Jan 2016 World Cruise live report

[2552phxcrzr]

At the moment we are planning to hike Diamond Head, but your walk would make a good alternative if that doesn't work out.

[Silver Sweethearts]

Warmest Aloha and welcome to the beautiful Valley Isle of Maui, Mr./Mrs. Waynetor and Insignia guests and crew.

Edited June 8, 2016 by Silver Sweethearts

[Waynetor]

This port holds special memories for us as we spent a week in nearby Ka’anapali on the first vacation we took after getting married.* We have been back twice on cruises.*

 

Lahaina means “merciless sun” which is very appropriate considering today’s weather.* What a beautiful day to visit a beautiful island - almost pure sunshine near the coast with puffy clouds over the mountains with a high temp around 28c/82f.* It is a very compact town that is easily explored on foot.* The tender ride in takes 5 - 10 minutes.* Near the dock is a massive Banyan Tree, considered the center of the city, this huge, very wide tree occupies an entire block and serves as the symbol of the town.* The tree which is the largest Banyan in the US is said to be over 400 years old.* Wandering along Front St. area there are a number of historical buildings.*

 

Some options: The soft sand beaches are great in Ka’anapali - you can rent chairs, snorkel equipment, water sports and some places have drink specials from 3 to 5 in the afternoon. Whalers Village is a shopping mall in the area.* There is a small Whalers Museum there ($3 admission) which is quite interesting.* There is a $1 shuttle from Lahaina.

 

Hāna Highway is a great drive but a real rush to do on a cruise day with the limited time.* Haleakalā National Park is quite special mainly due to its massive crater making it a very different experience than the volcanic park on the Big Island.* When we drove up there on our prior vacation it was clear skies when we went up but coming back down we drove through the clouds, sort of like driving through fog.

Tours on catamarans or in a semi-submersible sub are popular for those that need more time at sea.*

 

The Sugar Cane Train, officially known as Lahaina Ka’anapali Railroad, is the only remaining train in the whole of Hawaii.* It offers 40-minute trips in open-air coaches pulled by vintage steam locomotives between Lahaina and Ka’anapali.*

 

Guides and map are available at the visitors centre in the Old Lahaina Courthouse.* A self-guided tour map is available with information on 31 sites.* On the north side of the Baldwin House there is a town map showing walking tours with 65 locations marked.*

 

Since we have toured the island previously, being a tender port Freda stayed on the ship and I did what we did last last time (2009) and that is to just walk around the area adjacent to the pier to take in its beauty.

 

There were several places offering tourist information but in most cases they were just there to sell tours.* Some of the highlights in town are the 1834 Baldwin House ($5 admission) made of stone, coral and lumber for an early Reverend and missionary, next to it is the 1834 Masters Reading Room which made of stone and coral and is now a store.* Most of the stores along Front street cater to tourist.* I love going through the very interesting art galleries - the majority of the art is done locally and is based on local themes.* Small prints of some start around $30 but I did see some originals around $30,000 - I sure wish Oceania would send a buyer here next time they are redoing a ship - In my humble opinion the stuff on board is crap to what I saw in town today but only some people agree with me.* Since we downsized from a 4 bedroom house to a condo not too long ago I still have more art than I have room for - I could have easily filled a home today if it were not for the prices.* Ship guest seemed to make up only a small percent of tourist in town.* There are a number of nice looking eating establishments on both sides of the road.* It was tough but I managed to keep my money in my pocket except for several Mikes Hard Lemonade for $2 each.

 

Yesterday there was a Ruth's Chris Steakhouse across the road from where we docked - the 1 here in town is about a 10 minute walk north just about the end of the shopping area - just a bit passed it the area become residential but includes the 1833 US Seaman Hospitals - it was built at the Kings request about a mile away from the religious centre as not everything going on there would be approved by the church.

 

I saw a group on Segways in the area and also saw a bicycle rental shop on 1 of the side streets so they are additional ways to see the town and area.

 

Just beyond that at the corner of Front and Kenuil you can make a left and a pathway leads to the start of the local beach.* There were a lot of locals and other tourist there but I did not see anyone from the ship - there is some tree shade but no services - some very nice homes face the beach.* The water is very shallow and there is some coral and swimming looked to be not too bad, the sand while not wonderful powder was good enough.* I walked along there until the next entrance way that led to the Tahina Jido Mission - looks just like some of the temples we saw in southern Asia and across the road from the Mission was an old graveyard all in sand - about the only plant in the graveyard was an appropriate dead palm tree.***

 

If you go inland a street or 2 from Front Street a lot of the shopping is geared more towards locals or the shops are large.* I saw a larger Guess store and a Tom Hilfiger as example.* I was told a few days ago the the once big chain in Hawaii - Hilo Hatti was out of business but there was still an outlet store here - did not see any in 2 previous ports.

