Hawaii by Land & Sea – POA Cruise 5-14-2011

[jonbgd]

Looking forward to more of your review. It has been great.

Especially with you staying @ Turtle bay. It brings back memories of the late 80's and early 90's.

North shore is such a beautiful area. So different from the overcrowded, touristy, Waikiki side.

[Sunny AZ Girl]

Second Day in Maui – Molokini Crater

 

We have to get up at what time????!!!! Be prepared, this is the type of reaction you get when you have to do all the planning, tell everyone in your party far in advance what their choices are, they look at it for a fraction of a second and say, “Yeah, that looks good.”

 

I had been researching Molokini Snorkel options for months. I had just two requirements – both snorkel & scuba options must be offered as three of us love to snorkel and my brother Bob loves to scuba. This would give us all a chance to do what we wanted, yet be together. I was also looking for a good ladder. Even though I may be “fluffy plus” and a bit awkward on land, I am as light as a butterfly and nimble as a mermaid (ok, maybe a baby whale would be a better analogy) in the water. However, my nimble characteristics disappear the moment I am confronted with a snorkel ladder. I have had trouble in the past getting back into various snorkel boats, often with embarrassing end results. After being hauled back onboard a sailboat with a rope made into a large noose fitting over my body and under my arms and then landed like a sailfish in Cabo the ladder was a major consideration for me. The ladder must be more like steps and extend rather deeply into the water. If you have bad knees you will relate to this. Add to that a little extra weight and a good handrail becomes essential, too. So, with those two considerations in mind I began the process of elimination. Since many catamaran style excursion boats in Hawaii appeared to have adequate ladders unlike their counterparts in Mexico, I used the scuba option as my major elimination tool. Quickly I had narrowed the field down to Trilogy Excursions and the Pride of Maui.

 

The major differences between the two operators were the size of the boat (and therefore the number of passengers) and the time of departure. Trilogy was a smaller craft and according to their website and reviews on TA, prided itself on personal service. The Pride of Maui left at a more reasonable 8 AM, compared to Trilogy’s insane departure time of 6:30 AM. That would mean we would have to be at their dock by 6 AM, leaving the ship at 5:30 and rolling out of bed at 4:30 AM. When presented with these choices everyone felt Trilogy’s smaller boat would be the best option. While I agreed, I emphasized that no whining would be allowed the morning of the tour. That stipulation was conveniently forgotten when I reminded everyone of our early hour the night before the tour. I told them to consider themselves lucky I had not booked the Haleakala Crater Sunrise Tour instead!

 

However, I won out and by 5:30 we had all piled into the car and were on the way to Ma’alea Harbor where the Trilogy Excursion Boat awaited our arrival. Also on this tour were a couple from our Roll Call, Burke & Kate. It was nice to get to know them a bit better today, too. The GPS took us directly to the dock and the instructions to allow ½ hour arriving from the Cruise Ship Dock was accurate. Once we arrived we filled out the obligate paperwork promising not to stand on the island or the reef and boarded the boat. The Trilogy boat we were on was Trilogy V, a 55’ catamaran that holds 65 people, but never has more than 45. I guessed that we had 30 - 35 people on the boat this morning. There is a large cabin area that was relatively easy for me to enter. You must descend a few steps to go down into this area, but there is a rail to hold onto.

 

Once underway we were served a breakfast of yummy cinnamon rolls, fresh fruit and Kona coffee. We watched the shores of Maui fade in the distance as the Molokini Crater ahead loomed larger. It is an hour ride to the crater. We are told that this day is a very smooth crossing, however one passenger was quite ill and spent the rest of the trip lying down in the cabin. I felt bad for him. Everyone else seemed to be fine.

 

We were one of the first boats to arrive at Molokini. That was the advantage of leaving so early. I sat out snorkeling in this location. My doctor had told me I could go into the water if I was careful not to allow my stomach to hit against rocks or coral and if I wore a waterproof bandage. However, I was not sure of my endurance level and was happy just to relax on the boat and watch everyone else. I was amazed at the water clarity. I could see the bottom of the reef from the deck of the boat and I knew we were not in real shallow water. Rather than drop an anchor onto the protected reef a crew member dove down to a pylon imbedded in the ocean floor and secured the boat there. Soon most of the passengers were enjoying the water and the beauty of this natural reef. The group was given around 90 minutes to snorkel before moving on to our next destination. Steve was in the water with his Christmas gift from me, a Canon D-10 camera which did take some wonderful pictures.

