Why Hawaii by sea rather than land trip?

[Cruise Junky]

I've done Hawaii by land a few times (got married there too) and have done POA which was a great way to see all the islands. What I can't understand is doing a 14/15 day cruise from LA for 4 or 5 days in Hawaii. Rather than taking a 2 week or even a one week land trip.

 

For you, what does the 14/15 day cruise appeal more than a land trip? It can't be cost... our last land trip was 8 days in an ocean view room at the Sheraton Kaanapali on Maui, with car, food & flight, we spent around $3,500..a balcony cabin is far more than that.

[atlasali]

Cost - Our outside room is $1326 per person for 14 nights...no airfare to Hawaii dollars.

 

We do not like the long flight there and back.

 

We love those days at sea. On the Golden, we will have the opportunity to learn how to play the ukelele, make leis, dance the hula, and hear the music before we get to the islands. On a port intensive cruise, there is not enough time to participate in shipboard activities.

[ell52]

I've done Hawaii by land a few times (got married there too) and have done POA which was a great way to see all the islands. What I can't understand is doing a 14/15 day cruise from LA for 4 or 5 days in Hawaii. Rather than taking a 2 week or even a one week land trip.

 

For you, what does the 14/15 day cruise appeal more than a land trip? It can't be cost... our last land trip was 8 days in an ocean view room at the Sheraton Kaanapali on Maui, with car, food & flight, we spent around $3,500..a balcony cabin is far more than that.

We've been to Hawaii numerous times (20+). We usually stay from two to three weeks at a time. We also do the 14 - 15 day cruises because we love cruising and love the sea days. Best of both worlds. :D

[Budget Queen]

After 68 cruises, For me, I hate sea days. :) I have far better plans for use of my valuable time, rather than "relaxing", reading a book, wandering about the ship. So, I just took my last transatlantic, and would never consider these multiday cruises without ports.

 

Everyone is different, and, it's great there is something for everyone. :)

[Neiner]

Some people refuse to fly. This would be the only way for them to ever get to Hawaii.

 

We are debating the 15 day Hawaii RT in Dec/11 or Apr/12. I look at it this way...

 

Airfare to Hawaii..x2. $2000 Airfare to LAX. x2.. $550

hotel in Hawaii@7days $1400* Cruisefare.x2........ $4000

*(That's $200 per night, don't know if you can get oceanview for $200 a night but I know you dont get free room service ;). My search just showed that $200 would be very low end.)

food in Hawaii@7days $1200*

*(that's about $170 a day. I thought that might be average unless you go fast food all the time. Last time I was in Hawaii our hotel's breakfast buffet was $50pp.)

 

 

Its about a wash EXCEPT for the fact that cruising is a 2 week vacation or for the same price I could a one week land vacation. I want to get more bang for my buck.

 

I also like the thought of starting my vacation with a relaxing sea voyage. After the hustle and bustle of everyday life, then the stress of getting to your destination. You get on the ship and AHHHHH, I don't have to do anything for the next 4 days. How wonderful is that? Then you go to the islands and do all the frenzy of activities for however many days, 5? Then you have another relaxing sea voyage before you go home. This is a vacation that won't require another vacation when you get home. How many times do you get home from vacation and are just exhausted?

[Cruise Junky]

Some people refuse to fly. This would be the only way for them to ever get to Hawaii.

 

We are debating the 15 day Hawaii RT in Dec/11 or Apr/12. I look at it this way...

 

Airfare to Hawaii..x2. $2000 Airfare to LAX. x2.. $550

hotel in Hawaii@7days $1400* Cruisefare.x2........ $4000

*(That's $200 per night, don't know if you can get oceanview for $200 a night but I know you dont get free room service ;). My search just showed that $200 would be very low end.)

food in Hawaii@7days $1200*

*(that's about $170 a day. I thought that might be average unless you go fast food all the time. Last time I was in Hawaii our hotel's breakfast buffet was $50pp.)

 

 

Its about a wash EXCEPT for the fact that cruising is a 2 week vacation or for the same price I could a one week land vacation. I want to get more bang for my buck.

 

I also like the thought of starting my vacation with a relaxing sea voyage. After the hustle and bustle of everyday life, then the stress of getting to your destination. You get on the ship and AHHHHH, I don't have to do anything for the next 4 days. How wonderful is that? Then you go to the islands and do all the frenzy of activities for however many days, 5? Then you have another relaxing sea voyage before you go home. This is a vacation that won't require another vacation when you get home. How many times do you get home from vacation and are just exhausted?