 

The only entertainment tonight was a deck party - the house band played for an hour and some of the CD staff sang to the songs while a couple dozen people danced and a few dozen more sat around taking it in. - Nice warm night for it.

 

I'm looking forward to a small group tour I have booked with 11 other shipmates for tomorrow in Kauai.* We have 2 vans of 6 booked. The tour is with Kauai Photo Tours called Drive & Walking Tour East and North Shore:

To start we take the free shuttle called the Anchor Cove Shopping Center Shuttle which will take us to the shopping center where at 9AM we met our driver with the marked van with "Kauai Photo Tours" in front of the ABC Store.

This is a 5.5 hour, up to 12 different locations that covers the east through north shores of Kauai. Their description: This is the Tour to take to see as many different places as possible and if you are new to the island wanting to learn your way around. Or, if you've been here before but just want to see, walk around, enjoy and photograph some of the most Beautiful, Secluded and Lush settings found anywhere in Hawaii (or in the World for that matter), located throughout these famous East and North sides of the Garden Isle. You will get to explore and photograph each location including many off-the-beaten-path gorgeous settings. Snacks and Drinks included.

 

Today while we sitting around waiting for a tender back to the ship an older gentleman in a sea captain uniform was sitting on a bench near the wharf when a young man walked up and sat down.* The young man had spiked hair and each spike was a different colour.... green, red, orange, blue, and yellow.* After a while the young man noticed that the captain was staring at him.

"What's the matter old timer, never done anything wild in your life?

The old captain replied, "Got drunk once and married a parrot.* I was just wondering if you were my son!"*

 

Today’s thought for the day - I wonder if Chinese tourists get upset when they buy a souvenir from America and find out it was made in China.

[Waynetor]

The island of Maui is the 2nd largest of the Hawaiian Islands at 1,883sq km (727.2sq mi).* Maui's diverse landscapes are the result of a unique combination of geology, topography, and climate.* Each volcanic cone in the chain of the Hawaiian Islands is built of dark, iron-rich/quartz-poor rocks, which poured out of thousands of vents as highly fluid lava, over a period of millions of years.* Several of the volcanoes were close enough to each other that lava flows on their flanks overlapped one another, merging into a single island.* Maui is such a "volcanic doublet," formed from two shield volcanoes that overlapped forming an isthmus between them.* The older, western volcano form the peaks of the West Maui Mountains (in Hawaiian, Mauna Kahalawai) has been eroded considerably and is cut by numerous steep valleys formed by runoff.* PuʻuKukui is the highest of the peaks at 1,764m (5,788 ft).* The larger, younger volcano to the south-east, Haleakalā, rises to more than 3,000m (10,000ft) above sea level, and measures 8km (5mi) from seafloor to summit, making it one of the world's highest mountains.* The eastern flanks of both volcanoes are cut by deeply incised valleys and steep-sided ravines that run down slope to the rocky, windswept shoreline.* The large fertile isthmus between the volcanoes gives Maui its Nickname “The Valley Isle”.* From its dreamy beaches to its scenic natural wonders, there are plenty of reasons why Maui has been voted “Best Island” by readers of Conde Nast Traveler for 19 years.*

 

The big tourist spots in Maui include the Hāna Highway 109km (68mi) east coast highway through lush tropical rainforest with great views over sheer cliffs (it’s very winding and narrow and passes over 59 bridges, 46 of which are only one lane wide), plus Haleakalā National Park with its massive crater 915m (3,000ft) deep and 34km (21mi) around at top of the volcano, and the town of Lahaina.*

 

Lahaina is located on the west coast.* Its full time population is around 12,000.* Lahaina was the Hawaiian capital (1794-1840), the playground for royalty and a major whaler's center at the height of the whaling era (1843–1860). Today it is bustling with tourists visiting the activities, restaurants and shops.

[Waynetor]

Kauaʻi or Kauai is geologically the oldest of the main Hawaiian Islands.* Nicknamed the Garden Island, it is covered with lush greenery and tropical plants.* With an area of 1,458sq km (562sq mi), it is the 4th largest of the islands in the Hawaiian archipelago. The highest peak on this mountainous island is Kawaikini at 1,598m (5,243ft).* The 2nd highest peak is Mount Wai’ale’ale near the center of the island, 1,569m (5,148ft) above sea level.* One of the wettest spots on earth, with an annual average rainfall of 1,170cm (460in) is located on the east side of Mount Waiʻaleʻale.* The high annual rainfall has eroded deep valleys in the central mountains, carving out canyons with many scenic waterfalls.* In particular Waimea Canyon, also known as the Grand Canyon of the Pacific, is approximately 16km (10mi) long and up to 900m (3,000ft) deep, located on the western side of Kauaʻi.* Waimea is Hawaiian for "reddish water", a reference to the erosion of the canyon's red soil.

