Review Pride of America - 24 June '06

General

This is a long review!

This review is from a visitor to the USA's point of view, we are from Scotland but have visited the US many times before. My 2 sisters and I were celebrating my older sisters' 50th birthday so this was a special trip for us that had been over a year in the planning. We all wanted this to be special so was a bit apprehensive when I read all the negative reviews about this cruise.

This was our 4th cruise so we knew what to expect, 2 had been with Princess and 1 had been with Super Star cruise lines in Asia. We flew to Las Vegas and had a great time seeing all the shows and the spectacular hotels etc. We then flew to Honolulu the night before the cruise and stayed at the Hilton Hawaiian Village Beach Resort. This is a lovely hotel, on a great setting and we thoroughly enjoyed our one night there.

Embarkation

We left the hotel at 12.05pm and were on board by 12.50pm, it was very easy as we had completed the pre-registration prior to leaving home. One thing to note, my sister had brought a bottle of French Champagne with her in order to have it on our other sister's 50th birthday. They found it when scanning the hand luggage, so she was told it would be confiscated and she could either spend $15 corkage to get it back or she could get it on the last night. A gentleman in front of her had a half bottle of whisky which had been opened, he was told that it would be destroyed as the seal was broken. So beware, if you do take anything on board, then don't break the seal if you want it returned. He should have put it into a ginger ale bottle then their suspicions would not have been aroused. Although on Kona, they actually opened my bottle of sprite to smell it in case it was vodka!!

Our suite was not ready but we were invited to a welcoming party with the Concierge on the 13th floor at 1.30pm. To our surprise James the Concierge was also from Scotland, from a town less than 20 miles from where we lived. We had a great time drinking champagne and James telling us all about the restaurants on the ship and that we would have to complete a form telling him which restaurants we wanted to eat in each evening. I did tell my sisters we should book the restaurants straight away but decided that we would complete the form and James could do it for us. This was a mistake as by the time James started calling the restaurants most had already been booked up. We had to eat earlier on one of the formal nights than we really wanted and had to eat in the Liberty on 2 nights, when we had wanted to eat in the Skyline on one of those nights. Although our other reservations were confirmed, but we really should have made the bookings ourselves when we got on board.

Suite

We had booked a Penthouse Suite on the 10th deck, our room steward was Lori, she was great getting everything we wanted as soon as we asked for it. We had a bottle of champagne waiting for us, which was lovely as on Princess we only got a glass each on arrival! The room is a bit gaudy – purples and pinks, and not as large as our suites on Princess, but we found a place for everything, and even managed to get 6 big suitcases and 3 carry-ons under the bed!!! One thing that Princess was better for and that was the bathroom, we had been used to a separate shower and bath, and the bathrooms were much bigger on Princess than on NCL. Another difference is that on Princess the toilet and washbasin was a separate room from the bath and shower room. With 3 women sharing a bathroom, this is a major bonus.

We had our champagne on the balcony which was really big table and 4 chairs and 2 sun loungers.

Little Italy

Our first meal was in Little Italy, our waiter Romy from Guam was really good, as was our meals. We went back to Little Italy on our last night, the service was a bit slower as there were 2 large parties in front of us. Our two waiters made up for the wait as you would have thought they were comedians, they should have been on stage. We tipped as we went as well as paying the $10 pp obligatory tips each day that are added to your account.

Hilo

Two of us went on the Volcanoes National Park tour, this was a good trip, but I would have preferred it to end after lunch as we weren't really interested in the Macadamia Nut Factory, the gardens and the waterfall. The other one went to the Nani Mau & Akaka Falls which was good.

We were invited to a cocktail party with the captain which was really great with the champagne flowing and a chance to meet the other suite guests and of course the captain and the other officers. We had our photos taken with the captain which my sister bought as a souvenir. This was a bit different to Princess as their cocktail parties with the captain also include all the other guests that have cruised with Princess before, so they tend to be much larger and less intimate.

That night we ate in Lazy J Steak House. This was a really lovely restaurant and the food was excellent, the service was also very good.

About 10.15pm we sailed by Mount Kilauea and the lava show was spectacular, we saw it from our balcony as the ship turned around to let everyone see it.

