Star of Honolulu

What a wonderful dinner cruise! All you can eat crab legs — delicious! We got transportation from our hotel — it was easy and carefree! If you read this and then go, be sure to say hi to junior from us. He was fantastic! Cheers

Such a fun experience! Went there for my bf’s birthday. Parking wasn’t too bad, small flat rate and not too far from where you need to go.
The boat ride isn’t too bad (I just had a little too much to drink) which is probably why I felt a little sick lol) but you can’t really feel the boat moving unless you’re looking out to see and see the waves moving lol
Dinner was great. The steak was delicious as well as the CRAB LEGS. so perfect! & it’s all you can eat, crab legs. They also come with a complimentary alcoholic beverage for guest over the age of 21.
Last but not least, there’s a show! Hula & Tahitian! So great!

We went on the cruise with discounted tickets, luckily but still felt like we wasted our money. Boarding was very disorganized, but when we got to our seat where given a free cocktail (besides the sunset, the only highlight). We did the buffet option and were told that we would have a ball. Well… NOT !!! The meal was a buffet that you were called up for, when had plenty of salad and some chicken but when I got to the roast beef I was given a sliver of beef. Seeing I’m not a salad fan I was begrudgingly given another sliver of beef. After eating our meal??? we went onto the top deck to view Waikiki and the sunset. There was a Hawaiian show on after dinner which I didn’t go to view so I could not comment on. If not for the sunset this whole cruise would of been a total bust. I can only advise you strongly to not do this cruise. The tickets are $ 80 plus full price plus transport. We drove our own car. Honestly I think I have felt more satisfied leaving a McDonalds. The sunset was awesome, but I could of also viewed it from the beach. I would NEVER EVER do this again and strongly advise you to also not do and save your money for something better !!! WASTE OF TIM E !!!

This place is great! I decided to take my mother here for the special Mother’s Day brunch cruise and I am definitely glad I did.
The menu was very delicious, the atmosphere was so relaxing, and I definitely felt like I was on a mini luxury cruise.
Funny story is that they were serving champagne but we didn’t know that when they were pouring it, it was meant to be given out later. So we took some and when they saw, they stopped pouring haha! OOPS!

5 star cruise… perfect way to celebrate my 10^th year anniversary. My husband and I had a great time. The food and drinks were perfect, not to mention watching the sunset, and what better way to end our night with the fireworks. Great job Joseph and the team.

One word, AMAZING.
I have cruised several times on Star of Honolulu. A few dinner cruises, a couple whale watches. Every time has been just awesome but tonight will forever be my favorite cruise.
5 star Spring menu… wow. If you get a chance to check this one out I will pay you to bring me the goat cheese and strawberry salad with Nalo greens. Just toss it in your bag and bring it to me! I’m serious.
The food and experience on this cruise I took tonight can not be matched. The amazing 7 course French dining, the service, the entertainment. When they stay 5 star they mean it. From the moment I got there to the moment I left, I felt like a VIP (because I am, but I digress)
Thank you to Mike Dewa and William the F&B manager for keeping me entertained on my solo dinner cruise. Thank you to the entire wait staff for keeping me eating non stop haha. The food is timed and paired so perfectly, it could not be done so well with any other crew.
I can not recommend this enough to anyone looking for a great dinner cruise. Perfect for anniversaries, birthdays, engagements, anything! Even if its just hopping on for a nice evening alone with delicious food and beautiful jazz music. I really hope I can do this again sometime soon. :-)

«All that most maddens and torments; all that stirs up the lees of things; all truth with malice in it; all that cracks the sinews and cakes the brain; all the subtle demonism of life and thought; all evil to crazy Ahab, were visibly personified, and made practically assailable in Moby Dick.» Of course I had to quote Melville.
It’s probably one of the most amazing things I’ve ever seen; a ginormous creature a thousand times bigger than me, giving us a small glimpse of its tail and lateral side of its body coming out of the tops of the waters off the shores of Waikiki beach with Diamond head as the back drop. Oh, and not that they’re any less amazing, but we saw several pods of spinner dolphins as well.
Yes, the tour itself with all the Japanese tourists crowding in on this not so big boat, is somewhat cheesy. They take your picture upon entering the boat in front of a life saver labeled «Star of Honolulu» and try to sell you that picture at an over priced $ 20. (Yes I’m a sucker and bought it only because my daughter wanted me to.) However, the naturalist, Adam, was very informative and continuously kept the crowds entertained with facts about whales and Hawaii in general. The boat director, Richard was so kind and very friendly. He sat to converse with my girls at the end of the tour. (Thanks so much Richard!) They do a wonderful job making the tour accessible to the kids, offering regularly scheduled field trips.
They unfortunately can’t validate parking, but you can park in the Aloha Tower lot for about $ 7, cash only. You can purchase breakfast on the boat, but it’s pretty pricey for breakfast. (For a crappy cup of Sanka coffee, I shelled out $ 6!) You’re better off walking across the street to China town. (Scratch is a good option or Regal Bakery for a donut.) They also offer a voucher to come back if you don’t get to see whales on your tour. Overall, a good $ 25 well spent to be able to share an experience like this with my girls.

