Table Of Content

A Hawaiian cruise is a good choice for older people who are retired. If a Hawaii cruise sounds like the perfect getaway to you, you'll want to read up on which lines offer which types of itineraries, as well as which islands and ports you must visit. Thanks to its abundant wildlife, culture and outdoor activities, Maui is known to be one of the best Hawaiian Islands for a family vacation. Famous for whale watching, this serene island invites you to sail into the waters for a chance to see beloved humpback whales. Kids can listen for them singing beneath the sea while parents stay camera-ready for their shy appearance above the surface.
The best Hawaii cruises for travelers who love sea days
Discover why the Travel Channel named us "Best Cruises to see Hawaii." Only Norwegian lets you visit four islands in seven days, which means you're on an island each and every day! Since we are the only cruise line that homeports in Hawaii, offering convenient year-round Saturday departures, you can vacation on your schedule. But once you hop the Hawaiian islands with Norwegian, it will become your thing. The next popular cruise port for island hopping Hawaiian cruises is Hilo– located on the lush, wetter side of Big Island. From hiking to waterfalls to searching for lava, you will definitely find a perfect shore excursion during your time in Hilo.
Hawaii Cruise-by Ports
All Cruise Plus® offerings provide the same high level of service you’ll experience on your Hawaii cruise, so you can enjoy the peace of mind of a hassle-free transition before or after your voyage. The best Hawaii cruises allow you to trek through the lush Hana Rainforest, or enjoy a more volcanic experience on the Big Island. Marvel at the lava flows of Kilauea, or savor the coffee that grows in the soil made fertile by millions of years of eruptions.
Do You Enjoy Sea Days?
From 3-day weekend trips to 180-day world cruises, these island hopping Hawaii cruises are worth every penny. There are plenty of Hawaii cruise deals available for eager cruisers booking through a travel agent or directly with the cruise line. These Hawaii cruises visit some of the most romantic destinations in the world, while allowing you to enjoy relaxing, exhilarating, active, and rejuvenating excursions along your island hopping cruise adventure.
On some itineraries, you’ll also enjoy scenic cruising along the Napali Coast on Kauai, a sacred landscape of emerald cliffs, pristine beaches, and jagged mountain ridges. Some cruises also visit Astoria in Oregon before the Pacific crossing to Hawaii. Sail aboard one of our contemporary ships from Vancouver, British Columbia or Honolulu, Hawaii and bask in the perfect combination of adventures and culture ashore and relaxing days at sea. Uncover the islands’ complex history, from the royal family to Pearl Harbor. Sample island-grown produce, bathe under waterfalls, and discover the dazzling reefs of the underwater world.
Norwegian Adjusts Pride of America’s Itineraries in Hawaii - Cruise Industry News
Norwegian Adjusts Pride of America’s Itineraries in Hawaii.
Posted: Fri, 11 Aug 2023 07:00:00 GMT [source]
Not much beats Hawaii island hopping, but this iconic place is not our only tropical destination to small ship cruise. Our experts are just a phone call or email away to assist you narrow down all the options worldwide. We’re here to help you find Hawaii cruise deals and Hawaii cruises 2024 and 2025, or to explore other remote island chains. Contact us to receive a personalized recommendation on the best Hawaiian cruise or Pacific Islands sailing for your travel style, budget and timing needs, or head to our Trip Finder to do your own research.
Best Time to Cruise to Hawaii
Spend one sea day cruising the Great Barrier Reef and the others treating yourself to spa days, meals with new friends, and drinks under the stars. The luxury cruise line Azamara plans to sail from San Diego to Hawaii, Bora Bora, and Tahiti in January 2025. They sail roundtrip to Hawaii from Los Angeles, San Francisco, and San Diego. Ships spend long days in port, and a variety of restaurants and events, like movies screened under the stars, are sure to keep you and yours entertained on board the ship. And while 10 might seem like a lot of sea days, skipping the airport could be a priceless vacation upgrade.
