Hawaii Cruises Blog

Don’t be too overambitious with the activities you choose, understand that you can’t do everything. You should try to have a nice balance between relaxing and enjoying some of the activities that we have on the islands.

The best way to plan for Hawaii activities is to first make a list of all the things you want to do. Write down everything you can think of like snorkeling, golfing, deep sea fishing, hiking etc. Obviously you won’t be able to do all these things, this is just a way to brainstorm everything that you can think of that you want to do.  The next thing you want to do is make a list of the things that you must do for example: you know you want to go to a  luau or Pearl Harbor.  Once you have these two lists you can then narrowed down to a smaller list which incorporates both things you want to do and things that you might want.

Make sure that you pick age-appropriate activities.  For example if you’re older some of the Eco-tours may be a little too strenuous.  Even a moderate hike will take all day in some cases so be careful not to choose something that would be too much for you to do.  And likewise if you have youngsters make sure that they can actually do the activity that you’re engaging in.  For example, some snorkeling adventures and zip line activities have a minimum age requirement. 

if you follow these simple rules and play correctly you’ll have a great time in the beautiful Hawaiian Islands.

Video of Pride of America cruise  watch video

If you’re searching the net for the best price for a Hawaii Cruise  then chances are you have run into lots of different pricing.  In general, most of the sites you see on the Internet are not pulling from live inventory from the cruise line and only give the lead in price. The lead in price is the price before port, taxes and fees.  These fees must be added to the price to get the actual cost of the cruise.  Many customers call me think they can actually get these prices online but when consumers investigate further they find that the prices are a lot higher than they thought and come back to me for help.  When it comes to cruises for Hawaii the best way to save money is to contact a company like us with access to live inventory and also can guarantee the lowest price.  The reason we can say this so freely is that we can discount where others cannot because we do a large volume of cruises and therefore can discount and at the same time give you personal, knowledgeable, customer service that you deserve.

The other thing that we do, and any good travel agent will be aware of, is to take advantage of special pricing that comes from the cruise line.  For example, if i you’re a senior (55 and over) you may be able to get a senior discount. The cruise line has many promos that travel agents can tap into such as residents rates, Gateway promos, air promos, union discounts and special air promos.  All of these things should be considered and looked at before getting a final price.  Another technique used to save money is to check the price before the final payment is made.  Sometimes if the price goes down you can take advantage of lower price.  Additionally very often the cruise line will have excess inventory and offer you an upgrade at a very low price.  Again this is why using a travel agent for your cruise is a must.

Remember when searching the Internet for Hawaii cruise pricing BUYER BEWARE!.

What’s included and what’s not:

 Food. There is no shortage of food on the Hawaii cruise ships. There are two main dining rooms, all-you-can-eat buffet, all-night diner, and 24-hour room service. There are two shows nightly, and usually specialty entertainment for adults at night in the lounges.  All of the entertainment, activities and pool facilities are included in your cruise.  There is a optional formal night if you wish to attend. If it’s a special occasion you’ll be treated to a complementary celebration in the main dining room or  in your cabin.

There are their specialty restaurants on board the ship which are fine dining experiences, and as such do not have the same seating capacity as the main dining rooms.  These specialty restaurants carry a small service charge but they are well worth it, for example, Jefferson’s bistro a restaurant on the Pride of America is award-winning and excellent. I always advise my clients to make reservations for these restaurants  the minute they board the ship because they sell out quickly.  You can make a reservation and then decide later not to go, it’s always better to have that reservation.  There is no gambling on any of the Hawaii ships, so no casinos and no wasted money!  Hawaii doesn’t even allow bingo, maybe that’s why Las Vegas is the number one destination for people who live in Hawaii.  Alcoholic beverages and sodas are also not included in your cruise price.  You can purchase a soda card for $34,  but I do not recommend this:  have you ever tried to drink $34 worth of soda out of a small glass with ice one at a time?  I think you get my point. Gratuities are not included in the purchase price of the cruise however, each passenger is charged at the end of the cruise, $10 per day per person so for two people you pay an additional $140 for gratuities.  You can also tip more if you like to your purser or anyone else who has done a good job for you but it is definitely not expected. Remember this crew works on American wages, it’s a all american crew.

