Sapphire - Hilo cruise by volcano at night

[schoolmom]

Does anyone know if the Sapphire will cruise by the volcano at night. They used to do this, but I haven't heard about it in awhile.

[sassyredhat]

We were there on Sapphire in April, and we did not see the volcano at night. I think you have to see the lava from the Kona side, and PCL doesn't go there.

Pat

[born2cruize]

We were there on Sapphire in April, and we did not see the volcano at night. I think you have to see the lava from the Kona side, and PCL doesn't go there.

Pat

 

Kona has nothing to do with it. The lava flow is no where near Kona. It's been about a year and a half since lava has flowed into the Pacific south of Hilo. In 2006 we did a sail by after Hilo even though our next port at the time was Maui.

[sassyredhat]

Ok so what I meant was in 2008 when we were there--on another line---we did a night time sailby after we left Kona.

We hardly saw any lava then, so I doubt there is any now.

Pat

[Cruise Junky]

Kona has nothing to do with it. The lava flow is no where near Kona. It's been about a year and a half since lava has flowed into the Pacific south of Hilo. In 2006 we did a sail by after Hilo even though our next port at the time was Maui.

 

Well Kona has everything to do with it as that's the route the ships seem to take. If they do Hilo during the day, they don't stick around for the evening sail, Kona they do. And I thought she was pretty free flowing about two months ago.

 

And to answer the OPs question, No on Princess :(

[Kamloops50]

Does anyone know if the Sapphire will cruise by the volcano at night. They used to do this, but I haven't heard about it in awhile.

 

 

We cruised last April and we didn't cruise south to the volcanoes.

[kapoho2]

When the lava is flowing (which it has NOT done in quite awhile) the ships leave Hilo and cruise towards the viewing. I can see the ships on their way to the lava viewing from my house. I live about 25 miles south of Hilo and I see the ships a couple of hours after they leave Hilo. It is then another hour or so to get into the viewing area where they can see the lava from on deck. I have been watching this for years....but only when the lava is flowing. Otherwise, the ships head the other direction out of Hilo. It takes me an hour to drive from my house to VNP....but when the volcano is putting on a good lava show, I can sometimes see the orange glow from my house. So, this is definitely a Hilo event.

 

The lava flow and viewing can change at any time. Only Madam Pele knows when things will change.

[Princess Patches]

Kilauea has been flowing continuously since the 1983 eruption. However, it does not always flow into the sea. I don't think it has flowed into the sea since early 2011. It is currently about a mile from the water. If it does not flow into the sea, there would be nothing to view in a cruise ship sailby.

 

The Sapphire/Golden 14-day roundtrip from LA cruise does not do the lava flow sailby because there is no time for them to do it. They sail north from Hilo to Honolulu and they do not have the sailing hours to spare to sail south in the evening and spend time viewing any lava flow into the water. Some Princess ships have done it on other itineraries and even the Sapphire/Golden may have done it on rare occasion when they had a port of call cancelled and had extra time. It is not normally on the 14-day itinerary.

 

I noticed that the LA roundtrips to Hawaii are changing back to 15-days in 2013 and I wonder if that extra time is to add the lava flow sailby back into the itinerary. I don't know.

 

If you want to see the lava flow, you will have to book a helicopter tour and fly over it. It is very expensive, but I am sure it will be spectacular.

 

The best Hawaiian itinerary is on the Pride of America. They do the lava flow sailby and the Na Pali coast sailby on Kauai. These are both incredible sights. However, the Princess ships are nicer than the POA. If you sail on Princess and want to see the lava flow and the Na Pali coast you will have to do it on helicopter tours.

[Kamloops50]

The 15 day cruises add a full day in Ensenada instead of the current 6 hrs.

[Princess Patches]

The 15 day cruises add a full day in Ensenada instead of the current 6 hrs.

 

Yes, they are arriving in Ensenada at 8 am instead of 4 pm. That accounts for 8 of the extra 24 hours being added to the cruise. What are they doing with the other 16 hours? The lava flow sailby is certainly a possibility.

[Kamloops50]

I noticed that the LA roundtrips to Hawaii are changing back to 15-days in 2013

.

As I posted Princess has added a full day in Ensenada instead of a few evening hours . I think this is concession to Mexico for cancelling many Mexico cruises.

[Kamloops50]

Yes, they are arriving in Ensenada at 8 am instead of 4 pm. That accounts for 8 of the extra 24 hours being added to the cruise. What are they doing with the other 16 hours? The lava flow sailby is certainly a possibility.

 

The other 16 hours is at sea . Instead of arriving in Ensenada at 4PM they now arrive at 8AM . That means that they can slow down and save fuel on the sea days. The last sea day is a full day at sea not a partial day as currently. More revenue for Princess when at sea. On our Hawaii cruise last April , some people where making comments as to why Princess didn't stop longer in Mexico.

[Kamloops50]

15 day cruises from Los Angeles spend a full day in Ensenada and have five sea days between Hawaii and Ensenada. The cruise from San Francisco spend about six hours in Ensenada and have only three full sea days between Hawaii and Ensenada . The a full sea day between Ensenada and San Francisco. This is for the 2013/14 winter season.

[Cruise Junky]

15 day cruises from Los Angeles spend a full day in Ensenada and have five sea days between Hawaii and Ensenada. The cruise from San Francisco spend about six hours in Ensenada and have only three full sea days between Hawaii and Ensenada . The a full sea day between Ensenada and San Francisco. This is for the 2013/14 winter season.

 

I'm seeing the 15 day San Francisco as only having 4 hours in Ensenada and 4 full days at sea between Hawaii and Mexico.

[Kamloops50]

I'm seeing the 15 day San Francisco as only having 4 hours in Ensenada and 4 full days at sea between Hawaii and Mexico.

My mistake , I should of said 4.5 sea days between Hawaii and Mexico.