DCL has tentative bookings at Honolulu Harbor in 2012!

[NancyIL]

Once again they fall into our school year which runs August to June. We will never get a DCL repo as long as DS lives at home!

They eventually grow up, and some of them even leave home! My son (the "baby") will be 20 this summer, and the years have flown by so quickly. I'm cruising with my two older daughters next week, and I'm looking forward to our mother-daughter trip. It may be the only one the three of us do while they are still single.

 

[JenGC]

Are you saying that most likely they will not do one ways to Hawaii? If they make a cruise to Hawaii then it will be round trip? I would LOVE LOVE LOVE to go to Hawaii but I can not handle the flight there (flying...over water?? ) If they do a round trip, will it be a 14 day cruise? I have no idea how long that will take.

 

[Horace Horsecollar]

Are you saying that most likely they will not do one ways to Hawaii?

I'm saying DCL cannot legally operate one-way cruises between California and Hawaii.

However, DCL can legally sail between Los Angeles and Vancouver with several days calling on ports in Hawaii "on the way." Because they need to reposition the ship between Los Angeles (for Mexican Riviera cruises September - May) and Vancouver (for Alaska cruises May - September), DCL appears to be checking into Hawaiian port availability for May and September.

A repositioning cruise with several Hawaiian ports takes around 2 weeks.

DCL could also decide to operate shorter repositioning cruises up and down the Pacific coast instead.

DCL could also legally operate 2-week "closed loop" Hawaii cruises from California, with a stop in Ensenada. But based on the newspaper article link that started with thread, I don't think that's what DCL is currently planning.

Anyone who expects to use DCL for transportation from California to Hawaii, then stay at the Aulani, and then fly or take another cruise back to California will be find that this won't be possible.

 

[Horace Horsecollar]

Carnival sometimes operates 12-night, one-way cruises between Ensenada and Honolulu (as part of their repositioning). By originating the cruise at a Mexican port instead of a US port, Carnival gets around the PVSA issues discussed in this thread.

Ensenada is around 75 miles south of San Diego. Carnival offers motorcoach transfers between the US and Ensenada.

 

[JenGC]

Well, what I was thinking was, I want to go to Hawaii but I will not fly. If I could take a cruise that left California somewhere to Hawaii and back, I would be ecstatic! I don't want to go out of Canada though. I was just wondering the possibility of this. By 2012 I am sure I can figure out a 2 week vacation LOL I was just wondering what the possibilities are of doing that. I am pretty sure I won't want to go on any other cruise line since my daughter will be traveling with me and the smell of smoke and the images of gambling does not appeal to me.

Thanks for the info!

 

[Horace Horsecollar]

Well, what I was thinking was, I want to go to Hawaii but I will not fly. If I could take a cruise that left California somewhere to Hawaii and back, I would be ecstatic!

You can do this.

For example, here's an itinerary from Princess Cruises:

http://www.princess.com/find/itineraryDetails.do?voyageCode=5034

Such a cruise does not allow you to stay at a Hawaiian resort. Your cruise ship is your Hawaiian resort.

Your time in Hawaii is limited. It's a cruise, not transportation to Hawaii.

As this time, there's no indication that DCL is planning such an itinerary.

 

[JenGC]

You can do this.

For example, here's an itinerary from Princess Cruises:

http://www.princess.com/find/itineraryDetails.do?voyageCode=5034

Such a cruise does not allow you to stay at a Hawaiian resort. Your cruise ship is your Hawaiian resort.

Your time in Hawaii is limited. It's a cruise, not transportation to Hawaii.

As this time, there's no indication that DCL is planning such an itinerary.

What's the point of taking a cruise to Hawaii if you dont get to see the sights? I understand this is not a transportation to Hawaii but I thought that was part of the enjoyment of taking a cruise is to see where it ports! Otherwise, I would just sit on the boat in the port!

 

[disneychic]

This would be FANTASTIC!!!!!! We're going to be cruising the Mediterranean August of 2011, I would LOVE to be cruising Hawaii in summer of 2012!!!!!

 

[NancyIL]

This would be FANTASTIC!!!!!! We're going to be cruising the Mediterranean August of 2011, I would LOVE to be cruising Hawaii in summer of 2012!!!!!

Unless you consider May and September to be "summer" - I don't think DCL will be cruising in Hawaii during the summer.

 

[Horace Horsecollar]

What's the point of taking a cruise to Hawaii if you dont get to see the sights? I understand this is not a transportation to Hawaii but I thought that was part of the enjoyment of taking a cruise is to see where it ports! Otherwise, I would just sit on the boat in the port!

The itinerary from Princess Cruises includes one day in port at each of the four major islands of Hawaii. A passenger could see many sights in four days, especially if the passenger signs up for intensive shore excursions or rents a car in most ports (and knows good places to drive to).

