Port of Honolulu Cruise Terminal — Information Guide

The Honolulu Cruise Terminal at Pier 2 is the cruise passenger facility at the Port of Honolulu, located on the downtown Honolulu waterfront near the historic Aloha Tower. It is the homeport for the only year-round inter-island cruise in the United States.

• Official name: Honolulu Cruise Terminal, Pier 2 (Port of Honolulu)
• Address: 521 Ala Moana Boulevard, Honolulu, HI 96813
• Main telephone: (808) 587-2072
• Location: Downtown Honolulu waterfront, near Aloha Tower, Oahu
• Port operator: Hawaii Department of Transportation, Harbors Division
• Primary cruise line: Norwegian Cruise Line (Pride of America)
• Nearest airport: Daniel K. Inouye International Airport (HNL)
• Typical itineraries: Year-round 7-night inter-island Hawaii cruises (Kahului, Hilo, Kona, Nawiliwili)

View the Honolulu Cruise Terminal at Pier 2 on Google Maps

One of the most important things to understand about cruising from Honolulu is that the cruise terminal is at Pier 2 on the downtown Honolulu waterfront, near Aloha Tower — not at the cargo container terminals at Sand Island or Kapalama. If you put a generic "Honolulu port" into your GPS, you could end up at a cargo terminal instead of the cruise terminal.

What is the terminal like?

The Honolulu Cruise Terminal at Pier 2 is a purpose-built cruise passenger facility on the downtown Honolulu waterfront. It is moderately sized and easy to navigate, and it is within walking distance of downtown Honolulu, Aloha Tower Marketplace, and the Chinatown district.

Because the terminal generally handles one cruise ship at a time, the process is straightforward: there is one main terminal building, an adjacent surface parking area, and a short walk from car to ship. Lines can still build on sailing days, but the scale is far more manageable than at the largest ports like Port Miami or Port Everglades.

The location on Honolulu Harbor is scenic. Sailing out of Honolulu, you may get views of:

• The downtown Honolulu skyline and Aloha Tower
• Diamond Head and the Waikiki coastline
• The Waianae mountain range on the leeward coast
• The Pacific Ocean and the neighboring islands on the horizon
• Sunset over the Pacific on westbound departures

Cruise lines that use the Honolulu Cruise Terminal

The Port of Honolulu is the homeport for the only year-round inter-island cruise in the United States:

• Norwegian Cruise Line — Pride of America, year-round 7-night inter-island Hawaii cruises

The Pride of America sails weekly round-trip from Honolulu, calling at Kahului (Maui), Hilo and Kona (the Big Island), and Nawiliwili (Kauai), with scenic cruising along the Na Pali Coast. Other cruise lines, including Princess, Holland America, and luxury lines, also call at Honolulu on seasonal repositioning and transpacific itineraries.

Always check your cruise documents to confirm your exact departure terminal. Honolulu Harbor has multiple piers, and other cruise and cargo ships use different facilities.

Parking at the Honolulu Cruise Terminal

Parking at the Port of Honolulu is more limited than at mainland cruise ports, so it helps to understand how it works before you arrive.

On-site terminal parking

The Honolulu Cruise Terminal has a surface parking lot located close to the terminal building. The walk from the parking area to the ship is generally short, which makes Honolulu convenient for families and anyone traveling with a lot of luggage. However, on-site parking is limited, so reservations or early arrival are recommended.

Parking style

This is open-air surface parking rather than an enclosed garage.

Advantages:

• Your vehicle is close to the terminal for the duration of the cruise.
• Short walk between your car and the ship.
• Very convenient if you're traveling with children, elderly passengers or lots of luggage.

Disadvantages:

• Your vehicle is exposed to the tropical weather for the duration of the cruise.
• Parking capacity is limited and can fill up on sailing days.
• Most inter-island cruisers fly in and do not need a car, so parking is less of a factor than at mainland ports.

Payment

On-site parking is generally credit-card only. Confirm accepted payment methods before you travel, and don't count on paying cash at the lot.

Off-site parking alternatives

Because most inter-island cruisers fly into Honolulu and do not bring a car, on-site parking is usually sufficient. If you do need long-term parking and the on-site lot is full, there are private parking garages in the downtown Honolulu area, but you'll need to arrange your own transportation to and from the terminal.

My parking recommendation

For most first-time cruisers sailing from Honolulu, the bigger question is not parking but how to get from the airport to the terminal. If you are renting a car on Oahu before your cruise, confirm where you will return it, because most rental-car returns are at the airport rather than the cruise terminal.

Hotels near the Honolulu Cruise Terminal

There are many hotels within a short distance of the terminal, particularly in Waikiki and downtown Honolulu.

Very close options

Downtown Honolulu / Aloha Tower area hotels
Honolulu, HI

These are popular pre-cruise hotel choices because they're within a short ride of the cruise terminal, near the downtown business district and Chinatown.

