Since I understand we get some RSSC corp lurkers here, I might as well put it out here....

Will RSSC ever do a series of Hawaii sailings? R/T from San Francisco? I know there is some arcane law about what vessels get to cruise Hawaii and if they are not American Registered they have to go hit a foreign port during the itinerary...but surely this can be figured out?

A ship like the Mariner was born to cruise the Hawaiian Islands!!

Just a suggestion.

Ana Luisa,

That would be nice. Like your new quote too

The mainstream cruise lines are doing this already - Celebrity and Princess offer roundtrip Hawaiian itineraries from LA (14 days). The Passenger Services Act can be bypassed by an hour long port stop at Ensenada. It's doable, RSSC ... :)

Masaki

Oh gosh.. I'll just go 4 it now..
Okay I have the name for TEA POT..
ALOHA

Yes, Please! Any port in California will do.

This would be perfect for Bob's Big Birthday in 2006.

Are you listening, Mark Conroy????

Just yest. I was checking on Hawaiian cruises. I have never been there but Penny did take a land-based vacation there in the late 60's.

As it stands now, Princess and Celebrity do r/t's from Calif. that is appealing to us since Radisson doesn't offer anything. If we were to do Hawaii, it would necessitate eliminating a Radisson cruise, viz. PARTY (Panama Canal) or Alaska (MUSH?).

There just are so many places that Penny and I have not been to that it punishes the heart to have to decide between a place we haven't been, to a place we have but the place where we have is lining up a cruise for a bunch of joyful people who are a real gas to hang with and have fun with.

Oh, my.

Cheers! Ray

Hum, why not embark and disembark from a Mexican port? Doesn't that get you around the Jones act? On our canal cruise we had to stop at a little island owned by Columbia because apparently, stopping in Mexico, Hondoras, Costa Rica, Panama, and Guatamala didn't count as foreign ports. I made a comment to the captain about that and he said something about "near" foreign ports and "far" foreign ports. So I looked ths stuff up on the internet and it seems that if American passengers get on and off at different ports (like Ft. Lauderdale and LA), you must visit a far foreign port. Didn't matter that the actual port belonging to Columbia was closer to the US than Panama. Panama is near and Columbia is far. So if you go from California passengers cannot disembark in Hawaii but if you go from Mexico, I think they could. I have probably misinterpreted this so if anyone can explain it better, please enlighten us.

Colleen:

I have read horror stories on the Celebrity CC Board regarding embarking/disembarking from Ensenada. Custom delays, bus problems, hot and humid weather, etc. etc. Just a plain, unnecessary, hassle and until Celebrity changed their itinerary to final in San Diego, we would not consider them.

Cheers! Ray

I'd love to see Radisson schedule some Hawaii cruises.

We've been to Kauai and Maui twice and would love to return and visit the rest of the islands. I can't think of a nicer way of doing that than to be on an RSSC ship with our LCT friends.

Should we pick cabins? ;)

I would LOVE this itinerary. I actually considered NCL, just for this reason.

Alan and I got married at Hanna Ranch on Maui. We would love a RSSC cruise to Hawaii.

Count my vote for Hawaii! We were just discussing options for 2006 and we'd love Hawaii! However, we'd love it more from a RSSC or Silversea cruise ship!

It appears we have the makings of another LCT group cruise - now all we need are the ship and crew!

Donna, what a lovely setting to get married - Hana is beautiful! I've often spoke of renewing our vows in Kauai, at Hanalei Bay, in Princeville. Kauai is awesome.

What year is this? Hawaii in 2007? I am maxed for 2006 w/ ROAR & MUSH.

At this rate, RSSC could use LCT at the test group, LOL!!!

Gato, since we love a bargain, as the testers, would be get 50% off fares for EBD too?

Kathy...why not? We're the focus group AND we are suggesting it, LOL.

Suzie...

2007 would give RSSC enough time to get their ducks in a row!! Heck, here is what the schedule could look like (take into consideration I have no idea how far these are, I'm just guesstimating...)

