[quote Lady Jag]If you want to go through NCL, then the Waikiki Marriott is your best bet. They have an NCL rep. right there in the lobby. You can drop off your luggage with him, check in early and get your sign & sail cards before the rest of the folks on your cruise. Saves lots of time at embarkation. Also, there's a car rental place in the hotel and the beach is right across the street. All transfers are included when you book through NCL which is a huge plus because transfers can be pricey in Honolulu. :thumb
Even though I know Oahu very well and could manage everything on my own, I'm still using the cruise line's hotel package this July.
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Staying at the Waikiki Marriott BOOKED THROUGH NCL was one of the smartest decisions we made. Even though NCL's computers at the hotel were down, when we got to the pier (we went on our own rather than waiting for the shuttle), we walked right past everyone, including double-diamond-deluxe Latitudes members and had our sign & sail cards within 3 minutes. We were among the first 12 people on board. The best part was just leaving our luggage in the room and having it show up magically in our PoH cabin. No muss, no fuss, no extra tips.