We had the time of our lives on this cruise. Does this mean that the Pride of America was the best cruise ship ever? No, it was not, but it was FINE. Truthfully, after reading some of the reviews on this website, I was worried I had made a huge mistake booking this cruise, but it was fine.
This was a family trip for myself, DH & DD's ages 10 & 13. We have been on many cruises. This was our first on NCL.
We arrived in Honolulu on the Tuesday before embarkation and stayed at Hilton Hawaiian Village. We wanted a few days to get over the jet lag & explore Oahu before the cruise. We loved Hilton Hawaiian Village. It has a great location, beautiful beach & lagoon & many children's activities. Dining options were a little sub par & over priced, but there are many other options just outside the hotel property.
I knew the room was going to be small going in & I was not wrong. Luckily, my 2 girls are small for their ages. With both the sofa bed pulled out & the Pullman bed down, we felt a bit like sardines in a floating can. Regardless of the size, we were able to find space for everything & sleep comfortably. There is a lot of storage under the bed. The room was clean. The coffee maker was a nice addition, not found on all cruise lines.
Tender stops are not my favorite. The volcanic terrain & beautiful beaches make the tender worth it.
The views from the drive to the north shore are spectacular. Stop for the shave ice at the end of your trip.
Gorgeous! Explore as much of this island as you can.
Must see Volcanoes National Park.
Beauty every where. Keep a look out for chickens & waterfalls. The trip by NaPali coast is phenomenal.