4 Essentials for Your Hawaii Honeymoon Cruise

This is what you should avoid.

How many times have you returned from a vacation, only to realize you did not need half of what you packed? You are not alone. People go through great lengths to make their luggage travel-friendly. If you’ve chosen to take a Hawaii honeymoon cruise, the last thing you want to think about is extra luggage. So, in the spirit of making your honeymoon cruise adventure less of a hassle… here are four things to double-check before departure.

1. Sportswear & Gear

Hawaii honeymoon cruises are laid-back. Simply put, you are not going to be ‘dolled up’ every day; so make sure you include a swimsuit (yes, this should be obvious), work-out clothes (if you look forward to some light gym time) and casual clothing (for roaming around the deck or when you are in port). Speaking from experience, make sure you include two sets of sun glasses– it’s very easy to lose them if you don’t think before jumping into that crystal clear water. Trust us!

Don’t forget appropriate clothing for any of the side-adventures you plan to have. Most Hawaii honeymoon cruises, like Carnival Cruises, include some kind of shore excursion.  This means boots for hiking and snorkeling masks, if you have them (otherwise you can rent). And no matter what you plan, make sure to bring a light rain jacket. It can’t be sunny all the time; Hawaii is a sub-tropical environment and light, scattered showers are completely normal.

2. Personal Stuff

Most of us over-think when we pack, and a Hawaii honeymoon cruise is just the kind of vacation where you may be tempted to overload yourself. Try to anticipate the kinds of personal items you will really need; like less make-up and more deodorant. We kid… but seriously– depending on the type of Hawaii honeymoon cruise activities you’ve booked, you may be a little more ‘rugged’ than normal, and prefer an extra bandana over that stick of lipstick.  If you need any kind of prescription medicine, make sure to carry these with you onto the plane—do not leave them in your checked baggage.  Lost luggage happens all the time and although your odds are good, you wouldn’t want to leave that to chance.

It’s also a good idea to call the cruise ahead of time, and ask if hair dryers are provided. Most of the new ships come equipped with built-in hair dryers, which will free some space in your bag, but not all.

3. Sun-wear

If you’re coming to Hawaii from the US main-land, chances are, you are going to need sunscreen. Make sure to pack waterproof for the pool and ocean; the light reflecting off the water itself can do some serious damage. If you have naturally darker skin or you prepare for your cruise by tanning booths, you still want to use it. Go for at least SPF of 50 if your complexion is naturally light.

Pack extra sunglasses–and finally, bring a hat. Most of us are not in the habit of rubbing sunscreen on our scalps and it’s especially necessary if your fiancé prefers the shaved-head look.

4. Camera

Wouldn’t it be horrible to finally arrive in Hawaii for your honeymoon cruise, and realize you forgot your camera? Sure, you could purchase a disposal, but it’s probably not going to pack the same punch as your own.

Our advice: Put any electronics you want to bring in your carry-on. What could be worse than forgetting your camera? If your luggage was lost with your camera.

 

 

Hawaiian Honeymoon Cruises: Plan it Right

If you’re looking for an all-inclusive Hawaiian honeymoon and are okay with sailing from island to island (thereby not spending day after day on the beach on your island of choice) then a cruise is for you!  For honeymooners, there’s nothing like a Hawaiian honeymoon cruise: all you can eat, your own room with a view with 24 hour room service, practically unlimited activity options and, of course, visits to more than just one island.  Perfect for those who have never been to Hawaii, cruising is a fantastic way to get a taste of what each island has to offer.

Next step?  Finding an all-inclusive Hawaiian honeymoon cruise package that fits your needs!  On top of that, where do you fly to?   Hawaii?  Not necessarily– some Hawaiian honeymoon cruises sail from California to Hawaii and back to California.  That option will certainly save airfare cost for westerly dwellers!

**If you’re puzzled by the Ensenada port of call listed under many of these itineraries, you’re not alone!  This is due to the Passenger Services Act, dictating that foreign vessels must stop at a foreign port in between transporting passengers from one US port to another US port.

Your Options

Royal Caribbean – These cruises sail for 11 to 13 days and are one way from either Vancouver, British Columbia or Honolulu (Oahu), Hawaii.

Norwegian – Norwegian currently does not offer any cruises sailing from the states to the islands; they only have 7 day cruises with embarkation and disembarkation from Honolulu.  Ports of Call: Honolulu, Hilo, Maui (Kahului), Kona, Kauai.

Princess - 14 day cruise roundtrip from Los Angeles, CA.  Ports of Call: Hilo, Honolulu, Hilo, Kauai.

Holland America

-14 day cruise.  Embark and disembark from San Diego.  Ports of Call: Hilo (Big Island of Hawaii);  Honolulu (Oahu);  Nawiliwili (Kauai);  Lahaina (Maui);  Ensenada, Mexico.
-30 day cruise. Embark and disembark from San Diego and travel to Hawaii, Tahiti and Marquesas.  Ports of Call:  San Diego;  Hilo;  Lahaina;  Honolulu; Nawiliwili;  Cross International; Dateline;  Fanning Island, Kiribati;  Crossing the Equator; Rarotonga, Cook Islands;  Raiatea, French Polynesia;  Bora Bora, French Polynesia;  Papeete, French Polynesia;  Moorea, French Polynesia

Carnival – Many options: 12 day from Ensenada, Mexico; 12 day from Honolulu; 15 day from Los Angeles, CA; 15 day from San Diego, CA.

