Bumped from PoAl to PoAm

[mrskhodak]

I'm very new to this board. I joined because our TA just called to inform me that our group (abt 22 cabins) was bumped from Pride of Aloha becuase they are no longer doing 7 day Hawaii cruises:eek: . Now we are on PoAmerica. I'm looking for some recent and experienced cruisers to let me know what to expect on the Pride of America. Is it better? I'm researching the boards for all types of information. BTW we are cruising 02/09/2008. We've been on 5 cruises - all Carnival. This is our first NONCarnival cruise.

[shoreguy]

Congratulations you have been upgraded to a new ship with the best recent reviews of the three NCLA ships in HI.

[KeystoneCruiser]

A quick synopsis of Freestyle:

 

1.) There are optional formal nights. Formal nights are OPTIONAL in ALL restaurants and dining venues on board all NCL ships. They no longer designate one dining room as formal only. Resort casual is perfectly acceptable in all dining rooms on ALL nights. Resort casual means no shorts, jeans, t-shirts, etc. after 5:00 p.m.. Polo shirt, dockers/kahkis, sneakers are perfectly acceptable in all dining rooms at all times. Jeans, shorts, t-shirts are allowed in the buffet and Blue Lagoon (diner on some ships) at all times.

Only about 40% of the passengers will dress up on the first optional formal night. (even less on the second) The 40% will range from tuxes down to shirt/tie. The other 60% will be in resort casual. On Hawaii cruises, the formal number drops to about 30% formal, 40% resort casual and the other 30% in Hawaiian attire, which is also acceptable. (no shorts)

 

2.) There are two or three main restaurants per ship and these serve the traditional cruise fare. These restauarants do not take reservations and do not have a charge. They are open between 5:30 and 9:30 and you just walk up and ask for a table like an onshore restaurant. During the peak hours of 6:30-8:00, there might be a short wait for a table.

 

3.) There are 3-6 specialty restaurants on board each ship and these range from a Steakhouse to Asian to Italian to European. These restaurants all require reservations. (which can be made for the whole week the first day) Some of these require a cover charge of between $12.50 and $20 per person. They are open the same hours as the main restaurants.

 

4.) You have no set dining times and no set table mates. You also do not have the same waiter each night. You can request a waiter again, but it could result in a longer wait. (and the waiters do rotate through some of the venues. We had a waiter we liked on the Dawn and one night, he wasn't available because he was a "relief waiter.")

 

5.) Freestyle disembarkation means that you can wait in your cabin until called. No being herded into public areas like cattle. You can also take advantage of Express Disembarkation, where you can carry your own luggage off and be in the first group off the ship.

 

I love Freestyle and that is why I love to cruise NCL.

[KeystoneCruiser]

Double Post. (boy are we getting alot of these lately!)