The Pride of America entered service in 2005, a year behind schedule following a shipyard accident in January 2004, in which this cruise liner was considerably damaged. Built as the first new U.S.-flag passenger ship in nearly 50 years, she operates 7-day cruises amongst the Hawaiian islands with running mates Pride of Aloha and Pride of Hawaii, the latter scheduled only until mid-2008.
The Pride of America was planned for United States Lines until the parent company, American Classic Voyages, went bankrupt shortly after Sept. 11, 2001. The hull and other components were taken to Germany for completion, and she was permitted to sail under the US-flag allowing intra-Hawaiian cruises without having to visit a foreign port. The larger Pride of Hawaii, built with additional American parts, followed in 2006.
The port-intense cruises appeal to all ages, from multi-generational families to younger and older couples without children. The atmosphere is casual, as suits the cruising region.
The four islands, visited in one week, provide a huge variety of activities that can be done independently or with the shore excursion program. In Honolulu, passengers tour the only royal palace in the U.S. and visit the USS Arizona Memorial and the USS Missouri, both moored at Pearl Harbor. From Hilo, on the Big Island, of Hawaii, you can walk through a rain forest and gaze into Kilauea crater. At Kona, on Hawaii's other side, snorkel at Kealakekua Bay and visit a coffee plantation. Maui offers a trip up to the 10,000-ft Haleakala volcano and on Kauai, take a jeep safari to the rim of Waimea Canyon or a helicopter ride over the Na Pali Coast. Or just go to the beach.
The colorful public spaces provide both tasteful and tacky interpretations of Americana. The Capitol Atrium, two decks high, may be the least successful space, a kind of Caesar's Palace rendition of the capitol, with cheap stained-glass dome, gold Corinthian capitals, and much too much white. The Great Seal, embedded in the floor is, however, beautifully executed. Both the atrium lounge and John Adams Coffee Bar are very attractive places to sit, one quiet and the other busy, especially around the bar. Sticking to the atrium area, Pink's Champagne (piano) Bar and Cigar Lounge evoke the early Hawaiian hotels, with the spaces opening into the Hawaii Museum collections. Hollywood Theater, the single sloping tiered seating, is rimmed by clunky gold fiber glass Oscar statues holding candles, and the Mardi Gras cabaret lounge is simply overdone whimsy. The SS America library, spacious and attractive, offers wood-style book cases and free-standing museum-quality memorabilia cases dedicated to the United States Lines' ocean liner SS America. Perhaps the most attractive bar space on the ship is the Napa Valley Wine Bar with earth-tone colors, framed vineyard tile art on the walls, glass cases holding wines, and a fitted stone wall. For Hawaii's great weather, there's lots of open deck space with most including the promenade deck made of a putty-colored composition.
Of the two main restaurants, lower Skyline has a New York skyscraper theme with painted murals and photos of urban scenes. When entering the upper Liberty restaurant, one is greeted by Lincoln and Washington statues, antiqued chairs with red-and-white striped seats, curtains embossed with silver stars on a dark blue background and gold stars in blue carpet. Jefferson's Bistro is the French restaurant and Little Italy, Italian, with intimate East-West for Asian food and a teppanyaki room. Cadillac diner is well-done ersatz 1950s, and Lazy J steakhouse is a bit corny with waiters in cowboy uniforms. Aloha Cafe, the well-designed lido buffet, has two separate serving sections and multiple small stations. Some restaurants have an extra charge and reservations are needed. Shipboard gratuities are automatically added to the bill. Consistent service, however, is a continuing problem with a constant turnover of the staff, most of whom are required by law to be U.S. citizens or at least green-card holders.
Of the 950 cabins with medium-tone wood finish, 77% are outside and 64% have balconies. Many have third and four berths, and some family cabins can take six while others are created by interconnecting doors. The standard cabins, both inside and out, windows and portholes, are on the small side as are the baths. Twin beds that can be combined into a queen, and amenities are satellite phones, TVs, personal safes and built-in hair dryers.
The ship is well-designed for the middle-class, mass Hawaiian market with lots of popular NCL trademarks such as many dining choices and numerous public rooms that appeal for the day and at night.
