Hawaiian Holiday Cruise Inquiry

[KeepCalmBearOn]

2 hours ago, cr8tiv1 said:

Background:

Cruised on the Matsonia (dated)

Grew up in Honolulu / now part time resident

 

Cost of a land vacation can be as inexpensive or expensive as you can afford.  But it will be more costly than a trip by ship.  Comparing 15 days on the water to on land (not including excursions by either).

 

By land:  Air Fare + Hotel accommodations + meals + Tips + transportation (you are very limited if you do Uber/da bus).  Add interisland airfare and you just increased your land vacation.

 

Interesting, very similar to my story. First sailed to Oahu on the Lurline in the late 1950's when we moved to Honolulu, but did several trips on the Matsonia as well.

 

As to cost of a land vacation vs cruise, I priced out 15 nights in Honolulu and RT airfare for 2 from LAX. Granted I did at the cheapest hotel I could, Melia by Outrigger, but that was the point, to see how inexpensive it could be. It came to $2,773.66 for 15 nights hotel including airfare for two. No, it doesn't include meals, but it is cheaper than even an inside cabin for two on the Grand Princess. Getting an Airbnb in Honolulu would reduce the cost even more and allow for cooking or bringing meals in.

 

Point being, Honolulu CAN be a very reasonable place for a land based vacation, ditto for Kauai and Maui. I've never done the BI on the cheap, but figure it isn't much different.

[cr8tiv1]

12 hours ago, scottca075 said:

 

Interesting, very similar to my story. First sailed to Oahu on the Lurline in the late 1950's when we moved to Honolulu, but did several trips on the Matsonia as well.

 

As to cost of a land vacation vs cruise, I priced out 15 nights in Honolulu and RT airfare for 2 from LAX. Granted I did at the cheapest hotel I could, Melia by Outrigger, but that was the point, to see how inexpensive it could be. It came to $2,773.66 for 15 nights hotel including airfare for two. No, it doesn't include meals, but it is cheaper than even an inside cabin for two on the Grand Princess. Getting an Airbnb in Honolulu would reduce the cost even more and allow for cooking or bringing meals in.

 

Point being, Honolulu CAN be a very reasonable place for a land based vacation, ditto for Kauai and Maui. I've never done the BI on the cheap, but figure it isn't much different.

 

I agree with you on price point....but I cruised over in an inside cabin on the Ruby for less than $100/day (Captain Circle member fare).  This is not my preferred cabin, but you can equate that to a less expensive hotel.  My point being...If you include flights to the other 3 islands, you are now looking at another $500 for two plus meals.  Current Princess fare is $1400 pp/inside (not Captain Circle member fare).

 

Each island has something very special to offer our guest.  So worth a teaser taster cruise for the first timer.  Then, please do return for an extended vacation on one or more islands.  For some, this will be their one and only chance to visit Hawaii.

[MarinerBoy]

On 2/5/2021 at 1:22 PM, Mike45LC said:

 

Wow,  incredible (in the real meaning of the word, not credible) praise for cruising Hawaii, from someone who has never been on a Hawaiian cruise!  Have you ever been on a land-based trip to Hawaii?  Have you ever been to Hawaii?

 

Above, I only mentioned the preponderance of sea days as a possibly downside for some cruisers.  But in light of MarinerBoy's exultation, here are some other factors to think about:  Short port visits, perhaps not enough time to slow down and experience the various ports?  Not much evening time to enjoy evening and night activities?  Having to rush back to the ship to be on board for the ship's departure?  Worrying about a possibly late arrival in port when you have a private excursion booked that has a 9:00 a.m. meeting time?  

 

Both sea visits and land visits can be wonderful, but I will not accept "it's the best way" from some wannabe who hasn't even taken his first cruise to the Islands and who is hyped up on some salesman's spiel.  

 

The travel agent who pushed this cruise on us spent about 45 to 50 minutes going over the reasons why a "sea Hawaii" is the way to go.

 

 All the points that were presented to us i wrote in this forum. If we bought into them I am certain most people on this forum would as well, the travel agent is a industry professional they had our best interest at heart I felt.

[bennybear]

I think only you have your best interest at heart, anyone selling something has their own agenda.  And many TA’s have never even travelled much.  You will likely find out more on forums like this.

[MarinerBoy]

10 hours ago, bennybear said:

I think only you have your best interest at heart, anyone selling something has their own agenda.  And many TA’s have never even travelled much.  You will likely find out more on forums like this.

 

Well for someone who spent 50 mins explaining why a cruise to Hawaii is almost always better than a land trip the TA was extremely passionate about it. If he had that many points to bring up and dedicated 50 mins to the conversation he basically made him self the authority on the topic and thus I responded with a forum post to let others know that a land vacation  to Hawaii doesn't come close to what a cruise 🛳 offers based on his points. I am hyped and stocked.

