My wife and I (56 & 55) recently returned from the 15-day, roundtrip cruise to Hawaii aboard the Carnival Spirit. It was the BEST cruise we've ever taken! Despite the cold and windy weather going to and from the islands, I can't think of anything at all to complain about.

We flew from Cincinnati to San Diego two days prior to the cruise, mainly to allow for jet lag to settle in and to explore a city in which we've never been to. I booked a room at the Best Western Yacht Harbor via an online travel site (begins with a "P"). The hotel is located about 3 miles west of the cruise port in Point Loma. The room was great, complete with a marina-facing balcony that allowed us to watch the Navy and cruise ships pass by. The hotel offers a free shuttle to and from both the airport and the cruise terminal.

We took the cruise to the terminal at 8:45am on Friday, April 13th. Upon arrival, we found the lines of those waiting to board quite short. After checking in, we waited in the VIP area until around 10:45am to board. We immediately headed to the Lido deck for lunch. Our cabins were ready before 1:00pm. And all of our luggage was there as well! We had a 4K cabin with an obstructed view ( a lifeboat). The room was perfect for us despite the view out of the french doors. Read more