Cruising is the best way to see the Hawaiian islands
"You simply cannot put a Caribbean cruise ship in the Pacific," I told a veteran cruiser who was seriously considering a seven day sailing aboard Norwegian Cruise Line's Pride of America. "Hawaii is just different. They have rules about sailing among their islands. Do not expect this cruise to be like all your other experiences."
Seeing she might be questioning my advice, I slipped into travel agent 101 mode. Norwegian Cruise Line is the only line allowed an island-only route. Most definitely, other cruise lines do sail from the West Coast to Hawaii and make a similar island run, but Norwegian has the only ship able to depart from Honolulu. This means, instead of a two week trans- Pacific crossing and cruise, travelers are able to fly to the islands and enjoy a 7 day vacation.
Norwegian earned the right to this high dollar, very popular sailing because they were willing to play by the very strict rules laid out by the state of Hawaii. To cruise within their territories, ships were required to be US-flagged ship (and, yes, "some" of the ship's parts on the Pride were truly made in the USA), to operate no casino, and to be staffed exclusively by an American crew. Some lines complained that Hawaii must not want cruise ships sailing among their islands very badly because these demands were too problematic to overcome.
Yet, Norwegian Cruise Line, probably the most out-of-the-box and forward thinking of cruise lines in the travel industry, found a way. By adding an out-of-the-way South Pacific island stop to their Hawaiian itinerary, they were able to legally circumvent the Hawaiian government's rules and qualify for the run under the Passenger Service Act, a maritime law requiring all U.S. flagged ships-- without an exclusively American crew-- to port in a foreign country if they wanted to carry passengers within the U.S. (FYI: this rule is why Alaska cruises departing from Seattle make a port stop in Victoria, Canada and why Hawaiian cruise itineraries from the West Coast port in Ensenada). This became a very clever way for Norwegian to sail this very popular route while converting and training their all American crew and staff.
NCL fought hard for this itinerary and, to be honest, on a ship that gives you more time in Hawaii and less time at sea, you probably will not even care that the ship has no casino or is American staffed, simply because the itinerary is so laser focused on the destination. The Pride of America spends two overnights--one on Maui and one on Kauai--as well as two days on the Big Island of Hawaii, giving one day in Hilo and the other in Kona. Since there are few places on earth as beautiful as Hawaii, how could spending more time in these islands not be wonderful?
I found cruising among the Islands to be an excellent way to see the best of all the islands. One of our most unforgettable moments was cruising the beautiful Na Pali Coast off the island of Kauai. This is one cruise where paying the extra cost of a balcony is worth every single penny. In fact, the scenery is so amazing, it allows you to overlook the reality that this is an aging ship. Although Norwegian has done a pretty decent job of keeping this older vessel in good shape, this four-island sailing is all about the destination.
Unlike cruises in the Caribbean, there are no big shows at night, no casino, no race cars, no dueling water slides, no climbing wall, no ice skating, no flo-rider, no roller coaster at sea, and no nightlife to speak of mainly because no one would use them. Most travelers spend long days off the ship and exploring the islands. Think of this cruise as being like staying at a very relaxing all inclusive resort. Accommodations and meals are included, but your resort just happens to float.
With prices so very high at hotels in the Islands for this summer, the Pride of America might be a great way to see Hawaii. Still, do not compare it to a Caribbean cruise, because this ship spends about 1200 hours in a port, quite unlike the 30-40 hours like on a Caribbean run. It's a a pretty immersive way to see all of the islands of Hawaii.
Yet, do remember we are still in a post-covid world. Due to staffing challenges, the ship's capacity is currently capped at 1200 guests, about 50% of usual sailing capacity. Being an exclusively all American crew has complicated this problem, so, if you are looking for one of those million dollar views from your balcony cabin in Hawaii, please call Monroe Travel Service soon. According to word on the street in the travel business, these capacity restrictions should end in October, but, when Norwegian Cruise Line is offering free open bar, free specialty dining, free excursion credit, free wi-fi, and free airfare for the 2nd guest, why not grab the deal and go enjoy a taste of paradise now?
Dianne Newcomer is a travel agent at Monroe Travel Service. For your next vacation, please call Linda, Page, Rob or Dianne at 318 323 3465 or email INFO@MONROETRAVEL.COM. We would love to send you away!
This article originally appeared on Monroe News-Star: Cruising is the best way to see the Hawaiian islands
