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NCL expects to add crew members and open additional restaurants and bars in the coming month but doesn't anticipate being at full capacity with all venues open until late November or December. For the best value, book when NCL is offering a Free at Sea promo that includes a complimentary beverage package, Wi-Fi, and specialty dining as well as discounts on shore excursions since this can save you a bundle. With any cruise in Hawaii, you’re only going to get to see a few highlights of each island and that’s it. There’s far more to see and do on every island than what can be toured in just one or even two days! We’ve created some excellent week-long vacation itineraries for each Hawaiian Island.
Dining and Drinking Aboard the Pride of America
Our cruise fare with a balcony room, the beverage package, speciality dining package and some nominal credits totaled $4,768 for the two of us. The food and stateroom experience felt budget-level, but the cruise cost was far from being a budget price. Our travel package included three specialty dining options.
THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT Hawaii Cruises
Feel free to let the gentle breezes of Waikīkī stir up your Aloha spirit as you set out to explore the Hawaiian islands with Norwegian. Soak up the vibes as you sink your toes in a black-sand beach before your trek to the top of Haleakalā — Maui’s massive volcano. When the sun sets, get ready for unforgettable stargazing well past midnight. You’ll have plenty of time to explore the culture, sights and local flavor of five unique ports including O`ahu, Maui, Hilo, Kona and Kaua`i. Looking to make the most out of your time in the region?
How many islands should you visit during your Hawaii vacation?
While it’s considered a non-obstructed room, we felt that the view of the lifeboat wasn’t exactly unobstructed. Hawaii cruises that include French Polynesia are one way, longer than a week, and often include Papeete, Bora Bora, and Moorea. The big, blue Pacific and stunning Koolau mountains serve as a dramatic setting for Hawaii's largest city. Catch a glimpse of history by visiting Pearl Harbor and the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific. Entertainment onboard is more low-key than on other NCL ships, which are known for their Broadway musicals and high-gloss production shows. Aboard Pride of America, performances are limited to vocalists, comedians, movie screenings, and game-show-like contests.
EXCURSIONS
Discover the recently refurbished Norwegian Spirit as you witness the South Pacific’s untouched islands on a Hawaii and French Polynesia cruise. Experience the lush forests, crystal-clear turquoise waters and colorful undersea life that will have you feeling like you are in paradise. If you'd rather dive into a snorkel adventure, two top catamaran excursions are the six-hour Molokini Crater & Turtle Snorkel ($249 per person) or the 8.5-hour Lanai Sail & Snorkel ($229). I did Molokini—an offshore crescent-shaped crater that's home to more than 250 species of tropical fish—on my first visit to Hawaii and enjoyed it. Some fellow passengers I spoke with on the recent cruise did Lanai and encountered lots of sea turtles and spinner dolphins. Further west, stop in historic Lahaina, which is home to a massive 149-year-old banyan tree along with galleries, shops, and restaurants.
Explore Hawaii
The fitness center is by far the largest we’ve ever seen on a cruise ship. It was also one of the most sparsely populated areas of the ship. In addition to the fitness center, water aerobics was offered at the pool. Unfortunately, our full days of exploring the islands plus our jet lag got the best of us most evenings. So we didn’t get to catch one of the evening shows in the Hollywood Theater.
CRUISE ITINERARIES
Check out our video overview from our Pride of America cruise of Hawaii. That said, there's definitely some strategy required to maximize your on-island experience. Having just returned in mid-May from my second Pride of America sailing (the first was in 2006 not long after the ship's debut), I'm happy to share advice that can help you enjoy your Hawaii experience. The itinerary is excellent and the island destinations are fantastic.
Non-Stop Travel Presents an Exclusive Island Cruise Offer for Kama‘aina - KHON2
Non-Stop Travel Presents an Exclusive Island Cruise Offer for Kama‘aina.
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For a ship that’s dedicated to sailing within the Hawaiian Islands every day of the year for many years, it sure could use more Hawaiian or tropical decor. If you’ve never been to Hawaii or tend to just go to one of the islands, this itinerary is a very good one. The Pride of America itinerary is especially good if you’re short on time and you want to get a taste of each of the four major islands. It’s a very efficient itinerary in that you travel from island to island while you’re having dinner, enjoying evening entertainment and sleeping. Only Norwegian lets you visit four islands in seven days, which means you're on an island each and every day! Since we are the only cruise line that homeports in Hawaii, offering convenient year-round Saturday departures, you can vacation on your schedule.
There are bubblegum hues in Pink's Champagne Bar, for instance, and a riot of vivid bead-inspired colors in the Mardi Gras Cabaret Lounge & Nightclub. There are two pools, multiple hot tubs and lots of appealing outside deck space—including the Aloha Lanai Bar aft on deck 11—ideal for sail-away cocktails at sunset. New – we’ve compiled a detailed list of what to see and do on a cruise at each Hawaiian port. So, those were all kind of first-world problems, but still, when you’re paying for a good experience and not getting it, it’s disappointing.
Norwegian Cruise Line is known for their “freestyle” dining. You can dine when you like, where you like and with who you like. You are not limited to a set dining time or assigned to a group table. The ship’s plumbing seemed to be an issue occasionally.
We always enjoy Hawaii regional cuisine at restaurants in Hawaii, but we didn’t find anything like that on the ship. At the Aloha Cafe on the final evening, they tried to have a “Taste of Hawaii” dinner, but it was disappointing. So, from a culinary standpoint, the ship doesn’t offer a true Hawaiian experience. A limited number of beverages are included in the standard cruise fare. Regular coffee, tea and ice water are generally your only “free” options, except some fruit juices at the breakfast buffet.
As of early June, only Cagney's Steakhouse and Jefferson Bistro are open, along with complimentary dining venues Skyline Main Dining Room, Aloha Café, and Cadillac Diner. The ship, which carries 2,186 passengers at full occupancy but is sailing at 50 percent capacity through at least November 2022, is 17 years old and unique to the NCL fleet. It features a distinctly Americana theme—the main reception area resembles something straight out of Jeffersonian Washington, D.C.—with décor that's kitschy and colorful rather than contemporary and neutral. We did some price comparison between what the ship offered and what we could find independently. We noticed that the closer that we got to our sailing date, the prices of the excursions increased.
The ship provides soap and shampoo in dispenser containers. It’s nice that you don’t have to worry about individual plastic containers and that’s a win for the environment. It would have been better to have had a name brand soap and shampoo or something with a tropical scent to fit the Hawaiian Islands, instead of of what appears as a mass-produced, inexpensive product. The bathroom is quite small with limited storage space. The following photo actually makes it appear larger than it really is.
There are no days a sea on the Pride of America and every day is spent in Hawaii. Learn about the latest ships and destinations by browsing hundreds of questions (and the answers to those questions) posted by real cruisers. If you happen not to find what you’re looking for, you can even post a question of your own. If you love seafood, reserve a table (at least three months in advance) at Mama's Fish House for some of the freshest catches imaginable—yes, it's pricy, but totally worth the splurge. The Pride of America offers quite a bit of entertainment and activities.
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