HAWAII CRUISE PORTS
BY PAULA HUGHES COURT
As with all cruises, plan to be back onboard 30 minutes to an
hour before departure. Time is limited in some ports, so I’d think
twice about booking private shore excursions that might not get
you back to the ship on time. We sailed away from port exactly on
schedule at every stop.
Honolulu, Oahu- (depart 8:00 p.m.) Prior to the cruise, we
spent two nights at the gorgeous Hilton Hawaiian Village Resort
on Waikiki Beach. It was the perfect antidote for a 12-hour flight
with a seven-year-old. This resort offers something for everyone.
White sandy beaches, snorkeling, several pools, and water
sports. There’s even an exhibit featuring warm-weather penguins.
Hilo, Hawaii (The Big Island)-(dock 6:00 a.m.-depart 1:00 p.m.)
Because we were traveling with a child we opted to rent a car at
most ports. I can’t stress enough how important it is to book
weeks in advance to get a decent rate. Most economical cars
were sold out six weeks prior. In Hilo, we rented from Hertz ($36)
and drove up to the amazing Volcanoes National Park. I highly
recommend this trip for first time visitors. It’s a unique sight you’ll
never see again. Our Hertz shuttle driver told us about a trick to try
at the steam vents. Pull up beside the vent, put the car in park and
rev the engine. For some reason, the steam boils out every time. It’
s a fun trick, but keep your windows closed for safety
reasons.
Fanning Island-Republic of Kiribati-(dock 9:00 a.m.-depart 3:
00)This stop is always the cause of much discussion among
passengers. Some people absolutely hate Fanning Island. While
others, like myself, thought it was well worth the two sea days to
get there and back, for an once-in-a-lifetime experience. Many
passengers try to compare the tiny atoll with privately owned
islands in the Caribbean and find it lacking. Not enough facilities,
they say. Too many flies. The beach is too crowded, etc. What they
don’t understand is that Norwegian Cruise Lines doesn’t own
Fanning Island. The residents do.
According to Norwegian Star Hotel Director, James Deering, the
residents have asked Norwegian not to build any more facilities
on the island. “It’s their island. We only borrow it from them a few
hours a week,” he explained.
Here’s the way to make the most of the Fanning Island visit. First,
be sure to book the Napali Beach excursion for $20, which
includes a free t-shirt. If you do one shore excursion on the cruise,
this is it. The tenders will take you to a private beach with
hammocks, floats and bar service (though no restrooms!). It’s
also much easier to interactive with the local residents here than
at the crowded main beach. Enjoy your morning at this gorgeous
beach, then catch the boat back over to the main island for lunch.
When you arrive at Fanning Island, don’t expect a man-made
resort. The main attraction is the sweet, gracious people who live
there, especially the adorable children. Before the cruise, I
researched the island on the Internet and learned the children
could use many things. School supplies, books (they’re trying to
start a library with donated books) clothes, and of course, fun toys.
My daughter, Claudia, and I went shopping and brought along
about 150 small toy animals to hand out to the children. To say
this was the highlight of our cruise is an understatement. The
children’s faces lit up when they saw the gifts, and they couldn’t
wait to share them with their friends and parents.
The children graciously thanked us by bestowing many hand-
made gifts on my daughter- turtles made out of shells, several
necklaces, bracelets, a grass skirt, and hair barrettes. Our only
regret was that we didn’t bring more things. My daughter kept
asking on the tender back to the ship, “When can we come back,
so we can bring more stuff?” The only thing they don’t need is
candy since they do not receive dental care.
On a practical note, Norwegian does a great job of making people
as comfortable as possible on an island that doesn’t have
electricity, telephones or running water. They set up a barbeque
on the beach for lunch and provide clean restroom facilities on the
main beach. Afterwards, they pack everything back up and load it
onto the ship. Hotel Director James Deering makes it a point to
be on the last tender back to the ship every week so he can make
sure nothing is left behind.
Kahului-Maui-(dock 1:00 p.m.-depart 10:00 p.m.)This stop is a
heartbreaker because it’s so short. The ship docked at 1 p.m.
right on schedule Unfortunately, it was after 2:30 before everyone
cleared immigration. This process starts early in the morning and
shouldn’t be a problem, but there are always those one or two
people who hold up the entire ship by not complying.
The ship offers several great shore excursions in both Maui and
Kauai and I recommend splurging on these two islands. Book
your excursions early because the most popular ones sell out
fast. Some of the excursions in Maui include helicopter tours and
bicycling down Haleakala Volcano. If you’re traveling with small
children, there is a free shuttle going from the port to the Maui
Ocean Center aquarium.
Again, we opted to rent a car from Hertz ($60) and drove straight to
Ka’anapali Beach. After swimming, we changed and headed to
the Hoki Nui Luau at the Maui Sheraton. We booked the luau
through the ship as a shore excursion. The food was good and
the location couldn’t be beat for watching the sunset. The locals
perform a ceremony with spears atop nearby Black Rock Beach
and dive into the water at sunset. After a quick stop in Lahaina, we
rushed back to turn in the rental car, and arrived back at the ship
minutes before all aboard at 9:00 p.m.
Nawiliwili-Kauai-(dock 8:00 a.m.-depart 6:30 p.m.) Kauai
embodies everything that Hawaii is supposed to be. Lush
vegetation, clear blue water and rainbows. We picked up our Hertz
car ($55) and drove to Poipu Beach. The clear, gentle water
provides a safe environment for snorkeling at all skill levels. We
spotted several species of fish, turtles and eels just a few yards
off shore. The best place to snorkel is to the right of where the
sand bar separates the water. We noticed several passengers
from the ship at Poipu on a snorkeling shore excursion.
