Cruise Bruise Blog
January 8, 2009
January 8, 2009
Cruise Ship Passengers No Longer Getting Leid In Kauai, Hawaii

Cruise ship visitors to Kauai this year won’t get the greeting they may be used to. Beginning January 1, 2009 cruise ship passengers will no longer be getting leid when they disembark their ship in the Port Of  Kauai, Hawaii. This ends a tradition, so well known, it has been used in commercials and films that promote Hawaii.

Passengers disembarking from the ship were greeted by a welcome committee who present a flower lei around the neck of the visitor. The tradition had become so popular, it became associated with New Year's Eve celebrations, and even Mardi Gras that had roots back to 1699.

For Mardi Gras, once the official parade with the large floats were discontinued in the French Quarter back in 1972, the public gathering expanded and leis became a more popular addition to the traditional beaded necklaces.

After decades of meeting cruise ship tourists, Hawaii officials banned greeters who work for private tour companies or even free shuttles from harbor property effective.

“What they’re taking away is the aloha spirit,” said Ephraim Kaleiohi, owner of Aloha Discovery Island Tours.

The state Department of Transportation said it changed its greeter policy due to increased traffic congestion at Nawiliwili Harbor.

But Paulette Rosa, a greeter for the free shuttle to Hilo Hattie, said greeters help alleviate traffic by directing travelers toward where they want to be. She blamed congestion on security personnel who weren’t doing their jobs properly.

“There’s no leadership down there,” Rosa said.

Mike Formby, deputy director for the state Department of Transportation, said that he doesn’t want greeters inside the harbor, “yelling and shouting,” to be viewed as solicitors or “hawks.”

Tour operators who have prearranged customers will still be allowed to pick them up at the ship.

“The model that we’re going after is the airport model. The airport has been down this road, so we’re trying to take advantage of what’s been done, what successes we have had and what mistakes have been made, and not start at square one,” Formby said.

Between 1,900 and 2,500 visitors arrive on Kauai by cruise ship each day, and the greeters fight for their tourism dollars the moment they reach land.

But they may face an inherent disadvantage because operators such as Polynesian Adventure Tours, a Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL) subsidiary, has access to the tourists long before smaller independent companies.

It could be the power and influence of struggling NCL, who have already downsized their calls to Hawaii, that has lead to the change in policy, giving their own Polynesian Adventure Tours a clear edge in the tour industry on the island.