Hawaii Cruises

[hcs81m]

I am looking for a 7 day Hawaiian cruise for early 2007. The only Princess cruises I can find are 15 days. The only cruise line I can find with a 7 day cruise embarking in Hawaii is NCL, which based on their reputation is out of the question. Does anyone know why Princess, or any of the other quality cruise lines don’t offer r/t 7 day Hawaiian island cruises?

[wwinfl91]

In order to do a 7 day Hawaiian cruise you only have time to hit American ports in the Hawaiian Islands. There is a law that says foreign flagged ships have to hit a foreign port during a cruise. NCL gets around it by having American crews or at least a certain percentage of them on their ships they sail in Hawaii.

 

That is why the other cruise lines have to do from West coast to Hawaii with a stop in Mexico usually. Occassionally the stop is in Canada.

 

By the way the 15 day cruise is a great one. We did it on the Island Princess in 2004 and really enjoyed it.

 

Have a great next cruise.

[Pam in CA]

There is a U.S. law called the "Jones Act" which essentially means that any ship that is not U.S.-flagged and sails from and returns to a U.S. port must stop at a foreign port. (This is why you see Alaska cruises stopping in Vancouver and the Princess Hawaiian cruise stopping in Ensenada, Mexico.) The Act was originally designed to protect U.S. shipbuilders but since there are few (or none) left, the Act is way out of date. However, it's still the law.

 

NCL bought two hulls that were started to be built in the U.S. but the original company went bankrupt. NCL was allowed to tow them to Europe to be completed and since the keels were laid in the U.S., have them as U.S.-flagged ships. These are the ships that are now sailing in Hawaii and do not have to go to Fanning Island to fulfill the provisions of the Jones Act.

 

Having a ship U.S.-flagged has it's own issues: crew must be U.S. citizens and paid on a U.S. basis. While NCL has solved many of their U.S. crew problems, it makes it a completely different cruise experience.

 

Thus, the bottom line is that the only 7-day cruise you'll find in Hawaii will be a U.S.-flagged ship and currently, NCL is the only cruise line to operate U.S.-flagged ships.

 

I've taken the Princess cruise to/from Hawaii twice now and loved it! I'd do it again in a heartbeat.

[ggcruiser]

If you want to cruise TO Hawaii, you need 10 days at sea R/T. Having just taken Princess' 15 day Hawaiin cruise, and in the past two other 7 day Princess cruises (Mexico/Alaska), I would say now I will only do the longer cruises. It really is a remarkable itinerary - with 5 days to unwind at sea, then 5 days in different Hawaiin ports, then 5 more days until you get back to the "real world". It's like having three vacations in one. I highly recommend it if you can take the time off.

[Tom O.]

There is a U.S. law called the "Jones Act" which essentially means that any ship that is not U.S.-flagged and sails from and returns to a U.S. port must stop at a foreign port. (This is why you see Alaska cruises stopping in Vancouver and the Princess Hawaiian cruise stopping in Ensenada, Mexico.) The Act was originally designed to protect U.S. shipbuilders but since there are few (or none) left, the Act is way out of date. However, it's still the law.

 

Hello Pam, you are absolutely correct about the essence of this law. But, I think a better to state this law is: the law requires all passenger ships that sail between U.S. ports to be U.S. flagged, but gives an exemption if the ship also stops at some port in another country.

Cruise lines, in order to pay lower taxes and low wages, register their ships in countries that are "cruise ship friendly." They do this even though most of the cruise companies are American Corporations. They take advantage of the exemption - every cruise has at least one stop at an international port. The one exemption is the NCL lines that you mentioned, as they are U.S. flagged.

I don't think this is a silly law. If it wasn't in place, then ferries that travel back and forth between U.S. ports could be foreign flagged, and U.S. regulation would be limited.

[Cruisin' Chick]

NCL has a foreign flagged-ship that goes from Hawaii to the Fanning Island, the Wind. I heard good things about it. There are some ships that go one-way between the west coast and Hawaii (can't remember which ones but they're in the fall and winter). Shorter trips but you have to fly to or from Hawaii and cruise the other way.

 

If you have cruise experience and don't mind the risk of a few days of rough seas, the round trip can be an excellent cruise. We loved the sea days coming and going (and only had a couple days of rough seas). I wouldn't recommend this trip for the first-timer. And if you hate flying like me, it's a great way to get to Hawaii, even if it's for a short time.

[Druke I]

You don't have it quite right re two hulls being towed to Europe, and then being finished there.

 

True, one hull was in the water and towed over. The steel was cut for the 2nd hull, but not assembled into even the vestiges of a hull. The hull plates for the 2nd hull were shipped to Europe, and then assembled into a hull,after some modest design changes.

 

Small point, but I think an important difference.

[Pam in CA]

You don't have it quite right re two hulls being towed to Europe, and then being finished there.

 

True, one hull was in the water and towed over. The steel was cut for the 2nd hull, but not assembled into even the vestiges of a hull. The hull plates for the 2nd hull were shipped to Europe, and then assembled into a hull,after some modest design changes.

 

Small point, but I think an important difference.

Michael... you're right and I stand corrected. I knew that at least one keel had been laid (in Louisiana or Mississippi?) and had been left rusting for a couple of years or so. Actually, NCL was probably very smart to go this route plus they recently purchased the old United States, which is also U.S.-flagged, probably to keep other cruiselines from having a U.S.-flagged ship.

[Druke I]

I believe it was Pasacougla (SP) Mississippi, but not positive about that.

 

Not only did NCLA buy the United States, but they also bought Independence, which had been stored at the Reserve Fleet, Suisun Bay, CA.. She was towed to the former Alameda Naval Air Station, and then across San Francisco Bay to Hunter's Point, where she sits forlorn and rusting.

 

Although NCLA promised to return both to service as part of the "bargain" with the US Congress for American flagging rights, it is pretty doubtful that Independence will ever sail again, and prospects for United States not much better.

[partybarbie]

I believe it was Pasacougla (SP) Mississippi, but not positive about that.

 

Not only did NCLA buy the United States, but they also bought Independence, which had been stored at the Reserve Fleet, Suisun Bay, CA.. She was towed to the former Alameda Naval Air Station, and then across San Francisco Bay to Hunter's Point, where she sits forlorn and rusting.

 

Although NCLA promised to return both to service as part of the "bargain" with the US Congress for American flagging rights, it is pretty doubtful that Independence will ever sail again, and prospects for United States not much better.

 

I was on the Independence 1989, when she was part of American Hawaii cruise line. She was a beautiful ship. The food was not that great except for the Kona coffee lamb, the macadamia nut muffins and the best sushi ever. Anyway, a little off topic, but thanks for the interesting story. Now I know what happened to her.