My wife and I did this cruise in January 2015 for our 30th anniversary. We stayed at Outrigger Waikiki on the Beach for 3 nights before the cruise departed. Very nice hotel, right on the beach, plenty of dining options nearby. We chose Outrigger on the recommendation of friends and because they offered a wedding vow renewal ceremony, which we did. Very nice ceremony on the beach with 3 other couples. As far as the cruise, as was already mentioned, it's a great way to see several islands in a week's time. We didn't rent a car, just because I didn't want to hassle with the rental procedure at every stop, and the 1st time I visit a new place like this I prefer to let someone else drive while I sight-see. We had pre booked tours at pretty much every stop, but I can see where having your own transportation and being on your schedule instead of the tour guide's would have it's advantages. We looked at the cruise as a way to see the highlights on each island, then pick the island we liked best and go back there on our own. We're planning a return trip to Maui either late 2016 or early 2017.