Nova Five Star Sunset Dinner and Jazz

The best part of this cruise is the view from the water as Waikiki lights up and the sun drops behind Oahu’s southern coast. You’ll dine at your own private table aboard the Star of Honolulu, with Diamond Head, Waikiki, and the open Pacific providing the backdrop.

I like the Maine lobster and USDA Prime tenderloin dinner, plus the polished service that makes this feel more special than a standard buffet cruise. The Friday sailing is especially appealing, since it includes extra time for the Hilton Waikiki fireworks. The main drawback is price: at $236 per person, this is a celebration meal, not a casual night out.

Key points to know

• The dinner is served at a private table, not as a buffet, with lobster and beef presented as the main course.
• Friday sailings last about three hours and include a chance to watch the weekly Waikiki fireworks.
• The views are best treated as weather-dependent, since clouds and rain can hide the sunset.
• Live jazz, piano, vocals, and saxophone create a refined mood, though the music may not fill every minute of the cruise.
• Two premium beverages and a champagne toast are included, while further drinks cost extra.
• Upper-deck seating can be worth considering if you care most about views and a quieter dining setting.

Boarding at Aloha Tower for a Waikiki sunset

Your evening begins at Aloha Tower Marketplace, where check-in for the Star of Honolulu starts at 4:45 p.m. The ship departs at 5:30 p.m., so do not treat the listed departure time as your arrival time. You’ll want enough room to find the pier, check in, and board without turning the start of an anniversary dinner into a footrace.

The Star of Honolulu is a large dinner vessel with several levels and dining areas. This Five Star experience uses a more refined section of the ship, including the Art Deco Super Nova Room. It has a polished 1960s feel, which some couples find charming and others may find a little dated.

Your table is private, and dinner is served rather than collected from a buffet. That distinction matters. You can settle in, watch the shoreline slide past, and let the evening unfold at a restaurant-style pace.

The dress code is casual, though short pants are not recommended. You do not need formalwear, but neat resort clothing fits the mood better than beach clothes. Service animals are allowed, and most people can participate.

The Star of Honolulu’s southern-coast route

Once the ship leaves the pier, the main attraction is the setting. The cruise gives you a broad view of Honolulu from offshore, including Waikiki and Diamond Head. From the water, the buildings and volcanic slopes read as one sweeping scene rather than a collection of city streets.

I like this perspective because it changes the pace of your Oahu visit. You are not driving between lookouts or squeezing through a busy restaurant. You are seated, fed, and moving slowly along the coast while the light changes.

The sunset itself is never guaranteed. Rain and cloud cover have spoiled the color for some sailings, and weather can even prevent the ship from leaving the dock. That is not a flaw in the dinner service, but it is an important reason not to treat the sunset as the only thing you are paying for.

If the sky turns gray, you still have dinner, music, and the city view. If the clouds break at the right moment, the cruise can deliver the kind of evening that feels made for a birthday or anniversary.

A five-course dinner built around lobster and beef

The meal opens with a cheese and charcuterie board served at your table. This gives you something to nibble on as you settle in, rather than waiting for the main course while the ship gets underway.

Next comes Nova Scotia Maine lobster with beet carpaccio salad. The salad includes locally grown vegetables, fennel, goat cheese pearls, and a champagne-chive vinaigrette. It is a more composed plate than you usually get on a large dinner cruise.

The main course is USDA Prime tenderloin of beef with truffle mashed potatoes and seasonal vegetables. The beef and gravy have received strong praise, and several meals have arrived at the right temperature despite the challenge of serving dinner aboard a moving ship.

The lobster portion may feel modest if you are expecting a full lobster dinner. One especially positive meal description still wished for more lobster, so keep your expectations sensible. This is a fine-dining style plate with lobster as one part of a larger meal, not an all-you-can-eat seafood feast.

Dessert includes seasonal fruit sorbet and a chef’s special dessert served with freshly baked brioche and butter. The exact chef’s dessert can vary. Some descriptions mention cheesecake, while the sample menu lists a separate dessert course. You can expect a sweet finish, but not necessarily the exact same item on every sailing.

The food is one of the strongest reasons to choose this cruise over a cheaper dinner boat. It is also where the price becomes easier to judge. If you want a memorable meal with a view, the cost may feel reasonable. If you mainly want to get on the water, you can find less expensive options.

Champagne, premium drinks, and the real cost of the evening

The package includes a champagne toast and two super premium beverages. That gives the evening a celebratory start and covers more than the basic meal alone.

After those included drinks, additional beverages cost extra. This is easy to overlook when comparing the $236 price with other cruises. If you plan to order several cocktails, wine, or other drinks, your final bill will rise.

You also need to account for parking. One recent account found parking cost $27 rather than the expected $1 per hour. Parking details can change, but this is a useful reminder to check current rates before arriving at Aloha Tower.

The package price is best understood as a special-occasion bundle: private seating, a multi-course dinner, included drinks, live entertainment, and a moving view of Honolulu. It is not the best value if you want a simple meal at sea. It makes more sense for a birthday, anniversary, wedding celebration, or a final-night splurge.

Jazz, piano, vocals, and the Art Deco Super Nova Room

The entertainment is live jazz, with piano during dinner and, on some sailings, a singer and saxophone player joining later. A host and performers help shape the evening, and the music gives the meal more personality than recorded background tracks.

The atmosphere is refined rather than rowdy. If you want a quiet dinner with music that supports conversation, this style should suit you. If you want a full-scale Hawaiian show with constant activity, a cheaper cruise on the same ship may be a better match.

The timing of the jazz deserves a clear warning. One account found that the main jazz performance came during only the final half-hour as the ship returned. The advertised experience includes live jazz, but you should not assume a nonstop concert from boarding to disembarkation.

