Key Aspects:
- Norwegian Cruise Line has adjusted more than two dozen Pride of America Hawaii cruises.
- Port visits are all preserved, but in a different order and with different visit times.
- These adjustments impact sailings from October 2026 through March 2027.
Norwegian Cruise Line’s 80,439-gross-ton Pride of America is well known as the only major cruise ship to offer 7-night inter-island Hawaii cruises, roundtrip from Honolulu.
The iconic itinerary hits all the high points among the major islands, including Kona, Hilo, Maui, and Kauai, giving guests amazing opportunities to immerse themselves in the beauty and culture of the Aloha State.
More than two dozen itineraries through the winter months of 2026 and 2027, however, have been dramatically adjusted. Guests need to be aware of the changes to plan their time in port accordingly.
Norwegian Cruise Line reached out to travel agents and booked guests to alert them to the changes, which will begin with Pride of America‘s October 3, 2026 sailing and continue through the March 27, 2027 departure.
“While we’re always working to bring your dream vacation to life, sometimes a small course correction helps us deliver an even better experience,” the email explains.
The good news is that no ports of call are cancelled on the Hawaiian itineraries, they’re just rearranged. This is being done to offer a “more seamless, immersive journey from port to port.”
“You’ll still enjoy each of the amazing destinations you’ve been looking forward to on your itinerary, just in a refreshed sequence,” the email confirmed.
The itinerary changes are as follows:
- Saturday – Depart Honolulu at 5 p.m.
- Sunday – Arrive in Kahului (Maui) at 8 a.m. for an overnight visit (previously Kona)
- Monday – Depart Kahului at 6 p.m. (previously Hilo)
- Tuesday – Hilo from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. (previously Maui arrival)
- Wednesday – Kona from 7 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. (previously Maui Departure)
- Thursday – Arrive in Nawiliwili (Kauai) at 8 a.m. for an overnight visit (previously arriving at 9 a.m.)
- Friday – Depart Nawiliwili at 2 p.m.
- Saturday – Arrive in Honolulu at 7 a.m. for debarkation
The refreshed itinerary does give guests an extra hour in Maui, an extra 30 minutes in Kona, and an extra hour in Kauai to enjoy.
The time in Hilo remains the same, but is shifted an hour later to be 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. instead of 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. as previously planned.
Similarly, the departure and arrival times to Honolulu are unchanged, so no embarkation or debarkation times will be impacted.
Guests Should Check Tours
If guests have already pre-booked any tours through Norwegian Cruise Line for their Hawaii cruise, those tours will be adjusted accordingly to suit the new itinerary.
Guests who have arranged independent tours, including rental cars or shuttle drivers, will need to contact their tour operators to confirm rescheduling and availability.
Fortunately, because these changes do not take effect for ten months, guests have plenty of time to make such adjustments without difficulty.
Cruising to Hawaii
Pride of America offers the most immersive itineraries around the Hawaiian islands. While other cruise lines do offer Hawaii cruises, those sailings typically depart from West Coast homeports and include 4-5 days at sea just to reach Hawaii.
After visiting the islands, the ships then need to return to their homeports, meaning another 4-5 days at sea, along with a port visit in either Canada or Mexico to satisfy US regulations.
This means a much longer (and potentially more expensive) cruise, which may not be possible or desirable for all cruise travelers.
Pride of America, however, has special licensing to homeport from Hawaii and enjoy her sailings without a visit to a foreign port.
Another option for very exotic Hawaii sailings is transpacific sailings as ships reposition to and from Asia or Australia in spring and fall. These one-way cruises can last as much as a month and are truly epic, once-in-a-lifetime journeys.