Edited February 12, 2021 by MarinerBoy

[bennybear]

You’re kidding right!  I prefer first hand experience, we have cruised a lot and visited Hawaii for nearly yearly for months at a time for over forty years.   

[cr8tiv1]

4 minutes ago, bennybear said:

You’re kidding right!  I prefer first hand experience, we have cruised a lot and visited Hawaii for nearly yearly for months at a time for over forty years.   

 

I'm your first hand experience (grew up in the islands AND spend about a half a year there now).  Many don't have the luxury to spend weeks, let alone a month, on one of the islands.  I could easily spend 2 weeks on Hawaii Island and a day is enough on Kauai.  You wouldn't know that unless you visited all of the islands.  That's always been my suggestion.  Take a cruise.  Live the life of a local while traversing the ocean.  Find which island you want to spend extra time on.  Return later.  

 

When COVID is over, I would highly recommend you visit Kalaupapa on your next visit to the islands.  It is one of the most heart warming places.  

 

 

[KeepCalmBearOn]

11 hours ago, MarinerBoy said:

Well for someone who spent 50 mins explaining why a cruise to Hawaii is almost always better than a land trip the TA was extremely passionate about it. If he had that many points to bring up and dedicated 50 mins to the conversation he basically made him self the authority on the topic and thus I responded with a forum post to let others know that a land vacation  to Hawaii doesn't come close to what a cruise 🛳 offers based on his points. I am hyped and stocked.

 

It makes your previous posts doubly disturbing.

[greenie082756]

DH and I with kids lived on Oahu for 3 1/2 years. He retired in 1998 from the Navy there. It was a different experience however I got island fever within the first 2 months after arriving. I got over it eventually.

 

Oahu is a much more touristy island than the others IMHO. 

 

We have done 2 cruises to Hawaii with Princess. Our first experience with Princess was on the Golden from LA to Hawaii round trip. It was so relaxing and fun. This made us want to come back to Princess.

 

We do enjoy the sea days because we can rest and just enjoy life. My favorite island to visit is Kauai. There is just something about it. 

 

As you can see from my signature, we plan on going back in April 2022. We gave up trying to go to Alaska 😞 . 

 

 

[cr8tiv1]

52 minutes ago, greenie082756 said:

DH and I with kids lived on Oahu for 3 1/2 years. He retired in 1998 from the Navy there. It was a different experience however I got island fever within the first 2 months after arriving. I got over it eventually.

 

Oahu is a much more touristy island than the others IMHO. 

 

We have done 2 cruises to Hawaii with Princess. Our first experience with Princess was on the Golden from LA to Hawaii round trip. It was so relaxing and fun. This made us want to come back to Princess.

 

We do enjoy the sea days because we can rest and just enjoy life. My favorite island to visit is Kauai. There is just something about it. 

 

As you can see from my signature, we plan on going back in April 2022. We gave up trying to go to Alaska 😞 . 

 

 

 

I, too, am booked for March 2022...way back when.  I taught at a school in military housing (also military).  My recommendations to my families relocating to the islands was to immerse themselves in the culture.  Become a "local", move out of housing.  Otherwise, you will feel rock bound.  I am not yet ready to "retire" full time to the islands for this very reason.  So I fly over for extended stays and cruise over for my "vacations".    

[nocl]

On 2/11/2021 at 1:36 AM, MarinerBoy said:

 

The travel agent who pushed this cruise on us spent about 45 to 50 minutes going over the reasons why a "sea Hawaii" is the way to go.

 

 All the points that were presented to us i wrote in this forum. If we bought into them I am certain most people on this forum would as well, the travel agent is a industry professional they had our best interest at heart I felt.

Having done several cruises to Hawaii, as well as over a dozen land trips of varying lengths, I consider the points made by your travel agent to be pretty much garbage.

[Cruise Raider]

We've done this sailing 3 times, both out of San Francisco and Los Angeles ... the LA was 14 nights at the time.  Both ports have very rough waters and cool weather on the first couple of days out and to a lesser extent, on the 2-3 days back into the embarkation / disembarkation port.  

Booking a room that is on a lower deck and midship is highly advisable if anyone in your party tends to get sea sick.  Once you are closer to the Hawaiian Islands, it becomes warmer and usually has calmer seas.  Maui can experience some rough waters, though but it might be your best shot at whale watching....at least that was what we experienced.  We also saw whales in Kauai, though.  

 

Whenever a cruise is over 10 days long, the demographics tend to run older.  There were very few teens or people in their 20's when we have done these sailings and maybe only a handful of younger kids.  

Not really sure of all the activities that will be taking place in 2022 but things we enjoyed were the pop choir, trivia games, bingo, gambling in the casino, shows, time at the indoor pool, ping pong tournaments, ukulele classes, movies, tea time, reading, hot tubbing, lecture series, etc.  

