Your favorite cruise line to take to Hawaii

What is your favorite cruise line to travel to Hawaii? Please explain why. My DH and I usually travel on Royal Caribbean but personally, I do not want to start or finish in British Columbia. I would rather start and stop my cruise in Hawaii. What are your thoughts?

I believe NCL is the only line that cruises "Hawaii only".

The other lines sail from the mainland to Hawaii.

I think NCL is the only Cruise Line doing 7-days that start and end in Hawaii year round, so your sail dates may determine which line you CAN take!

We took NCL's Pride of America. We didn't want 10 sea days and only 4 days in Hawaii. We felt we got the most Hawaii for our buck and we had a great time.

I have checked out NCL. They offer a nice iternary. It will be great to hear what you guys liked to see on the islands, also.

Have you read down the board? There are many reviews, tour recommendations, points of interest...tons of info.

Have you read down the board? There are many reviews, tour recommendations, points of interest...tons of info.

Good suggestion. I actually quickly posted this question this morning. I will check it out but I still hope to hear from others

I have only done NCL / POA - 2 times. We thought it was great each time. I read people's negative reviews on here and I wonder what cruise they were on? Yes, there is mostly (75%) American staff, no I didn't find them rude. Food is subjective. I find it to be acceptable. Actually, I personally think NCL's food is better than RCL and CCL. Really though, like weddings, food made on such a large scale is rarely gourmet. I've never seen anyone starve on any cruise ship! Some people just love to complain.

I read someone's review today which was complaining about noise as they were under a dining room and it disturbed them. They wanted to be compensated which I personally think is ridiculous. If they can write reviews on cruise critic they should be able to decipher their room location in relation to dining, pool deck, theaters, etc.

I just wouldn't want all those "sea days" to get to Hawaii and the overnights in Maui and Kauai give you a lot of time to see and do things and that I why I chose NCL the first time (and second) and will again next time!

To answer the OP's question: Princess!!!! Great Hawaiian cultural program, so much to do on the sea days (or you can just relax). And Hawaii to boot. Otherwise we would just fly (which I hate) to Hawaii and stay in a hotel on one island for a few days and then another island for a few days, just as we did on our honeymoon.

There are positives for the superb NCL POA itinerary and the "others". I have done both multiple times.

I greatly prefer NCL, for so much port time. I also, add another 2 weeks, 1 each on Hawaii and Maui for my traveling preferences. NCL does a great job in my opinion. Cost is way up there for a 7 day cruise, so could be less desirable.

I did 2 cruises to Hawaii last year, that were both less than NCL for twice as long. Princess does have a lot of programs and activities. But frankly- with all those sea days, you need something to occupy your time. :) If the choice was between the programs or Hawaii, I know my choice wouldn't be the cruise. :) I'm bored silly with multiple sea days. :) plenty of people like them. Key would be to know your preferences.

A land-based vacation is the best way to see all Hawaii has to offer!

If you want to start and end in Hawaii you only have the option of NCL. Everything else will be from the mainland, Tahiti or Australia.

I really, really wish another cruise line would start / stop in Hawaii. The POA was OK but there are far better ships out there.

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

I really, really wish another cruise line would start / stop in Hawaii. The POA was OK but there are far better ships out there.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

Ain't going to happen until the PVSA is repealed

To answer the OP's question: Princess!!!! Great Hawaiian cultural program' date=' so much to do on the sea days (or you can just relax). And Hawaii to boot. Otherwise we would just fly (which I hate) to Hawaii and stay in a hotel on one island for a few days and then another island for a few days, just as we did on our honeymoon.[/quote']

 

I would love that too, except for one thing: I would rather cruise out of SD than LA. That rules out Princess as an option for Hawaii as long as another line's ship does Hawaii cruises out of San Diego.

 

My mom, on the other hand, simply does not want many sea days. She wants a Hawaii-only cruise, which obviously is impossible until a better line is allowed to do what POA does.

 

Why wasn't your honeymoon a cruise?

I really, really wish another cruise line would start/stop in Hawaii. The POA was OK but there are far better ships out there.

I ruled out NCL as a possibility years ago. It looks like the opposite of my cruise personality and I certainly don't want to be on a ship with lots of kids. It sucks I can't choose the ship for Honolulu round trip cruises.

Not going to happen until the PVSA is repealed.

I don't know anyone who thinks that stupid law was a good idea. It's ridiculous. What were they thinking when it was written, that businesses don't need any of the money supplied by cruise passengers?

I ruled out NCL as a possibility years ago. It looks like the opposite of my cruise personality and I certainly don't want to be on a ship with lots of kids. It sucks I can't choose the ship for Honolulu round trip cruises.

I don't know anyone who thinks that stupid law was a good idea. It's ridiculous. What were they thinking when it was written, that businesses don't need any of the money supplied by cruise passengers?

NCL out of Honolulu is really a good choice even if you prefer other cruise lines for other itineraries. It is really superior if your goal is maximum time in Hawaii.