One of the first things people do these days when thinking about Hawaii Cruises is to reach out to the Internet and start doing some searching.  Quickly users will find Cruise critic and other travel forum websites were users post their comments both good and bad.  Well thought-out honest comments are welcome however, what I object to is the over dramatization of negative experiences;  histrionic overblown claims people are making that go way beyond the realm of truth. 

Whenever you put 3000 people on the boat you’re bound to have somebody that is upset, or unhappy, or sick, or for whatever reason not getting their needs met.  This is human nature. I think one of the reasons people end up complaining about cruises in general is simply the lack of education about the destination they are going to.   Many of these same complainers are people who book online and never talk to a human being and thus don’t even know what to expect when they get on the ship. 

Take the comments that you read  with a grain of salt and use your good judgment by getting all of the facts before making a decision on a Hawaii Cruise and don’t rely on forums or negative consumer rants be your soul arbitrator of the truth.  I have been booking Hawaii cruises since they started here in Hawaii and I can count on one hand how many problems that I’ve had,  all of which were resolved amicably.   I’ve had nothing but great comments for my customers about taking the Hawaii cruises.  Customers love the NCL  freestyle concept when coming to Hawaii because it blends in with the laid back  lifestyle we have here.

The Internet is a great source but use it wisely and make sure before you do anything you talk to a professional preferably in Hawaii.

I talk to a lot of customers and read the negative reviews about the Hawaii cruises and I just simply can’t understand it.  The only explanation can be is that customers are not being prepared by their travel agents (or they are booking directly online without human help) for what to expect when taking a Hawaii Cruise.  If you ever want a see some positive reviews feel free to contact me http://www.hawaii-aloha.com and I will show them to you.  I have been booking Hawaii cruises since they started here in Hawaii and I have yet to have a single negative review such as what you see online. Sure there’s been a glitch here or there but that’s why you need a travel agent who can smooth those kinds of issues out and make sure your needs are met. I read a lot of reviews that are not so good about Hawaii cruises and my guess is that people are just not being prepared properly by their travel agents about what to expect and what not to expect when traveling to Hawaii and doing a cruise.  That’s why it’s best not to believe what you read on cruise critic or trip advisor about Hawaii.  Most of these people if they are talking to a travel agent that is on the mainland  have no idea of what’s going on here in Hawaii and it’s very easy for them to say there are problems with Hawaii cruises and point them to one of those sites as their "evidance".

Here’s an example of what I’m talking about, simple things like this that customers are not being told.  About tipping; on the Hawaii cruise ships,  NCL  has a policy in which they charge a service fee which covers gratuities.  The cost is $10 per day per person however, this gets added to your bill at the end of the cruise.  Keep in mind these ships have American crews, so I always say tip extra, especially to your purser. Very often travel agents will fail to tell you this however, we always tell our customers about this before before the cruise because they add this at the end when you get your bill.  There should be no surprises and agents  should always tell you what’’s included and what’s not included. Four example, alcohol and soda are not included in the cruise however you can get juice, coffee and water.  Also there are specialty restaurants on the ship and  carry a small service charge but, if you don’t make reservations as soon as you get on board you may never be able to actually get to experience one of these great restaurants on the ship, so make sure that’s the first thing you do.

NCL has some new plans for the Pride of Aloha as it get ready to take over for the Wind which is retiring in Aug. 2007.  These new 10 and 11 day inter island sails have a lot to offer and Yaling and Bruce go over the routes. They also comment on packages submitted by HAT users.

New Longer Itinerary For Pride Of Aloha

NCL has announced that beginning September 2007 it will move The Pride of Aloha to 10 and 11 day cruises from Honolulu. The ship will sail interisland itineraries as well as Hawaii cruises that call into Fanning Island Kiribati NCL’s Pacific island hideaway just north of the equator.

The Pride of Aloha new Hawaii only cruise will feature an overnight in Honolulu: an overnight Kauai: three days in Maui including an overnight in Kahului with a call into Lahaina: and calls in to Hilo and Kona on the Big Island of Hawaii. Highlights also include a nighttime sail by Kilauea volcano in a day and see cruising by then up the Na Pali Coast Line and then cruising the north coast of Molokai.

The 11 day Hawaii only cruises feature the same ports of call as the 10 day but include two days at sea with guests enjoying a sale by the Nipali coastline, a nighttime sail by Kilauea volcano and sailing the north coast of Molokai and the north coast of Oahu.

