Shore excursions are what separate one cruise for another. If you never got off the ship, it wouldn’t matter where you were.
That said, while a Hawaii vacation cruise offers something for everyone, not every shore excursion is suitable for every person. For example, my wife is not a strong swimmer so she immediately ruled out any of the scuba or snuba (a cross between scuba and snorkeling) activities.
One way to choose the excursions that are just right for you is to look at the amount of physical activity each requires. What follows is based on information provided by Norwegian Cruise Lines (http://www.ncl.com). I chose NCL because we were fortunate enough to take one of their cruises aboard the Pride of Hawaii this spring.
Norwegian divides their shore excursions into three activity levels.
Mild
“Tours with this symbol involve walking over relatively level terrain, possibly some cobblestone, gravel or a few steps. Comfortable shoes are recommended. If it’s a water activity, well, choice of shoes is up to you.”
One example would be the Atlantis submarine tour. You must be able to climb down (and back up) a short ladder to enter and leave the submarine. Once aboard, you’ll relax and look out the oversize port holes at the sandy bottom, coral reefs and abundant rainbow of tropical fish. On the Oahu submarine tour, we even saw the wreckage of a fighter plane laying on the bottom.
Moderate
“Tours with this symbol involve a considerable amount of physical activity such as substantial walking over uneven or cobblestone streets, climbing stairs or steep terrain. They are not recommended for guests with walking difficulties. Comfortable, sturdy shoes are recommended. (Unless, of course, you’re swimming.)”
A good example of this would be the ‘Tree Top Zipline Adventure’. Soar through the canopy of Kauai’s silent giants; a unique Norfolk pine forest towering upwards of 200 feet. Enjoy six different zipline runs entwined with seven aerial deck transfers, a 70-foot high suspension bridge and a 65-foot high dual rope crossing.
Here’s a tip. If this sounds like something you really want to do, book as early as possible. Zip line is one of the most popular shore excursions and sells out fast.
