Marriott prior to POA cruise

[DwayneG]

We've signed up for the Marriott Waikiki for a couple nights before our cruise, and did it through NCL. I understand there's a special NCL desk where we can sign in for our cruise. Has anyone used this, and how does it work?

[scrapycruiser]

I would like to know the same thing.

[herdingdogmom]

We have stayed at 2 Marriott's with NCL. Although not Waikiki, I imagine the procedure is the same. When you check into the hotel, they give you information on when the NCL representative will be in the lobby. The rep has a list for the transportation to the port and will check your name off and give you a slip of paper for the bus which gives the time you are to be in the lobby with your luggage.

 

I think I've read that with the Waikiki rep, they also check you in on the ship. So they probably also provide information on where you are to go when you get to the port since you won't need to stand in the check in line. There may be more info on the Hawaii port of call board.

[bonvoyagie]

We last cruised the POA in 06 so things may have changed - back then they had all three ships running full every week - just couldn't keep the crews :rolleyes:;):)

 

At that time NCL actually had an office in the lobby - if you were staying there as part of the NCL package - ie you booked the hotel through NCL - they took care of your luggage and transfer to the ship and yes you could check in and set up your account right there - it did save time at the pier. That was the quickest check-in we have ever had :D

 

We were not part of that package - we booked the room on our own. They were able to offer us a pre cruise tour of the island - including Pearl Harbor - ending up at the ship. We were able to simply stow our bags in the basement of the tour bus - however once we got the pier the folks at the pier took care of them.

 

We also booked our own flights (Hawaiian Airlines direct from PDX vs United to SFO then Honolulu - for less $$ to boot). We also got a lei greeting and town car service to the hotel - all of this was arranged by my trusty TA.

 

I am sure that that office does not exist anymore - with only one ship they only need someone there on departure day.

 

BTW if they still offer a pre-cruise tour that goes to Pearl Harbor - take it - it is well worth it. We also spent a day at the Polynesian Culture Center - also a well spent day.

[ndabunka]

Also subscribed for more information. We are traveling July 24th and staying at this Marriott as well. We also booked direct with the hotel due to the nearly $200 difference in cost vs. booking with NCL. Very interested in what I might need to do in advance to ensure that we can benefit from any arrangements this hotel may offer.

 

We also book our flights independently so that we can control the departure and arrival times ourselves and ensure that we won't be "stuck in airports for a day" due to poor flight arrangments by NCL getting us from North Carolina to Honolulu.

 

Also interested in shuttle service that isn't $98 for 3 people from the Airport to the Hotel and then from hotel to terminal for the cruise (e.g. name of town car service others have successfully used recently)

Edited June 16, 2015 by ndabunka

[Imalismom]

Also subscribed for more information. We are traveling July 24th and staying at this Marriott as well. <snip>

 

Also interested in shuttle service that isn't $98 for 3 people from the Airport to the Hotel and then from hotel to terminal for the cruise (e.g. name of town car service others have successfully used recently)

 

We are on the cruise the week before you, and we are using JohnnyCab (im not sure I'm allowed to put a link to him, but you can google him). He was priced very conservatively. We are using him from airport to hotel, hotel to ship and then ship to airport. We also arranged for him to bring leis to the airport - he does not advertise this, but if you ask him he will.

[ndabunka]

We are on the cruise the week before you, and we are using JohnnyCab (im not sure I'm allowed to put a link to him, but you can google him). He was priced very conservatively. We are using him from airport to hotel, hotel to ship and then ship to airport. We also arranged for him to bring leis to the airport - he does not advertise this, but if you ask him he will.

 

Appreciate the guidance. No need for leis @ the airport for us but I will reach out to him for the transports

Edited June 16, 2015 by ndabunka

[scrapycruiser]

Wondering if we booked the Marriott independently would we be able to check in for the cruise at the hotel. We,also, booked transfers with Johnny.

[TSUmom]

Things may have change since we were there in 2012 but we booked the Marriott through NCL and upon arrival there was an NCL office in the hotel lobby. We did our check in there. Credit card for on board accounts and the photo. We then had a transfer (by bus) to the port and went through security in a much shorter line, went to the desk and our key cards were ready.

 

I know for a fact, at that time anyway, those who booked the hotel on their own were not able to do the pre check in.

