Hawaii Superferry announced yesterday that it was not considering resumption of service to Kaua‘i for the time being. Instead, the company will add a second voyage between Maui and O‘ahu starting Jan. 16. The additional Maui route was scheduled to
Hawaii Superferry announced yesterday that it was not considering resumption of service to Kaua‘i for the time being. Instead, the company will add a second voyage between Maui and O‘ahu starting Jan. 16.
The additional Maui route was scheduled to come online in 2009 when a second vessel is introduced. But in the absence of voyages to Kaua‘i, which were canceled following protests in August 2007, Hawaii Superferry president and CEO John Garibaldi said the company needed to supplement the lost revenue.
“We’ve decided … to initiate a second voyage to Maui sooner in order to allow more time in which to work with the community on Kaua‘i to ensure a safe and successful resumption of service,” Garibaldi said. “As we have always stated, our business model is dependent on running two trips per day, and right now we’ve got to meet those needs.”
With the “Alakai” starting the first voyage to Kahului at 6:30 a.m. and returning to Honolulu from the second voyage at 11 p.m., there won’t be time for an additional route, said Terry O’Halloran, Superferry’s director of business development.
“Two trips per day is the max a vessel could do,” O’Halloran said yesterday.
He confirmed that service to Kaua‘i and the Big Island will likely have to wait until the second ferry — currently under construction in Mobile, Ala. — is ready next year.
O’Halloran and Garibaldi emphasized that Kaua‘i is an important market for the company and service to the Garden Isle is not off the table.
“Providing service to Kaua‘i is very important to us,” Garibaldi said. “We recognize and appreciate the strong support from many in the community.”
The new route will provide an afternoon option between Honolulu and Maui. The voyage will operate Sundays through Fridays, leaving Honolulu at 3:15 p.m. and arriving in Kahului at 7 p.m. The return trip departs Kahului at 8 p.m. and arrives in Honolulu at 11 p.m.
The current service will continue to operate seven days a week, departing Honolulu at 6:30 a.m. and arriving Kahului at 10:15 a.m., then leaving Kahului at 11:15 a.m. and reaching Honolulu at 2:15 p.m.
The company has extended its promotional fare of $39 one-way passenger fares and $55 one-way vehicle fares through June 5 for tickets purchased by March 31.
