Please note, I completed NCL's survey before submitting this review and gave them a week to respond before submitting this review.
With the exceptional experiences we had on the Escape and Jewell, this ship may as well have belonged to a different and mediocre cruise company. We paid more for 7 days on this cruise than the 2 back to back Caribbean cruises on the Escape, with polar opposite experiences.
Embarkation
4 out of 5
Quick and easy, mainly as our bag tags were printed and attached before we got to the ship, saved about half an hour.
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
2 out of 5
Overall average, buffet was appalling, main dining rooms ok, Tepanyaki and Le Bistro (both paid dining) and East meets West really good. Cadillac Diner service was slow (staff a bit rude), food ok. Overall we found the attitude of the staff as indifferent and pretty inattentive. The Assistant Restaurant Manger however was wonderful and wait staff in specialty dining really lovely. Most treated us as though we should be grateful to be there.
Onboard Activities
2 out of 5
Lights, Music show was good, comedian okay, pool deck entertainment was boring, 70s, 80s, 90s nights were great until the staff left (only stayed an average of 45 minutes) amd the music changed to a really awful selection.
Entertainment
2 out of 5
See above
Service and Staff
3 out of 5
Our room steward was amazing! A few drinks waiters were efficient and friendly. Assistant Restaurant Manger was wonderful. Overall, as stated above most were indifferent and pretty inattentive.
Ship Quality
3 out of 5
While the ship was clean and well-maintained it is in dire need of refurbishment.
Cabin / Stateroom
2 out of 5
Tiny, tiny, tiny! For the amount paid (we paid less for back-to-back cruises in the Caribbean, same deck and same cabin type). One powerpoint at the desk (none near the beds), no USB ports, storage ok (considering the lack of of size of the room). Bathroom, shower in particular, was way too small.
Ship tip
Be prepared for an average on-ship time. Islands are lovely, most ports are industrial so away from cities and quite ugly.
It's okay, a bit run down, took a private tour which took us to some great sights such as the effects of 2018 volcano eruption, macadamia plantation, beaches with turtles etc.
You can’t compare Pride of America to other NCL ships for several reasons. It is a US flagged ship with more costs and requirements than most foreign flagged ships. This cruise is all about sailing Hawaii without having to visit a foreign port and taking 15 days to sail r/t from the West Coast. As far as the ports being industrial or far from things to see, that is common in many areas. Most ports were not originally designed for cruise ships and geography usually dictates the best place for a port, not convenience to attractions.
I have been on the ncl Hawaii cruises 3 times. It is all about the itinerary. It is very expensive compared to other superior lines. I have it booked for sept 2020 but am rethinking what u get for your money. Dont get me wrong. I would definately do it if I never had because the cruise is amazing but I think 3 times is enough for the price
Not sure why you expected NCL to respond, if I understand correctly, to comments here. This is an independent site chat for all cruise lines. NCL has responded to our comments on their ships using the inboard comment form and box. We are going on the Pride cruise 7th time in few months. Many suggestions made have been reviewed with appreciation note to us. Lots of good changes over the years.
This the only US flag passenger ship in the world. All executive staff and 80% of rest have to be US citizens. They are under US labor laws. Hawaii is 2500 miles from nearest supply for food, fuel, etc so costs very high. So the cruise operations not comparable to any other cruise. So enjoy the sights of Hawaii. The cruise way cheaper than flying to each island and dealing with hotels and meals.
Had you read any of the thousands of reviews about this unique ship and itenerary you would not have been disappointed. This is a good lesson on market economics. The Carribbean market is totally different from this itenerary. NCL can get away with charging double for an inferior product because they are the only ones doing round-trip Hawaii. People know the limitations but buy it anyway because it's Hawaii.
*Cruiseline.com is not a booking agent or travel agency,
and does not charge any service fees to users of our site. Our partners
(travel agencies and cruise lines) provide prices, which we list for our
users' convenience. Cruiseline.com does not guarantee any specific rates or
prices. While prices are updated daily, please check with the booking site
for the exact amount. Cruiseline.com is not responsible for content on
external web sites.
Contact us
Submitting...
Need help from a personal vacation planner?
Loading...
Find the perfect cruise with weekly tips and cruise deals for as little as $30/night!
Sign up for weekly cruise deals
Join other subscribers and get the best
cruise deals of the week in your inbox every Thursday.
