perks for suite passengers

[jhenry1]

We have never sailed on NCL and we have booked a Hawaii Cruise and unable to get an answer regarding any perks for those who book suites. Hopefully those of you who have sailed on NCL can answer this question. I called NCL and they could not answer or at least who I spoke to.

 

Kandy

[Kattus]

https://www.ncl.com/why-cruise-norwegian/cruise-accommodations/cruise-suites-and-penthouses

 

Missing from this description is the Cagney's breakfast and lunch exclusively for suite guests. When is your cruise?

[jhenry1]

I had read about Cagneys but when I called they said Cagneys was only open for dinner. We go in August the 10. I am a little concerned about this as we have never sailed on NCL and all of the reviews on this website about POA are not real good. We usually sail on Regent seven Seas but wanted to go to Hawaii and not spend 4 days at seas getting there and back. We will make the most of it. I am looking for a good wine store on Oahu to buy wine to take onbard.

 

Thank you for providing this info.

 

Kandy from Texas

[Landl cruiser]

I had read about Cagneys but when I called they said Cagneys was only open for dinner. We go in August the 10. I am a little concerned about this as we have never sailed on NCL and all of the reviews on this website about POA are not real good. We usually sail on Regent seven Seas but wanted to go to Hawaii and not spend 4 days at seas getting there and back. We will make the most of it. I am looking for a good wine store on Oahu to buy wine to take onbard.

 

Thank you for providing this info.

 

Kandy from Texas

 

 

 

Cagney's is open for breakfast and lunch only for suite guests. It is open for dinner for all guests.

 

The concierge will inform you of the hours for breakfast and lunch.

 

Enjoy your cruise. We will be on the POA in May 2016.:)

[jhenry1]

Thank you guys for the replies.

 

Kandy

[Merriem]

I had read about Cagneys but when I called they said Cagneys was only open for dinner. We go in August the 10. I am a little concerned about this as we have never sailed on NCL and all of the reviews on this website about POA are not real good. We usually sail on Regent seven Seas but wanted to go to Hawaii and not spend 4 days at seas getting there and back. We will make the most of it. I am looking for a good wine store on Oahu to buy wine to take onbard.

 

 

 

Thank you for providing this info.

 

 

 

Kandy from Texas

 

 

If you are a Regent cruiser. Which is a wonderful experience. You will be very disappointed in this ship. We sure were

[bplazo]

If you are a Regent cruiser. Which is a wonderful experience. You will be very disappointed in this ship. We sure were

 

Some cruises are better than others but I always enjoy them. We went on a star clipper ship in September and it was such a great ship with only 130 passengers. When my husband suggested we do Norwegian this month I was not too excited, however, a day sailing is better than a day at work :). We did get a 2 bedroom 2 bath suite so I am sure I won't be that disappointed.

[Merriem]

We were on the Royal Clipper loved it. Sorry but this is not worth the money

[nolatravelgirl]

I have only done Seabourn in the luxury category as a comparison. The difference are the small personal touches that just seem to be missing. If you had never done a luxury cruise then you don't realize what is missing. The staff don't seem to be as refined with the service. The other thing that I found annoying is all the signing of receipts. Even if you have the drinks or dining package you still have to sign and present your card at every turn. Even though NCL markets perks for suites guests you are still on the ship with the bargain basement cruisers who are looking to squeeze every last cent out of the trip.

 

The plus side is the ship will much more lively with usually a younger clientele.

[spirit rev]

We were on the POA in an aft facing suite this past January, before the dry dock.

 

At check in, we were directed to a seperate area and went through the entire check-in process there. Coffee, tea, juice and snacks were available while we waited.

 

We were escorted onboard and given information in the bar outside of Cagney's while we waited for lunch time. The concierge was wonderful from when we met him at check-in until we departed. He has been on this ship a very long time.

 

Breakfast and lunch in Cagney's is one of the best perks. They do get to know you quickly if you go in each day. For me, it is a peaceful place to enter into the morning, particularly the last day.

 

The day we were in Kona we were able to be on the first tender over because we were in a suite.

 

I am fully aware of the reputation this ship has for service. At NO time did I feel the service was sub-par. The crew, both US and international, were all friendly and hard working. We ate in the main dining room three nights and always had great service. (It never really seemed busy.) We also found the buffet to be good and assistance readily available as needed.

