Is first class worth it on Hawaii's only cruise ship? — featuring Jeb Brooks (Norwegian)

0:00 Welcome on board the only [music] cruise ship in Hawaii. Join us for the next 7 days and seven nights in the biggest room. We'll make this one-of-a-kind ship our home base for the ultimate Hawaiian island [music] hopping adventure. Hello jet setters. I'm Jeb Brooks from greenergrass.com. This is Norwegian's

0:16 [music] Pride of America. We're spending a week cruising around Hawaii and you're coming along. Here's the plan. We'll explore four Hawaiian islands in one week without a single flight or passport [music] line. But is this made in America cruise actually worth the price tag? We're about to find out if this is

0:33 the best way to see Hawaii. We spent the night in Wik Ki and woke up to see Pride of America sailing in from last week's voyage. A short taxi ride delivered us to Honolulu's Pier [music] 2. It's finally time our dream Hawaiian cruise. Let's get on board and check it out. This may look like a normal cruise ship,

0:53 but it's the only one in the world that's legally allowed to sail only in the Hawaiian Islands. We'll tell you more about that once we're on our way. >> Drop off our bags. Next stop, boarding. >> And unlike nearly every other cruise on the planet, we [music] didn't need passports for this one.

1:07 >> There we go. >> This ship travels the same itinerary practically every [music] week of the year, so embarcation was incredibly smooth. Our suite's on deck 12, so let's head up there and check it out. This is an extremely special trip and we booked the deluxe owner's suite. It's [music]

1:23 the biggest one on the ship and we cannot wait to get inside and share it with you. Okay, this space is absolutely incredible. I I've [music] never seen anything quite like it. Uh we've had some amazing suites before, but this is bigger than our apartment. This [music] is our palace in the Pacific.

1:39 >> Like we have our own grand piano. >> Do you know how to play? [music] >> I'm going to have to in the next seven days. We're going to have a lot more time to look around. But first impression, wa >> now that we've had a little time to settle in. Wow, this suite is incredible. >> It is huge. This is going to be an

2:01 amazing place to spend the next week, but this is just the beginning. The ship is tremendous. And from what we saw walking in here, really beautiful, too. Cannot wait to share the whole space with you. >> Let's go grab some dinner, and then it'll be time for the sail away party. >> I know you love a sail away party. We

2:16 totally do. >> As always, we paid our own way and we'll let you know exactly what a week on board costs. [music] >> And it might surprise you since it's three times the price of a week cruising in the Caribbean. But there's a reason why. More on that later. We've got a party to get to. [music] With space for

2:31 around 2200 passengers and 900 crew, the ship is almost always at or near capacity, including on our sailing in late August. But it never felt overcrowded. Now, I don't exactly know everything that's going to happen this week, but I do know one thing that I can guarantee you. My hair is only getting

2:47 bigger from here with the wind, the humidity. >> But that's a small price to pay to be in paradise. Pride of America is one of a kind because she's the only major cruise ship that can [music] sail entirely between the Hawaiian islands without visiting another country. That's thanks

3:02 to an old US law. is if a ship carries passengers from one US port to another without stopping in a foreign country, it has to meet some strict requirements. It must be US-built, flying a US flag and operated by a US crew. Pride of America checks all those boxes. All other cruises to Hawaii, they have to

3:22 include a stop in Canada or Mexico, turning it into a twoe trip. That's what makes Pride of America so unusual. She was built in the early 2000s specifically for this job, and she's been cruising the Hawaiian Islands ever since. We stepped away from this party and made our way to Liberty, one of the ship's

3:40 two main restaurants for dinner. Norwegian pioneered freestyle cruising, which means there are no assigned tables or dining times. Just eat when you're hungry. There are plenty of options that come at no additional cost, but there [music] are also some you can pay extra for if you want. Now, we're going to

3:54 have a whole section about how dining works on board a little later in the video. That's a huge part of the Norwegian cruise [music] experience, after all. But let's head outside for the first of [music] many incredible Hawaiian sunsets and our sail away. But with views of the airport from here, we were a little

4:12 distracted. >> All hail the queen. >> We can't help it. We got a plane spot. >> Lines are off. We're headed out. >> That flight to Maui takes about 20 minutes. It's going to take us all night long to get over there. But the good news is we only have to unpack once and still explore a lot more islands.

