Jump to content

Pride of America (POA) - Review of cruise November 16-23, 2013


Midnight Blue
 Share

Recommended Posts

Introduction

 

I and my family of choice just completed a cruise on Pride of America (POA) from November 16-23, 2013. Some of you may have followed my trials and tribulations with NCL leading up to the cruise (see my other posts both on this forum as well as in the Hawaii forum). This review will not revisit those issues unless it’s necessary to explain something that pertains to the cruise itself. This post (and the follow up posts) will focus on the cruise itself, with some commentary on our pre- and post-cruise activities.

To orient you to who is telling the story, my ohana is made up of 3 adults ranging in age from our late 40s to our late 60s. We are all fairly active, although one of us (my partner) is 40% disabled due to injuries she received while in military service with the U.S. Marine Corps. None of us are big on laying on beaches and soaking up sun. We like great food, getting off the beaten path, learning about the ecology of the places we're visiting, and in at least the case of one of us... shopping. (Yes, that would be me.)

This review will not be a chronological, full-blown travelogue of our day to day schedule, sightseeing, meals, etc. Others have done a fine job of posting that kind of review for this particular cruise ship itinerary, so you don’t need me to do to it again. Instead, I am splitting the review up into topics such as “Introduction,” “Embarkation,” “The Ship,” “The Suite - 12006,” “The Off Ship Activities,” etc. This first post is the introduction and then I’ll respond to this post, addressing a different topic in each of my responses. As noted, this review will not necessarily be in chronological order – for example, I’ll lump pre- and post- cruise comments together in a topic at the end of the review.

The review also will not feature lots of photos – again, others who are better at photography than I am have already provided beautiful shots of the amazing scenery. I do plan to post some photos of our particular suite at the appropriate time in the review and possibly an exterior shot or two of the infamous Deck 13 suites overlooking the pool.

I hope you find this review helpful. I know how much I have learned from the reviews many of you have written, so I appreciate the chance to “pay it forward.” Mahalo!

Edited by Midnight Blue
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Let me start by making some general comments on the reason we’re all here – The Pride of America. There have been many reviews and comments written here at CruiseCritic about this ship. Even after POA came out of drydock earlier this year, many people have commented that the ship isn’t attractive or looks worn.

 

What is everyone complaining about? Clearly, I must have received a surprise call from the Ship Upgrade Fairy and found myself on a different ship than the one I’ve seen described here.

 

The POA in my estimation was lovely and in very good shape. I and my family saw evidence everywhere of the upgrades done during drydock. No, she isn’t a brand- spanking-new-with-every-bell-and-whistle-Breakaway kind of ship. But clearly, NCL put significant money into spiffing her up and it shows.

 

The only “downside” is if you like a ship with a big, multistory atrium/Main Street kind of configuration, POA will disappoint you. Yes, it has the center area with the presidential seal embedded in the floor, curved staircases and some lovely stained glass, but that’s it. Also, if you need a ship with the latest waterslide, newest pool, waverider, miniature golf, etc. then this isn’t the ship for you.

 

But if you’re looking for a freshened up ship that has a more intimate, manageable feel to it, POA is it. She does have all new carpet in the public areas. Everything looked painted and polished nicely – no evidence of any significant wear and tear. At least some of the deck loungers looked new to me, and none of them looked worn out. One of my family members was on his first cruise and his major concern was that he would feel claustrophobic on the ship. He didn’t on POA.

 

I'll make separate posts about the ship's restaurants, spa, entertainment, staff, etc. so stayed tuned for those.