 

I always sail in a suite - if for no other reason I like the space and the perks. The crew on the POA really did seem to do a great job making us, suite passengers, feel special the entire trip.

[yogi636]

We loved the POA but we felt that a large portion of the crew took less care in their appearance. I agree that a day at sea is better than a day a work! We found that the POA was more of a mode of transportation than your typical cruise. After returning from your day trips on the island there is little time or energy to do much but eat and then sleep to get ready for the next day.

Don't miss sitting on the aft deck area. Comfortable seats,a bar ,sun and shade if you want it. It was my favorite place to bring my meal from the Buffet or have a drink.

Edited April 6, 2016 by yogi636

[yogi636]

We loved the POA but we felt that a large portion of the crew took less care in their appearance. I agree that a day at sea is better than a day a work! We found that the POA was more of a mode of transportation than your typical cruise. After returning from your day trips on the island there is little time or energy to do much but eat and then sleep to get ready for the next day.

Don't miss sitting on the aft deck area. Comfortable seats,a bar ,sun and shade if you want it. It was my favorite place to bring my meal from the Buffet or have a drink.

[Silver Sweethearts]

We found that the POA was more of a mode of transportation than your typical cruise. After returning from your day trips on the island there is little time or energy to do much but eat and then sleep to get ready for the next day.

 

If you can think of the POA as just a floating hotel where you only unpack once and don't have to spend hours at various airports waiting for inter-island flights (and realize you should not expect anything close to a luxury experience), you should be OK. It is the only game of its kind in town, and NCL knows it.

[punkincc]

We just completed our second cruise on the POA, the last one post dry dock. This is not a luxury line, but every suite and cabin have been redone as well as most of the public areas. The ship is in excellent shape. I have seen comments by those with plenty of experience on other lines that they thought the shows were some of the best they have seen. NCL is known for their entertainment.

 

That said, this is a very port intensive cruise with two overnights. Hawaii is definately the focus. I think you will find that once you get back on board each evening, you will be ready for not much more than some food and bed.

 

We had a Penthouse Suite this past cruise and thought it was very comfortable and tastefully decorated. We had two bottles of champagne on arrival and a bowl of fruit. I hope Thomas Meier is still the Concierge. He is the best we have encountered. These are some of the perks we had with the suite.

 

Embark day, a champagne reception in the Wine Bar located just outside the entry to Cagneys, pre lunch. The Concierge was present, visited with each couple and answered any questions, took requests for those who needed reservations, etc.

 

Welcome Aboard letter in suite day 1 from Concierge and Hotel Director with direct phone extensions listed. The letter provides info on Cagmeys breakfast/lunch as well as the tendering procedure in Kona. Breakfast is 6:30 to 9:30 daily except debark day ends at 8:30. You will see the Concierge here daily. Don't be afraid to give him any requests or problems.

 

Daily delivery of afternoon snack, either a sweet or or hors d'oeuvre. Let the butler know if you have any favorites or requests.

 

In addition, we had delivery of something special almost every day compliments of one of the senior staff, chocolate covered strawberries, sweets, etc. Don't forget to turn off your do no disturb sign or they will not enter with your goodies.

 

Nespresso machine with a variety of Pods replenished by Butler. We had Chris. Great guy.

 

VIP Cocktail Reception one evening hosted by the Captain and other staff. Photos taken with Captain and Hotel Director. It was Thursday at 7:00 for us.

 

In Kona, Priority tendering from the Napa Wine Bar outside Cagneys anytime you are ready to depart between the hours of 7:00 to 10:30 am for those not on a ship's excursion. He takes you straight to the front of the line for the next tender.

 

Same for Priority Debarkation if you wish assistance, but most just walked off on their own when they chose.

 

Let the butler know if you wish any breakfasts, lunches or dinners in your suite or on your balcony. You let the butler know, not room service. No delivery charges. Dinner from any restaurant. Specialty charges apply if you do not have a dining package.

