I was a huge fan of the old Norway and sailed on it four times. I would be still be a passenger if it was still in service. It was a great ship with wonderful ambiance and a crew that really took care of it's passengers. It's very hard to find that these days.

The Pride of America (henceforth POA) is not a very large ship. It is, however, easy to figure out and get around. There are plenty of elevators and stairways and the layout is plainly marked on diagrams near the stairways. Our stateroom was small but well organized. We had a balcony which made the room seem bigger. We enjoyed the balcony at night quite a bit and I enjoyed my morning coffee there. An expensive option but worth it if you use it.

Dining was hit and miss. Let me say right off the bat that we are not fans of free style dining. One of the things I most enjoy is the experience of formal dining. Unfortunately it is not to be had on POA. Despite the rules regarding what can and cannot be worn in the dinning rooms, some passengers look and act like they are going shopping at Wal-Mart. (The specialty restaurants are better. I guess Maw and Paw Kettle are afraid of the cover charge! I thought the Italian was very good.) Service in the Liberty Dining room was slow. One night our entrees were very late and cold. We sent them back and endured another 15 minute wait. I spoke with our waiter and she told me that they were short staffed and she had 5 tables. We did not have an assistant waiter that night. That is unacceptable. There was not a wine steward in either dining room and we were not offered bar service. Overall the selection and variety of food offered was good. Service at dinner was poor but surprisingly good to excellent in mid morning. Read more