I do have to note that on the first night out of Honolulu, this ship rocked and rolled, and I don’t mean in the musical sense. Granted, it’s winter and apparently that means larger waves around Oahu. Our suite was higher up in the ship (Deck 12) and forward, making movement more likely to be felt. And all of my cruising to date has been in the Caribbean and Gulf of Mexico (the Gulf is like cruising in a bathtub, most of the time). But I still was surprised when I had to break out the Dramamine. Things seemed to calm down as the week went on.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks for taking the time to share your experience. Out of all the ships I have been on, the interior decor on the POA is right up there on the top of my list. The Liberty Dining room for example beats any restaurant on the Dawn and Jewel class in my opinion. The Library, Pink's Champagne bar, the Bistro..all very well done.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

My ohana stayed in 12006. This suite (the Grande Suite) happens to be unique on the POA -- there isn't another one like it (or really even close to it), so please keep in mind that my comments about it can't necessarily be generalized to any other suite or stateroom on the ship.

 

First of all, this suite is BIG. It's over 1,300 square feet, including the balcony. It sits pretty far forward on the ship on the starboard side of Deck 12. Even though the Key West Bar and pool access as well as the kid's club are located on this deck, the suite was very quiet. No noise issues.

 

NCL booking representatives had told me nothing had been done to 12006 during the drydock and subsequent refurbishment other than to replace the carpet. That was absolutely not correct. In fact, 12006 received a full makeover -- new carpet, completely new furniture, new flat screen TVs, new curtains, etc. The color scheme is now gold, brown, and burgundy (rather than the old color scheme of shocking pink the website displayed). The suite is very nice, and ranks up there with some very fine hotels. Other amenities provided include a set of binoculars and a laptop computer on the desk in the bedroom (internet minutes are NOT included).

 

I can absolutely confirm without question that 12006 is a one bedroom suite. There is a real, honest to goodness bedroom with a sliding door -- not a curtain. The bed in the bedroom is king sized and quite comfortable. The mattress feels new. The famous NCL Pillow Menu provided me with a variety of pillow options, which I took full advantage of.

 

The couch in the living area folds out into a king sized bed. We requested that an egg crate mattress topper be put on it and it was fine. Not as comfortable as the bed in the bedroom, but quite livable. We had the cabin steward put the bed back into couch configuration in the morning and then make it up as a bed each night when we went out for the evening.

 

The suite has a large living room area that includes a seating area with a sofa, several chairs and a coffee table; a wetbar area with a sink, small refrigerator, bar/counter and several stools; a butler's pantry with another sink, storage, the famous Lavazza coffee maker and small refrigerator (no microwave); and a dining area with a table and 6 chairs. A small 1/2 bath is just off the entrance way with a toilet and sink. The living room also contains my vote for Most Wasted Space in a Cruise Ship Suite -- a baby grand player piano. My family used it as a place to put all those things we didn't want to forget when we went out, as well as the designated spot to leave each other notes.

 

The bedroom contains as noted earlier a king sized bed. It also has two bedside tables and a small desk and chair. The walk in closet is very large and has plenty of both hanging and drawer space. The three of us didn't come close to filling the closet.

 

In addition to the guest half bath, there is a very large en suite master bath. It includes a very long counter with storage and two sinks and a smaller dressing table area with lighted mirror, stool and additional storage. The toilet is in an enclosed space with a glass door which also has another counter and sink. The shower is glass enclosed with a rainshower head (my favorite). There also is a jacuzzi tub large enough for two. Finally, the bathroom features a large window that lets in lots of natural light.

 

One of the highlights of this suite is, of course, the lanai. It stretches the full length of the suite, and that entire wall of the suite is glass, giving you fabulous views. The lanai has a dining table that seats 6, a couple of additional chairs, two chaise loungers and a storage chest. There also is a hot tub that seats 4. We used the hot tub several times over the course of the week and really enjoyed having it right there. Even with all of that, the balcony still has lots of room. All of the balcony furniture was new and it looked to me like the decking on the balcony may also be new.

 

Overall, we were very, very happy with 12006. Although I didn't go into any other Deck 12 suites, based on glimpses of them, it looked to me as though all the suites on this deck were refreshed in the same was as 12006.

