New Year's Eve on the water

What is the New Year's Eve cruise on the Star of Honolulu?

A late cruise on December 31, 2026, from 10:15 PM to 12:30 AM, timed for the midnight fireworks over Waikiki and Honolulu.

Every tier includes dinner or snacks, live entertainment, a "champagne" toast and New Year's party favors, and every one is on the water at midnight. The ship has four walk-around decks and a 60-foot-high observation deck, so there is room outside for the fireworks. Check in at Pier 8 at Aloha Tower Marketplace 45 minutes before departure.

All tiers sail and return together, at 10:15 PM and 12:30 AM. What changes is the room, the meal and the entertainment.

How much does each New Year's Eve tier cost?

From $166.89 per adult for the Party Buffet to $284.65 for Nova Five Star. The Cocktail & Music tier is sold out for 2026.

Prices are per person as listed by the operator. Children have their own price on every open tier.

Which New Year's Eve tier should you book?

Party Buffet for families, Celebration Dinner for lobster and steak at a fair price, Nova Five Star for a private table and the best views.

The operator calls the Party Buffet its family favorite: the same roast beef buffet and Moku Ola show as the nightly buffet cruise, at a late hour. Celebration Dinner is a plated three-course lobster and steak dinner with a dinner show and light jazz, the middle ground. Nova Five Star puts you at a private table in the Super Nova room with a headline jazz band, and the operator says it has the best views from the 60-foot observation deck.

Our pick for couples is Celebration Dinner. The $67 jump from Party Buffet buys a served lobster dinner, and the jump to Nova is another $51 for the room and the band.

How do you get to Pier 8 on New Year's Eve?

By car, taxi or the operator's add-on coach from Waikiki: transport is not included on any New Year's Eve tier.

The Star of Honolulu sells round-trip transport from Waikiki as an add-on, priced per person. Its transportation page notes that options for the New Year's Eve midnight cruise may differ from the usual pickups, with the choices shown at checkout. Book it with your ticket: a ride home at 12:30 AM on January 1 is the hard part of the night.

If you drive, the nearby lots (Piers 5 and 6, Topa Financial Center, Pacific Guardian Center, Harbor Court, Harbor Square) are run by other companies with their own rates. Every tier includes a "champagne" toast, so plan who drives.

What should you wear and bring on the New Year's Eve cruise?

Resort casual, a light jacket for the open decks at midnight, photo ID and a Visa, Mastercard, Discover or JCB card.

The operator recommends resort casual on every tier and a light jacket, since you will want to be outside for the fireworks. Drinks are served from age 21 with photo ID. Payment on board is cashless, by Visa, Mastercard, Discover or JCB, per the operator's FAQ.

Read the cancellation rule before you book: cancellations made less than 24 hours ahead and no-shows pay the full price, on every tier. Our what to wear guide covers the regular evenings.

Which other holiday cruises does the Star run in 2027?

Valentine's Day on February 14, Mother's Day on May 9 and Father's Day on June 20, 2027.

The holiday cruises page lists a Valentine's Day sunset dinner cruise for two, a Mother's Day evening with dinner and entertainment, and a Father's Day Sunset Buffet & Show Cruise.

On ordinary Fridays the regular sunset cruises stay out until about 8:20 PM for a chance at the Waikiki fireworks; our Friday fireworks guide explains how that works.

Frequently asked questions