If the question is, "can I use a UA CR-1 to upgrade a Continental HNL-DEN flight?", I think the answer is "until 2012, no".
I think in particular until 2012 if you would like to upgrade a Continental flight between Hawaii and DEN/EWR/IAH, you must use a SWU. And even then you can only use the SWU on flights booked into W fare classes or higher (so fare classes S, T, L, K, G, N would be ineligible).
This will change in 2012. Is your travel in 2012? If so, then you should call back near the end of the year.
To understand the current situation, read
http://mileageplusmergerupdates.com/...tier=GS#chart2 and
http://www.continental.com/web/en-US.../upgrades.aspx.
Specifically, this will tell you that you can use a confirmed regional upgrade on a Continental flight on "All the same flights and destinations eligible for Elite upgrades". Then follow the link to see that flights eligible for elite upgrades,
http://www.continental.com/web/en-US.../upgrades.aspx, include flights to/from Hawaii only if the destination is California or an intra-Pacific destination other than Guam.
To understand the situation in 2012, read
http://onepassmergerupdates.com/en/o...radesOverview?. In 2012, DEN-HNL flights, "marketed as BusinessFirst", may be upgraded with a regional upgrade, with no fare class restrictions.