|
Curtesy of Bombolini's By; Writer Lisa Costantino
ABOUT NCL, THE CRUISE
SHIP 2005
| |
|
|
Writer Lisa
Costantino based this independent review on her 7-day Hawaiian
Islands cruise departing from Honolulu, Hawaii.
|
|
Norwegian's Pride of
America made its maiden voyage in July 2005, trumpeting the latest and
greatest in creature comforts, a claim that's largely justified. Yet
despite its fair share of shows and activities, it's a quiet ship:
nighttime deck strollers will encounter neither a throbbing disco beat nor
the harsh jangle of slots. After all, with the Hawaiian Islands as the
destination, most of the action takes place off-ship; America’s
appeal is in being a great place to rest from excursions, have a
delectable meal, and hang loose. |
|
|
Why Pride of America?
Fabulous fare: The food is consistently fine throughout the
main dining rooms and specialty spots—even the buffet surprises with fresh
and well-prepared dishes.
Forays ashore: America does Hawaii very well. An
exciting array of excursions, a well-staffed tour desk, and a streamlined
port process make for memorable days onshore.
Island immersion: Hawaiian décor and displays, tropical fruits
and desserts, and instruction in hula dancing and lei-making bring a
little bit of paradise on board.
|
|
|
Who should go
Nearly every type of traveler will find fun
and relaxation on this ship. Cruisers making their first trip to Hawaii
will particularly enjoy the sampling of four islands in a single week.
Young families are abundant during the summer months, while the rest of
the year sees a range of vacationers from honeymooners to 40-something
couples to sun-seeking seniors. |
|
|
Who shouldn't go
Party animals looking for a spring-break
atmosphere will be disappointed in the mellow vibes. Old-school cruisers
expecting obsequious service also will be let down by the functional but
far-from-fawning crew. |
|
|
|
| INSIDE
EDGE
| |
|
|
Hits and misses
Don't miss: The evening sail past the Big Island’s Kilauea
Volcano. Watching the blaze of hot-orange lava flow into the dark sea
provides genuine chills up the spine.
Best part of the ship: The bow, from which passengers truly can
sail into the usually-dazzling sunset.
Best experience: Cruising past Kauai’s Na Pali Coast a
half-hour before sunset. The low-afternoon light burnishes the russet
cliffs, and short-lived squalls leave rainbows in their wake.
Best shipboard activities: The daily cultural activities, such
as the well-attended hula lessons and the lei-making seminars.
Needs improvement: The crew’s attitude. True, the mostly
American cabin and wait staff are new to the game, but many need further
training on how to provide cheerful—and consistent—service.
Activities to skip: The poolside games and contests—the
passengers on this ship are far too relaxed to generate hilarity. In fact,
most people skipped any form of competition, including the volleyball
tourney and trivia games. |
|
|
How to meet the captain
On formal night, the captain says
“cheese” for all who wish a portrait with the ship’s master. Get in line
early—he’s only available for 45 minutes. Repeat NCL passengers also may
meet the captain and his senior officers at the Latitudes cocktail
party. |
|
|
|
| DINING
| |
|
|
An argument could be made that America’s primary attraction is
its restaurants: two main dining rooms and several specialty restaurants
(each of which carry a fee), as well as a good handful of other places to
dine. The food is truly delicious, and the chefs make excellent use of
local Hawaiian produce and seafood. And Norwegian’s signature “freestyle
dining” translates into no assigned tables or rigid seating times.
|
|
|
Skyline (main dining room)
A sophisticate's dream with an
Art Deco theme, the Skyline dining room re-creates a posh New York
establishment, circa 1930. Formal and lobster nights typically require a
wait, but not to worry—take a beeper and sip a glass of wine in the Napa
Wine Bar. Fresh local ingredients are featured in dishes such as roast
island duck in pineapple-ginger glaze, chilled mango soup, and macadamia
nut crème brûlée; a regional entrée from one of Hawaii’s celebrity chefs
is featured each night.The Skyline also serves breakfast and lunch.
|
|
|
Liberty (main dining room)
A red-carpeted, curving
staircase leads to the Liberty, a lavish dining palace with an entirely
different ambience from its companion dining room. Stars and stripes are
everywhere, and statues and portraits of the founding fathers watch over
the tables. Some diners will revel in its surfeit of patriotic glitz,
others may feel a tad claustrophobic, but all will find the same excellent
menu as in the Skyline. (Note: The Liberty serves dinner only.)
