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ABOUT THE SHIP
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Writer Lisa Costantino based this independent review
on her 7-day Hawaiian Islands cruise departing from Honolulu, Hawaii.
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Norwegian's
Pride of America made its maiden voyage in July 2005, trumpeting
the latest and greatest in creature comforts, a claim that's largely
justified. Yet despite its fair share of shows and activities, it's a
quiet ship: nighttime deck strollers will encounter neither a throbbing
disco beat nor the harsh jangle of slots. After all, with the Hawaiian
Islands as the destination, most of the action takes place off-ship; America’s
appeal is in being a great place to rest from excursions, have a
delectable meal, and hang loose.
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Why Pride of America?
· Fabulous fare: The food is
consistently fine throughout the main dining rooms and specialty spots
— even the buffet surprises with fresh and well-prepared dishes.
· Forays ashore: America
does Hawaii very well. An exciting array of excursions, a well-staffed
tour desk, and a streamlined port process make for memorable days
onshore.
· Island
immersion: Hawaiian décor and displays, tropical fruits and
desserts, and instruction in hula dancing and lei-making bring a little
bit of paradise on board.
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Who should go
Nearly every type of traveler will find fun and relaxation on this
ship. Cruisers making their first trip to Hawaii will particularly
enjoy the sampling of four islands in a single week. Young families are
abundant during the summer months, while the rest of the year sees a
range of vacationers from honeymooners to 40-something couples to
sun-seeking seniors.
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Who shouldn't go
Party animals looking for a spring-break atmosphere will be
disappointed in the mellow vibes. Old-school cruisers expecting
obsequious service also will be let down by the functional but
far-from-fawning crew.
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INSIDE EDGE
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Hits and misses
· Don't miss: The evening sail
past the Big Island’s Kilauea Volcano. Watching the blaze of hot-orange
lava flow into the dark sea provides genuine chills up the spine.
· Best part of the ship: The
bow, from which passengers truly can sail into the usually-dazzling
sunset.
· Best experience: Cruising past
Kauai’s Na Pali Coast a half-hour before
sunset. The low-afternoon light burnishes the russet cliffs, and
short-lived squalls leave rainbows in their wake.
· Best shipboard activities: The
daily cultural activities, such as the well-attended hula lessons and
the lei-making seminars.
· Needs improvement: The crew’s
attitude. True, the mostly American cabin and wait staff are new to the
game, but many need further training on how to provide cheerful and
consistent service.
· Activities
to skip: The poolside games and contests -- the passengers on this
ship are far too relaxed to generate hilarity. In fact, most people
skipped any form of competition, including the volleyball tourney and
trivia games.
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How to meet the captain
On formal night, the captain says “cheese” for all who wish a portrait
with the ship’s master. Get in line early – he’s only available for 45
minutes. Repeat NCL passengers also may meet
the captain and his senior officers at the Latitudes cocktail party.
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DINING
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An
argument could be made that America’s primary attraction is its
restaurants: two main dining rooms and several specialty restaurants
(each of which carry a fee), as well as a good handful of other places
to dine. The food is truly delicious, and the chefs make excellent use
of local Hawaiian produce and seafood. And Norwegian’s signature
“freestyle dining” translates into no assigned tables or rigid seating
times.
Please note: Reservations usually are recommended for the specialty
restaurants, and in some cases, required. If reservations are not
canceled 24 hours in advance, a $5/per person cancellation fee is
applied. (If reservations are made for embarkation day, no fee will be
assessed if reservation is canceled prior to 5 PM.)
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Skyline (main dining room)
A sophisticate's dream with an Art Deco theme, the Skyline dining room
re-creates a posh New York establishment, circa 1930. Formal and
lobster nights typically require a wait, but not to worry -- take a
beeper and sip a glass of wine in the Napa Wine Bar. Fresh local
ingredients are featured in dishes such as roast island duck in
pineapple-ginger glaze, chilled mango soup, and macadamia nut crème brûlée; a regional entrée from one of Hawaii’s
celebrity chefs is featured each night. The Skyline also serves
breakfast and lunch.
