Pride of America-Nov 17-24 review (long)

[azgkrudi]

My husband and I (late 30s) sailed the Pride of America, November 17-24, 2007.

 

Flights:

 

We booked our airfare through NCLA after much research. The cruise line’s fares were less than half of what we could find on our own. Additionally, one of the legs was even booked as an upgradeable fare! We didn’t clear the waitlist, but we still ended up in “Economy Plus” which amazingly had tons of legroom and overhead bin space. Both flights were on time and very smooth, even being the Thanksgiving holiday week.

 

Accommodations:

 

We booked a Penthouse Suite (category AE) on Deck 12, the deck with the least amount of cabins (we were hoping for peacefulness and fewer guests walking back & forth). The first business day after we made final payment, an NCL rep called us to ask if we wanted to upgrade to an AB (Deluxe Penthouse) for a heavily reduced rate. I asked her if any of these AB’s were available on Deck 12, as we really wanted to be on that deck. She said no, but there were Owner’s Suites (AA) available. So we scored an Owner’s Suite (#12000) at a wonderfully low up-charge. Our suite had a large living room, dining room, bar with refrigerator & stools, two bathrooms (one with its own plasma TV and Jacuzzi tub), king-sized bed in bedroom closed off with sliding French doors, and a walk-in closet with the usual electronic safe. The balcony was HUGE – I believe it was 188 square feet – it was incredibly deep and had its own circular Jacuzzi, 3 wicker lounge chairs and a 4-person dinette set. There were sets of sliders out to the balcony from the living area and the bedroom, and between the two, another floor to ceiling window. It was wonderful to have 3 plasma TVs where we could watch the football games (lots of NFL and college games this week!) no matter where we were in the suite (although, darn! We didn’t have a TV on the balcony to enjoy from the Jacuzzi. ;)). The master bathroom had a large shower with hydrotherapy jets running up & down its length, as well as on the shower head itself. Very nice.

 

The only strange thing about such a nice suite was, the LOUD colored décor (although we knew this going in). Everything is hot pink, bright green, royal purple, etc….right down to the entrance door. Kind of diminishes the luxuriousness of the amenities of the suite, but that is what the entire theme of the ship is, so we looked past that.

 

Our suite was cleaned fairly well by our room steward (Rick from Hilo) and stocked up nicely with tons of towels, toiletries, etc. throughout the week. Our room steward, although a substitute, did a wonderful job. We never came back to find the room not made up yet. Also, NCLA has a smart little system where you turn a dial outside your room to read what mode you’re in: “Welcome”, “Make Up Cabin, Please”, “Turn Down Cabin, Please” and “Do Not Disturb”.

 

The only problem we had with our suite occurred first thing – the water in our outdoor Jacuzzi and our indoor shower was SCALDING, even on the coolest possible setting. Our butler summoned the maintenance man and it required two separate visits to correct the problem, but it was fixed within one day. According to this man, the people who had the suite prior to us asked him to set the water that hot! I think he said it was in the 115-118 degree range. Wow. I figured they really must have used that hydrotherapy system in the shower!

 

I was correct in assuming our deck would be very quiet compared to the others. The only other person we ran into in the hallway was our steward, all week long, even though every single stateroom on our deck was occupied.

 

Along with the suite came use of a concierge and butler. We really didn’t use the concierge – just met him upon arrival – he gathered the suite guests in a small bar on Deck 13 and described the restaurants and answered any questions we had. Our butler, Bhas from India, was just phenomenal. He was always there when we needed him but never one bit intrusive. Each morning with our room service breakfast, he would give us ideas of places we could go on each island (we didn’t book any formal shore excursions through the ship – we didn’t want that cattle call feel!). He was very knowledgeable and was able to find us some great deals on car rentals, etc.

 

A few of the other perks that we received with an Owner’s Suite: priority embarkation/disembarkation, priority tendering, the ability to make ALL dinner reservations for the entire cruise on the first night, a bottle of welcome champagne, an espresso/cappuccino machine, canapés delivered each evening, an invitation to the Captain’s cocktail party, and all in-suite drinks including soda, water, beer, and liquor. That saved us a little bit of the nickel-and-diming, because if we were leaving the suite, we’d just bring a drink with us. One very pleasant surprise: we had unlimited Moet & Chandon White Star champagne! Our butler had asked us at the beginning of the week which 3 bottles of liquor we wanted (the standard inclusion with an Owner’s Suite). We asked for one but then couldn’t picture drinking anything more than that between the two of us. I asked if we could perhaps just get two more bottles of champagne, then. Bhas said of course, and continued to replace our champagne throughout the week. The real bonus was, the “standard pour” that they served at the VIP cocktail parties was Kenwood Sparkling, but Bhas stocked our suite with only the Moet & Chandon White Star (which I later saw they charge $54 for).

 

One other thing we did not expect from a large ship: motion! Albeit, we were staying in a forward cabin and up high, but there was still a lot more motion than we expected – almost as much as the smaller Regent and Silversea ships we’ve been on. It wasn’t a problem to us at all, but several guests we spoke to had gotten seasick.

