Tuesday, April 2, 2024

Hawaii cruise guide: Best itineraries, planning tips and things to do

cruise from west coast to hawaii

You can plop down in the sand on beautifully manicured strands of white sand or find more rugged volcanic black sand beaches. Look for beach parks with sheltered swimming areas for families or find a secluded beach away from popular tourist areas. Some beaches can have strong currents or rough seas during certain times of the year, so always exercise caution when swimming. You can sail to Hawaii year-round, but the itinerary options vary based on the month you choose. Norwegian Cruise Line is the only major cruise line to offer year-round, weeklong cruises. You can experience all the beaches, water sports, lush scenic areas and Polynesian culture without having to settle for just one island — or deal with the hassle of flying between them.

What to bring on a Hawaii cruise

Featuring more than 75 desirable cruise options to Hawaii, Mexico and the California Coast from three convenient ports—Los Angeles, San Francisco and Seattle—West Coast voyages are now open for sale. Learn about the latest ships and destinations by browsing hundreds of questions (and the answers to those questions) posted by real cruisers. If you happen not to find what you’re looking for, you can even post a question of your own. We know the destinations you'll be visiting and what there is to see, do and experience.

NEW! Hawaii and French Polynesia Cruises

They'd better also love sea days because crossing the Pacific from San Diego or Vancouver to Honolulu and back requires 10 days. Seabourn, Silversea and Oceania offer upscale accommodations, fine dining and multiple fare inclusions for travelers looking to journey in style across the Pacific Ocean, stopping in Hawaii along the way. Seabourn and Silversea feature smaller ships, more fare inclusions and higher prices than Oceania. It also visits Maui and the island of Hawaii, as well as the smaller islands of Lanai and Molokai. Expect lots of water sports and nature-based outings, and daily plans that can change due to the weather or a whale sighting.

cruise from west coast to hawaii

Hawaii Cruise Travel Articles

Despite being the smallest of the four main islands, Kauai is home to the "Grand Canyon of the Pacific" Waimea Canyon,the lush Fern Grotto framed by Wailua River, and so much more. The stunning Na Pali Coast has served as the backdrop for Hollywood blockbusters, such as Jurassic Park and King Kong. With endless emerald landscapes, Kauai truly lives up to its nickname of "The Garden Island".

The 8 best Hawaii cruises in 2024 and 2025 - The Points Guy

The 8 best Hawaii cruises in 2024 and 2025.

Posted: Fri, 09 Feb 2024 08:00:00 GMT [source]

The Aloha Spirit Onboard

Here's a look at the eight best Hawaii cruises for every type of traveler. Lahaina is a major tourist destination for its restaurants, shops and boat tours, but ships must anchor and transport passengers to shore via tender boats. Maui also has two cruise ports, but they serve the same area and attractions. The difference is that Kahului is in an industrial area near the airport.

Once the favorite playground of Hawaiian royalty, great warrior King Kamehameha chose to make Maui's Lahaina his capital after uniting the Hawaiian islands. Explore breathtaking Haleakala National Park that boasts diverse volcanic and rainforest landscapes, plus a 10,000 foot tall dormant volcano. Or sail out onto the scenic waters off Maui’s sun-kissed shores and witness in awe as humpback whales frolic about.

Because most cruise ships are flagged in another country, they cannot offer interisland cruises. The rest must sail long cruises at least one-way, if not round trip, from the west coast of North America. Because it occurs close to the spring equinox, it will be a great opportunity to explore Alaska during peak northern lights viewing season. An eclipsed sun as low as 8 degrees above the eastern horizon will be seen from locations such as Utqiagvik (Barrow), Sagavanirktok (Prudhoe Bay), Kotzebue and Nome. Whether you’re exploring the islands or on board a Princess ship, there are countless ways to experience the best of Hawaii and relax and rejuvenate.