Maui

Two of us went on the Haleaka Crater tour, this was really good but if I'd been in my 20's I think I would have done the tour that takes you to the top of the Crater, then you get on bikes and you bike down to the bottom. We passed loads of different tours doing this, they all looked as if they were having a great time. There was one guy in front making sure everyone was OK and the van that carried the bikes up was at the back of the group to ensure no other vehicle passed their group. Going down, the sheer drop was right beside them, but with concentration they were fine.

We all went to the Pacific Paradise Luau where the Mai Tai's and the Blue Hawaii's were flowing. The food was very good but the drinks had very little alcohol in them. The dancers were excellent but the fire eater really stole the show.

Maui (day 2)

All of us did Lahaina on your own. It's very easy to get around and the little town was really lovely. We passed a very nasty accident with a tour bus and a pick up truck, so be careful if you are hiring a car.

This was the first optional formal night. Most people did get dressed up. We ate at the Liberty Restaurant, which was lovely. I had been expecting something more gaudy but I was wrong, it was very well done. The service here was very good and the food was also.

Kona

Today was my sister's birthday. Jeffrey our butler brought Champagne Mimosas along with our breakfast which was lovely. We had breakfast on our balcony which we did every morning, but this time we could relax and not have to rush off for an excursion. We went into Kona on the tender and when we returned Jeffrey and Lori had decorated our suite and had left a birthday cake and another bottle of champagne for us. I had ordered the birthday package from home which included the decorations and the cake but not the champagne, which was from Jeffrey and Lori.

We ate at Jeffersons Bistro which was really lovely with Versace charger plates, fine china and a lovely atmosphere. My sister also had a card to hand to the Maitre d' on arrival to say it was her birthday. This brought yet another birthday cake out with all the waiters singing happy birthday to her. She was well impressed. We also paid the $15 corkage for our bottle of French Champagne for the birthday celebrations. It was well worth it as the same bottle would have cost us $100 from the wine list.

Kauai

We all did Hollywood in Hawaii tour which took us to all the places on the island where major movies were filmed. This island is my favourite as the scenery really is spectacular.

This was the second optional formal night, where a lot of people did get dressed up but not as many as on the first night. We ate at the Liberty Restaurant again (we couldn't get into Skyline). Again the food was very good and so was the service.

Kauai (day 2)

We all did the Grand Deluxe island tour on a Cessna plane with Wings over Kauai (not from the ship). This was a great way to see the island from the air, very personal, and with only 3 seats plus the pilot, we had the plane to ourselves. It was a bit bumpier than a helicopter but much cheaper than the helicopter rides the ship was offering.

We had asked Jeffrey to bring the rest of the birthday cake at 3pm so that we could finish it up, it was huge, even after giving Lori and Jeffrey a huge piece on the first day, there was still half left. At 3pm Jeffrey and Lori wheeled in the cake, plates, napkins, and yet another bottle of champagne! We asked if they would join us, which they were delighted to.

We sailed by the Napali coast at 5.15pm which was terrific. Go to the aft of the ship to the back of the Aloha Cafe where you are outside and have a great view. Some people were a bit selfish and had pulled their tables right up to the railings so no-one else could get near to get their photos. Also there are stairs up to deck 12 from here, which is even better for photos. Although again people were inconsiderate and had pulled the loungers right forward so no-one could get near the railings. I wish people were more considerate to others.

We ate in Little Italy, but if you were not there at 5.30pm you really would not get an advantage spot to see the Napali coast.

Disembarkation

We had put our luggage out the previous night and as we had VIP luggage labels we could disembark any time. We had breakfast in the Skyline, where we had to wait 40 mins for our breakfast. This was the first time we had experienced the slow service. Disembarkation was as easy as embarkation, our luggage was waiting for us in the VIP area, we found someone to help with our 6 suitcases who also found us a taxi. We were on our way within minutes to the airport for our next port of call on our trip – San Francisco.

Thoughts

I must say that we really enjoyed our holiday and cruise with NCL. Here are my thoughts:

• NCL caters for suite guests better than Princess
  
• Food and service and different variety of restaurants is better with NCL than Princess
  
• Butler service is great with NCL – does not exist on Princess
  
• Princess bathrooms are bigger than NCL
  
• Princess shows and entertainment are better than NCL
  

I asked my two sisters which cruise line is better, both said NCL! I tend to agree.

