Had a great cruise on Aloha

[jealdaka]

I just posted a review on our cruise last week on Aloha but ran out of space. I'm new to the boards but I did look at them some before we sailed. Scarry!

 

We actually had a great time. There are definately some things to be improved on but overall it was great. The dining room situation is not good. It was our first try with freestyle. I'm still trying to figure out how anyone thinks that a whole ship full of people can dine when and where they please without waits. When I say it isn't good I am not referring to the food, just the waits and service time.

 

For those of you in the same shoes we were in a couple of weeks ago. Don't worry, I really think you will enjoy yourselves. One thing I didn't mention was people waiting to remove the fee for the Hawaii Culture center or whatever. I find it strange that one would wait in line 45 minutes to remove a $2.50 fee. I understand when one doesn't want to be forced to make a donation to something but since it is a good cause why not just pay it and go out and have a good time enjoying yourself and being glad you did something nice. You'll have a much better vacation that way.

 

Now I have to go finish laundry and repack to go to grandma's. This little trip won't be near as much fun!

[Zeno]

Glad to hear you had a nice trip. Don't judge "freestyle" dining by your POA experience. I am not sure what is making it difficult on POA (shortage of staff ? or staff training issues ?). On our NCL cruise on the Sky, we loved freestyle dining (The longest we waited to be seated was about 3 minutes at 7PM. Most times we were seated immediately. We had excellent efficient service in the dining room). Hopefully NCL will get the "kinks" out of POA freestyle soon.

[mikefast]

Seems like things are getting better. Glad to hear you had a great time, and I trust that we will too, but then we aren't going until May 1 of '05. I'm getting very anxious since we haven't been on a cruise since Dec. of last year, and I am really itching to go

[foxyh]

;) How refreshing it was to read you had a good trip. We are sailing on the Aug. 22 date and were becoming very apprehensive about going on this trip.

We are going to be very open minded and have a positive attitude. It sounds as if the dining situation was the worst scenario. Would you recommend a time when the wait would be minimal.....I agree, what was NCL thinking about dining when the majority of people choose to eat at the same time.

Did you try any of the specialy restaurants and what was your experience there????? I plan on posting our experiences good and bad, when we return.

How were the shows??? Hopefully each sail date will only improve.

[kkorman]

Glad to hear you had a nice trip. Don't judge "freestyle" dining by your POA experience. I am not sure what is making it difficult on POA (shortage of staff ? or staff training issues ?). On our NCL cruise on the Sky, we loved freestyle dining (The longest we waited to be seated was about 3 minutes at 7PM. Most times we were seated immediately. We had excellent efficient service in the dining room). Hopefully NCL will get the "kinks" out of POA freestyle soon.

 

I'm with you on this one. Freestyle cruising works with the assumption of quick service. Obviously that is an issue right now on POA. I did the Sky and only had to wait one tiome in 14 days and that was because we had a party of 10. They had to set up a table.

[gardencat]

I've been thinking about this whole freestyle thing on POA and I'm thinking that it is probably working better that way. According to recent reports people are waiting to be seated, even when there are open tables. It appears that there is just not enough staff to serve all the tables. Can you imagine if they tried to run 2 regular seatings like most traditional cruises?

 

How would they seat all the first seating if they can't man all the tables, then, given the reports of the lenght of time to get dinner served, how would they get peopls out of there and reset the room for the second sitting?

 

With freestyle people can be told they will have to wait. Can you imagine what would happen if passengers showed up for a regularly scheduled first seating dinner and were told "No room for you now, come back at 10pm after the second seating"? :eek:

[ladybug103]

. One thing I didn't mention was people waiting to remove the fee for the Hawaii Culture center or whatever. I find it strange that one would wait in line 45 minutes to remove a $2.50 fee. I understand when one doesn't want to be forced to make a donation to something but since it is a good cause why not just pay it and go out and have a good time enjoying yourself and being glad you did something nice. You'll have a much better vacation that way.

 

 

Ummm..it is called principles in my part of the world. And who knows where it goes?

[dalwhitt]

I'm thrilled that we're starting to get some positive reviews, especially since we leave in 8 days for Hawaii. I was turning blue from holding my breath so long. But on the donation to the Bishop Museum, they can not assume that I want to donate. For all they know, I may be against that museum (I am not). Next thing you know they will try to make me donate to the other political party, the NRA or even the communist party. I know this is an exaggeration, but I hope you are getting my point. If there is a down time at the desk while I am onboard I will make sure that there is no donation on my account.

[ladybug103]

Stand in line...yup!

[gardencat]

ladybug103

 

Yes I know its a pain to stand in line on your vacation but if you let them get away with this you just encourage them and they will do this again and again in more extreme forms as dalwhitt said.

 

So in my opinion, one should either stand in line to remove it, or cruise with a line that doesn't apply this kind of underhanded billing.

