Pride of America Hawaii cruise: the 7-day itinerary from Honolulu, port by port

Pride of America is the only cruise ship that sails from Honolulu all year, and it does one thing: a 7-night round trip of the Hawaiian Islands that leaves every Saturday. Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL) sells it as four islands and five ports in seven days, with two overnights and no sea days. The times below are from NCL's itinerary page, read November 14, 2026; Cruisebound's sailing pages give the same times, and the state's berth calendar has the ship at the same port on the same day.

Pride of America itinerary: the 7-day Hawaii cruise day by day

Day	Port	Arrives	Leaves
Saturday	Honolulu, Oahu		7:00 pm
Sunday	Kahului, Maui	8:00 am	Stays overnight
Monday	Kahului, Maui		6:00 pm
Tuesday	Hilo, Big Island	8:00 am	6:00 pm
Wednesday	Kona, Big Island (tender port)	7:00 am	5:30 pm
Thursday	Nawiliwili, Kauai	8:00 am	Stays overnight
Friday	Nawiliwili, Kauai, then the Na Pali Coast		2:00 pm
Saturday	Honolulu, Oahu	7:00 am

NCL's times, local to each port, read November 14, 2026. NCL says to check your own sailing for exact times, and that itineraries can change without notice.

Three notes from the same NCL page affect your plans. Everyone must be on board two hours before the ship sails on the first day, which on a 7:00 pm departure means 5:00 pm. On the last morning, disembarkation usually begins two hours after the ship docks. And the ship sails past Kilauea volcano when conditions permit.

Why doesn't Pride of America stop in a foreign port?

Because it flies the U.S. flag. NCL calls Pride of America the only U.S.-flagged cruise ship in Hawaii and says the flag is what lets it stay in the islands for the whole cruise. Its Hawaii packing guide says the same thing in plainer words: as a U.S.-flagged vessel, the ship is not required to stop in a foreign country "like other cruise ships."

The law behind it is the Passenger Vessel Services Act. U.S. Customs and Border Protection's guide to the act says a ship that is not qualified for U.S. coastwise trade may not carry passengers between U.S. ports. Its own example of a violation is a ship taking passengers from Los Angeles to several Hawaiian islands and back to Los Angeles. Foreign ships may carry passengers from a U.S. port to a foreign one, and that is the pattern of every other cruise from Honolulu on our schedule: each one ends abroad, in Vancouver, Papeete, Sydney or Brisbane.

For passengers, the flag also means U.S. citizens need no passport for the week. NCL adds that the Pride of America crew are all American citizens, many of them local.

Pride of America ports: what each stop is for a cruise passenger

The port notes below come from NCL's port, itinerary and Hawaii pages. The tours named are ones NCL lists for this itinerary.

Kahului, Maui: Sunday and Monday

The ship arrives at 8:00 am Sunday and leaves at 6:00 pm Monday, so you get two days on Maui with a night in port between them. NCL's itinerary page says it restarted the weekly overnight calls at Kahului on September 3, 2023, with the encouragement of the Maui community, Governor Josh Green and the Hawaii Tourism Authority.

NCL's tours from Kahului include the Hana Highway, Haleakala Crater and a "Best of Maui" trip to Iao Valley, the Waikapu Tropical Plantation tram and the Maui Ocean Center. Its port page says Kahului's trade winds blow steadily from 10:00 am to 3:00 pm, which makes it one of the best places on Maui to windsurf and kiteboard.

Hilo, Big Island: Tuesday

A full day, 8:00 am to 6:00 pm. NCL puts Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, home of the active Kilauea volcano, 30 miles from Hilo, and lists a "Volcanoes National Park & Big Island Candies" tour. In town, NCL points to the Hilo Farmers Market and to Rainbow Falls, which its blog describes as an 80-foot cascade, and says bicycles, taxis and shuttles are available for getting around.

