We had chose this cruise to celebrate our 32nd Wedding Anniversary & also my daughter;s MA graduation, but also to see the Islands Of Hawaii. This is out fourth cruise , but first time crusing in Hawaii. We enjoyed the itinerary through the 4 Hawaii Island, but completely did not enjoyed NCL Pride Of America. In my opinon, having been on 4 other cruises on other cruiseline, NCL took advantage of being the only ship monopoly sailing the 4 island, inflated the fare to average $1617.00 per person , is what we paid, family of three $4850.74, offered horrible food, sloppy services, dirty smelly ship, public areas and stateroom. On embarkation @ 2:50 Pm, Our Anniversary Champange gifted to us by The Ourtrigger Hotel Waikiki was confiscated by NCL, citing security reason ! No welcome at embarkation, there were no one except security at the ship entrance. we did not have our lunch and make our way to Deck 11, Aloha Cafe, which was suppossed to be 24 hours buffet, as you would expect in any cruise ship. Most of the food station was empty and or half empty. Fruits juices that you dispensed from the dispenser were so diluted and taste so bad that you are better off drinking plain water and have your senses and taste bud insulted. The balcony stateroom was so small that when the third person extra bed in set up, there;s literally no walking space without having to climb on beds to wealk through. Stateroom floor was always empty, amenities not refilled, we have to call almost every other nights to get our conditioner replenish. Imagine the girls going wihout conditioner on their hair ? On our 2nd day on the cruise, raw sewage stench begin to exit into the ship HVAC System corridor and stateroom, it was so bad for several days that we have to open our balcony slider to take fresh sea air. Complaint to guest services were met with 'sorry' and a 'plate of chocolates'. My daughter and spouse nauseated several times. The raw sewage odor is so revolting that you will be overcome by it. See photos attached, breakfast at the buffet was like a 'war' packed with crowds fighting for table space and food. Most of the buffet chafing tray are always empty and or almost empty. I have yet to visit a day without seeing one easy, happy morning breakfast. Dirty rusty brooms are an usual sight on this ship ( See Photos ) One morning we decide to try the Main Dining room skyline Breakfast, for a change, our order for omelette was responded with, 'It will be a 45-minutes wait, Sir', would you like a scramble egg instead ? If you considering cruising Pride Of America, beware the ship's is very old and have serious mechanical HVAC Issues, permiting raw sewage stench into the guest staterooms and public areas, we came home feeling very sick from inhaling the sewage raw stench and eating the poor bad food served on board. See attached photos Read Less

I joined Norweigan cruise 7 night Hawaii Islands. I joined single and I paid good amount of money. But I don't think it worths the money I paid. The good things first Hawaii is great. Bad things, everything except food is payable. I have to pay 9.98 if I want to watch a movie in the tv in my room. I don't even listen the music. There isn't much thing to do in the ship. The entertainment is very poor. Before I joined two cruises with Princess and they were much more better than Norweigan. The food was better, the entertainment were far more better. Also Princess gives you beach tote, so if you foreget to bring your beach tote you can use it. But Norweigan didn't give anything. I could watch tv free in Princess but I have to pay in Norweigan. Princess cruises had big screen top of the cruise, so you could watch film or any sports activity there, Norweigan doesn't have screen on the top of the ship. The food area in Princess were bigger than Norweigan. Here is a little bit narrow, because of that there is a chaos in breakfast lunch and dinner time in self service area. The one other small thing, in Princess the staff left chocolate on your bed after clean the room. There isn't anything like in Norweigan cruise Read Less

I was a bit leery after reading negative reviews of this cruise, especially in regards to the food and the service. We found that to be not true at all. The food was fresh, hot, and tasty in the buffet and especially in the specialty restaurants. The specialty restaurants arem a separate fee, but a package price is available. We found that the staff went out of their way to assist, and interact. The entertainment was good but not great, but they had many extra activities like dance classes and lei making. The shore excursions seemed overpriced, so we just rented a car in each port and that worked very smoothly. We were able to see the things that we were most interested in. The price was more than your ordinary cruise elsewhere, so it scored lower on the value area. We are glad we took this cruise and would highly recommend it. Read Less