 

Next, I'll make a short post about some CC wisdom that just doesn't apply to POA 12006 and then I'll try to post some photos of the suite.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Let me take a moment to dispel a few common beliefs that are often shared here on CC that just don't apply to 12006. Your mileage may vary when it comes to other staterooms on POA and definitely on any other ship.

 

Myth 1: Every wall in a ship stateroom is metal, so bring magnets to tack up things in your cabin.

 

Truth: In POA 12006, the only metal walls I could fine were the door to the suite an the door to the half bath just inside of the suite. A roll of transparent tape would have been more useful. (Or in the case of 12006, just put everything on the top of the grand piano!)

 

Myth 2: You need to bring something to hang up to put all of your toiletries in because there is very little storage space. (Over the door shoe organizers are highly recommended.)

 

Truth: There were 3 of us. We desperately tried to fill all of the storage space in the suite and couldn't. I estimate that we filled maybe of 1/2 of the available storage space. And the doors were too thick to hang up the over the door storage organizers. This is one of those things that is almost certainly unique to 12006, but if you stay in this suite, storage space is the last thing you have to worry about.

 

Myth 3: There are only a few electrical outlets. Bring power bars.

 

Truth: In fact, there were many electrical outlets in 12006. We did use one of the two power bars we brought because there weren't a lot of outlets near the couch when it was folded out as a bed. But seriously. There are lots of outlets.

 

Myth 4: When you wash out a few things in the sink, you can hang them on the clothesline in the bathtub.

 

Truth: Not in 12006. You've got the separate shower/jacuzzi tub thing going, so no clothesline. (If you're wondering, I stretched mine between a couple of chairs on the lanai.)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

There's been a lot of discussion on this website about the Deck 13 Suites on the POA. I did not see the interiors of any of those suites, but here are some photos of the Deck 13 suites which have balconies overlooking the pool. To orient you, I took the photos from Deck 12, looking toward the front (forward) part of the ship -- so these balconies face toward the back (aft) part of the ship. The pool and live entertainment are on Deck 11, there are deck chairs and the Key West Bar and Grill on Deck 12 (where I'm standing) and then the suites directly above on Deck 13. Anyone looking out of the balconies in these photos will see immediately below them the pool and Key West Bar and Grill, and then down the length of the ship. To the right and left, a person on the balcony of one of these suties could see ocean, island, whatever the ship is passing at that point, but would be seeing it through the high glass panels that surround this deck.

 

 

11060550014_9872ced39e_n.jpg

IMG_0606 by titaniumfemme, on Flickr

 

 

11060591533_5b1d3ef1e4_n.jpg

IMG_0607 by titaniumfemme, on Flickr

 

 

11060521626_c0a968c16c_n.jpg

IMG_0608 by titaniumfemme, on Flickr

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi MidnightBlue,

 

We were very glad to hear from you.

 

It's sounding like you had a good cruise?

Still waiting for your comments about the plumbing leak - did they get it fixed before your arrival? And it's good to know there is a "proper" bedroom (one at least!), because the floor plans didn't make that clear at all.

 

Meanwhile, we had an unexpected event.

DH had emergency surgery yesterday, and we've just cancelled our entire trip. The trip was to celebrate a couple of major life events, so it's especially difficult. But health comes first.

He should be okay, but he'll need frequent monitoring for a while.

(We'll reschedule. This trip to Hawaii has been a dream for many years.)

 

We look forward to reading the rest of your reports!

Thanks for the time you are spending, so we can all learn more about the pros/cons...

 

GeezerCouple

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi MidnightBlue,

 

We were very glad to hear from you.

 

It's sounding like you had a good cruise?

Still waiting for your comments about the plumbing leak - did they get it fixed before your arrival? And it's good to know there is a "proper" bedroom (one at least!), because the floor plans didn't make that clear at all.

 

Meanwhile, we had an unexpected event.

DH had emergency surgery yesterday, and we've just cancelled our entire trip. The trip was to celebrate a couple of major life events, so it's especially difficult. But health comes first.

He should be okay, but he'll need frequent monitoring for a while.

