Hawaii 7days Cruise – Pride of America

Hawaii Cruise ‘NCL Pride of America’

– Travel Blog!  Cruise to all four Hawaiian Islands in one trip –

Relaxing and unwinding by the pool with a colorful tropical cocktail in hand while enjoying exotic scenery surrounded by brilliant sun, blue skies, and the emerald waters of the Pacific Ocean. We’ve arrived in Hawaii, dreaming of a different kind of vacation in paradise.

Full of anticipation for the trip, after checking in for the cruise at Pier 2 in Honolulu’s bustling downtown, we were heading to the sixth floor of the massive cruise ship. The cruise departs at 7:00 pm on Saturdays. Recommended check-in time is two hours in advance, but we checked in three hours in advance and got on the cruise. Passengers were still arriving on the large cruise ship, and those who had early check-in were getting comfortable on the deck, enjoying their meals and drinks. We ordered wine and champagne and went out on the deck to enjoy the moment, looking out at the Pacific Ocean, and feeling happy about the seven-night cruise ahead. We were two female friends traveling for the Hawaiian cruise. Surprisingly, there were different types of travel parties like families with kids, friends, group people, and senior couples.
We realized that cruise travel is not for senior couples only but for all ages.

Cruises are great because they take you to new destinations without traveling. Also, there are plenty of dining options for every meal. There will never be a dull moment with the fun and exciting entertainment program on board! Pus, you can choose from exciting shore excursions or harbor-of-call tours. After enjoying an exotic sunset on a cruise anchored west of the busy Honolulu, there is a bit of commotion when the ship departs as passengers remain on deck to capture the departing cruise or settle into the restaurant for dinner. The ship’s giant horn blares as the boat pulls out of the harbor, and you can see the excitement on the faces of the passengers as they watch. From here, the seven-day cruise begins!

*Pride of America – Itienrary 

Pride of America, the boat was built in 2005 but was refurbished in 2022, so the ship is luxurious and well-appointed throughout. The interiors are beautiful, and the decks are spacious and nice. The cruise has a total capacity of 2,186 passengers and 927 crew members. That’s one crew member for every 2.3 passengers! Crew members provide prompt and friendly service.

The cruise ship offers many amenities of a five-star resort. There are more than 15 different restaurants, bars, and lounges on board the sprawling 14-deck ship, as well as the Mandala Spa, Santa Fe Fitness Center, a variety of shops, driving range, Hollywood theater, swimming pool, heated pool, galleries, nightclubs, video arcade, and a children’s play area.

We tried to make the first dinner memorable, and we chose the Liberty Restaurant. The Liberty Restaurant is one of the 14 dining options on the ship, and it’s a huge restaurant that seats about 500 people. The décor is luxurious, like one of the high-end restaurants, and the service was fast and friendly. Several days later, we realized that the dinner menu was the same for Skyline and Liberty restaurants, the only two formal restaurants where you could order by course. There are many different menus, so you can order different food each time you visit.

We ordered one appetizer and one salad per person, and we ordered pasta and steak for the main menu. We also had a delicious selection of desserts. We did not pay for food as it was included in the cost of the cruise.

The food is presented professionally and tastefully, like in a five-star hotel restaurant, and everything tastes good and right. Looking out the window at the darkened sea, I can’t see anything, but I can feel the light movement of the ship as it moves to another island. Tonight, you can enjoy a drink at the onboard bar on the ship’s 13th deck or dance the night away in the glamorous nightclub. The cruise vacation begins in earnest.

Hawaii has so much to offer with many tourist destinations: Fantastic weather, refreshing trade winds, beaches and tropical experiences, mountains and valleys with mystical natural grandeur, and the fascinating Hawaiian culture. It’s a great travel destination for all ages and at any time of year. However, behind the simple word “Hawaii” lies a comprehensive world of travel that you can’t imagine without a closer look. It’s an island, but not a single, and each of its many islands is home to some of the world’s most spectacular sights.

