Aloha and mahalo…
In the words of Coldplay, this place is “para-para-paradise”. That’s exactly what we were singing when Phil Hoffmann Travel whisked 26 of us holiday-loving South Aussies onto Norwegian Cruise Line’s Pride of America for seven unforgettable nights. From sunsets to snorkelling, this trip had it all! But what truly made it magical were the people who came along for the ride. Meet some of our crew…
Les and Heather
While celebrating his 80th birthday alongside his wife of over 50 years, Les stole our hearts. With his twinkly eyes, camcorder permanently in hand and endless enthusiasm, he was the life of the party! From chatting about his grandkids and love of country music to cutting loose on the dance floor, Les savoured every moment like a 20-year-old would. His joy was contagious and showed us you’re never too old to have fun.
Helen the hero
At 89 years young, it was Helen’s first solo holiday without her late husband, John. Helen danced until one in the morning, joined in on most excursions and made a lifelong friend in fellow solo adventurer, Kathy, who ended up sharing a room with her. She’s already signed up for her next Adelady trip — what a legend!
Sharon and Joey
Sisters and besties Sharon and Joey made their Hawaiian debut celebrating Sharon’s 50th birthday with their first holiday away sans kids. They dove headfirst into island life: cocktails, turtles, beaches and dance floors. These two were pure fun and their gratitude for the experience and each other was so beautiful.
Kate’s family reunion
Kate brought her family together to celebrate her 40th birthday and her parents’ anniversary. With her sister and brother-in-law flying in from Canada, they spent precious time exploring islands, hiring cars, swimming with turtles and belting out karaoke. It was the ultimate reunion before life whisked them back to different corners of the globe.
Rob and Carol
Talk about couple goals! These two celebrated 37 years of marriage with cheeky grins and adventurous spirits. It wasn’t their first time on Pride of America — they returned for more Hawaiian magic. It also made them the perfect tour guides, because they knew where to go. Whether they were cracking jokes or exploring the islands, they were our kindred spirits on this trip.
The ship
Let’s talk about Pride of America, which is the only cruise ship dedicated to Hawaii! It’s an all-American resort at sea, complete with cosy staterooms, dreamy deck views and world-class dining. The food? Delicious! The beauty of a cruise is it’s all-inclusive, so you can dine at the buffet or at their specialty restaurants without ever getting your wallet out. Nights were filled with live music in the piano bar, epic group karaoke sessions and lots of laughter! Cruising the Hawaiian islands is the best way to holiday because you only have to unpack once, but wake up every day at a new island. It’s the easiest, most stressfree way to explore this tropical paradise. Although the day we arrived was rather windy, Maui welcomed us with pristine beaches and snorkelling adventures. Kaua’i, the ‘Garden Isle’ left us breathless with helicopter rides over the Na Pali Coast, while Big Island was a volcanic wonderland with black sand beaches and lava fields that made us feel like we were on another planet! Each day brought new adventures — sea turtles, waterfalls and picture-perfect views. It was like flipping through a travel magazine… but in real life. If Hawaii is on your bucket list, Norwegian Cruise Line’s Pride of America will make your trip super easy. But for us, it was more than the ease of daily mango daiquiris and swimming with turtles; it was Les’s twinkly-eyed stories, Helen’s dance floor moves and island hopping with two besties.
So, grab your gaggle of friends and book your little Hawaiian holiday by contacting our friends at Phil Hoffmann Travel. They’ll take care of everything, so all you need to do is get on that plane and sip on a Mai Tai. Aloha!
