Hawaii Airfare Wars
Usually every year the first couple of weeks brings a belated Christmas present in the way of airfare wars to Hawaii. While we’ve seen a few specials, the typical lower prices on airfare to Hawaii have been few and far between. United Airlines typically has the most airlift to Hawaii than any other major carrier. This year we have not seen them drop at all in their prices which is affecting the marketplace. The Continental /United merge has not made anything any better with regard to pricing because there is less competition and forced a lot of the flights that used to go to Houston and Dallas to the Chicago & San Francisco hubs instead. This is a way for United/Continental to consolidate flights and also fill planes between Chicago and San Francisco. This is not been good for the consumer traveling to Hawaii.
Hawaii Airlines Update
Hawaiian Airlines recently announced some sale fares through January 31 and they announced this week that they are forming a reciprocal code share agreement with JetBlue which means that the airlines will be selling each others flights. Customers will also be able to earn frequent flyer miles between the airlines as well.
Superferry returns to Hawaii
Remember the Hawaii superferry? The now defunct ferry service which would have provided commuter services between the islands has long since left Hawaii. Ironically the ferries were sold to the Navy and it looks like they may be headed back to Hawaii retooled as military vessels and stationed here in the islands. Unfortunately they won’t be using the ferry for commuter trips between the islands but instead to shuttle equipment around the world.
Disney to end cruises to Hawaii in 2013
It looks like the Disney may not be bringing their cruise ships to Hawaii in 2013. In looking at the latest schedule we see that Hawaii has been omitted. This may be something that’s temporary however sources say that they have decided to pull the cruise ship pending the evaluation of the route. There’s been a lot of increased competition in the Hawaii cruise market so it may just mean that there is no room left for another ship to travel to the islands.
Hawaii Vacation tips for families
Today we answer a question from Monica who wants to know the best island travel to with a couple of kids 11 and 13. While all the islands have lots of activities for children I recommended that they come to the island of Oahu where Waikiki is located. In general, it has the most variety of activities and if you’re staying in Waikiki there’s plenty to keep kids busy all of the time.
Since 2006 Bruce has been writing and producing the Hawaii Vacation Connection Podcast and the Hawaii Vacation Blog which create daily content about Hawaii Travel and Tourism. His postings reflect the Hawaiian Islands, their culture and their lifestyle as accurately and thoroughly as possible. The tone is anecdotal, breezy, and devoid of any commercialism.
Gambling in Hawaii Today we talk about a new survey which was released in Hawaii which found that 76% of local people questioned said they would visit an entertainment center with a casino in Waikiki. This comes as a bit of a surprise because traditionally gambling has not gotten much support in Hawaii. Today we talk about the reasons why this comes up every year and discuss the possibility of casino
gambling coming to Hawaii. Keep your distance from sea mammals in Hawaiian waters
We’ve been seeing very disturbing images over the last couple months of people taking pictures with sea turtles and monk seals underwater. While this may seem like an innocent activity, it’s wrong and completely illegal. Today we got a question from Donna wanted to know how much distance you should keep when viewing sea turtles or monk seals either on land or at sea. Interfering with these very delicate mammals constitute a federal violation. You are not to disturb them or their natural behavior patterns. The rule of thumb is that you should keep at least 150 feet from many marine mammals such as monk seals or sea turtles. You should also be especially concerned if you see any of these creatures in shallow waters because it could mean that they are sick,
Disney Aulani Update
Mike wants to know what I think of the Disney Aulani resort now that it’s been open for a while. Some of you may know that we stayed at the property during its soft open back in September of last year and thought that they needed to work out several problems. I’m not backing off my initial review of the property however, for families with children I think they have worked out a lot of the issues and the pricing has stabilized. We have a couple of specials now with the property which I think are a good value because they bundle in the Paradise Cove luau and a few other value added activities which makes this property worth another look for families.
Since 2006 Bruce has been writing and producing the Hawaii Vacation Connection Podcast and the Hawaii Vacation Blog which create daily content about Hawaii Travel and Tourism. His postings reflect the Hawaiian Islands, their culture and their lifestyle as accurately and thoroughly as possible. The tone is anecdotal, breezy, and devoid of any commercialism.
