going on a cruise...

[jess20882]

Posted: 5/24/07 at 12:45pm

hey all -

i'm going on a cruise to hawaii next week and was hoping some people here could give me advice.
anything in particular i should make sure to bring? not to bring? what's the weather like down there these days (is it humid? does it rain a lot in may/june? etc...)? where are the best places to go (on the main islands) for reasonably-priced souvenirs?

any advice would be helpful. thanks!

[TheatreDiva90016]

Posted: 5/24/07 at 12:46pm

What cruise line?

[jess20882]

Posted: 5/24/07 at 12:47pm

norwegian, i think...

my boyfriend has yet to give me many details...and it's coming up next week!

[chicolini]

Posted: 5/24/07 at 12:50pm

The Cruise Critic website has a lot of good information and a message board divided up by location and cruise line.

Have fun - I just came back from one to Alaska and it was a blast.


Cruise Critic

[jess20882]

Posted: 5/24/07 at 12:51pm

thanks so much!

[TheatreDiva90016]

Posted: 5/24/07 at 12:52pm

I used to work for Norweigian.

The buffets suck.

And I really don't have anything nice to say about them.

Don't pay for excusions through the ship. Wait till you are in the port and there will be folks there that can give you the same 'excursion' for a fraction of the cost.

Find out the most popular resturants and make reservations at the beggining of the cruise. Once folks find out how much the buffet sucks, the good places tend to be filled by weeks end.

Have fun.

[chicolini]

Posted: 5/24/07 at 12:55pm

Norweigan out of Hawaii, Diva, or their other cruises? I heard the company was divided into separate sections.

We did NCL and the food was ok for serving a few thousand people at once, but nothing spectacular. It was a fun vacation, but I can't imagine working for them.

[munkustrap178]

Posted: 5/24/07 at 12:59pm

I had a great experience with Royal Carribean. I'd go back with them in a heartbeat.

[TheatreDiva90016]

Posted: 5/24/07 at 1:01pm

Norweigan has LOADS of dofferent cruises....

[Popular]

Posted: 5/24/07 at 1:09pm

I worked for Royal Caribbean...

Hawaii was awesome except for the 5 sea days you'll have. Sometimes it can be a little rough.

...or maybe that was just from a staff perspective.

[TheatreDiva90016]

Posted: 5/24/07 at 1:19pm

Mutiple days at sea ALWAYS suck.

There's only SO MUCH to do on the ship before you are bored out of your skull.

[*thinkpink18*]

Posted: 5/24/07 at 1:22pm

^^that is so true. I started to get a little "stir crazy" after the third day. I'm super jealous that you get to go on a cruise though so have fun!
Updated On: 5/24/07 at 01:22 PM

[SweetQintheLights]

Posted: 5/24/07 at 1:35pm

Diva, your scaring the poor girl!!

I've been on 13 cruises and in the last few years, the food has went down hill. When I first started cruising, there were midnight buffets...no such things anymore.

And I usually cruise on Royal Carribean or Princess

[LizzieCurry]

Posted: 5/24/07 at 1:36pm

There's only SO MUCH to do on the ship before you are bored out of your skull.

Yeah, I spent 2 (3?) days in the Tasman Sea on Princess and wanted to scream.

The rest of the cruise wasn't so bad, though. And I gambled and lost $10.

[doodlenyc]

Posted: 5/24/07 at 1:54pm

I went on my first cruise this winter, and had a good time (one of us was sick which put a damper on our festivities.)

We went on Holland America, and the ship was very nice, there was stuff to do and there really was food everywhere of varying quality.

The best thing I brought was seabands which helped so much with what was my biggest worry, seasickness.

Most ships have hand sanitizer everywhere, so if you notice that they dont, buy some. I am not a big proponent of this in everyday practice because I wash my hands alot, but an ounce of prevention...

Have a great time!!

[jess20882]

Posted: 5/24/07 at 2:13pm

geez...you guys aren't doing a great job of getting me excited for this trip. thanks for the advice...?

[TheatreDiva90016]

Posted: 5/24/07 at 2:25pm

Sorry, but as for me, after working on a ship, I have NO urge to ever go on one again....

[cheezedoodle]

Posted: 5/24/07 at 2:32pm

No gambling on the ship on a Hawaiian cruise. You have to be out of US waters for the casino to be operational.

[doodlenyc]

Posted: 5/24/07 at 2:33pm

Actually, I had a good time, jess..and I wasnt sure I would. the Seabands worked great, and I wasnt seasick at all...it was just for your info as a cheap precaution.

I just cant speak to how the cruise line is.

Updated On: 5/24/07 at 02:33 PM

[jess20882]

Posted: 5/24/07 at 2:35pm

i'm not going for the gambling, or the buffets, or to work on a cruise ship. so instead of bumming me out with your horror stories of things that don't necessarily concern me, could someone maybe answer the questions i posted in my original post? please?

[ashley0139]

Posted: 5/24/07 at 2:38pm

I've been on 15 cruises, though none to Hawaii.

Personally, I like sea days MUCH more than I like port days. They all start to look the same. I usually don't even get off anymore. But then again I've never been to Hawaii.

I also totally agree that the food has gone downhill. It used to always be top of the line, and now many of the lines are just mediocre. I happen to like Celebrity the best.

And if you're not going for the gambling or buffets, what's the point of going? It's most of the fun.

[Popular]

Posted: 5/24/07 at 2:42pm

I'd do the Haleakala Crater in Maui and bike down the volcano if you can. The only other thing I can remember doing was some botanical garden tour which was fun.

Swimming with dolphins is always popular but probably overrated unless you REALLY love dolphins.

[jess20882]

Posted: 5/24/07 at 2:42pm

i'm going to spend time with my boyfriend, visit a place - hawaii - i've never been to before, get some sun, and explore a little bit. not hole myself up on the boat every day. besides, as someone said earlier, there isn't gambling on these hawaii cruises on norwegian...

[LizzieCurry]

Posted: 5/24/07 at 2:47pm

Buy something tacky at an ABC Store!

[TheatreDiva90016]

Posted: 5/24/07 at 3:05pm

"could someone maybe answer the questions i posted in my original post?"

I thought I gave you some good advice. But, go ahead and pay full (cruise ship) prices for your excursions and be treated like cattle....