 

Ports:

 

The Hawaiian islands, as everyone says, are so beautiful. We rented cars and walked around, exploring on our own. We absolutely loved Kona and Kauai. Maui was a little too commercial for us, but still very enjoyable. Amazingly, the prices of most things – fuel, food, drink – were either the same or LESS than where we currently live (the Palm Springs area)! Yet another pleasant surprise for us. While in Maui, the Maui Invitational (NCAA basketball) tournament was being held. We visited the Westin in Lahaina and ended up running into several players and coaches, particularly from Arizona State University. The weather was perfect every day except the morning we arrived in Hilo, when it was overcast/rainy until around 2:00pm.

 

The food was excellent everywhere we went, but one thing really threw us for a loop – the portions they serve on every island are MASSIVE! We could have easily split one entrée (sometimes even just an appetizer), been plenty full, and still had leftovers. Just try the quesadillas at LuLu’s in Kona – each piece was as thick as a half-pound burger we’d get at home – and there were at least six pieces!

 

Food on the Pride of America:

 

The food was, overall, quite good. We were very pleasantly surprised at the quality, presentation and selection. Also, this was the first cruise (or land trip, for that matter) I’ve taken where I didn’t have any digestion issues, so the food must have been pretty good! We had room service for breakfast each day delivered by our butler. You fill out the card and put it on the door for the next morning. Breakfast was always delivered right on time and at the correct temperature.

 

For dinner, we dined once each in the Liberty, Little Italy, East Meets West, and Jefferson’s Bistro. We loved the Lazy J Steakhouse so much, we ate there three times. We really enjoyed the Lazy J – every steak selection under the sun (melt-in-your-mouth filet), as well as whole Maine lobster for main courses, and then superb extras such as various appetizers, salads, lobster bisque (HEAVY but just delightful), potatoes, asparagus, etc. We could never make it to dessert!

 

We were able to avoid the cover charge in the specialty restaurants, in a roundabout way. At the beginning of the cruise, we purchased the “platinum wine package”. For $225.00 per couple, we received 5 nights’ worth of dining for free at whatever restaurants we chose, along with a different bottle of wine each night (which was specially selected to complement the menu for the evening). I noted from the wine list that had we purchased these wines, they would’ve each been in the $30-50 range, so this was an incredible value. Also, we were able to “swap out” wines for different choices if we didn’t care for the offered wine of the night. We were pleased that our personal favorite, Santa Margarita Pinot Grigio, was offered on the night we dined at Little Italy.

 

Service was always very good at the food & drink venues throughout the ship. The staff was always smiling and friendly, contrary to some earlier reports I read. I think it’s one of those “treat someone the way you want to be treated” things.

 

The only dinner we didn’t care for so much was at the main dining room, Liberty. We went there on “prime rib and lobster night” at the suggestion of our concierge. Greg could only take one bite of the prime rib – it was that bad. My lobster was OK, a little tough. It was fine, though, because by that point in the week, we were so full that it was probably a blessing not to eat a full meal.

 

For lunch and snacks while on the ship, we just hit the Aloha Café, a buffet with nearly every food under the sun. Everyone’s reviews were spot-on: look out! You’re going to get run over by the big guy or little kid or pushy lady who NEEDS to have that piece of fruit or chicken leg before you get there. And just as we were warned, the seating in that area is packed and haphazard. Luckily, we discovered the Gold Rush Saloon on the very first day; this is attached by double doors to the smaller area of the café, so it seemed few people knew about it. The staff didn’t mind us (wise ones) bringing our plates into the saloon from the café to be away from the crowd. That way, we could also enjoy an adult beverage and watch ESPN on the plasmas. We loved the Gold Rush Saloon.

 

Speaking of beverages, NCLA actually charges for soft drinks and bottled water throughout the ship (with the exception of the drinks stocked daily in our suite…regular cabins must pay for theirs). In the dining venues, included beverages are coffee, tea and juice at breakfast; and iced tea & tap water at lunch and dinner. We knew all of this going in, and planned accordingly. Our beverage bill ended up being astronomical, but we weren’t about to change our habits while on vacation.

 

Additionally, the cruise line charges $10 per person, per day to your ship board account to cover tips for most of the staff. However, bartenders, butlers, concierge and child care professionals do not partake of these tips, so they rely on direct tips from us guests.

 

One word of advice if you are going to do this (or maybe any NCLA) cruise: ask for an interim statement every couple of days. I asked for one 3 days into the cruise and found that somehow Greg and I had been charged for a Honolulu tour on our day of arrival, even though our (NCL sponsored) flight had gotten in JUST PRIOR to the ship’s sailing time. The reception desk acted like they didn’t believe that we hadn’t taken the tour, and sent me to the Excursion Desk to straighten it out. :( Luckily, the gentleman at the Excursion Desk believed me and removed the charge immediately. But I took no comfort when he said, “You are smart to get a statement every couple of days…these things happen all the time…people often get charged for spa treatments they never did.” So I made a note to self: look for spa treatment charges – we don’t even know where the spa IS!

