77,104 tons
Passengers: 2,002 (double) 2,400 (all berths)
853 feet long
105.8 feet at beam
12 decks
750 American Staff and Crew
U.S. registry
Entered service (as Norwegian Sky): August 9, 1999
First Hawaii Sailing (as Pride of Aloha): July 4, 2004
Quality Rating:
Value Rating:
Best For People Who Want:
A convenient and affordable way to see & experience the beauty of Hawaii; those who plan a lot of activities onshore during the 96 hours the ship is in port (every day of the cruise).
Should Be Avoided By People Who Prefer:
a typical cruise experience with lots of onboard activities, humble foreign service staff, formal nights where everyone dresses up.
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About NCL-America:
As the first ship to sail under the NCL-America banner it is important to put this ship, and NCL-America as a subset of NCL Cruise Lines into the proper perspective, a discussion that merits hours, but we will shorten it.
NCL-America (ships: Pride of Aloha, Pride of America and Pride of Hawaii) has the exclusive right to offer 7-day inter-island Hawaii cruises without leaving the state. This required an act of Congress passed to circumvent two ancient (19th century) federal laws regulating passenger vessels. The new requirements for NCL-America cruise lines specify; U.S.flagged vessels crewed with U.S.-citizen (or green card) Coast-Guard certified people only.
Sounds simple, but outdated federal laws aren't the only reason cruise lines hire foreign national crewmembers; foreigners have a tradition of service, familiarity with ship-board life and a lower cost of living at home. For positions usually filled by Indonesians or Rumanians, NCL-A agreed to hire U.S. citizens and get them Coast Guard trained and certified, an expensive process in itself, before they even got onboard. Where do you find young Americans willing to work 7-days a week, sharing tiny rooms with one or two other people, for near minimum wages? Long story short, the first six months of service for this ship became an extended "weeding out" process, eliminating the people just along for the ride. while keeping responsible people who understand they have a job to do.
NCL admitted that they had problems finding the right people to crew the NCL-America ships, and went to great lengths to fix things, including building a mandatory training academy in Myrtle Beach, S.C. for all crewmembers. Things have improved greatly, but you still won't get top-notch Caribbean cruise-style service here, but if all you want is to lay on deck instead seeing glorious Hawaii (this ship is in port every day), you should go to the Caribbean, or take the 11-day Norwegian Wind Hawaii cruise, which has a foreign crew, but must side-step to distant Fanning Island (two days at sea each way) in order to conform -- but at least you can gamble on the way.
As of August, 2007, the latest developments with NCL America is that Pride of Hawaii will leave NCLA, and be re-flagged (Bahamian) to join the regular NCL fleet. This ship was the only purpose built free-style ship in Hawaii, but as of February 2008 it will be called Norwegian Jade and is scheduled to deploy to Europe after a short modifcation period to add a casino and re-paint the hull artwork.
Additional changes include modifications to the stiff crewing requirements which will allow NCLA to crew its ships with up to 25% foreign nationals. This will lower their crewing costs and add to crew stability on the Hawaii ships. The goal of these changes is to make the Hawaii product a better experience, but it is also expected that it will raise the cost of the cruise. Our recommendation is to book Pride of Hawaii while you still can, it is the most beautiful of the NCLA ships, and the price is still a bargain.
Onboard Experience:
When first-time cruisers take this ship they invariably give it high marks. But experienced cruisers who already know that cruise line levels of service are the best in the world, are often disappointed. Frankly, that "spirit of service" usually so prevalent on cruise ships is often missing in these American youth. To sum it up, they can be unduly familiar, too loud, and not deferential enough. More likely offer "Hey, how's it goin'?" than "good morning, sir."
NCL-America ships are a great cruise, but take them as a way to see Hawaii first, and as a cruise experience second, If you don't care where you sail and just want to be on a ship, go to the Caribbean. On the other hand, if you want to visit Hawaii, I can't think of a better way to do it. And truthfully, these are still very good ships, unless you are a curmudgeon. Strap on a smile and treat your room-steward like he is your nephew and you will get along just fine. Just don't expect him to beam with joy when you praise the way he polished the bathroom.