Hawaii is lovely, although Kauai is my favourite island, the others are not as spectacular as other places in the world I've visited.

Go with an open mind, and enjoy your holiday, we certainly did. It was a 50th birthday to remember.

I must say that we really enjoyed our holiday and cruise with NCL. Here are my thoughts:

 

*Food and service and different variety of restaurants is better with NCL than Princess

 

I asked my two sisters which cruise line is better, both said NCL! I tend to agree.

Thank you for the thoughtful review. I hope those that come to the NCL board to tell us how much better the food is on Princess will take the time to read it.

[And, maybe, garycarla, there really IS reason for someone to cruise NCLA.]

Thank you for your review. Great details. When I hear good things about POA, I can't wait to go. It erases all those picky little nasty things people write. Thanks for adding to the excitement! I'm booking it tomorrow!

Thank you for taking the time to write about your POAm Cruise. We are under 2 months away from ours and are looking forward to a great time.

I must say that I amire your memory for detail of the entire cruise, while it seemed as if the champagne and cocktails flowed from start to finish. I'll try to keep up with you!!! :)

Like everyone else, thanks for a positive approach on an NCLA ship: as I have said several times the past few weeks, I have clients who were very happy sailing her and can't wait to repeat the cruise next year. maybe it takes 2 years to iron out the problems on the NCLA ships. That is how long she has been in the water. NMnita

Hi Scotland!! Your review just made me even more excited for our 1/6/07 cruise on POAm :) Thanks for the helpful hint on booking our own restaurant reservations...We are also staying in a suite and would like the optimal times for dinner if possible.

How long did it take to cruise the Napali coast?

About what time did you start seeing the Napali coast?

Did the ship make a turn here also so both sides could see it?

Which side was it on?

Has anyone been on the POAm when it didn't make the turn at the lava flow.

Why did you prefer the Skyline dining room over Liberty? Aren't the two main dining rooms esssentially duplicates of each other?

Thank you so much for the great review and I'm so glad you had a wonderful vacation. I do have a question about your day in Lahaina.

Did you take the shuttle the ship offers at $25.00 per person to Lahaina and if you did how late does the last shuttle come back to the ship?

How long did it take to cruise the Napali coast?

About what time did you start seeing the Napali coast?

Did the ship make a turn here also so both sides could see it?

Which side was it on?

 

Has anyone been on the POAm when it didn't make the turn at the lava flow.

The cruise around the Napali coast started about 5.15pm.

By about 6pm we started sailing away from it. We had

reservations in Little Italy at 6.30pm and the coast line

was in the distance.

The ship did not make a turn here, so you need to go to

the Port side of the ship.

Regards

Scotland

Why did you prefer the Skyline dining room over Liberty? Aren't the two main dining rooms esssentially duplicates of each other?

It wasn't the fact that one was better than the other, we just

wanted to sample all of the restaurants. They have the same

menu in both of them, the decor is the only thing that is different.

Skyline is like the New York Skyline, where as Liberty is an

American theme.

Regards

Scotland

Thank you so much for the great review and I'm so glad you had a wonderful vacation. I do have a question about your day in Lahaina.

Did you take the shuttle the ship offers at $25.00 per person to Lahaina and if you did how late does the last shuttle come back to the ship?

Yes we did take the shuttle the ship offers at $25pp. We left at 8am

and were on the 2pm shuttle back to the ship. There was also a 4pm

shuttle back.

Regards

Scotland

Thanks for your review Scotland. Although we're not staying in a suite, we are really looking forward to our cruise in Oct.

It seems you made reservations in the non-specialty restaurants as well as the specialty restaurants, is this true?

Thanks for your help ..

excellent review and so glad you all had such a great time...we learn more with each and every cruise we go on....

Lovely review! Thx for doing comparisons to Princess.

Thanks for your review Scotland. Although we're not staying in a suite, we are really looking forward to our cruise in Oct.

 

It seems you made reservations in the non-specialty restaurants as well as the specialty restaurants, is this true?

 

Thanks for your help ..

Yes we were advised to make reservations at all of

the restaurants including the non speciality ones by

James the Concierge. So I urge everyone to do the

same.

