Cruising Through Paradise
Oahu, Maui, Kauai, Hawaii — experience the beauty of the four major Hawaiian islands aboard a cruise departing from Vancouver, Los Angeles, San Diego or from within the islands themselves.
Cruises are an ideal option for traveling to island destinations, allowing you to take in their natural splendor from land and sea. All of the biggest cruise lines offer itineraries to Hawaii, ranging from one to two weeks depending on their point of origin.
Breathtaking vistas of waterfalls and volcanoes await you during tailored shore excursions and day trips. Or, if your sense of adventure extends into the culinary sphere, enjoy a taste of Hawaii during a market tour or local tasting experience. Whatever your outdoor or cultural interests, these six Hawaii cruises offer a plethora of options for the best experience possible.
Norwegian Cruise Line’s Pride of America 7-Day Hawaii, Round-Trip Honolulu
If you’re looking for the best of the best in Hawaiian cruises, look no further than Norwegian Cruise Line’s seven-day Hawaiian Islands cruise. Departing from Honolulu year-round, this cruise is one of the only week-long Hawaiian cruises that visits four different islands — Oahu, Maui, Hawaii and Kauai — with overnight stays at two of the destinations.
A visit to Kauai especially is a treat due to the remoteness of much of the island that is generally only accessible via helicopter tour.
Shore excursion options will have you exploring volcanoes, taking plantation tours and even discovering a whole underwater world aboard a submarine. Pride of America also has 19 different dining options (the most of any Hawaiian cruise line), Hollywood- and Vegas-style entertainment, an on-board spa and plenty of poolside lounging when the mood hits.
Royal Caribbean’s Radiance of the Seas Hawaii Cruises
Royal Caribbean offers Hawaiian cruises either starting or ending in Vancouver, British Columbia. Both 10- and 12-day cruises are available, depending on whether you want to have extra time in both Kauai and Maui.
Radiance of the Seas’ shore excursions focus on experiencing Hawaii’s natural beauty — from hiking mountains to snorkeling and dolphin watching to visiting the only seahorse farm in the United States. Nicknamed the “Porshe of the ocean,” Radiance of the Seas has a luxurious, intimate feel, despite its massive size.
VIP guest lounges are available to frequent cruisers or those staying in suite rooms on board. Plus one of the great features about Royal Caribbean cruises is their offerings of both adults-only and family-friendly activities.
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Hawaii Cruises on Celebrity Solstice
Like Royal Caribbean, Celebrity has cruises starting or ending in Vancouver with 10- and 12-day options. With Celebrity, however, you get an overnight stay in Maui on all their Hawaiian cruises. Known for its massive ships, Celebrity Cruises has extremely competitive rates — starting at $1,299 per person — when traveling to the Hawaiian islands.
You’ll sail in style with their lavish suites, AquaClass staterooms, and concierge-friendly services guaranteed to make your trip to paradise even more enjoyable. You may never want to leave the 1,033-foot Celebrity Solstice, but optional shore excursions within Hawaii are finely tailored to your tastes with private journeys, food and wine tours, or location specific cultural offerings.
Hawaii via Carnival Cruises’ Carnival Legend
Carnival Cruises offers incredible value when traveling to Hawaii aboard their exciting Carnival Legend ship. From luaus to whale watching, you’ll enjoy plenty of shore excursion options averaging $100 per person. Those five days at sea will fly by when you also consider all the entertainment options offered with the Carnival Legend.
Kids or no kids, the onboard water park will instantly add a little extra fun to your vacation. Even if you need a little me-time, or one-on-one with your significant other, take a break and relax in a hammock at the Serenity adults-only retreat.
While every cruise ship has some form of entertainment, not every Hawaiian cruise can boast both a comedy club and their own interactive version of “Lip Sync Battle” for guests to enjoy.
Princess Cruises’ Star Princess 15-day Hawaiian Islands Cruise
Travelers who choose Princess for their Hawaii cruise do so because of the unique variety of on board experiences to choose from. Cruises from January to September include the Matariki Festival, which celebrates Maori cultural traditions, and where you might even learn to fire dance.
Both kids and adults will benefit from the Discovery at Sea program, an educational experience full of enrichment activities inspired by programs like “Shark Week” and “Deadliest Catch.” Depending on how much you’re willing to spend on shore excursions, you can do things like explore a botanical garden on the low end or view volcanoes from a helicopter on the higher end.
Although most Hawaiian cruises depart from Vancouver or stay amid the Hawaiian islands, Princess has a round-trip cruise departing from Los Angeles, with a stop in Ensenada, Mexico before returning to the States.
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Holland America Westerdam 18-Day Circle Hawaii
If you’re looking for more of a luxury experience while cruising to Hawaii, consider Holland America’s Westerdam ship. Even the most basic interior stateroom includes amenities like a Sealy mattress, terry cloth bathrobes and Elemis Aromapure bath products. Explore the ship’s culinary workshop offerings and learn cake decorating or how to craft your own wine blend.
As you journey between the Hawaiian islands, take a full- or half-day shore excursion to one of Hawaii’s natural wonders like the “Grand Canyon of the Pacific,” Waimea Canyon. Small group options are available for an even more in-depth experience from local tour guides or hire a private car and create your own overland itinerary.
Plus with Holland America’s Explorations Central program, you can dive into the local culture before you even step foot on one of the islands, learning lei-making or getting insider info on the hottest nightclubs.