We took the Saturday Night Sunset Cruise and it was CHILLY… Lol it was also November (2015) so it was expected. It was a good excursion however, its not a big boat like the cruise ships you usually see on tv or like the after work boats in NY… This boat was separated into levels and each level had a dining area that packed as many chairs and table as possible… The experience is romantic yes… lol but you gotta turn the love up to high so you can block out your neighbor that’s just elbow’s distance away from you; and I’m no skinny Minnie so I don’t do tight spaces too well.
The food was good though, we had the infamous Poi Bread (so good), salads, Mai Tais, steak and all you can eat crab legs, and dessert (ice cream)…and not too long after dinner they had a live show in the same dining space about two people in love and during dinner they had a DJ that was just doing his own thing… After the dinner show everyone was asked to go outside to watch a Firework show — it was a good show but that waiting period before it started was no joke; it was pitch black and cold like a scene out of Titanic except my «Jack» can’t swim!
Overall it wasn’t a bad ride… by the time they get the boat out you only have about maybe 5 or 6 minutes to catch the sunset at sea… and after the trip I think it was a bit overpriced considering the accommodations and length of time we were out. And I’m surprised considering how much people raved about the cruise…

Star of Honolulu — 5 Star Experience was a perfect Romantic evening with VIP treatment, breathtaking hallmark picture views, classy entertainment, savory 7 course meal, and the best seat in the house to watch the sunset and Waikiki fireworks on a Friday.
Parking was a breeze at the Aloha Tower, we even had time for a quick appetizer and drinks at Gordon Biersch and made it just in time for the reception Hula which was very nice. From here on is where the 5-​star package makes the «first-​class» difference. We were escorted to the front of the [very long] line, to the elevators [not stairs], up to the top deck for a meet and greet with the Captain and drinks and appetizers.
Once we finished mingling, taking some pictures, and had enough of the sun we were escorted to our private Window table for two where they started the seven course meal. Throughout the night we enjoyed cocktails and good food, the lobster was delicious and also my favorite meal of the night.
In between meals it was just awesome experiencing the sunset and Friday night Fireworks! Views were amazing. I loved that the entertainment was Jazz, live piano, sax, and vocalist
renditions of some classics (Tony Bennet) were such a special way to celebrate my wife’s birthday. We enjoyed dancing together to some of our favorite love songs and the entire evening was simply amazing.
The staff were professional and very prompt with their service. There was also Polynesian Culture entertainment before the sunset (Live Jazz was after dinner).
Many times when you pay top price it doesn’t always match a superior experience, but in this case it does. I highly recommend the three-​star package for a fun night, and the five-​star package for a romantic one. You will not be dissapointed. This has been one of the best experiences for us in Honolulu in almost two years worth of having fun in paradise.

It’s whale watching season! Woohoo! What better than to start the day off with an 8:00am early bird excursion of Whale Watching with the Star of Honolulu at Pier 8. The 2-​hour tour ended up being SUCH A THRILL, especially after seeing so many humpback whales frolicking throughout our route. I even saw one breach a few times and caught it ON FILM! It just made my day! If you’ve watched my video, you can hear me (and a few others) screaming with excitement! Sugoi (awesome)!!
Prior to the boat departing at 8:45am, a safety brief will take place. This is when one of the ships’ Captain’s with introduce himself and to the Naturalist that gave us an overview of the Humpback whales and why they migrate to the Hawaiian Islands. Very interesting stuff!
So, where should one stand to ensure a great view of the frolicking whales? Although, not guaranteed to see any (but there is a Whale check, i.e. Rain check, available in case none appear), announcements are made over the loud speaker if any whales have been spotted. They use clock numbers to designate location. For example, 3 o’clock if on the right side or 10 o’clock if on the left side of the boat. Everyone just settles in somewhere and then scrambles when there’s a sighting. It wasn’t so bad moving every 15 mins or so. There’s was plenty of room to roam around with so many people on board.
I highly recommend this tour! It was such a sight to see the humpback whales in their natural element. It was just AMAZING. You just have to have patience and be on alert when an announcement is made.
A souvenir photo opportunity is available once you hop on board and drinks are available for purchase. I had a spicy Bloody Mary for $ 8. It was good! For $ 10 extra, you can even purchase your ticket to include breakfast. My ticket didn’t include breakfast so I cannot provide a review on that. But, I know it was served on the 2^nd deck and up until about 10:15am which was last call.
Early Bird tour is from 8:45 — 10:45am (8am check-​in). I purchased my ticket at NEX ITT office, which required an advance booking. So, you just need to check-​in 45 minutes prior. Plenty of free parking is available at Aloha Tower Marketplace. Bring your camera and make sure there’s enough space/​memory because you’ll be taking a lot of photos and video! Pack your sunglasses and maybe even a hat. It can get hot out there. Enjoy!

