Honolulu: Nova Five Star Sunset Dinner Cruise with Live Jazz

Honolulu’s Nova dinner cruise pairs Maine lobster and prime tenderloin with live jazz, sunset views, and Waikiki lights. The Art Deco Super Nova Room gives the evening a dressed-up feel, while the private table keeps dinner comfortable and unhurried.

I like the Friday fireworks option, which adds an extra hour and can turn a good dinner into a memorable final night on Oahu. I also like that your two super premium drinks are included, along with a welcome Hawaiian Bellini and champagne toast.

The main drawback is the price, $236 per person, before any hotel transportation. This is a special-occasion dinner, not a cheap way to see the coast, and people prone to seasickness should think twice.

Key points to know before booking

• Five courses with two signature entrees: Maine lobster and prime tenderloin of beef are served as the main event.
• Live jazz throughout the cruise: Music, professional entertainment, and dancing shape the evening.
• Friday sailings last three hours: You get extra time for the Waikiki aerial fireworks show.
• Boarding begins at 4:45 PM: The Star of Honolulu leaves Aloha Tower Marketplace, Pier 8, at 5:30 PM.
• Eight Waikiki pickup points are available: Hotel pickup costs extra or may depend on the selected option.
• The dress code is casual but polished: Short pants are not recommended, and comfortable clothing is wise.

Boarding at Aloha Tower before sunset

Your evening begins aboard the Star of Honolulu at Aloha Tower Marketplace, Pier 8. Check-in opens at 4:45 PM, with departure scheduled for 5:30 PM. That gives you time to find the ship, check in, and settle at your private table before the boat leaves Honolulu Harbor.

The boarding point is central for people staying near downtown, the harbor, or Waikiki. If you are already in Waikiki, optional pickups are offered from several hotel and shopping areas. The listed pickup times run from 4:20 PM to 4:40 PM, so do not treat them as a casual last-minute shuttle. You need to be ready early.

Available pickup points include Prince Waikiki, Hilton Hawaiian Village, Hyatt Regency Waikiki, Sheraton Waikiki, Waikiki Beach Marriott, ‘Alohilani Resort, Romer Waikiki, and Ross Dress for Less on Seaside Avenue. Hotel pickup and return are not included in the base experience, so check the option you choose before assuming transportation is covered.

The Star of Honolulu is a large dinner cruise ship, and the activity can accommodate a maximum of 999 people. That matters. You get your own private table, but this is not a tiny yacht outing or an intimate sail with only a few couples. The advantage is a full entertainment setup, several public areas, and a stable platform. The tradeoff is a more organized, event-style evening.

A welcome drink and the first views of Oahu

Once aboard, you begin with a non-alcoholic Hawaiian Bellini welcome drink. It is a pleasant start for anyone avoiding alcohol, and the included champagne toast comes later as part of the meal service.

The ship heads along Oahu’s southern coast, passing Ala Moana and Waikiki before reaching the waters near Diamond Head. These are not shore excursions, so you will not step off at any of these places. The appeal is the changing view from the water.

Ala Moana gives you the first sense of Honolulu’s coastal scale. As the ship moves along, Waikiki becomes the visual focus, with hotels and shoreline lights gathering as the afternoon fades. Diamond Head adds a strong natural landmark to the route, especially around sunset.

Bring a camera, but keep your expectations sensible. The cruise is built around dinner and entertainment, with sightseeing as an important extra. You will get scenic views, not a guided geological tour or a close look at every coastal landmark.

Sunset near Waikiki and Diamond Head

The timing works well for a dinner cruise. You board before sunset, then watch the light change as the ship moves past Waikiki toward Diamond Head. Exact sunset color and visibility depend on the date and weather, but the route gives you a good reason to spend part of the evening outdoors or near the windows.

