Pride of America

[KazAllen]

:confused:We have a cruise booked on POA 13th Sept this year and am a bit confused about all the negative things people are saying about this cruise/ship. Sure I know that the cruise is expensive for what it is but that is the nature of the beast if a company has a monopoly.

 

My question is, - is it that bad because I know two people here in Aussie Land that have done the cruise (one twice and would like to do it again) that loved it and had nothing but good things to say about the cruise and the ship.

 

This will be my husband's first cruise and my 2nd (first in 1988 on the old Fairstar) and I know we will enjoy the port intensive itinerary but am a bit worried about the food and service that I keep hearing about. Also the people we are going with are very regular cruisers but they normally travel on RCI, Celebrity, Holland America etc so am a bit worried about their perception as well.

 

We have booked a Hire Car in Maui for the 2 days as we aren't sure what we want to do, also for the day in Hilo so we can go to VNP, haven't booked anything in Kona as yet and in Kauai are intending on doing the Movie Tour on the first day and have booked a helicopter flight on the morning of the 2nd day.

 

We will be arriving in Oahu 5 days before the cruise do have a rental car organised there for 2 days as well to do Island tours and then we have Pearl Harbour organised for the day after and then a couple of free days. We will have almost 3 full days as well when we get back from the POA and then we board Radiance of the Seas for the cruise home to Sydney. Any assurances or info re POA (we are in a Balcony on Deck 9 port side just forward of midship 9564) would be very much appreciated. Thanks, Karen

Edited June 28, 2014 by KazAllen
Want to Bold Title

[Hikini]

I don't personally have experience with this ship and cruise, however, a friend of mine who is a TA and has been on many different ships for many different cruise lines has been on it, along with her family. She had nothing but great things to say about it.

 

Honestly, in the past I have booked a cruise and then started reading reviews only to find so many negative things that I started to wonder if we had made a good choice. Then we got onto the ship and went through the whole cruise wondering "what in the heck were those people talking about?" because we had a great time with great food, entertainment, service, etc and the ship wasn't falling apart at the seams.

 

Sometimes it's all about the attitude you bring along.

 

Have fun!

Edited June 28, 2014 by Hikini

[jkgourmet]

My concern would be that your traveling companions who enjoy HAL and Celebrity understand that NCL is a totally different experience. If they are comfortable with that and have adjusted THEIR expectations, everything will be fine.

 

If not, expect some disgruntled people in your group.

[Tyskie]

We have been on RCCL, Princess, NCL...................that said, we enjoyed the staff and POA. Granted, by the time we got back to the ship at night we had a nice dinner and went to bed ! The staff couldn't have been nicer. We thought the service was very good. Food is always subjective but we enjoyed our dinners in the DR. In the am, we had room service or went to the buffet. FYI, little known fact, you can order an egg sandwich and bacon via room service. Can not do that on any other NCL ship. ;)

 

I wouldn't be worried, it was a fantastic trip. Sounds like you have your excursions all planned - planning is the best way to see all of Hawaii. We were exhausted but saw everything we wanted. Rented a car on Oahu, Maui, Kauai. Did a tour in Hilo and ship excursion in Kona (which I wouldn't recommend).

 

Go, Enjoy !!!!!!

[elpasomom]

Jkgourmet,

 

I'm curious as to what you mean by NCL is different from the other lines. We have booked the POA for the week of Christmas and are going with an open mind. We have never sailed on NCL but are seasoned cruisers. I too, have read the reviews and they are all over the place. We are just thrilled to be going to Hawaii!!

 

 

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[mugtech]

POA was our first NCL cruise 4 years ago, we had previously cruised with RCI. The freestyle dining was the main difference, people on RCI took it personally if one did not have dinner every night at the same time with the same people. NCL seems to be a younger crowd, but there were many older people on POA, many crossing an item off their bucket list. I thought the entertainment was better on NCL, with most of the entertainers being very friendly, especially the Second City people. We have done 4 NCL cruises since and have 2 more scheduled. Hawaii was the most expensive 7 day cruise we have seen, but still well worth it because it is Hawaii. Some say the service on POA is not as good as other ships because it is the only USA flagged ship, but we have had very good service on all of our cruises, both RCI and NCL.

