Pride of America Deluxe Penthouse Suite (AB 10000)

Trip Report Note: Sorry we weren't able to blog live from Hawaii last week. Due to a mishap on Oahu, our laptops and camera gear went missing. We'll have to rely on press photos and a few shots we managed to e-mail home before disaster struck. Neither the Marriott Waikiki or NCL were involved in our luggage mishap.

This was the moment of truth! We had just boarded NCLA's Pride of America and had our first glimpse of our Deluxe Penthouse Suite. Some fellow cruises asked if we got this cabin as the result of an "upsell" call from NCL. We actually booked this cabin from the get-go, so we did not receive the famed upsell call offering suite accommodations at a discounted rate.

It would take all week to decide if this cabin was worth the expense (it was). We'd been looking forward to our trip to Hawaii for weeks so we had a feeling it would be a fantastic vacation! (We're true believers in making the most of every situation!)

First of all, a one-week stay in an AB suite on this ship costs about the same as a seven-day Tahitian cruise aboard Regent Seven Seas' Paul Gauguin or a 10-day Panama Canal itinerary from Crystal Cruises. The difference being, you'd be in the lowest category aboard those vessels while an AB suite is one of the top categories on the Pride of America.

NCLA is a mass market line but they do advertise several suite categories and try to provide some luxury services.

What appealed to us were the following benefits:

• Priority embarkation
• Butler and concierge service
• Sparkling wine, gourmet hors d’oeuvres, and bottled water upon arrival
• Living room, dining room, and master bedroom
• Private balcony with hot tub!
• Flat-screen TV with DVD player
• Espresso/cappuccino machine
• Invitation to VIP cocktail party
• 24-hour room service with special suite menu
• Full in-room breakfast menu (hot and cold food)
  
• Hors d’oeuvres delivered twice during cruise
• Fresh flower arrangement and fresh fruit basket
• Priority boarding of tenders to shore
• Priority disembarkation

After we finished lunch at Makino Chaya (in the nearby Aloha Tower Marketplace complex), we walked to the pier and boarded the Pride of America around 1:00 p.m. The process was quick and painless. There was a specific line for passengers who had spent the previous evening at the Marriott (those who'd used NCL's transfer service). We walked right up to the counter and showed our documentation and received our key cards. Since we were also suite guests, the representative personally walked us over to the VIP "meet and greet" area where one of the butlers introduced himself and gave us an invitation to meet the concierge for refreshments between 1:30 and 4:00 p.m. We then walked right onto the ship. The trip from security at the pier entrance to our cabin took all of 10 minutes.

There are only a handful of AB suites on the Pride of America, but we selected a forward cabin (AB #10000). We've heard the wind can be a problem on some itineraries but it was not in Hawaii. We spent a lot of time on the balcony while we were sailing and never encountered an issue.

Here are some photos of the suite. (If you click on each photo, a larger version will pop up.)

Yes, the balcony for AB suite 10000 on NCL's Pride of America really is this big. It stretches across the bow.

Here's the hot tub that's on the balcony of NCL's Pride of America AB suite 10000. Unfortunately, it was broken when we arrived! Ten demerits for NCL. It took two entire days and several requests before anyone came to fix the tub. It turned out that the switch was broken and couldn't be replaced while we were onboard. We could use the hot tub, but we had to keep our finger on the button if we wanted the jets on. Nice and relaxing. The onboard mechanics told us it looked like the unit hadn't been used or serviced in a long time. So, if you've booked a room with a balcony hot tub, make sure your room steward(ess) cleans it thoroughly before you use it. Lots of yucky bacteria can grow in these tubs if they're left sitting without use for long periods of time.

Here's the bedroom that can be partitioned off by both French doors between the living room and bedroom and a heavy curtain between the bedroom and the closet/vanity area. What you can't see in this photo is a second flat-screen TV and the sliding glass door that leads to the balcony (opposite end from the hot tub). (The leis pictured here were NOT from NCL. We received them from LeiGreeting.com when we landed at the Honolulu Airport the day before.)