[alohacrewmom]

I don't like the idea of being forced to donate to the Bishop Museum either. I would do so voluntarily but don't want to be required. I'm sure there is some deal between NCLA and them that may have been required but that should not be passed on to us. I do agree with the OP that I wouldn't waste my time in line for it though. I want every minute I can have on vacation. The idea of going at a down time is much better.

[Casshew]

Ummm..it is called principles in my part of the world.

I am glad to hear its principles and not cheapness :D

[Traveler39]

Stand in line or not.... that is not the question.... The question is: Are passengers going to just continue to take the pr spin of ncl..... You will just get use to it.... Use to the Resort fee... The museum fee... Any other fee that ncl puts on your bill without your consent?

 

Yes some of the passengers will just roll with the punches and take whatever ncl dishes out... Others will say, enough is enough... Some will be quiet and just take their business elsewhere.... It is our choice... Each and everyone makes that decision... It has nothing to do with tips, fees, or otherwise... NCL has made it clear that on the poa we will just take what they choose for us to have or we can go away....

 

If you do not like the dining room or buffet food then go to the speciality resturants... If your room is not clean then just wait for it to be cleaned... If your luggage does not show up in a reasonable time then just wait on it...

 

After all is said and done...You will just get use to it.........or will you...

[gardencat]

Traveler39

 

If your room is not clean then just wait for it to be cleaned...

 

Aren't you being a little hard on NCLA? I've heard that passengers who's rooms are not cleaned after a few days ,are informed by someone on POA where they can go to pick up some clean towels. Now you can't really expect more than that on your cruise vacation can you?

 

Maybe, by next week, NCL will even be letting the passengers borrow a vacuum cleaner to make a quick clean up of their stateroom rug.

[Casshew]

Some will be quiet and just take their business elsewhere....

 

When does the quiet part start?:rolleyes:

[ladybug103]

I'm thrilled that we're starting to get some positive reviews, especially since we leave in 8 days for Hawaii. I was turning blue from holding my breath so long. But on the donation to the Bishop Museum, they can not assume that I want to donate. For all they know, I may be against that museum (I am not). Next thing you know they will try to make me donate to the other political party, the NRA or even the communist party. I know this is an exaggeration, but I hope you are getting my point. If there is a down time at the desk while I am onboard I will make sure that there is no donation on my account.

...good luck on your Hawaill trip...did you ever think about this ( godforgiveme have been thinking about this for awhile and would never forgive myself if I did not post..delete if necessary....you are on an American flagged ship...first in a long time) as far as I can discerne American flagged ships are sitting ducks for those who do not particularly "care about" americans" am so very sorry to post this and do not mean to intentionally interfere. We get so concerned about non issues.

[Zeno]

Boy buggie you must be getting pretty desperate to get this positive review deleted to resort to racist comments

[margu1241]

For those of you who want to have the bishop museum charge removed, I would think you could tell them at embarkation that you don't want to be charged. The problem would be that it seemed to be posted on the last Saturday, so you might not be able to get it removed before then. If I was interested though it certainly wouldn't hurt to ask beforehand at the credit desk.

Patty

[alohacrewmom]

Where is your review? I'm anxious to read it.

[zimmerjulie]

I just posted a review on our cruise last week on Aloha but ran out of space

by jealdaka

 

I hope you had the review saved! This happened to me when attempting to post my review on the NCL board. I had to break it up into smaller segments and post them one after the other in the same thread.

 

Glad you had a good cruise!

Julie

[segerd]

It's very easy to have that charge removed, ask to see your bill earlier in the week. The charge goes on early and there are no lines then. I told them that they could keep it there if it were going to be deducted from my fee to go to the museum the day after the cruise ended. (we really did go) They said "no" so I said, "remove it". The museum was nice but I feel that my entrance fee of $15 was sufficient without paying more.

[Markandrews]

On every NCL cruise I have taken, (including my POAloha cruise) we were given a printout of our charges one to two days before the cruise ended. If you feel strongly about not giving 2.50 to the museum there should be ample time to have it removed.

 

I think the statement regarding the Pride of Aloha being a terrorist target is absurd. The only people that would be interested in blowing it up are a few of our continous negative posters. But if it was gone they would have nothing to complain about.

[dalwhitt]

It never crosses my mind that something like a terrorist attack could take place ... just like I don't worry about that on airplanes. When my time is up, then I guess I will just have to go to that big cruise ship in the sky.

[buchie614]

lol at dalwhitt....."Big Cruise Ship In the Sky"

[gardencat]

The only people that would be interested in blowing it up are a few of our continous negative posters. But if it was gone they would have nothing to complain about.

Pretty close to what I was going to say except I would have put it as

" Why would we blow up this ship? That would just get NCL out of this mess they got themselves into, and probably get them a lot of public sympathy too. I'd rather just sit back and watch them try to dig themselves out of this hole."