Hawaii Shore Excursion Ideas for Cruisers

When I cruised the Hawaiian Islands last year, the shore excursions were definitely my favorite part. Just being on a cruise ship is already a great vacation, but it's hard to beat the Hawaiian weather and all the activities you can partake in while visiting the islands.

Today I'll talk about a few shore excursions you may want to check out if you book a trip to the islands (a couple of these I did personally and the others are on my for-next-time list since folks I talked to on the ship had a great time doing them). Here's the list:

Hawaii Shore Excursion Ideas

Helicopter Tours

The fact that the islands were formed by volcanic activity makes for a diverse topography that is truly inspiring. The helicopter tours are expensive ($200+ per person), so if you're trying to save money on your cruise, you may not want to fork over that kind of cash for the whole family, but I think it's definitely worth doing once.

You can take a helicopter tour on different islands, but most of the folks I talked to recommended signing up for the one in Kauai, and that's just what I did.

You get to see the Waimea Canyon, which is a fantastic lush and tropical version of the Grand Canyon. It's 10 miles long, one mile wide, and more than 3,500 feet deep, and it's truly majestic. The Kauai helicopter tour also takes in the impressive NaPali Coast, much of which is inaccessible by land because of the vast cliffs with their sheer drops of thousands of feet (you'll go by them on the cruise ship if you're visiting this island, but they're even better by air!). Lastly, I think Kauai is the island to take a helicopter tour on because so much of it is undeveloped and uninhabited. You won't be looking down on housing developments here.

A note on the helicopter tours... if you get even mildly car sick you probably get helicopter sick (I'm usually fine on airplanes, but this was the air version of driving along a twisty mountain road!). Take some Dramamine before you go. ;)

Zip Line Adventure Tours

If you're an athletic adventurous type (who isn't afraid of heights!), you'll enjoy the zip line adventures. All of them involve getting into a harness and sliding down a rope at top speed, through jungle canopies and the like. Some of them also have you climbing, swimming, and enjoying other adventures while you're at it.

One of the great things about the rigorous adventure tours is a lot fewer people go on them than the more sedentary sight seeing tours. (While cruises appeal to folks of all ages and lifestyles, physically fit adventure-seeking types are on the rarer side.) You won't have to wait for head counts and slow pokes, and the transportation isn't likely to be crowded.

Zip line adventures are common cruise shore excursions, but the beauty of Hawaii's treetops make it a particularly spectacular place for this type of adventure.

Volcano Hikes & Sight Seeing Tours

One of the unique things about Hawaii (as opposed to other popular cruise destinations) is not only that the islands were formed from volcanic eruptions but that land is actually increasing each year because the lava continues to flow!

There are quite a few shore excursion opportunities that allow you to hike out to the edge and see live lava plopping into the ocean.

Distances vary, so find a hike that's just at your level. There are opportunities for just about everyone to get up close and personal with the lava.

Kona Coffee Tours

Hawaii likes to boast about its Kona coffee, and if you're a fan of the stuff (or you're just looking for an alternative to all these "active" tours), then you'll enjoy touring the coffee plantations.

An example shore excursion takes you to the Holualoa Kona Coffee Estate where you can wander the grounds, tour the processing facility, watch (and smell) the coffee being roasted, and--of course!--sample the products.

Packages of Kona coffee also make nice gifts to bring home to the coffee fans in your life.

If you're looking for other island foods to see in their original growing habitat, look into pineapple plantation tours (Oahu) and the Hawaiian Vanilla Company (the vanilla farm is often packaged with the Holualoa coffee tour).

That's all I have time to write about right now. Some other Hawaii classics you may want to look into are surfing (duh!), snorkeling, and the Polynesian Cultural Center on Oahu.

If you've already visited Hawaii, feel free to list some of your favorite spots in the comments below!

Is Cruising Only for the Wealthy?

Before I took my first cruise, I had the notion in my head that cruising was a real luxury vacation (AKA something only wealthy and/or retired folks can afford). I'd heard of months-long around-the-world cruises and didn't know about all the very affordable week-long (and sometimes even shorter) cruise options there are.

There are even two-week and longer cruises that aren't out of the realm of affordability for many of us (of course, it can be harder to get away for more than a week when you're a regular, working stiff).

What I've since learned is that cruising can be a very affordable vacation, and it can actually cost a lot less than many other excursions. Certainly there are luxury cruise lines that cater to higher paying clientele (these ships are less crowded and less commercialized and mainstream), and if that's what you can afford and what you want, enjoy it!

But if you're just looking for a low-stress way to get a vacation, a cruise on one of the mainstream ships can be just the ticket. We had a bowling team cruising together on my last trip. It doesn't get any more "Middle America" than that. Maybe I should say "Middle Globe" because, depending on where you're traveling, you'll often be hanging out with guests from numerous countries.

Because meals, room and board, and transportation are all included, cruises make quite affordable vacations. In fact, the cruise lines are banking on you spending extra money on things that aren't included (alcohol, gambling in the casino, art auctions, exotic shore excursions, etc.), but if you don't go crazy on the extras, your trip can stay affordable.

