Pride of America reviews

[MickeyP]

We have made plans for Pride of America’s 11 day tour and cruise around the Hawaiian Islands in November. I don’t see many good reviews here on CC.  What I did read is, that NCL customer service isn’t the best. Some reviews have a few complimentary dining options as closed, and therefore you need to pay an up charge to dine elsewhere. Room rooms have a sewer smell someone posted. This will be our first NCL cruise and I am concerned as to what we can expect. 

[BirdTravels]

6 minutes ago, MickeyP said:

We have made plans for Pride of America’s 11 day tour and cruise around the Hawaiian Islands in November. I don’t see many good reviews here on CC.  What I did read is, that NCL customer service isn’t the best. Some reviews have a few complimentary dining options as closed, and therefore you need to pay an up charge to dine elsewhere. Room rooms have a sewer smell someone posted. This will be our first NCL cruise and I am concerned as to what we can expect. 

First and foremost, don’t believe everything you read on the internet. It is a lot of complaining,,, by people who have never sailed on the POA. 

 

The POA is the absolute best way to see Hawaii. And you save the time and expense of having to sail from the west coast on other lines. 
 

You are in port every day. You have two overnight port calls that enable you to maximize the Hawaii experience, if you choose. A luau at night, sunrise from the top of a volcano and a bike ride down, if you choose. 

 

Have they changed the itinerary,,, sure have. And a lot of people who have never been on the POA and never will be on the POA slam NCL for something irrelevant to them. Whatever. Just Fake News. 
 

Have they had a hard time getting US crew members after the pandemic. Sure have,,, to the point of having to reduce passenger load and reduce service for a while. But the goal was to provide a service, even if slightly diminished. But if you look at the US travel industry in general, that is true. We stay at upper-middle class hotels 3-4 times a month… and there is insufficient staff to clean the rooms and serve the food. 
 

Things are getting better. POA is your floating hotel. Use her. Enjoy her. It is the only way the cruise Hawaii!  

 

Attached is a post from last week asking a question a couple of weeks ago. 

 

[mugtech]

             If you want to give NCL extra money, you won't be able to do it in the casino, there is no casino. 

Some cruise to gamble, not on POA.

[CruisnDeb]

I agree with Bird that the POA is the best way to get a good taste for islands. We cruised on the POA and discovered how much we loved Kauai and have been there for 2 land vacations so far. I personally did not care for Honolulu and think most people who dislike Hawaii have only vacationed there. Each island is unique and I’m so glad I got to experience them all. 

[Tutone56]

We cruised the POA in March 2020, the last cruise before covid shutdown.  It went through dry dock that spring.  Although an older ship, we found it to be a very nice ship.  I had read good and bad reviews, including complaints of sewer odors prior to our cruise.  We did not experience any of that, and in fact we had a wonderful cruise.  
Unlike other cruises, Hawaii is very port intensive.  We were off the ship more than any cruise we’ve taken.  The time spent on the ship was very enjoyable.  I would not hesitate going on another POA cruise again.

[chris153]

We cruised POA a number of years ago.  When I walked into the balcony room i was a little shccked at how small it was.  In the end this was probably one of the best cruised we have ever been on. THe itinerary was the best!!! All the staff on the ship were great too!!  The ship was  a little run down, but that had no negatie effect on our cruise and since has been through drydock.  This really was the best way to tour Hawaii!!!

 

[philv]

We cruised POA in 2022. It was still recovering from pandemic, sailing at 50% capacity. But we had great cruise. Very port intensive, no at sea days. If you are there to see Hawaii can’t think of a better way. 4 islands and you only unpack once. We are sailing POA again in 2024. Now that we know the ropes we are tuning up our excursions with the benefit of prior cruise. Looking forward to great experience!

[Go2SeaTheWorld]

We cruised POA in May 2022, started with the land tour before boarding ship on Sat. It was at about 60% capacity, aft facing penthouse suite. We enjoyed it so much. The excursions we booked were fantastic & staff, though reduced at the time, was great. Everyone has his/her own experience, it seems to me, regardless of the ship/itinerary booked. But as far as the most convenient, beautiful way to see Hawaii, we wouldn't trade our experience for anything.

[quagmire0]

It's Hawaii. The cruise ship could be a tugboat and you'd still have a great time. 😁

[azappraiser]

Although it was a while ago, 2014, we still talk about that trip.  We scored an aft balcony (no suite, but made friends with the couple next door), regardless, our balcony accommodated two loungers, plus a small table & two chairs... and there was still room to move around.

 

Sailing away from the Na Pali coast was incredible... we had that view longer than most everyone on the ship.

 

Can't comment on the current crew, facilities, or anything in particular about the ship, other than I believe it went through an update since we sailed. I can say the crew we had on board was fantastic, but we really didn't spend that much time on the ship with the lengthy ports-of-call... Kailua-Kona was the only short time, and the only tender port as well.

