Pride of America Review
Rating by category
Additional details
My Mum and I chose this cruise to visit the Hawaiian Islands and were so happy we did. It was the best week we have spent together, enjoying the lovely islands and the warmth and hospitality of the crew on board this ship. For a ship that carries 2,500 people with 940 crew we never felt that we were surrounded by that many people and we never had to wait long for service, be it in the restaurants, bars or any other service. The cabin was clean and spacious with plenty of storage space (the suitcases fit under the beds) and the bathroom was very adequate. Any requests were filled by our cabin steward immediately. The ship has lots of great places to eat, both free and for extra payment, and we thoroughly enjoyed the food that was served. The Aloha Cafe is typical of the buffet-style with lots of different choices and can get a bit busy at peak times. We always found a table though sometimes we did eat outside on the back deck. The main pool deck can get a bit noisy at times with entertainment provided but it is easy to find a quiet spot somewhere else. The Hollywood Theatre was comfortable though a bit cool so take a jacket with you to the shows. I can thoroughly recommend this cruise if you want to have a glorious week exploring paradise.
Cabin Review
Balcony
Our cabin on the 11th deck was a few steps from the main pool area so at times we could hear the noise from the entertainment but it didn't bother us too much. It was lovely to have the balcony to spend time on and enjoy the views from. We like to sleep with the door open for the fresh air though it didn't stay open on the night of the choppy seas as it kept sliding shut. The cabin has plenty of space and storage for two people. Both the cabin and bathroom were very clean and had everything you could need provided along with the coffee machine and small fridge.
Port Reviews
Honolulu
Love Honolulu and Waikiki. There is plenty to do in both locations from Pearl Harbour to the beach.
Kona (Kailua Bay)
Kona is a lovely relaxing seaside town. Plenty to see within walking distance - lots of shops, old church and the Royal Palace. Buy an ice cream and sit by the port under a tree. This is the only port where a tender is needed to get from the ship to port.
Maui
We hired a car before the cruise and were collected by the shuttle which took us directly to the airport desk. We were off to Lahaina within 20 minutes for a drive of about one hour. Lots to do in Lahaina including a self guided tour of the town. Be sure to visit the banyan tree behind the courthouse where you can sit and relax. When driving back to port do not take the road via Kapalua to Kahului as it is mostly one lane and very dangerous.
Hilo
We again hired a car and drove to Volcanoes National Park in about an hour. It is a very good road to drive. Once we got to the National Park the weather was windy and rainy so be sure to take wet weather gear with you. We took the Chain of Craters road down through the old lava flows to the coast. Very interesting with plenty of places to stop for photos. After leaving Hilo the ship sailed past the active Kilauea volcano lava flow.
Kauai
Again we hired a car from Lihue Airport and drove to Waimea Canyon. The road signs are easy to miss but you can't get lost on this island. Afterwards we drove to the Spouting Horn water spout and then on to Hanalei at the other end of the island. Very easy drive except for a few one lane bridges. Easy to do the drive in one day.
The following day we walked to the nearby beach for the morning where you can hire a sun bed and umbrella.