4:34 >> Another [music] unique thing about this ship is the itinerary. There are no sea days. We're going to visit four different islands and we [music] have overnight stays in two of them. >> Meanwhile, back in our suite, [music] see you tomorrow in Maui. >> And just over my shoulder there, that is

4:49 Maui. Uh a little bit more time to go until we reach port. For now, it is a beautiful morning here on the Pacific. Suzanne's still sleeping, but I'm going to go find some breakfast. And because we're booked into a suite, that happens in Kagny's, where a buffet and a menu were available each morning. I kicked

5:10 off my day with some French press coffee and an omelette. And with all that out of the way, it's time for the ship tour. Let's explore Pride of America from bottom to [music] top, stem to stern. We'll start all the way downstairs and work our way back up here. Let's head to the very front of

5:26 deck 5. This is the Hollywood Theater. It's [music] where the ship has nightly shows. From comedy to magic and more, you'll find it here. There are shows every night at 6:30 and 8:30. >> There are plenty of shops. >> Whether you're looking for jewelry or a Hawaiian souvenir, they've got it on

5:45 board. Can we get one, please? And this is the atrium. It's the beating heart of the ship. Here you'll find shore excursions as well as guest services and [music] this absolutely stunning lobby. The design of this ship is inescapably American. >> There's even a Starbucks on board.

6:01 However, our drink package doesn't cover this. [music] More on drink packages later. >> This is East meets West. It's an Asian fusion specialty restaurant. >> Just off the atrium, John Adams Bar. >> It's just one of the nine bars on board. The ship even has its own art gallery. Jefferson's Beastro is especially

6:20 restaurant with a French flare. >> This turned [music] out to be our favorite restaurant on board. The ship has two main restaurants, their Liberty and Skyline. They offer the same menus with changing features each night. A meal in Skyline makes you feel like you're on top of a skyscraper in New

6:37 York City. Liberty is my favorite, though, since it feels like a classic Washington DC steakhouse. One of the coolest parts about this ship is the fact that it only sails in Hawaii, which means it's outfitted with loads of history, heritage, and culture from the state. >> Let's head up to deck six.

6:54 >> And that takes us outside. >> One of my favorite parts of the Provenad. Three laps is one mile. You're supposed to walk that way, one direction only. >> Back inside, this is Kagnney. At night, it's the ship's specialty [music] steakhouse, but at breakfast and lunch, it's open to guests who are booked into

7:11 sweets. >> In Napa Wine Bar, you'll find wines from all over the world, but mostly featuring California wines. >> This is the Cadillac Diner. It's the restaurant on board that's open 24 hours a day. [music] >> This is Pink Champagne Bar Color inspired by the Royal Hawaiian Hotel in

7:26 Wiki. >> It's a great place to sip a mocktail in the evening while listening to the ship's band. There is a lot of kids programming on the ship. There's a a kids club over there. And this is the teen [music] zone. It's an adult free space, so we won't be checking it out. >> We've made it to shuffle as the card

7:41 room. >> There are plenty of board games to pass the time in here. >> Checker is terribly boring. >> It's a lot more boring than I remember. >> Nice. >> No surprise [music] Suzanne won. >> We have 6 days left to not play checkers again. >> This is Marty Gro. It's the ship's lounge and nightclub. If you're [music]

8:01 looking for live music or a DJ, even game shows, it all happens here. >> But with the right attitude, who even needs music to dance? >> Decks 7 through 10 are all state rooms. So, let's head up to 11. We usually choose the stairs, but there's plenty of elevators, too. Here on deck 11, you'll

8:18 find the main pool, hot tubs, and the [music] pool bar. The ship is 20 years old, but doesn't feel it thanks to a refurbishment in 2025. That said, you won't find all of the amenities you'll see on newer ships. There are not any water slides here. >> Keeping with the American theme of the

8:34 ship, this is Gold Rush Saloon, an Alaska theme bar. >> We really love the progressive nightly [music] trivia games in here. This is the ship's buffet. It's called the Aloha Cafe. >> Best part of the buffet, 24-hour coffee and tea. >> There are two specially restaurants on this level. La Cuchina for Italian

