HAWAII CRUISE PORT
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. On Norwegian Star, 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.
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.
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.
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 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.
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. On Norwegian Star, 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.
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.
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.
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 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.
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HAWAII CRUISE PORTS
HAWAII CRUISE PORTS
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