 

 

Bob enjoyed the scuba diving with a few other people in the group.

 

After a while everyone had made it back on board. I was pleased that the crew did not rush anyone. There was one crew member who sat on a small surf board and watched to be sure everyone was safe. Two other crew members served beverages to those of us left on the boat and also helped scan the water. The remaining crew member was in the water leading the scuba group.

 

As our group was completing their time in the water other boats began to arrive. Soon Molokini was becoming a very crowded place. So, once everyone was back on board and had been served some soda, coffee or pineapple juice we were headed to Turtle Town, but not before cruising past the back side of the crater so we could see this natural bird sanctuary from all sides.

[vbmom87]

Second Day in Maui – Molokini Crater

 

We have to get up at what time????!!!! Be prepared, this is the type of reaction you get when you have to do all the planning, tell everyone in your party far in advance what their choices are, they look at it for a fraction of a second and say, “Yeah, that looks good.”

 

 

Isn't that the truth??!!!! I run into this all the time.

 

Sounds like you made a great choice!!! Photos are wonderful. The right camera can surely make a difference.

[Sunny AZ Girl]

Turtle Town

 

 

Turtle Town was back near the Maui shore. Here we were in easy sight of many upscale homes. That would not be a difficult place to live in my mind.

 

Once we were anchored the crew explained the layout of the reef and where we could look for turtles, with the instructions that we should not touch them as they are protected, so keep a good distance. Later we would find out they forgot to give the turtles that message.

 

Our group was in the water a very short time when I heard someone yell out, “turtles!” After sitting out the snorkeling at Molokini I could resist no longer. I donned a pair of fins, my mask and snorkel and plunged into the water. At first I could not see much and the water seemed to be a bit murky compared to what I had seen at Molokini from the boat, where I could see all the way to the bottom from the deck. But soon I found the tip of the reef and the water immediately cleared. I saw some beautiful fish and got a few pictures with my camera mask. A couple of turtles appeared in the distance. I followed them back to the boat where they disappeared into the deeper water. I stayed in the water a few more minutes and then felt my muscles tiring so I decided I had enough for my first time in the water after my surgery. I faced the ladder and thought about the best way to tackle it. The ladder was a good one, but I had not figured on how much an abdominal incision would weaken the stomach muscles and how much we use them when we climb. However, a nice lady behind me gave me a push from behind to help me get started and I was then able to use my arms with those good handrails and I popped up with my dignity somewhat intact.

 

 

Meanwhile, Steve was having a close encounter back on the reef. He saw a couple of turtles just swimming around and so he approached close enough to get some pictures. After getting a few nice photos one of those turtles must have felt he was pretty interesting too and kept coming closer to him. Mindful of the instructions to not touch the turtles Steve kept backing off. But what do you do when the turtle wants to touch you?

 

 

Steve managed to avoid any kind of direct contact with the sea turtle and continued to get pictures of the underwater world before him until the crew signaled that it was time to return to the boat.

 

 

 

[Sunny AZ Girl]

Back onboard the crew was preparing to serve a gourmet meal of teriyaki grilled chicken, luau rice, salad and Hawaiian Sweet Rolls. For dessert we had ice cream sundaes. They treated us like honored guests and I doubt if anyone went home hungry. After lunch the captain set out to find wind so we could raise the sails. After a short while he found a good area and the sails went up. It was very peaceful to sit in the quiet with no engine noise and enjoy the ocean breeze.

 

 

 

All too soon we returned to Ma’alea Harbor. We left Trilogy V satisfied that we had chosen the best excursion for us.

 

It was now a little after 1 PM. We decide to return to the ship as we were all tired from the early morning and the direct sun reflecting off the water. Steve & Bob planned to drop Cindy and myself off at the ship, and then return the rental car after stopping at Wal Mart for a few supplies. Cindy had to work on a paper for a business class she was taking. She had to finish it by that evening & submit it via the ship’s internet system. I was going to work on my pictures. I took a shower and sat on the balcony with my computer, ready to work. I woke up a couple of hours later when Steve returned. He brought back two new Hawaiian shirts. We were now up to 6 new shirts to add to his extensive collection back home. I now knew that I was married to an addict and an intervention was desperately needed. I am proud to say that he refrained for purchasing any more shirts the rest of the trip.