The Hawaiian archipelago consists of 137 islands, with eight main islands and four of the most visited: Oahu, Maui, Big Island, and Kauai. The only way to travel to these islands is by air. Even apart from the cost of airfare, it takes almost half a day to travel between the islands, and if you’re traveling to two or three islands, you’ll need to spend a significant amount of time on transportation, airports, and rental cars. If you want to visit multiple islands in one trip, this cruise could be the answer to making your Hawaii trip a success. The Pride of America Hawaii cruise doesn’t travel outside of Hawaii, only within it, so the sailings are short, and the experience is calm and peaceful. The cruise visits the four main islands of Oahu, Maui, the Big Island, and Kauai, as well as five harbors of call, making it an easy and convenient way to travel for those who want to visit each island and various destinations in Hawaii in a relatively short amount of time.

Day 2: On the cruise. In the morning, we woke up to an announcement on the ship that we had arrived in Maui. We jumped up and went to the balcony to see. The ship had been sailing all night and docked in the harbor of Maui! After we had a breakfast at the Aloha Cafe, we went out for touring a day. First, we went to Maui Airport, rented a car, and drove up Haleakala Mountain, the world’s largest dormant volcano at 3,055 meters. 

When we reached the summit, we toured the gigantic volcanic crater and the mysterious plant, Silver Sword. Afterward, we hiked inside the crater for about 90 minutes. It was the magical experience of the summit and crater.

After only two days, we were overwhelmed by the magnificence of Hawaii’s great outdoors. The cruise will be staying one more day in Maui. When a cruise ship stays at the same harbor until the next day like this, there is no need to rush to board in the evening. The Cruise passengers can return at any time up to the boarding deadline before the ship departs. However, we hurried back to the boat for another great dinner. For dinner, we head to Jefferson’s Bistro Restaurant, one of the premium dining venues that you can access twice in seven days.

Day 3: Still on Maui. In the morning, we decided to take a helicopter tour. The Maui Haleakala Combo Helicopter Tour takes you to Haleakala, which we saw the day before, as well as the Hana area with its lush rainforest and dramatic road. It’s only a 50-minute aerial tour, but the island of Maui is amazing and stunning. We returned to the cruise ship today with a sense of awe and reverence for the majestic Hawaiian wilderness after our helicopter tour.  

We started exploring the ship’s facilities and programs. The cruise is just like a resort at sea. The party starts at the moment you board the cruise. There’s never a dull moment on board, with lively entertainment, music, and exciting activities and programs. Each day, the cruise has special events such as Hawaiian hula lessons, lei making, dance parties, exhibits, wine tastings, yoga, table tennis competitions, Hawaiian music performances, and pilates. The program is displayed in the ship’s newsletter, which is dropped off in your stateroom each morning, with information on what’s happening where that day. It also lists all of the ship’s restaurants and facilities with their hours of operation and special announcements.

We wandered around, admired the paintings in the gallery, grabbed a glass of champagne, and took a dip in the heated pool. Pride of America is a family-friendly cruise, and it’s not uncommon to see families with children. While the children play in the pools, the adults relax in the hot tubs. There are three pools and five jacuzzis on the ship. Like most cruises, the swimming pools on cruise ships are small, but the bliss of being on a cruise ship at sea, enjoying the hot tub, with a freshly grilled burger, dessert, and a cocktail, is indescribable. 

Dinner tonight is at the Skyline Restaurant(capacity of about 630 quests). The Skyline Restaurant is available without reservations and with very little wait time. For a dinner, we ordered French onion soup, cheese ravioli, New York strip steak, Pork Loin,  and a dessert. 

What dining options are included in your cruise fare?

There are 14 dining options, 9 bar and lounge options, and 7 dining options are complimentary unless you purchase a special meal. There is Aloha Café, which serves a daily breakfast, lunch and dinner buffet. Key West Bar, which serves burgers and sandwiches; Cadillac Diner, which offers casual dining 24 hours a day; Liberty and Skyline restaurants, which serve formal dining, and Easy Meets West, which specializes in Asian food, and room services are also free on the menu, but room service fee is $9.95 ($4.95 for breakfast). Six premium restaurants are available for an additional fee, including La Cucina, Sushi, Jefferson Bistro, Cagney’s Steakhouse, Moderno Churrascaria and Teppanyaki.

Specialty drinks, cocktails, bottled water, beer, wine, and soft drinks must be paid for at the current menu price. However, if you purchase the Specialty Drinks/Dining Passage in advance of your cruise (approx. $170 per person), you will receive complimentary access to all bottled water, beverages, and alcoholic drinks, including gratuities, for seven days and complimentary dinner at two of the six premium pay restaurants. A three-course meal at a paid restaurant with a glass of wine would normally cost over $100/person but with two premium dinners and seven days of drinks, the Specialty Drink package is a great deal.

