Have you sailed to Hawaii in Dec?

[cruisin'cats]

I am considering the itinerary to Hawaii on the Summit at the end of December. My DH and I love "at sea" days but wanted to know if the days at sea in transit between the West Coast (US and MX) and HI would be the kind of relaxed sailing days that one would enjoy in the Caribbean (as we have) or while sailing in between islands in French Polynesia (just got back and loved it) or would the seas be rough and the weather cool/cold? This could be a decision maker or breaker discussion so please let me know soon and honestly. Thanks!

[C 2 C]

Infinity Dec 04 was rough coming and going. The temperature when we left SAN was 39 and rainy. We spent most of the time indoors and many others made good use of the little barf bags. Of course Hawaii was great but the sea days were not fun for many cruisers.

[Texed]

The first day and a half going and last day coming back was pretty cool. The rest of the time, it is great.

However, the waffles were nice and warm every morning. :cool:

[cruisin'cats]

Hello Arno! Warmest regards to Joanne! I still remember...N-E-C-R-O-M-A-N-C-E-R.

 

TEXED N' JACQUE Thanks for the input too. Give my regards to Texas, Houston to be specific, we lived in SW Houston and then Mission Bend back in the late 70's early 80's. We were just down for a visit with friends who live there in Meyerland back in July of '06.

 

As to the cruise and the weather: Was the cruise worth the passage through less than wonderful seas? We've left from San Diego once and twice from LA to go on the Mex. Riv. cruises and do recall that the first day out of SAN and the first day and a half or so out of LA the weather was cool and the waters were a bit rough going and coming back. I guess that makes sense that it might be the same especially if it's a winter like this last one with all the Pacific storms coming in to the States.

 

Plus, did you enjoy the visit to the ports in Hawaii? Had you been there before? We haven't been to HI and it is the only state left that my DH hasn't been to so he's eager to step foot on terra firma for that honor. We always said that we would never do it by cruising but we have a good opportunity to consider. So right now we areholding the itinerary for 13 nights on the Galaxy in the Caribbean (not much new for us on that itinerary but usually proves relaxing) in one hand and the 15 day Summit Hawaii itinerary in the other hand...asking "which will it be?"

Helene

[Gusti]

Arno I remember that cruise well, we had a aft cabin and it was rocking a few nights. Good thing I don't get sea sick. I remember the first Island we went was cool too. It got warmer avery day.

Hard to say, but I would take Hawaii any day. A wonderful place

[Texed]

TEXED N' JACQUE Thanks for the input too. Give my regards to Texas' date=' Houston to be specific, we lived in SW Houston and then Mission Bend back in the late 70's early 80's. We were just down for a visit with friends who live there in Meyerland back in July of '06.

Helene[/quote']

 

I know all the areas well because I work outside sales. :)

[C 2 C]

Hello Arno! Warmest regards to Joanne! I still remember...N-E-C-R-O-M-A-N-C-E-R.

 

The movie or the book?... I always hate it when a person asks a question without being able to recognize the correct or "close" enough answer...

We had a very bad "Battle" hostess on our Infinity cruise that made me want to give it up forever...

 

Anyways..

We had spent two weeks touring the islands over a decade before our cruise so this was just a relaxing cruise for us. The weather in Hawaii is just great even if it is a little cooler for southern types... from NJ in Dec... it's heaven.

Hawaii is nicer than Caribbean because it is not as hot and humid. The islands are wonderful and there is real stuff to see.

The roll to the seas was OK for seasoned cruisers but dancing was a bit of a challenge. When we flew to Hawaii from Detroit the flight was miserably long. Cruising is the only way to go.

[Druke I]

Never know what the state of the sea will be.

 

Our only December experience, San Francisco, Los Angeles to Hawaii, was in 1986, on the late great Constitution, which had been in SF getting her bottom scraped, etc.

 

Smooth down the Coast, but fairly rough crossing. Two nights they had to put the "lips" up on the tables and wet the table cloths down in an often futile attempt to keep the dishes on the tables.

 

We had a "man overboard" call one night, they turned the ship and did a head count while conducting a search (all accounted for). Apparent good faith bad call when someone saw garbage floating by. In those days they still did dump garbage at sea, and had also been dumping some old mattresses.

 

While still 24 hrs out of Honolulu, we had a medical evacuation (by helicopter). They couldn't land on the pitching deck - evacuation was done with stokes litter hoisting ill passenger and paramedic.

 

Very interesting trip. We've made several subsequent trips on the Pacific, but none as interesting/exciting as that one.

