This cruise has one unique advantage, in that (I believe) it is the only major line that goes to Hawaii without having first to sail from another country. If you don't want to spend several days in a row at sea getting to Hawaii this is a huge advantage, and the reason we chose to take it. The price you pay is that it also has to pay American wages since there are no international stops, which would allow for lower wages. So you pay a higher price for this convenience.
Going in, we knew that this was not a high level cruise ship; in fact it had less to offer than any of the other 14 cruises we have taken on other lines. But overall it was worth it to us to fly in and out of Honolulu, and have 2 days on each island, rather than just one.
Embarkation
5 out of 5
We had a suite, which made the process very easy.
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
3 out of 5
Overall the food was pretty good, but we have now done 2 Norwegian cruises, and on both trips the meat/steak choices were decidedly mediocre, even at the specialty Cagney's steak house.
One of our servers, when asked for a recommendation, even said don't order the meat. We have been on many cruises, and even for an entry level liner such as NCL, Carnival, or Royal Caribbean, the food here was below average. Drink selections were good, most appetizers good. The Italian La Cucina was very nice. We did not do the buffet.
Onboard Activities
3 out of 5
Many basic activities such as trivia daily, hula lessons, but nothing special
Entertainment
2 out of 5
Auditorium, but no real stage productions. One comedian on 2 nights, but otherwise they played old movies, or the house bands would play. No musical productions.
Service and Staff
3 out of 5
Although many staff were quite friendly, compared to other cruise lines there was a larger percent of staff than we usually see who were only OK, just doing their job.
Ship Quality
3 out of 5
Ship was always well cleaned, but the design is old and not smooth. For example, access to the main dining hall on the 6th floor was blocked by 2 specialty restaurants, so we had to walk out from the main interior section, then onto the outside deck, then back in to the ship to get into the restaurant. Also many doors did not open automatically, as is the standard now on most ships, making it somewhat more difficult to carry items in my hands and move around the ship
Cabin / Stateroom
4 out of 5
Ours was actually a 1 room suite with a large balcony, not the 2 bdr family suite as listed. Overall it was a very comfortable and nice cabing, and the balcony was fantastic. Storage space however was inadequate, and the drawers and shelves were quite small. Also the cabinets have an old and annoying system for opening and closing. Most ships have better handles, and use magnets or simpler systems to ensure doors stay closed. Also the closet space was small and blocks the bathroom, and made it difficult to be in the same area at the same time.
Honolulu has become very touristy. If you have not been before, it probably would be fine, but we have been several times, so it feels more like another big city.
The port itself is industrial, so not much locally, and of course Lahaina unfortunately has been wiped out. Be we rented eBikes and had a great time exploring local beaches and a cute nearby town (don't remember the name).
Hilo is an old dumpy town, but I took the general excursion that takes usto the black sand beaches, waterfall, Japanese garden, volcano/lava tubes, and the surprisingly fantastic Big Island candy shop and had a great time.
Nice local beach within walking distance. Duke's also is right there and was a fantastic meal. We did the Kayak/hike/secret falls excursion. Beautiful but the hike can be a bit treacherous if you are not well coordinated, and you will get wet, especially walking across a shallow river briefly, so wear proper swimwear, water shoes.
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