Hotel Guides

Waikiki hotels

Most cruisers stay in Waikiki before or after their inter-island cruise. Waikiki has the largest selection of hotels and resorts, about 15–25 minutes from the cruise terminal by taxi or rideshare, and it puts you right on the beach.

Hotels near Daniel K. Inouye International Airport (HNL)

There are several hotels near the airport, about 15–20 minutes from the terminal. These are a practical choice if you have an early flight or a late arrival the night before your cruise.

Why I recommend staying the night before

If you're flying to Oahu for an inter-island cruise, I strongly recommend arriving at least one day before your cruise rather than trying to reach the ship the same day you fly.

Flights from the mainland to Hawaii are long and can be delayed, and you don't want a delayed or canceled flight to jeopardize your cruise.

Staying near the terminal (or in Waikiki the night before) gives you:

• Much less stress on embarkation morning
• More time to explore Oahu — Waikiki Beach, Pearl Harbor, and Diamond Head
• A short taxi/rideshare ride to the terminal
• A backup if your flight is delayed
• More flexibility with your cruise's assigned check-in time

Transportation to the terminal

Taxi / Uber / Lyft

For most travelers, this is probably the easiest option.

Tell the driver: "Honolulu Cruise Terminal, Pier 2, 521 Ala Moana Boulevard, near Aloha Tower."

Don't simply say "the port," because Honolulu Harbor has cargo and container terminals at Sand Island and Kapalama that are not the cruise terminal.

Public transportation

The Waikiki Trolley and TheBus serve downtown Honolulu, with stops within a short walk of the waterfront. If you're carrying substantial luggage, I'd generally recommend a taxi/rideshare from your hotel.

From the airport

Daniel K. Inouye International Airport (HNL) is the closest airport — about 6 miles from the cruise terminal, typically 15–20 minutes by car or taxi.

Terminal amenities

The Honolulu Cruise Terminal is functional rather than luxurious.

You can expect:

• Restrooms
• Passenger check-in areas
• Security screening
• Customs/immigration facilities for arriving passengers
• Some seating
• Limited food/snack options
• Wi-Fi

Don't expect a major airport-style shopping or dining experience. The terminal is designed to move passengers onto the ship efficiently. The real dining and sightseeing options are in downtown Honolulu and Waikiki, a short ride from the terminal.

One important detail: there is no luggage-storage facility at the terminal. If you arrive early or want to spend several hours sightseeing after your cruise, you'll need to make separate luggage-storage arrangements.

Things to do nearby

The Honolulu Cruise Terminal's location is excellent for combining a cruise with Oahu sightseeing.

Within the surrounding area you have:

• Aloha Tower Marketplace and the downtown waterfront
• Pearl Harbor and the USS Arizona Memorial
• Waikiki Beach and the Royal Hawaiian Center
• Diamond Head State Monument
• Iolani Palace and the historic downtown district
• Chinatown and its markets and restaurants
• The North Shore's beaches and surf towns

Aloha Tower Marketplace is particularly close — it's right next to the cruise terminal and makes an easy pre- or post-cruise visit if you have a few hours to spare.

Important tips for cruise passengers

1. Confirm your terminal before leaving your hotel. The Honolulu Cruise Terminal is at Pier 2, 521 Ala Moana Boulevard, near Aloha Tower — not at the cargo terminals at Sand Island or Kapalama.
2. Don't confuse the cruise terminal with the cargo port. This is probably the single biggest mistake to avoid. The cruise terminal is on the downtown waterfront near Aloha Tower.
3. Arrive at least a day early. I wouldn't recommend flying from the mainland the same day your inter-island cruise departs unless you have a very substantial buffer.
4. Plan your rental car return. Most rental-car returns are at the airport, not the cruise terminal, so allow time to return the car and get to the terminal.
5. Reserve parking if you need it. On-site parking is limited and can fill up on sailing days.
6. Don't leave your luggage unattended. Because the terminal does not provide luggage storage, arrange a hotel or independent luggage-storage service if you have time to kill before or after your cruise.
7. Keep your cruise documents accessible. Have your cruise-line app, boarding documents, passports/identification and luggage tags readily available when you arrive.
8. Use Daniel K. Inouye International Airport (HNL). It's the closest airport and the main gateway to Oahu.

Overall assessment

• Location: Excellent. On Honolulu Harbor near Aloha Tower, with easy access to Waikiki and downtown Oahu.
• Convenience: Very good. A single, easy-to-navigate terminal with a very close airport.
• Parking: Limited but available at approximately $20–$25/night.
• Terminal facilities: Functional rather than luxurious.
• Sightseeing potential: Outstanding. You can easily turn a cruise into a full Oahu vacation.

Best feature: The only year-round inter-island Hawaii cruise in the United States, with four islands in seven days.

Biggest drawback: Limited cruise-line options — Honolulu is primarily a Norwegian Pride of America homeport — and limited on-site parking.

Best strategy for most cruisers: Stay in Waikiki the night before, use a taxi/rideshare to the terminal, and arrive at least a day early to adjust to the time change.

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