The harbor, destroyed, was a popular destination for Princess Cruises and Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines.
Historical and cultural sites have also been ruined, among them, Lahaina Heritage Museum, and the town’s 150-year-old banyan tree.
More north, the Wo Hing Temple and Baldwin Home Museum have been razed.
And Big Island blazes
ABC News reported fires on the Big Island of Hawaii are located at Kohala Coast, with tourism to other parts of that island and Kauai, Oahu, Molokai and Lanai unaffected.
NCL replaces Maui with Hilo, supports local relief efforts
Kahului Harbor on Maui remains open and calls are being shifted there as availability allows, as well as to other ports in the Hawaiian Islands.
‘We are deeply saddened to hear about the wildfires currently impacting the town of Lahaina in Maui,’ said a spokesperson for Norwegian Cruise Line, whose Pride of America is based in Honolulu and which normally calls at Kahului.
‘We have a very special relationship with the people and islands of Hawaii, as we sail to the beautiful state year-round. It is a magical destination and one that is highly sought out by our guests for its natural beauty, culture and unparalleled experiences.’
To support local relief efforts, the cruise line is making a donation of $50,000 to Maui United Way and encouraging others to join its efforts by donating at mauiunitedway.org.
‘In addition, our port operations team has begun to mobilize donations of surplus inventory to the Hawaii Community Foundation, while also activating our network of suppliers to support with in-kind donations.’
They went on to explain, ‘To avoid stressing the local resources, we have replaced calls to Maui with an overnight call to Hilo, Hawaii, and an additional overnight stay in Nawiliwili, Kauai for itineraries beginning Aug. 12, 2023 through the end of the month. As always, our top priority is the safety and security of our guests and crew…’
NCL’s Pride of America was originally scheduled for Kahului Aug. 13-14, followed by Hilo (Aug. 15,) Kailua-Kona (Aug. 16) and Nawiliwili, Lihue on Kauai (Aug. 17).
Emerald Princess sailing to Kona
A Princess Cruises spokesperson told Seatrade Cruise News that 'given the severity of these fires and their significant strain on local resources,' Emerald Princess will cancel its Aug. 14 call to Lahaina and go to Kona instead.
Princess went on to add, ‘As we continue to monitor the situation, we are actively reviewing the itineraries of our upcoming voyages. If any adjustments need to be made to our published itineraries, we will advise guests and our travel advisor partners.’
Fred. Olsen working with local authorities
Managing Director of Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines, Peter Deer, said, 'We have been sad to hear of the devastating wildfires on the island of Maui and our thoughts are with anyone who has lost a loved one, or whose home has been damaged or destroyed.
'At Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines we have only visited the port of Lahaina a handful of times. The planning department is working with the local authorities to understand the impact on the port operation and see what the options are from there.'
‘A devastating loss’
In addition to strong winds from Hurricane Dora, drier-than-normal conditions – which have led to drought increasing in Hawaii – are believed responsible for the fires spreading.
Access Cruise Inc. President Shannon McKee, who works closely with the Hawaii Tourism Authority (HTA), described the impact of the fires as crushing: ‘The town of Lahaina has always been a favorite destination for cruise ship guests when visiting Maui. Its destruction due to the fires has been a devastating loss. But, the Maui community is strong and they will come together to overcome and rebuild.’
Evacuation and federal support
Some 55 people are reported dead as a result of the disaster. More than 14,000 people were flown out of Maui on Aug. 9 with the same number of people facing power outages. The authorities aimed to move a further 14,500 people off the island on Aug. 10.
An emergency assistance center has been established by HTA at the Hawaii Convention Center, in partnership with the American Red Cross, to support visitors and residents evacuated from Maui to Oahu.
US President Joe Biden signed a major disaster declaration for Hawaii, resulting in approval to dedicate significantly more federal resources to help with recovery efforts for Maui and the Big Island.
Some fires contained
Two brush fires in Nāʻālehu and Pāhala have been neutralized and the Lālāmilo fire in Waimea has been contained, with Hawaii County officials lifting all evacuation orders from those areas.
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