Hawaii Extends Ban On Cruise Ships Until At Least January 2022 Officials Announce
Travelers hoping to cruise the gorgeous islands of Hawaii will have to wait a little longer as the state doesn’t plan to welcome back ships until at least next year, according to reports.
“Currently, the earliest resumption of cruises to Hawaii would be January of 2022,” Jai Cunningham, the public information officer for the Hawaii Department of Transportation, recently told Cruise Critic. “While no firm date is currently set, HDOT, in coordination with the various State, Federal, and Local entities, is focused on the safest possible resumption of cruise.”
Hawaii started welcoming back tourists earlier this month, reversing a previous plea by the state’s governor asking travelers to put off their vacations amid rising cases throughout the islands. However, the state never officially paused its ‘Safe Travels’ program, which allows visitors to skip quarantine if they arrive with proof of vaccination or proof of a negative test, deciding instead to keep protocols in place.
Cunningham told Cruise Critic the Safe Travels program would have to be expanded to include those arriving by cruise ship when the ports do eventually open.
A representative for Hawaii’s Department of Transportation did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Travel + Leisure.
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Cruise Lines Look To 2022 To Return To Hawaii
In November, Viking Cruises cancelled two 16-night Hawaii sailings on that were to embark Los Angeles in December, one of which was a Christmas and New Years holiday cruise. Replacing the Hawaii cruises is a Mexico itinerary calling in La Paz, Puerto Vallarta and Cabo San Lucas , with eight days sailing the Pacific Ocean. Guests were offered shipboard credit on the new itinerary , the option of alternative itineraries booked by Nov. 21, or a full refund.
“While restrictions have been eased in most destinations around the world, the impacts of the pandemic continue to make cruise travel particularly complicated in some specific locations,” said Richard Marnell, executive vice president, said in a letter to impacted guests. “When we developed our Hawaiian Island Sojourn voyage, travel to Hawaii was possible.”
Carnival Cruise Line had also cancelled a two-week Carnival Journeys sailing aboard Carnival Miracle from Long Beach that had been scheduled to embark on Nov. 28, and was to visit several of the Hawaiian Islands and Ensenada. “While the ship is ready and we agreed to all the protocols required by the State, they will not be ready to restart cruising in Hawaii until 2022,” John Heald, the lines brand ambassador, said on Facebook. Future cruise credits were offered, as were refunds.
Princess Cruises also cancelled a sailing that was to cruise to Hawaii, roundtrip from Australia. Australia is also closed to international ships.
Can I Fly To Hawaii And Then Cruise The Islands
Yes. If you are good with long flights, then you can fly to and from Hawaii and board a ship there to cruise from island to island. This usually entails a seven- or nine-day cruise. You get to spend a day or two at each island and then fly back home.
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No Cruise Ships Expected Until 2022
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The Pride of America is anchored March 12, 2020, in Kailua Bay. Cruise ships voluntarily suspended operations the following day. Chelsea Jensen/West Hawaii Today)
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Passengers exit the Pride of American tender at Kailua Pier prior to the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. LAURA RUMINSKI/West Hawaii Today file photo)
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The Sun Princess of the Princess Cruise Line is moored in Kailua Bay prior to the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Anyone hoping to travel on a cruise ship to Hawaii this year can forget about it.
Anyone hoping to travel on a cruise ship to Hawaii this year can forget about it.
Given the preparations and coordination needed to ensure Hawaii residents feel confident in the plan to resume cruising, we do not anticipate approving port call for cruise vessels with passengers in the time remaining in 2021, state Department of Transportation spokesman Jai Cunningham said Thursday.
We do anticipate completing an agreement and allowing resumption of passenger dockage in early 2022, Cunningham said. Cruise operations can resume, per the terms of the agreement, after that agreement has been executed.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Preventions conditional sail order, which requires an executed agreement with any cruise line prior to resumption of cruise operations to any U.S. port, is set to expire on Jan. 15, but the CDC has extended that order before.
