I’ve always liked dinner cruises in Hawaii. Despite the fact that we have about 340 pristine sunsets every year, the typical dinner cruise has been long on sites and scenery, typically a bit bumpy on the ride, and short on memorable food.

That’s not the case with the Navatek I Dinner Cruise Buffet. It’s not Tera Patrick, or Sylvia Saint, or even Anna Nicole. First, no bumpy ride. What I like about the Navatek is how smooth everything is. Hey, you’re whipping along the ocean in front of Waikiki—sunset behind you, mountains in front of you. And your dinner stays with you. Right where you can grab it before it misbehaves.

That’s the way a dinner should behave on a dinner cruise.

The Navatek I has a unique design which allows the ship to glide across the water. Atlantis Cruises runs the Navatek and they’re so convinced that you’ll like the smooth ride and the dinner buffet, that they named one of the dinner features after Kahala (Chicken Kahala).

What’s so special about that?

Well, the Navatek I is the only dinner cruise buffet that not only sails in front of Waikiki (faster than most other ships, although you won’t notice it much) but it also sails around Diamond Head and into the prestigious Kahala residential area.

Typically, the water around Diamond Head is rough as trade winds blow around Kahala toward Waikiki. Rough water is not fun when you’re trying to scarf down macaroni salad and some fish you never heard of and aren’t sure it was cooked. Yet. The Navatek I is almost immune from the typical turbulence which affects other dinner cruises. Hence, smooth ride equals great buffet, which translates to a great adventure.

December through April is especially important for a smooth sailing ship like the Navatek I. It’s whale season. Every day the whales frolic off the coast of Waikiki and Diamond Head. For the most part, they’re not visible from the beach or hotels. They’re very visible from the deck of the Navatek I.

Now, in summer, the fun begins. South Shore swells can cause even pristine waters off Waikiki to remind you of what it’s like to view Anna Nicole in person. Up and down. Up and down. Whews. What a ride.

Here’s a run down on the menu. The food is good but you’re there for the ride and the entertainment—in that order. Navatek I departs from Aloha Tower each night at around dinner time (duh; it’s a dinner cruise) and returns about two hours later—you’re sure to catch a sunset. During winter it’s sunset and whales. In summer it’s sunset, no whales, Waikiki, and the occasional surfer who strays too far from shore.

Ka thump!

View all the proper propaganda at Atlantis Adventures.

Oh, one more thing. From the dinner cruise ships sailing off Waikiki at dinner time you can’t get a good picture of the nude sun bathers along the beach no matter how long your lens.

Want to know the best places to eat in Hawaii? Click over to Ono Dining for totally biased reviews on Hawai's best (and not so best) restaurants.