Pride of America Review

Great trip but watch for the extra charges and getting off the ship

Review for Hawaii Cruise on Pride of America
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C-Dawg04
2-5 Cruises • Age 50s

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Sail Date: Apr 2019
Cabin: Mid-Ship Balcony

My husband and I were split. I wanted to travel to Hawaii and rent a house/condo and do some island hopping so we could spend more time in each place and he wanted to cruise. The NCL Pride of America offered a bit of both. We spent two nights in ports, so you didn't have that rush to get back to the boat which was a nice change of pace. The ship was clean and well-maintained, but the stateroom was a little smaller than other cruise lines. There was plenty of room to spread out and enjoy yourself. Overall the cruise was a great experience and I would highly recommend it.

This was our first time cruising NCL, so things were a little different. First is the "anytime dining." We prefer to have a reservation, sit at the same table each night and get to know the wait staff. Here you sit somewhere different every night, even in the same restaurant. We learned once you get on board that you can make reservations at all of the restaurants (except buffet), but you sit at a different table each night. And note, the times fill up quickly, so don't delay if you want a specific time. Turned out to still be really fun because the wait staff were delightful! We met waiters and waitresses from all over the US and they remembered us from night to night. They would come over to our new table and greet us and ask about our day. One staff member saw us in port and yelled to us "Hey, North Carolina friends..." and then came to talk to us. She didn't have to take her limited shore time to say hi, but she did. Another member of the wait staff is Turkish and my mother speaks Turkish, so they spoke to each other for days. I say all of this to emphasize that the personal touch was still there.

There were a variety of activities during the day and evening that appealed to a variety of age groups and interests. We particularly enjoyed the piano entertainer/singer as he played music from the 50s to the 90s. It was great because the age range on the boat varied by that or more! We were a little disappointed in a few of the other entertainment options. The show times also made it tough for people who choose to eat a little later. We often dined at 7:30 which meant we couldn't see the later shows at 8 or 8:30 p.m. Yes, we could have chosen to eat earlier or quickly, but we like to hang by the pool until around 4 or 4:30 p.m., go back and take a nap, then get ready for dinner and have a drink before going into the dining room. And clearly, based on what times were available when we tried to make reservations, many others preferred to dine a little later, too. So this wasn't just us.

Cabin Review

Mid-Ship Balcony

Cabin BA

Overall it was well-appointed and more storage than other ships. There was a built in coffee bar that had shelves and two extra draws, as well as baskets and shelves inside the closest! They also provided robes, which is something we haven't gotten on other cruise lines.

But, the room itself was slightly smaller than other ships. And, our cabin steward left the pull out sofa partially out every day so that cut down our ability to move around the room. It also meant that we didn't have anywhere to sit except our bed.

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