hawaii cruise

[travelingran]

we are planning to do our next cruise to hawaii. there does not seem to be very much discussion on the hawaii cruises.

 

we were wondering if it is worth the extra cost to go out of mexico or california versus the shorter cruise beginning and ending in hawaii.

 

we love to cruise, but 4 or five days extra is very expensive.

 

any thoughts

[old sole]

The only cruises that are Hawaii-only are the 7-day cruises on NCL Pride of America. They raised the fares on that ship when they pulled their other two ships from Hawaii, and are now much more expensive than the 12 day Carnival Spirit trips between Vancouver or Ensenada and Hawaii.

[Kurbanfan]

we are planning to do our next cruise to hawaii. there does not seem to be very much discussion on the hawaii cruises.

 

we were wondering if it is worth the extra cost to go out of mexico or california versus the shorter cruise beginning and ending in hawaii.

 

we love to cruise, but 4 or five days extra is very expensive.

 

any thoughts

 

I am not sure if you priced these cruises. But NCLA is the only cruise line that sails the 7 day that starts in Hawaii and ends there, and this cruise is more expensive then the 12 day Carnival Spirit which either starts or ends in Hawaii.

[woodey]

The Spirit is the only CCL Ship that cruises to HI and they only cruise there or back a few times a year. Carnival has great prices for the voyage but they dont offer alot of times to choose from....

[terri910]

we were wondering if it is worth the extra cost to go out of mexico or california versus the shorter cruise beginning and ending in hawaii.

I WISH we could cruise to Hawaii out of California!

 

We are doing the Vancouver-Hawaii cruise on the Spirit in 6 weeks....woot!

[Kurbanfan]

I WISH we could cruise to Hawaii out of California!

 

We are doing the Vancouver-Hawaii cruise on the Spirit in 6 weeks....woot!

 

Which is probably better since you would have had to be bused to Ensenada......

I think I would rather fly to Vancouver lol!

[terri910]

Which is probably better since you would have had to be bused to Ensenada......

I think I would rather fly to Vancouver lol!

Oh, definitely.

 

I've read too many really bad reviews of that whole bused-to-Ensenada thing.

 

I honestly don't know why they don't leave out of San Diego, make a quick stop in Ensenada the next day, just so they have been to a foreign port" and then boogie off to Hawaii.

[Kurbanfan]

Oh, definitely.

 

I've read too many really bad reviews of that whole bused-to-Ensenada thing.

 

I honestly don't know why they don't leave out of San Diego, make a quick stop in Ensenada the next day, just so they have been to a foreign port" and then boogie off to Hawaii.

 

I don't get it either. I know Princess does out of Los Angeles.........

Could it be they have too many ships that day in San Diego? I know San Diego only holds about 3 ships.

[Pegs222]

I WISH we could cruise to Hawaii out of California!

 

We are doing the Vancouver-Hawaii cruise on the Spirit in 6 weeks....woot!

 

I hope you enjoy your Hawaiian cruise. We went on it five years ago. I hope you have a wonderful cruise. I thought the five days at sea were long, but then maybe it is just me.

[yst347]

We just sailed the Spirit from Ensenada to Honolulu this past April. We were lucky this year as the transfer went without a hitch, a complete reversal of the nightmare that the 2007 sailing endured.

 

The reason the cruise must begin in Ensenada is because it is a one-way cruise. The Passenger Services Act prohibits foreign vessels from carrying passengers from one US port to another so a San Diego to Honolulu cruise is illegal for non-US flagged vessels, hence the Ensenada shuttle. I believe both Princess and RCL offer 15 day round-trip cruises to Hawaii from Los Angeles so that is an option. Carnival doesn't do this because the Spirit is repositioning from the Mexican Riviera to Alaska in the spring and the reverse in the fall.

 

We had such a wonderful time on this cruise I cannot recommend it highly enough. Three of the five sea days are 25 hours long so you can party a bit later and still be up early.:) The island hopping is exhausting but it is a great way to see the four largest islands.

[Kurbanfan]

We just sailed the Spirit from Ensenada to Honolulu this past April. We were lucky this year as the transfer went without a hitch, a complete reversal of the nightmare that the 2007 sailing endured.

 

The reason the cruise must begin in Ensenada is because it is a one-way cruise. The Passenger Services Act prohibits foreign vessels from carrying passengers from one US port to another so a San Diego to Honolulu cruise is illegal for non-US flagged vessels, hence the Ensenada shuttle. I believe both Princess and RCL offer 15 day round-trip cruises to Hawaii from Los Angeles so that is an option. Carnival doesn't do this because the Spirit is repositioning from the Mexican Riviera to Alaska in the spring and the reverse in the fall.

 

We had such a wonderful time on this cruise I cannot recommend it highly enough. Three of the five sea days are 25 hours long so you can party a bit later and still be up early.:) The island hopping is exhausting but it is a great way to see the four largest islands.

 

 

Soooo if you leave and return to the same U.S. port why do they still have to stop in Ensenada:confused:

[satman]

We are doing Hawaii to Vancouver in April. Our thinking was you are all excited and running on adrenaline so we can fly out, do the island hopping, then use the sea days on the way back to just rest and relax, something we rarely get to do when on a vacation of any type.

[Pegs222]

Soooo if you leave and return to the same U.S. port why do they still have to stop in Ensenada:confused:

 

Because it is against the law to go from one US Port to another US Port w/o a foreign port in the middle.