You may also find the music leans toward piano, smooth vocals, and saxophone rather than Hawaiian songs. That is a matter of taste, but it is worth knowing if you are hoping for a strongly local music program.

The Art Deco Super Nova Room adds a retro touch. After dinner, you can move toward the lounge and dance area. The room’s 1960s style is part of the charm, though the ship itself can feel dated in places.

Friday fireworks add real value

Friday is the strongest night to book if your schedule allows. The Friday cruise runs about three hours instead of two, giving you extra time on the water for the weekly aerial fireworks show near Waikiki.

The fireworks are a bonus, not a small detail. They add a clear finale to the evening and help justify the higher price, especially if you also catch a good sunset. You can watch Waikiki from offshore and then see the lights and fireworks from a different angle.

A Friday sailing also gives you more time to enjoy the music, lounge, and views. For an anniversary or birthday, that added hour makes the evening feel less rushed.

The tradeoff is simple: Friday may be the most appealing date, so plan ahead. This experience averages booking about 44 days in advance, which suggests that waiting until the last moment may not work well for a particular date.

Choosing your seat and handling the ship’s movement

Upper-deck seating has been praised for its views of Waikiki and the sunset. If your budget allows and the booking option is available, this is the choice I would consider first for a special occasion.

A higher table does not guarantee a clear sunset. Clouds still win that battle. It can, however, improve your sightlines and give you a stronger sense of the coast.

The ship may move enough to bother people prone to seasickness. One account specifically noted a rocky ride and recommended taking motion-sickness medicine in advance. You know your own tolerance best, but this is a sensible precaution for anyone who has trouble on boats.

The dining room can also feel warm. Air conditioning has been described as insufficient on some sailings, while other dining areas have been comfortable. Light, breathable clothing is practical, even if you dress neatly.

Some facilities have drawn criticism as well, including an unusual mirrored ceiling detail in the women’s bathroom. This is not a reason to reject the cruise, but it is part of the ship’s older, quirky character.

Service can make or break a $236 dinner

The best accounts describe attentive staff who keep the meal moving at a steady pace, bring each course promptly, and make an anniversary or birthday feel personal. That level of care matters when the cruise costs more than a normal night out.

Service may not be perfectly consistent at every table. One dining experience involved a waiter who did not explain the meal sequence, offer water, or ask about coffee with dessert. Nearby tables received more attention, which made the difference noticeable.

My advice is simple: speak up early if you need water, coffee, a special request, or clarification about the meal. Special requests should be confirmed with the service provider at least 72 hours ahead of time.

The crew has handled special dinner requests successfully, but you should not wait until boarding to ask. At this price, clear communication is part of protecting the experience you paid for.

Who should book this sunset cruise

I would point couples celebrating an anniversary toward this cruise first. The private table, champagne toast, multi-course meal, live music, and Friday fireworks all fit a milestone evening.

It also works for families who want a polished group dinner. Children have enjoyed the views, food, and music, though the refined pace and price may suit older children better than very young ones.

Choose it if you care about:

• A plated seafood and beef dinner rather than a buffet
• A private table
• Live jazz and lounge entertainment
• Waikiki and Diamond Head views from offshore
• A Friday fireworks finale
• A dressier, quieter mood

Think twice if you mainly want an active show, inexpensive drinks, or a low-cost boat ride. A more casual cruise on the same ship may offer livelier entertainment for less money.

Booking, timing, and cancellation details

The meeting point is Aloha Tower Marketplace at 1 Aloha Tower Drive in Honolulu. Check-in begins onboard at 4:45 p.m., and departure is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. The cruise ends back at the same location.

The regular experience lasts about two hours. Friday sailings last about three hours. Mobile tickets are accepted, and confirmation is normally sent when you book. If you book within five days of the cruise, confirmation can take up to 48 hours and remains subject to availability.

You can cancel up to 24 hours before the experience for a full refund. The ship can accommodate a maximum of 999 people, though the Five Star dining area is arranged around private tables rather than a single open buffet room.

Should you book the Nova Five Star Sunset Dinner and Jazz?

Book it if this is a special evening and you want dinner, music, city views, and a chance at a sunset in one planned package. I would choose Friday, request the best available upper-deck seating, and allow extra money for parking and additional drinks.

I would skip it if $236 feels high for a meal that depends on weather and may have uneven entertainment timing. The food and service can be excellent, but the ship is not brand-new, the lobster portion may seem small, and a cloudy night will change the mood.

For the right occasion, this is less about getting the cheapest dinner on Oahu and more about buying a complete evening. Pick it for the setting and celebration, not only for the menu.

FAQ

Where does the Nova Five Star Sunset Dinner and Jazz cruise depart?

It departs from Aloha Tower Marketplace at 1 Aloha Tower Drive in Honolulu, Hawaii. The cruise also ends back at this meeting point.

What time should I arrive?

Check-in begins onboard at 4:45 p.m., and the ship departs at 5:30 p.m. Arrive with enough time to find the pier and complete check-in before departure.

How long does the cruise last?

The regular sunset dinner cruise lasts about two hours. Friday sailings last about three hours because they include extra time to view the weekly Waikiki fireworks.

What food is included?

The five-course dinner includes a cheese and charcuterie board, lobster with beet carpaccio salad, USDA Prime tenderloin of beef with truffle mashed potatoes and seasonal vegetables, seasonal sorbet, and a chef’s special dessert with freshly baked brioche and butter.

Are drinks included?

The package includes a champagne toast and two super premium beverages. Additional beverages are not included and cost extra.

What should I wear?

The dress code is casual, but short pants are not recommended. Neat resort clothing is a sensible choice for the dining room.

Can I cancel the booking?

You can cancel up to 24 hours before the experience for a full refund.