You may want to keep a light jacket or wrap nearby, even though the instructions call for comfortable clothing. The open-air areas can feel different from the dining room once the boat is moving. Sunscreen and a hat are useful before sunset, while a camera is worth bringing for the shoreline and city lights.

Diamond Head is one of the most recognizable sights on Oahu. Seeing it from offshore gives you a different angle than the usual beach or roadside view. Still, this is a pass-by sighting. If Diamond Head is a major priority, you will need a separate visit to the crater area because this cruise does not include a landing or hike.

The cruise is also a good choice if you want one evening with several familiar Honolulu sights in the background rather than a full day of scheduled stops. You can stay seated, eat at your own pace, and let the route provide the scenery.

Five courses built around lobster and tenderloin

The dinner is the center of the experience. You receive a five-course, seasonally inspired meal at your private table, with Maine lobster and prime tenderloin of beef served tableside as the signature entrees.

That pairing gives the meal a celebratory feel. Lobster brings the seafood side of the menu, while tenderloin offers a classic steak choice. If you are booking for an anniversary, birthday, or final night on Oahu, the two main courses help justify the occasion-focused price.

The supplied details do not specify every course, side dish, dessert, or preparation method. You should therefore avoid booking with a fixed expectation about the complete menu beyond the five-course format and the two named entrees. Seasonal dishes can change.

Service at a moving table has a different rhythm from dinner on land. The cruise is designed to keep the meal flowing while the ship travels, so you can watch the coast, listen to the music, and return your attention to the plate. The private table is useful here because it gives you a defined place for the full meal instead of asking you to balance food and drinks in a lounge.

One recent booking described the food as incredible and the staff as friendly. That matches the role this cruise is trying to fill: a polished evening where service and atmosphere matter as much as the route. Still, food is personal, and $236 is a serious bill if you mainly want to see Honolulu from the water.

Drinks included with the meal

The package includes a champagne toast and two super premium beverages of your choice. You also receive the non-alcoholic Hawaiian Bellini welcome drink.

That inclusion improves the value, especially if you would otherwise order several drinks at a high-end dinner. You can choose premium beverages from the available selection, though the supplied details do not list the brands or exact menu.

The drink package also helps the cruise feel like a complete evening rather than a boat ride with a meal added on. You can enjoy a toast, move into dinner, and continue with drinks while the jazz plays.

If you do not drink alcohol, the welcome Bellini is non-alcoholic, but the information does not confirm the full range of alcohol-free choices beyond that. For dietary or beverage requests, call the provider at least 72 hours ahead.

Live jazz, dancing, and the Art Deco Super Nova Room

Live jazz gives the cruise its evening identity. The music is intended to be smooth and easy to listen to during dinner, with professional live entertainment continuing as the ship travels.

After the meal, you can dance and make your way toward the private lanai of the Art Deco Super Nova Room. That room supplies the dressier atmosphere promised by the name, while the lanai gives you another place to enjoy the air and city views.

You should think of this as dinner with a performance, not a quiet restaurant meal. If you want conversation without background music, the entertainment may feel like too much. If you enjoy a little movement after dinner, the dancing gives the night a natural second act.

The music also helps fill the time after sunset, when the sightseeing changes from bright coastal scenery to Waikiki’s lights. That transition is one of the best reasons to choose an evening cruise rather than a daytime harbor trip.

Friday fireworks add real value

Friday is the strongest night to book if your schedule allows it. Friday sailings run for three hours instead of two and include extra time to watch the aerial fireworks show over Waikiki.

A recent booking specifically praised the view of the Friday fireworks and called the cruise a memorable way to finish an Oahu vacation. That is easy to understand. Fireworks add a clear focal point to an evening already built around sunset, dinner, music, and city lights.

The extra hour also makes the Friday price feel easier to defend, though the stated cost remains $236 per person. If you are choosing between a regular sailing and Friday, compare the date, availability, and your interest in fireworks. Do not assume every sailing includes the show.