 

We had dinner that night at the Captain's Table; although ours was round, not rectangular like the Love Boat.  Besides my wife and I, there were two other couples and three staff officers.  Excellent treat!

 

Aside from our aft-balcony, the POA wasn't about the ship... we visited four of the islands in a week without having to pack/unpack or fly from one to the other.

[Crown Vic]

Any word on the whereabouts of Kaj Turunen who was, until a few months ago, GM on the PoA? Thanks…

[BirdTravels]

On 7/21/2023 at 5:47 PM, mugtech said:

If you want to give NCL extra money, you won't be able to do it in the casino, there is no casino. Some cruise to gamble, not on POA.

Because... it is against Hawaiian law to gamble in Hawaii.... 

 

For the same reason that you will pay Hawaiian General Excise Tax for purchase on your cruise... because Hawaii demands your money... 

Edited July 23, 2023 by BirdTravels

[mugtech]

15 minutes ago, BirdTravels said:

Because... it is against Hawaiian law to gamble in Hawaii.... 

Of course it is, why else would there be no casino on POA?

[janice2348]

On 7/21/2023 at 4:20 PM, BirdTravels said:

First and foremost, don’t believe everything you read on the internet. It is a lot of complaining,,, by people who have never sailed on the POA. 

 

The POA is the absolute best way to see Hawaii. And you save the time and expense of having to sail from the west coast on other lines. 
 

You are in port every day. You have two overnight port calls that enable you to maximize the Hawaii experience, if you choose. A luau at night, sunrise from the top of a volcano and a bike ride down, if you choose. 

 

Have they changed the itinerary,,, sure have. And a lot of people who have never been on the POA and never will be on the POA slam NCL for something irrelevant to them. Whatever. Just Fake News. 
 

Have they had a hard time getting US crew members after the pandemic. Sure have,,, to the point of having to reduce passenger load and reduce service for a while. But the goal was to provide a service, even if slightly diminished. But if you look at the US travel industry in general, that is true. We stay at upper-middle class hotels 3-4 times a month… and there is insufficient staff to clean the rooms and serve the food. 
 

Things are getting better. POA is your floating hotel. Use her. Enjoy her. It is the only way the cruise Hawaii!  

 

Attached is a post from last week asking a question a couple of weeks ago. 

 

I totally agree. We sailed POA in 2016. Truly an amazing experience.  Food and crew great; scenery spectacular.  I’d do it again in a heartbeat. 
 

Edited July 28, 2023 by janice2348

[SimplyAlbert]

We're cruising this fall on the POA and, overall, I've read more good reviews than bad.  There is a lot of really good information and tons of reviews on a very popular social media site.  You might want to check them out.

[Ellis1138]

Both good reviews and bad reviews can be helpful. I read them with the idea of "Okay, is this important to me?" And then, if something is, I decide what to do. Will long dinner service times at Skyline make me not go on the cruise? No. Maybe instead of rushing back to the Pride of America for dinner, we'll eat at a restaurant on the island we're in port. If anything is truly awful on my cruise, I'll take photos and go to Guest Services to try to get it remedied.

 

As far as the sewer smell issue on PoA, that seems to come and go and have a few causes.

1) The AC in your cabin dried out the trap (remedy: pour a few cups of water down the floor drain that's near the toilet.

2) Someone in a nearby cabin flushed something they shouldn't and the system is clogged and needs to be opened for maintenance. (Remedy: patience. )

3) The wind is blowing the sewage treatment fumes back into the AC intakes for the cabins. (Not much can be done about that. Get some FCC from Guest Services if it's too awful and they can't switch your cabin location.)

4) The smell is coming from the port. (Once you get off the ship and/or away from the port, things will be fine.)

[WillCruiseForMoney]

We have cruised on POA 4 times, in 2009, 2017, 2019, and December 2022.  All 4 times we had a great time and the service and food was equal to our experiences on other NCL cruises.  Only downside from our perspective is the cost relative to other NCL cruises. 

 

Would happily do this cuise again and again.

[JB61]

I'm going on POA May 2024 with 2 friends from childhood.  They are pretty set on doing excursions through NCL or at least another tour operator, however I've traveled all the islands on my own with my husband and a rental car.  Are there any recommendations on external or private tour operators for going to Waimea Canyon on Kauai?  The NCL tour is not appealing.  We also want to go to the Allerton and McBryde Gardens on Kauai.  I would like to just get a rental car and go, but again they want to do it through NCL, which has a tour called "Jewels of Hawaii.   Also they area looking at the Paia Town and Twin Falls tour.  We are not shoppers and I have seen some half way to Hanna tours that look good.  They are not up to a full Road to Hanna excursion.   

 

Does anyone have any reviews of these tours or other tour recommendations?

