Two NCL Ships Are Docked in Hawaii Today: How Norwegian Owns the Hawaii Cruise Market

After checking out some cruise ship tracking data this morning, I noticed there are only two cruise ships in Hawaii today, and both are Norwegian Cruise Line vessels.

While one of the NCL ships sails Hawaii year-round, another 2,000-passenger ship has been sailing guests around America’s 50th state for the last four days as part of a longer itinerary.

I often get asked about Hawaii cruises and what is the best way to sail the islands. In reality, Norwegian Cruise Line offers the most unique and Hawaii-intensive cruises, and it’s not even close. Sure, there are other cruise lines that visit Hawaii, but in the middle of this summer, the schedule is decisively owned by NCL.

Today, Norwegian Spirit is docked in Nawiliwili, Kauai. She is currently on a 16-day Hawaii from Honolulu to Vancouver voyage that departed Honolulu on July 15.  

This is a classic repositioning style sailing that lets guests enjoy several days in the islands before the ship heads north.

Looking ahead, Norwegian Spirit has a busy schedule through 2027 that sees her cycling between Hawaii, French Polynesia, Australia, and New Zealand, consistently using Hawaii as a key transition point.

At the same time, the Pride of America is operating her regular 7-day round trip inter island route. She departed Honolulu on July 18 and will return on July 25.

Right now, she is giving passengers that signature no-sea-day experience with plenty of time across multiple islands.

This overlap of Norwegian Cruise Line’s two ships is a perfect snapshot of how the company has come to pretty much own the Hawaii cruise market.

Pride of America: The ONLY Year-Round Hawaii Vessel

What makes Pride of America so special is her U.S. flagged status and primarily American crew. That allows her to sail closed loop itineraries entirely within Hawaii without needing a foreign port call.

No other large cruise ship can do this on a consistent basis. And with Hawaii so far from other ports of call, sailing a Hawaiian cruise with any other cruise line means a whole lot of sea days.

As we have experienced here at Cruise Fever, a Hawaii sailing is all about the time you spend on the islands. These cruises offer an unprecedented 100 hours in port during the 7-night sailing, including overnights on Maui and Kauai.

This is exactly why you go to Hawaii. You can enjoy the ports without having to worry about rushing back in time for sailaway. You can grab dinner on land, catch a luau, or explore after dark without watching the clock.

On board, the experience is tailored to the destination. The cruise director and port guide are local, and you will find hula and lei making classes right on the ship.

The Freestyle vibe is also the perfect complement to the laid-back nature of the islands.

Plus, because the ship sails only in American waters, disembarkation is a breeze. You go from ship to curb in about five minutes, which is as easy as it gets.

Norwegian Spirit: The Seasonal Complement

Norwegian Spirit plays a different role. As a foreign flagged ship, she must include foreign ports on itineraries that move between U.S. locations under the Passenger Vessel Services Act.

That is why her current 16-day sailing works so well. It gives passengers a deeper Hawaii experience as part of a bigger journey that eventually ends in Vancouver.

These Spirit voyages often connect Hawaii with Alaska or South Pacific routes. They appeal to cruisers who want more variety and are happy to spend extra days at sea between regions.

Why NCL Stands Out in Hawaii

NCL’s approach is smart and hard to beat. Pride of America delivers reliable, intensive inter island cruising all year long. Spirit and occasional similar deployments add flexible capacity for longer trips between ports.

There are no signs of other NCL ships (or ships from any other cruise line) moving into full-time Hawaii service soon, so this combination looks like the blueprint going forward through 2026 and 2027.

For anyone wondering about the best way to cruise Hawaii, it usually comes down to what you want. But if you are looking for maximum time on the islands with minimal time at sea, Pride of America is tough to beat.