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Liberty (main dining room)
A red-carpeted, curving staircase leads to the Liberty, a lavish dining
palace with an entirely different ambience from its companion dining
room. Stars and stripes are everywhere, and statues and portraits of
the founding fathers watch over the tables. Some diners will revel in
its surfeit of patriotic glitz, others may feel a tad claustrophobic,
but all will find the same excellent menu as in the Skyline. (Note: The
Liberty serves dinner only.)
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Jefferson's Bistro
This specialty bistro ($10 per person) puts diners in a setting modeled
after Jefferson’s Georgian dining room and library. The set menu
includes filet mignon, salmon in sorrel cream sauce, chicken stuffed
with prawn mousse, and a vegetarian sampler. An à la carte menu offers
tasty sides (pan-seared foie gras with roasted apples is an additional $8 per
person), and lavish desserts include a chocolate fondue. The Fire Star
Menu ($15 per person) feeds two to four people with a three-entrée
combo plate, plus soup, salad, appetizers, and dessert.
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East Meets West
A fusion dining room, sushi bar, and enclosed teppanyaki
room, all decorated with Japanese artwork and koi-motif
carpeting, form this specialty restaurant. At the sushi bar -- where
seats fill quickly -- sushi and sashimi by the piece are $1-$3 and
combo plates are $8-$13. The dining room menu ($10 per person) samples
various Asian cuisines, and the teppanyaki
room ($10 per person) consists of three eight-seat tables, each
clustered around the traditional grill.
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Lazy J Texas Steakhouse
The Old West mosaics and wagon-wheel light fixtures are largely wasted
on the clientele, who come here for the meat: premium gold Angus beef,
in cuts of filet mignon, strip loin, New York, porterhouse, rib eye,
and T-bone ($15 per person). Accompaniments include crab cakes, oysters
Rockefeller casserole, and garlic mashed potatoes; entrée alternatives
include lobster, lamb, veal, game hen, and salmon.
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Other dining options
· Little Italy: The menu is
small but full of choice Italian cuisine, including pizzas and pastas
made to order.
· Cadillac Diner: The food is
hearty diner fare, and the setting is a blast from the past. Passengers
can take advantage of generous operating hours (7 AM-5 AM) to grab a
snack day or night.
· Aloha Café: Standard-issue
cruise buffet, but with a couple of twists: numerous stations and
surprisingly good food, including grease-free steamed vegetables and
edible scrambled eggs. Ethnic cuisine is featured occasionally.
· Key West Bar & Grill: A
3-7 PM spread of sandwich fixings, fruits, hot dogs and burgers, fries,
and desserts, with an indoor/outdoor patio overlooking the ship's wake.
· Room
service: With food available (including for take-out) all day long,
room service is more of an afterthought. The 24-hour menu is quite
limited: Continental breakfast only, a few starters, three sandwiches,
pizza, a dessert plate, and a kids meal. Service is efficient, and bar
selections are available 9 AM-2 AM.
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Best dining
· Dish: Stir-fry in the teppanyaki room; if you're not lucky enough to get
a seat, try the all-you-can-eat lobster tails in the Skyline and
Liberty.
· Dessert: Any dessert made with
fresh tropical fruits: guava gateau, mango crème brûlée,
banana pancakes with coconut ice cream.
· Restaurant: East Meets West
for curries, crab cakes, and Peking duck crepes.
· Food
seminar: The sushi and shabu shabu demonstration in the Diamond Head Auditorium.
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How to:
· Get a table for two: Simply ask
for one when you approach the host -- there are plenty of two-seaters
in all of the restaurants.
· Celebrate a birthday/anniversary:
Order a deluxe celebration package two to three weeks before the cruise
and enjoy sparkling wine and strawberries in your stateroom, spa
treatments, or breakfast in bed, depending on the package ($79-$329).
Party packs with streamers, balloons, and cake are $30.
· Change seating: No assigned
seating renders the issue moot.
· Dress for formal night: Since
formal night is an optional affair, the real question isn't what to
wear (opt for dressy, or at least casual-dressy) but whether to go.
· Dress for
casual night: No jeans, shorts, T-shirts, or athletic gear after
5:30 PM, except in the Aloha Café and Cadillac Diner. Jeans also are
permitted in the steakhouse.