[terri910]

We are doing Hawaii to Vancouver in April. Our thinking was you are all excited and running on adrenaline so we can fly out, do the island hopping, then use the sea days on the way back to just rest and relax, something we rarely get to do when on a vacation of any type.

Yeah, would've loved to have the 5 sea days at the end of the cruise for just that reason. But the timing wasn't good for us.

 

This will be okay, though. Last year we did the 12-day Mediterranean cruise on the Carnival Freedom, and even though it was port intensive and we did a LOT in Rome in a day-and-a-half before a marathon flight home...we still agreed it was our most relaxing vacation yet.

[yst347]

Soooo if you leave and return to the same U.S. port why do they still have to stop in Ensenada:confused:

 

The Passenger Services Act has not been interpreted to restrict domestic port calls as long as the domestic port call is part of a trip that includes foreign destinations and the U.S. port calls are intermediary stops. This means that foreign-flagged vessels are currently entitled to make as many U.S. port calls as they choose, provided that these calls are part of an international route and that passengers who embark at a U.S. port do not permanently disembark at a different U.S. port. Additionally, and the answer to your specific question is that the then U.S. Customs Service now ICE, has interpreted the Passenger Services Act to allow a foreign vessel to make as many intermediary U.S. port calls as it chooses, and disembark passengers at a different U.S. port, as long as the vessel makes a port call at a distant foreign port such as Mazatlan. Ensenada and Vancouver do not qualify under this administrative ruling.

[runcassrun_07]

Oh, definitely.

 

I've read too many really bad reviews of that whole bused-to-Ensenada thing.

 

I honestly don't know why they don't leave out of San Diego, make a quick stop in Ensenada the next day, just so they have been to a foreign port" and then boogie off to Hawaii.

Could you please give me some info. on where I find the bad reviews of those that were bused-to-Ensenada after their Hawaiian cruise because we have to take that long ride.:(

[gargoyle999]

We are doing Hawaii to Vancouver in April. Our thinking was you are all excited and running on adrenaline so we can fly out, do the island hopping, then use the sea days on the way back to just rest and relax, something we rarely get to do when on a vacation of any type.

 

Strongly considered Hawaii to Vancouver for the reasons you mention. Ultimately, decided that heading north to Vancouver in April would result in weather being a little too cool for me on those last sea days.

 

FWIW..I was looking at the 14 day RT on Princess too. But I could get a Cat 11 aft wrap for only slightly more cost per day then just a balcony on Princess.

 

And the trip to Ensenada will be part of the adventure! :D

[gargoyle999]

Oh, definitely.

 

I've read too many really bad reviews of that whole bused-to-Ensenada thing.

 

I was closely following the roll call for the Ensenada to Hawaii this past April. Sounded like Carnival learned from 2007 and there were not all the complaints this year.

[OhioJeff]

Could you please give me some info. on where I find the bad reviews of those that were bused-to-Ensenada after their Hawaiian cruise because we have to take that long ride.:(

 

You can go over to the review section. Here is one review

http://www.cruisecritic.com/memberreviews/memberreview.cfm?EntryID=28427

 

From all accounts the process has been much better in recent reports. I cant imagine how bad it could have been, but some people have different expectations.

[Kurbanfan]

Additionally, and the answer to your specific question is that the then U.S. Customs Service now ICE, has interpreted the Passenger Services Act to allow a foreign vessel to make as many intermediary U.S. port calls as it chooses, and disembark passengers at a different U.S. port, as long as the vessel makes a port call at a distant foreign port such as Mazatlan. Ensenada and Vancouver do not qualify under this administrative ruling.

 

Princess leaves Los Angeles and ports in Hawaii only to stop over a few hours in Ensenada. How does that qualify:confused:

Because they are coming back to the same home port:confused:

[OhioJeff]

Princess leaves Los Angeles and ports in Hawaii only to stop over a few hours in Ensenada. How does that qualify:confused:

Because they are coming back to the same port:confused:

Not sure he saw your question. He was telling you why a ship cant board passenger in one US port and unload them in a different US port withou stopping at a distant foreign port.

 

Princess is leaving and returning to the same port.

[Pegs222]

Princess leaves Los Angeles and ports in Hawaii only to stop over a few hours in Ensenada. How does that qualify:confused:

Because they are coming back to the same port:confused:

 

 

 

Not the same port, but because it came from a foreign port. As long as the ship stops in a foreign port it can go from one US port the the next US Port.

[mr. cruiser]

Princess leaves Los Angeles and ports in Hawaii only to stop over a few hours in Ensenada. How does that qualify:confused:

Because they are coming back to the same port:confused:

I think I read in a thread a long time ago that there was just a large fine for doing this and the cruiseline paid it and of course passed on the cost. I am not sure if that is still the case

[OhioJeff]

I think I read in a thread a long time ago that there was just a large fine for doing this and the cruiseline paid it and of course passed on the cost. I am not sure if that is still the case

No reason for a fine, the route is in compliance with the law.

[yst347]

Princess leaves Los Angeles and ports in Hawaii only to stop over a few hours in Ensenada. How does that qualify:confused:

Because they are coming back to the same home port:confused:

 

Exactly, the round-trip itineraries can touch any foreign port. The one-way itineraries cannot use the near ports. It's arcane I know but that's our government. ;) The Passenger Services Act was passed in 1866, it's a shining example of why we need sunset provisions.