Pre-cruise Hotel in Hawaii - Please help

[giggles217]

We are thinking of adding the 2 day pre-cruise package to our cruise to Hawaii. We will be traveling with my in-laws who will be celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary and am trying to ensure that we get the best we can afford. The hotels we are looking at are the Sheraton Moana Surfrider or theHilton Hawaiian Village. Our TA is recomending the Surfrider. One major plus would be to have cruise check-in from NCL right at the hotel so we won't have to wait in any lines the day of embarkation. The only other plus is a tour from the hotel to Pearl Harbor which we will want to see.

 

So has anyone been to either of these hotels and can give us the good the bad and the ugly? Also does anyone know about the advanced checkin?

 

Thanks!

[cruisingfromMN]

O.K. here's the background for you. We have twice stayed at the Sheraton Moana Surfrider prior to cruising on The Star. We most recently did this in March of this year as well as March of 2003. We love the Moana and have stayed there at other times as well (twice tied to cruising, other times for land only vacations). Beautiful, beautiful, beautiful is the only way to describe the Moana!!! And, service to the hilt. To give you an idea of the service. One day my husband and I were sitting at the pool when I casually mentioned to him that we had been in Hawaii for five days and I had yet to taste a good Pina Colada. What I did not know is the pool attendant had walked by and heard me say this. She said nothing to me at the time but a few minutes later approached me with a Pina Colada and said, "here try this one". Now, that's great service. Plus, it was FREE and it was the best one. The restaurants are very good there. I can't remember the name of one but it is nearby the pool, has indoor and outdoor dining and they serve a daily buffet or order off the menu. If you go the buffet route, the selection changes daily. It is very good and I am not a huge lover of buffets. Are you traveling with kids? If so, kids eat free at the buffet with a paid adult. The other thing, are you Starwood Members? If so, the discounts are good for this property. They also offer (quite frequently) and I don't think you need to be a Starwood Member is a promotional rate on the room plus 35% off any meals charged to your room at any Sheraton property. This is great because the Sheraton Waikiki is right down the street. I highly recommend the Hanohano Room there...it is a MUST do. Great food, great music, great service and a view on top of the hotel facing Diamond Head. Tell them you are celebrating the 50th Wedding Anniversary and most certainly, they will bring you dessert (FREE). They too go out of their way for service. O.K. so now on to the cruise check in. Both times we were at the pier, check in has been very, very quick. I know we are talking different ships but it is the same pier. Our first time, we probably were on ship within 20 minutes. Our second time, no more than 30 minutes. I should mention though that it was thru the Lattitudes window. I also know the Hilton Haiwaiian Village and it is beautiful too but we still much prefer the Moana. The location of the Moana is more central to the activities and fun of Waikiki. Much closer walking distance for restaurants etc. I have heard but do not know if it is true, that you can still check in for the cruise at the hotel even if you are not staying there. So, you could stay at the Moana and walk to the Hilton on one of your pre-cruise days. I would recommend taking the beach one way and the sidewalks on the return. This actually was our morning exercise, get up walk beach side to the Village and return by sidewalk. Should you decide on the Moana, the day you go to the ship, schedule a limo with the guys out front of the hotel. They are quick and again provide tremendous service. They can arrange for a limo (about $40.00) which is the same cost of some of the private van services that run around. They charge a per-person rate. The bad part of the van service is that they cram you in with many others and stop at many other hotel properties picking up other people. The limo takes you right to the pier in style and in a more timely manner. Get out of the limo and each time there has been an NCL person there to take our luggage and get us to the right line. Hope that covers it for you. Let me know if you have any other questions. Have a great time!!! We just love Hawaii.

 

I forgot one thing. The Moana rooms have recently been renovated. They were just finishing the project when we were there this spring.

[bankofdad]

Hi giggle217,

 

We haven't stayed at the Moana Surfrider, but we have stayed (very closely near the Moana Surfrider) at the Sheraton Waikiki and the Hilton Hawaiian Village (HHV), on seperate land trips over the past two years. This year, we're booked at the Marriott Waikiki for our NCL POA Pre-Cruise stay (they also have a check-in desk for NCL).

 

The beach fronting the Moana Surfrider can get a bit crowded as compared to the HHV, which is just a little off the main strip. For the most part, the guests at the Sheraton Waikiki (and other hotels in between) share the same beach (there really isn't one in front of the Sheraton Waikiki). The beach at the HHV had a little more space to it, is very nice, calm and sandy, and is adjacent to Fort Derussey Beach. We enjoyed the views very much from both locations.

