Land Package vs Cruise Ship to visit the Islands
 

Anyone have a suggested tour company or cruise line for visiting Hawaii for the first time with a friend. We are open for a trustworthy land package or cruise package. Wanting to get the most value for our buck. Looking at 10 days and flying from Ohio..

I've been to Hawaii a few times (once to Maui and six times to Oahu). Usually for 7-10 days each time. But I have never used a cruise or a package or a travel agent... very easily just planned my own trips. I book flights and a hotel on my own. I don't rent a car. To me that is going to give better value and be cheaper overall than any packaged vacation I've seen.
Happy planning!
aloha, suze in seattle

I have been to Hawaii maybe 10 times and always plan my own trips. Easy to do. You might want to look at Costco for packages if you are a member as they often have well priced packages tours.

Norwegian Cruise Line has a 7 day cruise around the islands on the Norwegian Pride of America. See if it fits you. Last year a friend of mine took his family on it and they had a great time. I wad mildly surprised at that since he and his wife had lived there for a couple of years.

I think that it is easy enough to tour on your own. For 10 days I think you could do all 4 islands, but perhaps doing just 3 would be better. 4 days Oahu and 3 each at two of the others. That would give you an incentive to come back to visit the other one !

Norwegian Cruise Line has a 7 day cruise around the islands on the Norwegian Pride of America. See if it fits you. Last year a friend of mine took his family on it and they had a great time. I wad mildly surprised at that since he and his wife had lived there for a couple of years.

I think that it is easy enough to tour on your own. For 10 days I think you could do all 4 islands, but perhaps doing just 3 would be better. 4 days Oahu and 3 each at two of the others. That would give you an incentive to come back to visit the other one !

​​​​​​​Surely this is a joke….

Even three islands is a stretch. One day flying in from Ohio, one day flying home leaves 8 days free on the ground -- barely long enough for two islands. (Unless one is on a cruise ship and more interested in cruising than in exploring the islands)

If you want to see more than one or two islands (in 10 days) stick with the cruise idea.

If you want to plan your own land visit instead, pick two islands. See if you can fly into the first one and home from the second one.

Sorry but 4 islands DIY in 10 days is crazy talk :-) certainly possible but it would look like The Amazing Race plus cost a lot more money for all the interisland flights, car rentals, etc.

Totally agree with Suze
 

just writing to completely agree with Suze. I just flew in from Oahu (Waikiki). It's my 4th visit to Oahu and I have been to Maui 4 times, 2 times to the Big Island, and 1 time to Kauai. I would not do island hopping to more than 2 islands.