Pride of America Review
Rating by category
Additional details
If you want the "FULL CRUISE SHIP EXPERIENCE" (gourmet meals, tons of on-board super-cool activities, servants waiting on you) DON'T TAKE THIS CRUISE! You're going to be unhappy. If you want a nice place to stay and eat, while you visit four of the islands over eight days, this fits the bill.
This was our second cruise, the first was a 4-day to Ensenada on Carnival. We're both in our early 60's, in pretty good physical shape, and pre-retired (work less than 40 hrs/wk).
We bought the airfare+hotel+cruise with a balcony package. Our first two nights were at the Marriott Waikiki which gave us ample time to see Pearl Harbor, drive the north shore, and enjoy the luau and show at the Polynesian Cultural Center. Transfers were painless from the airport where an NCL rep met us, and to and from the ship.
Cabin Review
Balcony
The room was "cozy", but not cramped for us. Everything seemed to be in very good condition. We packed efficiently, so everything fit.
We were in an aft balcony on the 10th deck, a few rooms from the stairs/elevators. Views were great, and only one flight up to the Aloha Buffet for breakfast!
Being directly below the buffet, the rumbling of the servers' prep carts would gently wake us at about 5-5:30 in the morning --- the first few times we thought it was rumbling thunder! We'd normally get up about that time, so it didn't bother us, but late night partyers might not be as happy.
(Interesting anomaly... sometimes the toilet didn't flush when you pushed the button, but would flush 30 seconds later... weird.)