NCL/POA Questions

[FrannyK]

We have never experienced "freestyle" dining. For the Pride of America, do we have to make reservations each day or do we just show up at any included dining venue? There are 2 of us, is there normally a wait?

 

The pay-for dining venues: Which is the best one to try on the POA? Jefferson Bistro seems to get the best reviews. I read that you really don't need to make specialty dining reservations before you cruise, is this true?

 

POA steak and lobster night: Is it on the first night of the cruise (Saturday night) or the first night in Maui (Sunday)? Any other noteworthy nights in the dining room?

 

Is there laundry service available on the POA? I've read yes and no in reviews.

 

When is the best time to embark? We were thinking of getting to the pier around 2:30pm. I assume our cabin will be ready by that time. Will lunch be over? Will there be somewhere on the ship we can eat late afternoon?

 

If we purchase beach chairs in Honolulu before the cruise can we bring them on board and take them on and off at different ports?

 

Thanks!

[puddles99]

In my opinion, you don't really need to make reservations for the specialty dining before your cruise, but doing so will insure that you get the times you want. Otherwise, make them on board at the reservations desk to the right of guest services. We love Jefferson's Bistro (ate there twice!) and would also recommend Moderno although we've only eaten there on other NCL ships as it wasn't yet open when we sailed POA last spring.

 

There was no laundry special on the POA last year, but you could still send out laundry & dry cleaning. I have lots more info in my POA review which you can find a link to in my signature - hope you enjoy the POA as much as we did. We hope to return someday!

Edited January 11, 2014 by puddles99

[Cosmogal]

First time to cruise Hawaii. Going with my 2 sisters and best friend. What is the procedure for obtaining a space for 4 at the Chef's Table?

 

What night was the White Hot Party?

 

I gathered from your very informative review that dress up or not night was the first night in Maui. Is that correct?

 

We are staying in the Owner's Suite fwd 12502. Anything particular we should know about that space? I think it was previously a Penthouse suite.

 

Tell me more about the Pre-cruise concierge. My friend and I are definitely wanting to do a massage at some point.

 

Thanks for any info you can share.

Cosmogal

Brentwood. Tn

[Ilovesailing]

There is laundry service on board because we use it every week on our b2b. Is this special offered to everyone like on other ships I can't remember but as platinum members we receive laundry cards in our welcome aboard pkg.

[HazyDavy]

First time to cruise Hawaii. Going with my 2 sisters and best friend. What is the procedure for obtaining a space for 4 at the Chef's Table?

 

What night was the White Hot Party?

 

I gathered from your very informative review that dress up or not night was the first night in Maui. Is that correct?

 

We are staying in the Owner's Suite fwd 12502. Anything particular we should know about that space? I think it was previously a Penthouse suite.

 

Tell me more about the Pre-cruise concierge. My friend and I are definitely wanting to do a massage at some point.

 

Thanks for any info you can share.

Cosmogal

Brentwood. Tn

 

 

I spoke to the concierge about Chef's table as soon as we were on the ship and was able to get a reservation for 3 people. It was very good. The concierge made a point of letting me know, after the fact, that we were lucky to get the reservation as it usually sells out immediately. I think there were a total of 12 guests and it was only held one night.

 

When you check in at the suite check in room, the concierge will introduce himself. Let him know about the Chef's table reservation then.

[puddles99]

First time to cruise Hawaii. Going with my 2 sisters and best friend. What is the procedure for obtaining a space for 4 at the Chef's Table?

 

As someone else mentioned, if you're in a suite the Concierge can help you. We asked the pre-cruise Concierge to note our interest on the reservations so the on-board Concierge had our receipt ready to be signed we got on board!

 

What night was the White Hot Party?

 

I gathered from your very informative review that dress up or not night was the first night in Maui. Is that correct?

 

Norwegian's Night Out (formerly known as Dress Up or Not) was on Monday night of our cruise. The White Hot Party was on Wednesday evening.

 

Tell me more about the Pre-cruise concierge. My friend and I are definitely wanting to do a massage at some point.

 

The pre-cruise concierge will take notes on requests for your butler including pillow selections, tea / coffee preferences, extra towel requests, etc. He can also book restaurant reservations for you but if you book in advance, you'll have to pay via credit card in advance. It's just as easy to make them on-board if you want to use any OBC that you may have.

 

There is laundry service on board because we use it every week on our b2b. Is this special offered to everyone like on other ships I can't remember but as platinum members we receive laundry cards in our welcome aboard pkg.

