Cruising the Hawaiian Islands

Cruising the Hawaiian Islands

Cruising has become extremely popular in Hawaii. For first-time visitors, it's an excellent way to get a taste of all the Islands; and if you fall in love with one or even two islands, you know how to plan your next trip. It's also a comparatively inexpensive way to see Hawaii. The limited amount of time in each port can be an argument against cruising—there's enough to do on any island to keep you busy for a week, so some folks feel shortchanged by cruise itineraries.

Cruising to Hawaii

Until 2001 it was illegal for any cruise ships to stop in Hawaii unless they originated from a foreign port, or were including a foreign port in their itinerary. The law has changed, but most cruises still include a stop in the Fanning Islands, Ensenada, Mexico, or Vancouver, British Columbia, in Canada. Gambling is legal on the open seas, and your winnings are tax-free; most cruise ships offer designated smoking areas and now enforce the U.S. legal drinking age (21) on Hawaii itineraries.

Carnival Cruises. They call them "fun ships" for a reason—Carnival is all about keeping you busy and showing you a good time, both on board and on shore. Great for families, Carnival always plans plenty of kid-friendly activities, and their children's program rates high with the little critics. Carnival offers itineraries starting in Ensenada, Vancouver, and Honolulu. Their ships stop on Maui (Kahului and Lahaina), the Big Island (Kailua-Kona and Hilo), Oahu, and Kauai. 888/227-6482. www.carnival.com.

Celebrity Cruises. Celebrity's focus is on service, and it shows. From their waitstaff to their activity directors and their fantastic Hawaiian cultural experts, every aspect of your trip has been well thought out. They cater more to adults than children, so this may not be the best line for families. Celebrity's Hawaii cruises depart from San Diego and stop in Maui (Lahaina), Oahu, the Big Island (Hilo and Kailua-Kona), and Kauai. 800/647-2251. www.celebrity.com.

Holland America. The grande dame of cruise lines, Holland America has a reputation for service and elegance. Holland America's Hawaii cruises leave and return to San Diego, California, and Seattle, Washington, with either a brief stop at Ensenada or British Columbia. In Hawaii, the ship ties up at port in Maui (Lahaina), the Big Island (Kailua-Kona and Hilo), Oahu, and for half a day on Kauai. Holland America also offers longer itineraries (30-plus days) that include Hawaii, Tahiti, and the Marquesas. 877/724-5425. www.hollandamerica.com.

Norwegian Cruise Lines. Norwegian has traditionally been one of the more casual cruise lines and offers a variety of service, activity, and excursion options; the company calls this freestyle cruising. The Pride of America embarks and disembarks in Honolulu and stops on Maui (Kahului), the Big Island (Hilo and Kailua-Kona), and Kaua'i. There are dozens of sailings year-round. It's a family-friendly ship (there are no casinos) and boasts extensive on-board Hawaiian culture programs. 800/327-7030. www.ncl.com.

Princess Cruises. Princess strives to offer affordable luxury. Their prices start out a little higher, but you get more bells and whistles (more affordable balcony rooms, nice decor, more restaurants to choose from, personalized service). They're not fantastic for kids, but they do a great job of keeping teenagers occupied. Princess's Hawaiian cruise is 14 days, round-trip from Los Angeles, with a service call in Ensenada. The Golden Princess stops in Maui (Lahaina), the Big Island (Hilo and Kailua-Kona), Oahu, and Kauai. For the cruise goer looking for the epic voyage, Princess Cruises offers a Sydney, Australia, to Los Angeles route, which includes stops in Hawaii and Tahiti. 800/774-6237. www.princess.com.

Royal Caribbean. Royal Caribbean offers two itineraries onboard Rhapsody of the Seas: a 10-night cruise that originates in Honolulu and disembarks in Vancouver; and a 12-night cruise that starts in Vancouver and ends in Honolulu. Both stop in Maui (Lahaina), Kauai, and the Big Island (both Hilo and Kailua-Kona). In keeping with its reputation for being all things to all people, Royal Caribbean offers a huge variety of activities and services on board and more excursions on land than any other cruise line. 800/521-8611. www.royalcaribbean.com.

Tips

On all but the Pride of America cruises (operated by Norwegian Cruise Lines), you must bring a passport, as you will be entering foreign ports of call.

Think about booking your own excursions directly (except on Maui). You'll often pay less for greater value. For example, if you want to take a surfing lesson on Oahu, visit one of the beachside shacks to find excellent instructors who offer better deals to individuals than they do to the cruise lines. The downside, though, is that whereas cruise-booked tours guarantee the ship will wait for you should your tour run late, if you make your own plans and miss the "all aboard," you'll have to find your own way to the ship at the next port.

Tendering in Maui can be a tedious process—if you want to avoid a little bit of the headache (and hours waiting in the sun), be sure to book an excursion there through the ship and you'll have smooth sailing.

Most mainland cell phones will work without a hitch on board between the Islands and at all Hawaiian ports of call.