We started our cruise in Honolulu. There were four of us including my kids ages 12 and 10. Arrived 2 days prior to cruise to adjust to time change. If at all possible come in at least a day early to adjust. We had a 6 hour time difference and it took about 3-4 days to really feel you were on Hawaii time and not wake up at 6 am every morning! Also, take plenty of cash. Lots of places wanted primarily cash and did not accept credit card so with that and tipping, cab fares etc.. we kept having to go back to the ATM. Usually we just use credit card.

Stayed in Honolulu for 2 days at the Mariott Ko Olina Beach Club. Fabulous place and away from the hustle and bustle of downtown . We did a Luau right there in Ko Olina at Paradise Cove. This was lots of fun with kids. They had crafts and activities beforehand. There was dinner (very good) and a show. Unfortunately our kids crashed before show finished which is totally unlike them due to time change. (Good reason to come early so this doesn't happen to your family while on the ship) Went to Pearl Harbor early Friday morning. Get there early so you don't have to wait. Got there at 9 am and stayed til noon with kids. Went to the Swap meet on Saturday near Pearl Harbor and purchased our souvenirs - Hawaiian shirts, dresses( $10.00 each instead of $30 elsewhere), swim trunks etc.. at a fraction of the cost to wear on the ship for our Hawaiian nights we wanted to match for pictures. Again take cash - no credit card

First I will start with ship. The ship was fine- not to worry unless you are extremely picky as some people who have written reviews.. We have been on 8 cruises including Disney, Royal Caribbean and Princess and this was very comparable to other cruises we have been on. Rooms are a little small but we had a balcony and it was fabulous. Took someone else's advice and purchased hangers and a cheap cloth shoe rack at a Kmart for the room to store stuff in so we could find sunscreen, sunglasses etc... easily. We did not get to know our cabin steward as well as other cruises - they cleaned room but for the most part were invisible. However, the dining room staff were awesome. My husband has a food allergy to pepper and tree nuts which is very hard to accommodate. If you want your allergy tended to - YOU MUST- get in touch with Carmen - Assistant Restaurant Manager in Skyline dining room. She takes care of all the allergies and will ensure it is taken seriously. Awesome lady. I went to front desk first day and they put me in touch with her. She let my husband pre order his food every night to ensure it was prepared properly with no possibility of contamination. We also loved our waiter the first night and asked for Briay Doyle every night. There are also 5 to 6 specialty restaurants but we did not eat there as this was an additional cost. The menus at Jeffersons Bistro and East Meets West looked great. Read more