 

That night we decided to go to the Aloha Cafe for dinner. It was Prime Rib night and delicious. I have not eaten in the buffet very often on a cruise for dinner, but this was a good choice. We went to the show, “Never Too Old To Rock & Roll with Toby Beau” which we enjoyed. This was music from our generation and the quality of the artists was excellent. This ship does not currently have the ability to put on large production shows, so they rely on pure talent for entertainment. Nice job, POA.

 

Bob & Cindy went to send Cindy’s paper at the internet cafe and reported that it went faster than expected. She had to first send her paper to an “anti-plagiarism tool” prior to submission. The entire process only took them 17 minutes. They were expecting it to take an hour. After the show we all returned to our cabins to go to sleep. This cruise was too busy to be up partying all night!

 

I have four days off in a row now, so look for daily posts through Monday! Tomorrow we will explore Hilo with Ricky’s Tours. Be sure to check out all of Maui – Day 2 photos here.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

While we do not participate in a lot of ship board activities besides the evening shows I thought I would try to catch up with the “front page” activities in the Freestyle Daily for those of you who are interested. Unfortunately, I misplaced my Day 1 newsletter, but I have the rest. Here are the Highlights:

 

Day 2 (Maui Day 1)

Maui Port Talk – 7:30 AM

Hula & Tahitian Class – 5:30 PM

50’s Rock & Roll Sock Hop – 8:00 PM

Karaoke – 9 PM

Frank Sinatra Tribute – 9:00 PM

Not-So-Newlywed Game – 9:15 PM

Showtime Tonight: Aloha Polynesian Show – 7 & 9 PM

Late Night Comedy of Tim Kaminski – 10:15 PM

 

Day 3 (Maui Day 2)

Jimmy Mac & Kool Kats at the South Beach Pool – 1:30 PM – 4:30 PM

Kukui Nut Lei Class – 4:30 PM

Close Up Magic of John Shyrock – 8:00PM

James Taylor Tribute – 8:15 PM

Karaoke – 9:00 PM

Bonkers for Bingo - 9:15 PM

Showtime Tonight – Never Too Old to Rock ‘n Roll with Toby Beau – 7:00 & 9:00 PM

Liar’s Club – 10:15 PM

[Sunny AZ Girl]

Looking forward to more of your review. It has been great.

Especially with you staying @ Turtle bay. It brings back memories of the late 80's and early 90's.

North shore is such a beautiful area. So different from the overcrowded, touristy, Waikiki side.

Mahalo. I hope to return there within the next couple of years, with or without a cruise.

 

Isn't that the truth??!!!! I run into this all the time.

 

Sounds like you made a great choice!!! Photos are wonderful. The right camera can surely make a difference.

LOL! I figured that other people on CC could relate to that, since we tend to be the planners.

[cruiseinfoseeker]

:)Ginny,

 

Your review is !! Spectacular !!

 

 

-Lisa:)

[kwbound]

Ginny -

 

I'm loving your review and looking forward to reading more. Your pictures are great. We also have a Canon D-10 and are very happy with the pictures we've gotten with it. It helps when you have willing subjects like the turtles!

 

Donna

[Cruise Arizona]

Ginny,

 

I have read the whole thread and can't wait for the next installment. Your schedule is go go go compared to what my husband likes to do.

 

Really enjoyed reading about the places that I have previously visited. Two years ago I booked a last minute flight to go to Hawaii while my husband was there on business. My flight arrived about 6 hours earlier than my husbands so I decided to take the "El Cheapo" circle island tour. For two dollars I got on a city bus and went all the way around the island. It was great to see the North Shore, Sunset Beach, Turtle Bay, Polynesian cultural center and even the Chinise hat island. However all my glimpses of these things were just from the window of a city bus. I didn't stop or get off because I had by rolling suitcase with me. I took the bus back into Honolulu and was still at the hotel about an hour before my husband and his co-workers showed up.