Regards

Scotland

I am planning to do the ships excursion to Volcano National Park {in August} and I was wondering what kind of clothes to wear there. Would shorts be ok? Also what kind of footwear would you recommend someone to wear? Is there much walking or climbing on this tour?

I am planning to do the ships excursion to Volcano National Park {in August} and I was wondering what kind of clothes to wear there. Would shorts be ok? Also what kind of footwear would you recommend someone to wear? Is there much walking or climbing on this tour?

We wore long trousers and layers as we were told it could

get quite cold. In actual fact it wasn't that cold and a few

people were wearing shorts. Most people wore trainers as

there is uneven ground to walk over to get to the volcano.

Also part of the tour goes underground to see the stalagtites

and the stalagmites, there was quite a lot of steps going down,

but coming back up was an easier route with no steps.

Regards

Scotland

Hi Scotland!

Thank you for the wonderfully thought out review.

I am planning a trip with our family of 7 adults and 1 10 yr old boy. Our TA has recommended adjoining Penthouse Suites on Deck 10. The descriptions I have read alternately say "separate bedrooms" and "curtained bedroom". Can you shed some light on what the suite's sleeping arrangements are?

How do you think they would do for 2 couples and a 10 yr old in one suite and one couple and a grandmother in the adjoining suite as far a sleeping arrangments?

[We are all immediate family, but still everyone could use some time alone to just relax.]

Do you think the bulter and conceirge services was worth the higher suite prices?

BTW - Our last big family vacation was 9 days in Scotland and it was really one of the highlights of our travels. It was an amazing trip.

Thanks so much!

CarlandAndrea

Three couples are cruising in just a few days. Leaving July 15. The wives have done all of the planning and we are down to planning what times to book restaurants. Your post has helped very much but need to know when are the shows? Thank you!!!!

How long are the shows approximately? How long should I prepare for dining, 1 hour, 1.5?, etc.

What time did you make your reservations for dinner on that boarding day? We don't arrive to honolulu til 530pm so I think we will be lucky to get to the boat by 645pm...will all the reservations be taken by then for the whole week? I am so sad that we won't be getting on aboard the boat til so late. I was really hoping to be able to eat at least once at the Bistro and in little italy but if I know ahead of time that those will likely be gone then I won't be disappointed! Thanks again for your review...we go in a few weeks...

Hi Scotland!

 

Thank you for the wonderfully thought out review.

I am planning a trip with our family of 7 adults and 1 10 yr old boy. Our TA has recommended adjoining Penthouse Suites on Deck 10. The descriptions I have read alternately say "separate bedrooms" and "curtained bedroom". Can you shed some light on what the suite's sleeping arrangements are?

 

How do you think they would do for 2 couples and a 10 yr old in one suite and one couple and a grandmother in the adjoining suite as far a sleeping arrangments?

[We are all immediate family, but still everyone could use some time alone to just relax.]

 

The suite we had did not have a separate bedroom, there was a curtain

that you could draw between the sofa bed and the main bed.

Our suite also had an adjoining door to another suite so it may be the

ones that your TA has recommended for you. We had suite 10012.

I would not recommend 5 people in one suite (3/4 is fine). There is

a family deluxe penthouse suite with 2 separate bedrooms, this may

be what your TA is thinking for you. As for your grandmother in the

same suite as ours, this could work only if everyone liked sharing and

were happy with a curtain between each set of beds.

 

Regards

Scotland

How long are the shows approximately? How long should I prepare for dining, 1 hour, 1.5?, etc.

The shows start at 7.30pm and repeated at 9.30pm.

They last a bit more than 1 hour.

It usually took us about 1.5 hours to dine in the evening.

Regards

Scotland

What time did you make your reservations for dinner on that boarding day? We don't arrive to honolulu til 530pm so I think we will be lucky to get to the boat by 645pm...will all the reservations be taken by then for the whole week? I am so sad that we won't be getting on aboard the boat til so late. I was really hoping to be able to eat at least once at the Bistro and in little italy but if I know ahead of time that those will likely be gone then I won't be disappointed! Thanks again for your review...we go in a few weeks...

James the concierge made our reservations for us, I think

he started calling about 5pm - at that time we couldn't

get all the times we wanted.

We ate about 8.30pm on the first night, which was fine as

most people wanted to eat earlier. We ate in Little Italy

that night.

Regards

Scotland