8:51 >> and Madnao, the Brazilian steakhouse. >> At the very back of the ship, we have the Aloha Lama. It's a perfect place to watch sail away or sunset with a cocktail in hand. >> The ship's gelato shop is a popular spot. With plenty of tropical flavors to choose from, Suzanne couldn't pass up

9:07 the passion fruit sorbetto. This is deck 12. Here you'll find the ship's spa as well as the fitness center. The gym is massive with pretty much all the equipment guests could want. >> Key West Bar and Grill is a great place for an afternoon snack. Each afternoon, you'll find hamburgers, hot dogs, and

9:26 chicken tenders on the buffet. Deck 12 is also home to our massive [music] suite. We're going to explore it in detail tomorrow. >> Made it to lucky number deck 13, where we find the arcade. >> Another reminder, this ship sails exclusively in the United States. That means there's no casino. This is as

9:44 close as you'll get. >> We just got the high score. How about that? There are plenty of louners on deck to catch some rays. >> Like right here on the sund deck. >> That's deck 14, which has the best view on the whole ship. >> We're in port right now, so it's not too crowded. Plenty of chairs.

10:05 >> There are even cabanas if you want a little bit more privacy. There are plenty of deck games like checkers, chess. >> There's shuffle board. >> There's a sports court for pickle ball and basketball. >> A putting green, too. W Kiki Bar is a smoking area. And this is the Oasis pool. There also some hot

10:25 tubs down there, too. This part of the ship is reserved for adults only. >> There's Hawaiian themed programming every single day here on the ship. Today, you could learn to hoola or even speak Hawaiian, but we [music] we're headed to the Aloha Polynesia show. Let's head to the Hollywood Theater.

10:41 [music] This show turned out to be one of our favorites as local performers demonstrated dances from all across Polynesia. From the Tongan spear dance to the Samoan slap dance, [music] the New Zealand haka, and of course, Hawaiian hoola. After the show, we went to the Aloha Lai for a pre-dinner drink.

10:59 And we have Norwegians free at sea package, which includes most alcoholic and soft drinks on board and three dinners at the ship's specialty [music] restaurants along with 150 minutes of internet. And we'll share more about how this package works, but for now, it's time to take advantage of one of our

11:13 included dinners. >> [music] >> This time at East meets West. Without a package, this would cost $50 per person. Tonight, we're enjoying sushi and Asian fusion. [music] Now, there's no shortage of food on this ship, but we really enjoyed these specialty restaurants more than we expected.

11:30 After dinner, we headed to Marty Gro to listen to some Mottown before heading back to our room to call it a night. >> We've come to the end of a wonderful day here on board, and this is one [music] of two nights this week. We'll be at port during the night. So, no moving, no going to another island tonight. We are

11:46 [music] staying here, which will be nice for sleeping. I slept okay last night, but with the movement and some of the noises, I'm looking forward to being stationary tonight. [music] Our second morning here in Maui marks the perfect time to enjoy room service, which was delivered right at 7:00 a.m.

12:02 as we requested. We both chose to have omelettes, which were not quite as good as the ones in the ship's restaurants, [music] but you can't beat eating in this suite. I'm not sure it could get any nicer [music] than room service in this suite. And it's complimentary in suites on Norwegian. Other benefits available

12:21 [music] to passengers booked into suites include a butler, a concierge to help with plans on board or on shore, [music] and even priority seating at the shows. And since we're already here in the suite, let's show you around. Come on in. Welcome to the deluxe owner suite here [music] on Pride of America. This

12:40 is the only one like it on this ship. It's 1,400 square ft. They call it a sanctuary on the sea. I call it a palace on [music] the Pacific. Now, you got to know we are celebrating our fifth wedding anniversary. And so, we decided to splurge on this trip. Thank you so much for coming along. This [music] room

12:57 is unbelievable. Completely indulgent. Let's just call it what it is. Unnecessary. But [music] let me show you every square inch. Now, perhaps most amazing, this suite has a grand piano in it. so we can uh entertain ourselves with the the sweet doulset tones of a piano. There's also a bar area. There's

13:16 a mini bar back here that our butler That's right. The suite has a butler who takes care of all kinds of [music] things for us, but he keeps the mini bar stocked with whatever drinks we want. Those, by the way, are included with the suite. It's too bad we're not traveling with friends. It'd be fun to have them

