Pride of America - NCL cruise

[anne]

We were in the Carribean...there was nothing but miles and miles of miles and miles!

and we did run into some bad weather! Talk about sea sick!

anne

[Todd]

I remember us spending three months in PI and all of us left there broke as can be. Spending all of our money in the bars there. About two days out, we hit a typhoon and we high tailed it out Hong Kong harbor to get away from it. It was real bad weather on the way there. That big ship was being tossed like a toy boat in a bath tub. More than half the ship got sea sick. I didn't get sick at all but everyone else was lined up against the rails. Good thing it was raining or that ship would of smelled to the high heavens.
Got to the safety of Hong Kong harbor and then no one wanted to leave the ships because everyone was so broke. Moral was at an all time low and the navy stepped in and gave everyone an emergency payday on the second day. I had bought someone's firewatch for those first two days so I could get off the ship on the third day. I remember being asked to secure the flight deck for a chopper to bring in the emergency payroll. Bags and bags of money just being tossed out onto the flight deck for both ships. After everyone got paid, many were still too sick to enjoy it at first. Sickbay was still full, many soldiers and sailors on IV's. Then I was asked to go on shore patrol for to have one week off. That was one heck of a good deal in those days.

[anne]

sounds about as much fun as we had!



anne

[Todd]

Hello Anne,
I have a good friend that I worked with from NSA that took his wife on a cruise to Hawaii a couple of years ago and they got sick as a dog on that cruise. Not only did they get sick but everyone on the ship got sick like that. In fact,they were sick for almost three months after that cruise. I think he called it Legionnaires or something like that and had to take like two different forms of antibiotics to recover. If I remember correctly,they had to scrub that ship from head to toe to clean it. So my reasons for not wanting to take cruises is from a wide array reasons. I kind feel the same way about flying on big jumbo jets too even though the problems isn't as wide spread. I still think the common denominator is the bad food.

[anne]

BAD FOOD. BAD SERVICE, BAD ATTITUDE!

and I felt like I was trapped...could only get off the ship when they decided to to go to a port!

I like to come and go as I please....

anne

[hoosierdaddy]

I feel bad with my post. I feel like I have brought back some painful memories. Not to many things would be worse than looking forward to a vacation for months and then having it turn out aweful.

One thing different about the Hawaiian cruise is the time on shore. We like to think of it as a floating hotel and everyday two days we are at another island.

[anne]

Sorry to be complaining abut our cruise...

I know a lot of people enjoy them! My brother and his family like cruises...

and if you like them..then who am I to say anything?

go and enjoy them!


anne

[Todd]

Dear Hoosierdaddy,
Don't sweat the little things. People's experiences in cruises isn't much different to say,maybe taking a trip to Las Vegas or even playing Blackjack for the first time. Some people go to Las Vegas on their first trip and loss everything they own and many have the time of their lives. Blackjack is the same way too. One person can sit and test their luck for the very first time and win big. Others couldn't put to two matchsticks together to save their own lives. You go with what you know and stick to it. You are doing the right thing because you have a lot of those same elements in your favor. Plus,some people know how to enjoy themselves on cruises and others don't. You are a good person for vacation cruises. Everyone has something that they are good at and they have enough sense to stay with it.
I discovered at a young age that I'm calm and comfortable when I step onto a battlefield while others go into a total panic. I,myself,stick to what I know.I don't fear for myself,I fear for others around me. I would probably do well with a cruise today as long as I don't have to go through another typhoon.

[morg77]

hoosierdaddy,

We are planning our honeymoon for the beginning of May 2010. We are taking the same cruise. We are flying to Honolulu 4 nights before and staying two days after then flying home. It sounds like you have taken the same cruise years ago?

We're looking for suggestions on where to stay on Oahu and what highlights/excursions to make a priority. If you could let us know about your experience that would be great. I agree too that I'm looking forward to the "floating hotel" aspect of the cruise.

Thanks and have a good trip,

[mauibeachbum]

Enjoy your Cruise! Just around the corner now.
Rich

[hoosierdaddy]

hoosierdaddy,

We are planning our honeymoon for the beginning of May 2010. We are taking the same cruise. We are flying to Honolulu 4 nights before and staying two days after then flying home. It sounds like you have taken the same cruise years ago?

We're looking for suggestions on where to stay on Oahu and what highlights/excursions to make a priority. If you could let us know about your experience that would be great. I agree too that I'm looking forward to the "floating hotel" aspect of the cruise.

Thanks and have a good trip,

Our first trip we only stayed one night on Oahu. We hung out at Wakiki the first day and ate at Dukes restaurant. The second day we went to Diamond head and then snorkeling Hanauma Bay which is just east of Waikiki. We then checked onto the boat. We still had about four hours before the boat left so we went to Kailua Beach for an hour and half. We stayed at the Sheraton Princess Kaiulani. It was nice and clean and in a good location.

This year we are staying at the Marriott which is at the east end of Waikiki. We are staying there because they have a check in desk for NCL. This time we are staying two nights. The first day will be hanging out at Waikiki and eating at Dukes. The second day we are driving to the North Shore coming from the north and visiting Wiamea, Pipeline and Sunset Beach. The day we board the ship we play on visiting Ala Moana Beach park, taking surfing lessons and hanging out at Waikiki.

On our first trip we visited the Arizona Memorial and a submarine called the Bowfin as a post cruise excursion. This year we are going to tour the Missouri.

Have a great trip. I will try to get a trip report up before you leave on your honeymoon.

[hoosierdaddy]

Enjoy your Cruise! Just around the corner now.
Rich

Thanks Rich.

Only 10 days!!!!

[Golden regerd]

Dont you think its time America realised that its foreign policy and global emissions are going to effect not only them but the entire world?

Seriously the american dream was truly a nightmare.