|
|
|
Jefferson's Bistro
This specialty bistro ($10 per person)
puts diners in a setting modeled after Jefferson’s Georgian dining room
and library. The set menu includes filet mignon, salmon in sorrel cream
sauce, chicken stuffed with prawn mousse, and a vegetarian sampler. An à
la carte menu offers tasty sides (pan-seared foie gras with roasted apples
is an additional $8 per person), and lavish desserts include a chocolate
fondue. The Fire Star Menu ($15 per person) feeds two to four people with
a three-entrée combo plate, plus soup, salad, appetizers, and dessert.
|
|
|
East Meets West
A fusion dining room, sushi bar, and
enclosed teppanyaki room, all decorated with Japanese artwork and
koi-motif carpeting, form this specialty restaurant. At the sushi
bar—where seats fill quickly—sushi and sashimi by the piece are $1–$3 and
combo plates are $8–$13. The dining room menu ($10 per person) samples
various Asian cuisines, and the teppanyaki room ($10 per person) consists
of three eight-seat tables, each clustered around the traditional grill.
|
|
|
Lazy J Texas Steakhouse
The Old West mosaics and
wagon-wheel light fixtures are largely wasted on the clientele, who come
here for the meat: premium gold Angus beef, in cuts of filet mignon, strip
loin, New York, porterhouse, rib eye, and T-bone ($15 per person).
Accompaniments include crab cakes, oysters Rockefeller casserole, and
garlic mashed potatoes; entrée alternatives include lobster, lamb, veal,
game hen, and salmon. |
|
|
Other dining options
Little Italy: The menu is small, but full of choice Italian
cuisine, including pizzas and pastas made to order.
Cadillac Diner: The food is hearty diner fare, and the setting
is a blast from the past. Passengers can take advantage of generous
operating hours (7 AM–5 AM) to grab a snack day or night.
Aloha Café: Standard-issue cruise buffet, but with a couple of
twists: numerous stations and surprisingly good food, including
grease-free steamed vegetables and actually edible scrambled eggs. Ethnic
cuisine is featured occasionally.
Key West Bar & Grill: A 3–7 PM spread of sandwich fixings,
fruits, hot dogs and burgers, fries, and desserts, with an indoor/outdoor
patio overlooking the ship's wake.
Room service: With food available (including for take-out) all
day long, room service is more of an afterthought. The 24-hour menu is
quite limited: Continental breakfast only, a few starters, three
sandwiches, pizza, a dessert plate, and a kids’ meal. Service is
efficient, and bar selections are available 9 AM–2 AM.
|
|
|
Best dining
Dish: Stir-fry in the teppanyaki room; if you're not lucky
enough to get a seat, try the all-you-can-eat lobster tails in the Skyline
and Liberty.
Dessert: Any dessert made with fresh tropical fruits: guava
gateau, mango crème brûlée, banana pancakes with coconut ice cream …
Restaurant: East Meets West for curries, crab cakes, and Peking
duck crepes.
Food seminar: The sushi and shabu shabu demonstration in the
Diamond Head Auditorium.
|
|
|
How to …
Get a table for two: Simply ask for one when you approach the
host—there are plenty of two-seaters in all of the restaurants.
Celebrate a birthday/anniversary: Order a deluxe celebration
package two to three weeks before the cruise and enjoy sparkling wine and
strawberries in your stateroom, spa treatments, or breakfast in bed,
depending on the package ($79–$329). Party packages with streamers,
balloons, and cake are $30.
Change seating: No assigned seating renders the issue moot.
Dress for formal night: Since formal night is an optional
affair, the real question isn't what to wear (opt for dressy, or at least
casual-dressy) but whether to go.
Dress for casual night: No jeans, shorts, T-shirts, or athletic
gear after 5:30 PM, except in the Aloha Café and Cadillac Diner. Jeans
also are permitted in the steakhouse.
|
|
|
Tips
Reservations for the specialty restaurants (even the no-fee ones) are
highly recommended; go to the reservations desk as soon as it opens
on embarkation day. Both Little Italy and the three sections of East Meets
West, for example, are often booked for the entire cruise by the second
day.