13 Day Hawaii Cruise

Departing from SF or LA or SD

Day 1 - Depart from US Port
Day 2 - Day at Sea
Day 3 - Day at Sea
Day 4 - Day at Sea
Day 5 - Kauai or Niihau
Day 6 - Oahu
Day 7 - Day at Sea
Day 8 - The Big Island (Hawaii)
Day 7 - Maui
Day 8 - Lanai or Molokai
Day 9 - Day at Sea
Day 10 - Day at Sea
Day 11 - Day at Sea
Day 12 - Ensenada, Mexico (pit stop of sorts??)
Day 13 - End (LA/SF or SD)

Maybe I am underestimating number of sea days to get to the Islands, so maybe one would need to be cut out...I'm all for cutting out the "popular" ones and keeping in the "less visited ones"

How about it, RSSC??!!

Gato,
Since B&K and the LCT Cult are a big feeder into Radisson, they should anoint Ngaire into the Sacred Order of the Cruise Booker :app: :app:

I approve your itinerary! Love those sea days.

HUH? Only one night in Ohau? You must stay two so you can go to the Polynesian Culture Center. It is one of the highlights of the island along with Chinaman's Hat and the Hawaiian Birth Stones.

I don't know my geography very well but spend a fair amount of time in Maui. I think the distances are such that you wouldn't really need "sea" days while cruising in the islands as all are pretty close together. I think NCL overnights at each island and at 2 sides of the Big Island. There is plenty to see and do on each island.
Niihau and Molokai are off limits. Niihau is a private island and a native Hawaiian reserve. No visitors allowed. About a year or so ago, NCL tried to anchor off Molokai (it had gotten state permission to do so)but the islanders...or about 50% ...raised such a ruckus that NCL backed off from including Molokai in their itineraries for now. Some islanders wanted the commerce, others didn't want the influx of people. There are so many, many more cruise passengers in the islands than just a couple of years ago that some are concerned re: the overload to facilities and the pollution of the pristine waters and reefs. It is beautiful there and I would love to cruise on a better ship than NCL particularly to cruise by the Napili coast on Kauai as now it requires hiking in for several days or kayaking!

RSSC did the first segment of the World Cruise year before last I think it was via Hawaii. The complaints were pretty strong as for some reason that route is usually very ROUGH seas. Anyone heard that from people who have done the other lines to this destination.

It made sense to me as the passengers who live in Hawaii could get on then do most of the world cruise and get off in Hawaii. However, I note they did not repeat this itinerary this year or next year.

I was on a Princess ship 3 yrs. ago and did the Islands & then on to Tahiti, 12 days in April. The seas were calm the whole cruise and it was wonderful. The only way it could be better would be on the Voyager or Mariner.

You can sign me up!! That sounds great. I was wondering why the world cruise people just cruised by the islands a few weeks ago? I think that The Mariner should do that between the Alaska cruises! Just like the Navigator will go between Bermuda and then go to Iceland, is that correct and then go up to New England.

Great idea!
Jan

Greenflash...thanks for the update. See, LCT is not just a "cult" it is a veritable font of useful information.

McKeever - You have a great point!

So...based on that, here is the new and improved wish itinerary for the Mariner, sometime in 2007 when the seas are "pacific"


13 Day Hawaii Cruise

Departing from SF or LA or SD

Day 1 - Depart from US Port
Day 2 - Day at Sea
Day 3 - Day at Sea
Day 4 - Day at Sea
Day 5 - Oahu
Day 6 - Oahu
Day 7 - The Big Island (Hawaii)
Day 8 - Maui
Day 9 - Lanai or Molokai
Day 10 - Day at Sea
Day 11 - Day at Sea
Day 12 - Day at Sea
Day 13 - Ensenada, Mexico (pit stop of sorts??)
Day 13 - End (LA/SF or SD)

And yes Suzie, gotta love SEA DAYS

Here is the Princess itinerary for same trip; you can see they need four sea days each direction.

