Pride of America or Pride of Aloha?

[Fredric22]

I am considering going to Hawaii this summer. I would love to try the new Pride of America, however, I am concerned that since this will only be the first few months of service, the crew will not be up to standards, or even worse, a repeat of what happaned on the Pride of Aloha. I do not mind going on the Aloha, however, a new ship is always exciting. Does anyone have anyone advice?!

[teamfour]

We spoke with several of the staff on the Aloha last week concerning the America. It seems that many of the Aloha staff are transferring to the America. So it seems that the America will not start off with as green a crew as the Aloha did.

[nanheath]

Has anyone else sailed on Aloha lately?

[teamfour]

nanhaeath, just last week. See my trip report.

[willysgrandma]

Having been on the Aloha, I would try the America.

 

There was simply not enough to do on the Aloha - the ship was fine, but small. With no casino, we found there was pretty much nothing to do in between the times you ate dinner and were waiting for a show to start.

 

I am a TA and my boss just got back from a cruise conference and he spoke to NCL about the ships. They said they learned from the Aloha and have changed the way they train staff, upped staffing requirements, etc. so avoid having the Aloha problems on the America.

[zimmerjulie]

originally posted by teamfour

We spoke with several of the staff on the Aloha last week concerning the America. It seems that many of the Aloha staff are transferring to the America. So it seems that the America will not start off with as green a crew as the Aloha did.

I was thinking about Hawaii next summer, as well. I figured that something resembling the above quote would happen. This could make the crews of the Aloha and the America have a similar number of trained personnel and relatively inexperienced ones. They certainly must want the America to have a better sendoff than the Aloha did, so they may even send a greater percentage of trained crew over to that ship. Who knows? I think that either way there will be a bit of uncertainty regarding the service levels right off the bat (the same uncertainties I have with other new ships).

 

If I were going in 2005, I would therefore choose between the ships based on other factors...size, price, excitement factor of the new ship, availability of a certain cabin type, etc.

[BobbyBear68]

One thing that is for sure, since the Pride of America will also be sailing in Hawaiian waters, she will not have a Casino either. When we sailed the Pride of Aloha in October we were never bored with any free time, there always seem like there was something to do or explore.

[shelbell77]

I thought activities and food choices were a little lacking on POA...I was never bored..but there wasn't as much to choose from as on other ships...but admittedly all the other ships I've been on have been some of the largest in th world. POAmerica is supposed to be bigger...so I'd assume there are more features to the ship (but not a casino do to laws in Hawaii)...don't think service will be an issue as NCLAmerica should have those kinks worked out and think the solution will transfer to the new ship.

[bfoot34]

Stay off the Pride of America for several months. Try Christmas or the Spring of 2006.

 

An all American crew will need a lot of time to learn how to work on a cruise line.

[lschipp]

I just found this web site and was reading some comments on POA. We are booked for a trip on the POA for April 3, 2005. What can we expect? We have cruised 2 time before on Carnival and loved it. Also, what shore excursions do people recommend? Did you book with the cruise ship or online?:p .

[RandomUsername723]

Stay off the Pride of America for several months. Try Christmas or the Spring of 2006.

 

An all American crew will need a lot of time to learn how to work on a cruise line.

 

Rubbish! Though I find it's always a good idea to avoid the first month or two on any ship when sailing with any line to avoid any teething troubles with either the crew OR the ship, there is no need to wait that long. Nor is there any need to bring down the American crew as much as people seem to do.

[RandomUsername723]

I just found this web site and was reading some comments on POA. We are booked for a trip on the POA for April 3, 2005. What can we expect? We have cruised 2 time before on Carnival and loved it. Also, what shore excursions do people recommend? Did you book with the cruise ship or online?:p .

 

Well since you will be sailing on Pride of Aloha before Pride of America debuts, you should have a very nice time. When I went in August, there were still some teething troubles but it wasn't as hard to live with as many people will claim! Nowhere near hellish conditions anywhere at any time. Almost everything about the cruise was on par with most others, except for being seated at the dining room. That could get very slow, and the dining rooms could be SWAMPED! Once seated, food and service were good, however. It certainly didn't help that many people started waiting 45 minutes before the dining rooms opened to "avoid the lines". ( Use your common sense people- you are helping to create a bigger problem! ) But apparently more crew members have been brought onboard, and things in that area have improved much since.

[bfoot34]

Has anyone else sailed on Aloha lately?

 

We were on the 12/26/04 cruise. Crew was excellent. Over all a very satisfied cruiser with all 13 of us.

[bfoot34]

I am considering going to Hawaii this summer. I would love to try the new Pride of America, however, I am concerned that since this will only be the first few months of service, the crew will not be up to standards, or even worse, a repeat of what happaned on the Pride of Aloha. I do not mind going on the Aloha, however, a new ship is always exciting. Does anyone have anyone advice?!

 

I would strongly suggest that you wait for three or four months after the Pride of America starts cruising around Hawaii to allow time for the shake down of a new crew.

 

Revies of Pride of Aloha were terrible at first. We went on the Pride of Aloha on 12/26/04. We had a wonderful experience which was a far cry from what was original posted about the POA.;)

[Kuffam]

Remember, their itineraries will be different. Pride of America will be 7 days, and Pride of Aloha will be 3-4 days.

[WolfpackFan]

Remember, their itineraries will be different. Pride of America will be 7 days, and Pride of Aloha will be 3-4 days.

 

See, this is what I don't understand. From looking at the NCL website it appears to me that both ships are doing 7 night cruises. That's why I asked my question in another thread.

[kalamari]

I was doing some research for something else I'm involved in (not related to the cruise industry by the way) and saw on the website for the Federal Election Commission that the CEO and CFO of NCL along with a bunch of other NCL executives gave some rather large donations to political action committees of NCL America, Inc..and most of them were in October of 2004. The donation total was close to $54,000. Large gifts were also given to the Democratic National Committee of Hawaii. Interestingly, one of the donations was from someone who oversees casino operations. Think of it this way, if things don't get better, there are sure going to be some very angry politicians! :) Menina

[Quincella]

Actually, both ships will be doing 7-night itineraries. I'm booked on the Aloha in October and it's a 7-day, as were all of the other dates I could have selected for this ship.

[bfoot34]

I read the original plan was for Pride of America to be 7 days, and, that Pride of Aloha would switch to 4 day trips. Perhaps, then, they have changed their minds.

[cuppy]

We are doing Hawaii in May but we are going on the Wind. Has anyone done this ship? I had thought about doing the Aloha, but for the same price we could do 11 nights on the Wind.

 

I didn't realize the two ships talked about above had no casino - does the Wind have one? I guess I just assumed :( all ships had casinos.

[Onessa]

I didn't realize the two ships talked about above had no casino - does the Wind have one? I guess I just assumed :( all ships had casinos.

 

Any ship cruising only US waters must abide by state laws - thus no casino on the America and Aloha because they do not sail to any of the international ports.