Is it better to cruise to Hawaii or fly?

A Hawaiian cruise lets you forego that added expense, as well as the trouble of finding and booking flights. A cruise also helps you delve deeper into each island, so if you do plan another Hawaiian vacation, you'll know which destinations you'll want to visit again.



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It's Expensive The cost of living is the biggest downside of visiting Hawaii by land. As already mentioned, Hawaii is notoriously expensive, so you can save quite a bit by taking a cruise around the islands.

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That's why we recommend flying as the best way to travel to Hawaii. This way, you can leave home and arrive in paradise on the same day. And even for travelers on the far East Coast of the mainland, it's only a 12-14 hour flight. OK, so that's not exactly a short flight, but it sure beats coming by boat.

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If you're strapped for time here's the quick answer: Absolutely! It's perfectly feasible to fly to Hawaii and then embark on an interisland cruise. Most cruises depart from Honolulu on Oahu, so you can simply book a flight to Honolulu and then join your cruise ship there.

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Hawaii is a beautiful state with six main islands to explore. Each island has beautiful beaches and natural beauty, but if you're a first-time visitor, O?ahu is the best island to visit. The Hawaiian island that is home to the state capital (Honolulu) has something for everyone.

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If all you want to do is go have a family resort vacation (and there's nothing at all wrong with that), the Caribbean might have the edge as a family-friendly destination. If you want to get out there to explore and experience a wide range of natural wonders — Hawaii probably takes the pineapple-flavored cake.

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Round trip sailings are available from Los Angeles, San Francisco and San Diego, but be prepared to spend at least eight days of that cruise at sea getting to and from Hawaii. Choose your ship wisely as you'll be spending a lot of time on it!

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September through mid-December and mid-April through mid-June is the off-season or shoulder season for Hawaiian cruises. If you are looking for an affordable Hawaiian cruise vacation, shoulder season is a wonderful time to sail to Hawaii.

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Lots of Airline Competition One of the main reasons why flights to Hawaii are so cheap is the high level of airline competition on these routes. Many carriers fly to Hawaii, including major airlines such as United, American, Delta, and Hawaiian Airlines, as well as low-cost carriers like Southwest and JetBlue.

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Flights to Hawaii are more reasonable midweek To get the best airfare prices, look to fly on Tuesday and Wednesdays. All summer long, midweek flights are a better price.

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Maui has some of the best beaches in Hawaii and is a whale-watching hotspot. Maui is the place to be if you are interested in whale-watching tours. The island's surrounding waters contain the world's densest humpback whale population. Each year sees over 10,000 whales migrate to the island's waters.

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While both destinations offer beautiful scenery and plenty of activities, the Hawaiian islands are more diverse in their landscape and offerings than the average island in the Caribbean. However, the Caribbean offers a more relaxed and affordable experience than Hawaii.

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Hawaii's hurricane season runs from June 1 to Nov. 30. This year, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) predicts more cyclone activity in the central Pacific than usual, due to it being an El Nino summer. NOAA predicts that there will be four to seven cyclones this year.

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The wettest months are from November to March, but winter rains do not generally disrupt vacation plans, since the weather is very localized. This means that if it is raining where you are, there is almost always a sunny spot to be found around the coast.

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The Kona side is the best area to stay on Big Island as it will have the driest, sunniest weather and by far the best beaches. In fact, nearly the entire eastern coastline has no sandy beaches at all! Rather than sand, you will find only an extended lava rock shelf that drops right into the ocean.

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Visiting Hawaii can be expensive, but there are ways to score cheaper airfares. In general, Midwest and West Coast departures cost several hundred dollars less than those from the East Coast or the South. April thru June and mid-August thru mid-September are Hawaii's low seasons, and airfares are lower then.

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