Booking choice: The Waikiki sunset catamaran, from $120 per person. Check dates Tour details
The Star of Honolulu leaves from Aloha Tower with a dinner and a show on board. The catamarans leave from Waikiki itself, sometimes straight off the beach, with drinks and snacks. The catamarans win on price and on distance from your hotel. The ship wins on dinner.
The quick answer
Choose a catamaran for a cheaper, shorter, closer-to-the-water sunset near your Waikiki hotel (from $85 to $120, about 90 minutes, snacks not dinner). Choose the dinner cruise for a full buffet, the Polynesian show and a bigger ship (from $139, two hours). For a small group and a chef's menu, the yacht takes six at most.
How do the options compare?
Catamarans are cheaper and closer; the dinner ship gives you a meal and a show.
| Cruise | Boards at | Food | Drinks | Length | From |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Star buffet and show | Aloha Tower, downtown | Full buffet | One Mai Tai | 2 hours | $139 |
| Waikiki sunset cocktail cruise | Waikiki | Bento box | Two drinks, unlimited soft drinks | 1.5 hours | $120 |
| Waikiki Beach sunset sail | Waikiki Beach | No | Open bar | 1.5 hours | $85 |
| West Oahu cocktail cruise | Waianae, west coast | Pupus | Drinks included | 2 hours | $89 |
| Small group yacht | Oahu marina | Chef's tasting menu | Hosted bar | 2.5 hours | $236 |
Fancy the catamaran? Check your date for the Waikiki sunset cocktail cruise.
Check dates for the Waikiki sunset catamaranWhich is the cheapest?
The Waikiki Beach sunset sail, from $85 per person with an open bar.
It is a 90-minute sail with no meal, so eat before or after. The catamaran cocktail cruise at $120 adds a bento box, and the Star's buffet cruise at $139 is the cheapest way to get a full dinner on the water.
Which feels closer to the ocean?
The catamaran: you sit low on an open deck, barefoot, with spray and wind.
Guests on the catamarans often mention whales in winter and the views back to Waikiki. On the Star you watch from high walk-around decks and a 60-foot observation deck: grander views, less splash.
Which is smoother if you get seasick?
The Star of Honolulu: a 232-foot ship with three types of stabilizers.
Catamaran reviewers warn that people who get motion sickness easily should be careful, and one Waikiki Beach sail hands out motion sickness aids. On the Star, the crew offers ginger capsules on request.
Want a bigger ship and dinner? The buffet cruise adds a Mai Tai and the Polynesian show.
Explore the buffet and show cruise Tour detailsWhich is better with kids?
The dinner cruise or the Waikiki cocktail catamaran; avoid the Waikiki Beach sail on Fridays, when it is for adults 21 and over.
The Star charges a child price for ages 3 to 11 and the show suits children. On the cocktail catamaran children 4 to 12 have their own price, and one parent wrote that their four-year-old did great.
Which is most romantic?
The small group yacht or the Nova tier: one caps the group at six, the other puts you at a private table on the Star's top deck.
The yacht cruise is from $236 per person, with a chef's tasting menu and a hosted bar on a 46-foot yacht; transport to the marina and parking are extra. It rates 5.0 from 144 reviews.
What about the west coast?
The West Oahu cocktail cruise sails from Waianae on the quiet west side, with pupus and drinks for two hours.
It is far from Waikiki, so it suits travelers staying on the west side or happy to drive.
Which one should you book?
Match the boat to your evening: dinner and a show, or a sail and a drink.
- Dinner, show, first night out: the Star buffet cruise.
- Sunset and drinks near your hotel: the Waikiki catamaran.
- Lowest price: the Waikiki Beach sail.
- Romance for two: the small group yacht.
For the fireworks, read the Friday fireworks guide.
Decided on a sail? Check your date for the Waikiki sunset catamaran.
Check dates for the Waikiki sunset catamaranFrequently asked questions
Is a sunset catamaran or dinner cruise better in Oahu?
A catamaran for a shorter, cheaper sail near Waikiki with drinks; a dinner cruise for a full meal, a show and a bigger ship.
Do sunset catamarans serve dinner?
Not a full dinner: the ones listed here serve a bento box, pupus or nothing. The yacht serves a chef's tasting menu.
Where do Waikiki sunset catamarans leave from?
From Waikiki itself, one of them straight from Waikiki Beach, while the Star of Honolulu sails from Aloha Tower in downtown Honolulu.
Ready to book
Choose your evening
Free cancellation up to 24 hours before on every option. Prices are from-prices in USD and move with the season.
Waikiki Sunset Cocktail Cruise
Two drinks and a bento box on a catamaran, no buffet
Pacific Star Sunset Buffet & Show Cruise
- Two-hour sunset cruise, 5:30 to 7:30 PM (Fridays to about 8:20 PM)
- Pacific Rim buffet with a prime roast beef carving station
- One signature Mai Tai, Kona blend coffee and tea
Waikiki Beach Sunset Sail with Open Bar
A barefoot sail with an open bar, no dinner
