Trip Report - UnCruise Adventures Hawaiian SeaScapes
- Coleen Bolton
- 1 day ago
- 11 min read
I decided to celebrate turning 50 by visiting the 50th state. I figured the best way to see Hawaii was by boat and UnCruise definitely offered an unappareled experience in Hawaii! This was my 3rd UnCruise and they really do offer an amazing small ship experience unlike any other company.
Arriving in Hawaii
Our cruise itinerary went from Kona to Molokai. I didn't realize that it wasn't as easy to island hop as I thought. I just assumed there were a lot of ferries that went between the islands but turns out there isn't. Actually most people living in Hawaii don't really visit between the islands that often. Molokai is one of the islands that hardly anyone visits, which actually made it a really cool place to go. It did make it tricky for flights though. I got a little creative and booked our flights as round trip Maui from Philadelphia and then booked the island hoppers separately. It worked out nicely.
Day 1 - Arriving
We arrived in Maui the night before the cruise and were basically there just to sleep and then head back to the airport in the morning for our island hopper over to Kona. When we arrived in Kona we were met by an UnCruise representative who took us over to the hotel that was serving as the hospitality area until we could board the ship later that day. We had some time to wander and do some shopping. Turned out there was a holiday market going on with lots of local crafters that had tables set up around the hotel so that was fun to explore. We returned to meet up with the whole group a little later. We got a quick briefing of how things would go and then we walked over to the ship. I will post a full ship report next but for now I will just say it is a small ship that could hold 36 guests but there were just 22 onboard for our cruise. I love the small ships and each time I go on something smaller I love them even more! It almost feels like you are cruising on a private boat when the group is this small. After a quick safety drill we headed to dinner. This was the only night that we hadn't pre-ordered our dinner. After dinner our Adventure Guide talked a little about the tentative schedule, since with an adventure on a small ship the schedule is always subject to change. I love that if we see some cool wildlife we can change course or adjust the plan based on weather.
Day 2 - Coast of Kona - Kealakekua Bay
I was still on East Coast time so I was up at 4 am. It was kind of nice to head up to the top deck and watch the sunrise. I am not usually a morning person so I don't usually catch sunrises. They put out an early bird breakfast in the dining room which is a nice continental type breakfast. I was happy to grab a drink, some overnight oats, and a pastry and that was perfect for me. An hour later they do a served breakfast option. I went to breakfast but was still full so I just had a drink and hung out for the morning briefing. Each day starts with a morning briefing where first the chef and pastry chef let us know what is on the menu for the day. There were couple options for lunch and dinner each day. There was always an option for a fresh fish, a meat, and a vegetarian/vegan option. We placed our order for lunch and dinner at breakfast each morning so this way the chef wasn't wasting any food or time. After the food talk was over our Adventure Guide would give his talk for what to expect that day. Each day came with some new adventures and options. On the schedule for today was a skiff ride to check out some of the coast line, followed by some snorkeling. There were some high surf warnings so that did sort of limit our options for the day. After our Skiff ride the back deck was open for swimming before lunch. I opted not to swim just yet since we had snorkeling after lunch. For snorkeling we hopped onto the skiffs and headed to a nice cove area which was actually the spot where Captain Cook landed. It was fun getting in the water and snorkeling but then it got even better when a pod of Spinner Dolphins came over to check us out. They swam under us and then popped up all around us. They hung for a good amount of time so it was amazing getting to snorkel with them all around. I felt like Mother Nature gave me the best birthday gift!
After snorkeling it was back to the boat to shower and get ready for dinner as we moved on to our next spot. While we were moving some Pantropical Spotted Dolphins came over to do some bow riding. It was fun watching them from above.
The bartender onboard had a drink of the day each day which was always fun to try. Most of us would gather around the bar for happy hour before dinner and then pop back over there after dinner too. Each night there was usually some type of presentation given by one of the Adventure guides and I enjoyed hanging out for those each night.