Kona, Big Island: Wednesday, the tender port

NCL marks Kona as a tender port, so instead of walking off at a pier you ride a small boat to shore. The ship is there from 7:00 am to 5:30 pm. NCL suggests a visit to a coffee farm, snorkeling in the calm water of South Kona and the Captain Cook monument; one of its listed tours is a Zodiac and snorkel trip to Kealakekua Bay.

Nawiliwili, Kauai: Thursday and Friday

The second overnight. The ship arrives at 8:00 am Thursday, leaves at 2:00 pm Friday and then passes the Na Pali Coast on the way back to Honolulu. NCL calls Nawiliwili the gateway to Kauai, "The Garden Island," and recommends a guided tour of Waimea Canyon. Its other excursions here include snorkeling, canyon tours, zip-lining, tubing and helicopter flights.

Honolulu: Saturday at both ends

The first day ends with a 7:00 pm departure and the last day starts with a 7:00 am arrival. Honolulu Harbor's main cruise terminal is at Pier 2, the state's Harbors Division says, and on the state's berth calendar, which runs to May 13, 2028, every Pride of America departure is at Pier 2. The Pier 2 terminal page and the Honolulu cruise terminals guide cover the entrance and drop-off.

On the last morning NCL sells tours that end at the airport, such as "USS Missouri, Pearl Harbor & Historic Honolulu." That is one way to fill the hours before a later flight.

What is Pride of America like on board?

NCL lists the ship at 2,180 guests (double occupancy) and 927 crew, built in 2005 and refurbished in 2025. The onboard program leans on Hawaii: NCL lists hula lessons, lei making, history talks, daily Hawaiian music and cultural ambassadors on board, and its main show, "Aloha Polynesia," is Polynesian music and dance.

Complimentary dining covers three main dining rooms, a buffet and casual cafes and grills; the specialty restaurants are not on that list. Cabins run from inside staterooms to suites, with Solo staterooms for people traveling alone. The spa is for guests 18 and older.

How much does a Pride of America cruise cost?

On November 14, 2026, Pride of America weeks started at $1,102 per person, and the starting fares across all weeks on sale ran $1,102 to $3,184. These are Cruisebound's prices for the cheapest cabin available on each sailing, per person with taxes and fees, and they change from day to day. Our schedule lists 101 departures on sale, from November 14, 2026 to October 21, 2028.

NCL also charges a daily service charge. On November 14, 2026, its page listed $20.00 per person per day for Club Balcony Suite and below and $25.00 for The Haven and suites, for every guest 3 and older. Guests sailing to Hawaii are charged an additional 4.275% "Pre Paid Service Charge GET Tax," and you can prepay the service charge up to 24 hours before sailing.

Do you need a passport for Pride of America?

Not if you are a U.S. citizen. NCL's travel documents page says no passport is needed on a Hawaii inter-island cruise; a government-issued photo ID, such as a passport or a driver's license with a photo, is enough. Guests who are not U.S. citizens need a passport that does not expire within six months of the end of the cruise, plus an ESTA or a U.S. visa where one applies. The Hawaii cruise documents guide has the details, including the ID you need for the flight home.

How to pick a Pride of America week from Honolulu

Every week calls at the same ports at the same times, so the choice comes down to your dates and the fare.

1. See every week on sale. The Pride of America page lists each departure with its starting fare, and the 7-night cruises page compares every 7-night departure from Honolulu.
2. Check the price pages. The cheap cruises page ranks Honolulu sailings by total fare and by fare per night, and last-minute cruises lists every cruise leaving in the next 60 days.
3. Pick the season. The Honolulu cruise season guide compares the months.
4. Plan the day you board. The ship wants you on board by 5:00 pm, and NCL's boarding FAQ says guests who miss the embarkation cut-off are not permitted to sail; joining the ship anywhere else is allowed only in emergencies. The flying guide, where to stay and airport to cruise port guides cover the trip to Pier 2.

If a week in Hawaii is not enough, NCL's Norwegian Spirit has 8 one-way sailings from Honolulu to Papeete, Tahiti, on our schedule. The Norwegian Spirit page and the South Pacific guide list them.