We selected this cruise line and this ship which cruises continuously among 4 of the Hawaiian Islands we wanted to visit without using up days crossing the Pacific. We have cruised on Carnival, Celebrity, and Princess and enjoyed the services we received on them. NCL did not measure up to other cruise lines in several ways:
I feel that the service staff on this Norwegian Cruise Line ship does not reflect well on its name "Pride of America". This ship sails under the American flag, a rarity in cruise ships, and it is mostly staffed by American citizens. I would say that my greatest disappointment with this ship is the staff employed by NCL seemed to take little PRIDE or pleasure in working for this line, or for its passengers! The service in the food court and the “regular” restaurants onboard can best be described as “adequate, but not professional”. Few smiles and even fewer words of appreciation were given by those working in any of the public areas. The food in the Aloha Court is “Applebee’s” at best, and sometimes more like room temperature take-out from a Walmart deli.
When we paid the additional $20 per person to dine in the Moderno Churrascaria (a Brazilian steakhouse onboard) we finally found the Princess-level food quality and gracious service we love. I feel that NCL is trying to force their passengers to pay the upgraded fee to find the food and service that other cruise lines provide as being standard.
I am only 5'4" tall and even I could not stand up next to my queen size bed, because the drop-down optional bunks are stored on the wall of the stateroom where they would impact my head and shoulders. A person my size has to carefully navigate around the corner of the bed while bending over, or crawl onto the bed at the foot. Interior cabins on other cruise ships have not presented this problem.