In Hawaii, the DOTs Harbors Division would be the executing authority.
Cruise To Hawaii From Australia
April 10, 2022: 16-night cruise to Hawaii from Australia on Royal Caribbean Cruises. One-way from Sydney to Honolulu . Visit Tahiti, Moorea and Bora Bora.
April 11, 2022: 15-night cruise to Hawaii from Australia on Royal Caribbean Cruises. One-way from Brisbane to Honolulu . Visit Tahiti, Moorea and Bora Bora.
April 13, 2022: 35-day cruise to Hawaii from Australia on Princess Cruises. Round-trip from Sydney to Newcastle , Mare , Suva , Pago Pago , Honolulu , Kauai , Hilo , Maui , Kona , Tahiti, Moorea, Bora Bora, Auckland and Bay of Islands .
April 15, 2023: 17-night cruise to Hawaii from Australia on Royal Caribbean Cruises. One-way from Sydney to Honolulu . Visit Auckland , Tahiti, Moorea and Bora Bora.
April 17, 2022: 18-night cruise to Hawaii from Australia on Celebrity Cruises. One-way from Sydney to Honolulu . Visit Bay of Islands , Auckland , Tahiti, Moorea, Bora Bora and Maui .
September 3, 2022: 35-day cruise to Hawaii from Australia on Princess Cruises. Round-trip from Sydney to Brisbane , Fiji, Pago Pago, Honolulu , Kauai , Kona , Hilo , Maui , Tahiti, Moorea, Bora Bora, Auckland and Bay of Islands .
16-night cruise to Hawaii from Australia on Royal Caribbean Cruises. One-way from Brisbane to Honolulu . Visit Tahiti, Moorea, Bora Bora and Kona .& #8226 2023 departure: April 12.
April 14, 2023: 16-night cruise to Hawaii from Australia on Royal Caribbean Cruises. One-way from Sydney to Honolulu . Visit Auckland , Tahiti, Moorea and Bora Bora.
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Hawaii Island Hopping By Small Ship
With tens of millions visiting the Aloha state each year, take a Hawaii island hopping cruise for an entirely new, off-the-beaten-path travel experience. Maybe you have been to Hawaii before, but never like this. While day cruises are common, overnight Hawaiian Island cruises are few and far between. Staying aboard a small ship offers unique opportunities to travel in an efficient and effortless way while never missing a sunset. Leave airport travel and hotel bag-packing behind to island hop in style and ease.
Our Hawaii interisland cruise options reach ports and locations that are off-the-beaten path and away from the typical Hawaii destinations. These relaxed, intimate and active Hawaii small ship cruises may just offer the new spin on Aloha luxury youve been searching for. Your itinerary is flexible and not available to larger ships, making this small boat cruise Hawaii experience uncrowded, unrushed and full of active adventure exploring remote locales by foot, kayak, sailboat, paddleboard and motor launch.
Learn More
Return Of Cruise Ships Still Up In The Air
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Kelsey Walling/Tribune-Herald Rocks are seen under the water near the Port of Hilo on Friday.
Exactly 33,400 trans-Pacific passengers arrived Thursday by air at Hawaiis major airports, but the question of when the Aloha State will once again welcome cruise ship passengers at its ports remains unanswered.
There are no formally scheduled bookings for any cruises, at any commercial harbor, at this time, said Shelly Kunishige, spokeswoman for the Hawaii Department of Transportation in an email. Resumption of cruise activity continues to be conditional on operators meeting the conditions of the CDC order.
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Kunishige is referring to a conditional sail order by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which requires cruise operators to show 95% of crew and passengers are vaccinated against the novel coronavirus, or to hold test cruises with volunteer passengers to prove they can mitigate coronavirus risks.
There were numerous outbreaks of COVID-19 aboard cruise ships early in the pandemic, and the CDC dry-docked the industry in the U.S. with a no-sail order on March 14, 2020.