Want to sit at the same table with the same wait staff throughout the
cruise? Just let the restaurant host know.
The restaurant seating guide, posted on various video screens
throughout the ship, lists all of the restaurants, locations, capacity
status, wait time, and whether they’re accepting large parties.
In a departure from the traditional midnight buffet, America
hosts a grand chocoholic buffet, starting at 2:30 PM so children can
indulge. Get in line early: If you think a mid-afternoon, port-day
extravaganza will keep people away, think again.
While the main dining rooms always offer at least one vegetarian
entrée, options in the specialty restaurants are limited or non-existent;
but with 24-hours' notice, chefs will create a special vegetarian meal.
Free nibbles can be found in the John Adams Coffee Bar, the
Gold Rush Saloon, the Napa Wine Bar, and the Lanai Bar; times vary from
afternoon to early evening, depending on the venue.
|
|
 Heard on the deck: Mother: "I don’t know if I should
order the surf and turf if we’ll be having lobster on Thursday."
Daughter: "Oh, Mom, that’s four days away. It’s lobster! We’ll have it
now AND we’ll have it later!" |
|
|
|
| CABINS
| |
|
|
For a ship so recently built, it’s no surprise that America’s
staterooms feature modern fittings, a stylish décor, and beds in mint
condition. What is surprising is their size: ocean-view staterooms average
only 144 square feet, and those with balconies barely reach 170 square
feet. (Inside cabins are a mere 132 square feet.) Aside from size issues,
however, all staterooms are comfortable, with medium-firm twin beds
(convertible to queen-sized beds), duvets, and extra pillows on request.
Handy amenities include a hair dryer, mini-refrigerator, coffeemaker, TV,
safe, two outlets, phone, and Internet connection. Storage space is on the
minimal side, but for a week-long cruise in a warm climate (with an
optional formal night), it should suffice. White walls, polished
cherry-wood veneers, royal blue accents, and tropical flower prints make
for a cheery setting.
|
|
|
Cabins for guests with disabilities
Twenty-two
wheelchair-accessible cabins feature wider doorways into the stateroom,
bathroom, and balcony. Bathrooms have extra hand rails and a roll-in
shower with fold-up shower stool. |
|
|
Tips
America has no public laundry facilities, but it does have
valet services. Prices are per piece, pressing only is available, and
turnaround time is about 36 hours; anything needed sooner carries a 50
percent surcharge.
The bottles of still and mineral water in the cabin cost $4.50 each.
Save money and stock up while in port. |
|
Heard on the deck (Cabin steward to couple): "When I
think we work too hard, I try to remember the cooks—they work 90 hours a
week.” |
|
|
|
| ENTERTAINMENT AND
PUBLIC AREAS
| |
|
|
The public areas of America combine stateside grandeur with
island fantasy. Artwork is a pleasing pastiche of mainland landscapes in
photographic mural form and Hawaiian iconography in small framed sets. The
lobby’s centerpiece, a grand staircase, descends to a huge presidential
seal and is backed by two glass elevators and an artist’s take on the
Washington Monument. |
|
|
Bars, lounges, and casinos
Casinos and gaming on ships
that sail Hawaii’s waters are verboten, but passengers find plenty of
outdoor walk-up bars and even more after-dinner hangouts for music,
drinks, conversation, and entertainment. The Gold Rush Saloon, which
offers brews and whiskeys along with bar snacks, darts, and the occasional
karaoke, is a favorite, as is the Napa Wine Bar and Pink's Champagne and
Cigar Bar. The ship disco is located in the Mardi Gras Cabaret Lounge and
Nightclub, the only place onboard with dancing to live music: ballroom and
swing in the early evening, then rock-and-roll as the night goes on. Funky
murals depicting the French Quarter lead patrons into this vibrant homage
to New Orleans where purples, greens, and oranges splashily color
armchairs, and carnival masks wind around gleaming metal pillars.
