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That means passengers enjoy five or six days in Hawaii on Kauai, Oahu, Maui and the island of Hawaii. Pride of America sails round-trip from Honolulu every Saturday year-round. As a U.S.-flagged ship, it's the only large vessel permitted to sail this way.
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The competition is heating up as well-known cruise brands vie for dock space and passengers in the Hawaiian Islands. However, if you want to see the islands in the same way Polynesian seafarers and European explorers did, sea travel is the way to go. From sea level, the volcanoes that make up the islands are more massive, the sea cliffs more imposing. Whales and spinner dolphins are your traveling companions, and the journey is more than mere transportation. While fewer options for inter-island boat travel exist today than in the past, it is still possible to see Hawaii from the perspective of its settlers.
Everything you need to know about inter-island travel in Hawaii
If you want to get dropped into a really remote Hawaiian area, the only way to do so is by helicopter. Blue Hawaiian is a charter company and will take hikers and travelers to less-touristed areas and far-flung trailheads. Monica Wachman is a former editor and writer for FishersTravelSOS, EasyRez.com and Bonsai Ireland.
Night Glaciers & Volcanos: Alaska To HawaiiDetails
Its American-themed decor celebrates U.S. cities in a vibrant, and at times, kitschy way, but a 2021 refurbishment left its cabins and public spaces feeling refreshed. Another way to get around is by helicopter, though most commercial companies won't drop you off. This can be especially exciting, as helicopters allow for better access to more remote areas from a safe distance. When you choose to apply (and are approved) for a new credit card through our site, we may receive compensation from our partners, and this may impact how or where these products appear. Please view our advertising policy and product review methodology for more information.
Constructed in 1998, Safari Explorer was designed with adventure itineraries in mind (in summer the U.S.-flagged ship repositions to Alaska). Its size allows it to navigate areas larger ships can't reach, which in Hawaii means bays and coves ideal for snorkeling or watersports. Here's a look at the eight best Hawaii cruises for every type of traveler. For any cruises listed, Cruise Critic does not guarantee any specific rates or prices. On Oahu, visit Honolulu's Waikiki Beach and pay your respects at Pearl Harbor.
Night Hawaii Tahiti & MarquesasDetails
Norwegian cruise lines operate several cruise ships around the Hawaiian islands as does Royal Caribbean, Holland America and several more. Hawaii interisland cruise itineraries fall into seven to eleven day categories each offering longer stopovers in island ports for adventure and exploration. It’s also possible to choose from only a few days yet this is a fast-paced journey affording little time for discovery.
The best time to cruise to Hawaii - The Points Guy
The best time to cruise to Hawaii.
Posted: Thu, 22 Sep 2022 07:00:00 GMT [source]
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More recently many more ships offering an interislands cruise in Hawaii have pumped up their agendas by affording visitors more time ashore between island jaunts. Growing interest in cruising between the islands has led to many more exciting opportunities. In days gone by the popular journey was a Hawaii cruise, leaving from a major US port and sailing around the islands with little time to stop and enjoy the scenery. These days every combination is possible, from one and two day journeys to another island or week-long and longer cruises to all the islands. None of the islands is the same as the other, with each port offering an exclusively unique experience.
Celebrity Cruises
Usually, Mokulele and Makani Kai Air require guests to check-in later than regular flights, and the prices tend to be cheaper as well. The Pride of America, owned by NCL, is the oldie but goodie in the Hawaiian cruise industry. As the only registered United States vessel of this size, it’s been offering seven-night cruises within the Hawaiian Islands for years. Recent competition spurred a $30 million overhaul of the ship, including the addition of new suites and cabins suitable for solo travelers. Cruises depart Honolulu and visit Maui, Kauai and both the Hilo and Kona sides of the Big Island.

From finding the right destination to choosing the best departure date, we're here to help. Plus, our experienced travel consultants have access to exclusive vacation deals to make sure you get the best value for your time and money. Short of an organized cruise, there really isn’t a way for tourists to get from island to island via boat, with the exception of Maui and Lanai.
View active volcanos on Hawaii, the Big Island, seek out water sports in laidback Maui and escape from it all in Kauai. Unless you are invited by the owners, a helicopter tour is the only way you'll land on the pristine so-called Forbidden Island of Niihau. This lightly inhabited island is 70-square miles in size and can (sometimes) be seen from Kauai's Waimea Canyon. There's also Mokulele Airlines which has 120 daily flights with some unique Hawaiian destinations including Lanai and Hana. Southwest operates flights from HNL to Kauai (LIH), Maui (OGG), Hilo (ITO) and Kona (KOA). However, know that you will be going through Honolulu on those flights, so if you wanted to fly nonstop from Kona to Kauai, your best bet is probably Hawaiian Airlines for that type of route.
She has an AA degree in travel from Career Com Technical and is an avid RV buff and gardener. In 2014, she published "Mouschie and the Big White Box" about an RV trip across North America.
But while there are options, in most cases, you are probably boarding a flight before saying aloha to your next Hawaiian island destination. The passage of the Jones Act in 1917 pretty much closed the door to cruise ship competition in the Hawaiian Islands. In a move to promote American shipping interests, unless a vessel was American built, registered and staffed, it could not sail between two U.S. ports without stopping at a foreign point in-between. Another roadblock was the Passenger Vessels Services Act, dating back to 1886, which placed similar restrictions on passenger liners. But in 2012 cruise operators went to Congress and were successful in having Hawaii made an exception to both laws.
If you happen not to find what you’re looking for, you can even post a question of your own. Fans of Princess' Movies Under the Stars poolside screenings (with free popcorn) and Discovery at SEA enrichment programming will have ample time to enjoy these perks on a Hawaii sailing. The majority of sailings are aboard the 3,080-passenger Crown Princess and Ruby Princess from San Francisco, and the 2,600-passenger Grand Princess and 3,080-passenger Emerald Princess from Los Angeles. With such a small number of passengers aboard, guests get to know each other — and Safari Explorer's friendly and knowledgeable crew — quite well. Passengers come together over meals featuring locally sourced ingredients, and as all UnCruise fares include unlimited wines, spirits and microbrews, shipmates can raise a glass without worrying who's buying a round. It all lends itself to an exclusive yet utterly relaxed week of cruising.
We have a very special relationship with the people and islands of Hawaii, as we sail to the beautiful state year-round. Viking Neptune will also do 32-night Grand Hawaii and Polynesia sailings round-trip from Los Angeles in late 2024 and early 2025 that visit four islands in Hawaii and four in French Polynesia. Entertainment includes live cover bands in the Music Hall and multimedia music and dance performances in Two70.
The cruise line offers numerous round-trip itineraries to Hawaii from Los Angeles, San Francisco and San Diego in the fall and winter. The overnights on Maui and Kauai also mean it's possible to try several of Hawaii's signature experiences that most port calls don't allow. Passengers can catch dusk or dawn from atop Maui's massive 10,023-foot dormant volcano with sunrise and sunset excursions to the Haleakala Crater.
Points of interest in Maui include Haleakala, Molokini Crater and a great selection of other sites and fun endeavors. That's because the line offers only two sailings per ship each year (in spring and fall) as the ships reposition between Alaska and destinations in the Pacific. The itineraries are one-way (Vancouver to Honolulu or vice versa) with passports required. For travelers who want more aloha time than the typical eight-hour port call allows, Norwegian Cruise Line has a solution.
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