Pride of America

Innovator of Freestyle Cruising, Miami-based Norwegian Cruise Line operates a growing fleet of nine ships sailing to more than 140 ports around the world. Its Homeland Cruising program offers more regularly scheduled, round-trip cruises from more U.S. and Canadian ports than any other cruise line, utilizing Miami, Seattle, Vancouver, San Juan, Boston, New York, Honolulu, and Lahaina. Freestyle cruising provides a more relaxed, resort-style cruise product with flexibility in dining and other onboard pleasures. NCL, pioneering several on-board firsts including the first Internet café at sea (now fleetwide), was first to offer a nationwide air/sea program combining cruise, hotel and transfers from more than 150 U.S. and Canadian cities. NCL also was first to position a modern ship on a full-time basis in the seven-day Hawaiian market.

Quick View

As the first new ocean-going passenger ship to sail under the Stars and Stripes in nearly 50 years, NCL’s Pride of America’s white hull will be splashed in red, white and blue with a vibrant, artistic interpretation of the U.S. Flag combined with the American Bald Eagle. Pride of America starts service in Hawaii in July, 2004 with seven-night island cruises, round-trip from Honolulu. The All-American theme décor includes the Capitol Atrium and the Washington Library. Providing more time in Hawaii without side trips elsewhere to meet requirements for ships under foreign flags, Pride of America also brims with the suite life. The 1,386-square-foot Grand Suite has a living room with a Bang & Olufsen entertainment center, and a dining room seating six. A quintet of 870-square-foot Owner’s Suites and a sextet of 735-square foot Deluxe Penthouse Suites have similar amenities including private balconies and outdoor Jacuzzis, and 28 Penthouse Suites have balconies with sun beds. Pride of America also has the broadest range of family-friendly interconnecting cabins at sea, including eight family suites, accommodating up to eight, with a living room and two separate baths. Other firsts for NCL: A conservatory with live exotic birds, a tennis court, and an art gallery. Pride of America has six dedicated meeting rooms from boardrooms for 10 to a multi-level circular Diamond Head Auditorium seating up to 250, which can be split into amphitheatre-like presentation rooms. Prior to the inaugural Hawaiian cruise, sneak preview sailings include a 5-day Eastern Seaboard from Boston to New York, a 5-day Colonial America from New York to Miami, an 18-day Panama Canal from Miami/New Orleans to Los Angeles, a 5-day California Coastal from Los Angeles to San Francisco, and a 12-day repositioning from San Francisco to Honolulu.

About Gratuities
With Freestyle Cruising, NCL automatically applies gratuities to shipboard accounts at $10 per guest per day, for ages 13 and up, and $5 per day for ages 3-12, and no charge for under age 3. To tip more or less than guidelines, adjustments can be made at the front desk.

Disabled Access
Pride of America accommodates wheel-chair users, and some staterooms are equipped for the hearing impaired.

Ship Features

Providing more time to experience Hawaii without days at sea or side trips elsewhere to meet requirements for ships under foreign flags, Pride of America has the broadest range of family-friendly interconnecting cabins at sea, including eight family suites, accommodating up to eight, with a living room and two separate baths. Other firsts for NCL: A conservatory with live exotic birds, a tennis court, and an art gallery.

Staterooms
Apart from a Grand Suite, five Owner’s Suites, six Deluxe Penthouse Suites, and 28 Penthouse Suites, there are eight Family Suites with private balcony accommodating up to eight with a living room, separate den and private bedroom. There are also 613 Ocean View Staterooms with private balconies, 178 Ocean View Staterooms with picture window or porthole, and 230 inside staterooms.

Stateroom amenities
TV, radio, phone with voice mail and speed dial, refrigerator, tea and coffee maker, and safe are in every stateroom, along with. individual air-conditioning thermostat controls.

Kid & Teen Stuff
Pride of America is especially family-friendly with its Kids’ Crew program for children ages 2 through 17. Junior Sailors (ages 2-5) enjoy storytelling, arts and crafts, face painting, magic shows and Circus at Sea. First Mates (ages 6-8) enjoy wacky cooking classes, poolside root beer float parties and on-shore treasure hunts. Navigators (ages 9-12) test skills at Sega and video games, explore the bridge on a private tour, and go on scavenger hunts by day, with movies and campouts in the evening. Teens do pool parties, volleyball, and the “Newlymet game” along with trivia contests.

Cruises Specials

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Life Aboard

Dining
Pride of America’s eight restaurants feature nine different menus nightly. Inspired by skyscrapers of the ‘30s, Skyline Restaurant, the main dining room on Deck 5, seats 628. Liberty Restaurant, a second main restaurant on Deck 6, seats 496 amid a founding fathers décor. The 106-seat Steakhouse, themed to reflect the Texas Rangers, Dallas Cowboys and Houston Space Center, serves certified Angus Beef, veal, pork, lamb, seafood and grilled chicken. The 32-seat Asian Fusion has a sushi and sashimi bar and a Teppanyaki room with two tables offering an interactive Japanese dining experience with tableside preparation. The 104-seat Jefferson’s Bistro on Deck 5 is NCL’s signature restaurant with an a la carte menu of nouvelle and classic French cuisine, inspired by Monticello, Thomas Jefferson’s home. Jefferson was the U.S. Ambassador to France from 1785-1789 before becoming the nation’s third president. Cadillac Diner is a 24-hour, 50’s style enclave with Caddy seats and a juke box to go with a menu big on burgers, potpies and wok dishes. Little Italy on Deck 11 serves pasta, pizza, etc., and the indoor/outdoor Aloha Café/Kids Café, also on Deck 11, has food action stations with made-to-order omelets, ethnic specialties, and pasta.

Sports / Health / Fitness
Santa Fe Spa and Fitness Center, decorated with artifacts from New Mexico, is designed for tranquility making generous use of stone and wood.

Entertainment
The 880-seat Hollywood Theater, with large Oscar-like golden statues embellishing walls, hosts major production extravaganzas and the New Orleans-inspired Mardi Gras Cabaret Lounge has disco and karaoke.

Casino
There is no casino.

Bars
Napa Wine Bar specializes in vintages by the glass; Pink’s Champagne & Cigar Bar is inspired by Hawaii’s Royal Palace “Pink Palace” Hotel on Waikiki Beach; John Adams Coffee Bar serves specialty brews and pastries; Gold Rush Pub has Karaoke, darts and billiards; Waikiki Bar and the Key West Bar & Grill are outdoor pool bars.