This cruise was amazing! Hawaii, Oahu and Kauai were some of the most beautiful places I've ever seen! HAL was a good cruise line, but it was God's magnificent creations that made this trip wonderful! Don't go with divas or party-poopers who only want to stare at their phones though, you'll seriously regret wasting your time and money! Go with upbeat people who can appreciate God's handiwork and want to unplug for a bit and just bask in the breathtaking beauty. Trust me, and have fun!
Embarkation
5 out of 5
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
4 out of 5
Dining rooms were beautiful, the food was very good, but I missed the 24-hour soft serve ice cream from Carnival and Disney
Onboard Activities
3 out of 5
The hot tubs were NOT hot, and there were not enough fun activities during the days at sea.
Entertainment
3 out of 5
The shows, musicians, and other performers were fabulous, but they didn't have enough of them. Not enough activities or performers during the daytime while at sea.
Children's Programs
No children in our group, and I saw very few children. For kids - choose Disney or Carnival!
Service and Staff
4 out of 5
The staff were exceptional! SO sweet and friendly! The only exception was some of the guest services staff - one who hung up on me because I (politely) said that I was having difficulty understanding him because of his heavy accent.
Ship Quality
5 out of 5
Cabin / Stateroom
4 out of 5
The shower smelled like mildew, which kinda gave me a headache, but other than that the stateroom we had was very good for the price! Very clean and plenty of room for our stuff, even though my daughter brought enough stuff for a princess!
Ship tip
Go to guest services and ask for the form that will prevent automatic gratuity charges for every little thing! It's $16 every time you buy an ice cream cone or anything, and these charges are not mandatory - can remove them, just ask guest services. Also, bring cash if you want to tip SPECIFIC people. Unlike Disney and Carnival, they don't let you pick individual people to tip, at the end of your cruise, using the credit card you have on file with them.
This place is expensive, but gorgeous! Visit the Lynn Canyon suspension bridge - it's free, rather than the Capilano Bridge, trust me! SO beautiful there, my daughter had to practically drag me out of the woods! Think, Virgin River, people! It's amazing!! The outdoor night market is lame, expensive, and not worth the money, and only takes Canadian CASH, so I suggest skipping it. I went, wasted my money, and then regretted it. There are better things to do!
This place is Uh-MAZING!! So lush, peaceful and soul-feeding beautiful! I recommend a private tour into the rainforest and a visit to the fresh water springs along this beautiful river in the rainforest! Sigh...I want to go back!
So gorgeous! I highly recommend an 2-day visit to the Polynesian Cultural Center. (You only pay for one day though, which is great!) It's one of the most beautiful places I've ever been - waterfalls, flowers, fresh growing fruit, amazing landscaping, and entertaining/educational experiences that will have you laughing out loud! Don't skip the luau or the "Ha: Breath of Life" show - it's sensational and the fire-dancing is UH-MAZING! The drive to/from the PCC is breathtaking too - think of the gorgeous Jurassic Park landscapes. I recommend renting a car so you can drive there yourself, because the views are too brief as you zip by in a bus. (I wish I had driven myself). You'll want to drink them in, and possibly get out to take pictures. Sigh...I want to go back!
I agree with you completely about the beauty of Hawaii. However a few things need to be explained. First you are not charged $16 per drink for gratuity. You are charged 18% on each drink, that is the same across all cruise lines. You are assessed $16/day/person for overall gratuities. That is the lowest across all lines, NCL is $20. That goes into a pool to provide tips for a great many of those people that you enjoyed their friendly service. All of this information was available for you when you approved your cruise contract to go on this cruise.
As for the lack of daily activities on sea days, you didn’t do your research. HAL’s demographic is 55 plus and the programs are tailored to them.
As for the person hanging up on you, what did you expect after you insulted them while trying go help you?
Appreciate your feedback. Sorry you felt the need to remove the standard gratuities. Agree completely that your traveling companions can make or break your trip. Glad you enjoyed your cruise.
With all due respect, I must agree with my fellow shipmates, why remove the gratuities? I agree, bring cash and tip extra as you go or at the end of the cruise but I always pay my gratuities when I book. Sorry to disagree with you, otherwise your cruising experience sounds lovely.
Agree with javawoody are you sure it’s not the daily gratuities you’re referring to? If so, these go to so many people who you don’t see but who still work so hard to make your cruise great.
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