Pride of America cruise: the Hawaii ship, who it suits and which cabin to book

Pride of America at a glance

Line

Norwegian Cruise Line

Class

One-off (U.S.-flagged)

Entered service

2005 (refurbished 2025)

Gross tonnage

80,439

Guests

About 2,180 (double occupancy)

Crew

About 927

Decks

15

Part of the Norwegian Cruise Line fleet. Home ports: Honolulu.

Pride of America has an unusual history. Its hull was started at Ingalls in Pascagoula, Mississippi, as part of Project America, a subsidized plan for U.S.-flagged cruise ships that collapsed in 2001. Norwegian Cruise Line bought the unfinished hull in 2002 and completed it at Lloyd Werft in Bremerhaven, Germany, where a storm sank the ship at its berth in January 2004. It was raised, lengthened and finished, and it was christened in New York in June 2005 before moving to Honolulu, where it has been based ever since. It went through its latest dry dock in Portland, Oregon, in May 2025.

Why Pride of America is the only ship doing this route

Pride of America is U.S.-flagged, the only ship in Norwegian’s fleet that is, and that is what makes the itinerary possible. Under the Passenger Vessel Services Act, a foreign-flagged ship on a round trip from a U.S. port has to call at a foreign port along the way. That’s why other lines’ Hawaii cruises start on the mainland or in Vancouver and include a foreign stop such as Ensenada or Vancouver, with several sea days crossing the Pacific each way.

Because Pride of America is registered in the United States, it can sail purely between Hawaiian ports. The U.S. flag also shapes the crew: NCL says federal regulations require U.S. citizenship or permanent resident status to work on board, and every crew member holds U.S. Coast Guard merchant mariner credentials. Pride of America crew don’t rotate to NCL’s international fleet, so the service feels different from the international crews on its other ships.

Who it suits

First-time Hawaii visitors get the most out of it. In one week you see Maui, both sides of the Big Island and Kauai, which would otherwise mean inter-island flights and several hotel changes.

Couples and families who want shore days, not ship days. There are no sea days, so the ship works as a floating hotel. If you’re booking a family cruise mainly for the onboard attractions, a newer NCL ship will suit your kids better.

Solo travelers can book a Studio cabin, priced for one, with access to a Studio Lounge. See our guide to cruises for singles.

Who should look elsewhere: anyone who wants the full big-ship experience. Norwegian’s Prima and Breakaway Plus ships have far more restaurants and activities. Browse them on our Norwegian Cruise Line guide.

Standout features

• The itinerary: four islands in seven days with no sea days, including overnight stays in Kahului on Maui and Nawiliwili on Kauai.
• Na Pali Coast scenic cruising: on the last day, the ship sails along Kauai’s Na Pali Coast before returning to Honolulu.
• Americana theming: the restaurants and bars carry U.S. names, from Cagney’s Steakhouse and Jefferson’s Bistro to the Cadillac Diner and the Mardi Gras Cabaret Lounge.
• 2025 updates: the May 2025 dry dock added a Starbucks, a pickleball court and 15 new staterooms, and moved the youth facilities to Deck 6 next to a new library and card room.
• Starlink internet is now available on board.

Cabins to pick, cabins to avoid

Pride of America offers inside, oceanview, balcony, Club Balcony Suite, suite and Studio cabins.

Pick:

• A balcony, if the budget stretches. On this route, sailing along the coasts of Maui and Kauai is the main scenery, and a balcony lets you watch it without competing for a rail spot.
• A Studio if you’re traveling alone and don’t want to pay a single supplement on a double cabin.

Avoid or think twice:

• Cabins directly below the pool deck or next to the lounges if you plan early starts for excursions.
• Inside cabins if you get restless: with port days every day, you’ll mostly use the cabin to sleep, but the ship has fewer public spaces to escape to than newer NCL ships.

