Considering a Hawaii cruise

[frenchcanrican]

Dear OP-

 

We did RCCL ROS 10 days Vancouver to Honolulu.

 

When we arrived in Honolulu we had a good taste of the other islands and knew we had a favorite.

We took a morning tour of Pearl Harbor and the rest of the island. Later that day we boarded a short fight and rented a house for 6 nights in Kauai.

 

That island was our favorite. It is small and less commercial. It still has a feeling of old school Hawaii.

 

I am from the Caribbean and I am biased The Caribbean is just more beautiful than Hawaii, but Kauai came very close.

 

Enjoy the vacation that is best for you.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

Edited September 22, 2016 by frenchcanrican

[AmberCascades]

Yes, of course you are right. But I took the OPs post to mean this was their first visit to Hawaii and cruising isn't a good way of experiencing the Hawaiian culture. However, if the cruise is the destination, a Hawaiian cruise is as good as any.

 

Burt

 

For us, going to Hawaii was a very long haul and also expensive. We wanted to see as much as we possibly could and maximize our time on the islands (e.g. we didn't want to spend all our time doing sea days). Since for many (including us) this could be a once-in-a-lifetime trip, we wanted to experience as much as possible. Doing all the stops the POA did we were able to hike up Diamond Head, see Pearl Harbour and go to a luau (Oahu), see a sunset on Haleakala, submarine for sea life viewing, seeing the giant banyan tree (Maui), we went swimming, ziplining, and took a helicopter tour in Kauai, hiked down into, across and back up a volcano and saw some awesome waterfalls, as well as buying some excellent coffee to take home (Big Island).

 

I can't imagine limiting ones self to just one island. We saw so much diverse landscape, even from one side of the Big Island to the other. We also found the food, staff and ship itself to be okay. It's not a big new shiny Royal Caribbean dealy, but we didn't have any complaints about anything. We didn't go there to hang out on the ship anyway. We were hardly on it.

 

I don't get the whole "you must spend a week to experience it". Really one should live somewhere for a few months to truly experience local culture. But if we only spent a week anywhere then we wouldn't see most of what we see cruising. I'd rather spend one day in Reykavik, for example, than to never go at all. Just my (long-winded) opinion, of course. :)

[ekajun1957]

We did the POA few years back as our first trip to Hawaii but we knew we were going back someday. Less than a year later we went back to Kauai for a week. We got that sampling of Hawaii and when we went back for that trip we knew Kauai was the best for us. If you think this may be your only ever trip to Hawaii I would have a hard time saying which is better for you to do. Both were amazing. If you do cruise on POA or another make sure to get couple days in Honolulu and of course must see Pearl harbor, that was a must for me. After the cruise I could not live with the idea that would be our only trip to Hawaii, we have been back, and I still must go back again.

[Beachdude]

I don't get the whole "you must spend a week to experience it". Really one should live somewhere for a few months to truly experience local culture. But if we only spent a week anywhere then we wouldn't see most of what we see cruising. I'd rather spend one day in Reykavik, for example, than to never go at all. Just my (long-winded) opinion, of course. :)

 

It's a good opinion.

 

I can't really explain how spending a few days in one place is so completely different than hoping off the ship to cram as much as one can in five hours. I can only say that I can't wait to go back and sit on the beach with a cup of coffee each morning to watch the sun rise out of the blue water. I don't have the words to color the moments of just listening to the waves and watching hermit crabs race around the sand.

 

on some mornings, a local ladies club shows up to swim out past the coral just as the sun starts to peek over the horizon. Hey, it turns out that my favorite sitting spot on one beach is in front of the Pierce Brosnan's Beach home. My wife is more impressed by that than I am, for me it's just a great place for my soul to come alive.

 

As the serenity of the morning fades into the day, the choice of taking swim after breakfast or taking a long walk on a jungle trail is surprisingly difficult. Or maybe neither as you discover surfers heading out to the waves. Who would have thought that watching surfers would be so mesmerizing?

 

As lunch approaches, there are also the typical tourist attractions like zip lines and helicopter rides, or scenic roads to explore in your convertible. No fixed agenda for our day really, the mood of the island is laid back, so is our efforts of seeing all that each island has to offer are just as relaxed.

