Lives Up to Its Name

By Don Langley

The third and final vessel in NCL America’s U.S.-flagged fleet, the Pride of Hawai’i certainly lives up to its name.
Filled with salutes to Hawaii, its history and its culture, the ship embellishes the designs and concepts that have evolved at NCL. And it is staffed with a cheerful crew that embodies the islands’ spirit of aloha — and that of the rest of the U. S., for that matter.
It’s also the largest U.S.-flagged vessel ever built and, at $500 million, surely the most expensive.
Pride of Hawai’i is a sister ship to Norwegian Jewel, with several significant differences. One is that by Hawaiian law it has no casino; there’s not even bingo. The absence of the gambling scene, especially the flashing lights and loud clinking of tokens from the slot machines, changes the ship’s ambiance. It also leaves space for more cabins. Suitability for families, wedding and romantic getaways are among NCL’s sales themes. Lack of a casino adds credibility to that point.
The sister ships have a category of accommodations new to NCL: Courtyard Villas. These 10, 574-square feet suites share a private courtyard, complete with swim-against-the current lap pool, hot tub, male and female steam rooms and a small gym. Each suite has an espresso machine (other accommodations have coffee makers). They also share a private sundeck with lounge chairs and hammocks. These are promoted as great for families, with the kids getting the second bedroom, which happens to be inside.
Forward of these are two Garden Villas. At 4,400-square feet each, these three-bedroom, three-bath units are probably larger than many of their occupants’ homes. They have a living room, dining room, private hot tub and steam room in their private garden. They’re slightly smaller than their counterparts on Norwegian Star and Norwegian Dawn.
What makes the Pride of Hawai’i unique is the Owner’s Suite, one deck up (accessible only by stairs). Its 1,195-square feet comprise a living room, two balconies, dining room, bedroom and luxury bath with separate shower. It has its own courtyard area with pool, hot tub and sundeck.
Pride of Hawai’i, which sails interisland cruises all year, brings the islands’ color aboard. Stair carpeting is bright red. Carpets on some of the landings are abstract swirls of red and orange.
The bedspread in our stateroom was a warm plum color, with large gold and orange ovals splattered across it. The couch was upholstered in burnt orange. The mini suites, which compromise virtually the entire Deck 11, are 231-square feet, including a 54-square-foot balcony. Categories BA, BB, BC and BD are basically on decks 8, 9 and 10 and are 167-square feet, including a 38-square foot balcony.
The staterooms and much of the public areas have expanses of simulated wood paneling in various tones. Perhaps that’s what kept the decorator’s brilliant palette short of being garish. Flowers (mostly artificial) are used to brighten lots of spots throughout the ship.
Specific references to Hawaii in the decor are historical as well as artistic. The stairwell at one stair/elevator bank is used for huge scenes of old Hawaiian life, in the style of colored etchings. Walls of the photo gallery recall old sales posters for Matson Lines, Pan Am, United Airlines and Libby’s pineapple. Another salute to U.S.-flagged sailing ships is the SS United States Library. Photos of the once-proud liner adorn the room and the hallway outside of it.
The largest and most traditional of the ship’s dining rooms, the 556-seat Grand Pacific, evokes the first class dining rooms of the Matson liners. The art on the walls was inspired by Matson menu covers. Windows are on three sides of the big room.
The second main restaurant is Alizar. Its decidedly modern look is said to be inspired by Mark Rothko paintings. The restaurant is laid out in an L shape so it does not seem to be as large as it really is.
In all, there are 10 restaurants aboard and they reflect NCL’s continuing refinement of its Freestyle product.
The most casual is the large Aloha Nui Café on Deck 12, serving breakfast, lunch and dinner. There is no long, cafeteria-style line. Food service is broken into stations. Plates and utensils are at each station, but no trays. Instead of gathering all their food at once, passengers are encouraged to try something, and then return for more or something else. The idea is that hot food will still be hot when eaten. It also helps reduce overeating and waste. NCL executive vice president, sales and passenger services Andy Stuart said most people like the system, introduced aboard the Pride of America, NCL America’s second ship in the market; some do not.
Another restaurant that has been refined is Le Bistro, one of the dining spots with a surcharge, $10/person in this instance. The signature restaurant has been so popular on other ships that it is greatly enlarged on Pride of Hawai’i, where it also has a brand new menu.
Outside Le Bistro is Bar Central, another idea from the Norwegian Jewel. It’s a cluster consisting of a martini bar, a champagne and wine bar and a beer and whiskey bar. The lounge area around them tends to be smoky. Off the same lounge area is the Corona Cigar Club.
The other surcharged restaurants are Cagney’s ($15/person), a New York-style steakhouse, and the Jasmine Garden ($10/person). Cagney’s has a Roaring 20s theme and a forward ocean view. Jasmine Garden is actually a combination of Asian restaurants. One area serves Japanese, Chinese and Mongolian dishes. Another is a teppanyaki (think Benihana) room at a $20/person surcharge and the last is a sushi bar.
Among the surcharge-free choices are Paniolo, a Tex-Mex spot, and Papa’s Italian Kitchen. Paniolo is the Hawaiian word for cowboy. Papa’s is in the style of a Tuscan farmhouse kitchen. In addition to the normal array of tables there are a couple of very long wooden tables with benches — good for families, groups or simply meeting other passengers.
Other options that are even more casual. Blue Lagoon, a concept that came from parent Star Cruises, serves comfort food, such as fish and chips, meatloaf and mac and cheese. Bali Hai is the hamburger outlet.
There is a relaxed dress code for all the restaurants — “resort casual” — in keeping with NCL’s Freestyle, not to mention Hawaiian, spirit. For those who cling to tradition, there are a couple of formal nights in designated dining spots.
