Full Steam Ahead for Pride of America!
June 06, 2005
Hundreds of new and old employees of Norwegian Cruise Lines made the long trek to Germany this week to complete the all-American crew of more than 900 men and women for NCL's brand new Pride of America, which is set to make her official debut later this month with a singular 13-night Miami to Los Angeles cruise through the Panama Canal on June 25, 2005, followed by a series of 7-night inter-island Hawaiian cruises in July, beginning with a 10-night San Francisco to Honolulu cruise on July 12, 2005. Upon her debut, the Pride of America will be the largest U.S. flagged ship ever built, and the first in more then 50 years.
Later this week the Pride of America will set sail for New York, a shakedown and final preparation cruise for the crew, which includes a combination of new crew members as well experienced NCL personnel. >From New York, the Pride of America will sail down the Atlantic Coast on a private specialty cruise with passengers who got their tickets through a promotional contest on the "Regis and Kelly" syndicated TV show. Since May 16, and running through June 10, Regis and Kelly are giving each daily winner 20 cruises apiece on this special sailing.
Pride of America has been designed to reflect all of America's favorite places. Onboard, passengers will enjoy the spirited entertainment options, the festive and colorful Americana decor, delicious regional fare, as well as all the freedom and choice that comes along with NCL's innovative Freestyle Cruising. Some of her extraordinary features will include the impressive two-story Capital Atrium, 3 spacious swimming pools, 4 hot tubs, large and luxurious accommodations including the now famous rooftop Garden Villas, 24-hour state-of-the-art fitness center, tennis court, the opulent Santa Fe Spa and Salon, a fully-stocked library, 10 themed bars and lounges, lavish onboard theater, as well as well-equipped meeting rooms for corporate travelers. Passengers can also shop until they drop with unlimited duty-free shopping in the charming Newbury Street Shops.
Pride of America will also offer a generous host of delectable dining options including the timeless casual elegance of the Skyline and Liberty Main Restaurants, the quaint romance of Jefferson's Bistro, spaghetti just like mom used to make in Little Italy, the Asian flare of East Meets West, the down-home cooking of the Lazy J Texas Steakhouse, the Cadillac 50's-style Diner, and the Aloha Cafe, which will be an indoor/outdoor buffet-style eatery with an festive, appropriately chosen Hawaiian theme. For the younger travelers aboard Pride of America, kids can participate in a wide variety of exciting, supervised, and age-appropriate activities with the Rascal's Kid's Club. For teens, there is the exclusive teen-only Connections Club, as well as the fully-equipped Blast-Off Video Arcade.
During her inaugural season, the Pride of America will be offering three spectacular itineraries, including one from the exciting shores of Miami through the Panama Canal, and one voyage from San Francisco across the Pacific to her new home in Hawaii. As a U.S.-flagged ship, once in Hawaii, Pride of America's guests receive the exclusive benefit of cruising through Hawaii with no required foreign port stop, giving passengers more time to see and experience all that the incredible Hawaiian Islands have to offer.
Norwegian Cruise Lines takes delivery of another mega-cruise liner, the Norwegian Jewel, in August, and yet another, the Pride of Hawaii, next spring. The line has also recently commissioned two more new vessels to come sometime in 2007.
