Early December cruise to Hawaii - weather in transit. Please Help!!!

[MixerDave]

We are planning a cruise from LA to Hawaii r/t. Another couple was to join us, but told us a client of his did this an encountered rough seas, main dining room closed and only being served sandwiches for 2 days, pools closed, etc.

 

I find it hard to believe a cruise line would sail during this time if this awas the norm.

 

Please help.

[JF - retired RRT]

We are planning a cruise from LA to Hawaii r/t. Another couple was to join us, but told us a client of his did this an encountered rough seas, main dining room closed and only being served sandwiches for 2 days, pools closed, etc.

 

I find it hard to believe a cruise line would sail during this time if this awas the norm.

 

Please help.

Not the norm...we've done HI from LA 7 times, all but one in Nov/Dec. Never saw weather like that.

One time there was a storm that we couldn't go around, but the really rough stuff was during sleep hours. It just rocked us to sleep and was gone by morning.

Have seen pools closed, no big deal.

[cr8tiv1]

It is very difficult to predict ocean conditions that far out. Yes, Hawaii tends to have bigger north shore swells. But there are also just as many days that the ocean if flat.

 

December is a lovely time to visit the islands. Will you be traveling during the Christmas holidays? Can you "postpone" your cruise for a later month? I've sailed over many times in February/March. Have had huge swells then too and glassy conditions.

[dcyonce]

We are planning a cruise from LA to Hawaii r/t. Another couple was to join us, but told us a client of his did this an encountered rough seas, main dining room closed and only being served sandwiches for 2 days, pools closed, etc.

 

 

 

I find it hard to believe a cruise line would sail during this time if this awas the norm.

 

 

 

Please help.

 

 

 

These things happen.

 

We cruised transatlantic one time with rough seas. Everything closed for two days with 35’ seas. Other times ... very smooth cruises.

 

LA to Hawaii isn’t always “rough”, but it can be. You take your chances on repositioning cruises. The navigational crew will try their best to avoid weather and rough seas, but sometimes they have to push through it.

 

— Don

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

[Astro Flyer]

We’ve done several LA/Hawaii roundtrips between November & January and never experienced any severe conditions like you described.

 

Storms can affect any cruise anywhere in the world & ships can adjust routes. The days closest to the West Coast are usually cool until getting to Hawaii. But once in the Islands the temperatures are perfect with highs generally in the upper 70° to lower 80° range during wintertime.

 

I wouldn’t hesitate to book a cruise to Hawaii and look forward to doing it again in the future. :)

[Kingofcool1947]

We are planning a cruise from LA to Hawaii r/t. Another couple was to join us, but told us a client of his did this an encountered rough seas, main dining room closed and only being served sandwiches for 2 days, pools closed, etc.

 

I find it hard to believe a cruise line would sail during this time if this awas the norm.

 

Please help.

 

WThat’s pure nonsense. And just spreading FUD. B.S. regarding MDR only serving sandwiches.

Maybe first day or two out of LA could be cool and a little choppy , and same on return. But, the remainder of your cruise will have warm weather and calm seas.

Hawaii is beautiful in December.

But, you have plenty of time to think about it. Yes?

Good luck. Whatever you decide.

Edited January 4, 2018 by Kingofcool1947

[skynight]

Seas can be rough at anytime on crossing to Hawaii. We have done the trip 4 times and have encountered choppy seas the first few days every time, but only once were they fairly rough. Never saw the DR not serving meals, but have seen it half empty.

[satxdiver]

Once you leave the west coast and until you arrive in the islands, the ship will be out in the open ocean. The seas can get rough but your chances are small. It is similar to a cruise across the pond where the ship is out on the open sea for several days before getting close to land again and it can be rough sometimes. It is the chances one takes in doing these cruises and thankfully does not happen all that often. I have been on some pretty rough seas where the MDR and HC are deserted but they were open. Many pax were in their cabins in bed riding out the ship rocking and rolling.

[Belle]

Don't know what ship your friend was on. I've taken this cruise many

times in Nov.. Dec. and mdr has never been closed and had weather

like that.

 

As said 1st few days going and coming back could be a little rough at times.

Means moving more than normal where some feel uncomfortable, sway when

you walk. But in all our cruises to Hawaii had only couple of rough days.

If moving a lot might close pools down for your safety.

 

I would book a cruise for then and go and enjoy.

[suzieb25]

We did the cruise in October. There were a couple days where the seas were a bit choppy. The production show was canceled one night but everything else went on as usual.

[riclop]

We are planning a cruise from LA to Hawaii r/t. Another couple was to join us, but told us a client of his did this an encountered rough seas, main dining room closed and only being served sandwiches for 2 days, pools closed, etc.

 

I find it hard to believe a cruise line would sail during this time if this awas the norm.

 

Please help.

iT'S ALWAYS WINDY AND CHILLY THE first 2 days going out.

[Tahoe Boater]

iT'S ALWAYS WINDY AND CHILLY THE first 2 days going out.

 

We have done this sailing three times and all in December. It is always cooler the first two days and the final two days prior to the port of Ensenada. We have had great trips every time.

 

That being said, two of the trips were very calm and one not at all calm. That other trip was real rough for the first three days of that sailing and the rest of the trip was less rough than the first part. We like motion on our cruises, but water leaving the swimming pool and heading toward the elevators was a little on the too rough side for us.

 

We had our absolute worst conditions in the Caribbean quite a few years back. Huge seas on that sailing made us late arriving into port. Rough seas can occur at any time in any ocean. Don't let the thought of a rough crossing keep you from booking the Hawaii sailing. It is a great trip especially if you like sea days.

[Keith1010]

The reality is you can have rough seas your first couple of days out and also on your return or they could be calm. And this could happen anytime that cruise ships sail between these two locations. Or the seas could be calm.

 

Nothing is a guarantee. You can pretty much have rough seas sailing many areas around the world but that doesn't prevent the cruise lines from offering these itineraries.

 

This is a lovely itinerary with sea days on both ends and nice ports to visit.

 

Keith