Review: Norwegian Cruise Line - Pride of America - [July 08 , 2005]

[Net Reviews]

Review By:

Reviewer Comments:

PRIDE OF AMERICA

2-Night Preview Cruise
Los Angeles / San Diego / Los Angeles
Departed: July 8, 2005
Retuned: July 10, 2005

Cabin: 9138
Category BD (Oceanview with Balcony)

When I received my invitation for this 2-night preview cruise for
travel industry and media professionals, I wasn't initially excited.
I had seen pictures of PRIDE OF AMERICA online and frankly I wasn't
very impressed. Her exterior sported a stubby bow and I wasn't sure
about the stars & stripes "hull art". The interior pictures
unfortunately did nothing to elevate my opinion of the ship. I'm
ecstatic to proclaim my initial observations were way off base. I
absolutely loved PRIDE OF AMERICA and I think she is probably the
most unique new ship to come off the blocks in quite some time.
PRIDE OF AMERICA (POA) is in fact a one-off design. She will never
have a sister ship like so many newbuilds today that are number 6 or
7 in an ever growing series. This fact alone makes POA something
rather special. I also leaned that first impressions are not always
correct and not every ship photographs well. I took over 200
photographs of POA (see link above) and I must say they don't do
justice to the ship. She is a ship that needs to be experienced in
person.


Embarkation:

Things got off to a rough start at the pier. Computers were down and
check-in took 1 ½ hours. NCL America did provide a little
entertainment to keep spirits up. There was a comedian on stilts
dressed up as Uncle Sam trying to keep us all entertained. The
entire pier was dressed up with NCL America flags and banners and it
looked great. Were the computers initially working things would have
gone much smoother. Check-in itself was the usual process. ID's were
checked, credit cards swiped, deck plans and ship information handed
out, and a picture taken that is embedded in the magnetic strip of
your cruise card. The obligatory embarkation picture was taken,
followed by a security screening, then on to the ship. Once onboard
your cruise card was swiped and several staff members welcomed you
onboard. You were on your own to find your cabin which is fine by me.


Cabins:

Many cabins were not yet ready, which was surprising considering it
was almost 3pm. I had heard disembarkation from the previous cruise
was delayed, but this was never confirmed. I did go inside my cabin
to drop off luggage and have a quick look around. It seemed about
half way made-up and I figured the rest would be completed later.
There is a nifty dial outside the cabin with a few different
settings. You can set the dial to "Welcome", "Make-up Cabin", Do not
Disturb", etc. This is a great idea since Freestyle Cruising means
you are not on a set schedule. Your cabin steward/stewardess
requires a little help to know what your requirements are at any
given time, and the dial achieves just that. My category BD standard
balcony cabin was small by industry standards, at approximately 178
sq feet according to the NCL brochure and I believe that includes
the balcony area. Even so, it was well laid out and attractive with
Hawaiian themed carpet, wood veneer on the shelves and closets, and
comfy white duvets. Closet space is very limited even for two
people, so don't plan on bringing a lot of excess clothes. Formal
nights are not required on NCL America and this is a good thing
considering the limited closet space. Cabin amenities include a
coffee maker with coffee, ice and glasses, an interactive TV (called
Freestyle iTV which was not yet operational), safe, and
refrigerator. The bathroom was also on the small side including the
shower stall. There was an amenity kit that included lotion, a shoe
shine, and shower cap. Soap, shower gel, and conditioner are
provided in dispensers in the shower and above the sink. One side of
the mirror opens for additional shelves, but space is still pretty
tight. The perpetual "hugging shower curtain" is eliminated by
having a shower curtain with several steel rods in it that keep it
hanging straight. Water pressure and temperature were fine. The
balcony was average size (which means it's not too large), and
included a table and two chairs of good quality. Definitely better
than the plastic resin that many mass-market cruise lines use. One
thing missing in the cabin were master light switches over the bed,
and robes. To turn off the main cabin lights you had to get up and
go to the switch by the cabin entrance.

Suites were absolutely gorgeous and very well appointed. Be sure to
check out the pics! Each one had unique décor so they were not
cookie cutter in design or shape. If you can afford one, go for it.
They were some of the nicest and unusual suites I have seen on any
ship.

A very pleasant surprise were the inside cabins. I think they were
about the nicest inside cabins I have seen on any ship. They
actually seemed larger than the balcony cabins because of their
layout. I liked the fact there were two desks/dressing tables as
opposed to only one in the outside and balcony cabins. POA is one
ship I would not mind booking an inside cabin on.

Outside cabins had the same setup and layout as the standard balcony
cabins. If you can snag one, go for the category CC on Deck 7. These
eight cabins have huge floor to ceiling windows and are located
directly midship. I would almost prefer one of these over a balcony
cabin . almost!