Because of the name NCL Norwegian pride of America. the food was OMG, all the Excursion that I attended were fabulous the luau took my breath away ,pictures for a lifetime great friends great company met a lot of people very friendly love every moment of it. Can't wait for my Alaskan cruise. It was so much to do on the ship you really didn't have to get off for any excursions but I chose to and it was absolutely amazing like I said earlier I would love for my family too join me next time. The staff was so knowledgeable courteous the ship's director Miss Jamie girl you rock. The gelato the prime rib going to the clubs at night and I don't even Club but I did while I was on your ship. And all my memorabilia that I brought that with me souvenirs for friends and family. And it was so easy getting on and getting off of the ship that's a plus that's kudos keep up the good work see you soon. Read Less

Hi. Just off the boat Saturday 9th June. Trip to Big Island cancelled due to volcanic issues on the island. So first night spent In Honolulu which was a disappointment but fully understood. Compensated $50 port charges so make sure you settle your account after the ship leaves the last port. We had a suite cabin on deck 13 ( Portside ) the best side to view the Napali Coast, one can enjoy the views directly from their own private deck. We chose to enjoy the ship and did only one paid shore excursion thru the ship helicopter trip called Heaven & Earth on Kauai $399 each. In our country we drive on the left so did no feel comfortable driving in Hawaii. With the helicopter flight we got a good land tour, lunch. Pickup from the ship at 10am, drive to lighthouse, beach & lunch, great tour guide in new Mercedes-Benz’s van. Transported to heliport at 2.45pm, safety briefing etc then 50 minute flight over Waimea Canyon and Nepali Coast. Weather not the greatest in some parts with rain but pilot did a great job. ( recommend ). Then transported back to the ship by 5.15pm. Airport about 10 minutes away from the ship. Our daily routine was up for a swim at 8am so one could swim some lengths before the crowd arrives. (Pool opens at 8am ). Clean up and breakfast and lunch at Cagneys Restaurant ( suite passengers only ) but same food as other restaurant but just gets served to you. We liked that as we would have put too much on our plates otherwise. Sun bath and then usual go ashore and wander around for a few hours. Booked 5.30pm meal times so we could enjoy the entertainment. Shows last 1 hour, then we would then go to the next show etc. Joel Meyers the magician excellent and very entertaining. Brenda Kaye the hypnotist also excellent. I volunteered and turned out I was the Star of the show. I supposedly put on a pretty good performance for every one. We attended her seminar also very informative. Recommend. On the last day suggest you pack your bags after lunch as they have to be out for collection by midnight. But on the last day the ship leaves port at 1.30pm, but there is shows and art auctions etc to go to. Plus the best viewing along the Napapli Coast is form 5.15pm to 6.15pm then back to back entertainment until 11pm. Then even a later party. For us a trip of a lifetime and we only booked a suite because my wife seen a deal which she could not resist......... she always says that when she spends. Recommend a suite. No queues, dining seating by the windows, treats left in the room etc. Only disappointment no trip to the big island. Big win for the cruise company though as they did not have to pay for the fuel would have used to cruise there. No bad cruises just bad cruisers. Enjoy we did. Read Less