1 Los Angeles, California - 5:00 pm
2 At Sea - -
3 At Sea - -
4 At Sea - -
5 At Sea - -
6 Kona, Hawaii 9:00 am 7:00 pm
7 Honolulu, Oahu 8:00 am 11:00 pm
8 Nawiliwili,Kauai 8:00 am 6:00 pm
9 Lahaina, Maui 8:00 am 6:00 pm
10 Hilo, Hawaii 8:00 am 4:00 pm
11 At Sea - -
12 At Sea - -
13 At Sea - -
14 At Sea - -
15 Ensenada, Mexico 4:00 pm 8:00 pm
16 Los Angeles, California 6:00 am

Hmmm...

I am no nautical expert...so I ask the question...does it really take 4 days? At how many knots? Is the Mariner swifter than a larger Princess ship, hence does not need that many days?

Inquiring minds want to know!!

Aloha <img border="0" alt="[hula]" title="" src="graemlins/hula.gif" /> <img border="0" alt="[hula]" title="" src="graemlins/hula.gif" />

Yes, NCL currently uses one ship and in the next couple of years will add 2 more ships that are registered (flagged)in the USA and staffed with Americans or green card holders.NCL has had many complaints about their service in the beginning but have not heard much lately in the papers here.These ships do not need to visit a foreign port. They also use the NCL Wind, which is not US flagged to cruise the islands but it makes a trip out to Fanning Island in the republic of Kiribas in order to satisfy the Jones Act. Christina and I did take the trip out to Fanning Island a couple of years ago on the NCL Star.IT did not compare to RSSC but did enjoy the cruise and to see and meet the people on the island. Well let's just say it was a once in a life time experience. Other cruise lines that are not US flagged either make a run to or from Ensenada or Vancouver.

As to ports: The only Islands that would be possible would be: Oahu,Kauai,Maui and Hawaii(the big island).You can get to Lanai by ferry from Maui if you wanted to go exploring or play golf but there is nothing else there except a small town and two very nice,wonderful,beautiful,small, did I say pricey Hotels.

We (Masaki& Amanda/ Christina & I) would love for all of of you to plan a cruise on RSSC to Hawaii. Masaki, maybe we could get a job with RSSC as part of the greeting committee !

Mahalo, John & Christina

Ana Luisa, I think it is the opposite. Mariner or Voyager would be hard pressed to make it in four days. Quite possibly, depending on season, it might take five. Voyager cruising speed is 20 knots. Airmiles LAX to Honolulu is 2556 miles. I am pretty sure this is statute miles. Converting to nautical miles we 2221 nmi. At 20 knots, this would take 111 hours. Adding time for entering and exiting port, lets say 3 hours, we get a total of 114 hours. If Voyager left LA at 5pm on day 1, they would arrive in Honolulu at 9am on day 5, assuming you weren't on daylight savings time in LA. If traveling during the summer, it would be one hour earlier.

For our transatlantic on Voyager, we were only trying to average 18.5 knots. that would add another 9 hours geting in at 6pm on day 5. No matter what, you are going to need at least four sea days.

HMMMMM

Maybe a way to work around it would to be to start/end the cruise in HNL, with the necesssary pit stop in Ensenada. I'm all for sea days, 15 days is great, but 10 days more attractive to most people.

Anyway, I just want to get RSSC honchos thinking seriously about this market. They don't have to do it year round, just a couple 2x a year, with the seas and weather favorable. I'll bet they would sell out faster than you can say MAHALO.

Going from LA to Honolulu, even stopping in Ensenada, is not a legal itinerary. You would need to actually go down to Ensenda and board the ship there. Please see earlier post by Ray regarding problems with this. Either that or you need to start or end in Vancouver.

It sounded like they had figured the Ensenada thing out.

HOWEVER...given the Mariner does the Alaska season, and YVR is a port, no reason why the cruise can't start there and end in HNL. Of course, it takes longer to get to YVR.

