NCL Hawaii Cruise ~ Review

I recently came across my journal along with some pictures of my Norwegian Hawaii Cruise from Fall 2007 and thought I would share with you fabulous people.

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Overall, quick highlights of the actual cruise:
You can eat whenever, wherever and with whomever.
24 hour room service (for those who do not know, this is huge with me)
Blue Moon is open 24 hours as well.
They have a Garden Villa that is 5,700 square feet of absolute bliss! When you are booking 6-8 people be sure and check out this option because it doesn't come out to be much more at all.

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One of my most favorite things about Hawaii is the SMELL. There are millions of tropical flowers and they all seem to have rich, beautiful scents. As soon as I land on an island in Hawaii I take in a deep breath and appreciate the Lord's magic. :)

It's day 1 and I woke up at 5 AM. WOW! Bathed and tried that Nair stuff... ugh! Men have no idea how much BULL we go through as women. The hotel has a stereo in the room. Hawaii Prince Hotel Waikiki scored extra points for that. :) I've been dancing around my room waiting for my 11 AM appointment with Jean, the sales manager at the new Embassy Suites which I'm totally stoked about seeing.
The flight yesterday was LONG but I had an iPod and my book, Same Kind of Different As Me by Ron Hall, so it went by rather fast. My new favorite book by the way. Going down stairs to find some breakfast. Hopefully something under 5 bucks.

9:30 Am ~ walking around the new Waikiki Beach Walk ... looking good. It still has a long way to go until Donald Trump's $350-million-plus project is done. I was taking a picture when a young guy dressed in a Hawaiian uniform asked if I wanted to get in the picture. I politely replied 'no thanks.' He asked me my name with a smile. I answered and noticed his name tag had the Wyndham logo on it. "I'm James. Look, I'm not suppose to do this while on the job but.." he tore a piece of paper, wrote something on it and handed it to me. "If your not doing anything later, I have a group of us that go on my yacht every Friday? It's free."
Ha! And I thought he was going to try and sell me something. I nodded and walked away. The paper had his name, nick name (Komodo Dragon) and his phone number. Perhaps next time when I visit with my HUSBAND we will hit him up. After all, he did say it was FREE. A word I have yet to hear since my arrival. He also gave me a coupon for FREE nachos at the new Senor Frogs. Score! Free lunch.

Okay, so a quick review of the brand spankin' new Embassy Suites Waikiki:

~ The only all-suite resort in Waikiki
~ Free Internet
~ Free breakfast buffet
~ Free reception with music and open bar
~ every room has flat screen TVs and lovely decor

Negative: Once the Trump Hotel is finished there will be no ocean views. :(

About to grab a taxi and head to the cruise port. Cool side note ~ the limo taxis are the same price as the regular ones on the island of Oahu so I have been riding in style. Oh yeah.

The NCL Cruise check-in wasn't too bad. Luckily, I had another book to read in the hour long line.

Once I got on board, the ship is quite beautiful with bright colors and everything seems to be in authentic Hawaiian themes. 3 1/2 hours later I go to check my cabin for my luggage. STILL no luggage. Boo. There is a live band playing by the pool bar so I'm goin' to get jump started on my rum fetish while listening to some Hawaiian tunes.

7:30 PM ~ Just finished my second book, Kick Me by Paul Feig, and the cruise hasn't even left yet. I miss my hunkie hubbie. And my boys. Just wish they were here with me is all.

Tuesday ~ Woke up with a slight hangover but nothing a nice glass of OJ can't fix. We are now in Hilo and I am totally stoked about the helicopter ride today!!!!

1:08 PM ~ I came back to my room and it is clean and fantabulous. They even left me TWO Andes Mints on the pillows. Little do they know I have the room all to myself! Bwahahaha! Andes are my absolute fave.

Well, I had lunch with Scott and Kitty (NCL Sales Reps) and have grown to think quite highly of them. Good souls.
Okay, on my way to the helicopter! Chya!

Wednesday ~ 8:40 AM ~ I'm sitting by the ship awaiting the shuttle to take us to Kaanapali Beach! Yes, we are at my favorite island, MAUI!!! Clear skies and a nice breeze make the weather perfect for a beach bum day.

The helicopter yesterday was absolutely... i.n.c.r.e.d.i.b.l.e. There are so many interesting facts the the pilot announces during the tour that just may blow your mind. For one, they use the heat from the magnum to produce the island's electricity. Another thing ~ in 2002 a volcano erupted and destroyed an entire part of the island. There is just a small part that the lava went around and didn't hit. The only way to get there is by helicopter. He said that the little building there was Pete's Bed & Breakfast. The pilot's friend Pete decided to stay there. I can tell you one thing .. I will NOT be staying at Pete's Place.

1 PM ~ Hearing the waves barge in while my feet are in the sand is the best part of this trip so far. Hearing the kids laugh and seeing the mountains makes up for almost a complete vacation. If my boys were out there playing and my hubbie next to me... then it would be the complete vacation. ;)

Thursday ~ 9 AM ~ I am burnt... BAAAD! Ouch! I put sunscreen on my face, shoulders and neck. Well, when I got back to my cabin it looks HORRIBLE! I'm white in the places where I had sunscreen and red as a damn stop sign everywhere else! All I have left to wear are sleeveless outfits.

Lord help me.

Friday ~ Noonish ~ We are now in Kona (Big Island again) and this will be a day on the boat for me.
~ big lunch
~ Win, Lose or Draw at 1:30 PM in the Aloha Atrium
~ read book
~ Soul Rockin' Nights at 7:30 PM in the Stardust Lounge
~ Dinner at Jasmine's at 8:15 PM

Finished yet another book today, One for the Money by Janet Evanovich. Loved it and will probably read her other books as well. Started on Women and Money by Suze Orman which is also a good one.

Sunday ~ Kauai!!! Today was a blissfull day. Kauai is known for a couple of things ~ home of one of the most scenic canyons in the world, their lush mountains and their RANCHES. As a Texas girl who loves horses, this is what I chose to do while there. And boy, the tour did not dissapoint.

Saturday ~ Another day of training. Fun, fun, fun!

Interesting facts I learned today about Celebrity's Alaska Cruisetour. They have a lot to offer for those wanting to explore the beauty and excitement of Alaska.
Celebrity has there very own train and motorcoaches. Be sure to try and get the first car on the train so you will be able to see the most wildlife.
You will have the same driver and tour director for the ENTIRE trip. 12-16 people tops on the tours.

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The Norwegian Hawaii Cruise in a nutshell:

If you are wanting to see the main islands of Hawaii on a budget, the NCL cruise will probably be a good match for you. I personally would rather experience the islands by flying and staying at each one but it is a perfect option for those who are wanting to get it all done while on a budget. The cruise has food, drinks, entertainment and lodging so it is like a floating hotel!

A lot of the stops are OVERNIGHT which is very rare for cruises and also nice for those who would like to experience more time on a particular island.

They have a kids club and a program for teenagers. They are not comparable to Disney's or Carnival but they do have them and offer a lot of different activities throughout the sailing.

A big heads up I must give is the staff. If you are a frequent cruiser you are probably use to the international hospitality you receive while cruising. Most of the staff on the NCL Hawaii cruises are American so please keep this in mind if you plan on taking advantage of one of their fabulous itineraries.

Overall, it was okay food and service but the main attraction is definitely the DESTINATION. It is no secret that I have a big place in my heart for the islands of Hawaii. The somewhat-all-inclusive NCL Hawaii Cruises are a wonderful way to to experience them on a budget.

Double rainbow over Kauai.