Pride of Aloha Virtual Cruise by Cruise Critic

[LauraS]

When Norwegian Cruise Line’s Pride of Aloha sets sail on Sunday, July 3 – after a splashy inaugural – it’s marking a couple of milestones. It’s the first ship in NCL America’s U.S.-registered fleet. It’s also the first cruise ship to sail Honolulu-based voyages on a weekly basis – at least the first since the demise of American Classic Voyages.

 

 

 

And Cruise Critic will be there! We’ll be reporting from-the-scene – not just ship observations and experiences but also from the ports-of-call themselves, via a Pride of Aloha virtual. Port calls include, in addition to Honolulu, the islands of Hawaii (both Kona and Hilo), Kauai and Maui.

 

 

 

The virtual, Cruise Critic’s signature day-by-day journal-style feature, will begin appearing on Tuesday, July 6 and will run through Wednesday, July 14 (with a break on weekends).

 

Pride of Aloha Virtual Cruise

Laura

[Molokai-Chuck]

Now this sounds good to me......can hardly wait for it all to start.

 

Mahalo for taking the time to do it!

 

Chuck

[MareT]

Thanks Laura - really looking forward to this as we sail on the POA in a few weeks.

 

Maryann

[gardencat]

What a great idea. I look forward to reading it.

[Guest nhrich]

Oh sure, Laura...just torture those of us who have to wait for our cruise.

 

Have a great trip, and thanks in advance.

 

Rich

[Traveler39]

Will you be on the ship or at the ports? Will you report the good and the bad or is this more PR by NCL...??? If you are there on the ship to report the truth and to help the future passengers of this POA then what you are doing is great... We need an honest set of eyes and ears to report on this ship.... We all want the POA to be nice and successful... Both for NCL and the Passengers...

[COASTERBOB]

Will you be on the ship or at the ports? Will you report the good and the bad or is this more PR by NCL...??? If you are there on the ship to report the truth and to help the future passengers of this POA then what you are doing is great... We need an honest set of eyes and ears to report on this ship.... We all want the POA to be nice and successful... Both for NCL and the Passengers...

 

 

Laura, if possible could you scan in some samples of the menus as well? I agree with traveler, we need an HONEST report from you, both good and bad. Bob

 

Pride of Aloha 9/5/2004

[Guest alexMD]

From my readings of other "virtual cruises", I am guessing that the reviewer/writer isn't actually on the ship, but compiles descriptions of the ship and ports of call from material already on Cruise Critic or available elsewhere.

 

If this is the case, what is the function of a "virtual cruise"? It would seem to me that it serves more of a promotional/advertising purpose than a journalistic or editorial one.

[shoreguy]

From my readings of other "virtual cruises", I am guessing that the reviewer/writer isn't actually on the ship, but compiles descriptions of the ship and ports of call from material already on Cruise Critic or available elsewhere.

 

If this is the case, what is the function of a "virtual cruise"? It would seem to me that it serves more of a promotional/advertising purpose than a journalistic or editorial one.

 

 

Not sure thats the case here. CC did a virtual cruise from the Dawn last year and it was more of a day by day journal. There was as I remember a bit of a lag in some of the info but clearly created by a mystery cruiser.

[LouChamp]

Oh AlexMD...you need to think of the glass being half full instead of half empty!!! Anyway Laura...thank you for the upcoming postings.

Will you actually be on the ship??? If so have a great time and a safe, enjoyable voyage and please post the good , bad and the in-between!!!

All the best

[Guest alexMD]

Instead of looking at it as half full or half empty, I'd just like to know how many ounces of liquid in the darn thing. ;)

 

 

I'm looking forward to ANY kind of information on Pride of Aloha.

 

 

Thanks Cruise Critic.

[LouChamp]

Excellent Alex!!!

Have a happy 4th!

[sydsmom]

Laura, do you know anything about the picture package the Flamingos are talking about? I would like more information but when I called NCL they didn't know what I was talking about. Thanks

[Polish Falcon]

Are You On The Ship?

 

"And Cruise Critic will be there! We’ll be reporting from-the-scene – not just ship observations and experiences but also from the ports-of-call themselves, via a Pride of Aloha virtual. Port calls include, in addition to Honolulu, the islands of Hawaii (both Kona and Hilo), Kauai and Maui."

 

BOTTOM LINE - ARE YOU A PASSENGER ON THIS SHIP???

 

"via a Pride of Aloha virtual".

ARE YOU ON THIS SHIP??

 

Thanks!

