Cruise ship visitation to Hawaii has set a course for its strongest rebound in nearly two decades, but new state rules requiring cleaner-burning fuels and expanded “green fees” are sparking legal challenges and raising questions about the industry’s future.

Data from the state Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism suggests 2026 could mark a milestone. Based on the capacity of ships requesting port calls and assuming an average occupancy of 85%, next year is projected to be the best for cruise arrivals since 2007, when more than half a million passengers visited the islands.

Yet choppy seas loom. As Hawaii’s tourism industry recovers from pandemic-era declines and the devastating 2023 Maui wildfires, cruise visitation has become a flash point in debates over economic re

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