 

However, the location of the Sheraton was more convenient (especially if you really want to see Waikiki before your cruise), in my opinion. More choices that are real close for dining off of the hotel properties, and lots of neat (although touristy) shops. At the HHV, my wife and I agree that the quality of food services from the hotel were not what you should expect from a resort hotel of this caliber, at this price (and we USUALLY do choose resort hotels of this type when we travel). To HHV's credit, the HHV's grounds are beautiful, with a great pool area, and wonderful service.

 

I'm sure that for a two day pre-cuise you'll be happy with either one. We chose the Marriott for this trip because it's at the quiet end of Waikiki Beach, and we wanted to try something different.

 

Nor matter where you stay, I'm sure you will all have a great time!

[spleen93]

On a somewhat completely separate aside to all of this, the Hanohano Room recently closed and reopened as a "steakhouse and nightclub". I have yet to go back to try this new venture.

 

Spleen

[cruisingfromMN]

On a somewhat completely separate aside to all of this, the Hanohano Room recently closed and reopened as a "steakhouse and nightclub". I have yet to go back to try this new venture.

 

Spleen

 

No kidding!!! WOW. I hope it is as good as it was. Guess we just need to get back to Hawaii to try it. One thing for sure, they can't change the view. Thanks for the update on one of our favorite dinning spots.

[giggles217]

Thanks so much for the info on the Moana Surfrider. It sounds wonderful. But if I understand you correctly you have to go to the Hilton to do the pre-checkin? I guess it wouldn't be that much of an issue if we had to checkin at the pier. I love the idea of getting a limo, hate the whole van picking everyone up scenario!

 

Have you done the Pear Harbor tour? My husband and father-in-law can't wait for that. I'm thinking that we can get a tour right from the Moana, would you know?

[bankofdad]

Actually, if you stay at the MoanaSurfrider, you'll be only a couple blocks away for the Marriott, which also has a check-in desk.

 

Hope you have a great time!

[kimcht]

has anyone stayed in the radisson waikiki prince kuhio? I know its a walk to the beach but how about pearl harbor attractions? can we walk or bus? Is it best to do a day there on our own before our 10 day wind cruise or beter to book a tour. we were not plannning on renting a car. I know its not as nice as some of the other hotels but splurged all our money on the cruise itself. Also in regards to pearl harbour/ Missouri, etc. I have read that no fanny packs, bags, etc. are allowed. What abvout cameras (not in a bag) or water bottles. thanks for the help. Kim

[spleen93]

Some old posts:

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=50723&highlight=radisson+prince+kuhio

I know it's long but it should have a lot of the information that you're looking for.

Also,

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=19209&highlight=radisson+prince+kuhio

 

Spleen

[margu1241]

You can only check in at the Marriott if you purchased a precruise package from NCL and are staying at the Marriott. You can't book a different hotel and then walk to the Marriott to check in (I tried it last week on Pride of Aloha). If the precruise check in is important to you then you'll want to book the package through NCL at the hotels that offer it. We got to the pier at 12, were let in the builiding at 12:30. Checkin started a little before one and we were on board by 1:15 with very little hassle. However, the precruise people had a separate entrance, and we could see them going up the elevator as early as 12:15 when we were waiting outside. Embarkation was so easy though, that I don't know if I would let that influence me away from a hotel that I was interested in staying in.

Patty

[giggles217]

Thanks Margu1241 for the information about the pre check-in. While you were at the Marriott did that look like a nice hotel to stay at? Since it did have the pre check-in if it looks as nice as the Moana Surfrider I think we'll just go for that. From the website it looks more like any large impersonal hotel while the Surfrider had more character. My TA may have given us some incorrect info since she said that all the NCL pre-cruise hotel choices had the pre check-in available. That's why these boards are so handy because you get the actual facts.

 

Now my decision is between the Moana Surfrider, Hilton Head Village and the Waikiki Beach Marriott.

 

Other opinions to help me decide?

[margu1241]

If you are going to book a hotel just based on the precruise check in then I would probably choose the HHV (I read that NCL has a desk there, but don't have personal knowledge). HHV seemed a little outside the action of Waikiki, which can be good or bad, depending on your interests. The Marriott is not on the beach side of the street and did not look as nice to me as the SurfRider, but if it only for a few nights I am sure either would be OK.

Patty