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Tips:
· Reservations for the specialty
restaurants (even the no-fee ones) are highly recommended; go to
the reservations desk as soon as it opens on embarkation day. Both
Little Italy and the three sections of East Meets West, for example,
are often booked for the entire cruise by the second day.
· Want to sit at the same table with
the same wait staff throughout the cruise? Just let the restaurant host
know.
· The restaurant seating guide, posted
on various video screens throughout the ship, lists all of the
restaurants, locations, capacity status, wait time, and whether they’re
accepting large parties.
· In a departure from the traditional
midnight buffet, America hosts a grand chocoholic buffet,
starting at 2:30 PM so children can indulge. Get in line early: If you
think a mid-afternoon, port-day extravaganza will keep people away,
think again.
· While the main dining rooms always offer
at least one vegetarian entrée, options in the specialty restaurants
are limited or non-existent; but with 24-hours' notice, chefs will
create a special vegetarian meal.
· Free
nibbles can be found in the John Adams Coffee Bar, the Gold Rush Saloon,
the Napa Wine Bar, and the Lanai Bar; times vary from afternoon to
early evening, depending on the venue.
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Heard on the deck:
Mother: "I don’t know if I should order the surf and turf if
we’ll be having lobster on Thursday." Daughter: "Oh, Mom,
that’s four days away. It’s lobster! We’ll have it now AND we’ll have
it later!"
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CABINS
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For
a ship so recently built, it’s no surprise that America’s
staterooms feature modern fittings, a stylish décor, and beds in mint condition.
What is surprising is their size: ocean-view staterooms average only
144 square feet, and those with balconies barely reach 170 square feet.
(Inside cabins are a mere 132 square feet.) Aside from size issues,
however, all staterooms are comfortable, with medium-firm twin beds
(convertible to queen-sized beds), duvets, and extra pillows on
request. Handy amenities include a hair dryer, mini-refrigerator,
coffeemaker, TV, safe, two outlets, phone, and Internet connection.
Storage space is on the minimal side, but for a week-long cruise in a
warm climate (with an optional formal night), it should suffice. White
walls, polished cherry-wood veneers, royal blue accents, and tropical
flower prints make for a cheery setting.
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Cabins for guests with disabilities
Twenty-two wheelchair-accessible cabins feature wider doorways into the
stateroom, bathroom, and balcony. Bathrooms have extra hand rails and a
roll-in shower with fold-up shower stool.
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Tips:
· America has no public laundry
facilities, but it does have valet services. Prices are per piece,
pressing only is available, and turnaround time is about 36 hours;
anything needed sooner carries a 50 percent surcharge.
· The bottles
of still and mineral water in the cabin cost $4.50 each. Save money and
stock up while in port.
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Heard on the deck
(Cabin steward to couple): "When I think we work too hard, I
try to remember the cooks -- they work 90 hours a week.”
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ENTERTAINMENT AND
PUBLIC AREAS
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The
public areas of America combine stateside grandeur with island
fantasy. Artwork is a pleasing pastiche of mainland landscapes in
photographic mural form and Hawaiian iconography in small framed sets.
The lobby’s centerpiece, a grand staircase, descends to a huge
presidential seal and is backed by two glass elevators and an artist’s
take on the Washington Monument.
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Bars, lounges, and casinos
Casinos and gaming on ships that sail Hawaii’s waters are verboten, but
passengers find plenty of outdoor walk-up bars and even more after-dinner
hangouts for music, drinks, conversation, and entertainment. The Gold
Rush Saloon, which offers brews and whiskeys along with bar snacks,
darts, and the occasional karaoke, is a favorite, as is the Napa Wine
Bar and Pink's Champagne and Cigar Bar. The ship disco is located in
the Mardi Gras Cabaret Lounge and Nightclub, the only place onboard
with dancing to live music: ballroom and swing in the early evening,
then rock-and-roll as the night goes on. Funky murals depicting the
French Quarter lead patrons into this vibrant homage to New Orleans
where purples, greens, and oranges splashily color armchairs, and
carnival masks wind around gleaming metal pillars.
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Heard on the deck:
(woman in saloon to man blocking TV): "Do you mind? It’s football!"
(then to friend): "I mean, this IS the Pride of America.
We love our football."
