When cruising through the stunning Hawaiian islands aboard Norwegian Cruise Line’s Pride of America, you’ll be eating aboard every breakfast and most dinners. While the ship isn’t the most modern, it has some ok casual dining, and an array of restaurants and packages to cover different tastes and budgets. In this guide, we’ll explore the dining and drinks packages available on the Pride of America, and look at a break down of the included and specialty dining options aboard this ship.
Pride of America Drinks & Dining Packages
NCL Pride of America Dining Packages
Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL) is known for its Freestyle Dining. This concept allows passengers to dine when and where they like, without fixed dining times or assigned seating. While many dining options are included in your cruise fare, NCL also offers specialty restaurants that require an additional fee. For those looking to experience these exclusive dining venues, NCL provides Dining Packages that offer great value.
The Specialty Dining Package allows you to dine at a number of specialty restaurants on board for a set price, offering flexibility and savings compared to paying for each restaurant individually. These packages vary depending on the length of the cruise, with options ranging from three to seven dining experiences. This is perfect for foodies who want to sample multiple restaurants without breaking the bank.
Drinks Packages Aboard the Pride of America
Just like with dining, NCL provides several beverage package options designed to suit different preferences and budgets. Onboard the Pride of America, the most popular drink package is the Premium Beverage Package, which includes a wide variety of alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks. You can enjoy unlimited spirits, cocktails, beer, and wine by the glass (up to a certain price limit). This also includes non-alcoholic drinks like soft drinks, bottled water, and specialty coffee.
For those who prefer not to indulge in alcohol, the Unlimited Soda Package is a fantastic option, providing access to soft drinks throughout the cruise. Like us, families traveling with kids or those looking to stick to non-alcoholic options will appreciate this package’s flexibility.
For those who want to indulge in a more upscale experience, the Premium Plus Beverage Package expands on the offerings of the Premium Package. This covers almost all beverages onboard, including high-end wines, premium spirits, and even specialty coffee drinks.
NCL Pride of America Restaurants
Specialty Dining
For those looking to elevate their dining experience, Pride of America offers several specialty restaurants that take you on a culinary journey around the world. These restaurants require a cover charge or the use of your Specialty Dining Package.
- Teppanyaki: This interactive dining venue offers a Japanese hibachi experience where skilled chefs cook in front of you, delivering a show along with delicious Asian dishes.
- Cagney’s Steakhouse: A signature NCL restaurant, Cagney’s serves up premium cuts of beef and fresh seafood in a classic steakhouse setting. With a variety of sides and sauces, this is a must-visit for meat lovers.
- Jefferson’s Bistro: For a touch of French sophistication, Jefferson’s Bistro offers fine dining with dishes like escargot, bouillabaisse, and other French culinary classics.
- Moderno Churrascaria: A Brazilian-style steakhouse where servers bring skewers of grilled meats directly to your table, providing a dynamic and interactive dining experience.
- La Cucina: If Italian cuisine is your passion, La Cucina offers an intimate dining experience with a menu of homemade pastas, pizzas, and Mediterranean-inspired dishes.
- Sushi & Sashimi Bar: An a la carte sushi bar, open for dinner only.
Included Dining
The Pride of America has a basic range of dining venues (compared to newer ‘foodie’ ships).
- Skyline Main Dining Room and Liberty Main Dining Room: These restaurants offer classic American cuisine with a touch of local Hawaiian flavors, and they’re perfect for those who want to enjoy a more formal dining experience.
- Aloha Café: This buffet-style restaurant offers a wide range of global dishes, providing a more casual option for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
- Cadillac Diner: A fun, 1950s-style diner serving American comfort food classics like burgers, fries, and milkshakes.
- Key West Bar & Grill: Perfect for poolside dining, this casual spot offers quick bites like burgers and sandwiches along with refreshing drinks.
- East Meets West: An Asian fusion restaurant which offers a blend of flavors from East and South Asia. The menu features a variety of popular dishes, such as orange beef and Kung Pao chicken, and classic fried rice. This restaurant was closed for renovations during our sailing, which was disappointing.
- Room Service: For a relaxed dining experience, room service is available 24/7, with complimentary continental breakfast and a small service charge for other meals.
Whether you prefer a sit-down meal with table service or a quick bite between activities, Pride of America provides a sufficient range culinary options. It’s not comparable to the total foodie experience of the Celebrity Wine Cruise we took in Australia, or Chef’s table onboard the Royal Caribbean cruise we took in Alaska, but we had plenty to choose from.
Package Costs – As Recommended by a Travel Agent
Prices for the drink and dining packages change from year to year. However, you will find that booking in advance will save you money in the end. Once you have booked your cruise you will have options to purchase in the NCL app.
There is a discount for booking in advance compared to booking on board. Also, purchasing a dining package (for a specific number of nights) is more affordable than paying the cover charge for each one during the cruise. None of the packages are required to eat and drink on board but if you are tempted to indulge or upgrade then you would be smart to purchase prior to sailing.
What were our favorite meals on the NCL Pride of America?
Our favorite restaurant on board was Jefferson’s Bistro. French cuisine is one of our absolute favorites and this restaurant did not disappoint. Our second favorite was the sushi restaurant. Both are in the specialty dining, so we were glad we purchased the dining package in advance.
Overall the dining on Pride of America was ok. It wasn’t terrible but it wasn’t mind blowing amazing. Our main objective was to visit the islands of Hawaii for an affordable price and that’s what this cruise does well.
If you are looking for luxury ships with a foodie focus, there are other cruise lines to consider, but that will come at an elevated cost.
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