One thing worth mentioning is the cabin corridors. They are probably
the widest and most attractive I've seen on any ship (including
QM2). The corridors have wonderful indirect lighting, subtle
Hawaiian music is played, and the carpet is either flower or stars
pattern. There is artwork along all the corridors, and one side is a
wood veneer which gives them a very welcoming and soft touch. Bravo
to NCL for creating corridors that don't look like they belong in a
hospital.


Staff/Crew:

I was more than a little curious about an all-American crew working
on a new cruise ship. American's are generally not used to working 7-
day weeks with 12 + hour days. I wasn't sure if the service would
suffer, and I think for the most part it didn't. The American crew
was generally the friendliest I have come across in some 60 cruises.
They were young, very attractive, energetic and eager to please.
Each one had a story and they were more than willing to share it if
you were willing to listen. Personally I greatly enjoyed hearing
about their experiences. I know not everyone will appreciate the
informality of the crew, but I found it charming. NCL America had
some major difficulties with the initial crews on PRIDE OF ALOHA. As
many of you may recall, there were reports of massive crew turnover
and walk-outs during the initial inaugural period. The two major
issues NCL had to overcome were expectations and training. All crew
for NCL America now attend the most extensive crew training program
in the entire industry. The facility is located in Piney Point
Maryland and every crew/staff member spends several weeks there
before joining the ship. Not only do they learn the basics about
shipboard life and what is expected of them, they discover if
shipboard is something they desire. NCL creates an environment at
Piney Point that is very similar to what the crew experience onboard
ship. The turnover at Piney Point is high, but those that do
graduate are the best in their class and more importantly, truly
want to be there. This was certainly apparent on PRIDE OF AMERICA
based on my personal experience. Service in some areas was a bit
slow, but this could be expected on any new ship regardless of crew
nationality.

Unfortunately there was one exception, and that is cabin
housekeeping. At first I thought the problem was limited to my cabin
and section, but after chatting with several passengers the problem
seemed to be widespread to all decks and cabin types. I've never had
such a filthy cabin. Greasy hand prints on all the mirrors; hair and
crumbs in cabin drawers; dirty faucets, dirty countertops and
dispensers; and even my toilette was never cleaned. In fact there
were left over remnants from the previous occupants. I actually used
public toilettes the first night onboard as they were spotless (as
was the rest of the ship). My bed was never turned down (and never
had a bedspread), carpets never vacuumed, the safe was locked shut,
the refrigerator was filthy, and even the glasses didn't look clean.
I can only hope the bed sheets were laundered. Tissues in the
bathroom were never provided, but toilette paper was. I didn't say
anything the first night as when I first entered the cabin after
embarking I figured it wasn't finished being cleaned. I enjoyed the
evening (way too much to drink!) and when I returned the only thing
in the cabin that changed was some towels were supplied in the
bathroom. Nothing else! The next morning I got up and went down to
the Reception Desk. I advised of the unacceptable cabin condition
and that I couldn't even use the toilette. She wrote my cabin number
down on a long list and ensured it would be taken care of. A couple
hours later I returned to the cabin and it was somewhat serviced.
The greasy hand prints were still everywhere but new towels were
added and the toilette was cleaned. The sink was still dirty and no
tissues were supplied. The bed being made was a joke . she simply
threw the duvet back on the bed and didn't even bother to rearrange
the pillows. A bedspread would have been nice. Nothing else was
cleaned. Had I been in this cabin for a week I would have had a chat
with the Chief Housekeeper and also had all room steward gratuities
removed. I don't think I've ever stayed in a hotel or cruise ship
where the housekeeping service was so poor. Unfortunately others had
similar problems, but mine seemed to be the most extreme. I also
spoke to other passengers who had wonderful cabin service. Spotless
cabins, bedspreads, turn-down service, etc. Basically what you would
expect. I hope this is a problem that NCL America gets under
control, and soon.

Other than the cabin, the rest of the ship was extremely clean and
you always saw crew polishing, vacuuming, and keeping things tidy.


Dining:

The dining choices on POA are numerous. There is really something
for everyone. Not all venues are free, but even if you didn't spend
an additional dime on food you would have a vast array of choices. I
had absolutely no complaints about food. One night I ate with a
large group (12 of us I believe) in the Liberty Restaurant, and the
second night I had wonderful sushi in "East Meets West" with another
large group.