[amc155]

We have been on RCCL, Princess, NCL...................that said, we enjoyed the staff and POA. Granted, by the time we got back to the ship at night we had a nice dinner and went to bed ! The staff couldn't have been nicer. We thought the service was very good. Food is always subjective but we enjoyed our dinners in the DR. In the am, we had room service or went to the buffet. FYI, little known fact, you can order an egg sandwich and bacon via room service. Can not do that on any other NCL ship. ;)

 

I wouldn't be worried, it was a fantastic trip. Sounds like you have your excursions all planned - planning is the best way to see all of Hawaii. We were exhausted but saw everything we wanted. Rented a car on Oahu, Maui, Kauai. Did a tour in Hilo and ship excursion in Kona (which I wouldn't recommend).

 

Go, Enjoy !!!!!!

 

Why wouldn't you recommend the ship excursion?

[Tyskie]

Why wouldn't you recommend the ship excursion?

 

The ship excursion we took in Kona was the catamaran/snorkel. It got mixed reviews on NCL website. The snorkel site wasn't the greatest - as the original area gets too rough, they often cancel the snorkeling in that area and go closer to the marina. While I'm cautious person especially on the water, perhaps they should just have the catamaran sail without snorkel and lower the price. Boat was on smaller size, not a lot of "move around room". btw: lunch was a wrapped up sandwich................nothing special. Captain and staff knowledgeable.

 

Our first choice was Capt. Zodiac but because of my DH back acting up, we had to cancel. That trip can be booked via NCL or privately (less money - same excursion) gets great reviews both here and on TripAdvisor. :)

[Tyskie]

BTW: I would do the POA again in a heartbeat !!!! :D

[amkras]

Reviews are so subjective as personal preferences, annoyances and experiences vary so greatly. Before I was married I sailed Holland America several times and I worked on one of their ships for a year. Our first family cruise was on an NCL ship and the reviews really had me concerned. I was convinced we made a big mistake. But guess what: We all had a great time.

 

You will be off this ship a lot of the time so look at it as a means of transportation with some meals and entertainment thrown in. Is the entertainment the best the line has to offer? Maybe not but because of the port intensive schedule some evening activities may not be as heavily attended as cruises with more sea time. Consequently adjustments are made.

 

I will be on this ship a week from today and I am looking forward to it. As for meals, breakfast is very basic and plain for me. Most lunches will be off ship. Any dinner I don't have to cook is fine by me.

 

So, KazAllen please look forward to this cruise as a very pleasant way to enjoy Hawaii.

[EllieinNJ]

We were on the POA in May and simply loved everything about it. Just read the trip reports on the main NCL page and the Hawaii page and you will see everyone who posted had a great time. Only those who posted on the review page complained. Ellie.

[CactusFlower527]

Be sure to read all of the reviews

 

http://www.cruisecritic.com/memberreviews/getreviews.cfm?action=ship&ShipID=349

 

with every ship, every itinerary and every sailing, you will get good and bad reviews.

 

We went on May 10, loved it; this was not the first POA sailing for 2 of the 4 people in my party (does that say anything?)

 

There were Aussies on our sailing - had the lady pianist playing WALTZING MATILDA at dinner one night (they were having a great time).

 

With that said, it is not your TYPICAL cruise. Hawaii is the star:D, and the cruise is VERY port-intensive. There are no sea days. There are no casinos... and not many people stay up later than 10 pm (we were in bed by 9-10 every night because we were getting up by 6 am every morning.)

