NCL Pride of America
A common theme comes up in Facebook's NCL Pride of America 7 days in Hawaii group - why does this cruise cost so much and is the cruise worth what is charged for it? As I see it, you get what you pay for with a Pride of America (POA) cruise.
To compare "apples to apples" as much as possible, I will compare two separate Hawaii cruises which will be cruising the islands at the same time in October 2024. One is a typical POA cruise out of Honolulu, and the other is a typical non-POA cruise from the mainland. However, I have chosen the only cruise from the mainland which includes 6 port days in Hawaii to give as a good comparison as possible.
Example:
10/05/24 - HAL Konigsdam cruise, Vancouver, BC roundtrip. (17 nights)
Inside Cabin Fare: $1700/pp (Base) / $2799 /pp ("Have it All")
Two days each on three islands:
2- Oahu, 2- Hawaii (1 - Kona & 1 -Hilo), 2-Kauai.
vs.
10/12/24 - NCL Pride of America cruise, Honolulu, HI roundtrip. (7 nights)
Inside Cabin Fare: $1849/pp (Both Base & "Free at Sea")
Two days each on three islands:
2- Oahu, 2- Hawaii (1 - Kona & 1 -Hilo), 2-Kauai.
The HAL cruise has to take an extra 10 days to cruise from the North American mainland over choppy seas to reach Hawaii then return to its home port. This is due to requirements imposed by the US Jones Act and the US Passenger Vessel Services Act. These acts require ships sailing solely between US ports be American built, flagged and staffed. The NCL cruise allows a person to bypass these extra sea days because it meets these requirements and it allows the cruiser to book extra land time in Hawaii - which is what I'd do on Oahu, so I could see sights on Hawaii's most populous island.. Additionally, on POA, one gets to spend 2 days in Maui, an island that the HAL cruise bypasses.
Unlike a foreign flagged ship, all American safety and labor laws apply on this ship. This explains (in part) why a 7-day cruise on POA costs more than a similar 7-day cruise on a foreign flagged ship sailing another route, such as in the Caribbean. Since POA also has to provision itself in Hawaii, all of its food, fuel, and other supplies cost more, as these goods must be shipped from the mainland (on American flagged ships) making them cost more than if they could be provisioned at mainland ports.
POA is an older ship, and is very well maintained for ships built in the mid '00s. It doesn't have a casino to subsidize cruise fares. It's a blessing not to walk through a smoke-filled casino to get to other parts of the ship. POA oozes America through its pores. (I won't go into many of the little details that justify this statement. People who have cruised on POA will understand this.) Unlike the ships coming from the mainland, POA should be treated as a floating hotel (with free meals). It is not a resort that floats from port to port. As such, POA provides good value for money spent. But it is not cheap. One is able to get a more Hawaii-intensive cruise on POA, especially when coupled with 2 or more land days before or after the cruise.
It may be cheaper for people to fly to Vancouver than to fly to Honolulu, one will need a passport to do so. Even with more expensive airfare, I think two people could still have more Hawaii time for the extra $950/pp difference in the premium rates, if they were to take some of the savings to spend an extra 3 days in Honolulu and see the sights there. (10-Day POA Cruisetour anyone?) Please note that most cruises from mainland ports (San Francisco, Los Angeles, and San Diego) are usually shorter and spend less time in Hawaii. Does it make sense to spend more time at sea than one would spend in Hawaii?
I have been called a very frugal person. Would I choose the POA cruise over one from the mainland? YES! YES! YES! Anyone taking the POA is making a trade-off, exchanging money for more Hawaii. Hopefully, I'll be able to go there again soon, this time with my girlfriend.