Getting the best deals on cruises

While there are still travel agents who can help you book cruises, you can get great deals just by browsing about online. I booked my first cruise with a travel agent, but have since just used Travelocity. The last time I booked with them (late 2008), their rates ran about $30 cheaper per person than the rates posted on the cruise line's site (you can book online with your specific cruise line too).

The downside is that they didn't offer to create a package linking my flight, cruise, and transportation to and from the airport (something an agent will do for you). It's more of a barebones situation where you get to piece things together yourself. Still, it's possible to get exactly what you want this way (my parents did a package deal cruise to Hawaii and ended up with a layover halfway the opposite direction across the U.S., so it was a really long flight).

You can browse Travelocity for cruises more than a year out (though if you can get away "last minute," that can be a great way to get deals):

Visit Travelocity for Cruise Deals

Where to Cruise in the Winter: Three Warm Cruise Destinations

For those of us who live in the northern latitudes, winter is upon us, and all that snow and rain can be quite dreary. And let's not forget the short days. It's pitch black outside as I write this at 5:30 pm. Ick.

A cruise to some place warm can be a great way to beat the winter blues--just last month, I took a cruise of the Mexican Riviera. The seven days of sun were fantastic--I just wish I were still down there.

If you're reading this in the winter months, you might be thinking to yourself that it's too late to book a cruise for this year. But you'd be wrong. As I've written about before, last minute sailings are not only a possibility, but booking a cruise last minute can even save you money. So, it's not too late to get yourself on board a ship sailing some place warm!

Here are three cruise destinations you might want to visit this winter:



Australia & New Zealand Cruises

If you don't mind the idea of a long plane ride, winter (in the northern hemisphere) can be a great time to visit the southern hemisphere, since it's summer down there!

While it's possible to find cruises that visit just one of these places, combination cruises that check out both countries are most common, and they can last anywhere from a week to four weeks, with 12-14 days being pretty common. I know I'd want to stay for more than a week if I flew all the way down there!

While itineraries change depending on the length of the cruise, some of the destinations you might visit are the Great Barrier Reef, Fjordland National Park, and beautiful Sydney, Australia.

Wondering just how warm it is down there during our dreary winters? Average summer (December 1st through February) temperatures in Sydney run around 26°C (79°F).


The Caribbean Islands

If you live in the United States, especially if you're on the east coast, it's not far at all to fly down to the Carribean Islands. Winter is past the hurricane season, so it can be a fabulous time to enjoy the tropical climate.

Cruises typically leave out of Florida, but it's possible to find other ports of call in Texas and up and down the Atlantic Coast. (Personally, I'd rather fly to some place that's already sunny and warm than have to sail a day or two to get to that weather.)

Typically, you'll sign up for an Eastern, Western, or Southern Caribbean cruise, which will spend about a week focusing on islands in their respective areas. The Southern Islands, such as Aruba, tend to be less overrun with tourists, since they're farther away (it's typical for a cruise of the southern Carribean to leave from an island instead of one of the states).

While week long cruises are pretty standard, you can also find longer and shorter sailings. You can even take 3- or 4- day "weekend" cruises leaving from Florida.


South America

For the same reason as Australia (it lies in the Southern Hemisphere), South America is a warm spot to visit when it's winter for all of us up north.

This can be a fabulous cruise experience if you've ever dreamed of seeing Inca ruins or traipsing through a real jungle (don't worry: I hear the machetes are provided). You can even find a ship that will take you down to see the scientifically important Galapagos Islands.

What to do?

"See the tallest waterfall in the world in Venezuela, take a tango lesson in Buenos Aires, visit the disputed Falkland Islands, follow in the path of famous explorers as you round Cape Horn." And, yes, there are some great beaches for lounging in the sun too.

Just check the different itineraries, because South America is a big place! Figure out where you want to go, and then find the cruise that will take you there.

7-Day "Mexican Riviera" Cruise to Mexico, Definitely Recommended

A few weeks ago, my mom and I took a 7-day cruise to Mexico. It was with the Norwegian Cruise Lines and left out of Los Angeles, sailing to Cabo San Lucas, Mazatlan, and Puerto Vallarta.

Yes, those are all the tourist spots, and I'm not sure how much of an authentic Mexican vacation we got, but it sure was nice to leave the rainy Pacific Northwest winter behind for some sun.

We've both cruised before, but for the first time we sprung for a balcony room, and it was marvelous. Actually, it wasn't that much of a "spring" because we were doing a last minute cruise, and the prices were very affordable. Also airfare from SeaTac wasn't that expensive since it was only a flight of a couple hours (we were also thinking of the Caribbean as a destination but that entails a longer--and more expensive--flight).

Sitting out on the balcony in the sun, while sipping a margarita and reading a good book is great. Neither of us are big into the crowds that you can find around the pool and dining areas on a cruise ship, so we definitely dug our private balcony.