What the $236 price really buys

At $236 per person, this is expensive compared with a standard Honolulu dinner or a simple harbor cruise. The value comes from combining several separate evening costs into one package: a five-course dinner, private table, champagne toast, welcome drink, two premium beverages, live jazz, dancing, sunset views, and the cruise itself.

I would judge the price by the occasion. For a regular night when you mainly want food, it is hard to call this a bargain. For a honeymoon evening, anniversary, birthday, or final night in Hawaii, the convenience and built-in atmosphere may make the total easier to accept.

Transportation is the main extra to watch. Optional pickups are available, but hotel pickup and drop-off are not included in the base details. If you are staying far from the listed points, you will need to arrange your own way to Aloha Tower Marketplace and back.

The cruise can also save you from planning a separate sunset stop, premium dinner, and evening entertainment. You are paying for the package and the setting, not just the calories on the plate.

Practical comfort, clothing, and access

The stated dress code is casual, but short pants are not recommended. I would choose neat, comfortable clothes and shoes that work on a moving ship. You do not need formal evening wear, yet beachwear may feel too relaxed for the dinner room.

Bring sunscreen, a hat, and a camera for the early part of the trip. Smoking and pets are not allowed, although service animals are allowed.

The activity is described as stroller accessible, with wheelchair-accessible surfaces, but the same information also says it is not suitable for wheelchair users. That is a real inconsistency. If you use a wheelchair, contact Star of Honolulu before booking and confirm the exact boarding and onboard arrangements. Do not rely on a general accessibility label.

Most people can participate, but the operator specifically warns that the cruise is not suitable for people prone to seasickness. A large ship may feel steadier than a small boat, but no cruise can promise perfectly calm conditions.

Children under three are not permitted. English is the tour language, and the experience includes a live guide or hosted service in English rather than a multilingual program.

Who will enjoy this cruise most

I would recommend it to you if you want a planned, celebratory evening and do not mind paying for the setting. Couples, families marking a milestone, and people finishing an Oahu vacation may find the combination of dinner, music, and views especially convenient.

It also suits you if you like having a private table and a full schedule without moving between several venues. You board once, eat, listen, watch the coast, and dance in the same evening.

I would be more cautious if your main goal is a quiet meal, a small boat, or an inexpensive sunset view. The large ship and maximum capacity mean you should expect a full-scale event rather than a personal sailing. People prone to seasickness should choose a land-based dinner instead.

For the best version of the experience, choose Friday if the fireworks matter to you, arrive early for the 4:45 PM check-in, and confirm any special requests 72 hours ahead.

Should you book the Nova sunset dinner cruise?

Book it if you want your Oahu evening wrapped into one polished package, especially on a Friday. The lobster and tenderloin dinner, live jazz, Waikiki lights, and fireworks option give you several memorable elements for one booking.

Skip it if $236 feels too high for dinner and entertainment, or if you prefer a small, quiet boat. The cruise is not the most flexible or intimate way to see the coast, but it is a practical choice for a special occasion and a strong way to close a Hawaii vacation.

FAQ

Where does the cruise depart from?

The Star of Honolulu departs from Aloha Tower Marketplace, Pier 8, in Honolulu.

What time should I check in?

Check-in begins at 4:45 PM, and the cruise departs at 5:30 PM.

How long does the cruise last?

The cruise lasts two hours on most sailings. Friday departures last three hours to allow time for the Waikiki aerial fireworks show.

What food and drinks are included?

The package includes a five-course Maine lobster and prime tenderloin of beef dinner, a champagne toast, a non-alcoholic Hawaiian Bellini welcome drink, and two super premium beverages.

Is hotel pickup available?

Optional pickup is available from listed locations near Waikiki and Prince Waikiki. Hotel pickup and drop-off are not included in the base experience, so confirm the option you select.

Is the cruise suitable for children and people with seasickness?

Children under three are not permitted, and the activity is not suitable for people prone to seasickness.