Using a Travel Agent It’s that time of year again when Hawaii vacation planning is in full swing. Today I share the top 10 reasons for booking a Hawaii vacation with a local based company like ours. There really are a lot of advantages. Obviously, the most important is that we’re actually in Hawaii. This goes a long way in helping you get the most out of your Hawaii vacation because we can share with you our personal experiences and give you honest feedback. Most of the customers I talk to tell me they book with our company because of that very reason. Our local knowledge combined with our excellent customer service not only gives you the most bang for your buck a gives you peace of mind as well. I hope this podcast this is not too much like a commercial but I think it’s important to outline some of the reasons why you really should get assistance when booking your Hawaii vacation.
Deals and Specials
We got some great deals right now which we share on today’s show. If specials from the West Coast were quick getaways to Hawaii as well as a great deal on the Disney Aulani resort which includes a luau, Dolphins cruise in a gourmet burger picnic. We’re always finding new specials and you can catch them on our website here.
We also take some time today to thank new customers who have recently book with us and we share they are itineraries. This gives you a great idea of what things are costing right now for a vacation to Hawaii.
Don’t forget to follow us on twitter Facebook and Google+. If you have a question you’d like us to address on the show please feel free to drop me a line at bruce@hawaii-aloha.com
Since 2006 Bruce has been writing and producing the Hawaii Vacation Connection Podcast and the Hawaii Vacation Blog which create daily content about Hawaii Travel and Tourism. His postings reflect the Hawaiian Islands, their culture and their lifestyle as accurately and thoroughly as possible. The tone is anecdotal, breezy, and devoid of any commercialism.
If you’re thinking about coming to Hawaii now is a really great time to start planning. Very often I recommend people do advance bookings because you can lock in a good package price and with our flexible terms we can keep an eye on the price; if it goes down we adjust your package price accordingly. This is great if you’re on a budget and want to get your trip paid off in smaller chunks. We’re also seeing some great getaway deals for the winter from the West Coast. For example, you could spend three nights on Oahu for only $589 per person and that includes round-trip air, accommodations, hotel taxes, and a free rental car on five night packages!!
Facebook questions answerd
Rod wanted to know where the best snorkeling beaches are on Kauai. One of my favorite spots is Ha’ena Beach Park on the north side of the island. You’ll find perfect conditions for snorkeling where you can see beautiful reefs and Hawaiian fishes. Another popular location is on the south side of the island in Poipu at Poipu Beach Park. Water is clear and you can see a lot of beautiful coral and plant life.
Terri one of our Facebook friends want to know where a good place to stay is on Maui. While it’s difficult to make suggestions without knowing all of her needs, most people stay on either the West side of the island in the Kaanapali area or the south side in the Wailea/Keihi of Maui. Both of these areas have pros and cons and we discuss those in today’s podcast.
Krista wanted to know if she should use a company like ours for airfare only if she’s traveling to Hawaii. She’s staying with friends and doesn’t need any hotel accommodations. You should always check with us to see if we have competitive rates, sometimes we can combine a car or a throwaway night in the hotel and still be cheaper than what you find in published air fare, so it always makes sense to check and see if we can be competitive. We work with a lot of suppliers and sometimes can grab air fares through our GDS system faster than consumers on the Internet.
Since 2006 Bruce has been writing and producing the Hawaii Vacation Connection Podcast and the Hawaii Vacation Blog which create daily content about Hawaii Travel and Tourism. His postings reflect the Hawaiian Islands, their culture and their lifestyle as accurately and thoroughly as possible. The tone is anecdotal, breezy, and devoid of any commercialism.
Hawaii Airfare Wars
Published by Bruce Fisher
It’s that time of year again when Hawaii vacation planning is in full swing. Today I share the top 10 reasons for booking a Hawaii vacation with a local based company like ours. There really are a lot of advantages. Obviously, the most important is that we’re actually in Hawaii. This goes a long way in helping you get the most out of your Hawaii vacation because we can share with you our personal experiences and give you honest feedback. Most of the customers I talk to tell me they book with our company because of that very reason. Our local knowledge combined with our excellent customer service not only gives you the most bang for your buck a gives you peace of mind as well. I hope this podcast this is not too much like a commercial but I think it’s important to outline some of the reasons why you really should get assistance when booking your Hawaii vacation.
Start Planning you Hawaii Vacation!
