Has anyone heard when/if Pride of America will start opening up more restaurants/bars?

[jakebloke]

I'm sailing in October, so I know a lot can change by then.....hopefully for the better.  I'd love to experience a back to normal ship, but I know that probably won't be the case.  If anyone know anything, I'd love to hear it.  

[Linsuesue]

Me too! We also sail in October. 

[steamboats]

According to NCL this may last until the end of October. So far they have cancelled single cabins in June, July and August.

 

As in the US it´s already hard to find staff for landside hotels or restaurants it´s even harder to find qualfied staff for a cruise ship which has to be manned 75% with US citizens or Greencard holders in the hotel department.

 

I´ve been on in May and I can tell you the bar tenders at the Ocean Drive Bar or the Pink´s Champagne Bar really worked hard.

 

steamboats

Edited June 29, 2022 by steamboats

[MSUjohn]

 start opening up more restaurants/bars?

 

heck, i am worried about my December 31st cruise being canceled.  

[1025cruise]

First, they need to stop cancelling bookings.

What makes poa unique is that it is mostly staffed by us citizens. They seem to be having issues hiring, like everyone else.

[ChiefMateJRK]

Our plan for this year included an October POA cruise, but we cancelled it just prior to final payment due to the multiple reports of the mess that POA is currently in.  I realize that some are past final payment, but for anybody who hasn't yet booked you may wish to consider an alternative.  My next POA is booked for 2024.  Hopefully they'll have it fixed by then.

[njkate]

1 hour ago, ChiefMateJRK said:

Our plan for this year included an October POA cruise, but we cancelled it just prior to final payment due to the multiple reports of the mess that POA is currently in.  I realize that some are past final payment, but for anybody who hasn't yet booked you may wish to consider an alternative.  My next POA is booked for 2024.  Hopefully they'll have it fixed by then.

Wise considering the state of affairs on that ship now. I did read, don’t know how true, the algorithms they use to cancel is by how far out one has booked and if before final if they are pif but who really knows 

[markkw07]

3 hours ago, 1025cruise said:

First, they need to stop cancelling bookings.

What makes poa unique is that it is mostly staffed by us citizens. They seem to be having issues hiring, like everyone else.

True! Until they stop cancelling booking, which now are into August, then I would not anticipate any additional openings of any bars/restaurants. I was on POA in April, and they barely had enough people to run what they did have open. It does not seem any better from then until now, based on the feedback that is coming back as of late. 100% props to the crew, though, most were working hard to get the job done. 

 

The bad part about all this is, the crew presently on POA is going to get burnt out as this continues, so makes me wonder, however long these people signed contracts for, will they be back? Will they resign up for another period of time? I am not sure what the contract lengths are for POA, is it the same, 

as the other ships? 6 months? 12 months? 

 

 

[Paula_MacFan]

I've seen lots of posts online about POA job fairs all over the country.  It would seem NCL is working hard to get people hired.  

[altarr]

6 hours ago, 1025cruise said:

First, they need to stop cancelling bookings.

What makes poa unique is that it is mostly staffed by us citizens. They seem to be having issues hiring, like everyone else.

 There is not a hiring problem in the country, there is a wage problem. None of the places paying workers properly are having staffing issues

[The Shrike]

1 hour ago, altarr said:

 There is not a hiring problem in the country, there is a wage problem. None of the places paying workers properly are having staffing issues

Wrong.  We have restaurants around here offering $20/hour for friggin' dishwashers and are still having trouble getting workers.

[volk904]

NCL is having a hiring event in Louisville KY this week.  They must really be working to find American crew for that ship. I wonder what they get paid? It has to be more because of US laws.  

[Shellbelle28]

19 hours ago, ChiefMateJRK said:

Our plan for this year included an October POA cruise, but we cancelled it just prior to final payment due to the multiple reports of the mess that POA is currently in.  I realize that some are past final payment, but for anybody who hasn't yet booked you may wish to consider an alternative.  My next POA is booked for 2024.  Hopefully they'll have it fixed by then.

I had concerns about POA and service levels even without the current hiring problems! Fanning Island is looking appealing again. 

