Hawaii Cruise Information and Costs

Most of the large-ship cruise lines now operate the Hawaii route, some year round, some only in the spring and fall as their ships reposition to and from Alaska. The different lines differ widely in quality and theme.

Here are 2 of the most popular ones:

Pride of America

If you’re looking for a cruise line that cruises Hawaii only, embarking and debarking in a Hawaiian port of call, the Norwegian Cruise Line America (NCLA)’s U.S flagged ship, Pride of America, offers fabulous new inter-island itineraries in Hawaii all year long, with shorter days at sea and longer days in port.

NCL has a fourth vessel in Hawaii (Norwegian Wind), offering 10 and 11 day sailings including Fanning Island in the Republic of Kiribati to satisfy the Jones Act (since it is not a U.S flagged ship).

It is the least expensive choice of all the liners that cover the Hawaii route. Their main attraction is a unique cruising experience called “Freestyle Cruising”, which allows for dining when and where you want, no set dress codes and a leisurely disembarkation program among other benefits.

Holland America

An upscale line, with a typical average passenger age of 55 – 85 and departs from San Diego or Seattle before circling the famed islands in 15 or 17 days.

Also offers a 30-day Hawaii South Pacific Explorer cruise, which calls on the exotic islands of Bora Bora, Moorea and Nuka Hiva.

Expect 5-star gourmet dining and an extremely professional staff – almost like being in a 5 star hotel.

The cost of a cruise to Hawaii in general varies from one liner to another. However, many cruise lines tend to offer discounts for early bookings and for seniors. A group rate may also be available for those traveling with a large group of family and friends.

Prices tend to be much higher over summer and during the christmas season due to increased demand. Generally, cruises are at their cheapest November-February, except for holidays.

Typical cruise package costs are as follows:
• 7-day roundtrips from Honolulu cost about $520-$1,100 for a standard cabin; about $1,000-$1,650 for a cabin with a balcony; and about $1,600-$3,000 for a suite. Any airfare costs to Hawaii will be in addition to this.
• 10-15-night cruises departing from Ensenada, Mexico to Vancouver, BC and ports in the west mainland cost any between $900-$2,700 for a cabin; $1,500-$2,900 for a cabin with a balcony and about $1,700-$4,700 or more for a suite.
• 15-31 days may also be available at prices ranging from $1,100-$4,500 or more.
Always read the fine print to make sure there are no additional costs before committing yourself to what may seem like a great deal.
• Be sure that the price you’re quoted includes port taxes and other fees as you may end up paying more than you bargained for.
• On-shore activities are not always inclusive and you may have to pay extra for these – prices tend to vary depending on what’s involved.
• Onboard tipping may add $5-$10 daily per traveler. However, some cruise lines, such as Seabourn, Radisson Seven Seas, Silversea and Windstar, include tips in the basic price.
• Some lower-priced vessels may charge for restaurants, special shows, spa treatments or any other shipboard amenities. However, luxury ships generally include everything in the price except for port excursions and bar tabs.

Why A Cruise To Hawaii Is Better!

If you’re trying to decide whether a cruise to Hawaii is really better than an air and land expedition, there are a few reasons why a cruise is so much better – unless of course you are prone to sea sickness.

Get To See All The Islands

You can get to see the four main islands of Hawaii in a 7-10 night round trip Honolulu sailing aboard one of the cruise liners, such as Norwegian Cruise Line, staying a day or two on each island, which would be adequate time to explore the tropical forests and active volcanoes, relax on the beach and partake in all the other activities on offer before moving on to the next island.

Trying to cover the the same itinerary yourself by air and land would take you longer than 10 days and you might not even get to see much of the islands depending on how much vacation time you’ve got. Not only that, the costs of flying and staying in hotels would work out to be much more than the cruise package cost. Additionally, you would be spending your vacation days packing and unpacking as you travel from one island to another, not to mention the times you would spend waiting at the airports for each flight.

All Exclusive Vacation

A cruise to Hawaii on one of the lines will be based on a package that covers transportation, accommodations, meals and entertainment. Additionally, the cruise line can arrange airfare (if you’re coming from mainland USA), pre or post cruise land packages and shore excursions for you at a reasonable charge.

However, if you were to arrange all of the above on your own, your total costs for the whole vacation might actually come up to double the cruise package cost.

The only time an air and land expedition might even begin to make sense is if you have a lot of vacation time to spare, can afford it and all you really want to do is relax on the beach without getting caught up in all the activities that other holidaymakers engage in – but wouldn’t that be boring?