A few of the living room, looking into the bedroom with the French doors closed.

Here's the living room, dining area, and wet bar. (The second sliding glass door to the balcony is located right next to the chair in the foreground of this photo. This leads to the hot tub side of the balcony.)

The desk area includes an Internet connection for your laptop. Service is very slow and there were many times we couldn't get online. (See the entrance door on the near left.)

The dining room is one of the outstanding features of AB suites. It makes it easy to order room service and dine in the privacy of your own stateroom.

Here's the wet bar area where you'll find a coffee/cappuccino maker. There is also a mini-fridge located here, although when you arrive it will be empty except for one large bottle of water. Additional beverages may be ordered from your butler, but make sure to tell him how many of everything you want. We asked for the fridge to be filled with diet Coke and ginger ale and we received all of four cans for the week. Every time we ran out of soda, we had to call the butler to order refills.

The bathroom was incredibly spacious and had an "open" concept with two double sinks, a vanity area, a separate toilet, separate walk-in shower, and a jacuzzi with a window (one-way glass) looking out to the sea over the balcony.

This is the jacuzzi in the bathroom. It was terrific!

The walk-in shower. This also has a one-way window looking out onto the balcony.

As you walk from the bedroom to the bathroom, you pass this makeup/vanity area.

The forward location of this suite was perfect because it gave you the ultimate in privacy and quiet! The view was also amazing! It afforded us a front-row seat whenever we entered or left port. The Napali Coast sail-by on Kauai was so special since we could enjoy it by ourselves on our own private balcony.

While we do have issues with NCL's service, the room was a perfect 10.

To learn more about NCL's suites and villas, click here.

Photos courtesy of Leonard Hospidor

Waikiki Beach Marriott Resort on Oahu

Trip Report Note: Sorry we weren't able to blog live from Hawaii last week. Due to a mishap on Oahu, our laptops and camera gear went missing. We'll have to rely on press photos and a few shots we managed to e-mail home before disaster struck. Neither the Marriott Waikiki or NCL were involved in our luggage mishap.

As I mentioned in my last post, we booked a one-night pre-cruise stay at the Waikiki Beach Marriott Resort & Spa. Here are just a few reasons why this hotel is the ideal home-away-from-home while you're on Oahu:

Location, Location, Location
Just a 20- to 30-minute car ride from Honolulu Airport, the hotel is also located within walking distance to the International Marketplace (.4 miles), Waikiki Aquarium (.5 mile), Honolulu Zoo (1.5 blocks), Kapiolani Park (2 blocks), and Kuhio Beach. (The resort's website says Diamond Head is within walking distance, but it's a pretty far walk; I suggest taking a cab instead.)

Rejuvenated Beach Front
Kuhio Beach fronts the Marriott and in January the State of Hawaii completed an extensive sand replenishment project there. The Kuhio Beach Restoration Project used 10,000 cubic yards of sand to widen the eroding shoreline, including the stretch in front of the Waikiki Beach Marriott.

Recently Renovated Rooms & Suites
The 33-story Paoakalani Tower and 25-story Kealohilani Tower, both named after Queen Liliuokalani's summer homes which once existed on these grounds, contain 1,310 recently renovated guest rooms and suites, each with a balcony. Views are of Waikiki Beach and Diamond Head (or both) and the suites offer one to three bedrooms with a living room, dining area, and multiple balconies. Each room comes standard with high-speed Internet access, a coffee maker, hair dryer, iron and ironing board, TV with in-room movies, and a refrigerator.

While the hotel itself seems more suited to conventions and events, the rooms are comfortable and have terrific views of either Kuhio Beach or Diamond Head (some corner rooms even have two balconies so you get both views!).

Pools, Whirlpool, and Spa
The Marriott has two fresh-water heated swimming pools and one 10-person whirlpool. It's also home to the Spa Olakino Salon. When we arrived to the hotel around 8:00 p.m., the pool was still hopping and music was being piped in. (We were on a high floor and still heard the music so if you're looking for a quiet room, ask to be placed on the other side of the building and not facing the pool.)

