Cruises To Hawaii Don't Have To Be Expensive!

A Hawaii cruise vacation may strike you as an unattainable luxury, but the reality is that they are inexpensive and easily available. Since the advent of the Internet, it's easy to compare the price tags on various Hawaii cruise packages. Cruise companies now have to go to greater lengths to compete with each other, meaning that you can now get the best possible price with a minimum of work. Sometimes it can be hard to lock in a specific desired fare on cruises to Hawaii, but this article combines information gathered from travel agents who know a lot about cruises to Hawaii so you can have more of your time and your money to yourself.

1. Buy at the last minute: often, travelers assume that they need to buy cruise tickets a year or even more ahead of time so that they can save money. Actually, you might be surprised that by waiting, you can save a lot of money. Why? Because when they can't sell all of their cabins, cruise companies drop their prices.

2. Look at fare comparer sites. Websites like Orbitz or Travelocity sometimes sell cruise packages that failed to sell directly, usually at steep discounts. To find these discounted cruises, check out their "last minute specials" page. As with any discounted cruises, the packages the fare comparer sites sell are the exact same packages sold directly by cruise companies!

3. Take a look at consolidator packages. Waiting saves you money, right? So waiting even longer saves you the most money! Browse the Internet for cruise consolidators, which are corporations that buy unsold cruises right from the cruise line. They get these cruises at a deep discount and pass the savings on to you, as much as eight percent on cruises to Hawaii.

4. Look for relocating cruises. Sometimes a cruise company needs to relocate one of its ships from one port to another. Since the cruise line needs to relocate its ship no matter what, it can sell packages at a tremendous discount. Often, these itineraries visit unusual ports of call that you just won't find on a regular cruise. Relocating cruises are fun, different, and inexpensive!

We want to close this article with a true story that will give you an idea of just how much money these tips can save you. When Jerry and Lisa Winters were planning their Hawaii honeymoon, they realized that they could either go on a seven day Hawaiian wedding cruises at the regular price, or go on an ultra-luxurious 21-day cruise at a steep discount. By purchasing a relocating cruise from a consolidator, they saved about 85 percent and were able to go on the honeymoon of their dreams!

Cruises to Hawaii may seem like a dream vacations but the internet makes finding great Hawaii cruise package deals easy. It's never been more affordable than now to book a Hawaii cruise vacation and some tricks can find bargains. One couple checking Hawaiian wedding cruises found a 21 day Five Star cruise at 15% of its original price by using a consolidator. Other bargain hunters use sites like Travelocity or Orbitz to comparison shop, and look as well for last minute sharp discounts. Ships being moved from one port to another may offer bargain "relocation" cruises and may offer unique ports of call as well.

- Ellen Gentry