Pride of America review

Hi. It’s Monday morning and we are in Maui on the POA. I’m not doing a live review as such this time, but I thought I would just make a few notes as we go.

Firstly, I have to say that I really like this ship. The layout is a bit different from the other NCL ships and there are some quirks, such as not being able to access the deck 6 MDR from that deck (you have to use the aft stairs or walk out onto the promenade deck to get to it).

As expected, the ship itself appears very quiet. The ship is in port a lot and the bars are very quiet as people are resting after busy days ashore. The fact that very few people have the UBP also means that people are spending less time there.

We spent three nights in Honolulu pre cruise. We stayed at the Hilton Hawaiian Village, which I believe NCL sometimes use for people who book accommodation through them. It was very nice. We used the bus to get to Pearl Harbour which was really easy. We caught it from just outside the hotel (number 42 bus) and it took about 45 minutes to get there. Coming back was about an hour as the traffic was busier. Based on our taxi from the airport as the same time the previous day, that was probably about 20-25 minutes longer than a taxi would take. The cost was $5.50 each return compared to about $100 return in a taxi.

The Arizona memorial is still closed at the moment (with no sign that I could see that it will reopen soon ). It was still worth reserving a place though, as the boat takes you right out to it.

Yesterday in Maui we hired a car from Dollar. The shuttle bus was prompt (and make a journey specifically for us on our return, which I though was excellent service as I was expecting a wait). We drove up to the top of Haleakalā Crater and then a little way along the Hana Highway after stopping in Pa’ia for some lunch. There were lots of places to eat there, and we also stopped at Twin Falls, about 10 miles along the highway. Well worth a stop but don’t risk the toilets.

That section of the Hana Highway is very easy driving. I believe there are a lot of sharp bends etc as you go further along. Overall it was a great day. We are having a rest day today, although I am planning to go out for a walk later.

Onboard, we have the dining package as well as our platinum meals, so have meals booked in speciality restaurants on 5 nights. We have done Moderno and Teppenyaki so far. We have been to both of these many times before, but I thought the food in Teppenyaki was the best we have ever had there. Moderno was also above average, and the location (at the back of the buffet overlooking the aft seating area was quite good for sail away as we could see Honolulu as we sailed away.

I’ve read mixed comments about the staff, but we have found them to be very good so far. The bar service has been a little slow a couple of times (not a problem, but a bit slower than we are used to on NCL), although one of those times was because the bar was filling up for trivia.

We particularly like the Gold Rush Saloon in the evening (although they were doing karaoke last night so we didn’t hang around). The Napa wine bar outside Cagneys is good for a pre meal drink and seems to always be very quiet.

Anyway, that’s it for now. I don’t know how often I will report back in, but feel free to ask any questions and I will see what I can do.

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Have a great trip, Keith!

Go to Momma's Fish House for dinner, get a loan first:)

following...this cruise is on our list but im so hesitant at no UBP or casino (moreso the booze than the casino).

following...this cruise is on our list but im so hesitant at no UBP or casino (moreso the booze than the casino).

This cruise is so port intensive that you wont miss the casino and considering there are no sea days, it probably wouldnt make sense to do the ubp even if its was allowed. You can imbibe on the islands. Kona is a good day for that.

Did you have any trouble with the altitude at the Haleakala Crater? We noticed on one of the excursions they said people with heart or respiratory issues should not go.

This cruise is so port intensive that you wont miss the casino and considering there are no sea days, it probably wouldnt make sense to do the ubp even if its was allowed. You can imbibe on the islands. Kona is a good day for that.

casino isnt as big an issue as the booze. we dont like to pay for alcohol (or food) on land so we always make use of our UBP. we would def miss it as our booze bill would be very huge after 7 days.

Did you have any trouble with the altitude at the Haleakala Crater? We noticed on one of the excursions they said people with heart or respiratory issues should not go.

