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The décor has been toned down substantially, with wall treatments, carpeting and soft furnishings showcasing more sophisticated colors and patterns that reveal a quiet Hawaiian-American influence. Norwegian Cruise Line's Pride of America is a ship with a rich history that began long before it even set sail. It was originally ordered by American Classic Voyages under the codename, "Project America". American Classic Voyages had operated two classic ex-ocean liners pressed into Hawaiian service thanks to their U.S.-registry and drew up replacement plans for the aging vessels in 2000. When Pride of America cast off its lines on April 9, the ship carried just 50 percent of its total passenger capacity on its triumphant return to this slice of Paradise. On a calendar, April 9, 2022, seemed like any other Saturday.
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We've been surprised at just how relaxing this experience has been. We rented cars for the last two days from Kahului Airport (a short 10-minute cab ride from the pier) and have set out to points afar on Maui, exploring Lahaina and the beach-resort paradise that is Wailea, on the Island's western side. HBO fans might recognize the landscape from the miniseries "White Lotus", which was filmed at the Four Seasons Wailea. In addition, the Skyline Main Dining Room is only open for dinner.
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Treat yourself at our duty free shops full of fantastic savings on fine jewelry, accessories, perfume, liquor and tobacco. Modern, comfortable and stylish staterooms with nice appointments throughout, including a window with clear views of the ocean. Our gift shops onboard carry everything you'll need for fun in the sun.
Cruise Ship
The Aloha Cafe (buffet) on the Pride of America was very crowded during breakfast hours as everyone was trying to grab a quick bite before heading out to port. For a more relaxing experience (and better food, in my opinion), eat breakfast in the Skyline dining room. There was never a wait to be seated and service was fast. While I normally love planning a cruise almost as much as the cruise itself, my regular pre-cruise excitement was tainted with worry that we’d miss the boat. If you do elect to fly in the day of, be sure to buy travel insurance that will cover the cost of any possible delays.
NCL Pride Of America Cruise Ship
While other cruise lines' ships spend several days at sea to reach the Hawaiian Islands from North America, Pride of America spends only one day at sea during each of its weeklong sailings. That means cruisers with only a week's worth of vacation time don't have to miss out. Meanwhile, those wishing for a two-week getaway can simply book back-to-back cruises.
Fish On Hallway Carpets Swim Toward The Front Of The Ship
Tours with pick-up at Honolulu Harbor Cruise Ship Pier can provide luggage storage for the day and take guests on great sightseeing experiences then drop them off at their hotel or the airport. This rainforest drive offers lush, tropical scenery, a black beach, waterfalls and beautiful coastal views. (One caution – if you are prone to carsickness, prepare with your preventative measures or skip this tour.) Though we’ve taken the road to Hana many times before, when we cruised Hawaii on the Pride of America, we chose a guided tour. Several bars, like the Gold Rush Saloon, Key West Sports Bar and the Waikiki Bar on Deck 13 are shuttered as well due to the lack of passengers, though all of the ship's interior bars are open for business. Most of the completely closed venues are outer-deck locations, though opening hours have been adjusted for several bars, including John Adams Coffee Bar and the Napa Wine Bar, both of which close at 10 p.m. It may be early days as far as the Hawaiian cruise restart goes, but Norwegian and the crew aboard Pride of America have turned the ship into a destination in its own right.
Balcony
So if you book tours or explore on your own via a rental car or public transportation, you don’t need to worry about what time you get back to the ship – the gangway will stay open all night and into the next day. Here are my top shore excursion picks for Maui and Kaua’i offered by Viator (owned by Trip Advisor). Come aboard Pride of America, our only cruise ship that sails round trip from Honolulu year-round so you can vacation on your schedule. Pride of America has 9 restaurants, including 2 main dining rooms, the no-charge Cadillac Diner and the casual buffet Aloha Cafe.
NCL’s Pride of America ship returns to Kahului, Maui
Unfortunately, the rides tend to be long and the stops short due to time constraints. This is the only stop on the cruise where a tender boat is utilized. The short stop POA makes off the coast of Kailua-Kona is wonderful. The views are spectacular and the historic town is a nice place to stroll for a bit. Pride of America (POA) is based in the Hawaiian Islands and cruises from Honolulu Harbor at 5 PM on Saturday and returns at 7 AM the following Saturday. Guests who come in the day before, or leave the day after have a full day to explore the island.
NCL's Pride of America to Resume Operations in Maui - CruiseCritic.co.uk
NCL's Pride of America to Resume Operations in Maui.
Posted: Thu, 31 Aug 2023 07:00:00 GMT [source]
The restart of Pride of America, some eight months later, is no less important. The very fact that this is being written onboard this ship as we sail the (admittedly stormy) seas between Kahului and Hilo is nothing short of miraculous. Our Lyft driver in Lihue spoke of regretting sleeping in on Thursday morning; he wasn't aware Pride of America was coming back this week.
With so many overnight calls, there is no pressure to be back at a set time. In our experience, the closures haven't affected the onboard product at all. Bars and lounges are rarely crowded, and while securing a reservation at Cagney's or Le Bistro requires a bit of finagling, the food onboard has so far been good to quite good at the ship's complimentary dining venues. I love East Meets West, but I haven't missed it on this cruise. The reduced passenger count also means that a number of amenities are closed.
Norwegian Cruise Line’s Pride of America is the only ship that sails roundtrip solely within Hawaii. There are no days a sea on the Pride of America and every day is spent in Hawaii. Pride of America's wide variety of restaurant and entertainment offerings allows passengers with different interests to find the place that works for them. The Gold Rush Saloon, for example, is a nice spot for those looking for a casual evening of beer drinking and listening to karaoke. On the other side of the spectrum, those who want a fancier evening (with posher drinks) can go to the Napa Wine Bar and Pink's Champagne Bar.
You’ll want to do a lot of research first to make sure you use your time wisely. Note that we have a mini-guide to the road to Hana that allows you to see some awesome sights but doesn’t go to Hana and doesn’t take the entire day. The 2005-built Pride of America cruise ship is operated via the brand NCL America as a unique Project America-class (one-vessel only). Overall, however, it's hard to hold this against the overall experience, which has been unexpectedly charming. Entertainment, including live music, has been fantastic.
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