Hawaii Vacation Blog

s there such a thing as a all inclusive Hawaii Vacation Package? Well yes and no, but mostly no.

The reason I say no is because most people associate the term all-inclusive with resorts like Sandals in Jamaica or Club Med in the Bahamas. These resorts have basically everything under one roof and you pay
only one price.

Hawaii doesn't have anything like that with the exception of Kona Resort on the Big Island. It's been explained to me that because there is so much diversity here you could never expect to have the Hawaiian experience staying in one place. There is too much to see. That being said you can get, lets call them "pseudo all inclusive packages. For the most part they are very well done and will give you almost everything included one price. We recommend and work with Perillo Tours and Tauck Tours.

For more about all inclusive package listen to our podcast on this subject HAWAII ALL-INCLUSIVE NOT!

Well if you believe what AAA is saying then it's about 559.00 a day for a family of 4 and that Hawaii "is the most expensive destination on earth" or something like that, ok I am paraphrasing.

The survey leaves out things like gas, airfare and the cost of attractions. It also does not take into account the many family's that book condos, especially on Maui and Kauai who also take advantage of full kitchens and cook their own meals. In all fairness, the survey does sound pretty accurate if you are just staying in a resort and eating at the restaurants in close proximity to these resorts.

As a rule of thumb you can expect to pay about 20 percent more for most things you purchase in Hawaii. Right now gas is over 3.50 per gallon. Guess that's the price for paradise.

CRUISE VS LAND PACKAGE

Many people ask us to compare the price of a cruise vs. a land package. Most of the time its a wash price wise but y ou get more bang for your buck. Take a look at this side by side comparison itinaray put togeher by Lisa from HAWAII-ALOHA.COM. Mahalo to Lisa!!

Here is a quote for a cruise in Hawaii for 7 days, and a 7 day land package (air/hotel/car). The cruise is about 100.00 more per day. The cruise is a better deal for your money as this allows you to see 4 islands and includes meals. The additional price for a roundtrip island hop air fare is 160.00 per person per island. By taking a cruise you will avoid the extra wait in security lines at the airport when you island hop and you don't have to pack and unpack.

7-Day Hawaii cruise - Main itinerary
27May-03Jun
Pride of America
Outside Balcony Cabin
Air from Tampa to Honolulu
$4710.00 Meals included

Land Package: (Air/Hotel/Car)
Air itinerary (2 passengers) :
Sat 27-May-06 DL 629 L 10:48am TPA ATL 12:20pm
DL 365 L 3:45pm ATL HNL 7:24pm
Sat 03-Jun-06 DL 1566 L 1:20pm HNL LAX 9:50pm
DL 1468 L 10:30pm LAX TPA 6:00am 04-Jun-06

Land Itinerary:
Oahu ( Saturday, 27 May 2006 through Saturday, 3 June 2006 )
Accommodations:
HILTON HAWAIIAN VILLAGE / 6P: Paradise Made Simple--oceanview room
Cars:
Mid-size car
Pickup: 27May06 Dropoff: 03Jun06

Quote Price = $3972.50

If you are one of those folks who finally have your summer vacation dates firmly on your calendar and are wondering if Hawaii is still an option, apparently you're not alone. Last minute summer Hawaii vacation deal hunters are on a feeding frenzy trying to get to the islands for summer vacations. Searches are way up for last minute deals coming into the network especially for June and July dates.

Here are the lightest search coming from Hawaii Vacation Package finder users:

AIR/HOTEL PACKAGE
Package price with HAT discount: $ 1,984.32 (including all taxes, fees)
2 Adults
Travel Dates: 06/16/06 through 06/22/06
Roundtrip Airfare from: San Diego SAN to Oahu island
Oahu Accommodations : ResortQuest Waikiki Circle-Oahu

AIR/HOTEL/CAR PACKAGE
Package price with HAT discount: $ 3,186.72 (including all taxes, fees)
2 Adults
Travel Dates: 06/14/06 through 06/21/06
Roundtrip Airfare from: Los Angeles LAX to Kauai island
Kauai Accommodations : Hyatt Regency Kauai Resort & Spa-Kauai
Car Type: COMPACT 4/DR WITH A/C

AIR/CAR/HOTEL PACKAGE
Package price: $ 3,311.04 (including all taxes, fees)
2 Adults
Travel Dates: 07/06/06 through 07/10/06
Roundtrip Airfare from: Sacramento SMF to Maui island
Maui Accommodations : Hyatt Regency Maui Resort & Spa-Maui
Property Name: Hyatt Regency Maui Resort & Spa-Maui: Partial Oceanview Room
Car Type: COMPACT 4/DR WITH A/C

If you a just starting to plan your Hawaii Vacation and have never been to the Islands chances are you are looking for a starting point. Here are some quick tips to get you going:

Pick your dates
The dates you choose will determine a lot especially the cost of your airfare. Knowing your dates will save valuable planning time, and help you or your travel professional work on securing the best options for your vacatation. If you keep switching the dates, it can get confusing. Always book as far in advance as possible and avoid traveling during peak travel times. Mon - Thurs are the best days to travel.

