Where to Stay Before or After Your Cruise
Waikiki, downtown or near the airport: choosing a base for your Honolulu nights.
Get Honolulu Cruise QuotesPre- and Post-Cruise Nights in Honolulu
A night or two in Honolulu before your cruise protects you from flight delays and turns the first day of the trip into a vacation day rather than a travel day. After a cruise, an extra night lets you take a late flight without watching the clock. The question is where to stay, and Honolulu offers three distinct choices.
Waikiki, Downtown or Near the Airport
| Area | Why choose it | Trade-off |
|---|---|---|
| Waikiki | The classic Hawaii stay: beach, Diamond Head views, restaurants and evening entertainment | A longer ride to the pier than downtown |
| Downtown and Kakaʻako | Close to the piers; Chinatown, ʻIolani Palace and local restaurants within reach | Quieter at night, no swimming beach on the doorstep |
| Ala Moana | Between Waikiki and downtown, next to a large beach park and shopping center | Fewer hotels to choose from |
| Near the airport | Handy for very late arrivals or very early flights | Little to do nearby |
How Many Nights?
- One night before is the minimum for a fly-in cruise and is usually enough for most mainland travelers.
- Two or three nights before lets you adjust to the time difference and see Pearl Harbor, Diamond Head or the North Shore without rushing.
- One night after suits travelers with early flights the following morning or anyone who wants a final beach day.
- A neighbor-island add-on after a weekly loop gives you time to return to a favorite island seen from the ship.
Search hotel rates on Rooms Cheap, our network’s hotel site, or let our advisors package hotel nights with your cruise. For restaurants and events during your stay, our local guide Best of Honolulu has the current picks.
Using a Free Day on Oʻahu
With a day before your cruise, consider an early hike up Diamond Head, the Byodo-In Temple and the windward coast, or the North Shore beaches. Reservations are required for some popular sites, so check before you go. A beach afternoon in Waikiki is always a good fallback, and it keeps you close to your hotel.
Traveling as a family or a group? Our network’s Family Group Cruises explains group rates and perks if several cabins are sailing together.
Hotel Check-Out and Boarding Time
Hotel check-out is usually late morning, while cruise boarding windows tend to start later in the day. Ask your hotel to hold bags after check-out, or request a late check-out, so you can spend the morning at the beach or the pool instead of waiting in the terminal. On the way back, most hotels will hold luggage for guests arriving off a ship before rooms are ready.
Package Your Cruise and Hotel
Tell us how many nights you want in Honolulu and which area appeals. Our cruise advisors at Mister Cruise will quote the cruise and the stay together, free.
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