The Superferry had a happy Fourth of July weekend.

More than 6,000 people took the ferry between Maui and O'ahu, the best figures ever, company officials said.

The previous high-water mark for the Superferry had been Memorial Day weekend, with 5,500 passengers and 1,500 vehicles. Complete figures for vehicles over the Independence Day weekend were not available yesterday.

"We are very pleased with the rapid and steady increase of families, visitors and businesses using the Alakai to travel between the islands of Maui and O'ahu," said Tom Fargo, president and CEO of Hawaii Superferry, in a statement.

Among those walking down the gangplank yesterday at Pier 19 at Honolulu Harbor was Myrna Campos of Waikapu, Maui. She and some 20 other relatives — uncles, aunties, nieces, nephews, in-laws — arrived to take part in a family celebration for Campos' niece Jessica Idica, who just graduated from Kapolei High School.

She hadn't really planned for so large a group, Campos said, "but as soon as I said we're going to O'ahu everybody was going, 'I wanna come, I wanna come, I wanna come.' "

Campos said she decided to travel on the Superferry because her party got a rate of about $60 one way and the best airfare she found was more than $100.

"It took a while but it was fun," she said of the three-hour trip. "At least the family was together."

Myrna's mother Isabel Campos, a "great-auntie" of the celebrated graduate Jessica, said it had been her first Superferry trip.

"I love it, I love it, I love it," she said.

Cheyenne Campos, a 15-year-old cousin, said the food was good, especially the saimin. And she enjoyed the computer games.

A group of Boy Scouts returning to O'ahu from a week-long jaunt in Maui also disembarked yesterday, about 19 folks in all, from troops 181, 185 and 135, most of them from the Hickam military community.

Assistant troop leader Bruce Teramoto called the voyage "a good experience. We had a good time."

He said the $59 special rate the scouts received was "a little bit better" than the airfares that were available.

Scott Williamson, 11, and Thomas Kirby, 12, of Troop 135 said the ferry ride was comfortable and that they and their buddies enjoyed movies, the gift shop, snack bar and computer games.

"We relaxed," Thomas said.

The Alakai restarted daily service to Maui on April 7 after two months of maintenance and repair work.

The Alakai has a capacity of 866 people and 282 cars. It makes a daily morning run between Honolulu and Maui, and also offers an afternoon round trip as well, on Sundays, Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.