 

The Napali Coast is an iconic, mountainous shoreline on Kauai’s North Shore featuring panoramic views of the vast Pacific Ocean, velvet green chiseled cliffs and cascading waterfalls plummeting into deep, narrow valleys.* It is best viewed from helicopters.

Kauaʻ is home to 3 of the 5 National Tropical Botanical Gardens in the US.

 

In 1778, Captain James Cook arrived at Waimea Bay, the first European known to have reached here.* He named the Hawaiian Islands after his patron the Earl of Sandwich.

 

Tourism is the main business with about 84% of visitors coming from continental US.* In the past, sugar plantations were Kauaʻi's most important industry but there have been replaced by various crops (mainly coffee and fruits) that love the fertile soil and moisture. This scenery packed island offers over 90km (55mi) of white sandy coastline to dramatic coastlines, Kauai offers the perfect island escape.

 

While a lot of resorts, condos and timeshare have been built in the last 30 years, the local rule is that nothing can be built taller than a coconut tree.

 

Kaua’i has been the setting for over 100 movies and TV shows including South Pacific, Blue Hawaii, Raiders of the Lost Arc, Jurassic Park, Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides, and The Descendants.

 

Cruise ships dock at the Nawilwili Harbor.* There is not a lot there but it is used mainly as a starting point for tours.

[Waynetor]

The Hawaiian Islands, like the other Pacific Islands we visited are “tiny specks in a vast expanse of ocean” but we have enjoyed them all.

 

A little while after we docked we were joined by NCL Pride of America here today – I believe this will be the last time we see another cruise ship on the voyage.

 

It is not possible to drive completely around this very mountainous island.* Basically from the port area you can drive for about an hour and half along up the east coast and part way along the north coast or an hour and half in the opposite direction along the south coast.*

 

The only other time we were here we did a tour mostly along the south coast that included the ‘spouting horn’ blow hole and Walmea Canyon which is as magnificent as the photos that are often seen.* Following that tour we went from the port over to the nearby beach in front of Marriott that was quite nice and accessible. You can wander the beautiful grounds of the hotel and use the beach but the lounge chairs are for hotel guest only.

 

Kauai is more laid back than the other Hawaiian Islands we have visited.* The population is only around 60,000.* People don’t seem to drive too fast and honking horns is considered rude.* Kauai is home to thousands of wild chickens.* We did manage to see some Hawaiian Goose the state bird but no Humpback whales, the state mammal.* The state flower, the Yellow hibiscus is quite common as are other colourful hibiscus.

 

The price of our tour today was per vehicle and worked out to be about $124 each.* A shuttle took us to a small plaza only about a mile away from the port. Besides the half dozen or so stores there was a place to book private tours.* We were divided into 2 groups and our group headed off to the operators location - there we settled our account and had the opportunity to buy any equipment we needed or photo prints.

 

From there we headed up the east coast and would eventually go almost to the end of the road along the north shore.* Our guided pointed out several celebrity properties and where several movies had been filmed including the hotel where Elvis did Blue Hawaii - the hotel was severely damaged in a 1992 hurricane and has been slowly rotting since - it is getting close to being torn down for redevelopment.

 

The weather forecast was for a 30% chance of rain and a high of around 27c/80f.* Our guide said don't pay any attention to rain forecast here - It is almost always raining somewhere, the percent just means as you move around there is a chance you will get wet - it worked out for us - no rain until we pulled the lines and started heading out to sea.***

 

We drove out to the road which skirts the east coast and then north coast, seeing beautiful blue seas, sandy beaches and incredible rock formations along the shore as well as cloud shrouded mountains. The guide told us some background on various parts of the island, and since I was the only 1 that had been here before, we all knew a lot more about Kauai than we had at the beginning.* At each stop the guide tried to show us ideal places for taking great photographs.* He also was very helpful in giving tips on use of the features some of the group had.* The places we stopped were not the typical stops made by many tour groups but were more selected for the photo opportunities.*

 

One place near Princeville we stopped at we could see about 6 plunging waterfalls all close together.* Of course, just when you think it can’t get any better, near Wainiha Bay we climbed down a hill to a beach where large waves were crashing over the lava rock shoreline.* There are very few roads other than the one along the coast - the only place much off the main road we went was to the Wailua River and the Opaekaa Falls - not as high as some of the others but more water volume - down rive there are a lot of kayaks exploring the scenery.*

 

Then scenic views along the way were wonderful (too many to stop at the all) and the villages were great.* Some of the coastal scenes were absolutely beautiful.* Everywhere we looked, there was another fantastic photo opportunity.* Our tour guide was engaging, funny, and knowledgeable about Kauai and photography. The entire excursion was very enjoyable.

