Hawaii is always going to be something of a niche market for cruising.
For one thing, you have to really like looking at open water, for days, to sail there from the mainland. Figure on five, maybe six. For another thing, vacationers going that far often want to see as much of Hawaii as possible, and that means flying. For another, how many times are you likely to take a cruise to Hawaii…raise your hand if it's more than one.
So when you hear that the numbers are down in Hawaii from almost 100,000, it's at least explainable.
Reports are that there are 26 per cent fewer cruise passengers in "paradise" for the first half of this year, compared to the same period of 2013. As many as a dozen 
cruises were reportedly cancelled this year, with no reasons given. Only two ships will visit Honolulu's harbor this year and one of them is Pride of America, the small Norwegian ship that never leaves the islands.
Hawaii Tourism Authority officials have a plan to make things better:
"The HTA recently issued an RFP for maritime vessel scheduling software and is working with the Department of Transportation and the Department of Land and Natural Resources to create a system that will ease the vessel scheduling process and efficiently utilize docking space, in order to accommodate and welcome more cruise visitors."
Or, maybe just wait until the demographic changes to more people who have never seen Hawaii by ship.
Today at Phil Reimer's portsandbows.com: A new ship coming for Princess
Royal Caribbean Legend of the Seas
14 nights
September 9, 2014
Oslo, Kristiansand, Lerwick, Torshavn, Reykjavik, St. John’s, Bayonne
Balcony: $699
Cost per day: $49
www.royalcaribbean.com