However, for many visitors to Hawaii, much of the pleasure of a vacation in Hawaii is staying at a beautiful resort right on the ocean, with a big swimming pool, many restaurants in walking distance, and a good balance between activity and relaxation. For cruise passengers on closed-loop Hawaii cruises from the West Coast, staying a resort in Hawaii is not an option.

 

[JenGC]

The itinerary from Princess Cruises includes one day in port at each of the four major islands of Hawaii. A passenger could see many sights in four days, especially if the passenger signs up for intensive shore excursions or rents a car in most ports (and knows good places to drive to).

However, for many visitors to Hawaii, much of the pleasure of a vacation in Hawaii is staying at a beautiful resort right on the ocean, with a big swimming pool, many restaurants in walking distance, and a good balance between activity and relaxation. For cruise passengers on closed-loop Hawaii cruises from the West Coast, staying a resort in Hawaii is not an option.

Oh well, I will take that! I think I would enjoy having a day to explore one island would be fantastic! Oh gosh. Now I am afraid to get excited over this. If Disney DOES created this cruise itinerary, I am 99% sure I will be on it!

 

[Horace Horsecollar]

Oh well, I will take that! I think I would enjoy having a day to explore one island would be fantastic! Oh gosh. Now I am afraid to get excited over this. If Disney DOES created this cruise itinerary, I am 99% sure I will be on it!

I also think that such a 2-week Hawaii cruise from the West Coast would be fun. Like a Hawaiian resort stay, such a cruise would offer "a good balance between activity and relaxation." With 8 full days at sea, there would be plenty of time to relax.

Right now, it seems that Disney is only considering two Hawaii cruises for 2012, based on the newspaper article that was the basis for this thread: "Disney has tentative bookings at Pier 2 in Honolulu Harbor in May and September of 2012."

And the timing, along with the expectation that DCL will offer Mexican Riviera cruises in the cold months and Alaska cruises in the warm months of 2012, pretty much guarantees that these Hawaii cruises will have one end in Los Angeles and one end in Vancouver.

But that doesn't mean that Disney will never offer closed-loop cruises to Hawaii from Los Angeles some time in the future.

 

[Anal Annie]

Are you saying that most likely they will not do one ways to Hawaii? If they make a cruise to Hawaii then it will be round trip? I would LOVE LOVE LOVE to go to Hawaii but I can not handle the flight there (flying...over water?? ) If they do a round trip, will it be a 14 day cruise? I have no idea how long that will take.

Just curious why flying over water is different than flying over say land?! I always thought flying was flying. I think it's only about 5 hours from CA. Do you have like a 2 or 3 hour limit or something?

 

[TheGooFTroop]

Disney has tentative bookings at Pier 2 in Honolulu Harbor in May and September of 2012

Here is the link:
http://www.staradvertiser.com/business/20100613_The_Wonder_of_Disney.html

 

[mmouse37]

Even though there has been no official word yet from DCL (that I know of) as far as DCL cruises to/from Hawaii there has been tons of speculation about them cruising there....and possible tie-ins with the DVC resort there.

MJ

 

[Tracykim]

OMG!!! Sign me up!!!!!! I REALLY can't wait to hear that this is official!!!

 

[cindy18]

The real question is where is the Wonder going AFTER she leaves Hawaii in May and before she returns in September. Back to Alaska? Or to Asia?

 

[cruisecastle]

Disney has tentative bookings at Pier 2 in Honolulu Harbor in May and September of 2012

Here is the link:
http://www.staradvertiser.com/business/20100613_The_Wonder_of_Disney.html

On the Wonder they spoke openly that they were headed to hawaii

 

[smeecanada]

Anyone heard more specifically when the 2012 itineraries are going to be released other than in the Fall?

I'm hoping we'll know something before we cruise in October. So, we can book onboard for a specific cruise instead of just dummy dates.

 

[Horace Horsecollar]

Disney has tentative bookings at Pier 2 in Honolulu Harbor in May and September of 2012

Here is the link:
http://www.staradvertiser.com/business/20100613_The_Wonder_of_Disney.html

The same Star Advertiser article was discussed here back in June 2010 when it was first published:

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2487253

Disney's tentative bookings at Pier 2 in Honolulu Harbor in May and September of 2012 suggest that Honolulu may be a stop for the repositioning cruises between the Disney Wonder's Alaska cruises out of Vancouver in the warmer months and Mexican Riviera cruises out of Los Angeles in the colder months.

The newspaper writer speculated:

"For example, Disney could offer a land-and-sea vacation package combining a cruise with a stay at its 840-room Ko Olina project. Aulani, a Disney Resort & Spa, is on track to open in the fall of 2011."​

But that's really not a realistic option. The cruise could not originate or terminate in Honolulu if the other end of the cruise was Los Angeles or another U.S. port. The writer failed to consider U.S. law. Foreign-registered ships like the Disney Wonder cannot legally offer ONE-WAY cruises between two U.S. ports without going to a DISTANT foreign port as part of the itinerary. Nearby ports in Canada and Mexico do not qualify.