My husband and I had a bucket list wish to see Hawaii. We decided the best cruise would be the POA due to its itinerary of islands and the length of stay. Quite honestly we did not have high expectations about the ship based on many reviews that spoke of rude crew, malodorous smells, poor service. We figured this would just be our hotel and transportation. My goodness were we pleasantly surprised! We did not experience anything negative! We loved this cruise. We were treated with respect and kindness by every crew person we encountered. Our room Steward was friendly and kept our room clean. She always had ice for us daily. The other stewards in the hall greeted us with fond good mornings or good days.
We loved the Aloha cafe. The food was good. It was clean and we never had problem finding a table. The ship had been refurbished and the decor was early American. It was beautiful and It was cheerful. The entertainment was good. We enjoyed the Polynesian show, 4 seasons tribute and Abba dance night. One night we got turned around and couldn't find a restaurant we were looking for. A young woman who was a drink waitress actually walked us to the door. That is service. There was a Hawaiian ambassador on board and we learned about the culture. Guest services were very patient and helpful with any questions we had.
Our only negatives are that our ocean view cabin outside window and the Aloha cafe outside windows were dirty. They didn't clean the ship's windows until Friday. It made it difficult to enjoy the ocean view and scenery.
The outside window was dirty until Friday. Otherwise the cabin was clean. The bed was very comfortable. We slept great. Our steward was courteous and accommodating. I wish I could remember her name. She was so sweet and an asset to NCL
Maui is beautiful .We had rental car. The agency had shuttles that picked us up and dropped us off at pier. We drove road to Hana. We visited the beach and took tour to a tropic al plantation.
We rented a car that had shuttle to and from pier. We visited Volcanoes National Park and the black sand beach "Punaluu Beach"
We did not rent car or took shore excursions. The ship tendered into Kona. We spent time atKahaluu beach, walked around the main town, bought Kona coffee (100% Kona). Be sure to read the content. Some coffees are only 10% Kona. We ate lunch at restaurant that overlooked Kona square. Can't remember the name. Food was delicious.
We rented car. Shuttle picked us up at pier. We drove through Waimea canyon and stopped at all the observation points. Breathtaking! Went to Opaekaa falls and Wailua River state park. Didn't get to fern grotto because only way was via a boat on the river. We swam at Poipu beach. The ship sailed along the Napoli coastline. It was beautiful!