 

During his talk from the bridge just after we hit the open sea the Captain discussed our upcoming weather - we are to expect seas of 2-3m (6-10ft) this evening but it should not last too long.*

 

Anyone familiar with the Hawaiian Islands may be wondering about our itinerary - logically we should have done Hawaii, Maui, Ohau, and then Kauai but after Hawaii we sailed past Maui to Oahu and then backtracked to Maui after which we sailed past Oahu on our way to Kauai - this was the original plan - not sure why but may of had to do with other ship schedules.

 

Some passengers are getting off here and rejoining the ship in LA.* This needs to be pre-arranged with Oceania. Some are staying in Hawaii*to see more of the islands while only missing our upcoming 5 sea days and others are heading back to the mainland for some time there.*

 

Kauai is very popular for scenic helicopter rides.* A friend of ours was here last year and loved the flight they did.* They gave us a story they got from their ship:

In the area where the tours start there was a booth for signing up.* An elderly couple was talking it over.* Apparently the gentleman had always wanted to go on a helicopter ride.* He said to his wife “I’m 85 years old if I don’t go now, I don’t know if I ever will get another chance."* "I know Morris, but that ride is $200 and $200 is $200” she pointed out.

The pilot at the booth overheard the couple and said “Folks I’ll make you a deal.* I will take both of you for a ride.* If you can stay quiet for the entire ride and not say a word, I won’t charge you.* But if you say one word, it’s $200.”

Morris and his wife agreed and soon they were on their way.* The pilot did all kinds of fancy manoeuvres, but not a word was heard.* He did his dare devil tricks over and over as they flew directly towards the coastal cliffs, but still not a word.* When time was up and they landed the pilot turned to Morris and said, “Wow, I did everything I could to get you to yell out, but you didn't.* I’m impressed!”

Morris replied, “Well I was going to say something when Esther fell out but $200 is $200.”

 

Today’s thought of the day – The Ocean stirs the heart, inspires the imagination and brings eternal joy to the soul - Wyland

[2552phxcrzr]

Thanks, for the description of the photo tour, Wayne. Sounds like a great way to enjoy exploring the island.

[Waynetor]

We continue to live the good life.* Today is the start of 5 glorious (hopefully) full days at sea.

 

When the captain said it would be “bumpy” last night, he was severely underestimating the ship’s action.* We rock and rolled all evening and into the night but somewhere in the middle of the night it calmed down.* By breakfast time we were moving again.* At the noon announcement the captain said we should except some movement most of the time from here to LA with a sun/cloud mix and a high temp in the mid 20'sC or upper 70'sF.

 

We started our 5 day trip with a muster drill - once again we were reminded of the warning call signaling to go to muster, once there how to put on a life jacket and once that is done to sit and wait for further instructions.

 

We had, as it will be for the next few days, 2 lectures today.* It was too windy up on deck 11 to use the sport area but we managed to fill our time just nicely.* This evening and tomorrow are the welcome back O Club parties.*

 

This segment has been terrible for nightly entertainment.* Comedian show tonight (done in a funny way but did 4 tricks in 45 minutes that I had all seen done a few times), last night was a Broadway singer (nice for those that like it) but the night prior was just the deck party - basically the band that normally plays in Horizon moved to the open deck, the 2 nights before were movies, the night before that was just the on board pianist that plays in Martinis moving to the main lounge, and the 2 nights before that were regular CD staff doing the shows (good but not what is expected and finally the night before that the wonderful comedian had to share his time with 1 of the CD staff singing - If this segment was my 1st O cruise I would be very unimpressed.*

 

I met a fellow passenger today that had their leg in a cast.* He told me a bit about what had happened.* I asked about his experience with the ship’s doctor. He told me with some assistance he made it to the doctor’s office “I told the doctor I broke my leg in two places. He told me to quit going to those places”.* –Thanks to Henny Youngman

 

Today’s thought of the day - Travel and change of place impart new vigor to the mind. – Seneca 4 BC - 65 AD

[Waynetor]

I woke up in the middle of the night thinking about the cruise and what I posted last night - I said the show was a comedian that did 4 tricks - in fact he was a magician that did tricks and added comedy to expand the time each trick took. Now I can relax the rest of the day.

[Waynetor]

As we head in a north-east direction, the weather and sea conditions continued from yesterday - only difference was a couple brief showers around lunch time.

 

The wind was once again too strong up on deck 11 for any sports.* We went to the second O club party tonight - a near full house as most on the ship have sailed with O before.* Very good ventriloquist show tonight.*

 

Each cruise is a microcosm of humanity, a snapshot of life.* With any cruise you are mixed with a random group of people for the time period of that cruise - for those of us doing the full voyage we have been blessed for the most part with a wonderful group of like minded passengers.