Day 3 - Kaloko National Park
I was up again for sunrise and early bird breakfast. This morning schedule had 2 options - a hard charger hike up on the volcano or a more leisurely walk along the beach and over some old lava. We opted for the easier walk and had a nice morning exploring before heading back to the ship for lunch. The hard chargers had a picnic lunch so it was a nice small group lunch onboard. After lunch we had another snorkel trip. We had more dolphin luck and this time a bottlenose dolphin came over to check out our skiff and while he was at it he used our mooring line to do what looked like scratching an itch on his back. I just happened to be close to the skiff when he appeared and it was so funny to watch him rub up along our line a few times. He also didn't seem to mind that a bunch of us had gathered to watch him. We went back to the ship for dinner and we were supposed to be doing a night swim with Manta Rays tonight but unfortunately the high surf warning was up so we had to postpone it to tomorrow. We enjoyed a relaxing night onboard.
Day 4 - Kiholo Bay - Alenuihaha Channel
I was still up before the sun and I was really enjoying my early mornings so I planned to stick to it. At breakfast we got the bad news that the weather was still not cooperating for the Manta Rays so we were going to have to skip it on this trip. It was a little disappointing but I was so happy that we had 2 different types of dolphins join us snorkeling so I was ok with missing the mantas. I think my sister was actually relieved that we were not doing it. On the schedule this morning was the option to Kayak or Skiff. Since it was still a bit swelly on the water I thought it was better not to take my sister out on her first kayak in those conditions. We opted for the skiff which gave us a nice tour closer to the coast and then also out looking for wildlife. We put a hydrophone in the water to see if we could hear any whale songs but no luck. It was still a bit early in the season. After we got back from the skiff ride the swim platform was open for a quick dip before lunch. It felt great to jump off the back of the ship. We also had the opportunity to check out the engine room which was pretty cool. The ship had just gotten 2 brand new engines just before moving from Alaska to Hawaii a couple weeks before our cruise. Since we were not able to do the night swim with Mantas and somehow the forecast was for calm seas on the Alenuihaha Channel the captain made the decision to do the crossing during the day. The channel is between Maui and the Big Island and is generally very rough. Normally UnCruise does the crossing at night when most of us should be asleep so hopefully we won't notice it too much. So it seemed like it was a really big deal that it was calm enough to cross in the daylight. We even had happy hour moved up to the top deck so we could all enjoy being outside for the crossing. It was a beautiful sunset too.
Day 5 - Manele, Lanai
This morning's sunrise had clear skies and we could see 5 islands from the ship which was so cool! This morning we had 4 different options for going on land. We could choose from a hard charger e-bike ride, a slightly less hard e-bike ride with some time in town, a volcano ridge hike, or a visit to the cat sanctuary. I knew I didn't want to do the bikes so it was between the volcano or the cats. A place with 800 cats was tempting but the volcano hike sounded more like something I needed to do in Hawaii. It was a pretty easy hike and we were rewarded with some spectacular views! It was still so clear and we could see multiple islands from our viewpoint which sounded like it doesn't happen that often. After heading back to the boat for lunch we went out for another snorkel. They called this the aquarium snorkel and I could see why. You really felt like you were floating around in a fish tank. The water was so clear and there were so many schools of fish.
Day 6 - Olowalu, Maui
The sunrise this morning was cool because the full moon was also still in the sky so I got to watch a moonset and a sunrise at the same time. This morning's activities had an early start so instead of the typical breakfast the plan was for a brunch after we got back from our first activity. I still hit the early bird breakfast and had a bit more company today since some guests wanted something to eat before heading out. We opted to go kayaking this morning. My sister hadn't done it before so all I will say is there is a bit of a learning curve. It was totally worth it though because we got super lucky and came across 2 Hawaiian Monk Seals. I say super lucky because it is the most endangered seal species in the world! We think what we were watching was hopefully the making of a new Monk Seal so hopefully there will be one more number to add to the small amount of them left in the world. After kayaking we had time for a quick swim off the boat and I was glad to be able to cool off after a not so easy kayak adventure. After brunch it was time for one last snorkel and this was one was all about the turtles. We were snorkeling in an area with a turtle wash station. It was like a turtle car wash where the turtles came and small fish would eat some of the algae off of them.
