Just to let you know a little about me...I grew up in South Florida and have been cruising about once a year since I was a little kid. I'm currently 30. My recent cruises have been on Celebrity Mercury, Oosterdam, Norwegian Sun, Serenade of the Seas, Radiance of the Seas and Liberty of the Seas.

I arrived in Honolulu after a few long flights, very excited for this week-long cruise with my family. Eleven of us were traveling together, ranging in age from 10 to 60. I arrived at the port around 4:30 and embarkation was quick and easy.

THE SHIP The Pride of America is a weird ship. There's nothing "wrong" with it per se. It's just got a weird vibe of something thrown together and not properly thought out. The ship is nice, clean and functional. It is a more than adequate floating hotel for the week. But leave at home your expectations of grandeur and opulence as they won't be met here. I would personally recommend that NCL remove and rethink some of the overtly American elements that give the ship and uncomfortable, almost serious vibe--completely at odds with the relaxing Hawaiian Islands. Read more