|
|
Heard on the deck: (woman in saloon to man blocking TV):
"Do you mind? It’s football!" (then to friend): "I mean, this IS
the Pride of America . We love our football." |
|
|
Swimming pools
Square in the center of the pool deck are
back-to-back pools, with respective depths of 3.7 and 4.6 feet. Actual
laps can be swum in the morning, but kids—even during the school
season—crowd the waters in the afternoon. Also on deck are four hot tubs,
a music stage, two glass-enclosed showers, and the Ocean Drive Bar. A
splash pool, just steps below the Waikiki Bar on Deck 13, is monopolized
by adults with drinks in hand. |
|
|
Shows
The sight lines and acoustics in the intimate
Hollywood Lounge are excellent; unfortunately, they're somewhat wasted on
the productions appearing there. Guest singers, comedians, and jugglers
fare better than the ship's troupe, whose performances are earnest, but
unpolished and lacking showmanship. The lounge is put to far better use
when serving as the ship's movie theater, with matinees shown daily.
|
|
|
Shore excursions
The shore excursion desk is staffed with
a knowledgeable crew, and typically three or more people are there to
offer assistance. Often, if a particular tour sells out, another tour time
will be added. Most excursions are suitable for children. Cancellation and
refund policies vary from tour to tour. NCL Golf Hawaii excursions include
advance tee times, transportation, and carts; equipment rentals are
available in the onboard pro shop. The most popular excursion is the Maui
luau, so be sure to book early if craving roast pig. |
|
|
Wedding and vow renewals
Weddings and vow renewals are
available through The Wedding Experience. Onboard ceremonies take place in
a simply furnished chapel that can accommodate 40; there's even a small
keyboard for musical accompaniment. Destination wedding locations include
Honolulu, a Maui beach, and Kauai's Fern Grotto. |
|
|
Looking for …
Quietest spot: The huge library has cushy sofas and chairs and
scads of books in polished wood cabinets (check-out is via attendant). A
close second: Sun Deck forward, where deck chairs may go empty all week.
Liveliest (and most popular) spot: The Pool Deck, where
cruisers returning from shore gather to swim, chat, listen to music, enjoy
games, play sardines in the hot tubs, and nosh.
Best view: The ship’s bow or along the railings of the topmost
decks, although glass panels and high railings make viewing a stretch for
shorter people (for an unimpaired view, stand along the portside ramp
leading to Sun Deck).
Best show: The South Seas Island Spectacular. Hawaiian-based
Tihati Productions comes onboard to present Polynesian history via
Tahitian dances, Rarotonga drumming, Fijian warriors, Maori legends,
Samoan ensemble dances, and Hawaiian hula.
Best drink: The Lava Flow, a piña colada with a cascade of
strawberries down the inside of the glass; perfect for sipping during the
volcano sail-by. |
|
|
Tips
A welcome alternate to the standard alcoholic bar menu: the water
menu, featuring 21 different kinds of fizzy and flat mineral waters.
The Napa Wine Bar offers free “wine of the day” samples 5–6 PM.
The ship has two non-smoking lounges: the Napa Wine Bar and the John
Adams Coffee Bar (which also offers a full bar menu).
The 24-hour Internet Center provides 10 LCD-screen computers for use,
and wireless Internet can be accessed in 80 percent of the ship’s public
areas. Time plans for either run 250 minutes for $100, 100 minutes for
$55, or $0.75 cents a minute; a one-time activation fee ($3.95) applies.
Laptops are available for rent, and the Freestyle Daily often
announces happy-hour discounts.
America has a half-deck devoted to business, with six
conference rooms—including the 250-seat Diamond Head Auditorium—a business
center, and the armchair-filled Lanai Bar. |
|
|
|
| SPA AND
FITNESS
| |
|
|
Spa and salon
Earthy colors, desert scenes, and Native
American designs decorate the walls of the Santa Fe Spa by Mandara, which
offers two rooms for hair and nail treatments, 15 rooms for massage and
body treatments, and changing rooms with adjacent relaxation lounges. The
spa’s menu does a Hawaiian take on the standard treatments, with offerings
that include lomi lomi massage and Kona coffee and macadamia nut oil
scrubs. Specials and discounts are few and far between, but on the
positive side, no product-pushing occurs, either.
|
|
|
Fitness areas
Cardio machines rule the ship’s huge,
mirrored fitness room, where 16 treadmills, four recumbent bikes, four
stair machines, and six exercise bikes (all but the last have their own
LCD-TV screens) mean there's rarely a wait. Twelve weight machines and a
rack of free weights complete the gym area, while a separate exercise
studio offers classes in aerobics, step, stretch and relaxation, and body
sculpting. Yoga, Pilates, spinning, and cardio kickboxing are all $10 per
class.
|
|
|
Tips
Sports spots outside the fitness center include a full-size
basketball/volleyball/tennis court, a golf driving net with four-hole
putting green, two shuffleboard courts, and a jogging/walking track on
Deck 6. Other shipboard fun includes two ping-pong tables and outdoor
chess played with giant pieces.