[cruisin'cats]

Arno-I remember the Battle of the Sexes though I believe it was on Mercury last February doing the Mexican Riviera, which is when we met you and your lovely lady. And, yes, it ended badly with that word being misspelled but accepted by the hostest and that put you in a very bad mood. Oh well...

 

Druke I-that sounds like a terrible cruise but obviously it didn't turn you off from cruising.

 

Talked this all over with Neil, my DH, and he is, like me, beginning to give the hand holding the Hawaii itinerary more weight than the Caribbean one. I want to hear from my agent later on today and see what she has to say.

 

Thanks everyone for your input. I've garnered one good thing for sure from reading this--pack meclizine with the carry on lugguage and sailing should be OK then.

 

OH--Flying to Hawaii has to be a breeze after our most recent trip on the Paul Gauguin. We flew from NJ to LAX, stayed overnight in LA, and then flew Air Tahiti Nui for another 8+ hours to get to Papeete. Fortunately for us, the going there part of the trip was done in 1st class to LAX and then ATN's Business Class for the rest of the trip. Going home was the worst part of the trip for me (I have a bad back). No Business class available on ATN so flew in the back of the bus going to LAX, didn't stay overnight, and flew home to PHL on Delta (fortunately that was in 1st). We left PPT around 10 PM local time and arrived in PHL the next day at 11:30 PM with only a few hours spent off of the air planes during that period. UGH!

 

But I'd do it again in a minute to go back!

[Quendryth]

Arno I remember that cruise well, we had a aft cabin and it was rocking a few nights. Good thing I don't get sea sick. I remember the first Island we went was cool too. It got warmer avery day.

Hard to say, but I would take Hawaii any day. A wonderful place

 

I remember this cruise well! I have never been seasick until this one from San Diego! My husband slept through the entire first night - what a sailor! I was out of it the first day entirely and we had horrible weather til we reached Honolulu. Would I go again - you betcha! In a NY minute!

 

It was one of the best times & we met so many new friends we still keep in touch with even 3 years later. So go for it, you will have a great trip!

 

Faith:D

[Druke I]

No, it wasn't a terrible cruise - it was a very enjoyable cruise with a few speedbumps along the way.

 

It certainly wasn't the roughest seas we have been on - South China Sea trying to avoid the back end of a typhoon was worse, as were two trans-Atlantics West of the Azores in Atlantic gales.

 

We do love cruising.

[hancock]

We were on that cruise, too! A lot of the CC group didn't show up for the party or left precipitously. I wouldn't move for fear of falling. Then I headed back to lower midship for another dose of Bonine. I know a number of people missed the first formal dinner. It was the first time Celebrity offered a RT from the mainland to Hawaii. We've done 2 more since then. The first day and a half and last days were a bit rocky and cool. It's not the same as sailing the Caribbean.

 

Aloha!

Nancy

[C 2 C]

that put you in a very bad mood. Oh well...

 

Me in a bad mood over trivia.. ;)

It's not called "Battle" for nothing..

You know that if I can remember a person by a trivial word it ain't so trivial..

One of the questions for the ladies on Infinity "Who was Larry & Moe's friend"... and that was one of the hard ones...:cool:

I will miss Mercury on the Riviera... I actually prefer the weather to the Caribbean... even the cool start.

[Sillyjilly]

We have made the RT in Dec, Feb, and Nov.

I almost didn't go the first time because of all the scary rough sea stories. I'm glad I went. Bad seas can get you anytime and anywhere.

 

There were a couple of rough nights on our Nov cruise, but for the most part it was pretty smooth sailing. We had a cabin forward and nearly got bounced out of bed one night. I thought it was great fun. Didn't bother me a bit. The sailing was a little wavy in Dec. In Feb. we had very smooth seas.

 

Dec. was the hottest on the Islands, and Nov. wasn't much cooler.

 

It was warm in Feb. on the Islands and we even had some rain. It was refreshing, and it didn't last long.

 

I'll be going again in May.

 

I have only been seasick once. That was on a Mexican Riviera cruise. We were bobbing up and down like a toy. It was before stabilizers.

 

If you have a chance to go, I say take it. It's a wonderful and relaxing cruise. It does draw an older crowd.

 

Happy Cruising,

Jill

[glenneagle]

We were on summit dec20 2006.

it was much colder than we thought it would be. never used out door pools as it was too cold. sea was also very rought 20 foot waves. hawaii was great. the weather was sunny 4 of the days. the other 2 were rainy.

hope this helps.its definatley not the carribean