|
The amazing part
of this story is simply the fact that NCL America was able to transform
the former Norwegian Sky into the Pride of Aloha in
just three weeks of dry dock. We were told over 600 contract workers
worked 24 hours a day for 21 days to accomplish tremendous task. Not
 only
did they change the décor, the carpet, the wall treatments, but completely
changed the Casino into a Hawaiian Cultural Center. Every public area of
the Pride of Aloha reflects some aspect of the beauty of our 50th
state. From surf boards to flower leis to volcano’s flowing with lava,
this vessel lets you know you are cruising the islands of Hawaii.
The other amazing
statistic about the Pride of Aloha is all of the 950 crew
are US Citizens. This is the first US Flagged cruise ship in over 50
years and the entire crew must be US (or resident green card holders) and
their employment must comply with US labor standards and policies. Just
think what an undertaking this is for the cruise industry. Time and one
half after 40 hour work weeks, minimum wage standards, liability and
insurance issues, to name a few regulations new to the industry. This is
going to be a very interesting situation to observe as NCL America has new
ships entering the market over the next 2 years. This is the first of 3
US Flagged vessel’s which will operate in US ports of call.
The majority of
the crew we encountered were young Hawaiians working there first cruise
position. They were recruited from the hospitality industry, the medical
institutional industry and other people friendly businesses in the
Hawaiian Islands. They were excited about their new industry and looked
forward to experiencing the life of a ship-board worker.
The Pride of
Aloha has six restaurants, thirteen bars and lounges, three outdoor
swimming pools, spa, basketball/sports court, shops featuring island garb
and gear and the Kumu Cultural Center explaining life and history of
Hawaii. The "Freestyle Hawaii" concept is totally ingrained into the
lifestyle on board. The Palace Main Restaurant, Crossings Main Restaurant
and the Huilau Café and Lanai serve continuously for dinner from 5:30 PM
until Midnight. The Royal Palm Bistro, the Pacific Heights Restaurant and
the Kahili Restaurant are reservations requested dining options with
nominal service fees of $12.50 to $15.00 per person. The Royal Palm
Bistro serves traditional French cuisine while Pacific Heights specializes
in Asian fusion and fresh local fishes. Kahili is the Hawaiian
restaurant, featuring local and Mediterranean fare.
Once the ship arrives at its Hawaiian home-port and begins regular cruises
we hope to revisit her and see how everything has settled down. There is
no doubt that anyone wanting to get a taste of the islands should consider
this as a first choice. The cruise itinerary and time the ship spends in
ports will allow even the most intrepid traveler to really get a feel for
the Hawaiian islands and all they have to offer. |