(We'll reschedule. This trip to Hawaii has been a dream for many years.)

 

We look forward to reading the rest of your reports!

Thanks for the time you are spending, so we can all learn more about the pros/cons...

 

GeezerCouple

 

Bottom line, I and my family did have a very good cruise -- thanks for asking! I'll try to post some more installments tonight. It will probably take me a few days to get through all the topics, but I'll move it along as quickly as time and upcoming "Turkey coma" will allow.

 

The leak in the bathroom was not fixed before my arrival but turned out to be quite manageable. It was definitely water (not sewage of any kind) and a towel on the floor easily dealt with the problem. Just before the cruise, NCL gave me additional, appropriate OBC compensation for all of my additional stress and worry about the leak. Bottom line, we're glad we stayed in 12006 and didn't move to another suite.

 

I am so very sorry you've had to cancel your trip. Please know that you're both in my thoughts for a speedy recovery. And you definitely have to reschedule -- as I hope my review ultimately shows, it's a cruise worth taking!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Another much written on topic when it comes to POA is the service (or lack thereof). The general agreement seems to be that the all U.S. staff on the POA just doesn't provide the same level of service as can be found on other NCL ships or other comparable cruise lines with international crews. (Interestingly enough, I was told by several crew members that POA's crew now is actually 80% U.S. citizens and 20% citizens of other countries.)

 

To give you a sense of my point of view in rating service, it's probably worth knowing that in addition to NCL, I've cruised Carnival and RCCI ships with international crews. I've stayed in more than my fair share of 5 star hotels and dined at a number of 5 star restaurants.

 

Personally, I thought the service was not especially better or worse than what I've experienced on Carnival or RCCI. Sure, there were some occasions when service was lacking (our servers in Moderno and the Cadillac Grill), but there were also times when the service was really outstanding (our butler, our server a couple of times in Cagney's, the people with the squirt bottles saying "washee washee" with smiles on their faces every time). I can't remember ever passing a staff member without receiving a smile and an "Aloha" or "how are you today?" The biggest issue for me was that when something would go "wrong," instead of just apologizing and making it right, several of the staff said things like, "Oh, someone else gave me the wrong information" or "That was so and so's fault." Note to POA staff -- if you're the one on the spot when a problem arises, it doesn't matter whose "fault" it is. Just apologize and fix it. Work out the fault issue later with your colleagues, when the guest isn't around.

 

Was the service on POA 5 star service -- no, it wasn't. Was it bad enough to really impact my cruise experience -- no, it wasn't. Should NCL continue to work on the POA service issue -- absolutely, because this isn't a cheap cruise and NCL's customers deserve to get their money's worth. But if you'd like to see Hawaii by cruise ship, don't let the relatively small service lapses deter you from taking a look at POA.

 

Here are my thoughts on some specific staff members who made impressions on me (for better or for worse):

 

George the Butler-- George is a rock star. Just that simple. I know the butler is supposed to handle everything in the suite and the concierge everything outside the suite, but George did it all. From making sure that our wine was predelivered to the restaurant to be chilled and ready for our arrival, to delivering the daily afternoon snack, to making restaurant reservations, to ordering desserts to be boxed up and delivered to our suite, to escorting us to the head of the line to get off of the ship in port, to showing up in the restaurant to make sure our dinner was to our liking, to keeping our suite stocked with San Pellagrino, George did it all and more. With a smile. If you are lucky enough to be assigned George as your butler, get down on your knees and thank the Cruise Fairy because your cruise just got 100% better.

 

Thomas the Concierge-- Thomas was an excellent concierge. He was in Cagney's every morning to find out if we needed anything. He showed up every evening where we were eating dinner to check that everything was okay and to see if we needed anything. He personally escorted us to the head of the line for the Kona tender boat. He arranged for a porter and a taxi and escorted us off the ship when we departed. Really outstanding service.

