This was our first and maybe only trip to the Hawaiian Islands, so we wanted to take in as much as we could. Traveling from island to island and keeping our luggage in one place worked out great. The ship's free style plan worked well as we were not required to reserve a set dining time for each day of the cruise and we could eat earlier or later as our excursion plans dictated.

We stayed in Honolulu for 3 days and nights prior to departure and enjoyed the Polynesian Cultural Center and the Pearl Harbor Memorial. We arrived at the embarkation terminal about 2 hours after the boarding process began and we were able to complete the process very quickly. Cabins seemed to be typical of most cruise ships - small but functional . . . and how much time do you spend in your cabin anyway. The entertainment on board the ship was the best we have experienced on the four cruise lines we've traveled. Service was efficient without being intrusive.

We enjoyed the variety of shore excursions, but found that similar excursions could be often be booked through agencies apart from the cruise line for a significantly lower price. At the port of Kona passengers had to be tendered off the ship in small boats that carry between 85 - 100 people -- the process was first come firt served and took several hours. This might have been a problem for some people if you booked an excursion apart from one offered by the ship. People with excursions booked through the cruise line got preferential treatment. I'm sorry that due to a medical emergency we were unable to spend any time gazing at the lava flow between the ports of Hilo and Kona - especially since the crew members built up the sight throughout the day. Disembarkation was very smooth especially since we did not need to pass through a customs check. We'd consider doing it again, although there are so many places to visit and cruises to take.