Previous optimism by tourism officials about a possible return of cruise ships to Hawaiis harbors later this year has been dashed, or at least dampened, by the Delta variant strain of the novel coronavirus that has resulted in a surge of new COVID-19 cases in the islands.
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Initial Port Agreements Signed To Restart Cruise Travel In Hawaii
The Hawaii Department of Transportation Harbors Division announced on Tuesday, Jan. 4 the execution of the first port agreements with Carnival Cruise Line and Norwegian Cruise Lines to formalize health and safety protocols for cruise line operations in the State of Hawaii.
Per the CDC order expiring on Jan. 15, cruise lines with capacity to carry more than 250 persons and itineraries including overnight stays are required to have a formal port agreement with local port and health authorities.
The port agreement must include:
Medical agreement outlining evacuation of passengers or crew in need of care housing agreement should quarantine or isolation of passengers or crew be needed acknowledgement of the public health response resources of the local jurisdictions and vaccination strategies implemented by the cruise lines to minimize risk of spread of COVID-19.
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The CDC order requires each ship to have on-board testing and medical staff to ensure proper prevention, mitigation, and response protocols and training. Additionally, Carnival and NCL have committed to full vaccination rates in addition to pre-board testing and onboard safety and cleaning protocols.
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Notification of signed port agreements will be made through the HDOT website and social media accounts prior to the first confirmed sailings.
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Cruises To Hawaii Impacted On Big Ships
Despite last-ditch efforts by cruise lines, Hawaii will not be open to most large-scale cruise ships for the remainder of this year, leaving some passengers out in the cold.
Whether big-ship cruises will be allowed to resume in January 2022 is still a question mark.
“Currently, the earliest resumption of cruises to Hawaii would be January of 2022, Jai Cunningham, public information officer for the Hawaii Department of Transportation told Cruise Critic. “While no firm date is currently set, HDOT, in coordination with the various State, Federal, and Local entities, is focused on the safest possible resumption of cruise.”
Officials told Cruise Critic on December 10 that discussions regarding port agreements are still ongoing.
“The State is currently negotiating Port Agreements with various cruise lines that includes the States Safe Travel requirements,” officials said. “The CDCs Conditional Sailing Order requires Port Agreements and executed between the port authority, local health authority, and the cruise line prior to a cruise ship resuming operations.”
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Which Other Countries Have Banned Cruises
Hawaii is not the only region that has banned cruises due to COVID-19.
South Asian country Sri Lanka will not allow cruise passengers in the country.
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The UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office website states: Cruise ship passengers will not be allowed to disembark in the country, including for temporary shore visits.â
This ban is from March 22, 2020, when the government said that passenger ships were no longer permitted in the country because of the virus.
Canada has also extended a ban on cruise ships until early 2022.
The cruise ban, which was extended until February 28, 2022, applies to all cruise vessels that carry more than 100 people.
The ban was set in March 2020 right at the beginning of the pandemic, and was meant to expire February 28, 2021, until the government renewed it.
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The Canadian Minister of Transport, Omar Alghabra explained the countryâs decision in a statement: As Canadians continue to do their part to reduce the spread of COVID-19, our government continues to work hard to ensure Canadas transportation system remains safe.â
Temporary prohibitions to cruise vessels and pleasure craft are essential to continue to protect the most vulnerable among our communities and avoid overwhelming our health care systems. This is the right and responsible thing to do.
Carnival Miracle Hawaii Cruise Cancelled
Even though Carnival cruise ships are gradually returning to service through Spring 2022, it remains very complex, and not all ports are yet fully able to cater to cruise ships. It includes Hawaii, which is not yet ready to welcome Carnival Miracles Carnival Journeys sailing that departs from Long Beach on November 28 to Hawaii.
The vessel was originally scheduled to sail a 14-day Carnival Journeys cruise from the Long Beach Cruise Terminal. The Spirit-class ship was set to first call in Honolulu on December 3 along with calls in Kahului, Kailua-Kona, Hilo, and then finally in Ensenada before returning to Long Beach on December 12.
