Help - trying to decide on cruise

[EydieG]

My husbsand and I plan to cruise to Hawaii next year sometime. We are having a hard time deciding which cruise line to use. We have been on Royal Caribbean several times and Carnival once. Either would be fine. Although NCl has the most to choose from in the way of Hawaii cruises, I have heard nothing but negative about this cruise line. I was told just to go with the expectation that the ship won't be as nice and the food won't be as good, but just enjoy seeing Hawaii. The other problem is that while I would like a day or two at sea, the cruises with eight or nine sea days are just too much.

Any advice would be appreciated!

[beachchick]

Your only choice for a Hawaii cruise that doesn't include a minimum of 4 to 5 sea days is with NCL. You could look into which lines are doing the "loop" around Hawaii on the way to (in the spring) or from (in the fall) Alaska. Those repositioning cruises would include 4 to 5 sea days at the beginning or the end of the cruise. Otherwise, you're looking at the mainland r/t cruises, all of which will have at least 8 sea days (combined going to and from the islands).

 

It kind of depends on what kind of cruise experience you are looking for. NCL has the Freestyle, so there's not the traditional dining; NCL doesn't have a casino in Hawaii (none of the ships can have their casinos open while at the islands); NCL ships for Hawaii (except the Wind) seem to focus more on the islands and less on the "ship as an experience in and of itself" style. DH and I have cruised on Princess (long time ago), RCI, NCV (not NCL), and on a couple of smaller lines. We've loved our RCI cruises of late. However, for Hawaii we would not even consider booking anything but the NCL Hawaii-only itinerary. For us, it's about the islands. We do land trips as often as we can (not nearly as often as we would like). The mainland r/t and repo cruises simply don't have enough time in the islands for us. OTOH, some people consider the islands secondary, almost an afterthought of "well, the ship has to go somewhere" and make the cruise all about the ship and the sea days. It truly depends on what is important to you.

 

We are going on the new Pride of Hawaii this fall, and I can't wait. Even though it will be a different experience from RCI or Princess, etc. That's kind of what we expect. We like different things and aren't loyal only to one cruise line or one type of cruising.

 

I suggest that you read some of the NCL forum reviews about the NCLA "Pride" ships. Many of them are quite good, listing both the good and the bad. Most people seem to have a good time, and many of them do comment on the fact that the ships aren't like others. OTOH, they were never intended to be like others.

 

beachchick

[rjscott]

The one other itinerary you may want to consider is the NCL Wind. It cruises the Hawaiian Islands, but goes to Fanning Island and back, so has 4 days at sea. We did this itinerary on our first visit to the Hawaiian islands and felt it was just enough time at sea. We liked the sea days for the Hawaiian-themed activities onboard; lei-making, cultural lectures, hula classes, cooking demo's by Hawaiian restaurant chefs. You can choose either a 10 or 11-day itinerary. Although we have not sailed the Wind around the Hawaiian islands, we have sailed the Wind twice and liked the ship.

 

Becki

[ssbeard1]

Are you going on this cruise to see Hawaii or to enjoy the ship? We are big fans of RCL - to me for a mid-priced cruise ship there is no better. However, we went to Alaska last year and did research to find the best cruise ship for Alaska. We chose Princess. For the same reasons we are choosing NCL for our Hawaii cruise. No - Princess was not up to the standards of RCL for the entertainment and food (though it was good) and I don't expect NCL to be either. However, I want to make the most of my opportunity to see the islands and plan to spend little time on the ship. If you do a cruise around the islands you have no "at sea" days. Think of the ship as a moving hotel.

[EydieG]

Well, I was kind of hoping to enjoy the ship and see the islands. I don't think my husband will survive without a casino, though. That is his favorite part of a cruise. Maybe we will check into the Wind.

Thanks for the advice.

[CruisinMK]

I think beachchicks suggestion above is a very good one, try a repo cruise going one way to or from hawaii. Then you only get a batch of 4 sea days once, not 2 batches (9 sea days if you look close and realize ensenada isn't really a proper stop). Then your husband can gamble a few days while you relax for the sea days. And you don't go nuts with 9 sea days.

 

I really liked my NCL pride of America cruise but I respect that other people have different likes.

 

I did fanning island once and didn't like it myself.

[Deb in Cali]

Mike,

 

What didn't you like about the Fanning Island? It sounds and look great from the pics that I have gleaned from the internet. I 'm not expecting any entertainment or even a resturant, I expecting a tropical island that has some beautiful beaches.

 

I was figuring that NCL was using it for a Hawaiian version of a private island like Princess and some of the other cruise lines do in the Caribbean.

 

Deb

[bulldogmom]

Keep this in mind. Depending where in the US you are (I'm in Georgia) the flight TO Hawaii can be a doozy. We just flew there and back and it was 9 hours and 30 minutes. We decided next time we visited Hawaii it would be on a cruise that leaves out of California, the flying and time difference is a killer. We didn't get used to the time before it was time to come back.

[sdcruiser]

We just booked a 12-night cruise in March 2008, which departs from Honolulu with overnights in almost every Hawaiian port, then five sea days back to the mainland. There is also one which leaves in Nov 2007, which starts on the mainland with four/five days at sea to Hawaii, and ends in Honolulu. These are both repositioning cruises on the Celebrity Mercury so the prices couldn't be beat.

 

We just got back from a 14 day Summit Hawaii cruise R/T from LA and loved Hawaii so much we booked the Mercury. Plus these two Mercury itineraries spend more time on the islands than any other we could find in 2007/2008, which is what we're looking for.

 

Good Luck with your Final Choice..

 

SDCruiser

[Thanksforyourinfo]

I did a repo cruise in May of 04 on RCCI Serenade of the Seas. Once around the islands, then off to Vancouver. The NCI trips weren't available yet. We got quite a bit of shore time, started at Oahu, one day at Kaui, one at Maui, two at Big Island (Kona and Hilo). The ship was fantastic, and I am glad we got that flight out of the way at the beginning. The first day out, scheduled an early excursion because we were so time difference jet-lagged that we were out of bed by 4AM. I would go with NCI now, but the repo was pretty special. You could do the same repo going to Ensenada, or you could start on the mainland and get spoiled at sea first, but your husband might lose all the money at the casino before you get to Hawaii.

[jmccurdy]

I just booked Pride of Hawaii with 2nights Pre-Cruise at Marriott and Round Trip air and 7 nihgts cruising and all transfers to and from the ship,hotel and airport with VactionsToGo for grand total of $3200 and that is for a balcony midship stateroom. They were running a few day special and this cruise is a present for my husbands 70th birthday.

We have stayed on Kauai for 2 weeks and a week on Maui years ago but never had chance to spend time in Honolulu so we are looking forward to having the 2 and 1/2 days there to explore.

Now I am looking for shore excursions that are the best to do while we are there any suggestions?