Very nice but expensive cruise (our 11th cruise, 3rd with NCL). We booked through and did not get the drink package.
Pros: Every port had easy access to doing things on your own, either renting a car, a nice beach close by, or interesting stuff within walking distance. Food was a definite improvement over Carnival. All of the ports had easy wifi/internet (we use T-mobile) so no need for the internet package.
Cons: The price! Even the cheapest inside cabin ran about 5-6k when you include everything. That's in addition to the airfare to get over to Honolulu. Our ship was only half full, which meant that there were many venues closed. I would have liked to eat breakfast in the MDR occasionally.
Embarkation
3 out of 5
Very slow. There was a parade in downtown Honolulu that day that made all of the early people late. When we showed up at our assigned time (1:00), there were way more people there than should have been there, making the embarkation process very long.
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
4 out of 5
Our last few cruises were with Carnival, the NCL food was vastly better. However, many venues were closed or not operating to full capacity, so we had to eat at the buffet more than we'd like.
Onboard Activities
4 out of 5
Loved the Hawaiian themed activities (hula lessons, a brief pre-cruise Hawaiian prayer before sailing, lei making activities, etc).
Entertainment
4 out of 5
Shows were adequate but not well attended, tho this could be because the ship was only half full. Could have used better comedians.
Children's Programs
no kids
Service and Staff
5 out of 5
Overall service was excellent. Lines for bars were long, as there were many times only one bartender and almost everyone had the drink package.
Ship Quality
5 out of 5
Cabin / Stateroom
5 out of 5
We were used to Carnival, so the queen sized bed was a nice plus. Our 10th floor room was close enough to the elevator for easy access but not so close as to be noisy.
Ship tip
There is no casino on board, so if that is important to you please take note!
Since the ship didn't leave until 7pm, we were able to drop off our luggage at 945, then walk to see some sights in downtown Honolulu. The walk was several blocks each way, totally doable without luggage. I wish we'd known the buffet stayed open until 330 on embarkation day, we'd have seen more! The city bus takes you to within a block of the cruise terminal, download citimapper app to find out the schedule.
We did the "Kahului on your own" excursion, which lasted about 5 hours, which is too much time as we aren't really shoppers. We did do a walking tour on our own of the area.
If you are shocked by the price, talk to your government. The US places restrictions on the Pride that no other cruise ship has to meet. The requirement fir an 80 percent US staff is a big cause of the increased costs and trouble with staffing.
Thanks for the review, but I'm a little shocked at the price.
We are booked in December next year (peak season) and are paying about that price for a balcony. Thale price includes air travel to Hawaii and overnight stays before and after the cruise.
*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.
