Cruise Hawaii

[funtime2 Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close funtime2]

Does any one have a suggestion for a good travel book to read up on cruising Hawaii?

[Kentonmag Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Kentonmag]

If you have been on holiday to Hawaii in the past and you are looking for a cruise as a different way of seeing the Islands thats ok. If you have never been to Hawaii before do yourself a favour and book a holiday in Hawaii and forget the cruise.
We went for the first time on a 2 week holiday to the Big Island in October and it was the best holiday I've ever been on. We rented a car for the 2 weeks and flew on an Island airtour, thats how you see and feel Hawaii. Jumping off a boat at 9:00 AM and running to be back on it at 5:00 PM is no way to appreciate what the Islands have to offer. You'll see a whole bunch of Jewelry shops, a market and drop into a hamburgar joint for lunch then head back to the boat. Just my thoughts.

[Carlos Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Carlos]

Follw the Advice Given by Kentonmag

Funtime,

Kentonmag's advice to you about staying on an island to get to know it is sound. Hawaii is a very, very interesting place with each of the islands having its own personality. To cruise them on a first visit is not going to really give you a sense of the island and you will miss way too much.

Hawaii is very different from many of the Carribean islands. First, there is usually much more to do and see in Hawaii. I just came back from a cruise to Jamaica and The Grand Cayman island. Jamaica is a bigger island and I had been there before, but with the poverty and limited attractions there was nothing much more to see. The Grand Cayman Island had even less to offer. I did not feel cheated by cruising to these two places because there was not as much to do other than stay on the beach and swim.

In Hawaii there is way too much to experience. On Oahu you have climbing Diamond Head, Pearl Harbor, beaches, Polynesian Cultural Center, Waikiki, surfing and much, much more. The Big Isand with the volcano alone can take up your whole day but if your port is in Kona, it would be impossible to go to if you have only 4 or 5 hours to stay on the island. Kauai has the Poipu area and the Princeville and Hanelei areas. I have not gone to Maui yet but I understand that there is also plenty to do there as well.

Thus, my suggestion is that if you can, stay at an island on your first trip. For a first trip to Hawaii I would recommend Oahu. However, if the cruise is your only option, then take the cruise but plan what you want to see as best as possible.

[funtime2 Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close funtime2]

We are cruiseing with a group and at some ports it is an overnight stay so there would be 2 days in port. Plans are to fly over a day or so early so we can see Pearl Harbor and other area attactions. It is my mom's 75th birthday and my 50th. There will be atleast 16 of us and a cruise was the easiest way to get from place to place to see some of the sights not to mention food and lodging. We cruised Alaska this fall and had a great time. Planned ahead and things seems to fall into place. We were looking at taking a few tours such as the pineapple plantation, volcano, maybe the movie set tour. I have a little over a year to put things in place.

[mdurette Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close mdurette]

Funtime:
We had our first (and only so far) visit to Hawaii in September of 2005 on a Norwegein Cruise. I can't remember the location names at this time - but we spent two days overnight at the location of the departure port. The first day we went to Pearl Harbor and strolled the Beach. The 2nd day we hired a private tour guide that took us around that particular island.

All days at port on the cruise ship we rented our own car. (they car rental companies will pick you up at the port and take you to their counter). We took the cruise line shore excursions option - made our own itenerary from it and instead of hitting just one like we would have done - we would hit 4-6 on our own. The cost was cheaper even when factoring renting a car.

I don't feel we missed much. We did our own thing, made frequent stops along the way to explore anything we wanted (even if it was a farm stand) and still saw much of the highlights of the various islands.

[funtime2 Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close funtime2]

Thanks murdette! You just confirmed what I was hoping to hear. We will be traveling in what I think would be a shoulder season. It will be between college spring break and Easter. We want to visit the highted places, but not linger long ~ only to enjoy the beauty and experience the breath taking moments! No one in the group will be on a second honeymoon so this will be a see and do vacation.

[brigechols Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close brigechols]

I believe Frommer's has a decent guide for Hawaiian cruises. We took the Norwegian cruise in 2003 (honeymoon) and 2007 (family cruise). Booked all excursions on-line rather than through the cruise ship. In 2007, Had an awful experience with the overnight in Maui. Planned to attend the Old Lahaina Luau and there was a brush fire that completely shut down the highway leading back to the cruise ship. Had to scramble to find overnight accommodations. Some cruise members spent the night in a local high school gym. Others spent the night in their rental car.

We took the circle island tour of Oahu. Spent a day shopping at the Aloha Stadium flea market. Took a helicopter tour of Kauai. Toured the volcano on the Big Island. Visited a macadamia nut farm.