So what is free and what isn't? Here's the skinny.
* Free: Skyline Restaurant; Liberty Restaurant; Aloha Café; Key West
Grill; Cadillac Diner (except milkshakes); Little Italy.
* Cover Charge: East Meets West; Jefferson's Bistro; Lazy J Texas
Steakhouse

Something unique being implemented on all NCL ships and currently
onboard POA and NORWEGIAN SPIRIT are flat panel dining availability
screens. They are located all over the ship in most public areas. I
was initially skeptical of these screens, but they are a great
feature. NCL actually modeled them after similar software used for
ski lift wait times at major ski resorts. These flat panels list
each restaurant (free and cover charge) along with the current wait
time at each venue. The color will change from green (empty), to
yellow (filling up), to red (full, wait involved). The system is
linked to every restaurant onboard so any Maitre'd at any restaurant
can reserve a time for you at any other restaurant. It's really a
cool system and I believe it can also be viewed on your cabin TV
once the iTV interactive system is up and running. If your
restaurant choice is full and you don't want to switch to another
dining venue, you are given a pager so you can enjoy yourself in any
one of the lounges until your pager goes off.

Lounges / Activities / Entertainment:

POA has a wonderful assortment of lounges, entertainment, and
activities. Just like the dining arrangements, there was something
for everyone. There are whimsical lounges such as the Mardi Gras
nightclub. Elegant and eclectic areas like the Lanai Bar, and
sophisticated night spots such as the Napa Wine Bar. Pink's Piano
Bar and the Gold Rush Saloon are also festive choices. There are
plenty of quiet areas as well, with John Adams Coffee Bar and the SS
America Library ranking as top choices. The SS America Library
deserves special mention. This library is huge and beautifully
decorated. It's themed after the liner S/S AMERCA and includes
artifacts from this beautiful ship as well as a gorgeous painting of
the ship and a very detailed model. The only library that comes
close at sea is onboard the QM2 and QE2. Great job NCL!

Unfortunately I didn't attend either of the production shows. This
is unusual for me as I tend to enjoy them, but I was too busy
enjoying myself with new found friends to give them a second
thought. Both shows received raves from passengers who saw them and
hopefully I'll get a second chance as I plan to book POA for a 7-day
cruise later this year. NCL hosted amazing deck parties both nights,
and something I've never done before was ride a mechanical bull!
Yes, one was set up right on deck. The second night they removed
the "bull" and set up a mechanical surf board instead. It was great,
but I'm not certain if this is a permanent activity or just
something special for these industry cruises?

The Santa Fe spa is quite lovely and offers very soothing
Southwestern décor. The treatment rooms looked very comfortable and
there is a relaxation area as well. There are separate men's and
women's changing rooms along with single *** saunas, steam rooms,
and showers located inside the changing rooms. A nice touch is
the "star lit" ceiling in the steam and sauna that changes colors
creating a unique atmosphere. I believe there will be no charge to
use the steam rooms and sauna. The workout area is large and well
equipped, and there are individual flat screen panels above each
cardio machine which is a nice touch.

Another unique feature onboard POA is the Diamond Head Auditorium.
This is without a doubt the most extensive meeting area onboard any
ship. While I would have liked to see an observation lounge in this
spot, it does work very well as a circular meeting space. NCL
America has high hopes of attracting extensive meeting and incentive
groups. There is the added incentive for US corporations to book POA
and her running mate in Hawaii for added the tax benefit. As these
ships are registered in the United States, US corporations can use
the meetings as a tax write-off. This is simply not possible on
foreign flagged vessels. I hope the Diamond Head Auditorium becomes
a multi-use facility, and as the ship becomes broken in maybe a few
of the ship's activities can be scheduled up there.


Pools / Decks:

Swimming pools are one area that could be improved upon. The pools
are not the most attractive (compared to other ships) and are a bit
small. The main pool area (South Beach Pool) is simply too
cluttered. The Ocean Drive Bar is an excellent and large pool bar,
but the rest of the area is lacking. The aft Oasis Pool is one of
the smallest pools I've seen on a ship, but it's a very attractive
area and I imagine it will be much quieter than the amidships pools.
Be sure to check out the adorable oversized shower up on Deck 14.
It's one of the many whimsical features that make POA a stand-out.

There is plenty of open deck space and most of it is covered with a
blue plastic surface. I would have rather seen teak but that is rare
these days, especially on mainstream ships. There is also a full
wrap-around Promenade Deck on Deck 6. It's wide but unfortunately
chairs are few and far between.

Special mention goes to the Sports Deck on Deck 14. It's huge and
will prove very popular to sports fanatics. It's also located out of
the way as not to disturb the rest of the passengers.


The good and not so good...

Good:

Cabin décor; overall ship décor and detail; Aloha Café outdoor
buffet stations; Liberty Restaurant; American crew; restaurant
choices; inside cabins; the amazing suites; onboard artwork; the
dining availability panels; food and overall service; spacious
corridors; ship's overall atmosphere.

Not so good:

Cabin housekeeping is poor; small pools, cluttered decks; minimal
closet space; slow embarkation; inaccessibility to Santa Fe Spa and
gym.