Romance Vacation Package
For those of you planning a romantic vacation to Honolulu, check out the Marriott's Romance Package that includes accommodations in a corner deluxe ocean view room with a lanai where you can view both Diamond Head and the Pacific Ocean. The package also includes sparkling wine (or cider), a plate of chocolate-covered strawberries, bathrobes and slippers, and breakfast at Kuhio Beach Grill.

Surf Lessons Available
Many visitors wish to learn how to surf while in Hawaii. Former professional surfer Tony Moniz and his Faith Riding Company Surf School can be found at the Marriott's Kuhio Beach. Beginners and those with advanced training glean expert tips from Tony and get hands-on coaching from one of Hawaii’s most experienced surfers. Three lessons are offered daily at 8:30 a.m., noon, and 3:30 p.m. To make reservations at the Faith Riding Company Surf School, call (808) 931-6262.

On-Site Restaurants
The Marriott has several restaurants on-site for your convenience, including:

• Kuhio Beach Grill, buffet breakfast and dinner daily
• Moana Terrace, poolside cocktails and Waikiki Beach sunsets, with local Hawaiian entertainment nightly
• Arancino di Mare, Italian pizzas and pastas, with indoor and outdoor seating
• Sansei Seafood Restaurant & Sushi Bar, contemporary Asian-Pacific Rim cuisine
• d.k Steak House, custom-aged steaks, with panoramic views of Waikiki Beach
• Seattle's Best Coffee
• Restaurant RUN, a Japanese noodle shop and sushi bar

We were starving when we got to the Marriott so we headed down to the Kuhio Beach Grill. We were not disappointed. We sat outside on a small patio that's below street level. Tiki torches lit the area and it was very relaxing. The crab legs and prime rib were the best I've had in a long time. This is a fantastic place to enjoy dinner if you've got a big appetite and don't want to stray far from the hotel after a long day of traveling or touring.

The other nice thing about the Marriott is the number of nice shops off the lobby. You'll be able to do a lot of your souvenir hunting right here.

For cruisers heading out on one of Norwegian Cruise Line's ships, the Marriott is the only place to stay since there is an NCL registration desk on site. In the lobby between an ABC Store and a coffee shop, NCL reps are on hand so you can check in, book shore excursions, etc. You can also arrange for a transfer to the ship. NCL retrieves your bags directly from your room and all you need to do is meet the bus in the lobby and you'll be on your way to the pier. You can also opt for a simple luggage transfer. That's what we did so we could get rid of our bags early in the morning and do some sightseeing before joining the Pride of America.

To learn more about the Waikiki Beach Marriott Resort & Spa, visit their website.

Photos courtesy of the Waikiki Beach Marriott Resort

Winging Our Way to Hawaii

The beach fronting the Waikiki Beach Marriott Resort & Spa on Oahu.

In just a few hours we’ll be on our way to Honolulu for a one-night stay at the Waikiki Beach Marriott Resort & Spa before joining Norwegian Cruise Line’s Pride of America on Saturday. It’s a shame we’ll only have one night to enjoy this lovely resort but we’re committed to getting the most out of our stay.

As of now we have dinner reservations at Duke’s at the Outrigger Waikiki Hotel but—depending on how tired we are—we may cancel and simply dine at the Marriott’s Kuhio Beach Grill or order from room service.

Since the Waikiki Beach Marriott offers in-room high-speed Internet access, I’ll be able to post our initial impressions of the hotel, along with some pictures, late Friday or Saturday morning after we climb Diamond Head and before we check out. (The photo to the left shows the resort with Diamond Head in the background.)

Photos courtesy of the Waikiki Beach Marriott Resort & Spa

NCLA's All-American Crew in Hawaii

Have you ever wondered why Norwegian Cruise Line America is the only line offering inter-island cruises in Hawaii? The answer lies deep in the heart of American politics. In order for any cruise line to offer inter-island itineraries in Hawaii, the line's ship must be flagged in the U.S. and manned by an all-American crew. Not an easy task. In fact, until the inception of NCLA (a subsidiary of NCL), there had been no such ships in nearly 50 years. Therefore, most Hawaiian cruises had to embark in Ensenada or Los Angeles or other port for intra-island passage.