The 11 day Hawaii fanning Island itineraries include an overnight and Kauai featuring a sale by the Nipali coastline at sunset: calls in to Hilo and Kona on the big Island of Hawaii a call in to Kahului, Maui and a call into Fanning Island.

Your clients can have more chances for fun in the sun starting in 2007 with NCL’s new itineraries to Hawai‘i. The  Pride of Aloha will be sailing her new 10- and 11-day Hawai‘i inter-island cruises, beginning September 2007, giving your clients even more time in paradise.

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Beginning September 9, 2007, Pride of Aloha will begin sailing new 10- and 11-day INTER-ISLAND cruises - giving your clients nearly 140 hours in Hawai‘i!
10-Day Inter-Island Itinerary					11-Day Inter-Island Itinerary
Day	Port	Arrive	Depart		Day	Port	Arrive	Depart
Wed	Honolulu, O’ahu		Overnight		Sat	Honolulu, O’ahu		Overnight
Thu	Honolulu, O’ahu	-	6:00pm		Sun	Honolulu, O’ahu	-	6:00pm
Fri	Kahului, Maui	8:00am	Overnight		Mon	Hilo, Hawai‘i Nighttime viewing of Kilauea Volcano	8:00am	6:00pm
Sat	Kahului, Maui	-	9:30pm		Tue	Lahaina, Maui	8:00am	6:00pm
Sun	Hilo, Hawai‘i	8:00am	6:00pm		Wed	Cruising the south coast of Molokai	-	-
Mon	Nawiliwili, Kaua‘i	8:00am	Overnight		Thu	Kona, Hawai‘i	8:00am	6:00pm
Tue	Nawiliwili, Kaua‘i Late afternoon cruising of the Napali Coast	-	2:00pm		Fri	Kahului, Maui	8:00am	Overnight
Wed	Cruising the south coast of Molokai	-	-		Sat	Kahului, Maui	-	9:30pm
Thu	Lahaina, Maui Nighttime viewing of Kilauea Volcano	8:00am	2:00pm		Sun	Crusing north coast of O‘ahu & Napali coast	-	-
Fri	Kona, Hawai‘i	8:00am	6:00pm		Mon	Nawiliwili, Kaua‘i	8:00am	Overnight
Sat	Honolulu, O’ahu	7:00am			Tue	Nawiliwili, Kaua‘i	-	6:00pm
					Wed	Honolulu, O’ahu	7:00am

2007 Sailings	2008 Sailings		2007 Sailings	2008 Sailings
SEP 9	JAN 2, 23		SEP 29	FEB 2
OCT 10, 31	FEB 13		NOV 10	MAR 15
NOV 21	MAR 5, 26		DEC 22
DEC 12	APR 16

Now with an overnight in Kaua‘i!
11-Day Fanning Island Itinerary					10-Day Special (1 time only) Inter-Island Itinerary
Day	Port	Arrive	Depart		Day	Port	Arrive	Depart
Sat	Honolulu, O’ahu		8:00pm		Sun	Honolulu, O’ahu		8:00pm
Sun	Hilo, Hawai‘i	8:00am	6:00pm		Mon	Nawiliwili, Kaua‘i	8:00am	Overnight
Mon	At Sea	-	-		Tue	Nawiliwili, Kaua‘i	-	1:00pm
Tue	At Sea	-	-		Wed	Cruising the north coast of Molokai	-	-
Wed	Fanning Island	8:00am	4:00pm		Thu	Hilo, Hawai‘i	8:00am	6:00pm
Thu	At Sea	-	-		Fri	Kahului, Maui	8:00am	Overnight
Fri	At Sea	-	-		Sat	Kahului, Maui	-	9:30pm
Sat	Kahului, Maui	8:00am	9:30pm		Sun	Morning cruising off Lanai & Kahoolawe	-	-
Sun	Kona, Hawai‘i	8:00am	6:00pm		Mon	Kona, Hawai‘i	8:00am	6:00pm
Mon	Nawiliwili, Kaua‘i	8:00am	Overnight		Tue	Lahaina, Maui	8:00am	6:00pm
Tue	Lahaina, Maui Nighttime viewing of Kilauea Volcano	-	1:00pm		Wed	Honolulu, O’ahu	7:00am
Wed	Honolulu, O’ahu	7:00am