CRUISES IN HAWAII
HENRY NOWICKI 1 JUNE 1999
Cruise ships have started to return to the islands and boat days have been much more numerous the last two years. Most foreign ships tour the islands for five or six days before heading back to the mainland or to the South Pacific. Apart from these still relatively infrequent visits of ocean-going vessels, Hawaii does have a number of home-grown cruise itineraries largely operating out of Honolulu.
American Hawaii Cruises (Ref 1) currently has a single ship, the S.S. Independence (Ref 2), which conducts a week-long voyage (Ref 3) around the islands, departing Honolulu on each Saturday. It is an altogether pleasant cruise that is certainly the preferred way of seeing the islands particularly if for the first time. It should be noted that the SS Independence is the only American built and operated cruise ship so it has the privilege of embarking and debarking American passengers in US ports without the necessity of visiting a foreign port in between.
The Star of Honolulu (Ref 4), of Paradise Cruise, Ltd, is a relatively new 1,500-passenger cruise ship that conducts daily voyages along the Waikiki coast and into Pearl Harbor.
I just experienced a sunset dinner cruise in their elegant 3-star class (lobster and filet of beef) that was excellent in every respect and very much to be recommended. The various classes, star, 3-star and 5-star, are to be found on the first, second and third decks with an observation and super nova deck on the fourth level. The music was a very enjoyable jazz group that reverted to a lively, Pacific-based "Spirit of Aloha" floor show.
Both of the above ships are now berthed at the delightful Aloha Tower area (Ref 5) that is located right downtown at Honolulu Harbor. Shops, bars, restaurants and entertainment are located pierside in a most convenient arrangement.
The progressive-looking Navatek (Ref 6), of SWATH design, is berthed at pier 6 just east of the Hawaii Maritime Center (Ref 7)and Aloha Tower. This Royal Hawaiian Cruise vessel can accommodate 400 passengers in its daily voyages along the south shore of Waikiki and Kahala. The mid-day Kahala Gold Coast luncheon tour, which travels east to Koko Head which in turn is some ten miles beyond Diamond Head, is a most enjoyable voyage complete with Hawaiian entertainment and a variety of shipboard activities. With looking at the island on one side and the blue expanse on the other and trying to partake of these activities to include dining in fine style, one finds the cruise does not have a dull moment. On Fridays, a special Hawaiian buffet of kalua pig, poi, laulau and all the trimmings really is a treat. It is tantamount to a sea-going luau.
Kewalo Basin, about one mile east of Aloha Tower, is where the remainder of the commercial cruise vessels are to found. Chief among these are the two large Paradise Cruise vessels called the Starlet, which can carry 340 passengers, and Starlet II which can carry 230 passengers (Ref 4). Both vessels ply the waters off the southern shore of Waikiki and adjoining areas. If you would like to snorkel, zip down a water slide, climb into an inflatable boat or bounce around on a trampoline raft, then this is the place as the vessel anchors off Waikiki to allow quite an immersion course in water enjoyment.
Of special note, the Star of Honolulu makes regular visits to the Pearl Harbor Naval Base (Ref 8) with its famous USS Arizona and USS Missouri memorials.
Kewalo Basin is also home for a number of catamarans which offer day and evening offshore cruises and a large number of charter fishing boats, too numerous to list.
Last, but not least, there are short cruises offered by submarines (Ref 9) of two types, true submersible and semi-submersible. Both types operate off Waikiki. The yellow submarine is appropriately reached by a yellow catamaran from Kewalo Basin. It explores sunken reef margins offshore of Waikiki. The Atlantis submarine similarly searches the reef edges off Waikiki and is approached by a tender departing the Hilton Hawaiian Village Hotel pier. The Atlantis comes within view of a few sunken ships and a section of a Mitsubishi aircraft. Both submarine companies have more than a single sub and both offer exciting underwater experiences.
Of course, the neighboring islands have a variety of cruise offerings but that might be the material for another article.
REFERENCES. Click on any of the following for travel-related information:
Ref 2.
S.S. Independence.
Ref 3.
S.S. Independence 7-Day Itinerary.
Ref 4.
Ref 5. Aloha Tower.
Aloha Tower Marketplace.
Ref 6.
Ref 7.
Ref 8. Pearl Harbor.
USS Arizona.
Ref 9. Submarines and Semi-Submersible Cruises.
Voyager Submarines.
Ref 1.
Sealetter Ship Review, Sep 97.
Captain Bob's Ship Review, Apr 97.
Aloha Tower Area Map.
Aloha Tower Map.
Aloha Tower Information.
USS Arizona Memorial.
USS Missouri.
Atlantis Submarines.
Nautilus Semi-Submersible Cruises.
The Tropics Shoreline
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