Budget or Not
Determine if this is a trip you must do on a limmited budget. If this is a special once in a lifetime experience like a honeymoon or anniversary, you may have more money to spend. However if this is a family vacation or you have a fixed amount you can spend, then understand you might have to compromise. Many agencies, including ours offer liberal payment plans and ways for you to pay for your vacation over a period of time. Be realistic about your budget, Hawaii is an expensive destination!

Choosing the right Island for you
Each of the islands has their own charm. If you like nightlife and lot of action then Oahu might be for you.. If you want a laid back experience then Kauai or the Big Island is perfect. If you want a combination of both then Maui is the perfect choice. Checking with a Hawaii expert is the best way to determine which island is best for your situation.

To hear more tips listen to the podcast on this subject from yesterday.

Our network is seeing a lot of interest int Hawaii vacations in Late August (especially cruises) and September the past few days. Spring breakers are gone and a lot of family's are back to work and school. This is traditionally a great time to come to Hawaii if you are trying to save money.

Here are the latest Hawaii Vacation package finder results:

AIR/ROOM CAR PACKAGE
Package price: $ 1,932.00 (including all taxes, fees) : 2 Adults
Travel Dates: 09/04/06 through 09/11/06
Roundtrip Airfare from: Los Angeles LAX to Maui island
Maui Accommodations : Royal Lahaina-Maui
Property Name: Royal Lahaina-Maui
Standard Hotel Room
Car Type: COMPACT 4/DR WITH A/C

AIR/ROOM CAR PACKAGE
Total package price : $ 2,231.04 (including all taxes, fees)
2 Adults and 0 Children
Travel Dates: 09/25/06 through 10/01/06
Roundtrip Airfare from: Portland PDX to Oahu island
Pacific Beach Hotel-Oahu: Oceanview Hotel Room
Car Type: COMPACT 4/DR WITH A/C

AIR/ROOM CAR PACKAGE
Total price : $ 6,641.28 (including all taxes, fees)
2 Adults and 2 Children
Travel Dates: 07/22/06 through 08/03/06
Roundtrip Airfare from: New York JFK to Big Island
Hawaii Accommodations : Hilton Waikoloa Village-Hawaii
Gardenview Room

Aloha Friends! Just got back from a 10 day vacation. Where does a guy who lives in Hawaii go to for vacation you ask? OK, so you didn't ask. Florida.

The answer to the DEAL headline above depends on your travel dates. Many would be travelers looking to to come to Hawaii this summer, especially within 30 to 45 days of travel are finding.......NO DEAL, need I say more? We can find you something but it will cost. The problem is finding available hotel/condo inventory. On the other hand We are seeing some great deals in Aug. and Sept, but who has those dates to work with right?

Here are the latest searches into our network from Hawaii Vacation Finder users.

Requested by Danielle: deal#1927121474
AIR/CAR/CONDO
Package price with HAT discount: $ 2,581.44 (including all taxes, fees)
2 Adults and 0 Children
Travel Dates: 08/10/06 through 08/17/06
Roundtrip Airfare from: Detroit DTW to Maui island
Maui Accommodations : Maui Coast-Maui
Property Name: Maui Coast-Maui
Property Classification: Standard Hotel Room
Car Type: ECONOMY 4/DR WITH A/C

Requested by Jane: deal#1926546794
AIR/ROOM/CAR
Package price with HAT discount: $ 1,780.80 (including all taxes, fees)
This Quote Includes: 2 Adults and 0 Children
Travel Dates: 06/26/06 through 06/30/06
Roundtrip Airfare from: Los Angeles LAX to Big Island
Property Name: Castle Hilo Hawaiian Hotel-Hawaii
Property Classification: Standard Room
Car Type: COMPACT 4/DR WITH A/C

One of the most frequent requests we continue to get are for all inclusive Hawaii Packages.
This dilemma has been the subject of previous blogs and also the podcast. The term all-inclusive means something very different in Hawaii. Here is where I think the confusion is; Most people think of Sanals or Club Med in Jamaica or Cancun which are all inclusive resorts. Hawaii does not have these kinds of resorts as a option.

Plan to spend more money if you want to a all inclusive experience in Hawaii. Prices start at about $2000.00 per person without airfare from the mainland and usualy include visiting 3 or 4 islands. What that means is that a tour operator will "package" all of the the elements into a "package" for you which will include most of your meals, tours, tips, transportation and lodging. To see sample all inclusive Hawaii package please click here.

If you need more help planning a all inclusive type of package please give us a call or email me.

Hope that helps, I am sure I will be blogging this topic many more times and will do my best to get as much information out as possible.

Before deciding on a multi island trip keep in mind a few things:

1. Do you have enough time? If you are only spending 5 days in Hawaii it's best to stay on one island. If you must, then do Oahu for 2 days and then pick any island for the remainder 3 days. This is not recommended.
2. For 10 day stays, the most popular combos are; if you really want to relax do a 5 - 5 (5 nights on each island), using Kauai and Maui. That way you can really relax and experience each island. If you want more activities and sightseeing then do a 3 Island combo 3-4-3
3. Don't over plan your trip by planning too many activities.
4. I recommend at least 3 nights per island minimum except for Oahu.

Some encouraging news, getting between the islands is getting less and less expensive with GO airlines slashing airline prices and a ferry service set to enter the market in 2007. The ferry will let you rent a car on any island, drive onto the ferry and the dirve it off!