 

Some of the negativity is spun around those who think that POA staff doesn't ki$$ their butt enough:confused: - sad to say that isn't why *we* went on the cruise. Our cabin steward was polite and funny. We are simple people, polite folks, we had a great time and we hope everyone around us did also.

 

I didn't see any unhappy people on our cruise and did not witness any complaining... so? I say don't let the negativity taint your experience!:D

[CactusFlower527]

BTW: I would do the POA again in a heartbeat !!!! :D

 

Me too.. the hardest decision is WHEN? Next year? The year after? ! LOL

[Seanote]

The biggest difference between the POA and the rest of NCL's fleet (and the reason why people say negative things) is that it is mostly staffed by young American crew. For the most part, you will not have the ma'am/sir subservience that is traditionally experienced with the international crews on the other ships (and other lines)--and some people just cannot handle this fact.

 

The international crew support themselves and their families back home with their job and will bend over backwards to service the passengers in order to receive no complaints and good reviews so they can be hired back on future contracts.

 

American kids tend not to act subservient to others and when they have had enough, they just go back home.

 

Now, having said this, the American crew is just like staff at any American resort (excepting Disney, perhaps) and understanding and expecting this, you will find the crew does a great job.

Edited June 28, 2014 by Seanote

[Budget Queen]

:confused:We have a cruise booked on POA 13th Sept this year and am a bit confused about all the negative things people are saying about this cruise/ship. Sure I know that the cruise is expensive for what it is but that is the nature of the beast if a company has a monopoly.

 

My question is, - is it that bad because I know two people here in Aussie Land that have done the cruise (one twice and would like to do it again) that loved it and had nothing but good things to say about the cruise and the ship.

 

This will be my husband's first cruise and my 2nd (first in 1988 on the old Fairstar) and I know we will enjoy the port intensive itinerary but am a bit worried about the food and service that I keep hearing about. Also the people we are going with are very regular cruisers but they normally travel on RCI, Celebrity, Holland America etc so am a bit worried about their perception as well.

 

We have booked a Hire Car in Maui for the 2 days as we aren't sure what we want to do, also for the day in Hilo so we can go to VNP, haven't booked anything in Kona as yet and in Kauai are intending on doing the Movie Tour on the first day and have booked a helicopter flight on the morning of the 2nd day.

 

We will be arriving in Oahu 5 days before the cruise do have a rental car organised there for 2 days as well to do Island tours and then we have Pearl Harbour organised for the day after and then a couple of free days. We will have almost 3 full days as well when we get back from the POA and then we board Radiance of the Seas for the cruise home to Sydney. Any assurances or info re POA (we are in a Balcony on Deck 9 port side just forward of midship 9564) would be very much appreciated. Thanks, Karen

 

Don't give the negative posts another thought. :) In my opinion, this is one of the best itineraries for Hawaii. I have sailed NCL about 10 times there, this year I did sail Princess out of LA, and will be on Carnival in Sept for their Hawaii transition. My husband does like the sea days, me, I'm bored silly. :)

 

This itinerary is fantastic, with so much time to see and get out with multiple activities of Hawaii. I now, go for at least 3 weeks, last 2 trips flying into Kona for a week on Hawaii, then cruise, then last week in Maui. Hawaiian Airlines airfare is cheap and short. :) Add to the mix, Hawaii is fantastic to tour, so much you can see and do at low costs. If open, a rental car is the jackpot for touring. I've seen and done so much, and never tire of this location. ;)

 

Go and have an excellent time.

Edited June 28, 2014 by Budget Queen

[puddles99]

Count us as another pair of past POA cruisers who hope to some day return to sail her again. We had a fantastic time. Like any vacation (or life experience for that matter), much of your experience will be based on your expectations & attitude. I had high expectations for our Hawaiian adventure, but we also had a pretty laid back attitude about things (once I got past my anal retentive pre-cruise research phase). :D Go, enjoy!

 

 

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[JasonV1]

I've done it before, I would say that the service experience was slightly different as there is much more turnover (based on talks with some wait staff). Had a good time, but then again I'm not the complaining type.