Celebrity Cruises – Many options ranging between 10 to 15 days.  The 15 day cruise sails roundtrip from San Diego while the shorter cruises sail from Honolulu and end in Ensenada, Mexico (or sail from Ensenada and end in Honolulu).

Finding Discounted Hawaiian Honeymoon Cruises:

The best and easiest way to find a great deal on a Hawaiian honeymoon cruise is to sign up for specials with cruise lines that you’re interested in.  The farther in advance you sign up, the more deals you’ll receive.  Often you’ll see discounts such as a free upgrade to a balcony room and other upgrades.

When using discount websites, make sure that you’re truly getting a good deal by first looking at the cruise line’s website to get their price.

Vacations To Go – This is a great site to check out for last minute (i.e. 90 days or less before the cruise embarks) deals on all kinds of cruises from every cruise line.  This may not be ideal for most honeymooners as brides typically want these kinds of plans finalized far in advance, but for the budget-conscious, this is a site you should at least browse!

Other discount cruise sites:

CabinCloseouts.com

CruiseCompete.com

DirectLineCruises.com

CruiseDirect.com

Orbitz Cruises

Cruises.com

LastMinuteCruises.com

CruiseCheap.com

Top 5 Tips for Cruising with the Princess

One boat. Endless adventure. This is what I learned from my Hawaii honeymoon experience on Princess Cruises.

1.      Rent a car on each island

2.      Get a room with a balcony.  No absolute need for a suite, though.  Just remember that any cabin will be much smaller than most hotel rooms.

3.      Relax!  Sleep in when you want to.  The activities will proceed without you!

4.      Pack nice clothing, including formal wear.  There will be a few formal nights!  (Meaning a tux or nice suit for guys, cocktail dress for ladies.)  Or, you could just stay in on those nights…

5.      Enjoy each other.  This may likely be the best vacation of your lives.

My husband and I were married in October 2009 and knew in advance that we wanted to splurge for our honeymoon. We had no idea when we would have the time or resources to take another vacation like this again.  Hours of following links on the internet led us to the same conclusion: Hawaii or bust.  But as like most adventures, it’s all about the journey… and neither of us had been on a cruise before.

That led us to Princess Cruises, an obvious choice considering both the options and the budget. Even better, the embarkation and disembarkation were in Los Angeles; perfect for us California residents.

Since this was our one and only honeymoon, we agreed on the no holds barred method of financing… well, as much as we could possibly stand anyway.  So that meant a mini-suite with a balcony.  As much as I loved our room, the mini-suite (or any suite) option would not be mandatory for our next cruise.  It was often nice to have the extra room, but honestly we didn’t use that space too often; even our room service we often enjoyed either in bed on on the balcony. Speaking of the balcony, this is a must!  We will never cruise without a room with a balcony…ever. You don’t know what you’d be missing… or maybe you do.  It was thrilling to sit outside on our semi-private deck, playing cards, watching the waves and eating our breakfast, lunch, dinner… or one of the myriad of snacks in between.

Speaking of food, Princess has some fantastic dining options.  Choose between either buffet or sitting down to a meal with a menu that changes daily for breakfast, lunch and dinner.  There are also a few restaurants when you feel like indulging in filet mignon, lobster tail… and for only $20 each, we were able to eat whatever we desired.  It was definitely worth it!

I have heard horror stories about people who took a cruise and felt obligated to attend each and every activity. But on the Princess, we didn’t feel overwhelmed in the least. Sure, there were activities every hour of the day… but participation wasn’t mandatory and that allowed us to take the time we wanted. Although, the activity that we did partake in almost every night was the aptly named Movies Under the Stars on the top deck, which played on the gigantic screen above the central swimming pool.  The stewards even walked around with blankets, popcorn, chocolate chip cookies and milk!

The magic of feeling free from obligations, relaxing on our balcony and falling asleep on a deck chair lasted for 14 days.  Of course, four of those days were spent visiting four Hawaiian islands: The Big Island, Kauai, Oahu and Maui (in that order).  Princess offers excursions (like guided tours, etc.) that can be purchased ahead of time, even long before you board the ship, but personally I don’t recommend those for honeymooners.

Here’s my recommendation: rent a car and go exploring.  Make your own adventure.  These islands are small; grab a road map, get some advice from the locals, and start driving.  You won’t be disappointed!  Of course, just be sure to get back in time so the ship doesn’t leave without you.

Princess is perfect for honeymooners who want to get a taste of Hawaii without having to choose just one island while also enjoying the luxuries that this cruise has to offer.  A huge perk is the savings: you won’t have to buy a flight to Hawaii!