Hawaiian Cruise Reviews

Gone are the days when Hawaii Island cruises were reserved for the sedentary senior citizens. Today newlyweds, families and adventure enthusiasts seek fun and excitement aboard the many Hawaiian cruises.

So far, NCL America’s three ships - Pride of Aloha, Pride of America, and Pride of Hawaii – offer weekly inter-island year round cruises, while the biggies like Royal Caribbean, Princess, and Holland America also offer spectacular trips to this tropical paradise.

Aside from the magnificent vessels, the main draws of Hawaiian cruises are the shore excursions that highlight the islands’ history, culture, and geographic attractions. We’ve listed some outstanding on-shore excursions to consider while you’re cruising Hawaii.

On-Shore Excursions To Match Fantastic Hawaiian Cruises

Oahu - Pearl Harbor continues to fascinate visitors. Try to visit the USS Bowfin and the Mighty Mo - decommissioned and opened as a museum, the mammoth ship now offers a variety of guided tours and fascinating insights into the life of a sailor.

Oahu’s Bishop Museum, founded in 1889 by entrepreneur Charles Reed Bishop as a tribute to his wife, Princess Bernice Pauahi Bishop, the last descendant of Hawaii’s royal Kamehameha dynasty. The museum preserves the culture and natural history of Hawaii and other Pacific islands through fascinating exhibits, special events and educational workshops.

Its $17 million, 16,500-square-ft. Science Adventure Center, is the only facility in Oahu to display such wonders and mysteries of science. Here, you can learn about topics such as oceanography, geology, entomology, botany, and seismology through interactive exhibits.

For some Oahu fun, be sure to check out the Cirque Hawaii. Watch the 32 international performers mix high-energy dance, breath-taking acrobatics and stunning balancing acts with state-of-the-art surround sound, lighting and special effects.

Maui – Maui provides the perfect mix of beautiful lush nature with urban chic. City lovers will want to check out some of Maui’s famous shops and spas.

If you have the time and energy, try to trek up Haleakala (Hawaiian for “House of the Sun”); this volcano is the highest point on Maui, more than10,023 feet above sea level. On a clear day, you’ll enjoy some of the most spectacular views Maui has to offer.

Maui is known for its water sports - scuba diving, snuba (a cross between scuba and snorkeling that’s ideal for novices), kayaking, parasailing at Kaanapali Beach, and Atlantis submarine adventures. And if you’d like to snorkel with majestic sea turtles,

Kauai - British Captain James Cook and his crew first landed in Hawaii at Waimea, on Kauai’s west coast, in 1778. And historians believe Polynesians first inhabited this island at around 500 A.D. Kauai’s rain forests, mountains, and long stretches of white sand make it a nature-lover’s dream.

Hikers will want to checkout Kokee State Park on Kauai’s west side. Nineteen hiking trails travel more than 34 miles over the park’s 4,345 acres.

Garden lovers will adore Kauai’s Na Aina Kai Botanical Gardens. On its 21 acres of gardens you’ll see; an exotic fruit farm which grows such rarities as atemoya, rambutan, and lychee; and a plantation of hardwoods featuring teak, rosewood, mahogany and others; trellises; gazebos; arched bridges; and a Japanese teahouse.

Big Island: Hilo – Be sure to visit Hilo’s Hawaii Volcanoes National Park; there, you’ll view rainforests and America’s most active volcano. The two volcanoes: Mauna Loa and Kilauea (the former tops off at 13,677 feet), the latter is the active one — having been erupting off and on since 1983. You may even see lava flow from Kilauea.

As much as you enjoy your Hawaiian cruise ship, be sure to venture on shore to visit the magical delights of Maui, Oahu, Kauai, and the Big Island of Hawaii.