Dining and activities

Pride of America has two main dining rooms, a buffet, and casual cafés and grills, all included. The named restaurants are Cagney’s Steakhouse, La Cucina (Italian), Jefferson’s Bistro and the Cadillac Diner. Some specialty restaurants carry a charge, so check which ones before you sail if you’re not buying a dining package.

Bars include Pink’s Champagne Bar, the Waikiki Bar and the Mardi Gras Cabaret Lounge and Nightclub. On board you’ll also find pools, a jogging track, volleyball, a fitness center and the Mandara Spa. Evenings are quieter than on NCL’s big ships, partly because the ship is in port most days and many people are tired from excursions.

Norwegian’s Free at Sea fare bundle can add specialty dining, an open bar, Starlink Wi-Fi and a shore excursion credit, and Free at Sea Plus adds more for a daily fee. Check what your fare includes before you compare it with a cruise-and-hotel package; the excursion credit matters more here than on most cruises. Our all-inclusive cruise guide explains how bundles compare across lines.

Where Pride of America sails in 2026–2027

Pride of America sails the same 7-day Hawaii inter-island round trip from Honolulu every week of the year:

• Honolulu, Oahu: embarkation.
• Kahului, Maui: an overnight stay.
• Hilo, Big Island: a day in port on the rainier east side, the base for Hawaii Volcanoes National Park.
• Kailua-Kona, Big Island: a day on the drier west side.
• Nawiliwili, Kauai: an overnight stay.
• Na Pali Coast: scenic cruising, then back to Honolulu.

Sailings are on sale into 2028, so you can plan well ahead. Honolulu is a fly-in port for almost everyone, so plan to arrive a day early in case of flight delays. For other ways to cruise the islands, see our Hawaii cruise guide.

Sample Pride of America sailings. From-prices per person, checked September 2026.

Departs	Line and ship	Nights	Itinerary	From	Link
Dec 5, 2026	Norwegian Cruise Line, Pride of America	7	7 Night Hawaii Hnl Inter Island (from Honolulu, Oahu, Hawaii)	$836	Check price
Dec 12, 2026	Norwegian Cruise Line, Pride of America	7	7 Night Hawaii Hnl Inter Island (from Honolulu, Oahu, Hawaii)	$613	Check price

Sister ships

Pride of America has no sisters. It was finished from a one-off U.S. hull and differs from NCL’s other ships in layout and flag. The closest alternative in Hawaii is a longer round trip from the mainland on a foreign-flagged ship, which spends several days at sea each way. See where Norwegian ranks overall in our cruise line rankings.

Pride of America FAQ

What is the Pride of America cruise itinerary?

Seven days round trip from Honolulu: an overnight in Kahului on Maui, a day each in Hilo and Kailua-Kona on the Big Island, an overnight in Nawiliwili on Kauai, and scenic cruising along the Na Pali Coast before returning to Honolulu. There are no sea days.

Why doesn't Pride of America stop at a foreign port?

It’s U.S.-flagged, the only ship in NCL’s fleet that is. The Passenger Vessel Services Act requires foreign-flagged ships sailing round trip from a U.S. port to visit a foreign port. Pride of America is registered in the U.S., so it can stay in Hawaii for the whole week.

Do I need a passport for a Pride of America cruise?

The ship sails only between U.S. ports, so there’s no foreign border to cross. NCL sets which documents it accepts at check-in, so check its travel-documents guidance for your sailing when you book. See our no-passport cruises guide.

How big is Pride of America?

80,439 gross tons, with room for 2,180 guests at double occupancy and about 927 crew over 15 decks. That makes it mid-size by today’s standards, about half the tonnage of NCL’s Breakaway Plus ships.

Is Pride of America a good ship?

It’s a good way to see Hawaii, and the 2025 dry dock freshened it up. As a ship, it has fewer restaurants and attractions than NCL’s newer vessels. Book it for the route, and pick a newer ship if the onboard experience matters most.