Here is Celebrity's offering. I assume they are not getting the break NCL is (what with their US. Flag ships)

Sun, Dec 18 Los Angeles, California Departure Depart 5:00 PM
Mon, Dec 19 At Sea
Tue, Dec 20 At Sea
Wed, Dec 21 At Sea
Thu, Dec 22 At Sea
Fri, Dec 23 Nawiliwili Arrive 7:00 AM Depart 7:00 PM
Sat, Dec 24 Honolulu Arrive 7:00 AM Depart 11:00 PM
Sun, Dec 25 At Sea
Mon, Dec 26 Hilo Arrive 10:00 AM Depart 6:00 PM
Tue, Dec 27 Kailua Kona Arrive 7:00 AM Depart 6:00 PM
Wed, Dec 28 Lahaina (Maui)Arrive 7:00 AM Depart 3:00 PM
Thu, Dec 29 At Sea
Fri, Dec 30 At Sea
Sat, Dec 31 At Sea
Sun, Jan 01 Ensenada, Mexico 11:00 PM Depart 11:59 PM
Mon, Jan 02 Los Angeles, California Arrival Arrive 7:00 AM

So it can be done.

Surely, RSCC can figure this out to make a true Hawaii cruise, instead of a "sail by" on their way during a world cruise.

Ana Luisa, Celebrity is also showing four sea days each direction. This itinerary is easy to do, you just need to allow for four sea days each direction. You also need to start and end at the same port.

Right... ;)

Just trying to show the many options...I'm curious as to why RSSC does not even offer it as a distinct itinerary. They don't need to do it year round, and would dovetail nicely with the Mariner's Pacific schedule.

I think it would be a nice itinerary to offer twice instead of the back to back canal trips and maybe again at the start of Alaska season (i.e., Ensenada to Honolulu followed by Honolulu to Vancouver).

Yes!!

A couple of times before the Alaska repo, and then a couple of times after before heading off to the far east in Sept. Plus they do tend to do two Mexico twice a year every other year (2004 most recently, in 2005 they are only going 2x in Dec.) so no reason why they can't offer at least 1 every six months.

The interest is there, surely they acknowledge that. What's the backstory? Even if the ship was full, they would lose $$ on the sailings?

Apparently the law must have changed regarding Ensenada being embarkation/disembarkation for Hawaiian cruises. Below are several current itineraries for Celebrity and Princess that involve Ensenada as penultimate stop with passengers staying on-board until finalling in Sou. Calif:

Celebrity's Infinity Itinerary
Several dates in Oct. and one in Nov.

San Diego, CA
At Sea - 4 days
Nawiliwili, Kauai
Honolulu, Oahu
Hilo, Hawaii
Kona, Hawaii
Lahaina, Maui
At Sea - 4 Days w/1-hour service call in Ensenada
San Diego, CA

Itinery: Celebrity Summit, Dec. 18

Los Angeles, CA
4 days at sea
Nawiliwili, Kauai
Honolulu, Oahu
At Sea
Hilo, Hawaii
Kailua Kona, Hawaii
Lahaina, Maui
3 days at sea
Ensenada, Mexico (refueling)
Los Angeles, CA

Island Princess - Feb. 3.

Los Angeles
2 At Sea
3 At Sea
4 At Sea
5 At Sea
6 Kona, Hawaii,
7 Hilo, Hawaii,
8 Honolulu, Oahu,
9 Kauai (Nawiliwili),
10 Maui (Lahaina), Hawaii,
11 At Sea
12 At Sea
13 At Sea
14 At Sea
15 Ensenada,
16 Los Angeles

Ray - the reason why that works is because it's departing and arriving at the same port. Thus, it avoids the Passenger Services Act. As an example, if those itineraries started in LA and ended in San Diego with the same stops, it wouldn't be legal.

This is why that entire Act should be repealed ... (grumble, grumble).

I'd love for you all to visit (and I'm sure Amanda, John, & Christina as well!) but you have to promise that you'll come when Amanda and I are actually here! (you guys can't come when we're on MUSH, for instance) :D

Masaki

Masaki:

Thanks for the update. Such a silly law that promotes nothing but inconvenience for the travelling public and the carriers for that matter.

At this time of the year, it does my senses well to dream of Hawaii rather than Alaska since it is so doggone cold and snowy here in Cleveland.

Cheers! Ray

fyi, the navigator does a 26 night cruise
from LA to LA, that stops in Papeete, Moorea,
Bora, Bora, Christmas Island, Oahu, Maui, and
Kona..know it is too long for most of us, and
8 Nov 2005 is too soon, but it is a start..r/wes