Decor:
With its vivid colors, large sculptures and enormous frescoes depicting the Hawaiian islands' history and culture, one cannot dispute the loveliness of her décor. The emphasis on Hawaiian culture is evident even before you board; Hawaii's symbol of welcome, the Plumeria lei, is depicted, gigantically, on the ship's hull.
Public Rooms
Whoever designed Pride of Aloha's three-deck-high atrium, which
actually rises to the top deck of the ship, must have had the most
famous song from the famous '60s tribal love-rock musical Hair in
mind; let the sunshine in indeed! The reception, shore excursion, and
alternative restaurants reservations desk are all here, but not much
else of note.
Where you might expect to find a casino on this ship, you instead find the Kumu A`o Hawaiian Cultural Center, a first at sea. While it may provide fascinating insights into Hawaii's history, culture and geology, it is very unpopular with compulsive gamblers who've booked the wrong ship.
Hawaiian designer Mary Philpotts and a team of 40 worked with NCL to create the authentic Hawaiian decor. Public rooms include the first Hawaiian cultural center at sea, the Kumu Cultural Center, with exhibits covering various stages in Hawaiian history. The vibrant colors of the Pacific and the islands' flora abound throughout. Public rooms the Aloha Atrium, the Blue Hawaii Night Club, Outrigger Lounge, Mark Twain Library, Captain Cook's Bar and Cigar Club, the Plantation Club, and the Longboard Bar, the latter inspired by famous surfer and Olympic swimmer Duke Kahanamoku -- are all predictably themed.
Cuisine:
Since this ship entered service, the grumbling of disgruntled diners has abated but not disappeared, but it is largely delegated to the Hukilau Café poolside Lido buffet where busboys can be agonizingly slow. The food is not bad, there is a meat carvery, a fresh fruit carverie including papaya, honeydew and mango. There is sushi and plenty of fresh pastries. Outdoors, poolside, are a waffle and an omelet station. The main (included in the cruise fare) restaurants have decent food, sometimes good, sometimes too rashly prepared. The alternative restaurants have excellent food and huge portions.
Service:
For the most part, it has been scandalously bad in the past, but has improved. Blame the fact that Americans are rather less inclined than Indonesian or Croatians to work 12-hour days for not much money. The best course is to resign yourself to any small shortcomings, and speak up when that is not enough. If your room steward just doesn't "get it," call the front desk and ask to speak with the head of housekeeping. The waiters work hard, busboys are a different story, but they can only work as fast as the kitchen enables them.
Restaurants:
The two main restaurants have open, restaurant-style dining for all three meals. Palace Main is decorated in tropical style while Crossings evokes grand yachts of the Trans-Pacific races between Los Angeles and Honolulu.
There are three reservations-only restaurants with a cover charge: The long, narrow Kahili, which connects the two main restaurants on Deck 5, would make you feel as though dining on a train if not for its floor-to-ceiling windows offering sea views. The cuisine is "contemporary," the decor inspired by Hawaiian royalty. Enjoy surf and turf (lobster and top sirloin) in the tropical Royal Palm Bistro. The Pacific Heights Pan Pacific Restaurant offers modern Hawaiian and Pacific Rim cuisine, including local fish, as well as Asian dishes and pizza, and displays the work of contemporary island artists.
If something lighter than a full menu in the dining room is more your style, there are the buffet in the Hukilau Café and Lanai, the indoor-outdoor Lido restaurant on Deck 11. Weather permitting, there are frequent barbecues on deck. The ice cream bar dishes up sundaes, sherbets, and plain old ice cream.