 

Unfortunately, there was no laundry special offered the week we sailed. I don't know if that's the norm for the POA or not.

 

I spoke to the concierge about Chef's table as soon as we were on the ship and was able to get a reservation for 3 people. It was very good. The concierge made a point of letting me know, after the fact, that we were lucky to get the reservation as it usually sells out immediately. I think there were a total of 12 guests and it was only held one night.

 

When you check in at the suite check in room, the concierge will introduce himself. Let him know about the Chef's table reservation then.

 

This is dead-on! Book it ASAP through the concierge. It's only offered once and for only 12 people.

Edited January 15, 2014 by puddles99

[MissTori]

By chance would anyone know which night the Chef's Table is offered?

 

We paid for the Chef's Table on the Sun last year and it was incredible. Well worth the price. Can't wait until May. :)

[HazyDavy]

By chance would anyone know which night the Chef's Table is offered?

 

We paid for the Chef's Table on the Sun last year and it was incredible. Well worth the price. Can't wait until May. :)

 

On our cruise it was Thursday night.

 

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I467 using Forums mobile app

[gmazz]

I was looking forward to someone answering your question about surf and turf night. I have been trying to figure out if I should book Cagney's for the first night or not. I don't want to miss out on it if they don't serve it there and it is in another dinning venue instead. I tend to not have the best of luck with making choices. :rolleyes:

[MSUcruisers]

We went to 4 specialty restaurants on the POA and considered Teppanyaki the best.

[buckeye82]

I was looking forward to someone answering your question about surf and turf night. I have been trying to figure out if I should book Cagney's for the first night or not. I don't want to miss out on it if they don't serve it there and it is in another dinning venue instead. I tend to not have the best of luck with making choices. :rolleyes:

 

 

We were on POA in December and surf and turf was the first night in the MDRs. I think you can get lobster with your entree in Cagney's but it is extra (in addition to the charge you pay to eat there).

[buckeye82]

We have never experienced "freestyle" dining. For the Pride of America, do we have to make reservations each day or do we just show up at any included dining venue? There are 2 of us, is there normally a wait?

 

The pay-for dining venues: Which is the best one to try on the POA? Jefferson Bistro seems to get the best reviews. I read that you really don't need to make specialty dining reservations before you cruise, is this true?

 

POA steak and lobster night: Is it on the first night of the cruise (Saturday night) or the first night in Maui (Sunday)? Any other noteworthy nights in the dining room?

 

Is there laundry service available on the POA? I've read yes and no in reviews.

 

When is the best time to embark? We were thinking of getting to the pier around 2:30pm. I assume our cabin will be ready by that time. Will lunch be over? Will there be somewhere on the ship we can eat late afternoon?

 

If we purchase beach chairs in Honolulu before the cruise can we bring them on board and take them on and off at different ports?

 

Thanks!

 

 

According to my Day 1 Freestyle Daily from my Dec. POA cruise, the Aloha Cafe and the Key West Bar and Grill were open until 4:30, muster drill was at 4:45 and then a sail away BBQ started at 5:30. When we cruised, the cabins became available on a deck by deck basis. Our deck was not called until 3:00. I don't know if this is the norm or not.

 

With a party of two I don't think you will be able to make a dinner reservation in the MDRs. I asked about it and was told that only parties of five or more should make a reservation. When I told them I had a party of five they told me that I needed to do it before 4:30 each day. We decided not to worry about it. We usually ate at 8 and it was no problem. The line always seemed to be because they were just slow seating people.

 

For the times we ate in the specailty dining room we made same day reservations and were usually given the choice of late or early. So if you want 7 PM you may want to make reservations in advance.

[FrannyK]

Thanks so much for the info! Sail away today!

[buckeye82]

Thanks so much for the info! Sail away today!

 

 

Lucky you! Have a great time!

[VideoTech]

..........We are staying in the Owner's Suite fwd 12502. Anything particular we should know about that space? I think it was previously a Penthouse suite.......

 

We are on the POA in March, in OS #11000. We're wondering about this cabin also..thinking it might have originally been a penthouse that was altered in the recent refurbishment.

 

Having been in both OS's and Penthouses on many NCL ships, the main differences are that OS's usually have a separate bedroom and living area, whereas in Penthouses there is no separation.

 

Bathrooms in OS's are generally bigger, usually with two sinks instead of one, and a separate shower and tub, and the tub will have a jacuzzi built in.

 

OS's also usually have a small half-bath in the hallway entry to the suite.

 

We're hoping that the confusion on NCL's website about these cabins is just that they haven't updated the website since the rebuild.