Beat of Hawaii and Beyond: Travel Deals, Tips, Events, Culture

There’s a variety of news today on Hawaiian Airlines I want to share:

1. Hawaiian’s traveler reviews are down.

Conde Naste Traveler readers have lowered their rating on Hawaiian this year from third to fifth place among domestic airlines. That still places them above any other carrier flying to Hawaii.

Beat of Hawaii: In the main cabin I would concur that Hawaiian beats the competition with their level of service and free meals. In the first class cabin, however, Continental is the clear standout as best to Hawaii. The first-class seats on Continental are more comfortable and there’s more privacy. Hawaiian, however, offers a better first-class meal.

2. Hawaiian fleet changes.

The airline announced it has canceled plans to add another 767 to its Trans-Pacific fleet this year. Their President and CEO, Mark Dunkerley, cited delays on delivery and increased fuel cost for the cancellation.

Dunkerley indicated that they are taking delivery of four additional 717 Inter-Island jets this year, and a fleet of new Airbus replacements for the 767 fleet starting in 2012.

No word yet if they will add 757 or 737NG planes to their fleet. This would allow Trans-Pacific service to smaller airports, including Kauai and Orange County.

Beat of Hawaii: Hawaiian is undoubtedly seeing an eroding demand for both Trans-Pacific and Inter-Island flights. They will likely come under increased pressure to cut prices in order to maintain market share and remain competitive to the mainland.

Within Hawaii, the uncertainty about Go! (and its parent company Mesa) will keep Hawaiian very strong. The high price of Inter-Island flights, however, will continue to soften demand for discretionary and off-season travel.

In the long term, Hawaiian can’t predict the future, and I believe the likelihood of their actually taking delivery of any Airbus planes is slim to none.

Hawaiian is still most likely a candidate for near term acquisition by one of the larger players, as we have previously indicated.

3. Aircraft stretched thin.

We have seen reports of numerous flight delays and cancellations at Hawaiian recently. The reason appears to be over-utilization of aircraft.

Beat of Hawaii: With the cancellation of the additional 767 craft, maintenance issues could result in an ongoing problem of Trans-Pacific delays and cancellations at Hawaiian. Inter-Island problems should be alleviated when the new 717’s start arriving shortly. We’ll keep an eye out.

Related Posts:

• Hawaiian Plans to Serve Orange County With New Smaller Planes
• Hawaiian (HA) and Aloha (AQ) top on-time stats; Up go the fares
• Upcoming: New Hawaiian Air routes, Maui and South Pacific Reports and More

When Fall airfare wars failed to materialize to Hawaii, I started turning my focus to cruise ships. I found some fabulous cruise deals that can really make sense, especially in light of current airfares.

Those I’ve listed below are round-trip from the West Coast which will eliminate or reduce expensive airfares.

Since airfare for Fall at this point could still run you in the $600+ RT range, you might consider your real cruise cost can be as little as $600 for a two-week voyage.

If these sound as good to you as they do to me, I’d follow up on them immediately.

• 17 days from Victoria BC to San Diego CA aboard Holland America’s Zaandam. September 21 sailing. From $1,305 (inside) with the exceptional deal being ocean view at $1,508.
• 17 days round-trip from Los Angeles aboard Princess’ Golden Princess. October 1 sailing. From 1,399 (inside).
• 15 days round-trip from Los Angeles aboard Royal Caribbean’s Serenade of the Seas. October 3 sailing. from $1,499 (inside) and $1,799 (ocean view).
• 14 days round-trip from Los Angeles aboard Princess’ Golden Princess. October 15 sailing. From $1,399 (inside) and $1,598 (ocean view).
• 14 days round-trip from Los Angeles aboard Princess’ Golden Princess. October 29 sailing. From $1,199 (inside), $1,398 (ocean view), and $1,896 (balcony).

These deals are courtesy of Vacations To Go.