 

I'm going to do it again though in a few years as part of a longer Hawaii trip (probably the best endorsement). To me the POA cruise is similar to a S. Caribbean cruise; heavy on ports so it is a little harder to get bothered by little things since you stay fairly busy.

 

Carnival only does Hawaii a few times, and I'd rather sail NCL than them (and the schedule doesn't work for Carnival anyway).

 

As always, don't board with the intent of finding things you don't like. Not saying you will, but I'm sure you know the type.

[roaming_kiwi58]

Personally I don't understand the negativity about POA. We really enjoyed this cruise and have plans to do it again a few years down the track, after we have knocked a few other places off our bucket list. A great way to see something of Hawaii. Enjoyed the freestyle dining and the ship's shore excursions that we did. No complaints at all.

We have done two cruises with Azamara and one with Louis, due on Oceania later this year. Also done numerous river cruises and a massive amount of land travel over the last 30 years. All different, but all great. You have to travel with an open mind and enjoy the experiences. We count ourselves lucky to be able to do these things.

[genealogyfan]

I would recommend it to others and would go again. The staff was all friendly - ship was fine, room was fine (we had a balcony) - food was ok -not 5 star but 3 star

 

If you read my review - you will see a reply from someone we met on one of our excursions who had the opposite opinion of my friend and me - so everyone has different opinions.

 

You will have a great time and I hope you have booked great excursions

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1616343

[tdelliott]

I leave in 14 days for my third cruise on POA. It is my favorite cruise. I do not like sea days, and I like a very port-intensive trip.

 

You may very well find that you are hooked on this cruise like we are :)

 

Tamara in Texas

[Dinda]

We were on POA last Sept. after previously only being on RCCL ships. Only a couple of negatives I can think of for POA - you could definitely feel the ship movement a lot, and I did not care for their Toga show in the theater. As for the food, we ate in main dining rooms three nights and food was good. Most of our meals were at the Aloha Buffet,and it was great with a large variety of food to choose from. (Of course, my favorite was the fruits). As for the ship movement, most of the sailing is done at night so it was really no big deal. The staff we talked with were all very nice and helpful. I hope to get to do POA again in the very near future! As far as we are concerned, it is the only way to do Hawaii!

[KazAllen]

:D

We were on POA last Sept. after previously only being on RCCL ships. Only a couple of negatives I can think of for POA - you could definitely feel the ship movement a lot, and I did not care for their Toga show in the theater. As for the food, we ate in main dining rooms three nights and food was good. Most of our meals were at the Aloha Buffet,and it was great with a large variety of food to choose from. (Of course, my favorite was the fruits). As for the ship movement, most of the sailing is done at night so it was really no big deal. The staff we talked with were all very nice and helpful. I hope to get to do POA again in the very near future! As far as we are concerned, it is the only way to do Hawaii!

 

I really appreciate the replies, good to know that there are some people who enjoyed the cruise. We are certainly looking forward to it and as my hubby says, he hasn't yet got anything to measure it against so he is going to enjoy it no matter what as it is a holiday. Thanks once again, Karen

[DaisyGoldberg]

We loved it. Very port intensive (as everybody has said) so the nightlife might be a bit less than the 24 hour partiers might like.

 

We were so busy with day tripping and the night shows that we pretty much stuck to the buffet and were perfectly happy with it -- hands down the best buffet on a cruise ship I've had, including other Norwegian ships.

 

I saw nothing in the level of service that was lacking -- as others have pointed out, however, it's more like the service you get from a professional American hotel. The staff are friendly and efficient, but they're not as deferential as many of the staff on typical cruise lines are. Doesn't mean they're not responsive -- they're just not giving off that subservient vibe. personally, I found that a relief.

 

Be sure to check out some of the craft classes -- fun to make leis of various types, and a hula lesson or two is great!