[DaisyGoldberg]

We booked on our own. It probably would have been nice to be able to check in at the hotel; on the other hand, we walked by the 100 people standing in the lobby waiting for the NCL bus and got into a cab and were at the pier in a few minutes, so I'm not sure how much time overall was saved vs. just hopping in a cab and getting in line at the other end.

 

If you're staying at the Marriott on the night the cruise ends, you can do laundry up on the pool deck -- at least you could a couple of years ago. Nice to go home with laundry done.

 

There is a business office in the lobby which is an easy (not necessarily cheap, but easy) way to ship excess luggage/souveniers home.

 

If you can get a room high enough facing Diamond Head, you can see down into the zoo and hear the animals at night when traffic quiets down!

[ndabunka]

We are considering doing the tour the Hotel offers prior to the cruise. As I understand it part of that "tour" is collecting the NCL passenger luggage and sending it to the ship (along with all the NCL customers) as the tour collects us and takes us to Pearl Harbor and such. When we arrive at the boat X number of hours later, our luggage is at the dock waiting for us (or perhaps checked into the room..). It would be interesting to learn if others have done this previously. We are also Suite guests so we could always take a cab, check into our cabin early and then get one of the tours but that may just be more complicated than necessary.

Edited June 18, 2015 by ndabunka

[bonvoyagie]

That pre cruise tour sound like what we did back in 06. We were not part of the NCL package at the hotel so we could not do early check-in or have our luggage taken over to the ship with everybody else - instead our luggage rode around with us all morning in the luggage bin of the bus. Once at the pier - they whisked it away and it show up at our door a few hours later.

 

By offering these tours, NCL effectively created a staggered boarding process - each tour bus was told when to show up at the pier - I know we got to spend some extra time at one stop because they were not ready for us yet. The boarding process went smooth thanks to the pre check in at the hotel and the tour buses.

[ndabunka]

That pre cruise tour sound like what we did back in 06. We were not part of the NCL package at the hotel so we could not do early check-in or have our luggage taken over to the ship with everybody else - instead our luggage rode around with us all morning in the luggage bin of the bus. Once at the pier - they whisked it away and it show up at our door a few hours later.

 

Thanks. Sounds like we will be doing the taxi to the ship and then will likely get off and tour and hop back on the ship prior to departure then

Edited June 18, 2015 by ndabunka

[Lorey2007]

Also subscribed for more information. We are traveling July 24th and staying at this Marriott as well. We also booked direct with the hotel due to the nearly $200 difference in cost vs. booking with NCL. Very interested in what I might need to do in advance to ensure that we can benefit from any arrangements this hotel may offer.

 

We also book our flights independently so that we can control the departure and arrival times ourselves and ensure that we won't be "stuck in airports for a day" due to poor flight arrangments by NCL getting us from North Carolina to Honolulu.

 

Also interested in shuttle service that isn't $98 for 3 people from the Airport to the Hotel and then from hotel to terminal for the cruise (e.g. name of town car service others have successfully used recently)

 

 

We reserved Brent with Pacific Shuttle http://www.pacific-shuttle.com/why_us.html we gave him our flight info and we called when we arrived and he was there in a few minutes. For the 2 of us to the Mariott it was $25.

This is the taxi site where we found his info, nice guy.

http://www.hawaiicabnetwork.com/search?name=&area=Island+Tour&vehicle=Any&language=Any

Edited June 18, 2015 by Lorey2007

[neonbear]

We booked the hotel through NCL as well. They had a little office just behind the hotel's front desk, that you go into. They do in fact check you in there, take your picture and so forth.

 

Another thing is they come to your hotel room Saturday morning and pick up your bags for you, then it gets delivered to your cabin on the ship.

 

Once the bus drops you off, the check in line is indeed pretty quick. In fact I think we ended up being one of the first ones on the ship thanks to that.

 

My only complaint (If I had to come up with one) was how crowded the area by the hotel was. But that's Honolulu for you.

 

We used Robert's Hawaii to get to the hotel.

 

Christine

[bosnatis]

We used King Airport shuttle from the airport to our hotel and also from the hotel to the port. Our hotel was on Wakiki and for all 5 of us cost $28 each way. 1-808-352-4670. We sailed this past April on the POA.