Edited February 12, 2021 by Cruise Raider

[docmark]

We also booked this cruise (March 2022) from LA earlier this week... Hoping water/weather would not be too rough. Our cabin is midship but deck10. 

 

So far nobody has  "opened" the Roll call for this cruise, will watch for it!!

[cr8tiv1]

Most of the time you are in Hawaiian waters (going between islands), the casino will be closed and no Bingo.  Lahaina is a tender port and Nawiliwili (Kauai) is a very tight harbor.  Any adverse conditions may mean missing these ports.  Hopefully, the captain will replace the NaPali coast if you miss Kauai.  

 

Bad seas can happen everywhere.  I was on a 3 (maybe it was 4) day cruise and we missed Catalina, Ensenada, but was able to port in San Diego (not scheduled).  I didn't mind but the group that came up from San Diego were not happy camper.  

 

March is a good time to sail to Hawaii.  Whales are all over, but cluster in the shallow waters between Lanai, Maui, and Kahoolawe (uninhabited island).  I've experienced terrific lecturers and then not so others.

[docmark]

There are 4 sea days in beginning and 4 sea days at the end of the LA-Hawaii cruise. How many of those days Casino is open? 

[cr8tiv1]

1 minute ago, docmark said:

There are 4 sea days in beginning and 4 sea days at the end of the LA-Hawaii cruise. How many of those days Casino is open? 

 

The casino is only closed while in Hawaiian waters (4 days).  I was "surprised" that the casino isn't open 24/7 on sea days.  I was kindly asked to leave one early morning.  If the captain sees fit, he could take the ship into International waters like he has sometimes done between Kauai and Maui.  

[docmark]

Thanks cr8tiv1, your previous post made me think there would be LESS days for Casino . THIS sounds better!! 

[cr8tiv1]

1 hour ago, docmark said:

Thanks cr8tiv1, your previous post made me think there would be LESS days for Casino . THIS sounds better!! 

 

Good Luck.  I win some, I lose some.  

 

[caribill]

10 hours ago, cr8tiv1 said:

 

The casino is only closed while in Hawaiian waters (4 days).  I was "surprised" that the casino isn't open 24/7 on sea days. 

 

And also closed for the stop in Ensenada.

 

On sea days I have always found the slot machines open 24 hours. The table games do shut down at some point in the night.

[skynight]

15 hours ago, cr8tiv1 said:

 

The casino is only closed while in Hawaiian waters (4 days).  I was "surprised" that the casino isn't open 24/7 on sea days.  I was kindly asked to leave one early morning.  If the captain sees fit, he could take the ship into International waters like he has sometimes done between Kauai and Maui.  

On our last Hawaii cruises slots are open throughout the night on the 9 sea days plus in the evening on San Pedro sailings in route from Ensenada back to CA. Cashier opens in the morning and remains open throughout the day and evening. On the last evening there is a cash out or lose it deadline. Select table games open during the day. Most or all table games open up in the evening hours. One the 4 days in Hawaii waters the casino was closed. 

[skynight]

1 hour ago, skynight said:

On our last Hawaii cruises slots are open throughout the night on the 9 sea days plus in the evening on San Pedro sailings in route from Ensenada back to CA. Cashier opens in the morning and remains open throughout the day and evening. On the last evening there is a cash out or lose it deadline. Select table games open during the day. Most or all table games open up in the evening hours. One the 4 days in Hawaii waters the casino was closed. 

Correction: On the 4 days in Hawaii waters the casino was closed.

[Ombud]

On 2/1/2021 at 2:54 PM, JF - retired RRT said:

Google is my friend. https://www.facebook.com/Eluamusic/

Thank you for the link. Although Google is also my friend, I'm not on Facebook. Link sort of works for non-FB people. Thinking of this one as a backup should my current December one not go

[Roger88]

I am pretty sure that all those limitations will remain at least for this year for sure. We cant know how the things will actually be later, but  currently there are no sign of anything to be changed and dont expect to many people gathering in one place on board 

[cr8tiv1]

28 minutes ago, Ombud said:

Thank you for the link. Although Google is also my friend, I'm not on Facebook. Link sort of works for non-FB people. Thinking of this one as a backup should my current December one not go

 

Tiki Dave has his own YouTube account.  You can watch all of his Wednesday/Friday sessions plus participate in Leialoha's hula classes. 

 

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJbY5MKsV4lUuhV8le4yCnQ

 

 

Edited February 14, 2021 by cr8tiv1

[BarbinMich]

I'm "late to the party", but wanted to share my two cents worth.  Our first Hawaiian experience was a "fly to Honolulu, board a ship and visit a different island each day".  After that we spent many 2-week periods in January, flying over and spending a week each on two islands, renting an apt and car on each. Those are my best Hawaiian memories!