Passengers must be 16 or older to use the fitness room, and proper
workout attire must be observed (i.e., no bathing suits or flip-flops).
Need to cancel a spa appointment? Do it at least 24 hours in advance
or pay 50 percent of the treatment cost.
Come late afternoon, attendants welcome those with strong hearts and
stomachs (usually kids) to Deck 12’s bungee trampoline and gyroscope.
|
|
Heard on the deck (crewman operating gyroscope, hand to
stomach): "You couldn’t get me on it. Not by a long shot."
|
|
|
|
| AT-SEA
SHOPPING
| |
|
|
A quartet of specialty boutiques comprises the Newbury Street Shops,
America's onboard shopping mall. The Loft, the best of the four, is
entirely dedicated to Hawaiian wares ranging from tropical-print dresses
to pineapple-embossed serving platters; many items are island-made. Other
shops sell fine jewelry—including Tahitian cultured pearls and Maui Divers
Jewelry—snacks, sundries, flower displays, and ship logo gear and
souvenirs. A well-stocked NCL golf pro shop rounds out the galleria's
offerings. Outside the Aloha Café is the Beach Shop, stocked with
sunscreen, water shoes, goggles, and more.
|
|
|
Tips
Also on Newbury Street is the Soho Art Gallery, full of items destined
for the ship's auction block. Held in Pink's Champagne Bar, the daily art
auction features free champagne and raffles for free art.
Attractive tropical flower arrangements, sprouted coconut palms,
bonsai lava plants, orchid plants, and 10-pound boxes of papaya can be
ordered and shipped home from the reception desk.
Don't forget: The ship is in U.S. waters, so it's "yes" for sales tax
and "no" for duty-free items.
|
|
|
|
| KID
STUFF
| |
|
|
The Rascals Kids Club has a fun center with supervised
age-appropriate activities, including teddy-bear picnics, crafts, Blues
Clues, movies, trivia and survivor contests, and drama clubs. (A kiddie
pool and family hot tub are located right outside the center.) Programs
generally operate from 9 AM–noon and 7–10 PM. The kids' beverage package
($16) allows unlimited sodas in a souvenir cup; the Kid's Crew value
package ($39.50) includes beverages plus a daypack, T-shirt, and baseball
cap.
|
|
|
Connections Teen Club has activities scheduled throughout the day,
including sumo challenges, karaoke, pool games, sports tournaments, and
more, all geared towards bring traveling teens together. The Teen Passport
($34.50) includes 20 beverage tickets and two invitations waiving the $10
cover charge to evening parties with music, dancing, and pizza. A teen
center has computers, board games, flat-screen video jukebox, air hockey,
and even a soda bar.
|
|
|
Tips
All children and teens must be registered in order to participate. Do
so upon embarkation, or attend the important “Welcome Aboard” parent
meeting, followed by a family scavenger hunt. (Teens can meet up at the
Teen Ice Breaker.)
Security is strong onboard: kids wear I.D. bracelets at all times and
can only be signed out of the kids’ club by their parents (or by siblings
over 21 who have signed the registration form).
Parents of children not yet potty-trained are issued beepers to alert
them of needed diaper changes (only while on ship).
The Aloha Café reserves a dining section strictly for kids and
parents, with kid-size tables, chairs, and a buffet serving burgers, hot
dogs, pizza, Jello, and brownies. (Parents might want to suggest they add
some vegetables and fruit to the offerings.)
|
|
|
|
| ITINERARIES
| |
|
|
The islands of Hawaii are Pride of America’s sole destination.
Weekly roundtrip cruises depart from Honolulu and take in Maui, Kauai, and
the Big Island (Hilo and Kona). A small handful of itineraries include a
day at sea. |
Any Ideas you may have for this site?