This was not my first cruise but it will be my last with NCL America, specifically on Pride of America (which is a joke). While I did look at Cruise Critic prior to booking my trip I just chalked up some of the complaints as an isolated problem. To all who are looking to go to Hawaii, please, please take everything you read here and all the other reviews seriously. Don't waste your money or potentially ruin your vacation by booking NCL America for a Hawaii vacation. From almost the moment my boyfriend and I boarded we were disappointed. When we arrived we retired to our room to take a short nap. We were waiting to here the all ship call for everyone to gather for the emergency drill. Two hours later we woke up never hearing anything in regards to a call for the drill. While we were not too worried about ourselves and knowing what to do (we have cruised twice before) I at least thought it was weird we heard nothing and I assumed we would be contacted to have to our drill rescheduled, nope didn't happen. Even when I inquired to one of the staff what we should do I was basically told not worry about it. I thought this was troubling to say the least, but that was the least of my problems with this cruise. On day 2 upon returning to our cabin we found a repair notice from maintenance for our toilet, we were confused because we never requested a repair but we ignored it. On Day 3 our toilet stopped working we called it in that morning and left for our excursions, upon our return new notice and it appeared to be working. Day 5 - same problem, same response next day it worked and surprise, surprise stopped working on Day 6. But this time it really stopped working like became majorly clogged, threatening to overflow. Day 6 became a day from hell. Let me add that I have had some medical problems and need access to a restroom so this was no minor inconvenience. I reported the problem on Day 6 before 8am at the desk and was told no problem a maintenance person will come. By 11am still no repair person so I called and for the first time was told there was a ship wide problem and they were working on it and would come soon. By 3pm I called again was nastily we know you are in the system and we will have someone come but you are one of many we have ship wide problem and the toilets are being turned off as they look for a clog. I asked her why on the last day of the cruise were we just now being told about a problem and the fact that they were shutting the system down periodically. She had no answer and basically said that I should be patient. Meanwhile when I need to use the facilities I am now forced to hunt around the ship for a working toilet. Finally in the late afternoon a repair person shows up works in the hallway for a while comes in the room, tries to flush the system--still doesn't work. And he leaves barely saying a word other than I will be back. By 7pm I am boiling I go back downstairs to the desk and am assured that someone will come, they are very sorry for my inconvenience "Here is a complimentary bottle of wine, go to dinner and I promise you by the time you come back all will be fixed!" So we go to dinner come back—toilet is STILL BROKEN! It is now after 10pm! I go back downstairs and am like what the heck people, I paid way to much to be forced to live in the conditions of a developing country!! Again lots of apologies they make a call and say the repair person is on his way he will meet you there. Sure enough I go upstairs and the repair man is there. He looks in the service closet in the hall wall, fiddles in the bathroom comes out and says I can't fix it. We need to pull it out from the wall, let me make a call. He pulls out his phone and I can hear his side of the conversation, "Yeah I have another one for you.". . . "I can't". . . "Because I'm busy, I need to fix a coffee machine. . " "Look you need to come up here and fix it!" And with that he closes his phone and announces someone will come soon. 45 minutes later, I give up. Go back downstairs and tell the desk staff that I cannot believe how incompetent and disinterested they all are. I will NEVER, cruise NCL again and will tell as many people as possible to NEVER, EVER use them. The staff stare blankly and unconcerned at me and weakly say sorry but others are having the same problem. (Really at this point do you think I really care about what is happening with other people!!) It is customer service 101 to never answer a complaint with a statement like that. This was the worst cruise ever.
Luckily Hawaii and its residents are beautiful that was the only saving part of this trip. I do however want to highlight the only good thing NCL has going for them, Vicente, my cabin steward and he was absolutely AWESOME. The only shining star in what literally became a cesspool.
I implore future cruisers to pass NCL America—Pride of America by!! Add the extra days on and sail from the mainland via somebody, ANYBODY else.