Hawaii cruise still worth doing?

[NMTraveller]

I would put Hawaii a notch above the Caribbean.  We have been there 7 times.  The islands are different.  There are many different climates from rain forest to drier..

[Travelexpert35]

13 hours ago, NMTraveller said:

I would put Hawaii a notch above the Caribbean.  We have been there 7 times.  The islands are different.  There are many different climates from rain forest to drier..

Totally agree with you. You don’t have to worry about hurricane season as that rarely happens in Hawaii. Love the Hawaiian people and the islands are so different, especially the Big Island. This is my favourite destination.

[Lastdance]

We have hiked the Na Pali cliffs twice on Kauai.  Except for lots of mud one time, it was a very enjoyable experience.  Even Molokai was quite interesting, especially about the Leper Colony...the views were absolutely gorgeous.  I certainly agree that doing a land adventure is a thorough experience, but it just depends on your reasons for going by ship or by land.  Hawaii is a wonderful destination with so many things to see and do, much better than the Caribbean, IMHO.

[Travelling2Some]

Agree with everything that has been said about how different Hawaii is from the Caribbean.  I am not a beach lover and that also makes Hawaii much more appealing to me because of the much wider variety in terrain and things to do.  The more pleasant Hawaiian climate also makes for more enjoyable land-based activities. 

 

Now, with that said, I do always wonder if there are major differences between Hawaii and Tahiti.  Can anyone make that comparison?  I have been to Southeast Asia and found the heat oppressive in that part of the world.  (Yes, I am aware that Tahiti is NOT in Southeast Asia.)

Edited February 20 by Travelling2Some
clarification

[Folsomdoc]

We love to cruise and love Hawaii. But would not think of combining them. We’ve been to Hawaii over 30 times, Kauai being our go to, but have visited all the islands. Despite its popularity we like Maui the least. It’s the Las Vegas of the Pacific to us. Having lived on the east coast and vacationed in the Caribbean as well as cruising there, we find Hawaii head and shoulder above anything the Caribbean has to offer. It’s in the US. It’s safe clean but expensive. Many visit for a week or less or hop islands. IMHO a mistake. You don’t get the Hawaiian “vibe” unless you spend some time which means not in an airport, ship, or an excursion bus. Have not been to Tahiti but good friends of ours just returned. They liked it but one and done for them. They visit HI twice yearly.

[Texed]

26 minutes ago, Travelling2Some said:

Now, with that said, I do always wonder if there are major differences between Hawaii and Tahiti.  Can anyone make that comparison? 

 

Hawaii is beautiful.  But, the Society and Cook Islands, IMO, are unspoiled paradise. 🥰

[critterchick]

On 2/20/2024 at 11:18 AM, Folsomdoc said:

We love to cruise and love Hawaii. But would not think of combining them. We’ve been to Hawaii over 30 times, Kauai being our go to, but have visited all the islands. Despite its popularity we like Maui the least. It’s the Las Vegas of the Pacific to us. Having lived on the east coast and vacationed in the Caribbean as well as cruising there, we find Hawaii head and shoulder above anything the Caribbean has to offer. It’s in the US. It’s safe clean but expensive. Many visit for a week or less or hop islands. IMHO a mistake. You don’t get the Hawaiian “vibe” unless you spend some time which means not in an airport, ship, or an excursion bus. Have not been to Tahiti but good friends of ours just returned. They liked it but one and done for them. They visit HI twice yearly.

We like to combine a visit to Hawaii with a repositioning cruise back to the mainland. Back in the day the repos were up to 14 nights and included a full week in the islands, often with overnights in Honolulu, Lahaina and Lihue, before 5-6 sea days across the Pacific to Vancouver. Now they're down to 8-10 nights and IMO not worth doing on their own, but for those with sufficient time, adding a week on one or two islands could be a great experience (I'd do one but others might want to see more). And  Pride of America (with all her reported flaws) is a good way to sample the islands and decide which one calls to you for a return visit. 

 

Kauai is also our favorite, but there's plenty to love about Maui as well. UpCountry Maui is far from the madding crowds (except for sunrise/sunset at Haleakala) and offers a great alternative for people who aren't beachgoers. If we weren't locked into a timeshare in Kaanapali (not a hardship!) I'd find lodging there for a week and visit the beaches instead of the other way around.

Island hopping by air is not for me anymore. Once upon a time it was easy - you could show up for a flight 15 minutes out and not have to worry about TSA or other potential delays. Now you have to add at least an hour (more with checked bags) and lost too much of your day in paradise.

[Cruising Is Bliss]

On 2/22/2024 at 12:33 PM, critterchick said:

Island hopping by air is not for me anymore. Once upon a time it was easy - you could show up for a flight 15 minutes out and not have to worry about TSA or other potential delays. Now you have to add at least an hour (more with checked bags) and lost too much of your day in paradise.

 

Oh those were the days. In the 70s & 80s & 90s when I'd stay at the Royal Hawaiian I could hop in a cab less than an hour before takeoff!

Edited February 24 by Cruising Is Bliss