Hawaii 2020 Questions? Bring 'Em On!

[PrincessShmoo]

Thanks for posting this!
Which cruise where you on, the 2012 or 2015?
Love these!

Oct 2012. Roundtrip LA to Hawaii

Does anyone have any past Navigators for the Hawaiian sailings?

Have you checked on Scott's blog? https://disneycruiselineblog.com/personal-navigators/

 

[HappilyEverAfter80]

Oct 2012. Roundtrip LA to Hawaii


Have you checked on Scott's blog? https://disneycruiselineblog.com/personal-navigators/

They did a round trip? Wow! We started cruising in 2014
Thanks for the link I will search there.

Edited: There are some Hawaiian ones on his blog!

 

[southerngirl528]

Hope everyone has fun.

We had the 10 night on hold with another and choose to keep the other since it coincides with DS’s B-day. It was a hard decision to pass on this itinerary. Glad someone was already able to pick up the room on Wednesday when we put it back.

Thanks, ScooterScott! I have no doubt it will be an awesome cruise! The last 2 sure were. You made the right choice since it was for your DS' birthday. Happy planning for your cruise too!

 

[PrincessShmoo]

They did a round trip? Wow! We started cruising in 2014
Thanks for the link I will search there.

Edited: There are some Hawaiian ones on his blog!

Yes, the first Hawaii cruise DCL did was a round trip in May 2012 out of LA. It sold "well enough" for DCL to then add another cruise to the schedule for Oct 2012. Many people "jumped ship" from May to Oct, causing both cruises to not sell very well. On our cruise there were so few people that one of the dining rotations did not have a late seating. Meaning those CMs who were only serving early dinner (on that rotation) got less in gratuities. I felt bad about that.

We've also done a round trip Hawaii cruise on Princess (this past March). For that one, we only did one actual excursion (and it was an independent one, not DCL). The other islands we either just took The Bus (Waikiki) or rented cars.

 

[southerngirl528]

Yes, the first Hawaii cruise DCL did was a round trip in May 2012 out of LA. It sold "well enough" for DCL to then add another cruise to the schedule for Oct 2012. Many people "jumped ship" from May to Oct, causing both cruises to not sell very well. On our cruise there were so few people that one of the dining rotations did not have a late seating. Meaning those CMs who were only serving early dinner (on that rotation) got less in gratuities. I felt bad about that.

We've also done a round trip Hawaii cruise on Princess (this past March). For that one, we only did one actual excursion (and it was an independent one, not DCL). The other islands we either just took The Bus (Waikiki) or rented cars.

Were you on the May 2012 or the October 2012, Shmoo? I was on the October one.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

Were you on the May 2012 or the October 2012, Shmoo? I was on the October one.

October.

 

[Eeyore54 fred]

Thanks so much for starting this thread! We have never been to Hawaii and have been hoping Disney goes back! We are Gold but still were only able to snag a 9c guarantee. That’s all there was at the time our TA was booking. Hoping to get a 9b or 9a, or maybe 6 but just happy we are all booked now. Paid our deposit last night so it’s not just a “hold” anymore.
We are on the 10 night- how about everyone else?

We are on the 10 day, silver, and a 5b GTY suddenly became available in the afternoon so I took it. Before then all I saw was inside and DH said no way.

 

[HappilyEverAfter80]

We are on the 10 day, silver, and a 5b GTY suddenly became available in the afternoon so I took it. Before then all I saw was inside and DH said no way.

Right now nothing showing at all... glad you were able to get it!
I don't think I'd want inside for 10 nights either....

 

[southerngirl528]

On our cruise there were so few people that one of the dining rotations did not have a late seating. Meaning those CMs who were only serving early dinner (on that rotation) got less in gratuities. I felt bad about that.

That's so weird. I have no recollection of the dining rotation being altered. I'm always late seating, but knew a lot of people on that cruise so I was all over the place for those 2 weeks.

I don't think I'd want inside for 10 nights either....

Though we almost always are in verandah rooms, I was actually in a Deluxe Inside stateroom on deck 2 on the Wonder for the October 2012 sailing. Thought it would bug me, but it was more than fine. And honey, if you want to take a nap??? An inside room will send you to slumberland for HOURS if you don't set an alarm!

