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

Hawaii Superferry is not sustainable as a passenger ferry. Its problems are much worse than those the airlines are facing. This is because Superferry’s vessel, the Illikai, uses far more fuel per passenger than does an airplane.

Last month, Superferry carried only 29% of its passenger load, according to USA Today. Low ridership occurred in spite of:

• $49 promotional summer deal.
• Inter-island air fares doubling in price.
• Elimination of Aloha Airlines.
• Smoother summer-time ocean conditions.

Military or bust.

In separate news, the Honolulu Advertiser reported Superferry spent $210,000 lobbying for federal money for new ramps and other improvements that would let Superferry and its sister ship, now in production, dock in more places.

I have long-maintained that a military connection is the only possibility for keeping Superferry afloat in Hawaii. Some say, however, that these ramps will make the Superferry more viable outside of Hawaii.

This places its continued operation here, and our state’s investments therein, at even further risk. Superferry officials, including John Lehman, former secretary of the Navy, have long touted the military potential for the Superferry.

The Issues:

1. Fuel. Superferry is a diesel-fuel hog. It uses up to 7,000 gallons of fuel per voyage. At 29% of passenger capacity, Superferry’s fuel cost may be nearly $120 per passenger. Even at capacity (880 passengers plus vehicles and cargo), their cost is approaching $40 per passenger at today’s fuel prices. By comparison, Hawaiian Airline’s fuel cost per passenger is now about $22. As with the airlines, Superferry did not envision $5 gallon diesel fuel. Thus it does not have a financially viable business model and that will not likely change.

2. Comfort. A letter from Superferry, posted last week on Arthur Frommer’s blog, stated:

“Particularly now, during the calmer summer ocean conditions, it is not a seasick-making Superferry.”

From what you’ve previously read and seen here, winter makes the voyage uncomfortable at best, and has caused countless service cancellations.

3. Costs. The $49 promotional fare is valid through September 30. A fare adjustment to bring the fare into alignment with their costs, will in effect, stop most ridership. Also, while car rental companies have now made it possible to bring a rental car aboard Superferry, exorbitant drop fees make it all but impossible to do so other than on round-trip voyages.

4. Perception. Among Hawaii residents, Superferry has not met with wide-scale approval. A Pacific Business News poll last week indicated that only 15% of their business readers have ventured aboard the Illikai so far.

5. Time. The three hours that it takes Supeferry to transit between Oahu and Maui is longer than most people want to spend, when jet travel takes just over 20 minutes.

Recommendation:

1. Continue to use Superferry through September 30.
2. Plan to use airline alternatives during the winter months to avoid rough seas.
3. Watch for further news.

Unable or unwilling to reach terms for a complete merger of the two companies, United Airlines and Continental Airlines today announced a comprehensive plan for global cooperation. This agreement allows the companies to join forces without the the anti-trust issues associated with a merger.

On the surface this includes:

• Continental to join United’s Star Alliance
• Code-sharing agreement
• Shared lounges
• Combined facilities utilization
• Shared information technology
• Shared procurement

Not mentioned, but likely to be included:

A reduction in competitive services. This could reduce flights between the mainland and Hawaii and further raise fares.

My prediction:

It’s also a step towards Continental acquiring Hawaiian Airlines. I have long thought this would occur following the consolidation among the larger players.

When I’m researching and planning a trip, I need a place to keep all of my notes and information. I’ve tried Word, paper, and several trip planning applications. For now, however, the one that works best for me is Helipad.

Let me start by saying that there are more sophisticated and powerful applications for group trip planning. Two I’m familiar with, and have used are, I’m in! and TripHub. These applications include many features. With them you can create a trip home page, send invitations, share and discuss plans, see each other’s itineraries, and much more.

When I’m planning a vacation alone or with one or two others, Helipad is easier to use than other applications. It’s simple, works great and there’s nothing to learn. It is similar to how I previously used Word documents for trip planning, but it works infinitely better.

