This was a 25th Anniversary cruise for me and my wife. It was our 2nd with NCL and 4th overall...so we are not new at this,but its is not an every year vacation also..We did a pre-cruise stay at the Marriot which was very nice and close to Waikiki. We went to Dukes for dinner...also very nice..Christmas Parade along the boulevard ...but it was unseasonably cool and rainy so we watched what we could from our hotel balcony. Next day had breakfast in hotel. When you checked into the hotel the previous day they gave you all the instructions for your luggage and transportation to ship. It was all well organized. Got to pier around 12:30 and embarkation went very smoothly and quickly. We were ordering drinks and eating within 30 minutes. The cabin was ready around 2:30...Cabin was nice..what we were expecting..an aft balcony..We had read that the staff, mostly from the United States, were "surly" or not as servile and staff on other ships...I will say this: they did the job...were they as "happy" and "smiley" as an a staff made up of mostly 3rd citizens...I would say no...did it detract in anyway from the cruise..again no...I found the staff to be pleasant and professional.

Dining: we had both complimentary dining-Liberty, Skyline, and East Meets West...and "specialty" and Cagney's Steakhouse...we are not what you would call foodies, but we know the difference between Red Lobster and a more upscale restaurant ...never where we disappointed with the food on board.

Entertainment: Went to a few of the shows...the Las Vegas review one was very fun and entertaining. Read more