FIRST TIME EVER ~ Fun & Fitness Travel Club cruises to Hawaii in 2024 on Norwegian Cruise Line ship Pride of America. Guests fly to Honolulu August 31st to cruise 8 Days and 7 Nights, returning to Honolulu September 7th. Pride of America is the only ship allowed to harbor permanently in Honolulu. It's exempt from maritime laws forcing it to dock at another country before docking in Hawaii. This exemption saves visitors from crossing the sea for 3 days before arriving to Honolulu. Pride of America is registered in the United States and employs American citizens. Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL) in Hawaii follows American labor laws. Americans do not need a passport to fly to Honolulu, nor to board ship. Neither must you show proof of taking COVID shots or boosters. However, you are required to present a valid state driver's license to fly to Hawaii and board ship.

Norwegian Cruise Lines obeys another law in Hawaii. No gambling. Pride of America has no casino. Hawaii's state government declares gambling harmful to family values. Any form is forbidden, meaning no bingo or lottery tickets either. What is allowed on land and on the ship is casual attire. If you pack smart you could fly over with only a carry on and one big satchel or purse avoiding baggage charges. But do not go overboard ~ pardon the pun. You may not walk around the ship with sleeveless, no collar shirts or torn, ripped T- shirts or pants, and you are not allowed to eat indoors wearing a baseball cap. Dressing casual does not mean it's OK to be unkempt. Hawaii is the only state in the Union to grow both coffee and cacao beans on its own lush mountains. Favorite gifts to take home are bags of Kona Coffee, bottles of Pineapple Wine and boxes of Hawaiian Chocolates. When you shop on the ship nothing is duty free. Taxes are charged as if you're shopping stateside. One excise tax applies to alcohol. When you order a Sangria on the ship, for example, you're taxed by Hawaii. It's only a few cents and charged to your own cruise account. All other taxes are pre- paid.



Daily temperatures in Hawaii in September are in the lower 80s. Pride of America has two outdoor pools welcoming Fun & Fitness water exercise classes. There is no Solarium indoor pool on the ship because in Hawaii it would be redundant. When this cruise departs next August a year will have passed since Maui's devastating fire in 2023 destroying 2000 acres. Those two thousand acres are equal to 3 square miles of land. Maui is comprised of 735 square miles so it quickly has reopened hospitals, schools, farms and family businesses. Guests who want to visit the Pearl Harbor Memorial may do so only by booking either a pre or post tour. This tour requires a full day for preparation and participation. NCL will provide tour details upon request.



By booking this cruise now and cruising next summer Fun & Fitness contributes significantly to the financial recovery of fellow Americans in Hawaii. It will be fun to learn why bananas grow up a tree while pineapples grow on the ground. But isn't that the purpose of travel, to learn something new? Support America. Visit Hawaii!