Planning A Hawaiian Holiday Itinerary

Planning your itinerary for a holiday in Hawaii shouldn’t be difficult if you already know what you want to see and do while on your cruise to Hawaii.

There are basically 3 options to choose from:

Roundtrip from Honolulu

Only the US-flagged ships, Norwegian Cruise Line’s Pride of Aloha and Pride of America, are permitted to offer intra-island cruises*. The ships offer the cruise industry’s only week-long, port-intensive option, sailing 7-night round trips from Honolulu.

*The foreign flag Jones Act requires that ships that are registered in foreign countries must call on at least one international port.

Roundtrip from the U.S., Mexico or Canada

These are round trip voyages of up to 15 nights from San Diego or Vancouver offered by Princess and Holland America, amongst other lines.

Repositioning Tours

These cruises only take place once or twice a year when the ship is moving from one cruise region to another and are usually available at a bargain price as the cruise lines are keen to fill them with fare paying passengers.

They sail between the U.S. and the Far East and /or Australia / New Zealand, calling on Oahu and Maui and sometimes the Big Island (Island of Hawaii) as well as islands in French Polynesia.

Check the cruise calendars to see when you can book to travel on these tours as they are only available for a limited time.

Activities:

If your plan is to engage in surfing, scuba diving, hiking, etc, while on your cruise to Hawaii, it is worth mentioning that some activities are particular to certain islands.

Where To Hike

i. Kauai - Waimea Canyon
ii. Kauai - Na Pali Coast (only in the summer)
iii. Big Island - Mt. Kilauea

Where To Scuba Dive

i. Big Island - West Coast

ii. Maui - Molokini
iii. Maui or Lanai - Lanai Coast

Where To Windsurf / Kite Surf (Only In The Summer)

i. Oahu - Kailua Beach
ii. Maui - Hookipa Beach Park

Where To Go For Snorkeling

i. Oahu - Haunama Bay
ii. Maui - Black Rock
iii. Kauai - Lydgate Beach & Tunnels

Where To Go For Nude Sunbathing

i. Maui - Little Beach in Makena
ii. Kauai - Secret Beach in Kilauea
iii. Big Island – Various Locations

Where To See An Active Volcano

i. Big Island

Where To See Waterfalls

i. Kauai
ii. Maui

Anything else you may want to do, can be done on just about any of the 6 Hawaiian islands.

How To Choose A Cruise To Hawaii

Your 3 main concerns when choosing a cruise for Hawaii are: when to travel, what to see and do while there and how a big a ship to travel on.

Most people view Hawaii as a place to get away to when escaping the winter on the mainland. But the decision regarding when to travel to Hawaii should mainly be based on what you want to see and do while you’re there. This is because while the weather in Hawaii is consistently good most of the year, each season offers a different experience in terms of activities and events. So try and take this into account when choosing a cruise for Hawaii.

The size of the ship will obviously come into play when choosing a cruise to take.

A small ship is recommended for those people that prefer a casual, crowd-free cruise experience that gives passengers a chance to get up close and personal with Hawaii’s natural surroundings. However, small ships offer very little in terms of amenities: the cabins tend to be small, only one dining room and lounge/bar, and usually there are no exercise facilities, organized activities or entertainment. But a big plus for the smaller ships is that they can go places, such as uninhabited islands, that the larger ships can’t reach.

On the other hand, big ships offer various activities and a large number of public rooms (including fully equipped gyms and fancy casinos) while providing a wide variety of entertainment and meal options.

You can choose from the following cruise liners:

- Pride of America
- Norwegian Star
- Norwegian Wind
- Star Princess
- Island Princess
- Tahitian Princess
- Regal Princess
- Pacific Princess
- Amsterdam
- Statendam
- Legend of the Seas
- Radiance of the Seas
- Paul Gauguin
- Infinity
- Carnival Spirit
- Wind Star

Once you have decided on these 3 things, you can begin shopping for a cruise. If shopping online, use a website that deals exclusively with cruises and features Hawaii cruise sellers.

Make sure to read the fine print of any quote you get – not doing so can find you stuck with a cabin no one wants right next to the droning engines of the cruise liner. Booking early as well as taking advantage of mid-week or off season promos can get you preferential rates. You might even strike it lucky and get a very good price on a luxury cruise.