Hawaii Superferry Debuts on August 28

When I first heard about a new fast ferry as an inter-island option, I was pretty excited, and when we were Hawaii in June (see June 15 to July 2 posts on this blog), I wished that the ferry was already in service. I would love to have traveled from O'ahu to Kaua'i and back by sea. However, while we were there, the Alakai was making her way through the Panama Canal (right) in a dramatic night-time passage. This poweful catamaran-style ferry will make her maiden voyage on August 28, offering one daily trip in each direction between O'ahu and Maui and one a day (except Saturday) between O'ahu and Kaua'i six days a week.

Each trip will take three hours and cost $44 Tuesday through Thursday and $54 Friday through Monday with a 14-day advance purchase. Without an advance purchase, fares are $52 and $62 respectively. There are discounts for ages 62 and over, youngsters 12 and under and retired military. An upgrade to lounge seating is $20, and at the moment, there is a fuel surcharge, which is recalculated each month and currently adds a whopping 30.8 percent to each ticket.

Even though travel is by sea rather than by air, airline-style procedures are in effect. Print your your own boarding pass if you wish. Arrive at least 30 minutes before departure. Carry a government-issued ID (ages 18 and older). Put an identification tag on each piece of checked baggage. Beward if the per-passenger allowance two checked bags weighing no more than 50 pounds each, plus only two personal carry-on bags or packs. Oversized or excess luggage will be subject to additional fees. Just like the airlines, as I said.

What is unlike the airlines is that the Alakai can carry vehicles, which makes it a wonderful option for island-hopping visitors who prefer to rent one car and only one car. The Superferry is also welcomes passengers with disabilities and is wheelchair-accessible throughout, with ramps that make ferry entrance, exit and movement on board easy; a lift for passengers with limited mobility and wheelchairs to get from deck to deck; and outlets for those who need a power supply for their medical equipment. Even passenger representatives on board and on land are trained to assist passengers.

A second Superferry is expected in 2009, when service to the Big Island of Hawai'i will begin.