Disembarkation:

A short note about disembarkation. Since PRIDE OF AMERICA is a US
flagged ship and calls at no foreign ports, there is no need for
passengers to fill out any forms or clear US Customs and
Immigration. This means that very shortly after the ships docks, you
are free to go. I saw people disembarking as early as 7:20am, and I
disembarked at 8:15am and easily made a 9:30am flight out of LAX.
NCL America provided each of us with a commemorative inaugural gift
that will make a wonderful addition to my ship collection. It's an
American flag folded into a triangle and framed in a wood and glass
case. There is a plaque that reads "PRIDE OF AMERICA Inaugural
Season 2005" on the outside and there are hooks on the back for
hanging. It's one of the nicest inaugural gifts I have come across.
It was a bit awkward to carry on the plane, but there was no way I
was leaving that behind! As we walked off the POA, many of the staff
and crew from POA and the NCL Miami office were standing on both
sides of the Promenade Deck clapping and cheering as we disembarked.
It was a thoughtful and appreciated gesture, not to mention
memorable and unique. I think it's something they should do after
every cruise as it really left a lasting impression and made you
feel valued by NCL.


What's next for NCL and some tidbits:

* Look for a new NCL website coming in early 2006. It will encompass
a new interactive booking engine for both travel agents and
consumers.

* Freestyle will be taken to the next level. Part of this will be
the ability to pre-book all restaurant reservations before you leave
home on the new website. Basically you will be able to plan your
entire dining week in advance. Also incorporated will be the ability
to pre-book all your spa treatments and of course shore excursions.
The other aspects of how Freestyle will evolve are in the works, but
expect innovation.

* Latitudes, the NCL past passenger club is getting revamped.
Currently all past passengers receive the same recognition
regardless of how many NCL cruise you have taken. Beginning this
Fall, Latitudes will have different benefit levels based not only on
how many times you sail, but how much you spend as well. Those
passengers that consistently book suites will receive higher
recognition.

* With the addition of NORWEGIAN JEWEL, PRIDE OF HAWAII, and two
additional "Star Class" ships, NCL will have the youngest fleet in
the industry. In 2006 NCL is actually accounting for half of all new
built tonnage in the N. American cruise industry.

* A new class of ship is currently in development. It will follow
the two unnamed "Star Class" ships already on order. Expect
innovation and many surprise features.

* All the older NCL tonnage will be phased out of the fleet by 2010
at the latest. This includes DREAM, WIND, MAJESTY, and CROWN.

* Keep an eye out for some interesting itineraries for PRIDE OF
HAWAII. Prior to her year round 7-day Hawaii cruising, she will
embark on a few trans-Pacific itineraries between the West Coast and
Hawaii. Some interesting ports will be included (Hawaii and the
mainland) and there is no need to stop at a foreign port since she
will be US registered. Her fast 25 knot speed will also make the
crossing to Hawaii in a shorter time.

* None of the NCL America ships are permitted to sail in Alaska or
the Caribbean. This was a last minute mandate lobbied by some of NCL
competitors. Interesting.

* The SS UNITED STATES, currently laid up in Philadelphia and owned
by NCL has not been forgotten. I was able to personally question NCL
executive Andy Stuart (who BTW is a very dynamic speaker and
charming man) about her future. He informed me NCL had created a
team to determine the feasibility of bringing the SSUS back to
service. Results were very positive and he even spoke of her
excellent hull condition. Unfortunately when POA encountered her
troubles at the shipyard in Germany, the team switched their
objective from the SSUS to getting POA into service. I truly feel
the SSUS has a good possibility of being brought back to service
after speaking with Mr. Stuart. He seemed to appreciate the value
and recognition a ship like the SSUS could bring NCL America. Stay
tuned!

* Following the 2-night cruise I enjoyed, the crew of POA were
getting a short cruise of their own. Andy Stuart and the rest of the
NCL management team onboard (including POA Officers) were switching
roles and becoming waiters, bartenders, and entertainers for the
crew onboard POA. Meanwhile the crew becomes passengers and can
enjoy the hospitality of their superiors on an overnight cruise up
to San Francisco. A massive deck party was planned. What better way
to show employee appreciation and sustain excellent morale as well?
This gesture really helped earn my respect for NCL as a caring
company.

* Look for NCL to split from parent company Star Cruises later this
year and become public on the NY Stock Exchange. What happens after
that is anybody's guess.


The Final Word:

In a nutshell, I loved PRIDE OF AMERICA and have found a new
appreciation for NCL. To be honest, NCL was fairly low on my
personal scale up until now. With PRIDE OF AMERICA and the rest of
the new ships NCL is building, I've discovered what an innovative
company NCL has become. They are not perfect (and no cruise line
is), but I think they have a bright future and they certainly have
earned my support and new found respect.

I wish them great success!