 

We had lunch today in shade out by the pool.* An elderly (ie at least 10 years more than whatever age we are) couple joined us.* The talk got around to how much things have changed in their life.* The husband pointed out that he was always taught to respect my elders, but it keeps getting harder to find one.*

 

Today’s thought of the day - Cruise ships are the paths of discovery.

[Waynetor]

Another 1 hour time change over night - now only 4 hours behind home.

 

As we slowly move north-east, the temp is dropping a degree or 2 each day. Today was more cloud than sun and there was a stiff breeze coming face on to the ship - the pool deck area was not getting much use. Once again decks 5 and 11 closed due to the wind. With the ships movement, it's good the show tonight does not involve any dancing.

 

I was adding up the total pictures I've taken so far - a bit over 15,600 which is close to what I did on my earlier 96 day vacation so I'm slowing down a bit. I've deleted some, but probably a bit over 13,000 still to go through when I get home - I'd love to do a photo book - I'd take forever trying to decide on what to include. I talked to 1 person that has done over 36,000 photos and I'm sure there are others in that kind of range.

 

One of tablemates tonight spent 10 minutes talking about a recent adventure he had been on without hardly taking a breath. At the end he apologized saying that when he thinks about the trip, he just tends to ramble on. A single lady at the table that had previously mentioned she was divorced said “it’s OK, "I do" is the longest sentence.”

 

Today’s ‘Kindness’ thoughts for the day - I expect to pass through life but once. If, therefore, there be any kindness I can show, or any good thing I can do any fellow being, let me do it now, for I shall not pass this way again. William Penn

“The smallest act of kindness is worth more than the grandest intention.” - Oscar Wilde

“Kindness is the language which the deaf can hear and the blind can see.”- Mark Twain

“We think too much and feel too little. More than machinery, we need humanity. More than cleverness, we need kindness and gentleness.” - Charlie Chaplin

“If you judge people, you have no time to love them.” - Mother Teresa

Edited June 13, 2016 by Waynetor

[Waynetor]

Got some good news late yesterday - we had moved to a handicap cabin for the Sydney to LA segments and just last night found out we can stay there until Miami.* Hard to explain why it takes so long to determine if the cabin was reserved or not but it has worked out.

 

Today was pretty much solid cloud in the morning but the sun made an afternoon appearance. The high temp struggled to reach 21c (70f) without the windchill.* We were to have a county fair at 11am up on deck 9 but that had to be moved down into the Insignia lounge due to the wind - a bit on the crowded side but it worked out as best it could all things considered.

 

Dinner in Polo Grill tonight - a perfect night for a bowl of hot onion soup. I requested an end cut for the prime rib and enjoyed that very much.

 

One of our tablemates tonight was celebrating her 95th birthday.* Her husband arranged for her favourite – a chocolate cake which had 95 candles on top all in flame.* As the candles burned down she looked at her husband not looking happy at all. “Don’t you like it?” he asked.* “It’s not a matter of not liking it”, she replied sharply.* “Are you trying to kill me, if I try to blow all those candles out, I’m going to have a heart attack”.

One of our other tablemates caught all the action on her ipad.* When she showed the birthday gal the photos she exclaimed “O my gosh, I look like I’m a 100.”

 

Today’s thought for the day - All of us who can cruise are blessed in the things we are able to do.

[Floridiana]

 

Today’s thought for the day - All of us who can cruise are blessed in the things we are able to do.

 

How true!

[Waynetor]

We had our 3rd time change last night since leaving Hawaii - getting to the point when we turn on the TV in the evening it is not all the reruns they have been doing overnight.

 

For most of this voyage the sunsets have been between 5:30 and 6:30 but tonight sunset was after 8pm - unfortunately the extra daylight did little to improved the warmth. This morning started out overcast and the skies slowly cleared but the seas continued to be on the bumpy side - 2 to 3.5m (7-10ft.) with a cool breeze.

 

I cashed in a few hundred more big O points today - I think I now have enough T-shirts to last a life time.* They keep telling us they will have some new items being received tomorrow for the last redemption day in Key West. A lady won over $2,500 at Bingo today.

 

On a 180-day journey with about 90 sea days I've had the luxury of time needed to share a little of Freda's and my story with you.* I am glad many of you like it—it warms our heart.* Thanks for following us on this grand voyage.

 

Today’s thought for the day - A vacation has three stages: the anticipation, the execution, and the recollection. - Mary Miller 1834-1878

[Wisewoman8]

I just want to let you know how much enjoyment I've had reading your posts.

 

My granddaughter and I will be on th RTW 2017. Your descriptions, and Cynthia's, have helped so much in planning and giving a valuable preview. I'm astounded and grateful for the goodness and helpfulness of those I have so far only met via emails and posts.