 

I lookforward to more about NCL and how you liked the ship. I have been hesitant to do this cruise because I enjoy my ship board time so much, but it sounds like so far you have found a good balance.

[lv2bgoofy]

So LOVE the turtle pictures.....I would love to have that experience that Steve had.....and I understand the "what" time.....even though I'm not a "morning" person that all changes when I'm on vacation and there is something awesome to do.

 

You really had me giggling with your "analogy" since I can so relate to the baby whale.....

 

So glad that you got into the water and got to see the turtles and didn't have any trouble getting out.....

 

Excited that you have the next few days off so I don't have to go through withdrawals not having your review to read.....

[AZ Karaoke Girl]

I am so glad I personally know you Ginny & have become friends. I am picturing you narrating the story as if you are sitting here with me.:p

[ohsoblessed]

Ginny I don't personally know you but through your review and logging into CC many times a day just to see if you have posted anything new, I feel as though we could be very special friends. I too am a "fluffy plus" woman and you amaze me that you don't let this hold you back in anything you want to do. I wish I could let go of this wall flower person I have been most of my life. You give me hope that women of our size don't have to hide in the crowd. You live life to it fullness. Thank you for being a shinning example of one happy woman!!!

 

Hey I have never had enough nerve to snorkel but reading your review makes me sure want to try and to heck with how awful I might look in a bathing suit...

 

Sheila

[Sunny AZ Girl]

:)Ginny,

 

Your review is !! Spectacular !!

 

 

-Lisa:)

Mahalo!

 

Ginny -

 

I'm loving your review and looking forward to reading more. Your pictures are great. We also have a Canon D-10 and are very happy with the pictures we've gotten with it. It helps when you have willing subjects like the turtles!

 

Donna

Donna - I believe it was your pictures that caused me to go get Steve that camera for Christmas. We were needing a new underwater camera anyway and had looked at that camera before. While I tend to take more of the land pictures, Steve is the underwater photographer, having more patience than I with subjects who don't stand still!

 

Ginny,

 

I have read the whole thread and can't wait for the next installment. Your schedule is go go go compared to what my husband likes to do.

 

Really enjoyed reading about the places that I have previously visited. Two years ago I booked a last minute flight to go to Hawaii while my husband was there on business. My flight arrived about 6 hours earlier than my husbands so I decided to take the "El Cheapo" circle island tour. For two dollars I got on a city bus and went all the way around the island. It was great to see the North Shore, Sunset Beach, Turtle Bay, Polynesian cultural center and even the Chinise hat island. However all my glimpses of these things were just from the window of a city bus. I didn't stop or get off because I had by rolling suitcase with me. I took the bus back into Honolulu and was still at the hotel about an hour before my husband and his co-workers showed up.

 

I lookforward to more about NCL and how you liked the ship. I have been hesitant to do this cruise because I enjoy my ship board time so much, but it sounds like so far you have found a good balance.

Suzanne, this was a busy itinerary for us, but I tried to not make everyday be packed full. Down time is important to us, too. Usually sea days are among my favorite on a cruise, but this vacation was different. I loved every minute. but if we are blessed to return I will plan a beach day or two with nothing else to do. Now that we have seen the islands that would be easier to build into the itinerary.

 

The bus is a great way to get around Oahu. More about that in my post cruise section later on.

 

I was not sure about NCL, but very pleased with our experience. I do not believe any other cruise line I have sailed has tried so hard to please.

[Sunny AZ Girl]

So LOVE the turtle pictures.....I would love to have that experience that Steve had.....and I understand the "what" time.....even though I'm not a "morning" person that all changes when I'm on vacation and there is something awesome to do.

 

Excited that you have the next few days off so I don't have to go through withdrawals not having your review to read.....

Yes, I am not a morning person either. However, when the appeal to do something wonderful is there I can do it. I have to get up at 4:30 to work, but not as much fun.