Just came back from a 7 day Hawaiian cruise with the Pride of America, here are my comments.... - Embarkation, I tried to check in around 12:30; yet, the staff insisted on carrying my luggage to my room while I refused. They insisted and I let them at the end. But as I walked up to my cabin, it wasn't ready yet. The staff could have mentioned it as the reason, perhaps? - Dinning room - I ordered 2 or 3 main entrees and asked for them to be appetizer size so that I can sample; but that didn't work. The food still come in a big portion. Other ships from other lines I was on were able to do that. Service sometimes are slow as it took me 1 1/2 hour to finish a dinner one time. Not that I was in a hurry, but I sat for a bit long. While you think this might have something to do with the number of entrees and appetizers I might have ordered, I can only say that same dinning room, sometimes it was fast and efficient while other times were at snail pace. Also, some waiters seemed indifferent about their clients. I am no king, just comparing to others in the same dinning room on the same ship, not even other cruise ships from other lines I was on before. - Aloha Cafe - saw food on the floor being kicked around a number of times for around 15 or so minutes before someone swept it off the floor. - Food in general - sometimes a bit salty. Had a clamless clam chowder. Wait, how come there was clam on the 1st night when I had the clam chowder but not on the 4th night? There were also a bug jumping out from my salad too. It escaped to no where real fast. - Room - no water in the middle of the night? And when there was water, it was luke warm? At times, the flush didn't function in the room. - Safety drill - I was out on an excursion after dropping off my bag on the ship. The safety drill took place when I wasn't there. Fine. Was wondering how come no one made an effort to ensure that I know what to do in the case of an emergency. While the above seemed negative, the overall experience in other areas weren't that bad at all. The above examples all happened only once, except for the water and flushing ones. It's just missing a bit here and there in a few corners. Average, not exceptional, but not disappointing either. For this itinerary, it's still worth using this product, in my opinion. Read Less

Aloha!! Pride of America was stunning, and everyone that was working on the ship were awesome and really made us feel at home. Our room and balcony were beautiful, we had a breathtaking views of Hawaii's beautiful islands. This was a wonderful way to view Hawaii for the first time. I am truly sad my trip is over and I wish I could have stayed on the cruise for many more weeks as I just had such an amazing time. The ship was newly renovated so everything looked beautiful. I loved walking on the open deck out side especially during sunrise. Since the time difference for me was 6 hours behind, I found myself waking up at around 5am every day which I enjoyed so much because I was able to catch all the gorgeous and picturesque sunrises every day! Dinning was very delicious. I loved the buffet area in the Aloha Cafe but we also really enjoyed the specialty dinning at all the different selection of restaurants offered on the ship. There were lots of entertainment and activities to do throughout the ship each and every day, and the service on the ship was world class, always treating us like VIPs with so much attention to our needs and being so helpful with any question we had. I did a shore excursion for each and every port we went to, and I booked them all with NCL. They were very organized and the descriptions for each excursion was very precisise. I loved everything about this trip. I recommend the Road to Hana in Maui, Helicopter Tour in Hilo over volcanos, and Kayak, Zip lining and ATVing in Kauai! I travelled with my husband and we both had such an amazing time, I would do this all over again if I could. I cannot wait to book my next trip with the Norwegian Cruise Line!!!!!!! Mahalo NCL for everything, you truly helped to create memories that will last a life time. Read Less

Hawaii, it's on my list of plces to see as I enter my 66th year, I have sailed twice before with this cruise line so know the routine but it was still a daunting task going through the boarding process it took over 40 minutes,but I need to remember they are jointly looking after my safety for the next week. All that behind me now and I am in a superb well laid out room on 7th deck and have a balcony view that I make the most of over the next 7 days. Every island stop was an adventure to me as was just going for a meal on board, plenty of variety it's your choice. The islanders are generous with their kindness. The ships crew and staff fall into this category for their friendly neighbourly approach. I went to the evening called 'Oh what a night' which included guys from the musical Jersey Boys show which I have seen twice in London and also in Las Vegas and generally the entertainment on board was excellent. The fantastic barman Bovic all made the long journey from UK worthwhile. The previous Two trips I took my white tuxedo but decided it would be very casual this time and I still never wore 50% of the tops I took with me so don't overdo the clothes thing. Met some great people, this included 4 honeymoon couples. Every one is so laid back. As a single traveller I still feel miffed at the single supplements but it was a trip to remember and perhaps repeat. Look the idea of cruising is about choice, the cruise line provide the goods it's up to you what you use and what you do. The problem is where do I go next after such a wonderful experience every day and every night. Read Less

