Key Aspects:
- Norwegian Cruise Line is warning Pride of America guests about a possible 14 percent Hawaii tax.
- The cruise-related tax was approved in May 2025 but is currently blocked by a federal appeals court while legal challenges continue.
- The tax could add $250 to $500 or more per person on early 2026 sailings.
Guests booking Pride of America sailings with Norwegian Cruise Line are now being warned about a new Hawaii tax that could add hundreds of dollars per person to their cruise, even though the measure is still being challenged in court.
The notice appears directly on the ship’s booking page and outlines a new Transient Accommodations Tax (TAT) that Hawaii has instituted for cruise passengers embarking after January 1, 2026.
According to the notice, the tax levies an additional 14 percent of the cruise fare for each visiting passenger and is prorated based on how much time the ship spends in Hawaiian ports.
“The anticipated tax will range from $250 to $500 per person (USD) or higher,” the booking page states.
For sailings departing between January 1 and April 30, 2026, the notice explain that the tax will not be included in the cruise fare shown at the time of booking. Instead, it will be added to each guests’ onboard account and will be due on the final day of the sailing.
Norwegian Cruise Line also tells passengers to expect a follow-up communication after booking, saying, “Upon booking, you will receive a communication from United Cruises within 3-5 business days with the exact, prorated total of the TAT.”
The warning is notable because it appears while the legality of Hawaii’s cruise-related tax remains under review in federal court. Despite the uncertainty, Norwegian Cruise Line is flagging the potential charge upfront and advising guests to call for additional information, if needed.
The Ongoing Hawaii Tax Fight
The new warning is the latest development in a months-long dispute over Hawaii’s effort to apply its TAT to cruise passengers.
The fight began in May 2025, when state legislators passed Act 96, later signed into law by Governor Josh Green. The measure amended Hawaii’s tax code to include cruise ship fares under the same tax structure that applies to hotels and vacation rentals. The tax is prorated based on the number of days a vessel spends in Hawaii ports.
State officials project the change will generate close to $100 million annually for climate resilience initiatives. The law includes an 11 percent state surcharge, with counties authorized to add up to 3 percent more, bringing the total potential tax to 14 percent of prorated cruise fare.
The cruise industry quickly pushed back. In August 2025, cruise lines, represented by Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA), along with several Hawaii tour operators, filed a lawsuit in federal court. The suit argues that taxing cruise ship passengers and operators violates the US Constitution and federal maritime laws.
On December 23, 2025, a US District Court judge in Honolulu denied a request for a preliminary injunction request that would have stopped the new tax before it took effect. That ruling allowed the expanded TAT to move forward as planned.
However, on December 31, 2025, a panel of the US Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals granted a temporary preliminary injunction that blocked Hawaii from enforcing the cruise-related tax while the appeal is reviewed.
By early January 2026, the Ninth Circuit injunction remains in place and as of press time, the cruise portion of the TAT is legally in limbo.