 

Stay tuned! I hope to be able to get through the entire review by the end of next week. Then I will start my photobook. Steve keeps asking me if i haveit done yet!:eek:

 

I am so glad I personally know you Ginny & have become friends. I am picturing you narrating the story as if you are sitting here with me.:p

Awwwww, thanks, Lisa. You are a treasure.:)

 

Ginny I don't personally know you but through your review and logging into CC many times a day just to see if you have posted anything new, I feel as though we could be very special friends. I too am a "fluffy plus" woman and you amaze me that you don't let this hold you back in anything you want to do. I wish I could let go of this wall flower person I have been most of my life. You give me hope that women of our size don't have to hide in the crowd. You live life to it fullness. Thank you for being a shinning example of one happy woman!!!

 

Hey I have never had enough nerve to snorkel but reading your review makes me sure want to try and to heck with how awful I might look in a bathing suit...

 

Sheila

Thank you, Sheila. I have made many great friends on this board. Many I have gotten to meet in person, like Lisa. However others in name only, but they still count. DO NOT stay out of the water (or anywhere else) because of your size. Swimming is wonderful exercise and is can help you return to a healthy life style so you can continue to enjoy all that God has provided for our benefit. I swam 3X a week before my surgery and am now hoping to get back to it. No one cares how you look except you. They are all worried about how they look in a bathing suit - even the skinny ones!

[Sunny AZ Girl]

Hilo – Ricky’s Tours

 

 

To the relief of my family we slept in until 7:00 AM. Today we had a scheduled tour of Hilo and the Volcano National Park with Ricky’s Tours. Our pick up time was at 8:30 AM. Before we headed out we decided to go to the Cadillac Diner for breakfast. This is the 1950’s All-American style diner on the ship and is open 24 hours. If you are hungry for a milk shake at 2:00 AM this is the place to go. However, our taste ran more to bacon, eggs and buttermilk pancakes this morning and we had been told the service was fast and the morning menu satisfying, so we decided to give it a try.

 

The food was very good and the service was friendly and efficient, but of course not as fast as if we had served ourselves at the Aloha Cafe. However, we made it off the ship in plenty of time to meet Ricky. We were joined on this tour by 8 other members of our Roll Call, bringing our total to 12. I was looking forward to spending the day with new friends I had been chatting with for months in preparation for this cruise. Ricky arrived right on schedule and we all piled into his shiny white van. The van was filled with the maximum number Ricky takes. I think everyone was comfortable, but would have been more so with a couple fewer passengers, unless some are children or very small adults. Ricky provided a step to assist getting out of the van and cold water throughout the day. We prefer the more intimate sized groups the private tours offer versus the larger bus tours, especially for all day tours like this one.

 

Despite being a bit cozy it was a wonderful group to spend the day with and Ricky was friendly & very knowledgeable about the island. We left the cruise ship terminal Welcome Center where Ricky picked us up and headed down Banyan Tree Drive through the town of Hilo and on to Rainbow Falls. Ricky had been there before he picked us up and he said that the recent rain had made it to be flowing well. He was right. The falls were a beautiful sight.

 

From there we continued on to Akatsuka Orchid Gardens. Even Steve was impressed by the lovely display of orchids & other Hawaiian flowers which are shipped all over the world.

 

 

The famous $20,000 orchid was on display in the gift shop.

 

Next stop: Volcano National Park.

[Sunny AZ Girl]

Volcano National Park

 

Volcano National Park was probably 20 minutes further up the road. Along the way Ricky entertained us with stories of his childhood in the Philippines and how he came to Hawaii. He pointed out native plants and explained how the wild boar had come to live in the park area, actually becoming a bit of a problem there. I was not the least bit bored by this chatter and learned a lot more than if we had gone on our own this day.

 

As we climbed in altitude toward the park I was impressed at how lush the landscape appeared. For some reason I envisioned the park to be barren and devoid of vegetation. Indeed, there are areas that have been decimated due to the lava flows and the acid rain from the toxic gases that escape continuously from the volcano, but the majority of the park is green and rich with a wide variety of plant & animal life.

 

I can understand why I got the impression of the barren nature of the park. As I look over my own pictures they are heavy in the dramatic landscapes the volcano has formed in the last few years, many devoid of any living materials. Our first stop was the steam vents, where native women once cooked food in a natural cooking system.

