United Announces Nonstop Flights from Washington DC
Just when I was thinking there was no relief in sight from all of the high airfares this year, United airlines announced this week that they are beginning nonstop service from Washington DC to Honolulu in June. Ironically, this is the same month that Hawaiian Airlines is beginning air nonstop service from JFK. This is great news for our friends on the East Coast who have been struggling to find decent airfares this year. Increased competition is always good and having more airlift from that region will be a big boost to the Hawaii tourism market.
Second "Iron Chef" to open restaurant on Oahu Iron chef Hiroyuki Sakai whose most famous for his appearance on the food network is opening a restaurant in Waikiki. This will be the first restaurant for Sakai outside of Japan and will specialize in French cuisine. It will be located in the heart of Waikiki on Kalakaua Avenue in a 3500 ft.² space on the ground floor of the Galleria which is currently the home of a Starbucks.
North Shore waves HUGE!
If you’re planning on visiting the islands in the next week you may want to check out the North Shore of Oahu which which is having some of the highest ways of the season. The waves were so large this week that they canceled one of the most popular surfing competitions because of the treacherous waves. Some of the waves were reported to be 35 feet. If you’re planning on visiting the North Shore to see the waves make sure you get there early because the traffic can get very congested.
Whale watching on Kauai
We got a question this week from Martha who wanted to know if we had any suggestions for whale watching on Kauai. While the most popular islands for whale watching are Maui and Oahu, Kauai has spectacular whale watching as well. We recommend checking out the blue dolphin catamaran evening cruise. They do a great job in the crew is very knowledgeable on the Eco-system as well as where the best places to see the whale pods are in the Na Pali coast area. And to top it off the food is excellent with a complete luau style dinner give us a call at 1-800-843-8771 in any of our agents can hook you up on this great adventure.
Since 2006 Bruce has been writing and producing Hawaii Vacation Connection Podcast and the Hawaii Vacation Blog and the 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
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 Hawaii Vacation Connection Podcast and the Hawaii Vacation Blog and the 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 Hawaii Vacation Connection Podcast and the Hawaii Vacation Blog and the 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 Hawaii Vacation Connection Podcast and the Hawaii Vacation Blog and the 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.
Today we check in with comedian/entrepeanuer Lanai Tabura who shares with us his early days living and growing up on the small island of Lanai and how his career has evolved. Over the last few years he’s produced his own wine label called Look me in the Eye and created a fun iPhone app called Pidgin 101. If that’s not enough, he’s also is part owner of a music publishing company, appears regularly on television, radio, and performs his comedy act nationwide. He is full of Aloha which is translated into everything he does.
He’s also passionate about travel. He began hosting trips during his radio days as a disc jockey taking people to Vegas; people loved the trips so much he started doing them on a regular basis. He now travels all over the world with groups several times a year to destinations like the Philippines and Thailand. Today we have the opportunity to discuss Lana’s Travel Club where he puts package deals and special itineraries . Coming up in Feb. he is hosting a wine tour to California and in February a trip to the Philippines.
Since 2006 Bruce has been writing and producing Hawaii Vacation Connection Podcast and the Hawaii Vacation Blog and the 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.
Hawaiian Air to Fly to Big Apple
Hawaiian airlines announced this week that they’ll be beginning nonstop service from Honolulu to JFK Airport beginning in June. This is truly a game changer because there are no direct flights currently from New York. The airline first had plans to start this route several years ago but because of 911 those plans were canceled. When the route was announced on Wednesday they offered a special $245 one-way fare which sold out in a matter of a few hours. Be looking for more specials from Hawaiian next year on this new route to the Big Apple.
Woody!
Today we had a special visit from Woody from Toy story. Well not really, however, we did have some fun showing you this interactive toy. It’s a great gift for people who are lovers of all things Hawaii and it has over 40 different sayings and a few fun Hawaiian songs. Looking for something to give a person who has everything this just might be the perfect gift.
Availability for XMAS
It’s Christmas so many folks were still reaching out to us to book trips to Hawaii at the last minute. Unfortunately Christmas time is one of the most busiest times of the season here in Hawaii. Chances are it won’t be anything affordable and we can find will be very expensive. I encourage you to think about booking way in advance for Christmas because hotels sell out months in advance.
Special special specials
if you haven’t already signed up for our newsletter you really should. We offer many specials and deals that we find with huge savings that we can pass on to you. You can subscribe by going to our website at www.hawaii-aloha.com. This month we featured specials from Starwood hotels which is offering an amazing deal on the Big Island for the Sheraton Keauhou resort and spa starting at $377 per person.
Since 2006 Bruce has been writing and producing Hawaii Vacation Connection Podcast and the Hawaii Vacation Blog and the 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.
Written by Bruce Fisher
Hawaii Airfare Wars
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!
Woody!