I was interested in going to Hawaii and this is the only ship that leaves from Honolulu sailing to three other islands. You get a lot of time at four different ports. This cruise is more about the ports than the ship. I sailed before the ship went into dry dock for refurbishing so I do not know how it may have been improved. It is a small and older ship. It seems to attract more sedate cruisers. There are no nightclubs or the gimmicks of the newer and bigger ships. The food was good but not as good as The Epic. The entertainment was average -- mostly house bands. You do not get the Broadway Shows or big names that you would get on the bigger and newer ships. The ship seems to shut down by midnight which was ok with me. There is very limited shopping, only four or five shops but they sell some interesting Hawaiian Products. The cabins are expensive because there is no competition. I booked my excursions through NCL. Others preferred Roberts. Excursions were good but the drivers talk all the time and it can get tiring. You learn a lot but at times it is overload. The drivers were also a little greedy when it came to tips. They expected a big tip and even looked at what you gave them. It made me a little uncomfortable. I have read some negative reviews about POA but I do not believe they are deserved. The cruise is more about the ports than the ship. If nightclubs and water parks are important to you, this will not be the right ship. You are going to be in port almost every day. Now, that I have been once, I would;d love to go at least one more time. This is great way to get a taste of Hawaii. Read Less

We (two couples traveling) wanted to see the other Hawaiian islands that we had not visited previously and we thought this would be a great way to do it. We have cruised in the Caribbean on various cruise lines but had never cruised with Norwegian. With all this being said, the only reason I did not rate this cruise line and ship as "terrible" was the location of the cruise and the excursions were pretty good. That's the only thing it did right! The ship needs to be updated, the service is very sub-par, the food is not good, entertainment is poor and the rooms are smaller than competitor's ships. If you do choose to cruise on this ship, do not waste any $$ on the specialty restaurants other than Cagney's. We tried the Jefferson Bistro (had to wait over an hour for our main course and no one seem to care! ..... unbelievable), Cagney's and East Meets West. Cagney's food was good and the service was great. Can't say that about the other two restaurants. The main dining room food was o.k.....we only ate there once. The general dining staff was not friendly at all .... bar staff was friendly and chatty as you would expect. The excursion staff was helpful and friendly. So bottom line, as another reviewer stated, if Norwegian had any competition in Hawaii they would be out of business in a heartbeat. In the future, I will plan my own itinerary in the Hawaiian islands and fly from island to island. I am sure I can plan something better and less expensive than what Norwegian charges for their poor service! Read Less

I had so much fun on my 7 day Hawaiian cruise. My friend and I flew in from Phoenix on a 6 1/2 hour Hawaiian Airline flight. It took awhile to get through the Boarding Process; but once through, the week was so much fun. Two days in Maui. One day in Hilo and one in Kona on the Big Island. Two days in Kauai. This is my third visit to the Hawaiian Islands and hopefully, far from my last. I love the islands and this was a wonderful way to visit 3 islands on one visit. Port & Shore Excursions: Big Island Snorkel. Our group was the first to be loaded on the Tenders at Kona to be transported to the Body Glove catamaran at 7:15 am, which was nice for us because we had the full day until 5:30 pm, to explore Kona after the excursion. This Excursion was exceptional. The staff was informative, helpful, friendly, and patient. The food was abundant and delicious. The coral reef where we snorkeled was about 45 minutes from shore. We saw a pod of Spinner dolphins as we to the reef. Once we arrived, the snorkeling was very well organized. The view of the reef and the ocean life was excellent. The only challenge I faced on the snorkeling excursion was that I decided to go down the water slide. It was nothing like the big yellow slides at a water park. I pulled a muscle trying to get onto the slide and when I landed in the water, it felt like a giant slap to my whole body. I can't think of any way to enter the water more gently from the slide. I imagine that it hurts because of the speed and distance of the drop. It's not necessary to go down the water slide, and I would just skip that experience if I had it to do over again. Other than my decision to use the water slide, the rest of the experience was fun and memorable. Also, I was generous with use of sunscreen which I highly recommend. I brought my own spray on 50 spf sunscreen, and there was also sunscreen available on board. Thank you to the Big Island Excursion staff. They couldn't have been more helpful and considerate to a snorkeler with limited experience. Entertainment: The shows were amazing. I went to all of the 7:00 shows except for Thursday, Luau night. Performers were highly talented and professional. Costumes were gorgeous. The 'Oh What a Night' Tribute was probably the highest quality of all; but every show was a 5 star performance for me. The Cast was fabulous. Each show lasted about an hour and left me wanting more. I definitely recommend taking advantage of the superb entertainment offered at 7 and 9 pm nightly in the Hollywood Theater. Summary: Thank you to Norwegian and to all the staff that made it such a fabulous experience. Thanks especially to our Cabin Steward, Henry. Actually, the whole Pride of America staff treated us so well. I highly recommend Pride of America to anyone who wants to enjoy the islands along with a Cruise. Read Less