[The Shrike]

1 hour ago, Shellbelle28 said:

I had concerns about POA and service levels even without the current hiring problems! Fanning Island is looking appealing again. 

I know I've said this on other threads, but we did POA in Dec 2017 and it was the worst staff and service we've encountered on NCL.  From the bars to the MDR to the buffet to the steward, with only a few exceptions the staff was slow at best, and inattentive, dismissive, and lazy at worst.  As an American it's bothersome to say that the vast majority of this was the American staff.

I'm glad we did the cruise as the destinations and excursions were excellent.  But I'll never pay to go on the POA again.

[MsMidge]

We plan on doing this cruise next spring, if they are still around, and really going for just the islands, not the ship so much.  That being said, sounds like they better start paying excellent wages to get the crew to provide excellent service.

[ChiefMateJRK]

3 hours ago, Shellbelle28 said:

I had concerns about POA and service levels even without the current hiring problems! Fanning Island is looking appealing again. 

This.  Did NCL used to have an itinerary that included that foreign port?

[njhorseman]

11 minutes ago, ChiefMateJRK said:

This.  Did NCL used to have an itinerary that included that foreign port?

Sure did...before they had US flagged ships to do the Hawaii cruises.

[ChiefMateJRK]

1 minute ago, njhorseman said:

Sure did...before they had US flagged ships to do the Hawaii cruises.

Thanks.  What would that add?  Two or three sea days?  I'm in! 😎  I love sea days and wouldn't mind losing the nights in port.  I like HI, I just don't LOVE HI.

[njhorseman]

Just now, ChiefMateJRK said:

Thanks.  What would that add?  Two or three sea days?  I'm in! 😎  I love sea days and wouldn't mind losing the nights in port.  I like HI, I just don't LOVE HI.

I think it added a day and a half in each direction so what was otherwise a one week Hawaii cruise  was 10 days long when they went to Fanning Island.

[ChiefMateJRK]

39 minutes ago, njhorseman said:

I think it added a day and a half in each direction so what was otherwise a one week Hawaii cruise  was 10 days long when they went to Fanning Island.

That would be great.  Especially if they replaced POA with an up to date ship.  I'm sure this has occurred to NCL, and hoping that we see them moving in this direction.  I would think that one of the jewel class ships could fit quite well.

[Shellbelle28]

1 hour ago, ChiefMateJRK said:

This.  Did NCL used to have an itinerary that included that foreign port?

Yes! We did it in 2002 on the Norwegian Star. Boarded in Honolulu, had port stops at most of the islands but in the middle of the trip she hauled buns out to Fanning Island for half a day for the foreign port. We had an amazing time. 

Edited June 30, 2022 by Shellbelle28

[ChiefMateJRK]

2 minutes ago, Shellbelle28 said:

Yes! We did it in 2002 on the Norwegian Sky. Boarded in Honolulu, had port stops at most of the islands but in the middle of the trip she hauled buns out to Fanning Island for half a day for the foreign port. We had an amazing time. 

Thanks.  I would REALLY like to see this return.

 

"buns out?"  🤣

 

Edited June 30, 2022 by ChiefMateJRK

[Shellbelle28]

11 minutes ago, ChiefMateJRK said:

Thanks.  I would REALLY like to see this return.

 

"buns out?"  🤣

 

LOL, hauled something. As fast as she could. Our trip was only a seven day, ports at Honolulu, Hilo, Maui, Kuai, and Fanning (Kiribati). Don't remember the order. We did a volcano excursion on the big island and the lava was active, so it was memorable there! Fanning was 🔥 HOT. 

Edited June 30, 2022 by Shellbelle28

[ChiefMateJRK]

2 minutes ago, Shellbelle28 said:

We did a volcano excursion on Oahu and the lava was active, so it was memorable there!

Volcano on Oahu?  That must have been memorable! 🤣 Just busting your buns....

[Shellbelle28]

2 minutes ago, ChiefMateJRK said:

Volcano on Oahu?  That must have been memorable! 🤣 Just busting your buns....

I fixed it! Derp. It was back in the olden times. Volcanoes were everywhere. 

Edited June 30, 2022 by Shellbelle28