Ted

[Xzone940]

Just came off of the Pride of Aloha on the CRUISE FROM HELL.. ..We departed San Francisco 6/20 thinking this would be the cruise of a lifetime. Boy, were we wrong. Got to our stateroom and noticed the the previous guest had left a little something on the toilet seat, :eek: also some of their hair on the sink. Hmmmm I thought the staterooms were cleaned every day.Guess not. Anyway, we decided to get a drink while we waited to set sail. All was OK till we went to deck 11 to get something to eat. The lines were out the door and the food was terrible. OK, we figured the first night out, things are hectic.It'll get better. NOT SO !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!It got much worse. The bed in the stateroom was hard as a rock. We had to find a room steward to try to get us some kind of padding. OK, that done, we went to bed. Things have to get better tomorrow

Not so....I'm too tired to keep going right now but if anyone is interested in hearing more about "THE CRUISE FROM HELL", let me know and I'll post all you can handle. Theres a lot to tell. Ray

[cnmiranda]

Yes, XZone940, I'd like to hear about your experiences, please post a new topic since this thread is about the POA preview.

 

Looking forward to your review, sorry about your "dumpy" experiece.lol:eek:

[Traveler39]

Yes Xzone... please start a new post of the good, the bad and the ugly... thanks

[gardencat]

Is this where the 'virtual POA' cruise will be posted? I think it is supposed to start today but with the time difference will probably only show late in the day.

If it isn't goimg to be here and someone knows where it is could you please let me know?

[nursemate]

Personally I like reading all about the POA since my trip isn't till Sept.12-04

 

I won't pass judgement on the ship until I actually cruise with NCL. This will be my first experience with them. It takes alot to upset me so I can fairly well so that I will have a great time.

 

Thanks laura for all your work and information on the ship. Will be looking forward to reading your review

[Xzone940]

Im not sure how to make a new thread, maybe you can tell me. Anyhow, The 2nd day of our cruise was no better that the first. We went to breakfast in one of the dining rooms and it was 1 1/2 hours till we left. My wife ordered french toast, easy right? WRONG... 3 times it came back hard as a rock. To top things off, no butter, only hmmmm They call it European spread, we call it margerine...We were told theres no butter on the ship, we ran out....2nd day???? We found out later, they lied...The butter was being reserved for the Premium restaurants...Out of 6 restaurants, 3 of them you paid a premium.... Also, getting away from the restaurants, there were no bars of soap on the ship...more lies... If you were in a suite, you could have bars of soap...I'll get back to you later with more. Thanks for listening. Ray

[cnmiranda]

Ray, when you open up the Norwegian Cruise Line page - Right below the header in the bright red letters that say "Welcome To Our New Boards' there is a clickable button that says "New Thread" that looks like the "reply" button you clicked on earlier to write your post. Thanks for your impressions. Again, the "New Thread" button starts a new topic/discussion. ;) Hope this helps.

 

I'd like to hear as many reviews as possible....thanks POA travelers:D

[Jeconk]

To top things off, no butter, only hmmmm They call it European spread, we call it margerine...We were told theres no butter on the ship, we ran out....2nd day???? We found out later, they lied...The butter was being reserved for the Premium restaurants...Out of 6 restaurants, 3 of them you paid a premium.... Also, getting away from the restaurants, there were no bars of soap on the ship...more lies... If you were in a suite, you could have bars of soap

 

 

NCL lie???? It is their standard method of operation: tell people whatever they want to hear at the time in order to get them to book or to shut up and drop the issue. I have a list a mile long of NCL lies...including some that they even have admited to!!!! Quote from a letter I received from NCL: "Not everything we put in our brochures may be accurate." I have a couple from this cruise that I will share in my review. I did notice, however, that some butter was begining to show up in the main dinning rooms by the end of the week. So they kept it in the pay dining rooms huh?? I never went there, I found it insulting to be asked to pay for the same food in those dining rooms that you could have in the main dining rooms. My Filet Mignon that I had one night in Crossings was excellent and I didn't have to pay extra for it like so many did in LeBistro or whichever one had that. All I did was ask for it and my server got it for me!

 

They had bars of soap in the suites! I asked for one too for my shower and was told the ship didn't stock solid soap. Let me add that to my lie list.

[gardencat]

Help1

 

Is it just me? I found the link to the virtual cruise (well someone gave it to me) but now when I go there I can see day one but no day two. Has it not been posted or am I just missing something again?

[Cruizer_J]

Help1

 

Is it just me? I found the link to the virtual cruise (well someone gave it to me) but now when I go there I can see day one but no day two. Has it not been posted or am I just missing something again?

When you select the link in Laura's initial post up above, does it take you to the virtual cruise page? It should be the same as: http://www.cruisecritic.com/virtual/virtual.cfm?ID=7. I see links to days 1 and 2 there.

[gardencat]

Thanks ganders got it now. Don't know why I couldn't see it before.

 

Gee I miss Hawaii, was there just 2 months ago but wish I could go back:(