However, special drink packages or special dining are not provided indefinitely, and you must pay the difference when ordering drinks over $15 per drink, and special dining restaurants also have minimal regulations that require you to order one item per course.

Cruise fares don’t include shore excursions. On each island, you’ll have free time to spend on board or enjoy shopping or sightseeing.

Cruise lines also sell their harbor-of-call tours, in which passengers can book in advance or on board before sailing. These include 4-6 hour guided tours, snorkeling, and luau. Guided tours are only available in English. If you want to book a half-day or full-day private tour, you can book it with specialized local travel agencies. Many passengers also rent a car and do a self-guided tour. Day tours, helicopter tours, snorkeling, luaus, hiking, and golf rounding are popular on each island.

In Maui, we took a Haleakala + Hana combo helicopter tour. In Hilo, we joined a local guided tour of the majestic Volcanoes National Park and Hilo Town.  In Kona, we rented a car and explored the historic sites and shops of the bustling waterfront town of Kailua. In Kauai, we rented a car to explore Waimea Canyon and the Princeville resort area. Overall, we had a very satisfactory itinerary, with four days of island sightseeing and two days of relaxation on the cruise ship.

For 7 days breakfast, we had a buffet breakfast at the Aloha Cafe and a stylish a la carte breakfast at the Skyline Restaurant. For lunch and snacks, we enjoyed buffets at Aloha Café, burgers at Key West Bar & Grill, and loco moco and fish and chips at Cadillac Diner. Dinners on the cruise, we enjoyed Liberty, Skyline, Italian at La Cucina, French at Jefferson’s Bistro, and Asian at East Meet West.

Cruise Prices by Cabins

The cost of a 7-night Hawaii cruise generally varies greatly depending on the cabin used. When looking at the total travel cost for two people in a double cabin, the cheapest cabin inside is about $2,200 to $2,800, ocean view is about $3,500 to $4,500, ocean view balcony is about $4,500 to $5,500, and various suite cabin types are about $8,500 to $16,000. Children are free if they share the same cabin as their parents, and only need to pay taxes and fees, making it very cost-effective for family travel. Taxes and fees cost an additional $200-300 per person, and the special beverage/dining package costs about $170 per person, but it is only for adults and is optional so you can choose it. Lastly, the service charge that all cruise passengers must pay is approximately $18.50 per person per day and is automatically charged to the credit card deposited upon boarding the cruise. Hawaiian cruise costs vary by season, date, or reservation time so prices may rise during peak seasons, vacation periods, or holiday periods

Balcony Oceanview

Inside

Cabin Types

Inside cabins are cramped because they have no windows, but they are good because they are much cheaper. Ocean-view cabins do not have balconies, but you can see a partial ocean view through the windows. Ocean-view balcony rooms are good for having a space to stand and enjoy the view of the sea and the island’s port city. The cruise’s inside cabins are 132~139 sq. ft, ocean view cabins are about 144 sq. ft, balcony oceanview cabins are 227~233sq.ft, and many types of suites are 335~ 1382 sq. ft.  Suites can accommodate up to 5 or 6 people, making them convenient for families.

Standard Cabin 

The cabin space is relatively small compared to a hotel. The cabin has a sleeping bed, sofa, table, mini dressing table and chair, small refrigerator, telephone, glasses, air conditioner, shelves, wardrobe and drawers, safety deposit box, life vest, etc. and a bathroom with a sink, shower, bath products, and hair dryer. The bathroom has shampoo, conditioner, soap, and body wash.

Compared to regular hotels

The cost of 4-5 star hotels in Hawaii varies from island to island, but considering that on other islands such as Maui and Kona, the hotel cost per night for a hotel often ranges from at least $500 to over $1,000. A cruise with 7 nights including meals and entertainment can cost the same or less than a hotel vacation. In addition, you can save on interisland airfare to each island, so the overall cost of the cruise is not considered too expensive.

A Hawaiian cruise is a great idea for a convenient and comprehensive trip to the islands. If you’ve never been on a cruise before, why not plan your next trip to Hawaii on one of these cruises?