Many guests had been asking for more information regarding the voyage over the past weeks. The cruise line has been working with the authorities in Hawaii to try and keep Carnival Miracles November 28 departure to Hawaii a reality. Despite the cruise line agreeing to all the necessary protocols, Hawaii is still not ready to welcome back cruise ships for guest operations.
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Carnival Cruise Line brand Ambassador John Heald said, While the ship is ready and we agreed to all the protocols required by the State, they will not be ready to restart cruising in Hawaii until 2022. I want to assure you that they made every effort to preserve this but, unfortunately, we now have no other choice but to cancel this cruise.
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Further Hawaii Sailings Remain Scheduled
Guests who are booked on the sailing are being notified about the cancellations and their compensation options. Carnival is offering a future cruise credit so that an alternative booking can be made with some savings.
Carnival Cruise Line has already changed the voyage and split up those 14 days. The ship will be departing on November 28 on a four-day Mexican Riviera cruise. The itinerary includes a call at Catalina Island and Ensenda, returning to Long Beach on December 2, 2021.
Carnival Miracle is still scheduled to operate its next cruise to Hawaii that departs on January 9, 2022. The ship will sail a 14-day voyage to Hawaii as part of its Carnival Journeys program. The program allows for more time in port and for guests to experience the cultures the ship visits. Theres also a cruise to Hawaii an additional three times in 2022 and even more in 2023.
Currently, there are no guests operations from Hawaii, with only ships visiting to take on fuel and supplies. Celebrity Solstice will be the next ship to make a supply stop with no guests at Honolulu on November 11. The first cruise ships are set to restart in Hawaii in early 2022.
Carnival Miracle became the fourth ship in the fleet to resume passenger operations on July 27 from Seattle, Washington. The ship kickstarted what remained of the Alaska cruise season. More recently, the ship was redeployed to operate Mexican Riviera cruises from the Port of Long Beach in California in September 2021.
Hawaii Cruises: Sail Year
What could be a more ideal vacation than a cruise to Hawaii? Hawaii is one of the most exotic locations in the world, with the perfect mix of blissful island relaxation, Polynesian paradise, and aquatic adventure. No matter whether your dream is to climb a volcano, surf the big waves, or stand on a black sand beach with the tropic breeze in your hair, one of Norwegian’s 2022 Hawaii cruises can take you there.
Now is the perfect time to book a Hawaii cruise on Norwegian. With our enhanced flexible booking policy and partnership in the Healthy Sail Program, your next cruise experience will be the safest and best yet.
Ready to start planning? Explore all 2022 Hawaii cruises.
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And The Expedition Cruise Awards Go To
Best in the Galapagos – Lindblad Expeditions
Sven-Olof Lindblad
With choices and options in expedition cruising rapidly expanding, the reviews of Cruise Critic Editors can be crucial in helping travelers select the best ships and itineraries to suit their individual needs.
Five Cruise Critic global editors sailed on more than 60 cruises over the past year to flesh out the list of their Editors Picks in the three categories: ocean, luxury and expedition.
These are their choices in each sub-category of expedition cruising, all based on first-hand experiences on the ships and overall expertise in the industry. They make a great starting point for planning your next adventure.
- Best New Luxury Ship: Viking Octantis & Viking Polaris
- Best for Adventure: Quark Expeditions
- Best Cabins: Seabourn Cruise Line
- Best Dining: Scenic
- Best for Light Expedition: American Queen Voyages
- Best for Luxury: Silversea Expeditions
- Best Science Offerings: Viking Expeditions
- Best Service: Scenic
What Is Considered Rough Seas For A Cruise Ship
What is considered rough seas for a cruise ship? The sea is considered to be rough when the waves are more than eight feet high. If the waves of over 13 feet, then the sea is considered to be very rough. This comes from the Douglas sea scale which is a simple way of measuring the height of the waves.
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