 

Next was the Jaggar Museum. Here we were able to overlook the vast crater of an active volcano. The shift of the tectonic plates connecting the entire Pacific Rim with the horrific earthquake that devastated vast areas of Japan two months before had caused the flow of lava to stop. From the Jaggar Museum we were able to overlook the Halema`uma`u Crater, from which fumes and ash rise like a plume from a huge wild fire. The crater contains a lava lake which has been rising and falling, sometimes spilling into the crater from one of two vents. However, we could see no lava that day and there is currently no lava flowing and no lava spilling into the ocean. The sight of the fog rising from an active volcano was still thrilling.

 

The museum was interesting and worth some time spent inside. This is where the seismic activity is recorded. I would have loved to have seen what those squiggles looked like two months previously on the day of the Japan earthquake.

 

From there we stopped at the Kilauea Iki Crater. This vast reach of barren land is more of what I had as my original vision of the park. However, like a mountain lake it is surrounded by a vast, green forest. We could see people hiking on the floor of the crater below and they looked like ants, giving perspective to the size of the area affected by this one volcano and the massive forces projected when it comes alive.

[vbmom87]

Ginny I don't personally know you but through your review and logging into CC many times a day just to see if you have posted anything new, Sheila

 

 

Sheila, do you know you can subscribe to any thread and you will get an email notification when a new post has been submitted on the threads you are following. Go to "thread tools" and select "subscribe" and then choose how often you want to be notified. That way you don't have to keep opening CC to check, unless of course you want to.

[Sunny AZ Girl]

On to the Thurston Lava Tube! I had anticipated that this part of the tour would be more physically challenging for me as from previous reports I knew it would include steps and some uneven ground. I was determined to walk through the lava tube so I made sure to grab my cane from the van as I got out. I was more concerned about uneven footing than anything. There were also many steps leading down and the cane helped here, too. I was especially glad I had it as the path to the Lava Tube was uneven, but the scenery lovely and I would have hated to miss it. The forest was deep and rich with interesting plant life.

 

 

We arrived at the lava tube and saw that it was well lighted.. The path was very uneven, wet and slippery but I was able to navigate it by taking my time. One couple in our group did turn back. They were concerned about her knees and falling. Soon another group passed us. They all had walking sticks provided by their tour operator. That was a nice touch and would be a great benefit for a wide range of people.

 

The unlighted section was ahead of where we could exit, but it was really, really dark and I had no desire to enter that part at all! I did notice there were three flashlights lying outside the dark portion, presumably left there by the park service for anyone to use. I had visions of all sorts of critters lurking in the shadows ready to grab me, although I am (almost) sure there is not anything to really fear except a bump on the head from a low hanging piece of lava.

 

The path back to the parking lot was not as steep as the path down, but I still took my time and arrived back to the meeting spot without incident. I wasn’t even the last one back.

 

We continued on to the Chain O’ Craters Road. Ricky explained that due to road closures because of toxic fumes we would be taking an alternate route from his original plan. Since I had no idea what the original plan was it was fine with me. That is one thing nice about the tour today. I did not have to plan a route, let alone an alternative route.

 

Along the road we came upon an area where the lava had flowed over the entire landscape in 1974. It was an ocean of rough, jagged black rocks. In the ruin of the landscape a lone sign of life appeared among the volcanic rocks and I marveled how anything could grow here.

 

We lingered here awhile and raised a toast to the newlyweds and the anniversary couple in the group. Ricky had provided a nice red wine to toast the couples. It was a local wine and very good. I don’t know the name of it, so I am hoping here that someone in our group who does sees this and provides me with that information. Red wine usually gives me a headache, but this one did not.

[Sunny AZ Girl]

Mac Nut Company and the Black Sand Beaches of Hilo

 

 

Next on our list of places to visit was the Mauna Loa Macadamia Nut Company. From here Mac nuts in all flavors are distributed throughout the islands to sell to tourists like us, but they are freshest here. We were not going to turn down fresh macadamia nuts so we bought a 6 pack to bring home. We liked the dark chocolate covered the best. Of course, the toffee covered nuts were pretty good, too.

 

Here we had a chance to grab a bite of lunch. I wasn’t sure if we would have time to eat on the tour, so Bob & Cindy had ordered sandwiches from room service before we left. While they enjoyed their sandwiches we ordered cold sandwiches from the snack bar, and macadamia ice cream. It took a little time away from looking around the facility. We had a half hour and I would have liked at least 45 minutes, but we had to move on.