BY PAULA HUGHES COURT
As with all cruises, plan to be back onboard 30 minutes to an
hour before departure. Time is limited in some ports, so I’d think
twice about booking private shore excursions that might not get
you back to the ship on time. We sailed away from port exactly on
schedule at every stop.
Honolulu, Oahu- (depart 8:00 p.m.) Prior to the cruise, we
spent two nights at the gorgeous Hilton Hawaiian Village Resort
on Waikiki Beach. It was the perfect antidote for a 12-hour flight
with a seven-year-old. This resort offers something for everyone.
White sandy beaches, snorkeling, several pools, and water
sports. There’s even an exhibit featuring warm-weather penguins.
Hilo, Hawaii (The Big Island)-(dock 6:00 a.m.-depart 1:00 p.m.)
Because we were traveling with a child we opted to rent a car at
most ports. I can’t stress enough how important it is to book
weeks in advance to get a decent rate. Most economical cars
were sold out six weeks prior. In Hilo, we rented from Hertz ($36)
and drove up to the amazing Volcanoes National Park. I highly
recommend this trip for first time visitors. It’s a unique sight you’ll
never see again. Our Hertz shuttle driver told us about a trick to try
at the steam vents. Pull up beside the vent, put the car in park and
rev the engine. For some reason, the steam boils out every time. It’
s a fun trick, but keep your windows closed for safety
reasons.
Fanning Island-Republic of Kiribati-(dock 9:00 a.m.-depart 3:
00)This stop is always the cause of much discussion among
passengers. Some people absolutely hate Fanning Island. While
others, like myself, thought it was well worth the two sea days to
get there and back, for an once-in-a-lifetime experience. Many
passengers try to compare the tiny atoll with privately owned
islands in the Caribbean and find it lacking. Not enough facilities,
they say. Too many flies. The beach is too crowded, etc. What they
don’t understand is that Norwegian Cruise Lines doesn’t own
Fanning Island. The residents do.
According to Norwegian Star Hotel Director, James Deering, the
residents have asked Norwegian not to build any more facilities
on the island. “It’s their island. We only borrow it from them a few
hours a week,” he explained.
Here’s the way to make the most of the Fanning Island visit. First,
be sure to book the Napali Beach excursion for $20, which
includes a free t-shirt. If you do one shore excursion on the cruise,
this is it. The tenders will take you to a private beach with
hammocks, floats and bar service (though no restrooms!). It’s
also much easier to interactive with the local residents here than
at the crowded main beach. Enjoy your morning at this gorgeous
beach, then catch the boat back over to the main island for lunch.
When you arrive at Fanning Island, don’t expect a man-made
resort. The main attraction is the sweet, gracious people who live
there, especially the adorable children. Before the cruise, I
researched the island on the Internet and learned the children
could use many things. School supplies, books (they’re trying to
start a library with donated books) clothes, and of course, fun toys.
My daughter, Claudia, and I went shopping and brought along
about 150 small toy animals to hand out to the children. To say
this was the highlight of our cruise is an understatement. The
children’s faces lit up when they saw the gifts, and they couldn’t
wait to share them with their friends and parents.
The children graciously thanked us by bestowing many hand-
made gifts on my daughter- turtles made out of shells, several
necklaces, bracelets, a grass skirt, and hair barrettes. Our only
regret was that we didn’t bring more things. My daughter kept
asking on the tender back to the ship, “When can we come back,
so we can bring more stuff?” The only thing they don’t need is
candy since they do not receive dental care.
On a practical note, Norwegian does a great job of making people
as comfortable as possible on an island that doesn’t have
electricity, telephones or running water. They set up a barbeque
on the beach for lunch and provide clean restroom facilities on the
main beach. Afterwards, they pack everything back up and load it
onto the ship. Hotel Director James Deering makes it a point to
be on the last tender back to the ship every week so he can make
sure nothing is left behind.
Kahului-Maui-(dock 1:00 p.m.-depart 10:00 p.m.)This stop is a
heartbreaker because it’s so short. The ship docked at 1 p.m.
right on schedule Unfortunately, it was after 2:30 before everyone
cleared immigration. This process starts early in the morning and
shouldn’t be a problem, but there are always those one or two
people who hold up the entire ship by not complying.
The ship offers several great shore excursions in both Maui and
Kauai and I recommend splurging on these two islands. Book
your excursions early because the most popular ones sell out
fast. Some of the excursions in Maui include helicopter tours and
bicycling down Haleakala Volcano. If you’re traveling with small
children, there is a free shuttle going from the port to the Maui
Ocean Center aquarium.
Again, we opted to rent a car from Hertz ($60) and drove straight to
Ka’anapali Beach. After swimming, we changed and headed to
the Hoki Nui Luau at the Maui Sheraton. We booked the luau
through the ship as a shore excursion. The food was good and
the location couldn’t be beat for watching the sunset. The locals
perform a ceremony with spears atop nearby Black Rock Beach
and dive into the water at sunset. After a quick stop in Lahaina, we
rushed back to turn in the rental car, and arrived back at the ship
minutes before all aboard at 9:00 p.m.
Nawiliwili-Kauai-(dock 8:00 a.m.-depart 6:30 p.m.) Kauai
embodies everything that Hawaii is supposed to be. Lush
vegetation, clear blue water and rainbows. We picked up our Hertz
car ($55) and drove to Poipu Beach. The clear, gentle water
provides a safe environment for snorkeling at all skill levels. We
spotted several species of fish, turtles and eels just a few yards
off shore. The best place to snorkel is to the right of where the
sand bar separates the water. We noticed several passengers
from the ship at Poipu on a snorkeling shore excursion.
Handing out toys on Fanning Island
Fanning Island
FAMILY TRAVEL FUN
HAWAII CRUISE PORTS
HAWAII CRUISE PORTS
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