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Star skips Kona Norwegian Cruise Line, the only round-the-islands cruise business since American Classic Voyages stopped running in mid-October, has decided to lop Kona off its schedule and go to Hilo instead as its Big Island stop.
for Hilo
Hilo's docks won it the port call
By Russ Lynch
rlynch@starbulletin.comThe company, whose 1,900-passenger Norwegian Star started its first voyage Dec. 16, had said earlier that it was concerned by the length of time it took to get passengers to shore at Kona, where there is no pier big enough to handle a cruise ship and passengers have to be brought ashore by smaller boats.
"Hilo offers us the opportunity to dock at the Big Island of Hawaii instead of tendering to it," meaning the difference between tying up at a dock where people can walk ashore and the Kona ocean-shuttle business where small boats would carry passengers to shore from an ocean mooring, said Colin Veitch, president and chief executive of Norwegian.
Kona retailers have said they would be upset if cruise ships stopped coming to Kona.
The next Big Island port call by the Star is scheduled for 7 a.m. Monday in Hilo.
Bad weather has often messed up cruise-ship stays in Kona, the cruise line executive said. "Hilo, in the winter months at least, is the best alternative and we believe our guests will be happy with the change," Veitch said.
From Hilo the company will be able to sell tours to the Volcano National Park and other attractions that are special to that part of the island, he said. Guests who are booked for Kona excursions will be transferred to similar trips out of Hilo, the company said.