Oah'u and Impressions

This page describes our final day in Honolulu, along with our overall impressions of NCL America.

As our flight was not scheduled to leave until around 4pm, we had booked a morning tour through NCL that would show us some of Oah'u outside Honolulu.  After a quick and efficient disembarkation, the coach took us through Waikiki and along the East coast of the island.  We stopped at the blowhole and a coral bay, an old Hawaiian temple, then worked our way past the obligatory souvenir shop to an island overlook, and then finally back to the airport at around 1:30.  A much better way to spend the morning that sitting in a departure lounge!

Overall, we were very impressed with NCL America.  The ship was clean and well maintained, and the levels of service were up there with other lines that we have cruised with.  The speciality restaurants were excellent (but you have to book early to be able to get in near the end of the week), and both the buffet and the main restaurants OK, if slightly lacking in choice to someone who doesn't like pineapple or coconut.  The evening entertainment (what we saw of it) was above cruise-ship average, and actually showed some imagination in, for example, choice of music - Wicked and Hairspray rather than Cats and Phantom, three songs by the Who rather than the Beatles and so on.  The itinerary was excellent, as was the overall value of the cruise.

The freestyle concept of NCL is a bit of a double edged sword - the choice element of "eat where you want, when you want" doesn't really work unless you plan and book right at the start of the cruise (ie day 1).  Without this organisation, you still have to eat either in the buffet or the main restaurant.

Having said all that, we would have no hesitation in booking with NCL again, and if the correct itinerary comes up, we will.