Our first stop was Cabo San Lucas where we kayaked across the bay (there were way more kayaks and boats and swimmers out there than you can see in this picture!), checked out the sea lion colony (warning: don't get downwind of those sea lions... they do their jobs on the rocks), and snorkeled around Neptune's Finger (a big finger-looking chunk of rock sticking out of the water). We saw a great variety of colorful tropical fish in the shadows of that big finger.


In Mazatlan I couldn't convince my mom to go zip-lining through the jungle canopy, so we did a boat ride bird sanctuary tour through the canals and mangroves. They have huge birds down there (the one in the picture is a Mexican Frigate). We saw herons of several colors. Now we have herons in Seattle, but they aren't nearly as big as those Mexican ones. I guess lots of available fish and sun to warm your feathers is a recipe to grow big. There were lots of birds that we don't have at home too, and those were fun to see (again, lots of big birds heh).

As a part of that tour, we also rode through a coconut plantation and up a long beach to a classic (think of the stuff you see in the movies) Mexican resort area with thatch umbrellas in the sand where you could lounge and look out at the brilliant Pacific Ocean. We had a Mexican-style lunch (your choice of chicken or seafood) and margaritas, of course, before heading back.



In Puerto Vallarta, we headed up into the hills to tour a tiny family-run tequila distillery on an old Hacienda. It was neat driving through the countryside and seeing real homes, not just touristy hotels.

After five sample shots of the local stuff, we were--of course!--ready to buy some. I came home with some authentic (no English on the label kind of authentic) bottles of tequila, a gold and a "peach" tequilia that I've been using as a marinade for grilling.

After the tequila sampling, my memory is a bit fuzzy for some reason... but I remember having a great dinner and sitting outside for dinner and a show. The show included music and several dance acts (including a dancing horse) interspersed with tequila drinking competitions (we had had enough at that point so passed on that front) and a chance to win prizes (hand-crafted goods from local merchants).

Overall, all of our shore excursions were fun, and I'd definitely recommend the Mexican Riviera cruise to anyone. It's particularly nice for us West Coast folks who don't want to fly across the country for some winter warmth.

The weather was sunny and perfect (we were there the first week of December), prices were affordable, and the ship itself was a pleasure to cruise on. Next time I visit Mexico, however, I do want to check out some of the out-of-the-way. less-touristy towns!

Winter Is a Great Time to Cruise to Hawaii

I'm heading to Mexico for my cruise this year, but last year I did a week-long cruise in Hawaii and really enjoyed it.

If you live somewhere cold and rainy/snowy, winter can be a fantastic time to escape to the Hawaiian Islands, and a cruise is a great way to do it. Usually when you visit Hawaii, you spend all your time on one island, but a cruise lets you visit four or five different ports (we did four separate islands on my NCL cruise) and see some of the less frequently traveled spots.

For fewer crowds, book your cruise when the kids are in school (avoid Thanksgiving and Christmas/New Year's Eve when prices are higher and ports are more crowded).

This Hawaii Cruise FAQ can answer some of your questions on cruising the Hawaiian Islands, or you're already set to go, you can visit Travelocity to check rates on last minute cruises:

Search by Cruise Destination on Travelocity

Last Minute Cruises Offer Best Deals

Most people need to plan their vacations months in advance so they can get time off work and make other arrangements, but if you're retired or set your own schedule, you might want to look into last minute cruises.

With last minute cruises, you have an opportunity to get tremendous savings. This is because cruise lines don't want to sail with empty cabins. It's better for them to drop prices and get people on board (people on board who will spend money on drinks, casinos, shore excursions, etc.) than have empty rooms.

In my experience, the best place to find last minute cruise deals is Travelocity. I've compared the same cruise on Priceline, Travelocity, and the cruise line's home page, and always found Travelocity to be the cheapest.

Check them out if you're looking to book a last minute cruise and get a great deal.

Nile River Cruise Takes in the Sights

I'm starting to browse around online, deciding what my next vacation will be. Last year, I took a cruise to Hawaii, and it'd be nice to do another cruise (I love the whole idea of getting to visit several different places but only having to unpack once!). And I'm all about the warm destinations, so I'm scoping out Egypt.

You can book relaxing cruises along the Nile River that let you enjoy the desert sun while taking in the ancient sights.

Nile River boats range from small and cozy to spacious and luxurious (though even the big ships are small by the standards of ocean-going cruise vessels) with passengers complements running between 20 and 150 guests.

A typical Nile River cruise starts in Luxor or Aswan and runs up or downriver, stopping to visit historical sights such as...

• Karnak
• The Valley of the Kings (where tombs of Tutankhamen and other pharaohs are found)
• The Valley of the Queens
• The Tombs of the Nobles
  
• The Temple of Philae
• Kom Ombo, Edfu, and Esna (temple sites that date from the Greek period)

Longer cruises of six nights may also visit the Temples of Dendere and Abydos.

If you take a Nile River cruise, you'll find lots of art and history to appreciate.