Our cruise aboard POA was truly a vacation of a lifetime, made so by the welcoming spirit and obvious pride exhibited by every member of the crew. From the moment we arrived and were greeted with gorgeous, delicate flower lei's, to the awe-inspiring farewell tribute show which left us in tears, the spirit of Aloha was an immersive part of our experience both on and off the ship.

The crew was truly exceptional and we had many opportunities to talk with them. The waitstaff in the dining rooms are Coast Guard certified and professional. The cabin stewards were so much fun and greeted us in hallways with smiles and offers of help. The first day we found our desk light didn't work, so we joined a line for guest services in order to report it. Almost immediately a crew member asked us how he could help and took our information to pass on so we didn't even have to remain in line. Our light was fixed before we got back to the room. That helpfulness was evident all week long. The hotel director, activities director and their staff introduced themselves and seemed genuinely interested in our experience and how they could improve. There was a Hawaiian ambassador aboard who was always willing to explain customs and geography and who helped make us feel like native Hawaiians. The unassailable positive energy exuded by every staff member was just amazing and we will never forget it. Many of the waiters and staff on deck were singing silly songs as they offered fresh cinnamon rolls and coffee or just picked up dishes. They made each day a treat.

We spent most of our evenings on the Aloha Lanai, relaxing, reading and processing our time on the islands. There was a wonderful duo playing traditional music most evenings. On the last evening we attended the big farewell performance and immediately regretted that we had not taken advantage of the shows earlier in the week. The Hawaiian hula, magician and cover singers were fantastic and the entire crew came out for a song that left me crying. They achieved their goal of making us feel part of their amazing family. Read more