Hawaii Cruise Wanted

[JimandStan]

Yes Luann, this is a route that i have sailed personally.

With Matson as a kid, then with Pacific Far East Lines, and still later with Holland America (in a reunion setting).

 

My mother was very involved in keeping the Mariposa and Monterey under the American flag, and even after they were sold elsewhere, we still patronized them, up until about 1980

 

I believe what disappoints most people about a California-Hawaii crossing is that they hope that it will be an extension of their tropical vacation and crossing the Pacific is decidedly NOT tropical.

 

Lets face it, you may get lucky with the weather, but with apologies to San Diego, it is not much of a port after five, six or seven 7 continuous days at sea, and many people go stir crazy, especially on the return leg.

 

People from the West like to know that cruising to Hawaii is available to them, because it is so very geographically convenient, but Californians are so lucky with their weather already, and Cruising to Alaska or Mexico is SO MUCH closer and Cheaper, that the Hawaii route suffers by comparison.

 

Aside to Ed & Frank- A number of things killed the American shipping industry, but if there was money to be made on the route, SOMEBODY would be sailing it.

[markshale]

You took the words out of my mouth. I cannot imagine cruising in Hawaii. You want to be on land and get into the "aloha spirit." You want to soak up the atmosphere. You want to sleep on land, eat on land and drive around and sit on the beach, see the sights, sip mai tais and do so many things. I cannot imagine being on any ship in Hawaii.

 

One day in an island port in Hawaii is like one day in a port Paris or Florence. BTW - Oahu is my favorite island -- it is much more than Pearl Harbor. The west coast (Ko'Olina) is gorgeous and you must spend time on the wonderful North Shore.

 

Pick an island or two -- any of the islands as they are all terrific -- and enjoy.

 

It's interesting that you like Oahu. We were at the Marriott Ko'olina about six weeks ago. I must say it is nice, but some other beach areas- Wailea, Moana Kea, poipu, Have more lush landscaping. And real beaches with surf.

 

The North shore is nice.

 

The Marriott there was really very nice. Perhaps the best in the islands.

 

You really explained the reasons NOT to cruise in Hawaii better than I did.

 

Mark

[pacheco18]

It's interesting that you like Oahu. We were at the Marriott Ko'olina about six weeks ago. I must say it is nice, but some other beach areas- Wailea, Moana Kea, poipu, Have more lush landscaping. And real beaches with surf.

 

The North shore is nice.

 

The Marriott there was really very nice. Perhaps the best in the islands.

 

You really explained the reasons NOT to cruise in Hawaii better than I did.

 

Mark

 

We own at Ko'Olina and love it there. Last year is the first year in a while that we did not go (too many cruises).

 

I prefer Oahu because it is so diverse and there is so much to do. Kauai is too quiet and rainy for me (even Poipu). Maui is way too crowded in the Kanapali area (I do like Wailea), the Big Island doesn't have the tropical beauty. We are not really "beach people" anymore so the coves at Ko'Olina suit us just fine.

 

Hawaii is just fabulous no matter which island you are on.

[Palmetto Lady]

Why does the initial poster want to skip Polynesia? That was the best part of our Hawaii and Polynesia cruise. The first time we went, we sailed from SF to Hawaii and Polynesia and flew home from Tahiti. I fell in love with Bora Bora and Morea and want to return, but hated the long flight home. When I saw a RT Hawaii and Polynesia from San Diego, we jumped at the chance. I would go again in a heartbeat. This was our third Pacific TA with no problems with respect to weather.

[LuAnn]

Why does the initial poster want to skip Polynesia? That was the best part of our Hawaii and Polynesia cruise. The first time we went, we sailed from SF to Hawaii and Polynesia and flew home from Tahiti. I fell in love with Bora Bora and Morea and want to return, but hated the long flight home. When I saw a RT Hawaii and Polynesia from San Diego, we jumped at the chance. I would go again in a heartbeat. This was our third Pacific TA with no problems with respect to weather.

 

That's what I have been trying to say!! Pacific T/As can be wonderful!!...as has been our experience...always that way ??? NO...but a great way to visit those wonderful areas of the world!! LuAnn

[charchar1]

You state that this is not an ideal cruise because of the seas...yet we have done this twice...from SD R/T and the Pacific was like a lake...not always the case...and it will be perhaps damp and a little bit rough the first day or two out of SD...but nothing that should discourage CCers from doing this!!! And we have done the Alaska to China T/P and that was great as well....as well as the T/P from LA to Sydney...Have you done those??? I sometimes think that you make some pretty general statements...when you haven't done the cruises???? LuAnn

 

Speaking from personal experience - we took this route on a Princess cruise and the seas were definitely not flat. We had huge swells about three days into the trip, felt like a crazy out of control, sideways, up and down and every which way roller coaster ride. We hated it so much we jumped ship in Hilo. Almost ruined us on cruising altogether. I hope for other cruisers' sakes that our experience was uniquely bad.

[LuAnn]

Speaking from personal experience - we took this route on a Princess cruise and the seas were definitely not flat. We had huge swells about three days into the trip, felt like a crazy out of control, sideways, up and down and every which way roller coaster ride. We hated it so much we jumped ship in Hilo. Almost ruined us on cruising altogether. I hope for other cruisers' sakes that our experience was uniquely bad.

 

And it is always the "luck of the draw" We did a T/A from Harwich to NY City...and we had passengers jumping ship in Iceland.so I understand...it IS the luck of the draw!! LuAn