No matter which cruise line and itinerary you ultimately decide on, you will likely visit a mix of these fantastic island hopping Hawaii cruise ports. One of the most popular area of the South Pacific region to visit on cruises is French Polynesia. Here, you will visit the romantic and rejuvenating islands of Bora Bora and Tahiti. You may also see New Zealand and Tonga on your Hawaiian island cruise that sails to South Pacific cruise ports. If you prefer a smaller cruise line, check out Un-Cruise Adventures, who offers seasonal island hopping Hawaii cruises around the islands.

Hawaii Hidden Gems: Secret Beautiful Places for Vacation Royal Caribbean Cruises
The overnights on Maui and Kauai also mean it's possible to try several of Hawaii's signature experiences that most port calls don't allow. Passengers can catch dusk or dawn from atop Maui's massive 10,023-foot dormant volcano with sunrise and sunset excursions to the Haleakala Crater. And with the ship in port all night on Kauai, guests who want to enjoy traditional Hawaiian cuisine, music and hula performances can book the Luau Kalamaku for a fun evening out. To learn more about each port of call and our included as well as optional excursions, click on the individual days below. If you are good with long flights, then you can fly to and from Hawaii and board a ship there to cruise from island to island. You get to spend a day or two at each island and then fly back home.
We add new itineraries every day so you'll find a variety of options when you find your next cruise to Hawaii with Cruise Critic. Browse upcoming sailings below from the most trusted cruise lines sailing to Hawaii including Royal Caribbean, Celebrity, Princess, Holland, Norwegian and many more. We partner with cruise lines and online travel agents to deliver our visitors one location to compare pricing across the web.
Princess Cruises is the leader in roundtrip cruises, while Celebrity Cruises and Royal Caribbean are great for one-way repositioning cruises. Many interisland cruises begin, stop, or end in Hawaii, but only the Norwegian Cruise Line encompasses all major Hawaiian Islands from start to finish. The Norwegian Cruise Line’s Pride of America is the only large cruise ship based there. Cruising around the islands is a great option if you want to unpack just once. You move from island to island at night and then you have all day to enjoy the sites at each island without packing and unpacking. You can enjoy this on all the Hawaiian cruise options we’ve covered.
However, in the evenings, some cruise ships have formal nights where passengers are expected to dress up. At the start of the cruise, passengers typically set up an onboard account linked to a credit or debit card. Most cruise lines require that at least one person in each cabin is 21 or older. There are also age restrictions for alcohol consumption and certain activities like the casino. A Hawaiian cruise is a voyage that takes passengers around the Hawaiian Islands, offering a combination of ocean travel, island exploration, and onboard amenities. No matter what type of Hawaii cruising experience you are looking for, I guarantee you will find it through one of these main and not-so-main-stream cruise lines.
The night snorkel with manta rays was a disappointment because only one ray appeared that evening, but there were dozens of unruly tourists. Snorkeling every day in a wide diversity of settings was our favorite activity. We also felt that all the excursions were planned so that you were fully immersed in the Hawaiian culture and experience. As I drift off to sleep I begin to dream of the amazing experiences that I couldn't even have imagined only seven days ago. I dream of diving with manta rays, of Pele, the goddess of fire, of paddle boarding at Shark's Fin Cove and swimming in the cool water under the cascading falls of Moâ'oula. An AdventureSmith expert shares his experience on the 8-day Hawaiian Seascapes cruise aboard the 36-guest Safari Explorer.
Not only do you skip the long Pacific crossing that most cruise ships do to reach Hawaii, but passports are not required for U.S. citizens, and you can tack on pre- or post-cruise stays on Oahu. Most major cruise lines such as Princess and Holland America offer 14 and 18-night round-trips from California ports such as Los Angeles, San Diego, and San Francisco. Plane hopping from island to island might be enjoyable for you if you don’t mind packing and unpacking every day or so. We had seven days in Honolulu and then divided seven days between the other islands with two or three days on each.
Additionally, lodging prices in Hawaii can be high due to its popularity as a vacation destination. Restaurants are also more expensive than on the mainland because many staples have to be shipped in from afar. I probably don't need to convince anyone why Hawaii is an amazing vacation destination.