Re: Hawai'i Superferry - Chapter 4
Thanks for the great write-up, glossyp. The mentions of the safety features is also appreciated. Considering the number of people who are afraid to fly, I really wonder how deep-seated the phobias are of sea travel.
There has actually been some watercooler chat about the Superferry where I work. I think they're definitely coming into a market different from the one they scoped out, thanks to the go!-inspired race to airline bankruptcy. When we were looking at ridiculous airport security plus $160-$320 round trip airfares, the Superferry looked like a fantastic option. Now, Superferry fares seem high compared to $39 plane rides.
Of course, Superferry pricing is hopefully actually realistic versus costs. But as the whole go! fight has shown, people vote with their wallets.
I still think the Superferry offers a great alternative to airlines. Sitting with kids in that lobby-style environment sure seems a lot less stressful than strapping them into stiff airplane seats. The fact that there'll be some ameneties -- versus, you know, a plastic cup of juice -- is a plus. So is the ability to take my own messy van, versus renting and worrying about spilling something in an expensive rental car. It wouldn't take a very long trip where saving on a rental car pays for itself. It's a longer trip, but altogether sounds like less of a hair-pulling exercise than dealing with modern airport life.
I'm looking forward to taking a trip on the Superferry. The Alakai only services Maui and Kauai, so our only question is which island to visit first! I hope it does well enough so the second, Big Island ferry shows up as scheduled next year. Then I'll ride the Superferry all the time.
Thanks for the great write-up, glossyp. The mentions of the safety features is also appreciated. Considering the number of people who are afraid to fly, I really wonder how deep-seated the phobias are of sea travel.
There has actually been some watercooler chat about the Superferry where I work. I think they're definitely coming into a market different from the one they scoped out, thanks to the go!-inspired race to airline bankruptcy. When we were looking at ridiculous airport security plus $160-$320 round trip airfares, the Superferry looked like a fantastic option. Now, Superferry fares seem high compared to $39 plane rides.
Of course, Superferry pricing is hopefully actually realistic versus costs. But as the whole go! fight has shown, people vote with their wallets.
I still think the Superferry offers a great alternative to airlines. Sitting with kids in that lobby-style environment sure seems a lot less stressful than strapping them into stiff airplane seats. The fact that there'll be some ameneties -- versus, you know, a plastic cup of juice -- is a plus. So is the ability to take my own messy van, versus renting and worrying about spilling something in an expensive rental car. It wouldn't take a very long trip where saving on a rental car pays for itself. It's a longer trip, but altogether sounds like less of a hair-pulling exercise than dealing with modern airport life.
I'm looking forward to taking a trip on the Superferry. The Alakai only services Maui and Kauai, so our only question is which island to visit first! I hope it does well enough so the second, Big Island ferry shows up as scheduled next year. Then I'll ride the Superferry all the time.
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