 

Not a suite perk, but if you tire of Cagneys, the breakfast Buffet they set up in Moderno, which is adjacent to the Aloha Cafe and aft facing Aloha Lanai, that wonderful open air shaded area another poster mentioned is a great place. No one seems to be aware it exists. Never crowded. Moderno's doors open up onto the lanai and you can either dine inside or on the Lanai. The hours are 7:30 to 10:30 for breakfast. There is even a cooked to order station. Of course you can carry food from the adjacent buffet as well. There is a bar on the Lanai, curved padded couches and chairs and plenty of tables for 4. Great place for sail aways too. Quiet entertainment on some evenings.

 

There were some service issues, mainly in the specialty restaurants, on our post dry dock transpacific. Reportedly they had a large influx of new staff board in San Francisco precruise, so perhaps this accounts for it. We did not have this issue on our previous POA cruise.

 

I would join your Roll Call and attend the Cruise Critic Meet and Greet hosted by the ship. Senior officers will attend for brief introductions and questions. A card listing the direct extensions of heads of all departments is handed out. This can be a lifesaver if you encounter any issues.

[jhenry1]

My expectations are not great but it is better than spending 4 days at sea to get there. We booked a owners suite with a large balcony. It does have a hot tub which we will probably never use. Not sure how clean it might be. Wondering if they are drained after each cruise and refilled? I am wondering about the excursions offered by NCL. I have found a private tour for the Road to Hana. Sounds great and just the 2 of us for the day and it includes breakfast and lunch. Sounds great. It is with Maui Touring Company. Have any of you guys done this. Also wondering about the tours NCL offers Ultimate Helicopter and Waterfall on Hilo, Big Island Spectacular on Kona, Heaven and Earth Quest on Kaui. Also after some research I found a Luau called Smiths Tropical Paradise offered as private on Kauai. Any suggestions on tours or private would be greatly appreciated. Thanks for the info on suite perks. Seems we will be spending a lot of time in Cagneys. I am also planning on buying our wine on Oahu to take onboard. We are red wine drinkers and the selection is not great. We will just pay the corkage fee and have some great wine.

 

We are sailing on thr Regent Navigator on May 13 from Barcelona to Venice so a lot of preparation in this month.

 

Kandy and Ron from Texas

[punkincc]

My expectations are not great but it is better than spending 4 days at sea to get there. We booked a owners suite with a large balcony. It does have a hot tub which we will probably never use. Not sure how clean it might be. Wondering if they are drained after each cruise and refilled? I am wondering about the excursions offered by NCL. I have found a private tour for the Road to Hana. Sounds great and just the 2 of us for the day and it includes breakfast and lunch. Sounds great. It is with Maui Touring Company. Have any of you guys done this. Also wondering about the tours NCL offers Ultimate Helicopter and Waterfall on Hilo, Big Island Spectacular on Kona, Heaven and Earth Quest on Kaui. Also after some research I found a Luau called Smiths Tropical Paradise offered as private on Kauai. Any suggestions on tours or private would be greatly appreciated. Thanks for the info on suite perks. Seems we will be spending a lot of time in Cagneys. I am also planning on buying our wine on Oahu to take onboard. We are red wine drinkers and the selection is not great. We will just pay the corkage fee and have some great wine.

 

We are sailing on thr Regent Navigator on May 13 from Barcelona to Venice so a lot of preparation in this month.

 

Kandy and Ron from Texas

 

 

From what I recall reading on the boards here, yes, the balcony hot tubs are drained and cleaned thoroughly between cruises. We generally don't do ship tours. Many prefer to use a car rental and head out on their own as most things are easily drive up, or if a tour is needed, go with a private one.

 

We like Mary Lou's Big Island Tours in Hilo and Kona, family owned and operated, no more than 6 to 8 per vehicle. Haven't done Hana the last couple trips, but we just drove it ourselves for the price of a rental car. We used Blue Hawaiian Helicopters in Kauai. They pick up at the port. I would do the heli on Kauai rather than Hawaii. Much of Kauai is inaccessible, such as Na Pali and up close and personal in Waimea Canyon, while you can see lots from the roads in Hilo and Kona.

[hpecorari]

If you are a Regent cruiser. Which is a wonderful experience. You will be very disappointed in this ship. We sure were

 

In your opinion

 

Harriet

[Imalismom]

punkincc has pretty much covered everything - however, I couple of things that I have not seen mentioned...