Don’t judge a book by its cover. Upon boarding there was entertainment by the entrance of the boat. Once boarded, we were escorted to our table. I though the interior was old and needed some updating. The Mai Tai arrived quickly, waiter introduced himself, salad on the table… they were efficient. Then WOW the entertainment started and it was so enjoyable. I’d do this again with out of towners. We went on a Friday so we ended the evening with fireworks. Oh the food… all you can eat crab legs was delicious. Steak we done medium just the way I like. Mashed potatoes was good too. The salad was fresh and the dressing was really good!

Early bird. We purchased three tickets through Viator and were able to check in with just our last name at the office. Easy process and no line when we arrived 45 minutes prior to departure as requested. *It is recommended to call them as soon as you purchase your tickets during their office hours to verify that you plan to arrive* Staff were friendly and made the process easy. We had an extra guest come along and he was able to purchase his ticket on-​site. Getting the buffet breakfast option was totally worth it. While we were sitting waiting for all other guests to arrive before departure we ate the hot breakfast. The pineapple and sausage was delicious as were the taro sweet buns. Eggs were probably cheap eggs from a carton, but I wasn’t here for a 5* meal, I was here for whale watching!
Doing this trip in the middle of January (2016), the whales were apparently just getting into the area according to web searches, which is normal, but seems late since they’ve often been arriving earlier in the past few seasons.
We were lucky to see two humpback whales surfacing and spouting, but nothing acrobatic unfortunately. We still felt very grateful for having the opportunity to see these magnificent mammals. They must have surfaced four or five times before we had to head back to shore. It was a great experience.
The crew were all friendly and the captain is a decorated war veteran of two wars in addition to being a sea captain.

I give them 2 stars for the entertainers and the gentleman who assisted with my elderly aunt. They were both great. For the rest, I was sorely disappointed. This includes the weak Mai Tai and the barely cooked steak. Actually the crab was pretty good too.
But for us, they had undercounted diners and so were not served until well after the other diners. Many were finished. For us they rushed out the dinners, gave us melted ice cream for dessert and the photographer wanted payment for our photograph when our fingers were slick with the butter from the crabs. During the show portion of the evening, unruly diners at the next table, got up and stood in front of the seated diners, blocking their views. Shouldn’t the staff control that? They could have politely asked them to sit down.

There’s nothing more exciting than booking a dinner cruise with only 45 minutes before the bus picks you up and you have a 12 minute walk to your hotel so you can get changed followed by a 13 minute jaunt to the bus pickup hotel.
Well, that may be a small exaggeration. It’s not really that exciting! Especially if you are now drenched in sweat and there are no refreshments on the bus.
The Star of Honolulu is a very interesting experience! There are four levels of service ranging from a buffet to a seven course gourmet dinner. All meal types include luau-​style entertainment minus the fire sticks.
The ship can accommodate 1500 people. On our cruise we shared the experience with about 1480 Asian tourists who were seriously enjoying themselves.
Our food was good with steak and unlimited crab legs. I recommend this choice over the buffet as it only costs a few dollars more.
The whole experience will cost you at least $ 200 per couple with drinks extra.
The dancers we had were really full of energy and our waiter, Tyler, was awesome.

We were able to book this sunset dinner cruise just a couple of hours prior to sailing. Was there a discount? No. And, the buffet level was all sold out. Did we care? No. The level that wasn’t sold out was actually a better menu (all-​you-​can-​eat crab legs and steak).
We were picked up from Koa Street behind the Hyatt Hotel, Waikiki, which was a bit of a trek from our Royal Gardens condo, but we enjoy walking. After a bit of confusion from the person checking everyone off before boarding the bus (something about late arrivals not having any stickers. Oh, that was us), we were off to the pier.
After getting off the bus, it was rather a free-​for-​all, helter-​skelter, mess of people. Everyone not knowing where to go, except for a line that formed by the ship. Looked good to us, only to find out that wasn’t the correct line. Next, we were herded around the corner, through the International Marketplace, past Hooters (almost lost the men in our party), and into another line.
Once on the ship, however, the one free mai tai was served immediately. The salads were already waiting for us at the table. We were told to start eating, and as soon as the salad dishes were empty, they were whisked off and the dinner plate arrived. In our four-​person group, we had two special order dinners (one with fish/​crab and the other with steak/​chicken). A word of warning: don’t bother with the special order dinners. The fish was dry and not worth it, and the chicken was also dry. Just go for the steak and all-​you-​can-​eat crab legs. If you don’t like steak, just give it to someone else in your party! Last came the macadamia nut ice cream and coffee.
Our waiter was top-​notch and really enjoyed his job, including hyping up the crowd on the dance floor.
Entertainment was very good, typically Hawaiian dance routines, however, much closer in a ship like this rather than at a huge luau. We also had two vocalists.
The sunset? It was fast, so pay attention. There’s like two minutes when you can actually see it setting. Go for the eats and entertainment, instead.

