Hawaii Dream Vacations by Abby

Cruising is an excellent and economical way to experience several of the Hawaiian Islands without having to hassle with arranging accommodations, inter-island transportation, meals, and so on. 

When searching for cruise fares, the original price you see on a promotion, such as $899/person, usually doesn’t include government taxes.  Government taxes are around 6%, so if your cruise fare is $899, you can expect to pay an additional $54 in taxes.  Due to the insane price of oil now, the majority of cruise lines now also charge a fuel supplement, which ranges from around $5 to $7 per person per day.  Therefore, the total price for a 7-day cruise with an $899 cruise fare will be about $1002.  This will be the initial amount that you pay to confirm your cruise.  When negotiating a price with your travel agent, be sure to ask if there are any special promotions available for a specific sail date.  Also, if you are over 55 years old, a member of a union, or active or retired military, be sure to mention these things because you may be eligible for additional discounts as well.

Once your cruise is confirmed, the price that you pay upfront at the time of booking includes your stateroom, all-you-can-eat meals, daily entertainment, and a wide variety of onboard amenities, such as the use of a fitness center, pools, hot tubs, volleyball courts, arcades, the list goes on…  If flights were included in your cruise package, then roundtrip transfers from the airport will be included as well.  If you purchased flights separately, then you will need to arrange transportation separately.  Transfers can be booked through NCL for $50/person roundtrip, or you can decide to take a cab or limo.  The airport is only about 20 minutes from the pier.

Then the question is how to plan the budget for your trip based on what you’ll likely spend once you get to Hawaii.  Obviously, you’re not going to spend the entire time on the ship, especially since most Hawaii cruises really focus on spending the days on the various islands and cruising is done mainly at night.  The following is a list of some of the additional expense you should  budget for after your initial cruise package is paid for:

• Shore Excursions - start as low as $29/person, all the way up to hundreds of dollars per person depending on what’s included in the tour and the length
• Meals at Specialty Restaurants - cover charges range from about $15 - $25/person
• Certain Fitness Classes - some specialty classes in the fitness center will require an additional fee to participate, usually $5 - $10 per class
• Spa Treatments
• Alcohol
• Daily Service Charge - $10/person per day will be automatically charged to your onboard account while on the ship to cover the cost of gratuities

To book your Hawaii cruise and to get the best value out there, call or email today for a quote.
 
Abby Lapointe, Hawaii Aloha Travel
Direct line: 808-237-5263
Toll-free: 1-800-843-8771 ext. 23. 
Email: abby@hawaii-aloha.com