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Swimming pools
Square in the center of the pool deck are back-to-back pools, with respective
depths of 3.7 and 4.6 feet. Actual laps can be swum in the morning, but
kids -- even during the school season -- crowd the waters in the
afternoon. Also on deck are four hot tubs, a music stage, two
glass-enclosed showers, and the Ocean Drive Bar. A splash pool, just
steps below the Waikiki Bar on Deck 13, is monopolized by adults with
drinks in hand.
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Shows
The sight lines and acoustics in the intimate Hollywood Lounge are
excellent; unfortunately, they're somewhat wasted on the productions
appearing there. Guest singers, comedians, and jugglers fare better
than the ship's troupe, whose performances are earnest, but unpolished
and lacking showmanship. The lounge is put to far better use when
serving as the ship's movie theater, with matinees shown daily.
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Shore excursions
The shore excursion desk is staffed with a knowledgeable crew, and
typically three or more people are there to offer assistance. Often, if
a particular tour sells out, another tour time will be added. Most excursions
are suitable for children. Cancellation and refund policies vary from
tour to tour. NCL Golf Hawaii excursions
include advance tee times, transportation, and carts; equipment rentals
are available in the onboard pro shop. The most popular excursion is
the Maui luau, so be sure to book early if craving roast pig.
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Wedding and vow renewals
Weddings and vow renewals are available through The Wedding Experience.
Onboard ceremonies take place in a simply furnished chapel that can
accommodate 40; there's even a small keyboard for musical
accompaniment. Destination wedding locations include Honolulu, a Maui
beach, and Kauai's Fern Grotto.
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Looking for:
· Quietest spot: The huge library
has cushy sofas and chairs and scads of books in polished wood cabinets
(check-out is via attendant). A close second: Sun Deck forward, where
deck chairs may go empty all week.
· Liveliest (and most popular) spot:
The Pool Deck, where cruisers returning from shore gather to swim,
chat, listen to music, enjoy games, play sardines in the hot tubs, and
nosh.
· Best view: The ship’s bow or
along the railings of the topmost decks, although glass panels and high
railings make viewing a stretch for shorter people (for an unimpaired
view, stand along the portside ramp leading to Sun Deck).
· Best show: The South Seas
Island Spectacular. Hawaiian-based Tihati
Productions comes onboard to present Polynesian history via Tahitian
dances, Rarotonga drumming, Fijian warriors,
Maori legends, Samoan ensemble dances, and Hawaiian hula.
· Best
drink: The Lava Flow, a piña colada with a cascade of strawberries
down the inside of the glass; perfect for sipping during the volcano
sail-by.
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Tips:
· A welcome alternate to the standard
alcoholic bar menu: the water menu, featuring 21 different kinds of
fizzy and flat mineral waters.
· The Napa Wine Bar offers free
“wine of the day” samples 5-6 PM.
· The ship has two non-smoking lounges:
the Napa Wine Bar and the John Adams Coffee Bar (which also offers a
full bar menu).
· The 24-hour Internet Center provides
10 LCD-screen computers for use, and wireless Internet can be accessed
in 80 percent of the ship’s public areas. Time plans for either run 250
minutes for $100, 100 minutes for $55, or $0.75 cents a minute; a
one-time activation fee ($3.95) applies. Laptops are available for
rent, and the Freestyle Daily often announces happy-hour
discounts.
· America
has a half-deck devoted to business, with six conference rooms --
including the 250-seat Diamond Head Auditorium -- a business center,
and the armchair-filled Lanai Bar.
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KID STUFF
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The
Rascals Kids Club has a fun center with supervised age-appropriate
activities, including teddy-bear picnics, crafts, Blues
Clues, movies, trivia and survivor contests, and drama clubs. (A kiddie pool and family hot tub are located right
outside the center.) Programs operate from 9 AM-noon and 7-10 PM. The
kids' beverage package ($16) allows unlimited sodas in a souvenir cup;
the Kid's Crew value package ($39.50) includes beverages plus a
daypack, T-shirt, and baseball cap.
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Connections
Teen Club has activities scheduled throughout the day, including sumo
challenges, karaoke, pool games, sports tournaments, and more, all
geared towards bringing traveling teens together. The Teen Passport
($34.50) includes 20 beverage tickets and two invitations waiving the
$10 cover charge to evening parties with music, dancing, and pizza. A
teen center has computers, board games, flat-screen video jukebox, air
hockey, and even a soda bar.
