifetime trip to Hawaii and you just confirmed the expense is worth it! Thanks again for the details looking forward to reading more!

[mydreamvacation]

In my opinion it was the perfect way to do this cruise. We focused on the ports and relaxation at night.

[sprout76]

Thank you so much for taking the time to answer my question! I completely agree with you! What you stated was my exact feelings. My husband and I typically only get to go on vacation together every two years (the other times I cruise it is with my mom) so I want to make the most of our time together. We both like to be able to get away from the hustle and bustle of the crowds and having our own spacious balcony, access to specialty breakfast areas, etc are definitely a bonus! Plus, it forces some great R&R after a long day of exploring the beautiful Hawaiian Islands.

 

Your review has been amazing! Loving the pics and I've already written down the website so we can use Wade in Maui when we go!!

 

It's not easy to write such an extensive review, but I (along with everyone else reading) are very happy that you're taking the time to do it. Mahalo:D

[mydreamvacation]

Wade is worth his weight in gold. Be prepared that he is not inexpensive, however given the length of time were were together ,the wide range of places we saw,and the fact the HE took us out to a lovely lunch I think it was a great bargain! I did tip him $50 at the end of the trip ( I had prepaid the day via PayPal remember I don't like to have to bring a lot of cash with me on vacation) he deserved more -but that's all I had on me after buying my son one of his shirts.

 

The shirts are great by the way as they have his logo on the back and just the word No Ka Oi on the front which in Hawaiian means "the best". My son loves wearing it to college and having people try to figure out what it means.

 

For what it's worth I was really impressed that Wade never brought up the shirts,.not once did his focus on my family waiver,or did he try to "sell" me anything. I asked him about the shirts we were leaving. He is definitely a class act. I would suggest that you make sure to contact him far in advance as once his highlight on the travel channel airs I sure he will become even more popular. As it is he books out months in advance and I really can't imagine another guide even coming close to him.

 

Having down time a quality relaxation is especially important in a port intensive cruise like Hawaii. I have no Idea many miles we must walked or climbed that day but it was definitely more that I have done in years. It was so nice to not have to deal with crowded pools, searching for a lounge chair or any of the other issues of the main area. We instead would come back and relax on our huge private deck in peace and quiet sipping wine that was already in our cabin.

 

The day the pods of dolphins were playing with the humpback most people missed it as they certainly could not hear the whale"s snort as he surfaced over the pool music. Not sure why "heavenly body" finds fault in my decision on how to spend my hard earned income. If he or she is able to take three cruises to my one then according to my math it is a wash. The comment about how the "other half lives" makes no sense.

[hill6]

What a great day in Maui you had with Wade and how he made it special for everyone.

[DMH15]

Would you do a suite again? I know that it is each individual's preference...as heavenly body stated they would cruise in a lower cabin to get in more cruises, but everyone has different ideas of what vacations mean to them. I like to stay in suites, but have not done such a port intensive cruise and would like to see if you could shed some light on that.

 

I will always try and book suites on NCL. Otherwise they'd probably have to drag me away from Cagney's breakfast crying outside the door. Kidding of course, but I would prefer one cruise a year or even every other year in a suite to double that not in a suite. But my reasons are as much about having my own space... Travel with mom. I am claudtrophobic so insides are out. So, I would rather ante up for a suite and share than pay a single supp for an outside or balcony.

[gelo7]

Outstanding review.

[herdingdogmom]

What a wonderful trip. I like your style! You all know how to vacation.

 

I chuckled when I read the bit about washing your clothes in the jacuzzi tub. That is too much. We were on the POA in December and asked about the bag of laundry about mid week. Apparently it is only available to Platinum level Latitudes members at no charge under the new program.

 

We were in a standard balcony cabin and are not Platinum. Our cabin steward asked her supervisor and they took care of a small bag of laundry for us at no charge. We had it back the next day. They certainly should have done the same for that owners suite. I am ready to try a suite. We finally booked a suite for October's cruise - no balcony or hot tub so the price wasn't too bad!

 

Looking forward to the rest of your review.

Edited January 29, 2012 by herdingdogmom

[mydreamvacation]

What a wonderful trip. I like your style! You all know how to vacation.

 

I chuckled when I read the bit about washing your clothes in the jacuzzi tub. That is too much. We were on the POA in December and asked about the bag of laundry about mid week. Apparently it is only available to Platinum level Latitudes members at no charge under the new program.

 

We were in a standard balcony cabin and are not Platinum. Our cabin steward asked her supervisor and they took care of a small bag of laundry for us at no charge. We had it back the next day. They certainly should have done the same for that owners suite. I am ready to try a suite. We finally booked a suite for October's cruise - no balcony or hot tub so the price wasn't too bad!

 

Looking forward to the rest of your review.

 

I probably could have asked the butler to arrange it but it was not a big deal, just filled up the tub dumped in a bottle of "sharp shower" and pushed the button. Things were not really "clean" the spots didn't come out but at least they would not smell after fermenting for a week.

 

I came up with that technique this summer when our washing machine leaked all over the mudroom. We ordered a new one but they couldn't deliver it until the end of the week and we definately couldn't make it that long without clean clothes (remember teenage son lol) I told my husband i was going to try it in our Jacuzzi, made sense to me as the water sloshes all around. So I dumped in some laundry soap and made my own "cycles" even a rinse one lol. Then I carried the stuff down to the dryer (leaving a trail of water on the steps as I didn't have a way to make a spin cycle) and plopped it in the dryer. Actually worked pretty good considering it was done in a bathtub. Clothes came out really clean! My husband had left me a message during my task thinking I was planning on doing this in our hot tub outside and asked me gently if didn't I think the bromide might bleach out the clothings and the suds ruin the hot tub? Silly man I am not that ditzy lol.

The next installment won't be until Monday or the next day. Only up to June in our Quicken for the taxes. My own fault I procrastinate, I am good at keeping and filing the receipts but not plugging everything in where it needs to be so each year I end up with five times the amount of work at the end. (and I really am a very organized person lol)

[sprout76]

Eagerly awaiting your next installments...after you finish all your tax work! I'm not a fan of this time of year that is for sure:)

 

I was looking at Wade's website...I am definitely looking forward to this being one of the highlights of our vacation! I love that he incorporates educational information as well as concern for the ecosystem and is obviously very passionate about what he does. It looks like you really get to 'experience' Maui, which to me, would be worth the expense. Just to know I'm not being carted around in a mini-bus with 20 other people would be worth it.

 

Did you plan your own places to visit or did you pick one of the adventures he offers on the website? There were 3 that all looked interesting...just curious how you picked the one you would do.