13:29 over here [music] for a party. This is also, I hate to admit it, a wonderful place to get some work done. Can't help it. It's just how we roll. In here is a butler's pantry. There's an espresso machine as well as another refrigerator just in case we have extra drinks to [music] keep cold. Over here, this

13:45 living room area is is really comfortable. There's also a television here with some on ship entertainment, [music] including some movies. This sofa does fold out. Up to four people can fit in this suite. I also [music] really love this dining table. A couple of things about it. We've enjoyed room

14:00 service here for sure. Uh, and also [music] it seems like just about every afternoon we when we come back into the suite, there's another well snack set out here from somebody on the ship, which has been a real treat. Storage can be a challenge when you're traveling on a cruise [music] ship, but not here.

14:14 There's plenty of room for well, whatever you want to bring with you on this adventure. [music] Now, through these doors, this is a special space, too. This is a true one-bedroom, meaning these doors can be [music] closed, no problem. Uh, this is a king-size bed, and it is very, very comfortable. There

14:31 is a desk here [music] as well and really doesn't show its age anywhere except for two places. One, I think we all remember when TVs were this [music] size. And two, there not really very many plugs. Certainly, there's no plug next to my side of [music] the bed, which is challenging for charging an

14:46 iPhone. But maybe it's about being present in Hawaii, not on [music] your phone. I don't know. Come on in here. The closet space is massive as well. It has been so wonderful. Maybe the highlight of this experience, unpacking [music] once and seeing so many islands. And there's more than enough room under

15:02 the bed for two large pieces of luggage, maybe even more. That's just all [music] we have. Now, for the bathroom, you got double sink. You got a toilet room, a shower that has [music] amazing pressure and temperature. Look at this. A jacuzzi tub on a ship. Now, of course, if [music] you're hosting a party in here

15:19 and you don't want to have people going into your bathroom, not a problem. Here in the front hall, you got [music] a powder room. Now, back in the living room, I've been saving the best for last. You thought it was the the grand piano. No. Come out here to this balcony. This is what Hawaii is all

15:33 about. Spaces like this, views like this, and there's even our own private hot tub. This This room is unlike anything we've ever seen. This is amazing. I cannot think of a better way to celebrate our 5-year wedding anniversary than with this space. Wow. Now, as much as we wanted to, we didn't

15:51 stay in our suite all day. Instead, we had plenty of adventures striking out for a hiking tour in Maui. We saw beautiful waterfalls, [music] climbed through thick vegetation in the rainforest, and enjoyed just being out in nature away from the ship. But let's share more about how excursions work

16:08 here on Norwegian tomorrow from our next stop over on the Big Island. It's >> nature's jungle gym. [music] >> Good morning from Hilo. This is Hawaii's second largest city, also the wetest city in the United [music] States. Last night started off pretty smooth, but I woke up around 3:00 a.m. and it felt

16:27 more like a roller coaster. So, definitely bring your Dramamine, do what you got to do. For me, that's having a bunch of coffee in the morning. And our butler was nice enough to bring us a pot to enjoy out here this morning. [music] We took our trip in late August. We were told seas are calmer in the summer, but

16:41 the temperatures are better in winter. Summer also brings lots of families to the ship. Our fellow cruisers on this voyage were primarily couples and families from the United States. There were also a number of international [music] guests. It's mostly from Australia and Japan. >> The star of the show on this cruise is

16:56 definitely Hawaii. And it's a top priority to get out and check things out. So, there's like so many options of things you can do. You can even rent your own car. You can join an organized [music] tour. You can organize tours through the ship, which is what we've done today. We're going to head off the

17:08 ship here on the Big Island and make our way over to go [music] biking. I think it'll be a fun way to see a new island. Getting on and off the ship is super easy. [music] Other than our stop tomorrow in Kona, where we'll need a tender, there's always a gang way. Today, we booked an ebike excursion

17:25 directly through Norwegian. So, we simply made our way to the meeting point right here inside the cruise terminal and hopped on a bus for the 45minute ride up to Volcano's National Park. This bike ride was definitely one of the most significant highlights of our entire week, maybe even this whole year.