 

(1) We had nice cushions on our lounge chairs on our balcony.

 

(2) We had a medical emergency on board, so our napal coast viewing was delayed for almost 5 hours - our dinner reservations were at the time we now were going to past the coastline. Our concierge was able to change our reservations and get us into LeBistro when they were no reservations to be had at a later time.

 

(3) Pillow selection and requesting of how many pillows we would like PRIOR to getting to our cabin was nice also. A side story here - somehow when I typed in my request I typed "23" instead of "3". When I got to the cabin, I had "13" pillows and the butler came by and apologized for not having the 23 but they ran out. It was a good laugh to start the cruise with and I'm sure NCL was glad to get many of those pillows back on day one.

 

(4) Afternoon snacks tailored to our liking and not the "rotational" ones that were to be delivered. Our butler (Chris) did an awesome job of having what we really liked.

[marathonrunner123]

We did Blue Hawaiian helicopter tour. WE booked it right through B.H. This is the same company the ship uses and so much cheaper booking on your own. They picked us up all together and dropped us off all together. We even flew all together. The only difference was they picked us up outside the gate and the ship's tours group was picked up inside the gate.Also,be sure to ask about military/veterans discount.

[jhenry1]

Thank everyone for the suggestions and for the info. I will look at Blue Helicopter tours. Which one did you go on?

 

Kandy

[dexddd]

My expectations are not great but it is better than spending 4 days at sea to get there. We booked a owners suite with a large balcony. It does have a hot tub which we will probably never use. Not sure how clean it might be. Wondering if they are drained after each cruise and refilled? I am wondering about the excursions offered by NCL. I have found a private tour for the Road to Hana. Sounds great and just the 2 of us for the day and it includes breakfast and lunch. Sounds great. It is with Maui Touring Company. Have any of you guys done this. Also wondering about the tours NCL offers Ultimate Helicopter and Waterfall on Hilo, Big Island Spectacular on Kona, Heaven and Earth Quest on Kaui. Also after some research I found a Luau called Smiths Tropical Paradise offered as private on Kauai. Any suggestions on tours or private would be greatly appreciated. Thanks for the info on suite perks. Seems we will be spending a lot of time in Cagneys. I am also planning on buying our wine on Oahu to take onboard. We are red wine drinkers and the selection is not great. We will just pay the corkage fee and have some great wine.

 

We are sailing on thr Regent Navigator on May 13 from Barcelona to Venice so a lot of preparation in this month.

 

Kandy and Ron from Texas

 

Which one are you in? The hot tubs on our trip were emptied/filed by us whenever we wanted to use it. Our DS used it a lot as did I. There are several buttons - fill, drain, light (changes colors), bubbles, whirlpool jets, and heater. The water fills in from the jets (only about 1/2 were operational) but it still filled quickly enough. A sign there says it runs from high 90's to low 100's and it was a bit warm getting in at first but quite nice to be able to sit out on the balcony in peace and quiet.

 

We did Smith's a couple weeks ago. You can do one in Maui as well but we didn't have that option since we were only in Maui for one day. We had a rental car and went to Wiamea Canyon. We stopped at the first main stop and then continued to the very end. It was great scenery. We then got some shaved ice before heading back towards Smiths.

 

We got to Smiths around 5:45 - their times vary by season but they open up at 5 for the luau and you can walk around the gardens (we had been there back in 2006 coincidentally but for the day excursion). At 6:00 roughly the owner takes everyone (several hundred people) over where the pig is roasting. He explains the tradition and gives some background info and then there is the blessing of the pig.

 

After that the bars open. One for mai-tais, one for beer and wine as well as mixed drinks. Not 100% sure but it appeared the mixed drinks were included as well. Plenty of drinks to be had for all. They then release table by table to the 3 identical food lines. They had salad, salads, poi, shredded pork, beef pieces, and a mahi mahi. The food was quite good. After everyone goes through you can go through again.

 

They had singers during dinner. Around 8:00 they release you to the stage area for the show. That lasts about 1:15 and was also good. It was a fun night. If you buy online you save some money.

 

Smiths does have a bus going to/from the ship (for a fee) but we had the rental and dropped it off at the airport and had to take a taxi back to the ship, it is not far.