 

On our way back in late afternoon to our beach rental (or near beach rental), we discuss whether to pick up steaks or freshly caught fish to cook on the grill that evening. We also grab a few vegetables and fruit at road side stands or markets, and a bottle of wine to take with us to the beach as we watch the waves beat the sun back down into the ocean.

 

Sometimes we cook and eat before the sunsets, sometimes we just sit quietly and watch the beach and find it's dark before we know it. No real need to track time (except helicopter reservations) because if you missed it today, there is still have tomorrow.

 

Funny, on our last trip we had hoped to see whales from our beach view, but not until our last two hours before leaving for the airport did the whales surprise us to fill our last moments on our beach. It seems that even when you think the trip is over, Hawaii still has surprises.

 

As for spending time in only one place, hopping islands is relatively cheap, so staying on two islands or even three during one trip is a practical option.

 

But I understand; some folks like to plan and fill every moment of they day so that they get their worth of the visit. That is not us, and it's one reason why cruising is not an option for Hawaii. Now Bermuda, Caribbean, Mediterranean, Alaska an other cruises are great for cruise vacations. And we very much enjoy them as well.

 

Burt

Edited September 22, 2016 by Beachdude

[jennybenny]

We've done both and I agree with the poster who says if you want to experience Hawaii, then stay in Hawaii. If you want to experience a cruise, then cruise. But the two don't mix well for Hawaii because to really experience Hawaii is to experience the culture and that can't be done on the marathon pace of a cruise.

 

We do two vacations a year, one is a rental house near a beach in Hawaii, and the other is a cruise somewhere else in the world.

 

Burt

 

Now that's my type of vacation!! We used to rent a house for a month in Kauai when the kids were younger. After second grade I had guilt taking them out in May. so we stopped doing our annual trip, but we've done the 15 day cruise and loved it.

 

They are both very different vacations. I love both!!

 

I think really experiencing island life is a land trip, doing one thing in each port (feeling slightly rushed) it a cruise thing, but we do love sea days, which is part of why we enjoy the 15 day cruise to Hawaii. Have never done the cruise out of LA, but we have out of SF.

 

Good luck to the OP deciding what to book!

[Beachdude]

 

They are both very different vacations. I love both!!

 

I think really experiencing island life is a land trip, doing one thing in each port (feeling slightly rushed) it a cruise thing, but we do love sea days, which is part of why we enjoy the 15 day cruise to Hawaii. Have never done the cruise out of LA, but we have out of SF.

QUOTE]

 

Have you done a Bermuda cruise? It also has a few sea days with a few relaxing port days on a wonderful island. And a bonus for us is adding a few days in NYC or Boston. Great trip.

 

Burt

[jennybenny]

 

They are both very different vacations. I love both!!

 

I think really experiencing island life is a land trip, doing one thing in each port (feeling slightly rushed) it a cruise thing, but we do love sea days, which is part of why we enjoy the 15 day cruise to Hawaii. Have never done the cruise out of LA, but we have out of SF.

QUOTE]

 

Have you done a Bermuda cruise? It also has a few sea days with a few relaxing port days on a wonderful island. And a bonus for us is adding a few days in NYC or Boston. Great trip.

 

Burt

 

No, I haven't even really looked at Bermuda cruises. One, I thought it was at risk of being colder than other locations, and two that's a flight AND a cruise that must be purchased. :) We've become spoiled with our home port of San Francisco and Los Angeles being a cheap, short flight.

 

We are doing a Caribbean cruise next year, a 10 day, and it does have more port days than we'd like, but I'm still excited about seeing different islands we've not been to yet!!

 

I might have to take a closer look at Bermuda and see what they have to offer.

Thanks Burt!!

 

Jenny

[Libre]

Clearly, you have a good deal of cruising experience. To do Hawaii from LA or SF means a good number of days at sea. Whether that is good or not depends on the individual. My NCL Hawaii cruise was the 2nd worst cruise experience. The ship seemed to be in a constant condition of commotion. Maybe just that it was Hawaii? The crew appeared to go out of their way to avoid work rather than roaming about looking for things that or guests needing attention. I have spent time on the islands and found it more "Hawaii".