17:42 Although, we had no expectations. [music] When we arrived in the national park, there was a massive eruption going on. [music] This volcano is 2 and a half miles away from us. And the lava, it's reaching some 60 feet in the air. It's been erupting since December 2024. But at least for now, it looks like this

18:01 every couple of weeks or [music] so. We could not believe how lucky we were to get to see it. So, about 5 hours after we left, we are back. And after seeing an amazing erupting volcano. Wow. Norwegian offers a wide variety of excursions at each port. [music] Everything from submarine trips to

18:20 parasailing. >> Excursions in Hawaii, they don't come cheap. We booked two through the ship and they're anywhere from $200 to $300 per person. Yeah, you heard that right. It's a lot. And we also booked one tour not through the ship. [music] It's around the same price. So, that's kind

18:35 of seems to be the going rate. But if you'd rather do your own thing, the ship usually docks in pretty industrial areas, but there always taxis and Ubers nearby. And renting a car seem to be popular among our fellow cruisers, too. >> So, the vibe on Big Island is definitely very volcanic and kind of wild.

18:52 >> Yeah, it's a rural place. They call it the countryside of Hawaii. It's way more uh rugged, I would say, than than Maui and certainly than Aahu. But I want to come back. >> Yeah, it seems like there's way more than just beaches here. We were so excited that our next stop is just on

19:07 the other side of the big island. [music] Next stop, Kona. Another highlight of our suite was that we had a great view of the bridge [music] as we were moving out. Tonight, we're dining in Skyline, one of the ship's main dining rooms. We each started with a salad. I had the barbecue mixed grill, which

19:26 had a wonderful sauce I'm still [music] craving. Suzanne's almond crusted mahi mahi was a bit dry but had good flavors. We shared a tasty brownie s'more for dessert, setting us up for a great day on the other side of the big island in Kona. And as the sun rises beautifully over the island, it's time for 24 hours on

19:48 Pride of America. And it starts with coffee here on the balcony at 7 a.m. We'll show you how we spend our time on this ship, highlighting just some of the activities available to passengers on board and off. >> Even got [music] some cookies. >> These cookies are dedicated to Emma

20:02 Cruises. >> Thinking of you, Emma. We reviewed the day's extensive itinerary of activities, continued sipping our coffee, and enjoying the view until >> 8 a.m. Let's head to breakfast. >> And today, that means heading back to Skyline. There, we found a complete menu, including an express option for

20:21 passengers in a hurry to get to an excursion. But we're not in a rush today, so we started with another cup of coffee. As the tenders traveled between Kona and our ship, the food arrived. We shared some fruit. Suzanne opted for the indulgent fluffy pancakes. I, on the other hand, went for

20:42 an old classic. A quick word about the crew. Everyone we met on board, from [music] the waiters to the housekeepers, truly everyone. They were all friendly and seemed genuinely proud to be on this ship. 9:30, time for a digestive walk out on the prominade. >> 10:00 a.m. Let's head to a Hawaiian

20:59 language lesson. >> But that didn't work out. 10:00 a.m. We're going to a lane making [music] class. >> This is a different day. You're right. >> Say that we tried to go to the [laughter] Hawaiian language lesson. >> We tried the Hawaiian language lesson today. >> You see, we went in yesterday and nobody

21:15 was there for the Hawaiian language lesson. So, laymaking class it is. And somehow, despite our challenges, we we made it work eventually. Now, back to yesterday. >> 11:00 hang out at the pool. We even played a little cornhole. >> Trust me, I was [music] better in college. 12 noon. Lunch at the buffet.

21:44 Can't pass up dessert. 1:00. Let's head off the ship and into town. And that means hopping on board a short tender ride. [music] And visiting Kona without at least trying the coffee is practically criminal. In addition to great coffee, Kona offers a ton of fascinating history. It was the

22:03 political center of the islands under the rule of King Kamehameha and also the center for trade. >> 2:30 p.m. back on board. >> 3:00, Time for a gym session. >> 4:00, it's time for a Q&A with the crew about running a floating hotel. Let's go find out. [music] That was a really cool

22:25 session. There 900 crew members on this ship. And what I thought was [music] fascinating is is they fall under the Coast Guard. So even after they're hired, they've got 3 to 5 months worth [music] of training they've got to go through before they can get on board the ship. >> 5:00 p.m. Live music and sail away

