Embarkation

No pictures today.  Today was the day we first boarded a NCL America ship!

As usual, we awoke early, ate a light breakfast and generally pottered around for a bit.  We wandered down into Waikiki, had lunch at the Cheesecake Factory, and then caught a taxi to Aloha Towers, the dock in Honolulu.

There has been a lot of talk on some of the Internet bulletin boards about whether or not standards are slipping on the NCL America ships.  Equally, you only get one chance to make a first impression.  Well, as I write this on Monday evening, NCL have made a good first impression. 

Check-in was fast and efficient, less than 30 minutes from dropping our luggage on the pier until we were reunited with it in the cabin.  The ship is clean, modern and new, and in excellent condition.  Our balcony cabin itself is fine - well equipped with a powerful shower, enough plugs, a big bed and all the usual bits and bobs.  We ate tonight in the Alazar restaurant, one of the two main dining rooms.  The food was good (especially the soufflé for pudding), as was the service.  When we came back from dinner, the requested room turn-down had been - well, turned-down.

All in all, things are looking good for the next week!