 

Leo the Cabin Steward-- Leo started out a little slow in the service department -- for example, he seemed a little shocked that we actually wanted him to put away the sofa bed every morning -- but he improved over the course of the week. He was very pleasant and always had a smile for us.

 

Guest Services -- The couple of interactions I had with Guest Services were pleasant. The desk was well staffed and easy to deal with. My only quibble is that when I wanted to use OBC to cover gratuities for our butler and concierge, the Supervisor at the desk said that wasn't possible. I explained that yes, it was possible -- I understood I couldn't use the kind of OBC I had to cover the DSC, but that it could be used to cover gratuities outside of the DSC. He finally called his supervisor, who told him I was correct. So if you find yourself in the same situation, don't take no for an answer. Make them call someone.

 

Restaurant Staff -- Generally good, if not always super polished. The service in Moderno was disappointing -- a waiter who seemed bored and then chided us for not sampling all 10 of the meats on offer. And while I didn't expect much in the service department in the Cadillac Grill, it would have been nice to feel the server cared. At all.

 

Cruise Director-- I didn't really do any of the stuff that would have brought me in close contact with the Cruise Director. He seemed pleasant enough and was quite visible around the ship. I never quite got over hearing him introduce himself as Marky Marc, though.

 

Next up... food on the ship....

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Is there a side of the ship that you recommend?

 

If the lava isn't flowing, the Starboard side might not be as important?

Which side has better viewing of arriving and departing from the different ports? Or other considerations?

 

Your comments are REALLY helpful!

 

Thanks very much.

 

GeezerCouple

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The only “downside” is if you like a ship with a big, multistory atrium/Main Street kind of configuration, POA will disappoint you.

 

This is one of thing we like about NCL is the lack of gaudiness to their atriums and they seem to make good use of the space unlike the overtop gaudiness of Carnival ships.

Edited by Ilovesailing
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Is there a side of the ship that you recommend?

 

If the lava isn't flowing, the Starboard side might not be as important?

Which side has better viewing of arriving and departing from the different ports? Or other considerations?

 

Your comments are REALLY helpful!

 

Thanks very much.

 

GeezerCouple

 

There's definitely no lava flowing into the sea, I'm sad to report. So you're right -- being on the starboard side doesn't have any particular advantages right now.

 

The ship does sail by the Na Pali coast line with the port side facing the coast first. This is when the cultural ambassadors give some information about what you're seeing. BUT you can only hear that narration if you are on the port side and are in a public area, such as around the pool (where everyone is jammed against the port rail). If you're on your private lanai (even on the port side), you won't hear the narration. The ship comes to a brief full stop with the port side facing the coast line. Then it sails on and turns around, making a very slow pass (no stopping) along the coastline so that the starboard side of the ship has the view. So to me, there wasn't much difference between being on the port side or the starboard side in terms of seeing the Na Pali coastline. (Which was quite magnificent, I might add!)

 

Generally when the ship is in port, the starboard side is facing land. Frankly, none of the ports are much to look at -- all of them except Kona are industrial areas.

 

Bottom line for me is that I didn't see much difference between the port and starboard sides. If I were sailing POA again, I'd just pick the cabin configuration and location I liked best, and not really worry about whether it was on the port or starboard side.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'll second your sentiments about George - he is fantastic & I echoed many of your comments in my review from our trip in May. Sounds like we had a different concierge & CD than you did though. Thanks so much for your review; I'm really enjoying reading along!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Please sign in to comment

You will be able to leave a comment after signing in



Sign In Now
 Share

  • Forum Jump
    • Categories
      • Welcome to Cruise Critic
      • New Cruisers
      • Cruise Lines “A – O”
      • Cruise Lines “P – Z”
      • River Cruising
      • ROLL CALLS
      • Digital Photography & Cruise Technology
      • Special Interest Cruising
      • Cruise Discussion Topics
      • UK Cruising
      • Australia & New Zealand Cruisers
      • Canadian Cruisers
      • North American Homeports
      • Ports of Call
      • Cruise Conversations
×
×
  • Create New...