22:38 drinks. >> Goodbye, Kona. Next stop, Kauaii. [music] It's 6:00. Time for dinner in Jefferson's, the ship's specialty French restaurant. I'm not usually a fan of French food, but this was definitely a highlight of our time on board. The decor, [music] which I really like, feels like a restaurant in

23:02 Charlottesville, Virginia, not a cruise ship in Hawaii. And I mean that in [music] the best possible way. Again, we'll go into more detail about food a bit later. [music] But for now, let's just say Suzanne's salad was fresh. The French onion soup was as cheesy as my humor. Suzanne's

23:18 fillet was simply perfect. Probably the best bite on board. And my lamb was seasoned to perfection. And we were not about to skip dessert. [music] We decided to share a couple and we were richly rewarded. 7:30 trivia. >> The Gold Rush Saloon features local draft beers, including some you can't

23:43 get anywhere else. Trivia on board is tough, but we held our own tonight. That's not going to be the case every night, though. 8:30 Magic Show. 1000 p.m. Time for bed. >> What a day. But it was a lot of fun, wasn't it? >> It was amazing. [music] We'll see you in the morning. >> Good night.

24:06 [music] >> I can't even tell you how cool it is to go to sleep in a bed and then wake up in a whole new place. >> This is the Garden Island. Well, what are we doing today? >> It's our first time here in Kauaii. We decided to go on an excursion hiking. The port in Kauaii is only steps away

24:22 from a beautiful beach, but we'll save that for tomorrow. [music] Today, we're on our way to the island's rugged interior on a hiking trip we booked through the ship. This was even more proof that there's a lot more to Hawaii than beaches. This was some tough but beautiful terrain.

24:38 We are back from our hike. Wow, that was like a scene out of Jurassic Park. >> Literally, I mean, the it was filmed here, so it makes sense. And and some of those vistas were amazing. The ridge lines incredible. [music] It was uh it was muddy. Not as muddy as our hike on Maui. But prepare to have muddy shoes if

24:53 [music] you hike in Hawaii. >> Yeah, it's not only about the views. It's about the small things up close. The different flowers, different plants. It's all amazing. And also, I've never actually seen Jurassic Park. >> We got to fix that. We're going to fix that. As I bite my tongue to avoid

25:09 sharing too many spoilers from the movie, [music] we made our way to the Cadillac Diner for some salads. >> Let's explain how dining works here on Pride [music] of America. This is our first time cruising with Norwegian and we really enjoy what they call freestyle cruising. So there's no assigned meal

25:24 times, no assigned dinner tables, and you can wear whatever you want pretty much to the meals. You want to dress up a little bit, no problem. If you want to come in t-shirt and shorts, that's fine, too. We like that. It's nice and flexible. Let's start with the complimentary dining options. The ship's

25:37 main restaurants are Liberty and Skyline. Only Skyline is open for breakfast. Both offer dinner service, but neither is open at lunchtime. [music] Screens throughout the ship helped us know when to go and when to avoid crowds, so we never had to wait long to be seated, and we always got a

25:52 table for two, but there were tables to accommodate parties of any [music] size. One disappointment about the main dining rooms were they really could not accommodate any modifications or substitutions. Understandable considering the number of [music] passengers. This is not like a normal

26:06 restaurant after all. We'll get an even better appreciation in a few days when we visit the galley on a behindthescenes tour. The buffet called Aloha Cafe is open for breakfast, [music] lunch, and dinner. We always found plenty to enjoy here, and there was always a wide variety of options to please pretty

26:23 [music] much any pallet, but it was the pizza that kept us coming back. Cadillac Diner is open 24 hours, [music] serves nostalgic comfort food like burgers and milkshakes. The Key West Grill is open afternoons for [music] a light bite. It has a small but mighty buffet featuring burgers and

26:41 hot dogs as as well as fruit. The chicken tenders were a [music] real highlight. As a reminder, we took advantage of Norwegian's free at sea package when we booked. Again, it [music] covered drinks and three dinners at the ship's specialty restaurants, but free at sea is not quite free. [music]

26:58 For the drinks package, you're on the hook for covering the service charge of about $200 per week per person. Our drinks package included soft drinks, juices, [music] coffee, the filtered water machines you could find throughout the ship, as well as a select list of wine by the glass, beer, and most