[RJB]

Quite an interesting travel log. I have enjoyed following it for the last 5 + months. Great job. Safe rest of trip and home. :):):)

[Emma Chisit]

Got some good news late yesterday - we had moved to a handicap cabin for the Sydney to LA segments and just last night found out we can stay there until Miami.* Hard to explain why it takes so long to determine if the cabin was reserved or not but it has worked out.

Good to hear it.:)

[Waynetor]

The City of Los Angeles, often known by its initials L.A., is the most populous city in the state of California and next to New York it is the 2nd most populous in the US.

 

Los Angeles was founded on September 4, 1781, by Spanish governor Felipe de Neve.* It became a part of Mexico in 1821 following the Mexican War of Independence.* In 1848, at the end of the Mexican-American War, Los Angeles and the rest of California were purchased as part of the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, thereby becoming part of the United States.

 

Nicknamed the City of Angels, Los Angeles is a global city, with strengths in business, international trade, entertainment, culture, media, fashion, science, sports, technology, education, medicine and research.

 

Los Angeles has both large both flat area as well as hilly areas as the eastern end of the Santa Monica Mountains stretches from downtown to the Pacific Ocean.

 

The greater Los Angeles area region has a population of near 15 million people as of 2010.

 

The city hosted the Summer Olympic Games in both 1932 and 1984.* Important landmarks in Los Angeles include Walt Disney Concert Hall, the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angeles, the Kodak Theatre, the Griffith Observatory, the Getty Center, the Getty Villa, the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, Grauman’s Chinese Theatre, the Hollywood Sign, the Bradbury Building, Disneyland, Hollywood Boulevard, the Capitol Records Building, Los Angeles City Hall, the Hollywood Bowl, the Theme Building, the Watts Tower, as well as the Staples Center and Dodger Stadium.

 

The average high temperature in June is 26C (78F).

[Waynetor]

Today marks the beginning of the final segment of this journey and this has been an amazing adventure for us. We are docked the World Cruise Center in San Pedro.* During the course of this 16 day last leg of the World Cruise we will sail from Los Angeles through the Panama Canal and on to Miami.* About a month or so ago they announced that we would go to Puerto Valarta instead of Acapulco on this segment, well at 6pm they announced that we are back to the original schedule.

 

Today was a very nice weather day - mostly sunny and a high around 23C or mid 70'sF.

 

No passengers staying on for the next segment (in-transit) could leave the ship until all those disembarking had cleared the ship.* We got the clearance a bit after 9am.* From the port to downtown LA it is about 40 km (25mi).* A shuttle was available to the The Aquarium of the Pacific in Long Beach.*

 

We have been planning to go the Aquarium since getting on the ship but did not know about the shuttle - unfortunately it was not accessible so we spent $25 each way to do what everyone else could do free.* According to its promotional material it features 19 Major Habitats and 32 Focus Exhibits and is home to more than 11,000 ocean animals, representing nearly 500 species, the Aquarium celebrates the planet’s largest and most diverse body of water: the Pacific Ocean.* This world-class aquarium, explores the waters of Southern California and Baja, the Northern Pacific, and the Tropical Pacific. In addition to the 3 main galleries highlighting the major regions of the Pacific, the Aquarium features exhibits outdoors, including Shark Lagoon, the Lorikeet Forest aviary, and Our Watersheds: Pathway to the Pacific.

 

We had seen the beautiful Lorikeet flying around in trees in some of the mainland Australian ports but here they are more used to humans and can land right on you.* If you don’t see them coming and one lands on your head it can be a bit of a startle but no harm.* You can buy a small cup of a sweet liquid to feed them to help get up close.*

 

Seeing many of the animals here brings back memories of snorkelling on this cruise and many other vacations we have done such as the Magellanic Penguins in the Falkland Is. or the Sea Lions, Seals and Sea Otters as we drove along the California coast.

 

We were able to get a 10% AAA discount so that helped a bit. There seemed to be some local by-law that anyone with children around 4 - 6 years old had to take their children there today - most well behaved but some of them have powerful lungs. We have been to quite a few aquariums of various sizes and types but this certainly ranked as one of the very best - just not sure what the Lorikeet are doing in an Aquarium.* We were there for about 3.5 hours. The camera got a great work-got today.

 

Very close to the Aquarium there is are fountains, a war memorial, a lighthouse, restaurants, shopping, boats for dinner cruises, and a clear view of the old Queen Mary cruise ship. We did a bit of exploring before heading back to the ship.

 

The other times we have sailed out of this massive port area it was November or December with the sun setting about the time ship started moving.* Today despite the sun setting much later, we still not have much better views as we headed out to sea due to our late departure.

 

Today’s thought of the day - We’re all so busy chasing the extraordinary, that we forget to stop and be grateful for the ordinary. - Breme Brown

[Floridiana]

And I didn't even know here was an aquarium. :o

[Waynetor]

San Diego is a major city in Southern California, approximately 190km (120mi) south of LA and just north of the border with Mexico.* Despite being close to the drug problems in Mexico, San Diego is a quite safe city.* San Diego is the 6th largest city in the US and 2nd largest in California and is one of the fastest growing US cities.* The city proper has a population of over 1.3 million and the urban area about 3 million.

