Thread: Cruise to Hawaii or Land tour only ????

We would like to cruise to Hawaii but friends of ours are trying to convince us that a land tour is better. Of those of you who have cruised to Hawaii once, whats your thoughts about this ???

I just did a land vacation to Maui in Sept and must say, it was beautiful but would have been better on a cruise ship. I hope to be able to take a cruise there soon. I guess I'm spoiled but I like the nightlife & fun on a ship. Seemed like everything shutdown too early. We did snorkel tour, Luau, & Sunset Cocktail cruise. While it was great to do all the activities, limited choices of where to go after 9 or 10 at night.

We are starting a special savings account for our retirement cruise. We want to do a back to back cruise to Hawaii. Of course things could be different then, but if the cruises are somewhat the same then we would said out of Ensenada do the islands, do them again and sail back. What a cruise that would be!!! We did a land tour several years ago and loved that too. Hawaii is a beautiful and wonderful place to visit.

In my opinion Hawaii should be a land vacation...........not a cruise......JMO

We cruised on the Infinity in April..........it was a great cruise........but too little time in the islands to really see everything you want to see. You have to pick and choose. We are going back but it will be a land based vacation.

A cruise is a great way to taste Hawaii..........a land vacation to me would be the way to really experience Hawaii.

We were planning a cruise to Hawaii last year on the NCL Pride of Aloha - we were going to stay a few days before and a week after. After reading the bad`reviews of the ship we decided on a land vacation - and are happy we did. We spent 5 days each on four different islands nand still did not see all of Hawaii. We want to go back, but will probably narrow it down to two islands and no cruise.


Ron

Hm, I think thats a tough one.

If you take a cruise you get a good snippet or preview as to what island has to offer, then you can decide from there which islands you liked and are worth visiting again and which islands aren't worth visiting again.

If you take a land tour you get a real feel for the flavor, the history and the culture of the island you're on. If your land tour includes stays at a couple of different islands, this could be a good thing. When you are on a Hawaiian cruise you are only there on each island for 1/2 a day or if you're lucky you'll get to overnight, but that isn't nearly enough time to see everything that the each island has to offer.

If the price is right, I'd go for a land tour.

Thanks everyone for your replies Guess I better start saving my nickels and pennies for our "Hawaii or Bust" Vacation LOL

Originally Posted by Ziggy7

Thanks everyone for your replies Guess I better start saving my nickels and pennies for our "Hawaii or Bust" Vacation LOL

Hawaii is a beautiful place....whichever way you choose to experience it. I just got back & I'm ready to go back.

I guess we'll have our answer in less than 70 days. It'll be our girl's first time (all she knows is the "Lilo and Stitch" Hawaii. But she isn't into scenary so the cruise may be the way to go for her until she's much older. Then we'll have an excuse to come back.

Ziggy, I just now saw your question. First off you know how much I LOVE to Cruise but.....with all honestly I think to really see and feel Hawaii you need to do a land trip. The time you are able to spend in port just gives you a brief feel. I think RCL and NCL do spend a bit more time in some ports like Maui (more than a day) but it still does not give you near enough time. If you can spend more than a week like 10 days then try two islands at a time. Each Island needs at least 4 to 5 days on your first visit. I also feel each Island has it's own personality and just like people I might love one island and you may not like it at all. When people think Hawaii most think Honolulu and the Island of Oahu but there is so much more of Hawaii to see.