27:13 cocktails and mocktails. [music] But alcohol is taxed by the state of Hawaii. So, we paid about 50 cents per drink for that. If you don't have a drinks package, cocktails are about $15, a glass of wine costs $12, a beer is [music] 10, and a soda's $4. There are seven specialty restaurants. everything

27:30 from sushi to steak [music] to French food. Definitely grab a reservation if you'd like to enjoy any of these. They'll also come at an extra charge of $40 to $60 per [music] person, unless you have a package that covers them. But even if you do, you're still on the hook for the service [music] charge of $20

27:47 per person per dinner. Tonight, we're eating at the ship's tanyaki restaurant, which offers dinner and a show. It's a lot of fun. Of course, we [music] could have gone to more of the specialty restaurants if we simply paid the cover charge, but the other included dining options were more

28:03 than sufficient. [music] This morning's sunrise over Kauaii was made all the more special thanks to a spectacular [music] double rainbow. One really cool thing that Norwegian offers is a behind-the-scenes [music] tour of the ship. We're signed up, so let's go check it out. For $99 each,

28:22 [music] we spent 2 hours exploring places like the galleys where we heard from chefs who gave us a real appreciation for the volume of food they must prepare each week. They go through 20,000 [music] eggs and 10,000 lb of poultry each week, not to mention 9,000 lb [music] of beef

28:37 and 3,500 lb of fish. The list goes on and on. >> Okay, we are back from the behindthe-scenes tour. And wow, for a nerd like me, it was totally mind-blowing. the laundry room especially. [music] To think about how many towels they wash a day, something like 1,300 pool towels in one day.

28:53 That's not to mention bath towels and other towels and sheets. [music] It's incredible. >> But it was time to step off the ship once more. We have some business to [music] attend to. >> It is our final day of our cruise. I have not yet been to the water, so we're going to take care of that right now.

29:09 >> Every beach in Hawaii is open to the public, so there's no extra cost to just [music] relax out here as long as you want. The water's amazing. So glad I got to go in. Dad, your turn. >> I was too comfortable. [music] Plop down right here. >> There are no coconuts. I checked. >> Our week in Hawaii is nearing its end.

29:29 So Jeb, what are some final thoughts? >> This has been amazing. As nice as the ship is, as tasty as the food has been, as wonderful [music] as the staff are, the real highlight, I think you'll agree, is seeing the state of Hawaii. [music] We got to visit four very different islands, experience them in

29:45 different ways. That was the best part of it. >> And if we could give you some advice, we splurged on this room, but really, if you're coming on this trip, [music] it's not about the room. It's about getting out to see Hawaii. So, save your dollars for that and not your room. But

29:57 [music] what does this all cost? >> Well, it's going to depend on what time of year you go and how early you book. Also, remember that old law, the Passenger Vessel Act of 1886? [music] Well, that means prices are higher than other cruises in part because of all those regulations. To give you an idea,

30:12 entry-level inside cabins start around [music] $1,400 per person. And getting up to Ocean View, you'll pay closer to $1,500. For a balcony, which is actually very nice to have on a cruise like this, expect to pay around $2,400 [music] per person. Suites start around $3,600 a person. There are even studios for

30:32 [music] solo cruisers going for around $3,100 per week. But what did we pay for our massive suite? [music] Well, since it's the biggest and the only one like it on board, you'll pay for it. Our cruise fair was about $8,000 each for our week [music] in Hawaii. When you add on taxes, port charges, gratuitities,

30:49 and that free at sea package, the all-in [music] cost ended up being around $9,500 per person. So, it was absolutely a major indulgence, but also [music] an unforgettable week in paradise. Between now and the next time, >> see you on the seas. >> Cue the blooper music. Ta. >> Is that how it goes? [laughter]

31:09 >> I don't remember. >> I don't remember either. >> Okay. That's weird. [laughter] Oops. Okay. >> Tiny bubbles. How many times has that been sung in here? >> A million. >> It may be beautiful, but they certainly don't hide the fact that danger lurks around every corner here. Are you

31:35 concerned? >> I'm a little concerned. Oh, this is a big one. It's a big one. You might want to get out of here.