Related Posts:

• Last Pride of Hawaii Deal
• Where are the Hawaii Travel Deals? Part 1: Airfares
• Have Hawaii Airfare Sales Begun?

If you’re like me, you expected the Hawaii off-season airfare deals, be they great or mediocre, to start showing up in the past two weeks. Traditionally they are announced after July 1, for travel beginning August 15. So far I’ve seen very little. What gives?

In today’s fare postings, I saw a glimmer of hope from Northwest Airlines:

LAX-HNL $490 RT (all-inclusive), for mid-week, non-holiday departures starting this Fall through early June 2009 (then again for Fall 2009).

While this isn’t by itself what we’d consider to be a great deal, it does undercut the competitors by as much as $200. It could be more significant however, if it marks the beginning of the airlines getting real.

Here’s the bottom line:

• Airlines are hesitant to start the Fall fare sale due to the cost of fuel.
• In this double-edged airline sword, carriers will be forced to either cut prices or cut flights.
• Airlines are reluctant to give up market share in this once and potentially again lucrative island market.

What you should expect:

• There will be Fall airfare sales, and this week may still be the key time for them. If the deals do not materialize, there will be an abundance of unsold seats. Travelers are not willing to pay $600+ to come to Hawaii in the off-season from all important West Coast cities.
• The upcoming sales, if and when they come, will be far more last minute and fleeting than ever before. You’ll need to keep your eyes peeled, as these could come and go in one to two days.

We’ll do our best to alert you as the deals come. Stay tuned.

Related Posts:

• Travel Newsletters Don’t Have Good Airfare Deals
• Timing is Key: Get the Best Hawaii Airfare Deals next Wednesday?
• Where are the Hawaii Travel Deals? Part 1: Airfares

If you’re visiting Hawaii this summer, I suggest you buy local fruit and not waste your time on mainland imported produce. The latter has spent weeks in transit and distribution. They just aren’t peak when they arrive here in the islands.

We live here year-round and are always looking for the best seasonal produce, whether from our yard, fruit stands, farmer’s markets or the grocery stores.

Here’s my recommendation for summer consumption along with a preparation guide:

Mangoes (top left)

Hayden and other varieties are in season for about another month. One of my favorite ways to eat a mango is by cutting in half lengthwise (skin on), going around the large seed. Then deeply score the flesh, but not the skin, in a crisscross design. Turn inside out and eat with a spoon.

Lychees (top right)

Score around the center of the fruit with a knife (but don’t cut through). Then peel off the top half and squeeze to pop the entire fruit into your mouth. There’s a seed inside to be aware of. They are ripe when you buy them.

Watermelons and cantelopes

These are mostly grown on Oahu. Look for fruits with an Island or Hawaii grown label. They are superior.

Lillikoi (left)

These passion fruits are usually found in yellow and purple. Cut in half and scoop out the seeds and pulp, which can just be eaten with a spoon. Another option is to put the pulp through a sieve to remove the seeds and enjoy in smoothies, salad dressings and more. These are ripe when you buy them. The flavor is strong and exotic and people usually either love them or hate them.

Bananas (right)

As we mentioned previously, bananas from Hawaii are not the same variety as available on the mainland. The two primary varieties grown here are Williams (pictured above) and the smaller Apple variety. Both are excellent. Be sure you don’t buy Central American bananas in Hawaii by mistake. Check the label, or buy at a farmer’s market or fruit stand.

Papayas

Available year-round, they tend to be best and most prolific during the late summer. There are four basic varieties. We like them all equally. Let ripen to be soft like a peach and yellow nearly all around. I like to peel, cut lengthwise, remove the seeds and slice them. You can also cut in half (lengthwise with skin on), remove the seeds and eat like a melon.

Which of these or other Hawaii summer fruits do you like best?

Related Posts:

• Hawaii Bananas Could Be Set For Resurgence
• Can Rambutan Reduce Super Bowl Stress?
• Where are the Hawaii Travel Deals? Part 1: Airfares

With the luggage surcharge on many airlines, I’m planning to travel with just a carry-on. This requires a new game plan for reducing the liquids I bring on board.