The people of Hawaii treat each other, their visitors and their country with love and respect. On September 25 my daughter-in-law and two friends set out for a seven day cruise in Hawaii. After a one day flight delay aboard American Airlines we boarded NCL's Pride of America on September 26, 2010. This ship began a seven day cruise, in Honolulu to four Hawaiian islands; Kahului (Maui), Hilo and Kona (on the Big Island and Nawliwili (Kauai). Let me backtrack the first night of our cruise September 25 was actually spent in the Makena Resort on Maui because, as I stated earlier, our flight was delayed and instead of boarding the ship in Honolulu we were flown to Maui and boarded the ship there. The ship was beautiful and clean. I had heard beforehand that the crew aboard the only American ship in NCL'S fleet were not as gracious as the crew aboard other NCL ships, I did not find that to be true. The crew on Pride of America was wonderful, everywhere we went everyone was friendly and courteous. My cabin steward Errol was so pleasant and responded to every request with courtesy and timeliness, I even became friendly with the cabin steward in the next section, because I would pass her everyday in the hall and on my last night there she gave me a postcard with dolphins on it to remind me to remember Hawaii with a smile. I thought that was kind of her, her name was Lula. As far as the transportation and shore excursions go. I only did one excursion with NCL and that was the glass bottom boat because NCL shore excursions are too pricey. I read other reviews before I went to Hawaii and contacted Roberts Hawaii at gorabbitgo.com and booked my airport to pier and back transfers thru them because they only charge six dollars and NCL charges twenty dollars for the same bus ride in the same coach buses. They also offer great deals on shore excursions. In Maui we met Reynolds who has a SUV taxi and we booked our Road to Hana tour with him; we chose this instead of renting a car because that road has about a hundred curves some of them are very narrow and we preferred to let an expert handle that driving. If you go to Maui that tour is a must, you will see the beauty that is Hawaii. Hawaii has all types of shuttles taxis and tour buses. You can also rent your own car if you like because at Maui and Kauai the ship is docked for two days. Because Hawaii is so beautiful and there is so much to see we didn't spend a lot of time onboard the ship, but I did manage to get to the pool every morning and have breakfast which was good. My one complaint about the pool and the area surrounding it, is it is not large enough to accomodate the close to three thousand people that are on the ship and when the children arrive they just take over and you cannot enjoy the pool at all because they are throwing the ball and hitting folks in the head. Also there are not enough poolside lounge chairs.......just saying. There was a Hawaiian couple who taught us all things Hawaiian. Some days we were taught to make different types of leis, including an orchid lei and one evening the lady (or wahina) taught us the history of Hawaii which was interesting for me because I am a history buff. The food was pretty good, I didn't try any of the specialty restaurants this time but I did eat in the dining room every night and the food was delicious and I ate at the Cadillac Cafe a couple of times, I like it there because they serve comfort food. Wednesday night NCL hosted the Hot White party in the Mardi Gras lounge which was fun and Thursday was the luau. Now I didn't go to the NCL and I'm glad I didn't because everyone complained that the food was horrible. I didn't go because some reviewers said the food was horrible. I chose Smith Tropical Paradise for my party's luau and it was wonderful. The food was very good, except for the purple sweet potato and the show was outstanding. One thing I observed about Hawaii the people of Hawaii are very proud of their country and they keep it very clean. I didn't see a scrap of paper or broken glass anywhere and they host thousands of tourists everyday but they kepp that place clean. I enjoyed sailing past the erupting volcano and the Na Poli coast was awesome. So that was my experience and I gotta tell you I love Hawaii, the Hawaiian people were wonderful and I can't wait to go back. Read Less