 

If you are looking for wine, maybe get that at one of the Costcos if you have a chance. We got our macadamia nut gifts there and they were about 1/2 of anywhere else.

Edited April 7, 2016 by dexddd

[PatJim]

Just want to add that if you haven't already contacted the pre-cruise Concierge desk, do so at 855-625-4283. They have a list of questions re your preferences (want extra towels, regular and/or decafe coffee and tea, pillow preferences, wish to make advance dinner reservations, etc.?). Sometimes we find at boarding that our requests weren't passed on to our butler, but usually they have been, so everything is ready for us. It helps the crew do a faster turn-around time if they know in advance what we want.

 

For next week's cruise in a 2-bedroom family suite on the Gem, we are asking:

empty the 'fridge of the mini-bar items (more room for wine!)

stock with skim milk & lemon wedges

extra hangers in master bedroom

4 pair small slippers (the large are really big)

ensure there are 2 chaise lounges on the balcony

extra hand towels in master bath

foam egg-crate topper for children's bedroom pull-out couch (the main bedroom mattress is wonderful!)

sample of all pillows, so our guests can choose ones they like

7:45 am delivery (except for final morning) of chocolate croissants and sliced pineapple.

 

If there is anything on the ship that you like, ask your butler. He/she can deliver bowls of M & Ms, bring cookies & milk for the kids every night, make party arrangements if you're entertaining. We've had butlers deliver cheese & crackers for a champaign party (no charge), or fill it out with mini-sandwiches.... If butlers know what you like or don't like, they will go out of their way to make you happy. I think in it's price range, no other lines do the suite life better than NCL.

 

As a last reminder, when you get to the pier, ask for the 'Haven' check-in line. After security, you're directed to the Suite check-in and escorted to a VIP lounge while waiting to board. The concierge will also make arrangements when disembarking to escort you directly from the ship.

[dexddd]

Just want to add that if you haven't already contacted the pre-cruise Concierge desk, do so at 855-625-4283. They have a list of questions re your preferences (want extra towels, regular and/or decafe coffee and tea, pillow preferences, wish to make advance dinner reservations, etc.?). Sometimes we find at boarding that our requests weren't passed on to our butler, but usually they have been, so everything is ready for us. It helps the crew do a faster turn-around time if they know in advance what we want.

 

For next week's cruise in a 2-bedroom family suite on the Gem, we are asking:

empty the 'fridge of the mini-bar items (more room for wine!)

stock with skim milk & lemon wedges

extra hangers in master bedroom

4 pair small slippers (the large are really big)

ensure there are 2 chaise lounges on the balcony

extra hand towels in master bath

foam egg-crate topper for children's bedroom pull-out couch (the main bedroom mattress is wonderful!)

sample of all pillows, so our guests can choose ones they like

7:45 am delivery (except for final morning) of chocolate croissants and sliced pineapple.

 

If there is anything on the ship that you like, ask your butler. He/she can deliver bowls of M & Ms, bring cookies & milk for the kids every night, make party arrangements if you're entertaining. We've had butlers deliver cheese & crackers for a champaign party (no charge), or fill it out with mini-sandwiches.... If butlers know what you like or don't like, they will go out of their way to make you happy. I think in it's price range, no other lines do the suite life better than NCL.

 

As a last reminder, when you get to the pier, ask for the 'Haven' check-in line. After security, you're directed to the Suite check-in and escorted to a VIP lounge while waiting to board. The concierge will also make arrangements when disembarking to escort you directly from the ship.

 

The OP is sailing on the POA so there isn't a Haven on that ship. We also didn't see gummy bears or M&Ms on our trip anywhere or in our room but that may have been because it was post drydock but maybe someone who has sailed on the POA in a suite can confirm one way or another.

[jhenry1]

I will look at the Blue Helicopter tours. It is a pleasure to greceive so many useful tips from those who have been on this cruise. Thank you sooo much and keep the ideas and suggestions flowing.

 

Kandy

[bplazo]

The OP is sailing on the POA so there isn't a Haven on that ship. We also didn't see gummy bears or M&Ms on our trip anywhere or in our room but that may have been because it was post drydock but maybe someone who has sailed on the POA in a suite can confirm one way or another.

 

OMG, I love M&M's