Today I saw an article on paper shampoo. It’s actually been around a number of years and predates the TSA’s limitations on carry-on liquids.

I started thinking about other ways to replace liquid products. Here’s the list I came up with. For the best buy on these items, check prices on the Internet first.

Shampoo

Paper shampoo typically sells for under $5 for 30 sheets. The paper dissolves and creates lather when you rub it between your hands.

For a better deal, you can buy a bar of well-regarded and decades old Liggett’s shampoo. Available in regular and travel sizes, it will last as long as a case of paper shampoo.

Soap sheets, Bars and Towelettes

I’ve used soap sheets in the guest bathroom and for travel. They come in many brands, from basic to luxury. Another option is using a combined luxury body soap/shampoo bar like Cream of Coco.

There are two types of towelettes I travel with. Wet Ones are useful for plane or road travel. I also pack Deep Woods Off insect repellent towelettes.

Laundry soap

Lots of choices here too. Woolite packets, Tide tablets, and more. To save money, just put some of your own laundry powder in doubled plastic bags and label it.

Spot removers

These help to avoid excessive laundering altogether. Two of my favorites are Janie spot remover stick and Shout wipes. Each works best on different kinds of stains.

Mouthwash tablets

Travelon makes instantly dissolving effervescent mouthwash tablets. I have not tried them yet, but they look promising.

Toothpaste powder

Okay, this is probably my favorite category, because here’s a product I’ve used for years without regard to travel. It just happens to be a powder, and you can easily pack some in any small container. If the Ipsab brand I use doesn’t appeal to you, there are many other toothpaste powders on the market to choose from.

Shaving foam bars:

There are so many choices here, it’s up to your preference. Here’s what a Google search produced.

If you have any recommendations for replacing liquids on the plane, please add your comments.

Related Posts:

• How To Eat Well At 30,000 Feet
• Coping With The New Baggage Policies
• Our Top 7 In-Flight Airline Tips

At first I was excited to share with our Canadian visitors the “half-price” offer to Hawaii on Westjet. I’ve received numerous requests for Canadian deals, and unfortunately they have been virtually non-existent.

On first glance this sale seemed good though not great. The prices are listed without taxes and surcharges of nearly CAD 100 each way. Unfortunately, that took the steam out of my sails and got me thinking about how this relates to a much bigger picture.

Airlines and customer dissatisfaction.

The greater problem I see in this offer is that because it isn’t a deal, it sets false expectations for Westjet’s customers. While this situation is Westjet specific, it relates to an industry-wide problem. The issue is that customers have become increasingly dissatisfied with airlines. That is true even without regard to ticket prices.

In any event, here’s what the Westjet deals portends:

Details:

• Monday through Wednesday travel
• Ticket by July 23 for travel September 3 through October 31
• One-ways permitted
• Surcharges/taxes extra (add approx. CAD 200 round-trip)
• Good availability to Honolulu, very limited to Kahului

To Honolulu, Oahu (RT)

• Calgary CAD 460
• Edmonton CAD 510
• Ottawa or Montreal CAD 638
• Toronto CAD 610
• Vancouver CAD 388

To Kahalui, Maui (RT)

• Calgary CAD 518
• Edmonton CAD 538
• London CAD 638
• Ottawa or Montreal CAD 670
• Vancouver (unable to find sale availability)

With the addition of their separately priced fuel surcharge, the Westjet deal is in fact no better than the American Airline offer (although the routing is more convenient). Lastly, I find the Westjet website to be among the most difficult to navigate airline sites I’ve encountered.

I promise to keep a lookout for something better, both in terms of price and honesty.

Related Posts:

• Can’t Find a Good Airfare to Hawaii?
• Run: Seattle to Maui $486 smarterTRAVEL Summer Deal Turns Good
• Orbitz “Price Assurance.” Does It Really Help?