Our first cruise, first time in Hawaii and we had an amazing time.
Embarkation
5 out of 5
We arrived at the port about 330. The line went fairly quick. Once onboard, our deck was called for the rooma being ready, so we went straight to our room with our carry on luggage.
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
4 out of 5
For specialty dining we ate at Jefferson's Bistro and Cagney's Steakhouse. Both were excellent. Buffet had lots of options, but food wasn't always hot, not cold, but warm. Breakfast was usually crowded.
Onboard Activities
5 out of 5
Participated in 2 of the 3 Lei making classes. Was so fun & we brought the Kukui Nut ones home as keepsakes.
Service and Staff
5 out of 5
Almost all of the staff went out of their way to be friendly and helpful. Only disappointment was the server we had at Cadillac Diner.
Ship Quality
5 out of 5
Took a few days to get our bearings of what was where. Staff were always cleaning public areas. We noticed nothing broken.
Cabin / Stateroom
5 out of 5
Room was alright for the 2 of us. Average for cruise ship. Bed was comfortable. Our room steward, Gene, was awesome
Ship tip
This is not like the mega ships. No bells or whistles. But is a great way to see more of Hawaii without having pack, go to airport, find hotel, unpack and repeat for a week.
First day in Kauai we did Kauai Director's Cut and Luau Kalamaku. Director's Cut was on a smaller bus, maybe 20 - 25 people. Our guide Miss K was awesome and very engaging. She was also our driver to the Luau (completely by chance) and then we got to see her dance in the Luau. We thought Luau Kalamaku was great. Plenty of options for food. Show was fantastic. The fire dancers were my favorite!
We sailed in January 2023, we did whale watching & Lahaina on your own the first day, then Maui's North Shore and waterfall walk. Whale watching was an awesome experience! Only let down on the North Shore excursion was we were not able to go to Ho'okipa Beach Park due to high swells of 20 feet. I was hoping to see the sea turtles there.
We chose to book the Glass Bottom boat reef tour and Atlantis submarine. Both were so cool! Several hours in between that we used to shop & eat lunch. Found our favorite souvenir at KoaWood Ranch store.
This was our first cruise so we didn't know what to expect. Once we found our luggage, it took a bit (had to ask 2 people) where our excursion bus was.
Iām glad your first cruise was great! Thank you so much for a great review! I will be cruising Hawaii for my birthday this year and it will be my first time to Hawaii and my first Norwegian cruise. I am so excited!
Welcome to the wonderful world of cruising. Appreciate your detailed and informative review, especially about your ports of call. Glad you thoroughly enjoyed your first cruise.
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