 

On the way back to Hilo dark rain clouds came down from the mountain and we had a hard shower. It rained the entire time we were driving, but stopped as soon as we reached our next destination. Nice timing!

 

Richardson Black Sand Beach is a lovely park donated to the city of Hilo by the Richardson family. We did not linger there, but I could have easily been tempted to spend a little more time in the lovely garden. As unique as it was the black sand did not appeal to me as much as the white sand beaches of other locations when I want a relaxing beach day.

 

 

 

Ricky had us back to the ship in plenty of time. It was a good tour and we did get to see the highlights of Hilo and the Volcano National Park. I would have loved to have had more time in a couple of places, but without being kept on track with the tour we would have missed a lot. So, now we have one more reason to return to Hilo in the future.

 

After returning to the ship I took what was becoming my regular balcony nap. What a life!

 

We met with Bob & Cindy for dinner around 7 PM at the Skyline Restaurant. We had such a wonderful dinner there our first night we were hoping to repeat the experience. I had tried to make reservations in advance for Angela & Chelsea’s section, but found that you can only make reservations for the specialty restaurants. When we arrived there was a wait, so we decided to take the first available table. We should have waited. This was the only time we had a poor experience with a POA crewmember. The waiter that night did not appear to have an assistant. Perhaps he was overworked, but he never once told us his name and only grunted when asked a question. This was such a different experience from our other experiences on the ship and we were quite surprised. The service was very slow also and we barely made it to the 9 PM show. I was willing to give him the benefit of the doubt and figured he was just too busy, but we ran into him at the Aloha Cafe at lunch a few days later and he was still very surely, would not even look at us when we asked him a question & never removed any dishes from our table, even though we had them stacked on the side. However, I want to emphasize that he was the only person about whom we can complain. Everyone else was wonderful and that says a lot when you think about the large number of crew members on this ship.

 

We did make it to the show that night, although a few minutes late. It was the Second City Comedy Show and it was hilarious.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

Here are the rest of the Freestyle Daily Highlights for this day:

 

Hula & Tahitian Class - 3:30 PM

Fresh Orchid Lei Class - 4:30 PM

Beatles Salute with Toby Beau - 8:00 PM

Shout it Out TV Trivia - 8:15 PM

Country Line Dancing - 8:30 PM

Karaoke - 9:15 PM

Tribute to Great American Composers with Chuck Perry on the piano - 9:00 PM

Comedy Showtime: The Second City - 7:00 & 9:00 PM

Dancing with the American Stars - 10:15 PM

 

The rest of my Hilo pictures are here.

 

Coffee anyone? Tomorrow we tour the Kona Coast on our own.

[twobuckbear]

Thaks for your "fin work "on this. My wife and I have these discussions 'fore and after but never put them down for the benefit of others. However, some secrets need to guarded I suppose...but not in this case. Thanks

[WeRockChalkKU]

Love the info! Thanks for sharing as it will be useful when we go.

[Sunny AZ Girl]

Thaks for your "fin work "on this. My wife and I have these discussions 'fore and after but never put them down for the benefit of others. However, some secrets need to guarded I suppose...but not in this case. Thanks

 

Love the info! Thanks for sharing as it will be useful when we go.

Mahalo to both of you. I am glad you are enjoying the review.

[Raison]

So enjoying your review and the photos! The turtle shots are great, what an experience to be so close to one.

Glad you enjoyed Trilogy, I loved my day with them as well.

[TSUmom]

You have me daydreaming of my past visits and my upcoming trip to the islands. You give so much detail that I feel like we were there too!!! Keep it coming...and again thanks for taking the time to do it!!!

[Sunny AZ Girl]

So enjoying your review and the photos! The turtle shots are great, what an experience to be so close to one.

Glad you enjoyed Trilogy, I loved my day with them as well.

Yes, Trilogy was a good experience. Steve said he felt as if it was the best boat snorkel tour we have ever done and we have done quite a few.

 

You have me daydreaming of my past visits and my upcoming trip to the islands. You give so much detail that I feel like we were there too!!! Keep it coming...and again thanks for taking the time to do it!!!

Mahalo, I know you will have a great trip.