Hawaii Cruises
Includes Local & Family Favorites
Norwegian Cruise Line created a new dimension in Hawaiian travel with the introduction of the Pride of America. This new NCL cruise ship makes regular seven day circle island cruises taking visitors on a tour of the entire Hawaiian Island chain. As many first time cruisers have discovered, traveling by ship is a fabulous way to get an overview of a multi-faceted destination. Now that experience is available in America's Pacific Paradise. If you've already done the Caribbean cruises check out Hawaii as an alternative to revisiting those "been there" ports-of-call.
We like the compact nature of the new NCL service. Before the Pride Of America came online travelers interested in cruising had to take one of the repositioning cruises sailing from the west coast. The 2500 mile run made for long itineraries that many people couldn't fit into their schedules. Now visitors can fly to Honolulu and board in the islands. This opens things up to a whole new group of visitors and their busy lifestyles.
The sailing schedule is set-up to accomodate those taking the typical one week / two weekend vacation to Hawaii. Departure from Honolulu takes place on Sunday evening giving travelers plenty of time to catch a flight over from the mainland. Then the ship travels to Kauai for a day and a half stay before leaving for Hilo on the Big Island. Then after a morning to evening stay the cruise ship departs for Kona on the other side of the Big Island.
The schedule in Kona is similar to that in Hilo. Since this is the second stop on the Big Island the ship only stays in port for the day. Then in the evening it leaves for Maui where visitors will spend another day and a half before making the final crossing to Honolulu. Debarkation in Honolulu occurs early on Sunday. This gives cruisers plenty of time to catch a plane for home or, if they have the time, to explore Oahu in depth.
These cruises are arranged to maximize useable time. Sailing is done at night, and no leg is so long as to require a day at sea. In port you'll find tour alternatives ranging from visiting a live volcano to playing a round of golf. Of course, those who want to decompress can do nothing at all. Actually, doing nothing at all is a favorite island pastime, so do so to your heart's content!
If you plan to extend your trip to the islands you'll need to know where to dine and that's where we can really help out. Click the Shop link and order one of the Hawaii Restaurant Guides. They cover the entire Hawaii dining scene from budget to big bucks!
www.hawaiirestaurantguide.com
last updated on: 3/23/2010