As far as the number of kids on board, consider the fact that every day is a port day, no sea days, and most passengers including the kids, are off the ship from early am until boarding time. There are two overnights, so it may be even later a couple days. And then there is the kids club as well. I really don't know how you would even have time to interact with any kids. We barely saw any kids on our POA cruise and it was a summer cruise.

I ruled out NCL as a possibility years ago. It looks like the opposite of my cruise personality and I certainly don't want to be on a ship with lots of kids. It sucks I can't choose the ship for Honolulu round trip cruises.

How unfortunate for you. You should do yourself and your mother a favor and actually do some research on the Pride of America and read some of the recent reviews.

We went in February 2014 and, including our kids and nephew, ages 9, 11, and 13, there was a total of about 8 kids, and few very little ones.

I would love that too, except for one thing: I would rather cruise out of SD than LA. That rules out Princess as an option for Hawaii as long as another line's ship does Hawaii cruises out of San Diego.

 

My mom, on the other hand, simply does not want many sea days. She wants a Hawaii-only cruise, which obviously is impossible until a better line is allowed to do what POA does.

 

Why wasn't your honeymoon a cruise?

Our honeymoon was our first vacation (and only one lasting more than a few days) that didn't involve a cruise. I don't know what cruise lines were doing a Hawaiian itinerary at that point. When we were there we did see a ship (I think it was something like American Hawaiian cruises that did the circle Hawaii cruise and we thought how neat...that was before NCL got into strictly Hawaiian cruises). But this way we spent a few days on Kauai and then a few on Oahu plus the day flying there and the day flying back. I had to return to work the next Friday (day after Thanksgiving) so didn't have the full two weeks for the honeymoon, more like 9 days.

I'm not into "freestyle" so I probably wouldn't go on a NCL cruise (didn't care for anytime dining at all). So if not going from the west coast, we would just fly there and do a land trip like I said above.

We had rather fly to Hawaii than cruise there. ;)

LuLu

I ruled out NCL as a possibility years ago. It looks like the opposite of my cruise personality and I certainly don't want to be on a ship with lots of kids. It sucks I can't choose the ship for Honolulu round trip cruises.

 

 

 

I don't know anyone who thinks that stupid law was a good idea. It's ridiculous. What were they thinking when it was written, that businesses don't need any of the money supplied by cruise passengers?

I have to say that during our POA cruise there were very few kids around. They were there but they had plenty to do in their own areas and I really just didn't have any issues. We specifically avoid vacations with lots of kids around too and it just wasn't a problem on the POA.

As everyone else has mentioned, the ship is a ghost town anyway during the days. The ship hits the dock and it's a mass exodus.

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

I really, really wish another cruise line would start / stop in Hawaii. The POA was OK but there are far better ships out there.

Ain't going to happen until the PVSA is repealed

We can only wish for it's repeal to allow other cruise ships to sail exclusively within Hawaii.

Although I haven't researched all aspects of the PVSA but sure would like to see the cruise ship limitations eliminated to give NCL competition which would be great for all of us.

If we're dreaming of repeal of the PVSA -- We'love one ways from S.D. to Hawaii and back - -no Ensenada.

We'd love to do a 10 day over and around the islands, then we'd get off for a few weeks. When we're ready to go home we catch a ship home. We can dream, can't we? :)

Aloha!

Unfortunately NCL is the exact opposite of what I want: no traditional dining, all casual, lots of kids, etc. I also read a lot of complaints about the beds. It can be a good cruise line for other people, but I hate the thought of sailing on a crappy ship just to have a great itinerary. So for me personally, Honolulu to Vancouver with five sea days would be much better because of the ship (Celebrity Solstice) and cruise line.

That said, if the stupid PVSA did not exist, I would jump on a Hawaii cruise that begins and ends in Honolulu ASAP. Maybe someday I will figure out how to visit all of the islands in one trip without sailing on the POA.

Unfortunately NCL is the exact opposite of what I want: no traditional dining, all casual, lots of kids, etc. I also read a lot of complaints about the beds. It can be a good cruise line for other people, but I hate the thought of sailing on a crappy ship just to have a great itinerary. So for me personally, Honolulu to Vancouver with five sea days would be much better because of the ship (Celebrity Solstice) and cruise line.

 

That said, if the stupid PVSA did not exist, I would jump on a Hawaii cruise that begins and ends in Honolulu ASAP. Maybe someday I will figure out how to visit all of the islands in one trip without sailing on the POA.

Not sure how much you cruise..

There aren't any more "kids" sailing Hawaii on NCL than any other line. AND with NCL's intense port options, the ships are empty most of the day, with their dining concept- working out perfectly on this itinerary. You can see and do plenty. Significant benefit of adding Hawaii time easily. Not available with sailing out of Ca.

You have your fixed ideas- which is a plus you "know" them. Hopefully you will find options that are good for you.