You can get storm anytime but from April on - should be fairly calm? Never taken the cruise - but some people love it.

There is only one: The NCL Pride of America. You might still see whales in early April. May is nice all over the islands, with even more blooms than usual.

Since you have only one week and want to see so much, the cruise could make you happy. I think of this as room, board and transportation, not as 'a cruise' on some of the higher end ships. It can be reasonable if you book a Plain Jane cabin, do't run a huge bar tab, and rent a car for DIY sightseeing at some ports instead of taking every $$$ ship's tour. It is the only sane way to see so much in so little time, and you avoid spending hours in airports.

My comment about this being your ONLY trip to Hawaii was in jest. If I had a dime for every person who posted that, then was back posting about a second, third, whatever trip... Most visitors aren't returning to check sights off a list though.
People keep coming back for the ambiance, to get on "Island Time", to slow down and soak up the Aloha. (Hence, the one week = one island advice.)

My DH and I have been visiting Hawaii for 30+ years, staying two to four weeks on each of the four major islands. (We are also taking a break from our Midwest winters.) Now we just go to South Maui. I was assuming you lived on the west coast and could 'pop over' in only five hours -- compared to our nine-hour flights to HNL (and a bit more to get over to Maui).

I've never done a cruise in Hawaii. It really doesn't interest me. But if I did do a cruise, I would make sure to reserve a rental car at most ports, as like with most cruises, they port in congested touristy areas. If you want to see the islands from afar, a cruise is great. If you want to really see the island, then renting a car and not paying for overpriced lemmin caravan cruise tours is not the way to go. That, or hire your own tour guide.

But that's just one opinion.

My in-laws did a cruise. They missed seeing Maui due to a storm as they could not disembark. Their memories of Maui are of teh lights at night. Probably not everyone's experience though.

You'll have to schedule excursions or arrange for car rental on each island if you are doing it on your own. Then you need to make sure you allow enough time to get back to the ship on time.

I haven't heard of an NCL ship being unable to dock in Kahului, Maui. Some lines anchor off Lahaina and tender passengers to shore. Rough seas could make that unsafe.

That's exactly what their exeperince was ChiSue. They anchored off Maui and then the passengers could not disembark due to rough water. Two days/one night on the ship just off Maui.

Don't do a cruise. You will miss out on so much and feel rushed when in port. Plus all the add on shore excursions are overpriced. And as the others have pointed out, no guarantees that you will get into every port.

Otto2 - Why are you second guessing your original plans because of how others believe you *should* spend your time? It might be best to take a step back and think about the reasons you selected Maui/Kauai in the first place. You do not have to try to fit everything in or cross destinations off a checklist because others think you should.

If you do the Hawaii cruise, you'll have one overnight in Maui and one in Kauai. Otherwise you'll need to be back on board the ship for relatively early departures (5:30/6:00 p.m.). This will greatly limit your ability to have cocktails while watching the sun go down, taking strolls on the beach at night, lying out in a hammock ocean side, enjoying a leisurely dinner at somewhere amazing, etc. Do consider the trade offs you'd make. You would "hit" all the islands, but you do lose a lot of flexibility.

There are things to worry about on a cruise; one of which is getting back to the ship in time regardless of what you are doing or want to be doing. You are not the master of your own timepiece.

No cruise. It's really dumb for Hawaii in particular.

What's involved in the "7 day land tour"? Where do you go? How do they move you around?

I prefer to spend at least 7 days on each island. So one week, one island. Two weeks, two islands, etc.

I have no idea why that person keeps talking about "VRBO" or what that has to do with the price of tea in China.

Marginal, EXCELLENT suggestion. The Hawaii forums on Trip Advisor are very good. And people actually know what they are talking about there.

I do think a cruise is a good way to go as we did for a first time. That way you can visit highlights of the Islands. We booked a Road Scholar program two years ago taking in four islands beginning with several days in Honolulu. For this program we studied volcanoes, lava floes, canyons, cloud forest, as well as history. This was aboard Pride of America which is a good line.

www.fodors.community/united-states/hawaii-finally.cfm
Bill in Boston