Several years ago, President Bush cleared the way for NCLA's U.S.-flagged ships and 100 percent American crews with his approval of the Omnibus Appropriations Act for Fiscal Year 2003. The Act contained a cruise ship provision, championed by Senator Daniel K. Inouye of Hawaii, that helped to create thousands of jobs for U.S. and Hawaii residents while providing a significant boost to the Hawaii economy. According to a PriceWaterhouse Coopers report that was issued at the time of the Act's passage, NCLA's inter-island cruises were slated to generate more than $800 million in economic benefits for Hawaii and the U.S., and 20,000 jobs.

NCLA's first U.S.-flagged and U.S.-manned ship was the Pride of Aloha (2004), followed by the Pride of America (2005), and the Pride of Hawaii (2006). (Note that the Pride of Hawaii is being re-flagged, renamed, and sent to the Mediterranean in early 2008).

Ever since NCLA's trio of vessels started sailing the Hawaiian islands, there's been much debate about the pros and cons of an all-American crew. The line admits there were customer service missteps at the beginning that stemmed from a shortage of trained staff. Now, however, NCLA insists those issues have been solved.

If you search the Internet for recent reviews of NCLA's ships, you'll find many positive remarks along with some constructive criticism of the line's all-American crew and "Freestyle" vibe. Part of the issue seems to be expectations. Most cruisers are used to Filipino or European crew. Their American counterparts sometimes bring a more casually friendly or laid-back attitude to a ship.

I look forward to sailing with Pride of America in order to get to know some of her all-American crew and will be paying close attention to just what quantifiable differences there are between PoAm and other foreign-crewed ships.

Logo courtesy of Norwegian Cruise Line America.

Booking a Cruise & Internet Travel Agencies

I can't believe how quickly the summer is slipping away! It's been a struggle to quickly plan our cruise to Hawaii, but in the past few days we've finalized our itinerary. Now we're just counting down to the sail-away!

Since our usual travel agent doesn't work with Norwegian Cruise Line, we decided to book with an Internet agency. After searching for price and extras (like complimentary travel insurance and onboard credits) we narrowed down the agencies to Cruise Brothers, American Express, and Best Price Cruises. We actually found Best Price Cruises through CruiseCompete.com. This is a useful site for comparison shopping. You simply type in the cruise you're interested in and several agencies respond with their rates and special offers. What makes Cruise Compete unique is that your message to their group of travel agents is "cloaked." None of your personal information is shared and you won't be added to a million e-mail lists.

Best Price Cruises had a slick real-time booking engine at their website and the cruise fare for two in an AB Deluxe Penthouse was nearly $1,000 cheaper than all the other agencies. Of course, there is a trade off. You'll receive less personalized service in exchange for the discounted cruise fare. However, if you'd prefer to speak with an agent directly and book over the phone, you may do so for a slightly higher per person cruise fare.

Basically, if you know the exact cruise you wish to book and you don't need advice on stateroom categories and locations, this may be a good option for you. However, if you're new to cruising or to the cruise line you're interested in, it's best to call and speak with a travel agent directly. They can offer you information and tips you may not easily find online.

While I tend to buy just about everything online—from clothes to music downloads to Persian rugs—it was still a bit strange to book a cruise without the usual back-and-forth conversations with an agent. I'm pleased to say that Best Price Cruises has been very responsive via e-mail. Upon booking this cruise, my confirmation was e-mailed within minutes and a few hours later I had my NCL reservation number. Travel insurance paperwork and cruise documents arrived within a week.

Still, it's easy to see the differences between the mainstream cruise lines and the luxury lines I usually write about here. We initially received our NCL cruise documents electronically. eDocs make a lot of sense, but it's a bit of let down. It's always such a happy day when the upscale lines deliver cruise docs via DHL. You rip open the package to ogle the faux leather document holder and run to your luggage to affix your new name tags. No such luck with Norwegian. They actually e-mailed luggage tags to print out on our own computer. Okay, that's a bit too "Freestyle" for me. I emailed Best Price Cruises and they made sure NCL mailed us paper copies of our documents—in a simple plastic folder—along with some paper adhesive luggage tags.

