Norwegian Sky Review

3.5 / 5.0
2,156 reviews

Pride of Aloha - Hawaii

Review for Hawaii Cruise on Norwegian Sky

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Sail Date: Apr 2006
Cabin: Mid-Ship Balcony

My husband and I have just returned from a seven-day Hawaiian cruise on the Pride of Aloha. We are cruise veterans having taken 17 cruises in the last 16 years on a variety of different cruise lines. We chose this ship only because of its itinerary and with that attitude we were more than satisfied. No one chooses the Pride of Aloha for its food, service or entertainment. Although we usually book our own airfare, we had NCL book our air travel from Boston this time. Because of the precarious positions of the airlines these days, we wanted to be protected if anything happened (strike, bankruptcy, etc.). We were very satisfied with both the flight selection and the fare.

We selected a two-day pre-cruise package at the Marriott Waikiki Beach. The hotel is lovely and its location was wonderful. We did not use the transfers provided by NCL since we rented a car at the airport. Having our luggage transported directly from the hotel to the ship by NCL and being able to do the necessary paperwork right at the Marriott certainly speeded up the embarkation process. All we had to do at the pier was to go through security with our carry-on items and then go directly to a special check-in booth where our keys were waiting.

Be forewarnedthe cabins are very small and the storage space is poor. There were not enough hangars, and there is no drawer space to speak of except for a few very shallow ones where you might be able to fit socks and underwear. The balcony chairs are ridiculously small and totally uncomfortable. The water temperature in the shower changed often and abruptlyenough to make us yell from scalding or freezing. The bed itself was very comfy and our cabin stewardess was efficient (but invisible). We got our first inkling of the food issues when we headed up to the welcome aboard buffet and found the line at a complete standstill. The very first itemsalad greenswas empty and it took nearly five minutes for someone to see that and bring a new bowl. On every other cruise line, items in a buffet are replaced well before the container is empty. Buffet food was mediocre at best and the problems with keeping it stocked continued throughout the cruise. The breakfast buffet was the best of the three, but even then the line for waffles and omelets backed up routinely. Dining room food was adequate at best. There was very little variety and what was offered did not come close to matching typical dining room selections on other cruise lines. There was no prime rib, no filet mignon, no swordfish, no turkey dinner. Some nights it was difficult to find something worth ordering.

Cabin Review

Mid-Ship Balcony

Cabin BA
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