Cruises From Honolulu
A weekly island loop, a one-way ocean voyage, or a day in port on a longer cruise.
Get Honolulu Cruise QuotesWhich Ships Sail From Honolulu
If you want to cruise from Honolulu and come back to Honolulu a week later, one ship does that every week of the year: Norwegian Cruise Line’s Pride of America. Because it sails under the U.S. flag, it can visit Maui, the Big Island and Kauaʻi without calling at a foreign port, which foreign-flagged ships cannot do. Our sister site Cruise Hawaii explains that rule and the island loop in depth.
From the Honolulu point of view, the pattern is simple. The ship usually arrives early on a Saturday morning, guests from the previous week disembark, and new guests board that afternoon before an evening departure. The week includes overnights at Kahului on Maui and Nāwiliwili on Kauaʻi plus calls at Hilo and Kona, though the exact order and times can change, so check the day-by-day plan for your sailing.
Longer Voyages That Start or End Here
Foreign-flagged ships use Honolulu in three ways. Most call here for a day during round trips from Los Angeles, San Diego, San Francisco, Seattle or Vancouver. Some reposition between seasons and begin or end a one-way voyage here, for example between Vancouver and Honolulu as ships move from Alaska to warmer waters. A few world and South Pacific voyages also link Honolulu with Tahiti, Australia or New Zealand.
A one-way cruise from Honolulu has a different rhythm from the weekly loop: several sea days, a foreign destination and a long flight home from the other end. They are listed only a few times a year, so they sell on dates. If a cruise from Honolulu to Sydney or Tahiti is on your wish list, ask us to watch for them.
Choosing Between the Week and the Voyage
Pick the weekly round trip if…
You want the most island time for your vacation days, prefer to unpack once, and would rather fly than spend days at sea.
Pick a one-way voyage if…
You have two weeks or more, enjoy sea days and want to combine Hawaii with the South Pacific or the Pacific Northwest.
Pick a mainland round trip if…
You would rather not fly over the Pacific. Honolulu becomes a port of call rather than your start and finish.
Add hotel nights either way
One or two nights in Waikiki before a weekly cruise, or after a long voyage, take the pressure off flight times.
Whichever you choose, the people who answer our quote requests compare cabins and dates across the lines and send the options side by side. For current cruise sales, our network site Wave Season gathers the big promotions, and Cruising for Less explains the discounts you may qualify for.
Making the Most of a Honolulu Port Call
If your ship is in Honolulu for one day on a longer voyage, decide early between the two classic choices: history at Pearl Harbor or a beach and a meal in Waikiki. Doing both is possible on a long day, but the memorial runs on timed programs, so reserve first and build the rest around it. Our Pearl Harbor guide has the details, and Shore Activities lists tours worldwide if you would rather join a group.
Find Your Honolulu Sailing
Weekly island loop or a one-way voyage across the Pacific? Tell us your dates and our cruise advisors at Mister Cruise will send free quotes for every cruise from Honolulu that fits.
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