Hawaii - port or starboard?

[Texarribean Chick]

This is our first cruise to Hawaii. I know how the ship docks (port or starboard) to the pier varies Eastern vs. Western itineraries. Random; but I have had more luck booking Port cabins on Western Caribbean and Starboard cabins on the Eastern tours.

 

Experienced Hawaiian cruisers - what has been your experience? I like to look at the pier while docked.

 

Thanks in advance. :D

[ilovemom]

Bumping I would like to know this as well

[firefly333]

Im going too. When are you going? I dont see it in your signature.

 

I doubt there are many who are "experienced" hawaii cruisers since they generally only move the ship twice a year generally, but it looks like they added another hawaii later in the fall next year round trip.

 

Id also guess this cruise is a once in a lifetime type of cruise, not one that cruisers do very often.

 

Im doing the vancouver to calif TA, when they move Miracle to Calif .. and there is a TA earlier next year.. and I see one later, which I think is kinda unusual enough you arent going to find a lot of people who do this cruise very often.

 

I did live in hawaii for 10 years so this will be a homecoming for me.. I cant wait.

[Texarribean Chick]

Im going too. When are you going? I dont see it in your signature.

 

I doubt there are many who are "experienced" hawaii cruisers since they generally only move the ship twice a year generally, but it looks like they added another hawaii later in the fall next year round trip.

 

Id also guess this cruise is a once in a lifetime type of cruise, not one that cruisers do very often.

 

Im doing the vancouver to calif TA, when they move Miracle to Calif .. and there is a TA earlier next year.. and I see one later, which I think is kinda unusual enough you arent going to find a lot of people who do this cruise very often.

 

I did live in hawaii for 10 years so this will be a homecoming for me.. I cant wait.

 

Hi Fire - we are doing the October 2013 / 15 day Miracle from LA. It will be our 10th wedding anniversary and the longest cruise we have ever taken. We are terribly excited - I'm booking tomorrow; but before doing so was curious about which side of the ship would be better. I haven't done a lot of research; but thought it would just be quicker and easier to ask here. You are right - not going to be a whole lot of response - I have also posted on the POC board and no responses there either.

 

We have sailed on the Pride twice (sister to Miracle) - but it has been quite some time. If you have more experience on this class of ship, any advice you could offer as far as which cabin to choose would also be greatly appreciated.

 

Thanks. C.

[jordanaire]

This is our first cruise to Hawaii. I know how the ship docks (port or starboard) to the pier varies Eastern vs. Western itineraries. Random; but I have had more luck booking Port cabins on Western Caribbean and Starboard cabins on the Eastern tours.

 

Experienced Hawaiian cruisers - what has been your experience? I like to look at the pier while docked.

 

Thanks in advance. :D

 

When we sailed to Hawaii on the 15-day Spirit cruise back in April this is how we docked:

 

Hilo - pier was on port side

Kahului - pier was on port side

Honolulu - pier was on starboard side

Kona - we tendered to shore

Nawiliwili - pier was on starboard side

 

Bill

[firefly333]

I was really dissapointed to discover we dont dock in Oahu .. where I lived, the main island where 80% of the population lives and I wanted to go visit people.

 

I didnt notice that at first, just jumped on the cruise when it was a great price.

[Texarribean Chick]

When we sailed to Hawaii on the 15-day Spirit cruise back in April this is how we docked:

 

Hilo - pier was on port side

Kahului - pier was on port side

Honolulu - pier was on starboard side

Kona - we tendered to shore

Nawiliwili - pier was on starboard side

 

Bill

 

Thank you very much! This helps a lot.

[workn2cruise]

Tex, check with your TA, they might have more information.

 

If you haven't already booked make sure you check around, we got a great deal from our TA and its surprising how different the discounts from TA to TA, check Carnival too.

[Sea-Maid]

Don't know if you've booked yet or not, but there is a large Cruise Critic group cruise on the Oct 19th Miracle to Hawaii. You can find the details in the Carnival boards under Halloween and Hawaii Miracle. Books through the official Cruise Critic TA. Lots of great activities planned.

[workn2cruise]

Don't know if you've booked yet or not, but there is a large Cruise Critic group cruise on the Oct 19th Miracle to Hawaii. You can find the details in the Carnival boards under Halloween and Hawaii Miracle. Books through the official Cruise Critic TA. Lots of great activities planned.

 

I don't know that I'd call 9 cabins a big group. There are lots of activities though.

[Cruiseboy06]

I think it depends on the captain and port authority...

[Texarribean Chick]

Thank you all for your help. I did book with the official CC folks and decided on a PORT side cabin. :D

[Koval]

Don't know if you've booked yet or not, but there is a large Cruise Critic group cruise on the Oct 19th Miracle to Hawaii. You can find the details in the Carnival boards under Halloween and Hawaii Miracle. Books through the official Cruise Critic TA. Lots of great activities planned.

Thanks Charie :) we do have a great group of folks cruising with us.

I can't wait to met you and you to met the rest of us

Because that means we are on our way to Hawaii

I don't know that I'd call 9 cabins a big group. There are lots of activities though.

The size of a group is not as important as the friendliness of the group.

the size of the group will be what ever it is meant to be

for the "Best Cruise Ever" to happen for all who take part.

Thank you all for your help. I did book with the official CC folks and decided on a PORT side cabin. :D

Happy to have you booked and going with us to Hawaii...

Group or no Group...This is going to be a WONDERFUL Cruise

[aggiejade]

The size of a group is not as important as the friendliness of the group.

the size of the group will be what ever it is meant to be

for the "Best Cruise Ever" to happen for all who take part.

 

 

 

 

Friendliness is in the eye of the beholder. I picked a port side cabin too. Come join the roll call too for this cruise Tex. The more the merrier!!