I gotta say that when I first got on the dinner cruise I thought it was gonna be just ok. I was pleasantly surprised at how amazing the whole cruise was overall. First off let’s just jump right into,“is it really all you can eat crab legs?” Yes, yes it is. I never thought I could get full off of crab legs but they really do just keep giving you more and more. Food was amazing so I got won over from the start, but the entertainment, atmosphere, and hospitality is what blew me away. Sooooooo much ALOHA from the staff and entertainment. We couldn’t find our server to leave a gratuity and we already disembarked. my wife mentioned it to the captain as we disembarked and he personally escorted us back on to find our server personally.
To sum this all up awesome food, entertainment, staff & amazing sunset all in one this was perfect. I recommended it for any couples, families, groups and or businesses. They have something for everyone, even private event rooms.

This will reflect the five star top deck dinner:
Upon arrival my boyfriend & I checked in with the reservation office & were told that we were able to wait in there in the AC since we were early & an usher would come to escort us to the hula show before boarding. Since we were there first, we were taken onto the ship first as well. We were lead to the top deck through an elevator to meet the captain. We took our picture which would later reappear to purchase as a memento of the night which we did not end up buying. If I had any complaints it would be the crazy tourist price of $ 27 & for locals like we are, it just wasn’t worth it. We were told by our WONDERFUL server that night, Erika that we could have requested to take a picture without the captain which I would recommend. We were given non alcoholic drinks & hors d’oeuvres before going into the room. The view was BEAUTIFUL & as a birthday gift from my boyfriend, I couldn’t be happier. The food was great as well, this is the 3^rd 5 star dinner I’ve been on & I feel it was better than the others because it was definitely more bang for our buck. While out on the deck I could hear music coming from the lower 3 & 2 star dinners & was so thankful for the jazz music from our deck. The hula show was alright but like I’ve said, I’m a local & ive seen & even been a part of 1 too many hula shows to be impressed with a show like this. We also went on a Friday night which meant we got to see the fire work show that came from the Hilton hotel which was really nice to end the night before heading back to shore. If you can go on a Friday, DO IT. Erika was great, and super friendly, she went out of her way to make us feel comfortable! She snatched us the largest portions from the kitchen & made conversation with us. She even ran over to grab my boyfriend some sea sickness pills which worked great seeing as this was his first time on a boat. Poor thing lol. Over all I would go back as much as possible! Great job!

The dinner/​sunset cruise isn’t all that. It’s crowded so it’s not a very intimate meal. The dinner show was done in between the aisles so it’s hard to see everything. Lastly, the fireworks show, while it was really cool, it was only3 minutes long.
Food was very good, though. Impressive that it was all-​you-​can eat crab legs. The salad was presented very nicely and the dressing was tasty, (kind of a tropical sesame flavor). The dessert was a macadamia nut ice cream that was amazing!

Came with the tour group, so I didn’t know how much was it.
Just assume that it’s not very expensive, I give it 4 stars.
Foods: Crab legs are all you can eat, but too salty and there was a weird smells, so I didn’t like it.
The steak was good, I ate two, one from my sister.
Shows; To be honest, very boring.
View: Very good! Really enjoyed the sunset, so beautiful!

My parents were visiting over the holidays and my mom mentioned they wanted to go out on a whale watch. In looking at the options on the island, which are numerous, we decided to try out Star of Honolulu.
We booked the early bird whale watch without the breakfast. We got a kamaaina rate plus the discount of child free with paying adult! The price for 4 adults and two kids came to just over $ 100…I thought that was pretty good. We didn’t opt for the breakfast, which would have cost more because there were other places on land we would rather eat at.
The boat is pretty huge, most people head to the upper deck, which seemed pretty crowded. We stayed on one of the mid-​decks and pretty much had the entire place to ourselves! I would definitely recommend it, you get the same beautiful views but you aren’t crammed in shoulder-​to-​shoulder with others. It was relaxing and we ended up seeing what we came for, whales!
All in all a great, low-​key morning excursion. I would definitely do it again, and might not even wait until our next visitors.