Entertainment:
Hawaiian-inspired, most of the entertainment is good. Indeed, the Tihati Polynesian Show, featuring very talented locals doing folkloric dances in eye opening costumes, scheduled when the ship overnights in Kauai, is a guaranteed crowd-pleaser. Hula line dancing classes are almost always packed, as are the coconut husking classes, shell jewelry, and lei-making.
More typical cruise ship fare -- dancing, cabaret, and Broadway-style production shows - is presented other nights in the main theater, in which the ship's resident theatrical troupe offers two staged Broadway-style musicals per week.
One of the most salubrious spots on the ship, the Outrigger Lounge, reminds some well-traveled passengers of Raffles in Singapore, but with a panoramic ocean view. The Sports Bar, honoring Duke Kahanamoku, has comfortable booths, ocean views, and video monitors offering a variety of sports programs or CNN, and a non-alcoholic juice bar serving protein and power drinks. Next door, The Zone morphs into a disco and karaoke spot after dark. Adjacent to the Royal Palm Bistro on deck 12 aft you'll find the delightfully intimate Plantation Club. Each of the ship's other bars has its own unique ambiance, and there's something for every mood at the Blue Hawaii Night Club, which offers shows, dancing to live music, and disco.
There is an Internet cafe onboard that offers wireless service, but only in the vicinity of the cafe.
Cabins:
Pride of Aloha's cabins range from a small 121 sq. ft. for a standard inside to 149 sq. ft. for an oceanview. The closet space is inadequate for a week, the reading lights over the bed too low, and tiny door handles difficult to open. All that said, each cabin is pleasantly decorated and has a small sitting area, TV/radio, telephone, modem connection, refrigerator, safe and individual thermostat. Plus something rarely seen on a cruise ship, an actual coffee-maker in every cabin. A daily movie program is available on the TV, along with CNN and another satellite channel. All but a few outside cabins on Fjord and Norway decks (just 154 sq. ft.) have adequate balconies with chairs.
Suite residents enjoy concierge service. The penthouses and owner's suites, located fore and aft, are larger (between 311 and 398 sq. ft., depending on location), with teak decks and private hot tubs on the deck of the owners' suites. There are also connecting cabins for families.
Fitness/Spa:
The Pool Deck, Sports Deck and Sun Deck are expansive, and sheltered from the wind. You'll enjoy the views they offer as you sail into a spectacular port. Forward on the Pool Deck, the Body Waves fitness center has one room filled (too filled, in fact!) with up-to-date equipment, and a view, and another for aerobics classes. The free weights area can accommodate only one buffed person at a time. A full-size basketball/volleyball court on the Sports Deck, two golf driving ranges, a batting cage, jogging track and aerobics classes scheduled throughout the day round out the program.
The Steiner Body Waves Spa includes massage and steam rooms. Do note that some of the "traditional" Hawaii massage treatments they claim to offer, such as the Lomi Lomi massage, are not as authentic as they are when received in the islands because they require well-trained and disciplined therapists who know the craft. Also note that the service fees in the Spa include a space for an additional tip, but that does not go to your therapist (it is pooled) so if you want to tip your therapist, take cash. Two pools and four hot tubs on the Pool Deck are protected from the wind and thus enjoyable in most weather. A children's splash pool and another hot tub are forward on the Sports Deck. There are counselors and special programs in the Kid's Korner, as well as a teen disco.
Attire:
"Freestyle Cruising" means you can get as dressed up -- or down -- as you please. It doesn't mean that you're free to wear blue jeans or shorts in restaurants or public areas after 6 p.m.
Tipping:
NCL had to change its tipping policies after Pride of Aloha became an American-flagged vessel with an all-American crew, sailing round-trip from a U.S. port; the standard prepaid gratuity gave way to a mandatory $10 "service charge." In bars, you must add a tip manually, while spa charges have a 15% gratuity automatically added. The "service charge" of $10 per person per day is added to the bill, replacing a gratuity. Rotten service has embarrassed NCL into canceling pre-paid tipping entirely on many sailings; if you find someone good, be sure to slip him or her a buck or two.
