If you want to visit Hawaii but are not sure which island you would like to stay on or if this is your first trip to the islands and you want to experience several of the islands without the hassle of packing and unpacking, why not take a Hawaiian Island cruise?
Spend a week on a cruise ship stopping at four of the most popular of the Hawaiian Islands. The ports of call include the island of Hawaii or the “big island” as it is referred to as, Maui, Kaua’i and O’ahu. Take a leisurely journey through the islands, spending a day or two at each stop.
Most of the cruise ships follow the same itinerary making one or two day stops at Hilo and Kona on the big island, and the islands of Maui, Kaua’i and O’ahu. Each island has something different to offer to the visitor and day tours can be arranged through the cruise line or independently.
But cruising isn’t just about visiting various ports of call. There are daily activities to keep you entertained on board the ship as well as first class entertainment in the evenings. Enjoy a meal in one of the ships many restaurants; have a drink, watch the sunset and listen to live music in one of the onboard bars or lounges; go for a swim or sit in a hot tub. There is even a fitness center to help you burn off those extra calories from dinner.
Norwegian Cruise lines (NCL) offers a seven day cruise that begins and ends in Honolulu, stopping on the islands of Hawaii (Big Island), Maui, Kaua’i and then returning to the island of O’ahu. The pace is leisurely and the ports of call provide the best the Hawaiian Islands have to offer.
http://www.ncl.com/nclweb/destination/details.HTML?destinationCode=HAWAII
Hawaii or the Big Island is home to the world’s most active volcano, Kilauea, which began erupting again in 1983. Take a helicopter tour and see the red hot lava flow spew from the volcano’s crater.
http://www.sunshinehelicopters.com/hawaii/tours/hawaii.HTML
http://www.safarihelicopters.com/bigislandtours.HTML
Or if you would prefer to see cold lava, visit Volcanoes National Park. Hike to the rim of a volcanic crater, see the where the lava flowed during the last eruption. The area looks like a moonscape, devoid of life. Walk through a lava tube, a cave like structure created by hot lava. The island is riddled with these lava tubes, almost like an underground maze.
http://www.nps.gov/havo
http://www.kilaueacavernsoffire.com/
http://www.kulakaicaverns.com/
http://www.hawaiiweb.com/Hawaii/HTML/sites/thurston_lava_tube.HTML
Visit a coffee plantation and see how coffee is grown. Sample some of Hawaii’s finest brew. Stop at a nut factory/plantation and enjoy Hawaii’s latest agricultural export, macadamia nuts. Try them roasted, chocolate coated, or unsalted. Be careful or you may find your suitcase full of these tasty little treats.
http://www.gohawaii.com/big_island/plan/things_to_do_on_big_island/attractions/points_of_interest/kona_coffee
http://www.101thingstodo.com/hawaii/bigisland/tours/macadamianutfarm/index.PHP
Although the volcanoes are the most visited sites on the Big Island, there is no shortage of things to do in Hilo or Kona. Go golfing, deep sea fishing, snorkeling or enjoy other water sports. Take a tour of the island and see the best that the island has to offer.
http://www.touchofgoldtours.com/Tours/Aloha_Vacations_Hawaii_One_Day_Tour.HTML
http://www.vacationmoments.com/thingstodo/hawaii_ttd.ASP
http://www.101thingstodo.com/hawaii/bigisland/tours/konacoffeetasting/index.PHP
Maui is known as the valley island. Take a tour this tropical paradise or rent a car and tour on your own. Visit Lahaina and stroll through the water front shopping area. Take a submarine tour, go whale watching, snorkel, surf, attend a luau, go parasailing, take a dinner cruise, go ziplining or hike the Haleakala crater. There is something for everyone to do on Maui.
http://www.visitmaui.com/
http://www.101thingstodo.com/hawaii/maui/index.PHP
http://www.mauiactivities.net/
You can also make the long, treacherous drive to Hana. Although Hana is only 46 miles (74 km) from Kahului along the north shore of Maui, the drive will take about 3 hours on winding, switch backed roads that are not for the faint of heart. The speed limit is only 15 miles per hours (24 km/hour) and sometimes that will seem too fast. The road will often narrows to one lane. Stop along the way and see some awesome scenery including a couple of tranquil waterfalls just a short hike from the road.
http://www.hanamaui.com/
http://www.hana-maui.com/activities.HTML
Kaua’i, the garden island, is the oldest of the Hawaiian Islands and is less developed than Maui or O’ahu. It has also been the location for many movies and TV programs, including Fantasy Island. You can take a movie tour and see the stunning locations used on the big screen. See the rugged Napali Coast either by helicopter or from the ocean, take a drive to Waimea Canyon nicked name the “Grand Canyon of the Pacific” by Mark Twain, or take in the Spouting Horn, a lava tube that belches and spouts water during high tide.
Kaua’i is the perfect island to relax and enjoy the outdoors on.
http://www.101thingstodo.com/hawaii/kauai/index.PHP
O’ahu is the most populated and developed of the islands and offers visitors a variety of things to do and see. Waikiki has some great beaches, fabulous restaurants and designer shopping. Hike up to Diamond Head or visit the historical site of Pearl Harbor, go surfing, snorkeling or sailing or take a submarine cruise. Attend a Luau, there are several to choose from in Waikiki. The cruise starts and ends in Honolulu and it is easy to add a few extras days at the beginning or end of the trip to experience O’ahu.
http://www.lestout.com/article/travel/adventure-travel/five_cool_things_to_do_in_honolulu_hawaii.HTML
http://www.101thingstodo.com/hawaii/oahu/index.PHP
A cruise through the islands is a relaxing way to see the best that Hawaii has to offer. With all the benefits of a cruise combined with the chance to sample all the islands without having to change hotels, cruising is the way to travel to Hawaii.
