This was our first cruise with NCL, so we did not know what to expect. I had done some research previous to our trip, but at the time we booked the trip there wasn't very many reviews of the Pride of America because it was such a new ship. We previously cruised with Celebrity and Holland America and loved both of those lines.
Likes -- 1. The "free-style" cruising concept was a plus for this trip. It allowed us time to see more of the islands. The late night departure and the overnight were welcomed. 2. Our veranda cabin on Deck 10 midships was well designed (adequate, but not roomy) and nicely appointed. We found the hanging space just barely adequate for a week of cruising. Plenty of storage space under the bed for our largest piece of luggage. 3. The fresh fruit at every meal was great. 4. The sliding veranda door was wonderful. It does away with the awkwardness of the swinging doors that are standard on most other lines. The tinted glass was also welcome. 5. The embarkation/disembarkation processes were very quick and easy. 6. Breakfast meal with the exception of getting an omelet or eggs cooked as you like. 7. The crew for the greatest part was very nice and very helpful. I did not see anyone having their "attitude adjusted" by a superior in public. 8. Having a coffee maker in the room. 9. Lots of hot tubs available, if you wanted to go in them. 10. Cruising around the Na'Pali coast and the night cruise past Kiluhea (both directions) were awesome. It was noted in previous reviews that this was not done for a couple of cruises.
Dislikes -- 1. Lukewarm food and I'm talking every day, every meal. 2. Strong sewage-like smell coming from Deck 5 up to Deck 11. It happened twice. 3. Too few or repetitious food choices for meals, with the exception of breakfast (which is really hard for any cruise line to mess up). For instance, they served Spanish rice and Chicken Fried Rice twice, plus roasted chicken 3 times, etc. 4. Amazingly small shower area. When I thought of some of the larger people on the ship trying to take a shower I wondered if they just stood outside the shower and used the bathroom floor since it had a drain. I am 6' 3" and I had a tough time trying to get my hair washed. Plus they stuck a large soap/shampoo dispenser in the shower which takes up even more space. 5. Housekeeping was hit and miss throughout the ship, specifically cleaning. I went into restroom near the Aloha Cafe and found no paper towels available. I went into the same restroom over 2 hours later and still no towels. Cabin surfaces and tables were not wiped off, mirrors not cleaned, etc. Our cabin steward actually placed a chipped drinking glass in our cabin. 6. Overpriced tours. This we heard from several people. We rented cars for around $30 per day and enjoyed driving over most of the islands. You could cover any island in a day with the exception of the Big Island. Plus you saw more than any one tour. 7. The "tipping" process was the same as some other lines, however, since you never interact with most of the crew during "free-style cruising" (i.e. concierge, maitre d', etc) why should you be required to tip them? I don't mind tipping people who actually do something for you. 8. Value vs. Price. Not enough value for the price of the cruise. 9. Overpriced drinks (this is not just a NCL dislike). If you charged $5 for a MaiTai or similar drink, I think you might sell more of them rather than the $10 "special price". 10. The information from the bridge via CCTV did not always match the daily paper. 11. Too many solicitations for photos and prices for them were too high. 12. Room service menu was very limited and most items you could get in a fast food store without the one hour wait time stated in the guest guide book. 13. The in-cabin guest guide book was really a joke. Not enough information about the things you needed to really know about the ship, it's routine or just operation of items in your cabin. No phone numbers for specific ship functions (such as housekeeping). 14. Chipped and/or dirty plates/cups/utensils. Dirty, threadbare, torn napkins. No extra napkins available without getting another set of utensils. This ship has only been in regular service since July 2005! 15. Crowded deck chairs. So close together it was hard to get into them. They were comfortable, however. 16. Swimming pool walls were dirty. I don't know when they get to clean the pools since another trip was leaving that night after we disembarked. 17. Not having your cabin made up when you needed it to be done. Do not stay in your cabin with the DND sign out past 1:00pm. (That is once you figure out how to get your DND sign out). BTW there is no mention of this handy gadget in the guest guide book, it took 2 days to find it out. 18. The overhang of Deck 11 on the Deck 10 verandas was a minor issue. My wife thought it was great from a privacy and weather-protection aspect, but I thought it had created a tunnel-effect which blocked most views aft and forward. Any veranda cabin below Deck 10 did not have this problem. All of the verandas on Deck 10 facing aft were visible to any guest at the rail of the Aloha Cafe Aft area on Deck 11.