 

The Presidio (fort) and Mission of San Diego, founded in 1769, formed the first European settlement in what is now California.* The original area, now Old Town San Diego State Historic Park, is a popular tourist site.

 

The city is built around San Diego Bay, a natural harbor and deepwater port.*

 

The largest sectors of San Diego's economy are defence/military, tourism, international trade, and research/manufacturing, respectively.* The economy is influenced by its deepwater port, which includes the only major submarine and shipbuilding yards on the West Coast.* Several major national defence contractors were started and are headquartered in San Diego.* San Diego hosts the largest naval fleet in the world.

 

Elevation goes from sea level to 486m (1,593ft).* There are a lot of flat areas marked by small canyons leaving natural open spaces scattered throughout the city and giving it a hilly geography.* The Cuyamaca Mountains and Laguna Mountains rise to the east of the city, and beyond the mountains are desert areas.

 

San Diego is one of the top-10 best climates in the Farmer’s Almanac and is one of the 2 best summer climates in America as scored by The Weather Channel.* The months of May through September tend to be almost completely dry.* Average high temperature in June is 22C (71F).

Most of the local fauna is quite drought resistant.* San Diego's broad city limits encompass a number of large nature preserves, including Torrey Pines State Reserve, Los Peñasquitos Canyon Preserve, and Mission Trails Regional Park. Torrey Pines State Reserve and a coastal strip continuing to the north constitute the only location where the rare species of Torrey Pine grow.* These areas, along with the canyons, make San Diego a haven for outdoor enthusiast.

[Waynetor]

With over 300 days of sunshine per year, the weather today was predictably perfect.

 

This is our first cruise here but we spent a couple days here just before Christmas in 2003.* Then we had very enjoyable time at both the zoo and the Old Town (12 acre park where first Spanish settlement on US west coast was).

 

A great way for passengers to get an overview of San Diego’s top tourist spots is the Old Town Trolley Tour.* Passengers can conveniently hop aboard at the stop near the front the cruise ship terminal and tour at their leisure, getting on and off the trolley as many times as they wish while making one complete loop of the city.* Only some vehicles are wheelchair accessible.* Anyone using a wheelchair is asked to let them know at least a day ahead – see their web site for details.

 

Tourism is a major industry owing to the city's climate, its beaches, and numerous tourist attractions such as Balboa Park (1,200 acre park currently celebrating 100th anniversary with its 15 museums, 16 different garden areas, the San Diego Zoo and other attractions), Belmont amusement park, San Diego Zoo Safari park, and Sea World San Diego. San Diego's Spanish and Mexican heritage is reflected in the many historic sites across the city, such as Mission San Diego de Alcala and Old Town San Diego State Historic Park (site of first Spanish settlement on the west coast). Annual events in San Diego include Comic Con, the Farmers Insurance OpenGolf tournament, San Diego Pride, the San Diego Black Film Festival, and Street Scene Music Festival. Also, the local craft brewing industry attracts an increasing number of visitors for "beer tours" and the annual San Diego Beer Week in November.* San Diego has been called "America's Craft Beer Capital".* There are some tours that include stops at 3 breweries but the timing was not good for us.

 

The Cruise Ship Terminal is conveniently located in the very heart of the downtown waterfront.* Just north of the terminal is the Maritime Museum which includes several historic ships.* The star of the group is the Star of India (the world’s oldest active sailing ship).* Due to the historic nature of the ships, only some parts are wheelchair friendly.* On the south side of the cruise ship port is where tour boats and ferries leave.**About a 2 minute walk south from the port is the USS Midway, a long-serving US Navy aircraft carrier (active from 1945-1992) that was the largest ship in the world for a decade, housing 4,500 crew members.* There is a museum and tours are available.* Wheelchair users have access to about 60% of the exhibits including various decks of the ship.* Next in line along the water front is the Greatest Generation Monuments and Artworks followed by the 3.3 acre Ruocco Park and then Seaport Village where there is about 70 quaint boutique shops and dining options.**

 

We decided to basically keep close to the waterfront and explore the places in the previous paragraph.* I am not aware of any other place that has such a wide variety of historic ships than what is docked at the Maritime Museum - not huge crowds there but a fair number were checking them out.* The USS Midway was drawing big crowds.* We were able to walk along the dock right up to it and could see large crowds viewing the various decks.* I talked to 1 passenger tonight that said he spent 2.5 hours and could have easily spent more.* There were some WWII vets (and others) on board to answer questions.* At the Greatest Generation Monuments and Artworks the 2 biggest items to see were the very tall statue of the famous sailor kissing the unknown lady upon returning from duty in WWII and the Bob Hope memorial - a statue of Bob talking to statues of various service men with a recording of 1 of his shows playing.