NCL is trying to make life easier for experienced cruisers who haven’t adjusted to the Freestyle concept. On Pride of Hawai’i, 17 screens in high-traffic areas around the ship show the availability status of the restaurants. If a restaurant is full and guests want to wait for an opening, they’ll be quoted a wait time and provided a pager that works all over the ship. The hostess at any restaurant can make reservations at any of the others.
Passengers can even make reservations before boarding, as on the other ships in Hawaii and the Norwegian Spirit and Jewel, or when they come on board. Tell your clients to reserve as early as possible, since these go FAST.
NCL is working on its interactive TV system so that reservations can be made from the cabins at some future date. Restaurant menus are already available there, as are the opening hours, short video clips on the restaurants, chefs’ bios, specials and wine recommendations.
Entertainment options are also varied. The huge Stardust Theater, which can be entered from three decks, is home to the big production numbers, one each on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday evenings. “Soul Rockin’ Nights” pretty well describes the song and dance show. “Elements of Illusion” is harder to describe. At its core is a magic show, with stunts of the saw-the-lady-in-half genre, with music, dance, elaborate costumes and lighting and a modicum of hokum, all engrossing and entertaining. “On Broadway” is a tribute to musical theater of the last decade.
Up on Deck 13, guests will find the Spinnaker Lounge, which has a dance floor, stage, audio equipment and a full bar. NCL also uses it for parties, such as a 50s and 60s Rock ’n Roll Sock Hop, a County & Western Dancing Night and Dance Through the Decades, a New Year’s Eve-themed celebration.
The Medusa Lounge and Nightclub in the middle of the ship is billed as a cabaret. It has a DJ booth and dance floor. On introductory cruises it proved to be most popular for nightly karaoke performances.
Pride of Hawai’i’s fitness room is state of the art. For those who tire of the ocean view out the floor to ceiling windows, individual TV screens are at each of the 13 treadmills and 12 elliptical trainers. They’re also in front of the stationary bikes. All of the other exercise equipment you would expect and the free weights are there as well.
Outdoors at the stern, there’s a basketball, volleyball and paddle tennis court. There are three wide rows of stadium seating just above it.
Just forward of the fitness center is what must be one of the largest spas afloat, one of 60 worldwide spas operated by Hawaii-based Mandara.
The facility is extraordinary and so are the treatments. Clients accustomed to exotic pampering will want to scamper up there to make reservations as soon as they board.
For $70, guests can buy a full week pass to the Ying and Yang Thermal Suite. That gives them access to aromatic steam rooms, a plunge pool, sauna, Jacuzzi, heated relaxation beds, tropical experience showers and a hydro pool. Some of those facilities have wonderful ocean views. Beyond a traditional massage or hot stone treatment, there are wraps with algae seaweed and essential oils. There is Reflexology and an exfoliation ritual. There’s a treatment that begins with relaxing on what becomes essentially a water bed. There are massage rooms for couples. To top it all, there is the Rasul Room Experience, a private facility for couples combining aromatherapy, hydrotherapy — and coating each other in a mineral-based mud. The list is endless.
Kids haven’t been forgotten. There is the Keiki (kids) Club for the youngest. The surf-themed teen Wipe Out Club has been set up as a sort of wholesome nightclub. Next door is a video arcade with about 18 stations.
For those who must keep in touch with home or the rest of the world, there’s an Internet Café. For those who bring a laptop or rent one aboard (gratis, with the purchase of a time plan), Wi-Fi is available in the suites and public rooms. The ships are close enough to shore that most cell phones work most of the time.
With the islands so close together, the ships can move between the ports at night and be in port all day or longer. The result is that the three NCL U.S.-flagged vessels give passengers about 100 hours ashore. That, as the sales people are happy to point out, means that clients can experience the best of Hawaii on all the major islands in a week without packing and without going through airport security each time they move from island to island.
The ship spends a full day each in Hilo and Kona on the Big Island and two days each at Maui and Kauai.
With that much time, all of the NCL America ships share a very long list of available shore excursions, a golf program unlike any other and plenty of romance/wedding/family plans.
There’s an 18-seat nondenominational chapel aboard and the line is happy to arrange weddings or renewal of vows there or elsewhere on the ship. With a departure from Honolulu at 8 p.m. Mondays, NCL says the timing is great for honeymoons. Including Pride of Aloha’s departures from Maui, there are now sailings on Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Monday.
About 50% of the crew is drawn from the other U.S.-flagged ships; the other half is new-hires. All have graduated from the Seafarer’s International Union School in Piney Point, MD and have had four weeks of training instead of the three weeks given to NCL’s earlier hires.

NCL booked the first few Pride of Hawai’i cruises to only half capacity to give them a break-in opportunity. Stuart’s description of the crew during a cruise featuring travel agents was, “Maybe they aren’t slick but they have huge smiles and a desire to do a great job.” Tbe agents responded with applause. Still, Stuart added, he needs agents to set their clients’ expectations for the crew. It’s more friendly and casual than with European staff, he said, adding that, “It’s service in a different manner.”
NCL’s experience is that guests are reacting well to the crew. They enjoy being able to relate to the crew members and they’re pleased to know that they are fully understood when they speak. They like the fact that the crew’s name badges identify their home towns.
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