Is a hawaiian cruise, better than staying on a couple of the island if you have limited time?

Answer 1

I have been to Hawaii about 5 times and I prefer staying in a hotel to cruising the islands. I have never done a HAwaii cruise but have done about 12 cruises to other places. I prefer to do my own thing in HAwaii and do what I want rather than be confined to a ships' schedule. You can also do the tours and attractions for less on your own. The last time we went to Hawaii we flew to Oahu and stayed 5 days and thenflew to Maui and stayed 5 days before flying back homne from there. WE also did a tour on the Big island of Hawaii througha tour company. SO we covered 3 island very well. Yu can easliy schedule a two island trip and tour others if you want.


The top things to do in Hawaii are:

1. Go to Pearl Harbor to see history at the US Arizona Memorial. You can drive or take the bus there; no need to book a tour. (Oahu Island) But you need to go early because the site is popular and the wait for your free tour can be about an hour.

2. If you are on the island of Oahu (where Honolulu and Waikiki beach is) go to the other side of the island to see the great deserted beaches (get a rental car for a day or two). Take highway 99 north toward Waimea and stop at the Dole pineapple plantation for a tour.

3. The Polynesian Cultural Center ( on Oahu) is a great place to learn about authentic Hawaiian life. But understand that its run by the Morman church and there are NO alcoholic beverages served there, not even beer. You can buy tickets to tour the place and another type ticket that allows you to stay for the evening laui.

4. If you go to Maui, you gotta do the downhill bike ride. I don't recommend the sunrise one because you have to get up at 3:00 AM to get started up the mountain and its cold up there that early. If you are a romantic do it, but otherwise no. There are different bike companies and some don't take you all the way to the top, and some don't guide you back down. You can come down by yourself, there's only one road with just a little traffic, but if you are squeamish about riding in the street, a company that accompanies you down will help watch the traffic for you. I have been twice and prefer Maui Downhill to the others. These companies have web sites They will pick you up at your hotel, take you to their shop to pick out a wet-suit (for the cold and mist/rain shower maybe) and gloves and helmet; then take you up the mountain; then follow your group down so they can block traffic for your ride; then afterwards take you back to your hotel. Expect this activity to take 75-80% or more of the day.

5. Also in Maui, The Road to Hana is a great drive (you need a rental car). It’s a 30 mile winding road that takes 4 hours to drive. Its like driving through the jungle; has a bunch of one lane bridges. Then drive through Hana to the Seven-Pools attraction and go for a swim.

6. On the Big Island of Hawaii: go to the Volcano National Park. Also go see Akaka Falls. If you like horseback riding, go to the Parker Ranch and go for a guided ride. Drive to the south end of the island and see a black sand beach.

For information about tours and things to do, click on the link below for Roberts Hawaii. They do tours on all of the islands.

Answer 2

It really just depends what you plan to do. I have always felt that cruising is not for someone that really wants to explore an area. So, if there is one or two places you are really wanting to do a lot at, you probably would be better staying at a resort than cruising.

Cruising is great because you get to see more of the islands. You may be able to see all the islands in the amount of time you have, but, you may only be there for a few hours, so you are limited on what you can see. But, for the price you will pay, you will get a much more luxurious atmosphere than you would if were to pay the same amount on the island. You can't beat the price.

In my opinion, cruising is great for the first visit to some place new that you are wanting to go back to. Go around a little, experience it and decide what areas you like the most. Then, you can go back on your own and spend your whole vacation in the spots you like most. But, you had the cruise so that you know what you like and dislike.

Either way you will have a nice time, you just have to decide if you want to see more islands or see more things on specific islands.

Answer 3

I've found I've lost a lot of days of vacation in Hawaii by packing, checking out, going to the airport, flying to the next island, getting to the hotel, checking in, unpacking. Not to mention the extra expense of inter-island flights. I would do a Hawaiian cruise anytime. However: The Ocean can be rough around the islands and the ships that cruise Hawaii are smaller. If you're prone to motion sickness, this might not be the best choice for you.

Answer 4

The advantage to a hotel is you can stay longer in a given spot.

The advantage to a ship is you don't have to pack your clothes, go to the airport, spend 45 minutes getting through security for a 20 minute flight, get to your new hotel and unpack your clothes.

We have done it both ways and now that I am older & lazier we choose the cruise.

You can fly in a couple days early & see the island you depart from before getting on the ship. Usually cruises depart from Oahu or Maui. Either place is worth a couple days.

Rent a car at your stops. They will pick you up and drop you off at the ship. With a car you can explore on your own time and see the sights that interest you.

Get a travel book on Hawaii and get an idea of what you want to do before you leave.

Have a good trip.

Answer 5

You will see more islands, but your stay on each will be rushed and superficial. So it depends on what you want to do. If you like to really get into a new location and get an in depth experience, don't do a cruise. If you just want a little flavor of a place, do the cruise.
A cruise is a good way to experience a lot of new places, and then you can go back and spend more time in the ones that really appealed to you.

Answer 6

When you're on a cruise, most of your time is aboard ship. Some people like that. It fulfills their social needs and they don't desire alot of walking around ashore. I personally like staying on one of the islands because no matter which direction you walk or drive, it's exploration at it's finest. You will happen across unique 'food finds' and be exposed to local culture more than if you have to get back to the ship, etc.

Answer 7

Yes, it's better because you see more islands, and don't have to fly to each one or unpack/pack. Cruising is always the best.

Answer 8

if i had a choice i'd spend time on the islands

Answer 9

ya...you ownt be able to do anything if you just stay on an island for a while.