If you’ve never been to Hawaii, you simply must put this trip at the very top of your bucket list. With two island cruises behind me, there is no other place I’d rather go. And if you are fortunate enough to visit the islands, which would you choose? The elegant beaches of Waikiki on Oahu? The sea turtles and rain forests of Maui? The black sandy beaches and botanical gardens of the Big Island or the waterfall studded canyons and primitive valleys of Kauai? It would be like trying to decide which woman was more beautiful – Jaqueline Bisset or Julie Christie; or who was the best hitter, Mantle or Mays; or who is the most handsome man, me of Bradley Cooper?
Impossibly tough choices. But why choose one when you can see them all with a cruise aboard Norwegian’s Pride of America?
I didn’t know this until this trip, but the only ship that Hawaii allows to visit all its ports without having to make at least one stop in another country is Pride of America and that’s because Hawaii requires the ship to be primarily manufactured in America and that the crew be primarily American.
Pride of America is the only one that qualifies.
Other cruise ships are largely staffed by foreigners – Italians, French, South Americans and they are excellent. So, how does a crew of Americans compare? A-One, at least aboard the Pride of America.
The ratio of guests to crew is nearly 2 to 1. Out crew and staff were extremely friendly and accommodating. They were always smiling and looked like that were genuinely enjoying their jobs, not just going through the motions. Cory McKim, the Director of Excursions, personally lined up my rounds of golf. Anything you need or desire is at your beck and call.
The food is very good – and plentiful. There about a half dozen restaurants and cafes that are complimentary, included in the price of a ticket and another 4 or 5 specialty restaurants – Japanese, Argentine Steakhouse, French, etc. that offer fine dining for an additional sum. We didn’t see a need for those and ate at the complimentary establishments. We especially enjoyed breakfasts at the Aloha Café. I ate more fruit this week – fresh pineapples, mangos, papayas and grapefruit – than I have in the past six months.
We upgraded to a stateroom with a small, private deck. Some of the most enjoyable and relaxing parts of our cruise were just sitting on the deck with a glass of wine and taking in the sparkling violet ocean waters and rugged cliffs on the islands.
If you go, plan early (for extra savings) and use a Professional Planner, like Robin Norell, an Accredited Cruise Counselor and Certified Travel Associate. Contact Robin at robin-norell@mei-travel.com, tell her your preferences and let her do all the work, she’ll help you plan the trip from A to Z and can secure the best rates and amenities. On this cruise, we saved literally thousands of dollars by choosing the ideal time. By planning ahead we took advantage of reduced airfare, a complimentary beverage package and free Internet.
A few travel tips: Dress warmly for your flight. Even though it may be in the upper 80s when you land in Honolulu, at 39,000 feet, the jet sometimes gets chilly. Pack lightly, but bring a rain jacket. It rains a lot in Hawaii. Bring a pair of binoculars to better enjoy the ocean views and by all means take a tour by helicopter, particularly in Kauai.
If you book a trip, perhaps we’ll see you on our next visit to Hawaii. In the meantime, Aloha, until we meet again.