 

Yeah, I guess it depends where you're flying from. From the westcoast we could get much better deals than that. For the cruise though, you would also have to add in your air to LA. I'd be booking a balcony too, which takes the cruise price right up. My special ocean view at the Sheraton was $199 a night but that was a deal. I get to Hawaii and say Ahhhhh and wouldn't give up two weeks vacation for 4 days in Hawaii.

[vbmom87]

Yeah, I guess it depends where you're flying from. From the westcoast we could get much better deals than that. For the cruise though, you would also have to add in your air to LA. I'd be booking a balcony too, which takes the cruise price right up. My special ocean view at the Sheraton was $199 a night but that was a deal. I get to Hawaii and say Ahhhhh and wouldn't give up two weeks vacation for 4 days in Hawaii.

 

As BQ said, we are all different and it is good there are choices. I don't like sea days either so I would not opt for a Hawaii cruise from the mainland. When I am on vacation I like to be seeing nature at its best. Although I love the ocean, looking at it for 8 days would not be my idea of a great nature viewing vacation. We like to go, go, go when in new places and we like to experience as much as we can.

[mizdkc]

Today I'd take Hawaii any way I could get it. It's snowing so hard I can barely see across the road. :eek:

[cruisin'4ever]

we got our balcony for 1799. and that includes 14 days of food, where as a land vacation doesn't. Plus we have never been there, this way we get to see all the islands

[cruisealot54]

We choose to take the 14 day cruise to and from the islands for the total relaxation of it. I am running crazy most days and do not allow myself down time, the cruise allows that. I enjoy catching up on reading, walking, sleeping, and just enjoying the time with my husband. After touring the islands, we enjoy the 4 days back to rest up so we can hit the ground running when we return to work.

[Browezilla]

After 68 cruises, For me, I hate sea days. :) I have far better plans for use of my valuable time, rather than "relaxing", reading a book, wandering about the ship...

Boy that's one for sure that's personal opinion, because others love the sea days. Me, I'm with you. I look for port intensive cruises.

[Cruise Junky]

we got our balcony for 1799. and that includes 14 days of food' date=' where as a land vacation doesn't. Plus we have never been there, this way we get to see all the islands[/quote']

 

Is that per person? if so, that's the same price I paid for our land trip with the car and the food. But, it's 8 days in Hawaii vs. 14 days total, 4 days in Hawaii.

[smslms]

There isn't necessarily a right or wrong answer, it's whatever works for the individuals in question. We owned a home on Maui, yet we cruised over to the islands on half a dozen occasions. In addition to living there, we often visited other islands for several weeks at a time. Like we said, whatever works.:)

[dfields1814]

If you want to travel and really see and experience Hawaii it would be better to have a land experience. If you want a ship ride with a lot of sea days a cruise would be better. I have seen Hawaii so my next trip I will see all that water between LA and Hawaii.

[Cruisin' Chick]

Cost - Our outside room is $1326 per person for 14 nights...no airfare to Hawaii dollars.

 

We do not like the long flight there and back.

 

We love those days at sea. On the Golden, we will have the opportunity to learn how to play the ukelele, make leis, dance the hula, and hear the music before we get to the islands. On a port intensive cruise, there is not enough time to participate in shipboard activities.

 

Same with us. I'm not a good flyer, and my hubby doesn't like the bother. We love sea days. And we can drive to the Port of LA with a lot more stuff, including my hubby's guitar, than we can take on a plane.

 

We just got off the Golden last Wednesday, and I'm writing up my report/review right now and the more I type, the more I smile. During our two weeks, we relaxed. We also played trivia almost every day (our team won once with us...I think they also won without us). I learned to make orchid and ribbon leis and to dance the hula. We listened to lots of music, including the wonderful sounds of Elua, who specialize in Hawaiian music. We worked out in the gym. My hubby played guitar in one little nook several times. We watched Movies Under the Stars as well as movies in the cabin.

 

I've looked at the itinerary for the NCL Hawaiian cruises and it just seems to me that if you want to spend a lot of time in Hawaii (which most people do), why not fly there and stay in a hotel. The ship seems to be nothing more than a vehicle to take you from one island to another. The two land vacations I've been there (second time was my honeymoon), we ended up doing what I'm guessing the NCL passengers do, but we stayed longer in each place that we stayed.