[Broccan]

On 2/11/2024 at 11:59 PM, JB61 said:

I'm going on POA May 2024 with 2 friends from childhood.  They are pretty set on doing excursions through NCL or at least another tour operator, however I've traveled all the islands on my own with my husband and a rental car.  Are there any recommendations on external or private tour operators for going to Waimea Canyon on Kauai?  The NCL tour is not appealing.  We also want to go to the Allerton and McBryde Gardens on Kauai.  I would like to just get a rental car and go, but again they want to do it through NCL, which has a tour called "Jewels of Hawaii.   Also they area looking at the Paia Town and Twin Falls tour.  We are not shoppers and I have seen some half way to Hanna tours that look good.  They are not up to a full Road to Hanna excursion.   

 

Does anyone have any reviews of these tours or other tour recommendations?

For what it is worth I agree with you on the offerings from NCL, especially on Kauai. I was stationed in Hawaii for 4 years in the Navy and travel on the Islands is easy. We are going on the POA in October and have already decided to do the car rental on Kauai and probably on Maui. Good luck on what ever path you take.

[Moorecc70]

On 2/11/2024 at 11:59 PM, JB61 said:

I'm going on POA May 2024 with 2 friends from childhood.  They are pretty set on doing excursions through NCL or at least another tour operator, however I've traveled all the islands on my own with my husband and a rental car.  Are there any recommendations on external or private tour operators for going to Waimea Canyon on Kauai?  The NCL tour is not appealing.  We also want to go to the Allerton and McBryde Gardens on Kauai.  I would like to just get a rental car and go, but again they want to do it through NCL, which has a tour called "Jewels of Hawaii.   Also they area looking at the Paia Town and Twin Falls tour.  We are not shoppers and I have seen some half way to Hanna tours that look good.  They are not up to a full Road to Hanna excursion.   

 

Does anyone have any reviews of these tours or other tour recommendations?

We just returned from HAL Koningsdam Hawaii cruise.  Did POA in Nov 2018.  The best things we did:

Maui - rented a car.  Taxi to airport, share with another couple.  Had our own agenda including McKenzie Point Lighthouse where we could observe whales in the bay (fabulous)

Kona - took ship excursion that included Kona Joes coffee (been there before) but the best part was the Kona chocolate and soap company.  The 5.8 earthquake happened 30-40 miles south while were visiting there.

Hilo - If you’ve visited Kiluea and volcanoes NP try this private tour:

Viator: Volcano safari lava caves falls from C Big Island LLC.  They pick up at the port.  Our guide (Holo Holo taxi) took us to Rainbow Falls, then a lava cave that we had not been to before.  It had a collaspe in November and just reopened.  But the best was the tour to Pahoa where fissure 7 erupted in 2018.  We couldn’t get there when we stopped on POA in 2018 so we wanted to see how Pahoa was coping.  Our guide took us to Leilani Estates and showed us how the lava just rolled over everything.  In somplaces it was just heat from the fissures that set homes on fire.  And the height of the lava was incredible and the new beach.  I could go on and on. 

 

Honolulu - bought the HOLO bus pass for two days.  Traveled to Waimea and the Pipeline but the waves weren’t big.  You can go most anywhere on the bus.  The 7-11 is where you buy the card.  I think it was $17 cash for two days of unlimited travel.  The 7-11 is a 15 minute walk.

 

Kuaui - too rough to go in to harbor. But we had a car rental planned.  Instead the captain got permission to cruise the Napali coast (we has missed that on POA because of a life boat issue.)

 

Enjoy the POA.  In 2018 it was needing an update.  Glad to hear it got one.  The service was very good and the food was as well.  On other NCL cruises, some of our stewards have the dream of doing a contract on POA.

[mskaufman]

I have been on numerous cruises, including three with NCL.  We were on POA last summer and had a great time.  However, the cruise itself was not up to the standards we have come to expect from NCL.  It seemed that they were very understaffed.  For example, there were days our room was not made up until almost dinner time and there was no turn down service.  The entertainment was lacking.  That all said, it was a great way to see Hawaii.  Happy to answer more questions or share my cruise pictures.

[Silver Sweethearts]

1 hour ago, Moorecc70 said:

We just returned from HAL Koningsdam Hawaii cruise.  Did POA in Nov 2018.  The best things we did:

Maui - rented a car.  Taxi to airport, share with another couple.  Had our own agenda including McKenzie Point Lighthouse where we could observe whales in the bay (fabulous)

With all due respect, we believe you meant McGregor's Point Lighthouse instead of McKenzie Point.

[Moorecc70]

10 hours ago, Silver Sweethearts said:

With all due respect, we believe you meant McGregor's Point Lighthouse instead of McKenzie Point.

You are right!  Reading a mystery with detective MacKenzie and my old brain transported the name!  McGregor’s Point - quite a few blows, one breach, and lots of tail flips.

[Moorecc70]

11 hours ago, Moorecc70 said:

McKenzie

It is MacGregor’s - sorry all.

[Silver Sweethearts]

14 hours ago, Moorecc70 said:

It is MacGregor’s - sorry all.

 

Don't quite understand, but If you are looking for the correct spelling, it is McGregor (with no 'a').

Edited February 28 by Silver Sweethearts