Remember the day when life was more carefree, before that felony conviction?

Felons may be able to recall having taken a trip to the beach, any beach.  That was an awesome experience!

Now that their incarceration has ended, they may once again give thought to a trip to the beach. In the past, that vacation could have been to Hawaii.

What about now?

This blog post will cover the issue of whether felons can travel to Hawaii.

• Travel Restrictions
• Why Hawaii?
• Can Felons Fly?
• Can Felons Travel by Cruise?
• Supporting Felons Traveling to Hawaii

Travel Restrictions

Felons who have been released from prison and are on probation are restricted from traveling anywhere outside of the federal district in which they live without permission from their probation officer.

While receiving that permission is possible, they typically can’t go far, and certainly not a vacation to Hawaii.

Once they have completed those terms, they may travel freely in the U.S.

So, can they travel to Hawaii?

Of course, why not?  Hawaii is one of the 50 U.S. states.

Well, wait a minute.  A recent blog post addressed the question of felons traveling to Alaska driving through Canada.

Hmm…  That was a problem because they had to enter and pass through another country.

This shouldn’t be the case, right?

Well, making a trip to Hawaii wouldn’t involve going through another country.  And it certainly wouldn’t involve driving!

So, why not?

Going to Hawaii would involve either flying or going on a cruise ship.

Why Hawaii?

Maybe felons hadn’t given much thought to going to Hawaii.  Why would they want to travel there?

Well, there are a number of reasons.

Hawaii is a beautiful state with wonderful weather, sandy beaches, clear water, water sports, green vegetation, and ancient volcanoes.

Hawaii being the Aloha State, there is actually a tradition of promoting the “aloha spirit”.  It is more than that.  It is a law in Hawaii to promote that spirit.

Can Felons Fly?

Flying to Hawaii shouldn’t pose a problem for felons as long as they fly from one state to another, Hawaii included.

The only difficulty for them flying would be if they have a felony warrant outstanding against them.  They would be prevented from flying then.

The other possible issue would be if their name is on what is called the no-fly list maintained by the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) for those suspected of being terrorists.  There are about 3500 names on this list at any time.

So, felons are probably OK for flying.

Can a Felon Travel by Cruise?

Going on a cruise is a popular means of travel to Hawaii.

There are basically two types of cruises, closed loop and open loop.  A closed loop cruise is one that starts and ends in the same U.S. port while an open loop cruise has different starting and final port city locations.

Felons may sail on either type of cruise, although the requirements for a closed loop cruise are less restrictive than for open loop cruises.

U.S. citizens going on a closed loop cruise can depart and enter the U.S. with only proof of citizenship.  This proof consists of an original or copy of a birth certificate and a government issued photo ID.

Open loop cruises require a passport, regardless of the starting or destination port.

Some of the reasons for requiring a passport are in case people miss the embarking of the ship and must fly ahead to a port to meet it.

Also, travelers may have to fly home before the cruise ends for medical, family, or personal emergencies.  They may also miss their ship’s departure from a port and have to fly ahead to meet up with it at the next port.

Felons should remember to allow themselves the enjoyment of going to Hawaii.

It is a way of seeing a wonderful island state that they may have not visited before.  It means being able get away from the challenges of life after a felony for a while and to reconnect with and strengthen bonds with family members.

Supporting Felons Traveling to Hawaii

Families of felons wanting to travel to Hawaii should encourage and support their loved one in planning that trip.

This is an opportunity to get away to visit a beautiful state with sandy beaches, clear water, and tropical weather.  What a setting to work on strengthening those family bonds once again.

Your loved one is trying to establish a different lifestyle, one which is honest and does not involve crime.

They are also trying to strengthen their relationships with their families.  The results of going to Hawaii can be extremely beneficial to felons and their families alike.

So what do you think about this blog post about whether felons can go to Hawaii?  Have you or someone you know gone on a cruise?  What was that experience like?   Please tell us in the comments below.