Pier-Side Hula, Then a Sunset Buffet Cruise Off Waikiki
Two hours from Pier 8, sailing at 5:30 PM, with carved roast beef, one Mai Tai, live Hawaiian music and a Polynesian show.
The Star of Honolulu is a 232-foot ship with four decks, and this listing is its casual tier. It sails from Pier 8 at 5:30 PM, and the same sailing carries the operator's pricier five-course lobster and tenderloin menu. This booking is the Pacific Star buffet, with one Signature Mai Tai, coffee and tea, live Hawaiian music, the Polynesian show and a dance party before the evening ends.
Boarding starts with a welcome hula on the pier. Buffet guests who wrote in 2026 said they ate on the lowest deck, and one said some levels were closed to them for part of the cruise. However, the operator says each floor has a walk-around deck, with an observation deck on top, and those rails are where people stand for the sunset.
The booking below covers that buffet sailing for anyone 12 and up, with a lower child rate for ages 3 to 11, and children two and under ride free on a parent's lap. Friday is a separate option on the listing that stays out longer and costs more.
Honolulu: Pacific Star Sunset Dinner Cruise and ShowBuffet dinner, one Mai Tai, live Hawaiian music and a Polynesian show on a two-hour sunset sail from Pier 8.www.viator.comA Carving Station, Guava Cake and One Mai Tai
The buffet is built around alaea salt crusted roast beef carved with au jus, next to fish of the day in coconut curry sauce, BBQ chicken and sauce yakisoba. The sides are local macaroni salad, mashed potatoes, rice and a Pacific Rim bean salad, with poi rolls. Dessert is chocolate macadamia nut brownies, coconut cake, guava chiffon cake and pineapple banana bread.
Vegan dishes are marked on the menu. A grilled vegan garden patty, or a fish, chicken or vegan alternative entrée, can be ordered by phone. The operator asks for 24 hours' notice, and the listing asks you to confirm any special request with the operator 72 hours ahead.
Beyond the one Signature Mai Tai, coffee and tea, the listing does not include drinks, and the ship takes cards only. The operator lists Mastercard, Visa, Discover and JCB. Alcohol is served only to guests 21 and over, who may be asked for photo ID, and tips for your server are not included.
A Show About Hoku, Then the Dance Floor
Live Hawaiian music runs through dinner. The feature show is Moku Ola, Voyage of Life, which follows a character named Hoku on a voyage from Hawaii to Tahiti, Samoa and Aotearoa, told through dance, costume and music. The operator bills its cast as the largest on island waters.
After the show the crew starts a dance pa'ina, a party where the deck becomes the dance floor, and it runs until guests disembark. A July 2026 guest on this listing wrote that the show overlapped with their time out on deck, and they chose the deck. If the deck matters more to you than the show, plan which one you'll catch before it starts.
Fridays Stay Out Longer
The regular sailing is two hours, 5:30 to 7:30 PM. On Fridays the operator stays out about an extra hour, until 8:20 PM by its schedule, for a chance to see the fireworks off Waikiki. The listing sells Friday as its own option and describes it as a three-hour cruise.
The ship is certificated to go beyond Diamond Head toward the Kahala coast, and the captain can change the route for sea conditions. Sunset time shifts through the year, and the operator prints it on the menu handed out on board.
Check-In, What to Wear and Getting Aboard
Check-in opens at 4:45 PM aboard the ship at Pier 8. The listing says casual dress. For dinner cruises the operator suggests resort elegant or casual, says shorts and flip-flops are not recommended, and suggests a light jacket on cooler nights.
The operator describes the Star as ADA compliant, with boarding ramps and two elevators, and the listing asks for 48 hours' notice for wheelchair arrangements. Strollers are allowed. Smoking is permitted only outside on the fourth deck after departure.
A traveler in October 2026 called the evening a little wavy and felt some motion sickness. The crew hands out herbal ginger capsules for free on request.
📍 The Star of Honolulu docks at Pier 8, Aloha Tower Marketplace, 1 Aloha Tower Drive, about 15 minutes from Waikiki by the operator's estimate. Hotel transfers are not part of this booking. Parking is in nearby garages the cruise company does not operate, including Piers 5 and 6, Topa Financial Center, Pacific Guardian Center, Harbor Court and Harbor Square, and each sets its own rates.
Cancel at least 24 hours before departure for a full refund. Inside 24 hours the booking is non-refundable, and that includes deciding not to board on a rough evening. If the cruise is cancelled for bad weather, the listing offers another date or a full refund.
On a Friday, keep a spot at a deck rail for the last hour.