Post-cruise stay a good idea or not??

[missjanet]

I'm in the process of putting together this last minute cruise to Hawaii (POAM on 9/24/05), but I have a couple of questions. I am pretty convinced that a 3-day pre-cruise stay would be a good idea - I like to get used to the 6-hour time difference before getting on the ship. Plus we can do some sightseeing.

 

I was thinking that when we disembark on 10/1, we'd take the red-eye back to NJ rather than deal with the hassle of getting a hotel for a night. But now I'm not sure what we should do. I mean, it's such a major trip for us that maybe we shouldn't head right home. Although I'm not sure whether or not I'll feel like unpacking again for a one-night stay and then flying home.

 

I'm really unsure about our post-cruise plans now. I would really appreciate any feedback from people who have done either - flown home the day you disembarked, or stayed another day or two. I have to make a decision within the next day or two so I can firm up our flight plans.

 

As always, thanks for all your help.

 

Janet

[donna@donnaanderson.com]

I was afraid we would get a red eye NCL flight home, so I changed my plans and booked us at the Marriott for one night post cruise - there are three of us and it costs $297 for the night, but does include transfers. I did not have to pay the plane deviation fee and was lucky to get a non-eye flight home that left at 12:45PM. Keep in mind if you stay a day, the flights could even come in for the AM since NCL does not have to worry about a late disembarkment. And this could be what you would like as well.

Also I can not imagine getting off the ship and hanging around the island all day and then flying all night. This way the worse case scenio we could have ended up with a red eye the next night, but we would have a hotel room and could have asked for a late check out.

We have always stayed a night at the tail end of the cruise (as we always have precruise 1 or more nights too) since it would be a bummer to end the cruise without another night on the island.

Just my opinion; others do not mind touring the island and flying the red eye home.

[Hawaiian Eye]

I don't understand the rush to leave beautiful Hawaii. Even a rotten day here is usually better than a nice day anywhere else.

 

 

Personally I get jet-lagged worse when travelling East. :cool:

[lhall85917]

On our last cruise our flight left the afternoon after we arrived back. It really made for a very long day as our flight didn't get back home until the next morning. If I could do anything I wanted, I would stay a day or 2 and enjoy the island and leave on a morning flight instead of one later in the day.

[MareT]

When we sailed the POA last August we did a 3 day pre cruise and a 3 day post cruise. It is a long way from NJ. As long as you have the time I would stay and enjoy these beautiful islands. We look forward to returning soon.

Have a great vacation!

[Suebee]

I agree....I cant think of why it would be bad. On our cruise, when we got off, the last thing I wanted to do was run around or step on a plane. We were lucky because we live here and could just drive home...but we didnt do a thing all day after that.

 

If you got a room for even one night, you can just unwind, relax, see anything you might have missed....just unwind from the cruise before you return home.

 

If time and money arent a factor, I would stay one more day,

[AmyinVail]

We're the minority here - we're flying out that night on a red eye. But, we're leaving our two small children behind for this cruise and don't want to delay in getting back to them. If we had the kids with us, we would definetly stay a few days - but, just the two of us are resilient enough to do it and be okay. An upgrade to 1st class air on the way back might be in order so we can sleep, though ;)