Night Allure Of Aloha HolidayDetails

In port like Honolulu, so you can also experience some of the fabulous nightlife. All are one-way cruises just before or after the Alaska cruise season (so late April or early October) between Oahu and Vancouver (or vice versa). The ships call on two Hawaiian islands and spend four or five days in a row at sea. Passports are required since these itineraries begin or end in Vancouver. Travelers with more time on their hands can also visit Hawaii as part of longer Pacific island cruises with Holland America. Koningsdam will sail a 35-night Hawaii, Tahiti & Marquesas itinerary in 2025 that combines visits to four Hawaiian islands with calls on five islands in French Polynesia and Fanning Island, Kiribati (and 20 sea days).

cruise from west coast to hawaii

Most travelers stick to one, possibly two islands, during a Hawaii vacation. If you want to sample the highlights of several islands, from Volcanoes National Park near Hilo, Hawaii, to Kauai's Waimea Canyon and Napali Coast, it's much simpler to do that from a cruise ship. • Holland America Line‘s current schedule takes passengers to four of the eight main Hawaiian Islands. The cruise line offers 15-day and 14-day “circle Hawaii” itineraries on the ms Zaandam. The 15-day cruise will make stops in Hilo and Kailua-Kona on the Big Island of Hawaii; Lahaina, Maui; Lihue, Kauai and Honolulu, Oahu.

Please view our advertising policy and product review methodology for more information. Once you've decided how you want to cruise Hawaii, you can seek out the best cruise fares so you're ready to say "Aloha!" to an incredible vacation when the right deal pops up. In addition, you get a convenient home base to leave your stuff, enjoy evening entertainment without a drive and linger over dinner without worrying how much the bill will come to.

For any cruises listed, Cruise Critic does not guarantee any specific rates or prices. Viking Neptune will also do 32-night Grand Hawaii and Polynesia sailings round-trip from Los Angeles in late 2024 and early 2025 that visit four islands in Hawaii and four in French Polynesia. For a guaranteed adults-only sailing in a relaxed, boutique-style setting, upscale cruise line Viking also offers round-trip Hawaii cruises from Los Angeles in late 2024 and early 2025 on its 930-passenger Viking Neptune.

• Princess Cruises’ Sapphire Princess and Golden Princess offer 14-day cruises to Hawaii, roundtrip from Los Angeles, Calif. Prices start at $1,199 for an interior stateroom on the Golden Princess and $1,995 aboard the Sapphire Princess. Both ships stop at Hilo on the Big Island of Hawaii; Lahaina, Maui; Lihue, Kauai and Honolulu, Oahu. For many people, this remote and short eclipse might not be worth the effort. After all, a brief totality during this very remote eclipse will be visible only from inside a narrow path in the North Pacific Ocean, making a cruise ship from Hawaii the most likely way to experience it. Princess Cruises, Los Angeles’ hometown cruise line, is further cementing its West Coast heritage with its newly released fall 2024 through spring 2025 West Coast cruise season.

And there’s so much to do while you’re at sea, like enjoying live entertainment, world-class cuisine, island-inspired activities and endless ocean views — plus it's all included in your cruise fare! Discover why the Travel Channel named us "Best Cruises to see Hawaii." And there’s so much to do while you’re at sea, like enjoying live entertainment, world-class cuisine, island-inspired activities and endless ocean views — plus it's all included in your cruise fare! For travelers who want more aloha time than the typical eight-hour port call allows, Norwegian Cruise Line has a solution.

Otherwise, Kona offers plenty of beaches, snorkeling opportunities and boat and submarine tours. The islands of Hawaii only offer a few cruise ports for ships to visit. (UnCruise Adventures is the exception, calling in a few smaller places that the big ships can't go.) All of them are top-notch, so it's hard to say which one is the best overall. If you're looking for a longer itinerary, sailing round trip from the west coast of North America, or a small-ship adventure cruise, you'll have the biggest selection of cruises between October and April. The South Island of New Zealand — including Milford Sound, Queenstown and Dunedin — will also experience totality close to sunset. With the April 8 total solar eclipse over, North America has exactly eight years, 11 months and 22 days to wait until its next one.

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