[H82seaUgo]

I was really dissapointed to discover we dont dock in Oahu .. where I lived, the main island where 80% of the population lives and I wanted to go visit people.

 

I didnt notice that at first, just jumped on the cruise when it was a great price.

 

we did this some yeats ago, and docked in oahu overnight (port to dock).

 

although a great cruise, were quite surprised at the concentration of octogenarians and higher on this cruise. the ship was silent by 10/11 o'clock.

 

tours are extremely expensove, so have a rent a car waiting for you at every port.

 

glad to see kauii back on the itinerary, now that they put back a ship that can fit in that channel. most beautiful of the islands.

[carsastic]

I was really dissapointed to discover we dont dock in Oahu .. where I lived, the main island where 80% of the population lives and I wanted to go visit people.

 

I didnt notice that at first, just jumped on the cruise when it was a great price.

 

Wow u guys don't go to honolulu ??

[carsastic]

we did this some yeats ago, and docked in oahu overnight (port to dock).

 

although a great cruise, were quite surprised at the concentration of octogenarians and higher on this cruise. the ship was silent by 10/11 o'clock.

 

tours are extremely expensove, so have a rent a car waiting for you at every port.

 

glad to see kauii back on the itinerary, now that they put back a ship that can fit in that channel. most beautiful of the islands.

 

Interesting comment on the customer set

We are doing one more land based stay ( ko olina/ aulani) next week and then I plan on doing cruises there

Doing some research now

Btw for me it's a tie. Kauii and Maui

[Guest LoveMyBoxer]

I doubt there are many who are "experienced" hawaii cruisers since they generally only move the ship twice a year generally, but it looks like they added another hawaii later in the fall next year round trip.

 

Im doing the vancouver to calif TA, when they move Miracle to Calif .. and there is a TA earlier next year.. and I see one later, which I think is kinda unusual enough you arent going to find a lot of people who do this cruise very often.

 

I don't understand this! Did you mean Carnival cruises? NCL does Hawaii on a weekly basis

 

Also, is the vancouver to calif TA just for travel agents or did you mean a T/A = trans atlantic? If T/A, I wasn't aware that the Miracle was doing a trans atlantic? I thought it was just doing a repositioning from the East Coast??

[H82seaUgo]

Interesting comment on the customer set

We are doing one more land based stay ( ko olina/ aulani) next week and then I plan on doing cruises there

Doing some research now

Btw for me it's a tie. Kauii and Maui

 

we had an overnight I maui as well (port to dock). maui seemed to be the resort stay place, although we enjoyed driving to the top of the volcano, and the drive to hana (should have turned halfway back). Hhad an excellent evening meal in lahaina watching the sun set.

 

plus, the price was extremely attractive, including having the free berth fare spreaad over the group.

[Guest LoveMyBoxer]

plus, the price was extremely attractive, including having the free berth fare spreaad over the group.

 

How many cabins do you need to get a free berth?

[H82seaUgo]

I don't understand this! Did you mean Carnival cruises? NCL does Hawaii on a weekly basis

 

Also, is the vancouver to calif TA just for travel agents or did you mean a T/A = trans atlantic? If T/A, I wasn't aware that the Miracle was doing a trans atlantic? I thought it was just doing a repositioning from the East Coast??

 

i think she's using the term generically, but really means tp.

[breenw]

Firefly33: I'm confused by your comment about Oahu unless I am misreading your post. I checked the itinerary for your September 2013 cruise and the Miracle does dock in Honolulu. The only port that you will tender will be in Kona. The rest of the ports you will dock at the pier at each port. We just did the December 2011 15 night Hawaii cruise from L.A. and are doing it again in January 2014. The only port that we tendered was for Kona. Port and Starboard sides don't really matter as far as cabin selection because the ship will face different directions depending on which island port you are at. Hope this helps.

 

H82seUgo: I agree that there are alot of older folks that cruise that itinerary but it's probably got alot to do with the amount of time working people can take off of work for that kind of vacation. By the time you count flying in the day before and possibly traveling the day after the cruise, you've got 17 days involved in your vacation. Not all employers like granting that kind of time off in one stretch. I also agree that the excursions can be expensive (especially booked through the cruise lines) but people can definitely find some deals if they plan ahead. We rented a car at all the ports except Kona. It cost $34-37 a day including taxes.

 

A suggestion I would make to everyone going to Hawaii, would be to join those websites (that shall remain nameless here....) that have daily deals in cities around the country. We did that and got 2 excursions for 1/2 price in both Hilo and Oahu. We had no problem using the coupons and felt we participated in some really great excursions!

[H82seaUgo]

H82seUgo: I agree that there are alot of older folks that cruise that itinerary but it's probably got alot to do with the amount of time working people can take off of work for that kind of vacation. By the time you count flying in the day before and possibly traveling the day after the cruise, you've got 17 days involved in your vacation. Not all employers like granting that kind of time off in one stretch. I also agree that the excursions can be expensive (especially booked through the cruise lines) but people can definitely find some deals if they plan ahead. We rented a car at all the ports except Kona. It cost $34-37 a day including taxes.

 

i've seen that reason given before. not sure how it would have affected my cruise plans at the time, but it really affected the shows at night. half the audience was sleeping. and these were the early shows. i felt bad for the acts, as well as the cd, as it was if they were playing off a half filled audience.

 

but i now know what it's like to live in a nursing home. especially during that 5 and a half days at sea.

 

our car cost about $25, and were picked up at the ship in each port. that price was jacked up to $75 for those looking for a car on the day of their visit. i think most thought the tours would be in the balllpark of those tours offered in the third world countries.

 

good advice on prebooking tours!