Hawaii 2012 Overall Newbie questions???

[Queenie 1]

I am brand new, I am an obsessive planner and it is usually Disney related...

 

This trip is different it will encompass a side trip to DL but it will be combined with a Hawaiian cruise.

 

Me and my DH honeymooned in Hawaii and said we would someday bring our kids to our beloved islands...

 

This trip is also an opportunity for us to go with my parents, my mom has MS so cruise travel is her favorite. We have invited her to come on our Disney trip but due to her MS she has always turned us down.

 

When I mentioned a Hawaiian cruise she just about did a jig:D

 

So here are my newbie questions, have done some investigating...but want to know..

 

We have to cruise summer 2012 when will there be announcements for cruises in this time frame? see a few, but do not think this is all there is??? am I wrong?

 

 

I would like a cruise that departs from California...Los Angeles would be the ideal because I would like to visit Disney Land.

 

Will there be several cruise lines to choose from? or should I be focused on a specific cruise for release dates?

 

we would like a minimum 7 day trip 10 day would be best!;)

 

Family of 5

 

Thanks in advance for any feedback!

[Queenie 1]

told you I was obsessive:D

 

I have a few more questions

 

1. Is there is a Hawaiian cruise line that is more kid friendly?

2. I forgot to mention budget is a huge consideration here too, I have champagne taste, but the nasty reality is I have Big Gulp budget

 

My kids ages are 10,9 and 8 I read that some lines will fit a family of 5 in one room. Being crowded does not matter to us, budget overides all other considerations.

[CALMOM]

 

When I mentioned a Hawaiian cruise she just about did a jig:D

Good for her, she deserves it and it will be easy on her, well at least the cruise part

 

We have to cruise summer 2012 when will there be announcements for cruises in this time frame? see a few, but do not think this is all there is??? am I wrong?

You will probably see the itineraries for after April 2012, come out in January or February. I am booked for March 2012 because we want to see the whales, which are there from November to April. You do realize that summer is peak, so it will be crowded. It really isn't for Hawaii but people cruise then due to school schedules.

 

 

I would like a cruise that departs from California...Los Angeles would be the ideal because I would like to visit Disney Land.

Your choices from Los Angeles is HAL and Princess for that time period. I personally would recommend Princess, as HAL seems to be an older population. I know Carnival has a cruise from L.A. to Hawaii but it is in December. The itineraries from Los Angeles for these lines are round trip and they are 14 day cruises.

 

If you are looking for a shorter cruise, then they will not be round trip and you will need to either fly to or from Vancouver or Honolulu. This criteria will open you up to NCL and RCLL, then.

Family of 5

 

Thanks in advance for any feedback!

 

Hope this helps.

[CALMOM]

told you I was obsessive:D

 

I have a few more questions

 

1. Is there is a Hawaiian cruise line that is more kid friendly?

2. I forgot to mention budget is a huge consideration here too, I have champagne taste, but the nasty reality is I have Big Gulp budget

 

My kids ages are 10,9 and 8 I read that some lines will fit a family of 5 in one room. Being crowded does not matter to us, budget overides all other considerations.

 

NCL will probably be the cheapest and has family suites, I believe, but you have to fly round trip to Honolulu, which can be expensive.

 

I personally think that Carnival and RCLL are geared a little more to kids, but as I said the itineraries might not work for you, and cost of flight or flights would be involved.

 

I believe Princess has a couple of family suites but they book very quickly and from what I heard they are not really cheaper. You might be better off booking 2 inside cabins, one as a double and one as a triple.

 

Cruising is not the cheapest way to travel but it sure is fun:D

[smrtypnts]

I am brand new, I am an obsessive planner and it is usually Disney related...

 

This trip is different it will encompass a side trip to DL but it will be combined with a Hawaiian cruise.

 

Me and my DH honeymooned in Hawaii and said we would someday bring our kids to our beloved islands...

 

This trip is also an opportunity for us to go with my parents, my mom has MS so cruise travel is her favorite. We have invited her to come on our Disney trip but due to her MS she has always turned us down.

 

When I mentioned a Hawaiian cruise she just about did a jig:D

 

So here are my newbie questions, have done some investigating...but want to know..

 

We have to cruise summer 2012 when will there be announcements for cruises in this time frame? see a few, but do not think this is all there is??? am I wrong?

 

 

I would like a cruise that departs from California...Los Angeles would be the ideal because I would like to visit Disney Land.

 

Will there be several cruise lines to choose from? or should I be focused on a specific cruise for release dates?

 

we would like a minimum 7 day trip 10 day would be best!;)

 

Family of 5

 

Thanks in advance for any feedback!

 

From Los Angeles I don't think you're going to find anything less than 14 days. You need 5 days just to get to Hawaii from the mainland and 5 days back, which means you'll only have 4 to 5 days in Hawaii. If this is not ideal, you have a couple of other options. You can fly to Honolulu on the island of Oahu and take a 7 day port intensive cruise from Honolulu to Honolulu visiting 3 islands with 2 days on each of Kauai, the Big Island and Maui. Another option would be to go one way to Hawaii. In other words, start in (let's say) Vancouver, Canada and spend 5 days at sea and 5 days in the islands and then fly home from Hawaii. One thing is for sure, there is no such thing as 7 day round trip cruise from the mainland to Hawaii. I also do not think there is such a thing as a 10 day round trip cruise from the mainland.

[Queenie 1]

Thanks so much for answering these jump off questions for me:o now I have a few things to obsess over:D I am going to take a gander at what the cost of peak 14 day cruise, if I think I can swing it may still be a consieration.

 

I know newbie questions can be repetitive and I am trying to searches of some of my other questions! Thank you both again!

[vbmom87]

Thanks so much for answering these jump off questions for me:o now I have a few things to obsess over:D I am going to take a gander at what the cost of peak 14 day cruise, if I think I can swing it may still be a consieration.

 

I know newbie questions can be repetitive and I am trying to searches of some of my other questions! Thank you both again!

 

Have fun planning. I hope it works out for you and your family. Keep us posted.

 

I flew to Honolulu and did the 7 day NCL cruise. I am not the type to handle all those days at sea. I know others absolutely love them, but we don't so we chose what worked for us.

 

With children I know you will want a ship with lots for them to do. Fourteen days can be a lot, especially if eight to ten of them are at sea.