I didn’t have a problem. My wife always struggles a little at altitude (she did in Yellowstone which is a couple of thousand feet lower), but it was only that she gets a little short of breath.

I wouldn’t think it is a major problem to a healthy person, but wouldn’t want to advise if any medical issues are involved.

It also depends on what you do. There are some walks up there, which we didn’t do as my wife does struggle a bit. If you just stay around the visitor centres then it should be fine.

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I'm excited to read your review! We will be on the POA in 3 weeks! We didn't get a dining pkg - is there a complimentary restaurant that would be a good place to watch Honolulu fade away as we eat dinner?

I'm excited to read your review! We will be on the POA in 3 weeks! We didn't get a dining pkg - is there a complimentary restaurant that would be a good place to watch Honolulu fade away as we eat dinner?

I will check the main dining rooms later to see what the viewing is like. Other than that, I would suggest eating later and watching sailaway from one of the outdoor areas. The Aloha bar out the back of the buffet is nice.

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casino isnt as big an issue as the booze. we dont like to pay for alcohol (or food) on land so we always make use of our UBP. we would def miss it as our booze bill would be very huge after 7 days.

Whether or not the UBP would be worth it on this itinerary is very much a point of debate.

We effectively paid $700 ($50 each per day) to get the UBP when they introduced all inclusive to U.K. bookings. We also get water and our son gets the soda package.

We are certainly drinking a lot less than on other itineraries, but it still adds us quickly. For example I had a couple of glasses of wine before dinner yesterday, another with my meal and another afterwards. That would have been just under $50 if we were paying per drink. Overall we will probably just about break even, but it’s more relaxing with the package.

I’d guess that for many US customers who would have to pay the gratuity it would still be worth it.

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I will check the main dining rooms later to see what the viewing is like. Other than that, I would suggest eating later and watching sailaway from one of the outdoor areas. The Aloha bar out the back of the buffet is nice.

Thank you!

I'm excited to read your review! We will be on the POA in 3 weeks! We didn't get a dining pkg - is there a complimentary restaurant that would be a good place to watch Honolulu fade away as we eat dinner?

Both dining rooms have windows all round them, but I think that in practice you would be relying on being seated next to a windows and on the port side or aft.

My advice would be to settle down elsewhere for the sail away and then eat later.

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I’m now sat at the airport in Honolulu waiting for our flight, which isn’t for a few hours. We are heading off to Orlando for a couple of weeks before flying home, so this review will probably still be a little slow being written.

I also have all the dailies which I can scan and post when I get home.

Anyway, back to the ports. Next up was Hilo. One of the main attractions of Hawaii for us was to see the volcano. As everyone will know, this has been very difficult lately, with the park closed. During the past few weeks there had apparently been quite spectacular viewing of the lava flows after leaving the port, but last week they saw nothing. Until we set off from Hilo we didn’t know whether we were even going to try to see the lava flows.

Anyway, back to the port itself. I had initially planned to book a car, but after reading reviews of Mary Lou’s Big Island Tours we decided to go with them instead. There was us three and another couple and Ken was our guide. It was excellent, and he managed to get us to some places that we wouldn’t have gone by ourselves or in a bigger tour.

We didn’t see any lava, but did see steam rising and also went right up to where access was closed off. It’s quite incredible to see people still living so close to where the lava is flowing, and where people have rebuilt their homes on top of the flows from a few years ago.

This was probably the best way of seeing things whilst still saying safe (and legal). At no point did we go where we shouldn’t have been, but Ken knew where to head and had spoken to the park staff in the morning to check that everything was all ok.

After that, we went to a variety of other places. The volcanos are the real attraction in the area, so the other places (coffee mill, Macadamia Nut farm, waterfalls etc) were very nice. Overall it was a great day, and we felt that we saw a lot. I would certainly recommend Mary Lou’s Tours to others who visit the area.

