Would you sail on a Hawaii cruise without pre or post stay?

[Conanc]

Just wondering if anyone has sailed on a 7 day Hawaii cruise with Norwegian without a pre or post stay? We would be flying from the northeast which is a very loooong flight. Thanks!

[shoreguy]

Just wondering if anyone has sailed on a 7 day Hawaii cruise with Norwegian without a pre or post stay? We would be flying from the northeast which is a very loooong flight. Thanks!

 

NO!

 

It is a long trip and worth the extra time. I have been there 3 times the shortest stay was 10 days. If I were to book a 7 day I would do at least 2 days pre-cruise (I like the idea I can book round trip from Maui).

[Zeno]

I agree 100% with Shoreguy - it is a LONG tiring flight - take AT LEAST 2 days pre-cruise - so you can recover from the flight and be ready to enjoy the cruise.

[segerd]

No way! I cruised on the Pride of Aloha last summer and will be on the Pride of America in February. The first one was for 12 days and this one will be for 11 total. It's a LONG flight!

[margord]

I agree. You came too far not to take advantage. We did pre and post and it was wonderful.

[vivian02]

Rule of thumb when flying into Hawaii or Europe on the same day of the cruise. You must like "Stress". Because of flight delays, luggage missing, and close schedules transfers at airports make life easier. Spend a day or two on the Beach and relax before the cruise. Theres alot to see and do. Tim

[AmyinVail]

Well, we are flying in the same day. We're flying in from Colorado and our flight arrives at 3pm. The ship leaves at 8pm. I'm good w/ that delay. On post cruise, our flight leaves at 11pm, so we have all day to hang out in Honolulu before flying out and don't have to rush to the flight. We're leaving our two young children w/ grandma and don't want to be away for more than we HAVE to. Not that we have too, but pre and post stays would just be frivilous in our situation. If we lived on the East coast it would be a different matter.

[cruzegirl]

I Live in Los Angeles and personally wouldn't do any cruise flying in the same day... I know you said the cruise leaves at 8PM but like the others said, between lost luggage and flight delays, it's just not worth it.... we happen to be going 4 days before our cruise in October to spend some time there but the same day would make me pull my hair out.....lol.....;)

[Conanc]

So...for those of you who responded, my next question is: would you book your air with NCL and fly directly into Hawaii, or stay overnight in CA or Las Vegas and then head to Hawaii? Not sure we would actually be able do this, but I am dreading the thought of the long flight and was curious as to your responses. :)

 

Thank you so much! This board has been great!

N

[MareT]

We did the Pride of Aloha last summer. We flew in on a nonstop from NJ. We booked our air on our own but we booked our pre and post cruise with NCL. Pricing wasn't that much different than booking on our own. We did 3 days pre and 3 days post - both stays were at the Hilton Hawaiin Village. We stayed there once before on a land tour and really loved it. Enjoy the islands - they are beautiful.

[FLbeachbaby]

we flew from florida to honolulu and departed on the wind the same day. no big deal. had the ncl air and transfers. no problems

[mbisson]

We're considering a Hawaii cruise in the future and hope to do it in conjunction with a week long time share exchange. But then, we've never been to Hawaii.

 

-Monte

[jerseygirl3]

We've just booked the Carnival Spirit 12 night Hawaii cruise. We're doing air on our own... the reason being that even if it turns out to be approx. the same cost as Carnival, the cruiselines notoriously put you on the worst possible flights. By the time you pay an air deviation and select the flights you want (all at an extra charge), I can just as easily book on my own.

 

Having said all that, our plans are to fly from Philadelphia to LAX. Spend the night in LA, fly out the next a.m. to Honolulu. Spend one night in Honolulu and board the ship the next afternoon. That gives us two days to become acclimated to the time change. Returning home, since the ship drops us off in Vancouver, B.C., we will take a shuttle to Seattle, spend the night in Seattle, and then fly home to Philly the next a.m.

 

I think this way will be the least stressful. I hope I'm right!

[sassycruiser]

February 2004 we flew from Chicago to Honolulu non stop. We spent one night at the Hilton Village (very nice). We left on the cruise on Sunday and flew home the following Sunday. The flights are LONG.

 

We had a great time. Would we do it again - NO, not without at least 3 days on one side or the other. We were really tired the first days of our cruise and then when we came back to EST. I am not sorry we did it because that was all we could do at the time. But I wouldn't do it again.

 

Hawaii is beautiful and wonderful. I would love to go back someday.