 

Entertainment:

 

We very rarely attend any large organized entertainment on a ship, so I can’t say much about this. We went to this cabaret style place called the Mardi Gras one night, as we were going to meet up with some friends we’d met on-board. It was one of those YMCA, line dancing type things with lots of the young crowd. We had a couple of drinks and left! Most nights we had after dinner drinks at the Napa Wine Bar (which is not just a wine bar, but a full-service bar – there is also a tray of cheese, fruit & crackers to nibble on). There is a singer here with his acoustic guitar and he plays great contemporary music. It’s a wonderfully low-key environment, much more our speed.

 

There are two pools: one main one, set mid-ship, that is split in two, with a shallow end for children; and another small pool at the aft, which is much quieter, although tended to be crowded (presumably with adults who wanted to avoid the hustle & bustle of children). It looked to us like the children on board were having a GREAT time. I think NCLA must have some really good children’s programs. It was cute to see them parading around in masks, etc. with their counselors while their parents were likely enjoying a quiet dinner together.

 

Embarkation/disembarkation:

 

Every review I’d read just raved about NCLA’s procedures here – how effortless, quick and pain free it was. Well, no matter what, when you’ve got 2,000+ passengers on a ship, it’s NOT going to be a walk in the park. Disembarkation in particular was a mass of people everywhere with no direction whatsoever (and I mean after leaving the ship). I think part of this was due to the fact that we docked in a different area than usual. Our transfers were included in our cruise package, but we opted NOT to stand in a line of 500 people waiting for the 50-passenger busses that came & went, nor stand in a line of 50+ for a taxi. We happened upon “VIP Transfers”, an independent transfer company with 10-passenger Econoline vans, and paid the $5 per person to exit the chaos and head to the airport immediately.

 

Overall, the cruise met our expectations in most aspects, and exceeded it in others. The crew is mostly 20- and 30-something Americans, although there were also several staff from other parts of the world. Everyone was always smiling, eager to assist/please, and easy to strike up a conversation with.

[LINDA of NJ]

Enjoyed your review. Isn't suite living great.:)

[whale-watcher]

thanks for the review...glad to hear that deck 12 was quiet!

[sandm]

Thank you for the detailed review. We are in an AE in June on the 12th floor. We have 4 though so no upgrade/upsell fairy for us to an Owners suite. We loved reading the details of the perks of staying in a suite. Thanks again.

[azgkrudi]

Thanks for the kind words, everyone. A suite is definitely the way to go! I miss the balcony and champagne already.

[scopewest]

Thanks for your review, glad to hear you had a great time.

[electricron]

Loved your review..

Just wanted to add to this discussion the differences in passenger tastes.

 

For example, food and hot tub temperatures.

Obviously, if the maintenance tech was truthful, hot tub temperatures are changed regularly for individual comfort.

 

Which proves you can't please everybody with just one setting......

[azgkrudi]

True, electricron. And we were very pleased with how quickly maintenance was able to change the temperature. The bizarre thing was, our bathroom sinks, which are presumably off the same water line as the shower (right next to the vanity) had nice cold water coming from them. That stumped the maintenance guy, too. Go figure!

[NengEuis]

Thanks for the great review. I appreciate all the little details! :)

 

Questions about the Platinum Wine Package: (This topic is not one the NCL likes to advertise ANYWHERE, so I'm just curious...)

*Does the $225 include the cover charges for specialty restaurants?

*Were you able to make reservations for the whole week up front if you wanted?

*How many other wines could you choose from if you didn't like the wine of the day?

 

We did a wine package on NCL in 2002, and when we got home and did the math, we thought - oh crap. We paid $40 each night for $30 bottles of wine.

So if the cover charges are included and we can make reservations for the week, this may in fact be a good deal.

[azgkrudi]

Hi NengEuis!

 

Yes, the $225 covers all cover charges each night for each restaurant. If two of you dined at Lazy J all 5 nights, for example, you've made up $200 of your $225 right there.

 

Yes, we made all reservations for the week up-front. However, we did have a suite, which is part of the perks of a suite, so I am not sure if you have a standard cabin, if the reservations can be made up front. I got the feeling you could do this.

 

LOTS of wines to choose from - I think the bottle you choose just needs to be around the same price as the original they picked.

 

We would do this package again in a heartbeat!

[NengEuis]

Thanks so much. If it includes the cover charges for the two of us, it is certainly a good deal. We drink a bottle of wine with every dinner when we are on vacation! We are in an AF (one of the 8 aft corner cabins), so don't get Suite perks, but making the reservations for the whole week isn't that important to me. We can play that by ear. We like to eat late anyway. :)

 

Thanks again for all the great info!

[azgkrudi]

No problem. Just look for the wine table setup upon embarkation, adjacent to the John Adams Coffee Bar. Sherilynn will set you up. If you miss her that day, she's always at the Napa Wine Bar after 5pm. Tell her Greg & Kristin sent you! ;)

[NengEuis]

I totally will! Thanks so much Kristin!