About the Hawaii SuperFerry

Information about the former "Hawaii SuperFerry", an inter-island ferry service previously available in Hawaii.

ENTITY: Hawaii Superferry
ESTABLISHED: 2003
SHIPS: "Alakai" and "Huakai"
BEGAN OPERATING: 2007
CEASED OPERATING: 2009
WEB SITE URL: hawaiisuperferry.com (offline)
WEB SITE ARCHIVES: | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 (May) | 2008 (Jul) | 2009 (Feb) |

The Hawaii Superferry began providing inter-island transportation to passengers and vehicles in August of 2007 (or was it december?). but their debut was fraught with protests, legal battles, and delays. Some of those issues were legal issues over environmental impact statements and protests by residents of Maui Island and Kauai Island.

Construction of the First Ferry was Completed in 2007
The first 350 foot long, high speed Hawaii Superferry vessel was christened in Mobile, Alabama on April 14, 2007. It was named the Alakai which means "Ocean Path" in Hawaiian. The vessel successfully finished five days of sea trials in the Gulf of Mexico and it is expected to leave Alabama and travel to Hawaii in late May 2007.

Hawaii Superferry Ticket Prices
Tickets are expected to go on sale near the end of May 2007 and they are expected to cost $44 to $62 for adults, $41 to $51 for children, seniors, and retired military, $17 for babies, and $59 to $69 for automobiles and SUVs less then 17 feet long and less then 8 feet high. There will be a $25 charge for excess baggage, large items, and special items such as bicycles, surfboards, and pet kennels. These prices do not include a possible fuel surcharge.

Will the Superferry Be a Good Deal?
Because of the recent inter-island airfare wars in Hawaii the fares will not be much cheaper (and maybe not always cheaper) then flying between islands, but the Superferry is expected to be attractive to visitors and local families in part because they will be able to bring their own car or a rental car with them from island to island.

Hawaii Superferry Schedule
Hawaii Superferry service is still expected to begin in July of 2007 with a schedule that will look something like this:

HONOLULU --> MAUI --> HONOLULU
Honolulu to Kahului (leave 6:30 am, arrive 9:30 am)
Kahului to Honolulu (leave 11:00 am, arrive 2:00 pm)

HONOLULU --> KAUAI --> HONOLULU
Honolulu to Nawiliwili (leave 3:00 pm, arrive 6:00 pm
Nawiliwili to Honolulu (leave 7:00 pm, arrive 10:00 pm)

Service to the Big Island in 2009
the Hawaii Superferry planned to add a second ferry and begin offering daily service between Honolulu and Kawaihae on the Big Island of Hawaii in 2009.

2001

DATE: 2001 December 27
TITLE Air Merger Could Spur Ferry Service
PUBLICATION: Honolulu Star Bulletin
The possible 2001 merger of Aloha Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines increased Hawaii's interest in founding an interisland ferry. At least one company, Rainbow Island Express, says it could start an interisland ferry system transporting passengers and their cars, with rates competitive with airlines, within two years. From the Honolulu Star Bulletin Newspaper.
RESOURCE: starbulletin.com --> 2001-12-27 --> news --> story 1

2004

Original Web Site Text
NOTE: Web site first appoeared online in 2004
- Hawaii Superferry will bring 900 people, 200 cars and 15 trucks traveling from Honolulu to Maui in 3 hours in cruise-ship luxury at about half the price of flying.
- Hawaii Superferry offers drive-on / drive-off convenience from downtown Honolulu to Kauai, Maui and the Big Island.
- Hawaii Superferry will have jungle-gyms for keiki, live TV and high speed internet, multiple dining choices as Hawaii's world class scenery flies by.
- Hawaii Superferry, a Hawaiian company creating more than 1,000 jobs and a strong $150M business with American-built ships using proven world-class technology.
- Entering Service in 2006 - Hawaii Superferry's daily ferry service between Hawaii's four major islands is coming soon.

2007

FROM WIKIPEDIA:
On August 27, 2007, Judge Cardoza issued a temporary restraining order barring the Superferry from accessing Kahului Harbor, causing Maui service to be suspended.[22] Meanwhile, the Superferry was forced to turn back from its second trip to Kauaʻi after protestors again blockaded the Nawiliwili Harbor resulting in several more arrests. Superferry passengers were forced to remain on board for 9 hours, while Kauaʻi residents were denied the ability to board the ferry. The company subsequently suspended services to Kauai.
KAUAI RESIDENT CONCERNS:
- a large ferry traveling about 40 mph could strike and kill whales
- the potential to import invasive species between islands
- the potential to bring drugs and homeless people to Kauai p> <

2009

FROM WIKIPEDIA:
On October 9, 2007 Maui Judge Joseph Cardoza ruled the ferry could not resume service while the state conducts an environmental impact assessment. Two days later Superferry CEO John Garibaldi announced that the company would lay off 249 employees. Fifty-nine workers remained on the job to handle administrative and operational duties.

Web Site as of January 2008

hawaiisuperferry.com --> home page

hawaiisuperferry.com --> reservations
hawaiisuperferry.com --> reservations --> routes and schedules
hawaiisuperferry.com --> reservations --> fare information
hawaiisuperferry.com --> reservations --> making a reservation
hawaiisuperferry.com --> reservations --> changing a reservation

hawaiisuperferry.com --> the experience
hawaiisuperferry.com --> the experience --> new seafaring tradition
hawaiisuperferry.com --> the experience --> the alakai
hawaiisuperferry.com --> the experience --> dining and entertainment
hawaiisuperferry.com --> the experience --> premium lounge
hawaiisuperferry.com --> the experience --> keiki fun
hawaiisuperferry.com --> the experience --> videos and tv commercials
hawaiisuperferry.com --> the experience --> photos

hawaiisuperferry.com --> corporate sales
hawaiisuperferry.com --> corporate sales --> commercial sales
hawaiisuperferry.com --> corporate sales --> travel agents
hawaiisuperferry.com --> corporate sales --> group sales and travel

hawaiisuperferry.com --> about us
hawaiisuperferry.com --> about us - newsroom
hawaiisuperferry.com --> about us - media resources
hawaiisuperferry.com --> about us - about the logo
hawaiisuperferry.com --> about us - careers
hawaiisuperferry.com --> about us - corporate team
hawaiisuperferry.com --> about us - advisory board
hawaiisuperferry.com --> about us - community and environment

ELSEWHERE ON THE INTERNET:
- wikipedia.org --> hawaii superferry --> article
- mauiguide.com --> hawaii superferry
- hawaiiforvisitors.com --> transportation --> hawaii superferry --> 2011 archive

About the Hawaii Superferry

2001

2004

2007

2009

Web Site as of January 2008