This was our 16th cruise and 5th with NCL. We chose this ship mainly because it was the only 7 day Hawaii cruise. I wasn't sure what to expect as far as the ship, since it had such mixed reviews. I personally thought it was a wonderful ship. Yes, it is small compared to a lot of the newer ships, but I found it refreshing. Everything was spotless and clean. I am not sure why people were unhappy with the condition of this ship.
Let me start with embarkation. First, we didn't actually arrive at the port until around 3:30 so we pretty much just walked in. Due note, they have no porters outside waiting to take in your luggage for you. We walked in with our luggage and handed them over to the security area for scanning. Next you get your picture taken and then get checked in. For us, it only took probably 15 minutes tops.
Staff:Yes, they are all from America and everyone went out of their way to welcome us and almost all seemed to enjoy their job. They were friendly and we had excellent service everywhere we went, from the wait staff to our room steward. By the end of the cruise we knew many by their names and where they were from. We had no issues with them being lazy or rude like other reviewers had said.
Perfect cabin! Perfect views from our balcony. Always port side.