 

[PrincessShmoo]

That's so weird. I have no recollection of the dining rotation being altered. I'm always late seating, but knew a lot of people on that cruise so I was all over the place for those 2 weeks.

I know because our servers were the ones on that rotation. We were on early seating, and there was no late seating in the dining rooms we were in each night.

 

[southerngirl528]

I know because our servers were the ones on that rotation. We were on early seating, and there was no late seating in the dining rooms we were in each night.

I had no doubt you were correct. I obviously was not impacted by it. I had late seating but was apparently on a different rotation. I would hope that no one would have adjusted their tips from the recommended amounts just because they did that adjustment to dining schedule.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

I had no doubt you were correct. I obviously was not impacted by it. I had late seating but was apparently on a different rotation. I would hope that no one would have adjusted their tips from the recommended amounts just because they did that adjustment to dining schedule.

Since no one except the servers would have been affected, I doubt that many others (like you) were not even aware of it.

Everyone one onboard still had the same gratuities charged to their onboard account. It's just that those servers who didn't have the late seating on that one rotation only had people on early seating (1/2 their normal gratuities).

 

[HappilyEverAfter80]

That's so weird. I have no recollection of the dining rotation being altered. I'm always late seating, but knew a lot of people on that cruise so I was all over the place for those 2 weeks.



Though we almost always are in verandah rooms, I was actually in a Deluxe Inside stateroom on deck 2 on the Wonder for the October 2012 sailing. Thought it would bug me, but it was more than fine. And honey, if you want to take a nap??? An inside room will send you to slumberland for HOURS if you don't set an alarm!

I started looking over the Hawaii navigators - so exciting
We have had an inside room a couple of times and did enjoy how dark it was - DS was little and would sleep in or nap with no issues...
In our verandah rooms he'd be up at the crack of dawn
I have to admit our best sleep was in an inside...

 

[PrincessShmoo]

I started looking over the Hawaii navigators - so exciting
We have had an inside room a couple of times and did enjoy how dark it was - DS was little and would sleep in or nap with no issues...
In our verandah rooms he'd be up at the crack of dawn
I have to admit our best sleep was in an inside...

I find it useful to bring a couple of clothespins along to hold the curtains closed for a darker room.

 

[southerngirl528]

I started looking over the Hawaii navigators - so exciting
We have had an inside room a couple of times and did enjoy how dark it was - DS was little and would sleep in or nap with no issues...
In our verandah rooms he'd be up at the crack of dawn
I have to admit our best sleep was in an inside...

Yep!! Definitely pro's and con's to about everything, yes?

The Hawaii sailing was SO much fun! In some ways I enjoyed the 10 day one way in 2015 more than the 14 night R/T in 2012. DD and I flew in 2 days before our cruise and stayed at Aulani. She had never been to Hawaii so it was SUCH a fun mom/daughter trip!

 

[southerngirl528]

I find it useful to bring a couple of clothespins along to hold the curtains closed for a darker room.

Clothespins are SUCH a good thing to have in the suitcase! Never know when they will come in handy! When it's just DH and me, I not only shut the curtains on the verandah where not a crack of light can get through, but I close the mid-room privacy curtain too! I LOOooooove to sleep in a cool, dark room!

 

[southerngirl528]

Hopefully CoastieAndMate will visit this thread in the months to come as I believe they live on the Kona side of the BI.

 

[COASTIEandMATE]

Hopefully CoastieAndMate will visit this thread in the months to come as I believe they live on the Kona side of the BI.

Yes, we will add our favorite things for the Big Island! Next week some very special friends are coming to Hawaii and meeting us in Kona for a Luau at the Courtyard Marriott King Kamehameha Beach Hotel. The luau is held on a stretch of beach just steps from the hotel and the pier. The royal court arrives on a canoe, very special. We met our friends on the EBTA 2017 , they were our tablemates!! Disney friends are the best!!

 

[taaren]

If anyone has any Maui questions feel free to PM me. I'm a third generation born and raised Maui person, spent about 25 years living there between growing up and my older child's younger years, and I still go back a few times a year to take the kids to see family.

 

[HappilyEverAfter80]

Well I’m off to bed - but will saving info from this thread for sure