Once back onboard we heard the announcement that we would be sailing past where the lava may be flowing into the sea, but there was no guarantee that we would see anything. Apparently it was a different location to where they had seen it in previous weeks (we sailed past at about 10pm rather than 7.30 as they had done recently. At that time I went out to have a look, with fairly low expectations, but there were in fact a number of flows visible. It wasn’t as spectacular as has been the case recently, but we saw lava and that was enough for me.

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On to Kona.

Our aim was to have. A more relaxed day after each busy day (this cruise is part of a month long holiday so we can’t keep going all the time. From my research, Kona looked like a good place to just explore around the port.

Tendering was quite easy for us as we weren’t in a rush and also didn’t need to have a ticket due to latitudes status. We went to the exit around when group 14 had been called and had a wait of about 20 minutes before we boarded (we just missed getting on the tender before).

They really fill them up and it was very hot on the boat. Luckily the journey was fairly short.

Kona was a nice place to just wander around some shops and just sit and relax. We had thought that we may visit the brewery, but didn’t bother in the end. We basically bought all our souvenirs there, as it seemed to be about the best place for souvenirs that we saw.

There are quite a few options for things to do, including scuba, a glass bottomed boat and a number of transport options to various places.

We stayed ashore for a few hours and then headed back to the ship. It was just what we needed after a full day beforehand.

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Which side of the ship was your cabin and did you have a good view of the islands?

Thank you for taking the time to post. If I remember correctly, your Escape review was the first one I ever read on Cruise Critic.

Which side of the ship was your cabin and did you have a good view of the islands?

We had an aft cabin so had a pretty good view. When necessary we went to the promenade deck for a side view. Port is best for the volcano and starboard for Na poli coast.

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We had an aft cabin so had a pretty good view. When necessary we went to the promenade deck for a side view. Port is best for the volcano and starboard for Na poli coast.

 

 

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Actually, you may have that reversed. The POA sails south and west around the big island if viewing the lava flows, and that would put the right, or starboard side of the ship facing the coast line. If there's no lava flows to see, then the ship sails north around the island which is a shorter distance.

At the Na Pali coast the left, or port side of the ship is closer on the sail out. Then the ship turns around and the starboard side gets a view..but on our cruise, the ship's course was further away from the coast on the second half of the Na Pali loop, so the first part, from the port side, gets a better (closer) view.

Actually, you may have that reversed. The POA sails south and west around the big island if viewing the lava flows, and that would put the right, or starboard side of the ship facing the coast line. If there's no lava flows to see, then the ship sails north around the island which is a shorter distance.

 

 

 

At the Na Pali coast the left, or port side of the ship is closer on the sail out. Then the ship turns around and the starboard side gets a view..but on our cruise, the ship's course was further away from the coast on the second half of the Na Pali loop, so the first part, from the port side, gets a better (closer) view.

You are absolutely correct. For some reason I was thinking of the sides relative to our aft room. Sorry for the error.

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Well, here we are over two months after we got home, and I still haven't finished this review yet. I'm going to try to do so now.

Firstly, I have uploaded some photos from the various ports, and the links are below. Hopefully they give a bit of an idea of what we saw.

Honolulu

Haleakala Crater

Twin Falls

Hilo

On to Kauai.

We decided fairly early on in our planning that we wanted to do a helicopter trip whilst in Hawaii, and everything we read suggested that Kauai was the best place to do it.

It also seemed quite clear that Blue Hawaiian was a good option for the company to use, and I didn't see anything which suggested that this was a bad decision.

We were picked up at the port and went through the safety film etc before going out back where we saw our helicopter arrive. I certainly thought that the Blue Hawaiian helicopters looked nicer than the other companies who operated out of here.

There were the three of us plus another couple in our helicopter, and the pilot was excellent both at telling us about what we were seeing, and making sure that everyone got a good view. My son and myself were in the front, with my wife behind us.

This really was one of the best things that we have ever done. The scenery was spectacular, and Blue Hawaiian were excellent.

We bought a video of the flight, which really complements the photos that we took.

