For Pride of America passenger Bill Stolz, having an all-American crew aboard the cruise ship meant enjoying conversations with more sociable workers without a language barrier.

"It's a very happy, friendly crew," said Stolz, a 59-year-old retired fire chief from Reno. "They're a more open, more talkative, friendly staff."

But passenger Glen Winton, a 51-year-old Oklahoma resident, said an all-American crew hurts the cruise ship's service, although he acknowledged there were staff members who were hardworking.

"The kids are out here to see the world and (some) tend to forget" about service to the guests, he said. "But others worked really hard."

Both men were on the Pride of America as it pulled into Ho-nolulu harbor for the first time yesterday, ending a 10-day cruise from San Francisco that toured the Islands. The new ship, NCL America's second U.S.-flagged vessel, will begin regular seven-day cruises around the Islands today.

U.S.-flagged ships must employ U.S. workers and follow U.S. labor laws. Without the U.S. flag, cruise ships serving Hawai'i have to add a stop in a foreign port.

Most of the passengers interviewed by The Advertiser yesterday said they enjoyed the Pride of America cruise and would recommend the trip to others. Some said a few areas still needed to be smoothed out but that that was expected for a new cruise ship.

NCL spokeswoman Susan Robison said all crew members go through extensive training for three weeks. As for Winton's comment, she said, "Our crew is here to work and they work really hard. It's just one person's opinion.

"It's a new crew; there are going to be kinks that need to be worked out," she said.

Robison said the passenger comment cards she reviewed were positive and that the hospitality portion rated high on NCL's U.S.-flagged ships, including the Pride of Aloha, which began touring the Islands last summer.

Lisa Goldberg, a former Hawai'i resident now living in in the San Francisco Bay Area, said she was initially disappointed with the service and the food.

"But by the end of the cruise it was very much improved," said the 50-year-old registered nurse, who has been on about 10 cruises. "I think it was just an issue of getting it together."

Oregon resident Louis Dix said he would give the cruise a B+. He said he's been on six cruises before and that the Pride of America is "the nicest ship as far as looks go, inside and out.

"It was really a nice cruise," he said. "Their service is exceptional, the food is very good, the entertainment is very good."

His wife, Kathi Dix, said the toilets were too noisy and that the food, while very good, was often served warm rather than hot. But the couple would go on the cruise again, she said.

California resident Patsy Kelly had only two complaints: the restaurants and lobby area were too cold and one receptionist had an unpleasant attitude.

"The rest of it was wonderful," she said, adding that the crew was very informative and friendly. "The service was super, the food was great. ... The room was gorgeous."

Out of a scale of one to 10, Kelly rated the cruise a nine.

Sandy Rooker from Oklahoma said the cruise "wasn't bad" but that she wouldn't recommend it. When she and her husband first got to their room there were still some clothes left in the cabin.

"I think they tried hard; it's a new ship and there are some things they need to work out," she said.

Max Boone, a 48-year-old engineer from Arizona, said he would "absolutely" recommend the cruise.

"It's great — a great way to see the Islands," he said. "Was it perfect 100 percent? ... (The ship has a) very accommodating crew and staff. That was the best part."