Small Ship Cruises In Hawaii Bring Maritime Adventures
Oct 18th, 2006 by Hawaii Cruiser
If you’re up for a tropical maritime adventure, you ought to look into vacationing on a small ship cruise in Hawaii. Perhaps you expect a bit more excitement than vacationing aboard a “floating hotel.” Small ship cruises in Hawaii can dock in smaller ports of Oahu, Maui, and Kauai, allowing you to experience the islands’ nature, history and culture away from other tourists.
Smaller numbers aboard Hawaiian ships mean every passenger is welcomed and known as an individual. Cruise personnel are often highly skilled and knowledgeable about Hawaiian customs and histories, and eager to share their knowledge with any interested passenger.
Small Ship Cruises In Hawaii
Though they may a bit hard to find, several outstanding small cruises sail in Hawaii. We’ve done some legwork and listed several of the most interesting and exciting ones available.
Crystal Cruise Line – If you’re up for a big adventure, you can take a ride on the Crystal Symphony from Los Angeles to Hong Kong China. Several days into the adventure cruise, the ship docs in Honolulu giving you time to visit some key Oahu sights including the island’s famous north shore.
Technically, the 50,000-ton Crystal Symphony is 50,000-ton, is a medium-size cruise ship. Yet we included it in our list because it is one of the smaller ships to embark on a long trans-ocean voyage. Onboard amenities include grand lounges, full-service fitness facility, Crystal casino, spa, two pools, and elegant staterooms.
Clipper Cruise Line – Pretend you’re an ancient explorer discovering new lands. Clipper Cruise Line’s 17-day cruise traces back the path taken across the South Pacific by the ancient Polynesians, who traveled in primitive canoes from the Society Islands, across the Pacific, eventually reaching Hawaii.
As you cruise around the Hawaiian Islands, you’ll see what early explorers saw – largely uninhabited shores, luscious greenery and a magnificent variety of marine life. Traveling with 130 passengers aboard the Clipper Odyssey will enable enjoy the amenities of a luxurious cruise ship with the intimacy of a small expedition vessel.
Holland America Cruise Line – Aboard Holland America’s smaller Old World cruise ship, the Statendam, you’ll view the Big Island’s Kilauea volcano, relive the drama of Pearl Harbor on Oahu and enjoy evenings of spectacular sunsets. Activities available include snorkeling, scuba diving, and deep-sea fishing. Passengers depart from San Diego and may either circle the Hawaiian Islands or voyage on a 30-day Hawaii South Pacific Explorer cruise.
Ocean Voyages – If you want to literally assist in your Hawaiian cruise adventure, then you ought to look closely at Ocean Voyages. This company enables you to participate in adventure sailing, scuba diving and luxury yachting programs with experience captains and smaller ships. Simply charter one of its three Hawaiian yachts to sail, fish and snorkel off the coasts of Maui, Kauai, Hawaii, and more.
The Ali’i Kai Catamaran – For just an afternoon or evening Hawaiian voyage, you may enjoy a ride on the world’s largest Polynesian catamaran. The 52-foot boat can carry 28 passengers for picnic snorkel sails and four-hour sunset cocktail cruises along Oahu’s south shore.
Cruising on smaller ships is a wonderful way to live, learn and experience Hawaiian history and culture and get a more complete understanding of the U.S.’s 50th state.
