September 27th, 2006
Here’s some basic information on cruising the Hawaiian Islands…
THE ISLANDS
The islands you are likely to visit on a roundtrip Honolulu cruise and cruises to-and-from the West Coast are Oahu (Honolulu), Maui, the Big Island (ports of Kona & Hilo), Kauai and even Fanning Island in the Republic of Kiribati. Lanai and Molokai are typically only available as shore excursions from the main islands.
MANEUVERING AROUND HONOLULU
Most Hawaiian Island cruises begin and/or end in Honolulu, on the island of Oahu - the most logical in terms of air access. Oahu’s cruise port, the Aloha Tower Marketplace, is located about 15 minutes from the airport, and transportation from the airport to area hotels (about seven miles) is a snap via shuttle service, taxi or car rental. If you rent a car at the airport, keep in mind that, unlike some other islands you may have visited, Honolulu operates like any other American city - which means you won’t experience culture shock navigating the roads. My advice? Stay a few extra days on Oahu - the island deserves a week if you can swing it - or at least consider departing at night for a red eye flight home that will put you on the West Coast in time for breakfast or on the East Coast in the afternoon. From whale watching and surfing on the stunning beaches of the North Shore to the Polynesian Cultural Center and Pearl Harbor, Oahu has attractions to appeal to a wide variety of interests.
When planning to book a cruise to Hawaii, there are basically three options:
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Roundtrip from Honolulu
Norwegian Cruise Line’s Pride of Aloha, Pride of America, & the brand new Pride of Hawaii. These are the only American-flagged ships sailing the Hawaiian Islands and because it’s a U.S. flag carrier, the only ship that is permitted to offer intra-island cruises. Each ship sails seven-night roundtrips from Honolulu, the industry’s only weeklong, port-intensive option. Pride of Aloha, America, & Hawaii calls at Hawaii’s big island, Kauai, and Maui & Oahu -
A Longer Roundtrip-from-Honolulu Option
NCL’s Norwegian Wind, which is not a U.S.-flagged ship, sails 10-night itineraries from Honolulu, performing the required "toe touch" with a sidetrip to Fanning Island, located in the Kiribati Republic. -
Roundtrip from the U.S., Mexico or Canada
Holland America and Princess are among those lines that offer longish itineraries (up to 15 nights) from San Diego or Vancouver. These are roundtrip voyages. For slighter shorter varieties, lines like Celebrity, Royal Caribbean and Carnival sail one-way between San Diego or Los Angeles or Vancouver and Honolulu (in order to fulfill the foreign flag Jones Act requirements, cruises that depart from the U.S. must stop in a place like Mexico’s Ensenada).
The ships sailing Hawaii may well be beautiful - but they’re no competition to the destination itself. As such, expect a huge variety of shore excursions - from full-on sightseeing tours to high-adrenaline, activity-based adventures, as well as plenty of options for families with children. Keep in mind that shore excursions are not included in your cruise price. Often, as in the case of spending a day at the beach or shopping in towns near port, you can do it yourself by free shuttle bus (particularly in the case of shopping), rental car, taxi or even walking. You can arrange these excursions in advance of your cruise or wait until you arrive.