We've filled out passenger profile forms, arranged for our frequent flier tickets (thank you Continental and direct flights!), and made most of our plans.

In future blog entries before we sail and while onboard the Pride of America, I'll write about...

• Our pre-cruise stay at the Marriott Waikiki Beach Resort & Spa and a post-cruise stay at The Kahala Resort, both on Oahu.
  
  
• Daybreak breakfast at Leonard's Bakery for malasadas!
  
  
• Climbing Diamond Head.
  
  
• Lunch at Alan Wong's Pineapple Room at the Ala Moana Shopping Center.
  
  
• NCL's Deluxe Penthouse suite and butler service aboard NCL's Pride of America.
  
  
• Exploring Volcanoes National Park, Rainbow Falls, and Akaka Falls on the Big Island.
  
  
• Traveling the Road to Hana with private tour guide Steve Sargenti of Maui Custom Tours.
  
  
• The Feast at Lele on Maui.
  
  
• Sunrise at Haleakala Crater.
  
  
• Waimea Canyon, Poipu Beach, and Spouting Horn on Kauai.
  
  
• ...and more

Don't miss any of our blog reports from the ship or our full cruise review when we return in early September!

Hawaiian Cruise Blog Coming This September

Sometimes you pick a cruise vacation because you adore the cruise line itself. Other times, your destination trumps your line preference and selects the ship for you. That's what recently happened to my husband and I when we set out to book our upcoming Hawaiian cruise.

We're visiting this Polynesian paradise in September and decided that a cruise would allow for stress-free island hopping for seven days. Yes, yes, we know that seven days isn't nearly enough time to fully explore the magic of "Aloha." Unfortunately, our schedules don't permit additional days out of the office right now so our decision was made by default. While we generally sail with one of the luxury lines like Regent Seven Seas or Windstar, for this tropical getaway we'll be sailing with Norwegian Cruise Line America on the Pride of America.

NCLA is the only line currently sailing inter-island itineraries (Oahu, the Big Island, Maui, and Kauai). There are other premium and deluxe options but you must embark from Los Angeles (Princess) or San Diego (Royal Caribbean and Celebrity) or Ensenada, Mexico (Celebrity). That's all well and good, but we just don't have time to spend five days at sea before breathing the sweet Hawaiian air that's so often perfumed with Plumeria.

After reading dozens of ship reviews—the glowing, the neutral, and the rants—we decided to go for it. We're going into this knowing the experience isn't meant to compete in terms of service and amenities with a voyage aboard, say, a SeaDream vessel. But, we have made plans in a way that should maximize our vacation time and provide some of the key services that are important to us on any cruise (priority embarkation, balcony accommodations, butler/concierge service, and in-room Internet access). To that end, we selected an AB Deluxe Penthouse and we're really looking forward to soaking in the hot tub on our private balcony as we sail the Na'pali coast!

During the next few weeks, I'll be blogging about our upcoming cruise and, once we hit Hawaii, I hope to post on a daily basis (or at the very least, upload a few choice photos of the islands). A full cruise report will be posted upon our return.

If you've subscribed to this blog for automated delivery or visit from time to time, you've probably done so since you're a fan of the luxury cruise lines. While this experience won't focus on those companies, I hope you'll find something of interest in my reporting from Hawaii.

To subscribe to receive my blog postings automatically to your email in-box, type your email address in the box in the upper right corner and click "Subscribe."

And, of course, if you've got any advice for our Hawaii trip, please click on the "Comments" link at the end of this post! (If you're reading this as an email message, you'll need to visit http://luxurycruisebible.blogspot.com in order to post your comments.) I'm especially interested in your experiences at any of Alan Wong's restaurants, Maui's Road to Hana, and the Feast at Lele (also on Maui).

Happy cruising!

Photo courtesy of NCLA.