brittany21

Does anyone has any information or opinions on this cruise line? Apparently you fly into Hawaii and then board the ship and they take you around to all the islands. The website is www.ncl.com

ANy input would be great, thanks..

auntiemaria

NCL's "Pride of Aloha" made its debut last summer -- to less than stellar reviews (slow service, etc.). This is not uncommon for the new ships though. We did a one night fundraiser cruise and had a good time, and the complaints seem to have disappeared. This ship is _very_ Hawaiian -- from the enormous painted lei around its bow, to the interior of the ship. Beautiful!

NCL's "Pride of America" is due to arrive in Honolulu from a cross-Pacific cruise on July 12 -- and will make its debut inter-island cruise on July 23:
http://www.ncl.com/fleet/pam/intro.htm

rjscott

On our first visit to Hawaii, we did a cruise, and it was a wonderful way to see all the islands, w/o the hassle (especially post 9/11) of packing up and moving every few days to another place. NCL did a great job of emphasizing the island experience on the cruise, and there were lectures on Hawaiian heritage, cooking demos by local chefs, lei-making and hula classes, etc.
The Pride of Aloha did have a poor start,but from what I've read, things are much better now. Go to www.cruisecritic.com and look for a review of the ship, and also comments from past passengers under "Norwegian" cruise lines.

brittany21

Im reading through the reviews, on the Cruise critics site, and they had some really reallly bad reviews early on, but seems in the past year and a half or so they have gotten signifigantly better. Shhessh, they were really bad at first..

rjscott

Yes, Brittany, they were bad, but they mainly chalked it up to the mostly American staff, and lack of training. It seems they've corrected those issues, and people seem a lot happier now with the cruise experience overall.

brittany21

DO you think upgrading to an oceanview stateroom is worth it?

The cheapest are the inside state rooms, then outside, then outside with balcony. Then honeymoon, and penthouse.. There is about a 400 difference bettween inside cabins and outside.

brittany21

My mom has now discuessed this with her husband, my step dad, and now he wants to go too. Im disapointed about this, i thought it was going to be a trip for just the two of us, but i guess ill will have to deal. Will a regualr stateroom, have room for 3 people?

crazy4Hawaii

Just my two cents... A balcony is definitely worth it. On my last cruise, I got up once in the middle of the night and just sat out there watching the moon on the endless water. I sure couldn't stand an inside room with no window! Like being in a sardine can.

brittany21

so go for the balcony?
How much room is on the balcony?

auntiemaria

Based on my cruise on "Pride of Aloha", I would definitely not recommend an inside stateroom for more than 2 people. Those rooms are incredibly small -- which is why their cost is much lower. I don't suffer from claustrophobia, but those inside rooms could bring it on!

We had an outside stateroom with lanai, and as crazy4hawaii has pointed out, it's a luxury you'll never forget. On "Pride of Aloha", our stateroom had a queen-sized bed and a small sofa -- which I think someone could sleep on. But you'll still be crowded -- the staterooms are designed to accommodate just 2 people (small bathroom, bare-minimum closet & drawer space).

brittany21

well i wasnt exactly thinking correctly when i said that the Lanai was only 400 more, its more like 400 more per person, so that will be 1400 more. I think that is a lil pricey.. How much different is a an oceanview room when i comes to size?

auntiemaria

Hmmm...

www.ncl.com used to give the sq ft of each cabin, but I don't see it there anymore.

You might be able to get this info from your travel agent, or by calling the 800# listed on the website.

brittany21

ive read some reviews on cruise critic.com and they say there are two beds, and a small couch, but that the inside state rooms are able to accomodate up to 4 people. Where are these 4 people supposed to sleep?

semiramis

Ok I was on the POA when it was the NCL Sky. We had 3 people in a balcony room which was fine - I think 4 would be too many. The couch folds into a bed which was big enough for one but I think would awfully cramped for 2. Not a lot of drawer space but plenty of shelves in the bathroom.

mcqueeney449

You should double check the price for the third person. Normally, the third (and fourth) person in the same cabin has a much lower rate. I have not been on an NCL cruise but my husband and I did cruise once with my Mom ... we had an outside cabin with a balcony and she had an inside cabin to herself across the hall, costs more this way but worth it for the privacy, she came over for breakfast on the balcony most mornings. One person in a cabin is expensive though, now that your step-dad is going, maybe there is someone else, friend or relative, that would like to join you? Personally, I wouldn't pay extra for an oceanview cabin over an inside ... a balcony on the other hand is worth it.

crazy4Hawaii

Virtuoso Travel is advertising the 7-Day Pride of America Hawaii cruise (ocean-view) from $1199. dates Aug. 20 through December 17, 2005; and the Pride of Aloha one Oct. 2 through December 17, 2005 for $1129. (ocean view) right now.

I went on a NCL cruise one time with two other people and we had four bunk beds in our room. This was a number of years ago though and it was the Caribbean.

auntiemaria

Just to clarify...

NCL "Pride of America" and "Pride of Aloha" cabins are:
inside
outside (small porthole window)
outside lanai
suites

http://www.ncl.com

brittany21

Are trip is to be the the week of feb 19th.

and the pride of aloha has:
inside cabins, no windows
outside, portholes
outside, picture windows
outside, lanai
penthouse
owners suite

im thinking that im going to get stuck in an inside state room, with both of them and ill be on the pull out couch... but its in hawaii, so who can complain, right?