Certainly well worth doing, and I would recommend it to anyone.

Here are some pictures we took.

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

Part 4

One problem with our booking with Blue Hawaiian is that we were allocated a time around the middle of the day on our first night in port. That meant that we were a little limited in what we could fit in either side of the trip.

We considered trying to get the helicopter trip moved, but in the end we decided to just stick to just doing that trip. The fact that we had blown quite a bit of our budget on the helecopter was also a factor in our decision.

Ideally, I suppose that we would have hired a car to see the Waimea Canyon from the ground as well as the air, but overall I was quite happy not to be rushing around too much, and the views from the air were spectacular.

If there was a disappointment for me it was that there wasn't a great deal to do around the port without transport. We wandered around for a while, but were soon back on the ship.

In an ideal world, we would have booked something else to do whilst in Kauai (probably hired a car), but certainly given the choice between blowing the whole budget for that port on the helicopter or doing a few cheaper things then I would still make the decision that we did. It also made for a more relaxed end to the cruise before we started the long flight homewards. It also gave us the chance to make a bit more use of the UBP.

The latitudes meet up was held at the front of the ship just before we sailed away from Kauai. It was nice having it somewhere different, and made it worth going.

That evening we sailed past the Na Poli coastline. The weather was overcast with a bit of rain, which wasn't ideal although it did mean that some rainbows added to the views.

It's probably not a fair comparison due to the weather, but whilst the views from the ship were great, they didn't come close to those that we had from the air the previous day. It made me feel better about not seeing the Canyon from ground level.

We watched from the promenade deck for the initial pass and then headed up to the bar at the rear of the ship outside Moderno/buffet to have a drink whilst we travelled back. However, after we turned round we headed quite a way out to sea, so if anyone on the starboard side of the ship who was waiting to see the views from their balcony will have missed out.

This was the highlight of the journey on the ship. Certainly make sure you don't miss it.

Here are some pictures

So, overall what did we think, and how did it compare to the usual NCL cruises?

I have to say, it was a lot less different than we expected it to be. Maybe that was because we had the UBP, which is a major difference for most people. We were very much in the minority of cruisers who had the package. We didn't meet any other Europeans on the cruise, so may even have been the only ones with it. I have seem reports on here that a form of the UBP is being introduced, which will obviously make a difference.

The staff being mostly from the US was another difference that is often mentioned. It is often stated as having a negative impact, but we felt that it didn't make much difference.

We did find that bar service was generally slower than usual. However, I felt that was due to a general lack of urgency as people weren't drinking as much due to not having the package. It took longer to serve each group than usual as the staff tended to take time to chat whilst doing so. Again, if the UBP does arrive on the POA then this will change.

We found the food to have been better than on recent NCL cruises. We enjoy the speciality restaurants, and thought that Teppenyaki and Moderno were particularly good. We ate lunch at the Cadillac Diner a few times, and found that the service was particularly slow there at times. Our son liked the milkshakes there, and on one occasion they gave it for free as it took so long for us to be able to place our order for it after finishing our food.

One big difference for us was that, being platinum plus, we got treated as if we were in a suite, with access to Cagneys for breakfast/lunch, and other such perks. I have heard of similar things happening before, and I believe that it happens on the POA because they get relatively few repeat cruisers there. I believe that there were just us and another couple who were platinum plus, and I think maybe no other platinums. It was appreciated, although I have to say we didn't particularly make use of these perks. We had lunch in Cagneys on embarkation day, but generally we tend to prefer to snack at lunchtime so didn't go back (as was the case the one time we were in a suite).

One other thing to mention, I went to the Asian restaurant one evening and found that I should have made a reservation. On most ships they don't offer reservations there, which caught me out. Luckily this was fairly early in the cruise, and I had another opportunity later on, but some people could get caught out.

I think that's it really. I'd really recommend this cruise. If anyone has any questions I'll be happy to try to answer.