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Tips:
· All children and teens must be registered
in order to participate. Do so upon embarkation, or attend the
important “Welcome Aboard” parent meeting, followed by a family
scavenger hunt. (Teens can meet up at the Teen Ice Breaker.)
· Security is strong onboard: kids wear
I.D. bracelets at all times and can only be signed out of the kids club
by their parents (or by siblings over 21 who have signed the
registration form).
· Parents of children not yet
potty-trained are issued beepers to alert them of needed diaper changes
(only while on ship).
· The Aloha
Café reserves a dining section strictly for kids and parents, with
kid-size tables, chairs, and a buffet serving burgers, hot dogs, pizza,
Jello, and brownies. (Parents might want to
suggest they add some vegetables and fruit to the offerings.)
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SPA AND FITNESS
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Spa and salon
Earthy colors, desert scenes, and Native American designs decorate the
walls of the Santa Fe Spa by Mandara, which
offers two rooms for hair and nail treatments, 15 rooms for massage and
body treatments, and changing rooms with adjacent relaxation lounges.
The spa’s menu does a Hawaiian take on the standard treatments, with
offerings that include lomi lomi massage and Kona coffee and macadamia nut oil
scrubs. Specials and discounts are few and far between, but on the
positive side, no product-pushing occurs, either.
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Fitness areas
Cardio machines rule the ship’s huge, mirrored fitness room, where 16
treadmills, four recumbent bikes, four stair machines, and six exercise
bikes (all but the last have their own LCD-TV screens) mean there's
rarely a wait. Twelve weight machines and a rack of free weights
complete the gym area, while a separate exercise studio offers classes
in aerobics, step, stretch and relaxation, and body sculpting. Yoga,
Pilates, spinning, and cardio kickboxing are all $10 per class.
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Tips:
· Sports spots outside the fitness
center include a full-size basketball/volleyball/tennis court, a golf
driving net with four-hole putting green, two shuffleboard courts, and
a jogging/walking track on Deck 6. Other shipboard fun includes two
ping-pong tables and outdoor chess played with giant pieces.
· Passengers must be 16 or older to use
the fitness room, and proper workout attire must be observed (i.e., no
bathing suits or flip-flops).
· Need to cancel a spa appointment? Do
it at least 24 hours in advance or pay 50 percent of the treatment
cost.
· Come late
afternoon, attendants welcome those with strong hearts and stomachs
(usually kids) to Deck 12’s bungee trampoline
and gyroscope.
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Heard on the deck
(crewman operating gyroscope, hand to stomach): "You couldn’t
get me on it. Not by a long shot."
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AT-SEA SHOPPING
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A
quartet of specialty boutiques comprises the Newbury Street Shops, America's
onboard shopping mall. The Loft, the best of the four, is entirely
dedicated to Hawaiian wares ranging from tropical-print dresses to
pineapple-embossed serving platters; many items are island-made. Other
shops sell fine jewelry -- including Tahitian cultured pearls and Maui
Divers Jewelry -- snacks, sundries, flower displays, and ship logo gear
and souvenirs. A well-stocked NCL golf pro
shop rounds out the galleria's offerings. Outside the Aloha Café is the
Beach Shop, stocked with sunscreen, water shoes, goggles, and more.
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Tips:
· Also on Newbury Street is the Soho Art Gallery, full of items destined for the
ship's auction block. Held in Pink's Champagne Bar, the daily art
auction features free champagne and raffles for free art.
· Attractive tropical flower
arrangements, sprouted coconut palms, bonsai lava plants, orchid
plants, and 10-pound boxes of papaya can be ordered and shipped home
from the reception desk.
· Don't
forget: The ship is in U.S. waters, so it's "yes" for sales tax
and "no" for duty-free items.
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ITINERARIES
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Pride of America's primary cruise offering:
Hawaiian Islands from
Honolulu (7 nights)
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SHIP FACTS
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· Cruise line - Norwegian
Cruise Line
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· Passenger capacity -
2146
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· Decks - 15
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· Total cabins - 1073
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· Registry - United States
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Review
first published on Expedia.com ©2005.
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