Helipad is a web notepad or streamlined wiki. It is a collaborative tool that has many other uses. Here’s why I like using Helipad as the repository for my trip plans:

• Includes a “To-Do” list plugin.
• Puts an end to frustrating email-based planning.
• Serves as a one-stop repository for all trip documents and planning.
• Provides access to trip information wherever there is Internet.
• Easily moves items between other applications and Helipad.
• Offers a variety of fonts and styles for printing.
• Formats notes for your cell phone.
• Automatically saves and backs up notes and is secure.
• Option for notes to be private, shared via password, or public.
• Offers custom note themes.

Here’s how I use Helipad.

1. Create separate notes for:

• Airline, hotel and car rental planning and reservations.
• Restaurant possibilities.
• Various categories of things to do while on the trip.

2. As I make reservations or find useful articles and ideas on the Internet, I paste them (or their URL) into my Helipad note. I collaborate with my travel partners by sharing the same notes.

Helipad started in 2006, is based in the UK and free to use. Give it a try and let me know what you think.

The first Chinese organized tour of the United States began today with 250 visitors arriving from Beijing, Shanghai and Guangdong. Each person paid approximately $4,000 to be part of the tour.

Chinese visitors have previously been able to visit independently. An agreement signed last year which made the United States an approved destination, however, is expected to significantly increase Chinese travel here, possibly to the tune of billions of dollars. Chinese tour operators can now market packages to U.S. destinations and the United States can advertise travel directly in China.

Surprisingly, according to U.S. Department of Commerce, Chinese travelers on average spend $6,000 per visit to the United States; the highest per capita from any country.

This first tour group is spending 12 days in Washington D. C., New York, Los Angeles, San Diego, and in Hawaii. Special events honoring them will take place in various cities including Honolulu.

The United States is China’s fifth largest tourist destination, and last year more than 700,000 Chinese visited our country.

If you want to come home from your Hawaii vacation with more than a tan, here’s a new offer from Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL) for the discriminating voyager.

Starting this fall, you’ll be able for the first time to get medically supervised Botox, Restylane and Perlane treatments at sea here in Hawaii. In an industry first, NCL is adding their Mandara medi-spas on every ship. This includes their Pride of America which has weekly 7-night cruises of the Hawaiian Islands.

The medi-spa compliments NCL’s regular menu of treatments that include:

• Spa services for skin, body, hair, nail and massage.
• Teeth whitening, micro dermabrasion and cellulite reduction.

All of the medical treatments are supervised by Dr. Brad Herman, a Miami-based, board-certified plastic surgeon and his specially trained team of licensed doctors.

NCL president and CEO, Colin Veitch, had this to say:

“Our spas are the best at sea and we are continually looking for ways to enhance the guest experience on board our ships. By being the first to offer these popular medi-spa treatments, we are furthering the tradition of NCL-led innovation in the cruise industry.”

Reviews of NCL’s traditional spa treatments are mixed, and the services are not cheap.

When your friends comment on your new look, just tell them that you owe it all to our island paradise. Either no one, or only your shipboard friends, will know for sure.

There’s a new Price Assurance policy at Orbitz. Here’s how it works. If the flight you book on Orbitz becomes available later at a lower price, they’ll refund the difference up to $250 per ticket.

While it sounds good, the fine print tells a different story.

“If…after you have booked…another Orbitz customer has booked the same flight(s), meaning the same dates/times of travel, on the same airline, with the same flight numbers, for the same passenger type, itinerary, cabin, and subject to the same fare refundability, or other restrictions, that is at least $5 lower than the airfare you booked on Orbitz.com, Orbitz will refund you the difference up to a maximum of $250.00 per ticket.” (Whew!)

The problem we see with the Orbitz offer is how airlines price tickets. For example, the huge fare sale we saw on Memorial Day was in a T fare code. Let’s say I had already purchased a more expensive ticket that was issued in an O fare code. Since the fare sale was in a different fare code, I would not be eligible for Price Assurance under the Orbitz policy.

Suggestion: If you can, try to wait, watch and buy immediately when deals appear. If you can’t wait and must buy at a high price, the Orbitz Price Assurance will help only if the specific requirements are met.

We’d like to hear if you get any refund using Orbitz new policy.