The Pride of Aloha has been receiving many negative reviews and comments since its inaugural on July 4th. Our cruise was it's 9th around the islands. The itinerary was great and the ship was refurbished quite nicely in the Hawaii spirit. The entertainment was excellent, and we had no problem with the cabin.
Most of the problems center around the staff, but it wasn't their fault. Those that were working on board were trying hard to please the passengers; the problem is that the ship is very short of crew. It seems that the all American staff is not as used to working the 12 to 15 hour days that are normal, and there is a tremendous amount of turn-over. It is further exacerbated by the fact that it takes several weeks for any new employees hired to get Merchant Marine security clearance.
Our biggest negative was the dining. Although we did not have the previously reported long waits to be seated in the dining rooms, we found the menu itself to be poor. Basically, the menu was the same every evening, except for one main entree and a chef's featured special. Every night there were the same listings and descriptions for the free range grilled chicken breast and the sirloin steak. The fish choice changed, but every night it was listed as being with mango salsa, sweet potato fritters, and mixed vegetables. No matter what the catch, it always had the same sides!