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Why Go?
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 Pride of America Photos
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American-crewed ship specially designed for Hawaii
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The easiest way to get a taste of Hawaii in a week
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All-American crew offers friendly, casual service
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Varied dining options from French bistro to all-American diner
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Itineraries and Ports of Call: Hawaii
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Pride of America Review
When NCL America's Pride of America finally made its way to U.S. waters from its German shipyard in 2005, the event marked the culmination of an arduous and heartbreaking couple of years. Pride of America, slated for launch in July 2004, had been swamped in a gale while being built, leaving a good portion of its hull under water. The unfortuante event caused NCL America, Norwegian Cruise Lines U.S.-flagged subsidiary, to rush another ship in its international fleet -- now known as Pride of Aloha -- into service. Now that Pride of America is in Hawaii, the cruise line has two fully-functional U.S.-based ships plying the waters around the islands, with a third, Pride of Hawaii, to debut in June 2006.
Pride of America's biggest distinction is its status as the first U.S.-flagged passenger cruise ship to be built in over 50 years. (Pride of Aloha was transformed from the Norwegian Sky.) Both ships, along with Pride of Hawaii, are distinctive in that the crews and officers are primarily American or citizens from U.S. territories. The advantage to both the U.S. registration and the staffing requirement is that the vessels can sail seven-night itineraries around the Hawaiian Islands without having to embark (or disembark) in Vancouver or Ensenada. Nor do they have to travel a couple of thousand miles out of the way to visit Fanning Island. That's because the Passenger Services Act, requiring a foreign-flagged cruise ship to stop at a foreign port when leaving or returning to U.S. waters, does not apply to these ships, creating itineraries chock full of port stops and overnights in the beautiful regions of the U.S.'s 50th state.
Unlike Pride of Aloha and Pride of Hawaii, both of which have largely Hawaiian themes, Pride of America is a paean to the United States. Everything onboard this ship celebrates American culture and history, from the kitsch of the Cadillac Diner to the sober statue of Abraham Lincoln in the Liberty Dining Room. You get a feel for the ship as soon as you board: stepping into the marble lobby, you are greeted with a huge seal of the United States embedded in the flooring. It almost feels irreverent to walk across it.
At 81,000 tons, and with 1,069 passenger cabins, the ship is big but not too big. It's easy to navigate, and having a largely American crew brings its own rewards to the ambiance. It's fun to hear "Mornin'!" or "How y'all doin'?" while walking the hallways or public spaces.
After some unanticipated and fairly disastrous staffing issues two years ago, NCL America has pretty much got it nailed. The staff is bright and cheerful, most love their jobs, and whether they are looking at short-term or long-term employment, they all seem dedicated to bringing the best cruise experience possible to their guests.
Does a staff and crew comprised mostly of U.S. citizens offer a different cruise experience? You bet it does. At once familiar and disorienting, it does take awhile to get used to being "served" by people from Plano, Texas, or Eugene, Oregon. And yes, there is less general fawning, which I found refreshing. The service was good, it was fun, and while not always perfect, it was just about right on a ship with such an island-intensive itinerary.
The way I see it, the cruise experience was less like going to Morton's or Ruth's Chris or Le Cirque every night, and more like going to Applebee's or TGI Friday's. It was an enjoyable change of pace, and as the week wore on, I appreciated it more and more.
Read Complete Pride of America Review
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NCL Ships: Norwegian Dawn • Norwegian Epic • Norwegian Gem • Norwegian Jade • Norwegian Jewel • Norwegian Pearl • Norwegian Sky • Norwegian Spirit • Norwegian Star • Norwegian Sun • Pride of America
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