Live · sailing at 0 kn · Kahului
Norwegian Cruise Line · NCL AMERICA

Pride of America

4.0· 785 votesBuilt 2005 · 80,439 GT · 14 decks494 sailings from $231/night
Guests
2,2522,662
Crew
830
Cabins
1,109
Length
281 m
Space ratio
31
Homeport pattern
Honolulu

Where she is right now

AIS reported 00:20 UTC · 1 Sept 2026
En route · Kahului· 9/1/2026, 12:20:33 AM· Course 123°
Position
20.90°N, 156.47°W
Heading
123° · COG 328°
Speed
0 kn
Destination
Kahului
Our take · opinion

Hawaii without the foreign port hop

We recommend Pride of America when the goal is inter-island Hawaii without a Vancouver or Ensenada workaround. She’s NCL’s unique U.S.-flagged workhorse—older hardware, Freestyle dining, and overnight Kauai/Maui time that still beats flying four separate hotel stays.

Expect Americana themes and a practical island week rather than brand-new Prima playground energy or the newest waterslides. The Capitol Atrium, Hollywood Theatre, and pool decks keep Freestyle momentum going, while Cadillac Diner and Aloha Café cover the casual hunger that pier days create. Port days run long on Kauai and Maui overnights, so the ship works best when you treat her as a floating hotel between island hours rather than a destination resort.

Cabins skew compact by modern standards, so location matters more than brochure category names. Many rooms land in the 130 to 145 square-foot range, though connecting cabins help multi-gen groups stay close without suite money. Stretch for Family Club Balcony Suites or The Haven categories when you need real living space, and ask us about lower-deck vibration and public-room overhead before you grab the first balcony fare.

Dining mixes included rooms like Skyline, Liberty, and East Meets West with cover-charge favorites such as Cagney's, La Cucina, Moderno, and Jefferson's Bistro. Versus flying island to island she's the unpack-once win, and versus newer NCL tonnage she's clearly 2005 bones with Edge and 2025 refreshes. Soft ask: if Hawaiʻi is the destination and the ship is the vehicle, confirm the Honolulu Sunday pattern on this page.

She's for
  • Families who want one-ship Hawaiʻi with overnights
  • U.S. shoppers avoiding foreign-port itinerary workarounds
  • Multi-gen groups using connecting cabins
  • First-timers who care more about islands than ship age
She's not for
  • Guests who demand brand-new cabin tech and huge verandas
  • Travellers chasing megaship waterparks and Prima-class wow
  • Anyone who wants a quiet luxury or expedition product
Honest caveat

She’s a 2005 hull—refits refreshed rooms and venues, but cabin size and tech still lag newbuilds. Ask us which banks feel quietest after the latest drydock before you lock a category.

The record · ship background

Pride of America, on paper

Show ship backgroundHide ship background

Pride of America entered service in 2005 as the sole Project America-class ship for Norwegian's NCL America brand. Begun under a US shipbuilding initiative and finished in Germany at Lloyd Werft, she was specially cleared for US flag so she can sail Hawaiʻi without a foreign port call under the Passenger Vessel Services Act. She has been year-round Honolulu-homeported for inter-island seven-night cruises for most of her career.

Major refresh work includes the 2013 suite additions with Haven product, 2016–2018 Norwegian Edge renovations in San Francisco, a scrubber retrofit, and a May 2025 Portland drydock. That latest call added a Starbucks lounge in the Capitol Atrium, a pickleball court, relocated youth spaces, and a handful of new staterooms. Capacity sits roughly in the mid-2,000s guests, with American officers and crew as a brand signature of the NCL America experiment.

The standard week overnighting Kauai and Maui, with calls at Kona and Hilo plus Nāpali Coast scenic time, is the product shoppers actually buy. Confirm your exact Sunday Honolulu departure and any holiday variants on this page. Operations paused in the pandemic years, and schedules can still flex around drydocks.

Build record

Keel to delivery
2000 – 2005
Inaugural
Jun 2005, New York
Fuel
Marine fuel + scrubbers
Commerce

Upcoming sailings

7 itineraries · 494 sail dates on Pride of America. Fares are live and change daily.

SailingDateDepartNights$/nInsideBalconySuite
Hawaii Hnl Inter IslandHonolulu, Hi | Kahului Maui, Hi | Kahului Maui, Hi | Hilo, Hi | Kona, Hi | Nawiliwili Kauai, Hi | Nawiliwili Kauai, Hi | Honolulu, Hi · 4 dates
Sep 5, 2026Honolulu7$241$1,688$2,883$4,038
Hawaii Hnl Inter IslandHonolulu, Hi | Kahului Maui, Hi | Kahului Maui, Hi | Hilo, Hi | Kona, Hi | Nawiliwili Kauai, Hi | Nawiliwili Kauai, Hi | Cruise Napali Coast, Hi | Honolulu, Hi · 86 dates
Oct 3, 2026Honolulu7$231$1,616$2,671$4,141
11-Day O'ahu Explorer Hyatt Waikiki Standard View CruisetourAt Hotel | At Hotel | At Hotel | Honolulu, Hi | Kahului Maui, Hi | Kahului Maui, Hi | Hilo, Hi | Kona, Hi | Nawiliwili Kauai, Hi | Cruise Napali Coast, Hi | Nawiliwili Kauai, Hi | Honolulu, Hi · 139 dates
Nov 21, 2026Honolulu10$341$3,411$4,481$6,153
12-Day O'ahu Explorer Hyatt Waikiki Standard View CruisetourAt Hotel | At Hotel | At Hotel | At Hotel | Honolulu, Hi | Kahului Maui, Hi | Kahului Maui, Hi | Hilo, Hi | Kona, Hi | Nawiliwili Kauai, Hi | Cruise Napali Coast, Hi | Nawiliwili Kauai, Hi | Honolulu, Hi · 160 dates
Nov 21, 2026Honolulu11$287$3,160$4,107$5,790
Hawaii Hnl Inter IslandHonolulu, Hi | Kahului Maui, Hi | Kahului Maui, Hi | Hilo, Hi | Kona, Hi | Nawiliwili Kauai, Hi | Nawiliwili Kauai, Hi | Cruise Napali Coast, Hi | Honolulu, Hi · 21 dates
Nov 6, 2027Honolulu7$320$2,239$3,391$5,047
11-Day O'ahu Explorer Hyatt Waikiki Standard View CruisetourAt Hotel | At Hotel | At Hotel | Honolulu, Hi | Kahului Maui, Hi | Kahului Maui, Hi | Hilo, Hi | Kona, Hi | Nawiliwili Kauai, Hi | Cruise Napali Coast, Hi | Nawiliwili Kauai, Hi | Honolulu, Hi · 38 dates
Nov 6, 2027Honolulu10$392$3,917$5,069$6,725
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