This cruise is a little pricey for 7 days, but is a great way to see the Hawaiian Islands. The staff is beyond friendly and helpful and the food was delicious and plentiful!
Embarkation
5 out of 5
Embarkation only took a few minutes and was festive and fun.
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
4 out of 5
The food overall was very good. It has been years since I have been on a Norwegian cruise and they are still top notch! In comparison to Princess, Carnival, and Royal Caribbean, the food was absolutely fantastic! They had great gluten-free options and the crew was very sensitive to allergies.
Onboard Activities
5 out of 5
The fitness center was clean when we walked through it. The spa was clean and very relaxing. The pool was well kept and the spa at the back of the boat was our favorite!
Entertainment
5 out of 5
While we didn't get to experience too many of the on-board entertainment, we really enjoyed the Hawaiian language class and the lei making class. We also participated in the art auction, which was a lot of fun.
Children's Programs
We don't have kids.
Service and Staff
4 out of 5
The staff on board this ship was exceptional! The dining room staff were on point when it came to helping with questions and allergy issues. In addition, they knew our names, remembered specifics about us, made us laugh, and really made us feel comfortable and welcome from day one. We couldn't wait to get to the dining room to see Francisco and Katrina! The room stewards were lacking a bit - we complained of a sewage smell in our room almost daily and the issue was not escalated immediately. The supervisor did offer us a fan, but by the end of our cruise when we went to talk to the front desk, we discovered that the stewards had not noted our room's issue in the system. This is the reason I took one star off.
Ship Quality
5 out of 5
When we booked this cruise for our honeymoon, we thought the Americana theme may be a bit tacky. When we boarded the Pride of America, we discovered it was just the opposite. The decor and themed areas throughout the ship were tastefully and beautifully done. It was classy and not at all over the top. The ship was clean, well-maintained, and festively decorated for Christmas.
Cabin / Stateroom
3 out of 5
The comfort and size of the stateroom was good. It was the average size we would expect on a cruise ship. The view was a bit more obstructed than we had thought, but since we spend so little time in the room, this was not an issue. The BIG issue we had was that from the second evening through the last day of the 7 day cruise our room smelled heavily of sewage. That's right, sewage. The best solution a few days in was a fan, which helped temporarily (as long as we kept the door to the hallway open). The smell was so bad that we would wake up gagging in the middle of the night. Happy honeymooning for us!
Ship tip
Explore the ship - it is full of beautiful details!
We only had a few hours to explore the port and did not do an excursion. It seems like a great city, but we didn't see too much of it. Waikiki beach was beautiful, but so crowded, way too upscale and touristy for us.
Hilo is very small town and local. We loved it! It is filled with nice people, amazing hikes and waterfalls nearby, and a beach with sea turtles minutes away from the port. We did not do a ship excursion, but rather rented a car and drove around the island on our own.
This town was so cute! It has a very beachy/surfer vibe and makes you feel at ease. It had a cute little downtown area for walking around and some great beaches nearby. We did not do an excursion from the ship, but rather rented a buggy from Big Island Buggy (walking distance from the port) and drove around on our own. The Octopus Farm was so much fun and Magic Sands Beach is a great place to snorkel!
We loved Kauai! It has such a different vibe from the other places we visited. It is more rural and has fewer people. The mountains are lush and there are chickens every place you look! We did not do an excursion from the ship, but rented a jeep to drive around in. We explored the island, saw some waterfalls, and found some hidden beaches.
Glad you enjoyed it. I see mixed reviews on this ship. Those that understand it’s not the newest ship with the latest features, and is primarily about the itinerary and being able to sail Roundtrip from Honolulu without visiting a foreign port, seem to enjoy it most.
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