To end the day we got to spend some time cruising around the Humpback National Marine Sanctuary. The humpbacks make there way to the warm waters off Maui to give birth or to breed. Most of these whales here go back and forth between Hawaii and Alaska so it is possible you could have seen some of them on an UnCruise in Alaska too! Even though it was early in the season we had no trouble finding a bunch of whales. We even got to watch a mother with her calf for awhile. It was so cute to watch this little guy try to learn things and be flapping his fluke and trying to breach. Since we were all enjoying the time watching the whales the crew hosted happy hour on the top deck again. After dinner we had a fun game of Hawaiian Jeopardy. As we walked back to our room we heard some commotion off the side of the ship. We took a look and noticed a pod of dolphins doing some night fishing. The lights from our ship seemed to be attracting some tasty bites for the dolphins. It was actually quite comical watching them try to catch these little fish. There was a mom and baby too and it seemed she was teaching the little guy how to fish. It was such a cool moment. It was also slightly sad since we knew tomorrow was our last full day.
Day 7 - Halawa Valley, Molokai
This morning we arrived at our fist docking location since we left Kona. We would spend the night docked and all disembark here and the next set of guests will board here and go back to Kona. We had a full day on Molokai first though. We were all heading to the Halawa Valley but once there we had 2 options - a hard charger hike to a waterfall or a cultural experience with a beach lunch. When our adventure guide described the hike it sounded hard and muddy. He described boot sucking mud and boulder hopping to get across the river. Since I only had flip flops or my sneakers I didn't really think this hike was for me. No matter which option you chose you did learn about some of the traditions. We learned about Honi, which is the traditional greeting that involves touching foreheads and noses as you breath in. We each greeted our hosts and then each other and I have to say I found it very meaningful and spiritual. It is generally reserved for family and close friends and after spending a week with this group of people I did feel like close friends. It was also very special to be welcomed into the house of our host as family. Our host is part of the family that has lived in this valley the longest. It was very interesting listening to his stories and watching him make poi. We also enjoyed lunch on the beach which was nice. It was a great day experiencing an island that not many people visit. For dinner tonight we got to experience a traditional Hawaiian Pa`ina (the Hawaiian word for dinner, not Luau). A local Aunty made a very traditional meal for us and we dined in a museum and had some local ukulele music. It was a nice way to end the trip.
Day 8 - Disembarking
I was up at sunrise again but I really wasn't looking forward to having to leave the ship. I soaked in as much time as I could but then after breakfast it was time to disembark. Some guests were going right to the airport but the rest of us got a shuttle to the hospitality area which was a nearby hotel. It was nice to have a spot to relax a little instead of having to sit around the very small airport. This was also the place where guests who would be starting their trip would were waiting to board the ship later that day. I am glad I did the Kona to Molokai itinerary since I felt the logistics for that direction was a bit easier. Molokai is so remote that the flight options were not easy. The only planes are pretty much the small 8 seater type planes. Plus there were very few hotel options. I wouldn't have minded staying a night at the hotel we had for the hospitality area though. It wasn't fancy but had a real Hawaiian vibe to it. When it was time time to go to the airport UnCruise provided shuttles for us. The airport is definitely one of the smallest I had ever been to. We did have to weigh everything that would be getting on the plane, including ourselves. There was no TSA or security and when it was time to board we just told them our first name and they told us which seat to sit in. The plane ride was like an excursion I have done in other places. It was only about 20 minutes and stayed pretty low so we had great views. We got back to Maui with a few hours before our flight back home. We enjoyed soaking up the sun for a long as possible. It was definitely an unforgettable experience and I am so glad I was able to celebrate turning 50 in our 50th state!
UnCruise takes care of just about every detail and it is all included in your cruise cost. The food was probably the best I have had on any ship! All food and drinks are included along with all of the excursions and transfers. All of the gear and even reef friendly sunblock is there for you to use throughout the cruise. Plus you have naturalists and other passionate guides that will share their knowledge and experience with you. It really is a wonderful immersive experience and I highly recommend trying an UnCruise!
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