 

There is a wide range of dinning options along the waterfront - everything from Ruth's Chris steakhouse to coffee and danish.* Naturally the shops at Seaport Village are geared to tourist - my favourite once again was the Wyland Gallery.* There are a number of tours available of the harbour area - one of them (Seal Tour) is in a vehicle that does a half hour city tour and then drives into the water for an hour*to where the seals and sea lions are - they have 2 locations to start the tours and 1 is wheelchair accessible.* The local map I picked up had discount coupons for some of the attractions.*

 

The waterfront was mostly very wheelchair friendly - just those places with interlocking stones make for a very bumpy ride.

 

We had a nice sail-away tonight - fully escorted a fair way out of the harbour by multiple coast guard boats with large guns on front.* Each of the channel markers we passed had seals resting on the base.* For over 2 hours we cruised along the coast with good viewing.* Hard to tell for sure when we hit the Mexican border - around the 2 hours mark we passed 5 fishing boats each with 2 very long lines pulling huge nets.* Some people briefly saw some whales then also.

 

Two things that surprised me about San Diego, 1 was that except for the downtown core, there where no tall buildings.* Seems except for downtown, everyone lives in houses instead of tall apartments or condos.* The 2nd thing was the very large smog ring that hung over the city and well down the coast.* It was a brownish haze but not enough to bother our eyes.

 

One of the city’s slogans is “Happiness is calling” – after a very nice day here, it seems very appropriate.

 

Today’s thought for the day - Travel makes a wise man better, and a fool worse. -Thomas Fuller

[LuAnn]

With over 300 days of sunshine per year, the weather today was predictably perfect.

 

This is our first cruise here but we spent a couple days here just before Christmas in 2003.* Then we had very enjoyable time at both the zoo and the Old Town (12 acre park where first Spanish settlement on US west coast was).

 

A great way for passengers to get an overview of San Diego’s top tourist spots is the Old Town Trolley Tour.* Passengers can conveniently hop aboard at the stop near the front the cruise ship terminal and tour at their leisure, getting on and off the trolley as many times as they wish while making one complete loop of the city.* Only some vehicles are wheelchair accessible.* Anyone using a wheelchair is asked to let them know at least a day ahead – see their web site for details.

 

Tourism is a major industry owing to the city's climate, its beaches, and numerous tourist attractions such as Balboa Park (1,200 acre park currently celebrating 100th anniversary with its 15 museums, 16 different garden areas, the San Diego Zoo and other attractions), Belmont amusement park, San Diego Zoo Safari park, and Sea World San Diego. San Diego's Spanish and Mexican heritage is reflected in the many historic sites across the city, such as Mission San Diego de Alcala and Old Town San Diego State Historic Park (site of first Spanish settlement on the west coast). Annual events in San Diego include Comic Con, the Farmers Insurance OpenGolf tournament, San Diego Pride, the San Diego Black Film Festival, and Street Scene Music Festival. Also, the local craft brewing industry attracts an increasing number of visitors for "beer tours" and the annual San Diego Beer Week in November.* San Diego has been called "America's Craft Beer Capital".* There are some tours that include stops at 3 breweries but the timing was not good for us.

 

The Cruise Ship Terminal is conveniently located in the very heart of the downtown waterfront.* Just north of the terminal is the Maritime Museum which includes several historic ships.* The star of the group is the Star of India (the world’s oldest active sailing ship).* Due to the historic nature of the ships, only some parts are wheelchair friendly.* On the south side of the cruise ship port is where tour boats and ferries leave.**About a 2 minute walk south from the port is the USS Midway, a long-serving US Navy aircraft carrier (active from 1945-1992) that was the largest ship in the world for a decade, housing 4,500 crew members.* There is a museum and tours are available.* Wheelchair users have access to about 60% of the exhibits including various decks of the ship.* Next in line along the water front is the Greatest Generation Monuments and Artworks followed by the 3.3 acre Ruocco Park and then Seaport Village where there is about 70 quaint boutique shops and dining options.**

 

We decided to basically keep close to the waterfront and explore the places in the previous paragraph.* I am not aware of any other place that has such a wide variety of historic ships than what is docked at the Maritime Museum - not huge crowds there but a fair number were checking them out.* The USS Midway was drawing big crowds.* We were able to walk along the dock right up to it and could see large crowds viewing the various decks.* I talked to 1 passenger tonight that said he spent 2.5 hours and could have easily spent more.* There were some WWII vets (and others) on board to answer questions.* At the Greatest Generation Monuments and Artworks the 2 biggest items to see were the very tall statue of the famous sailor kissing the unknown lady upon returning from duty in WWII and the Bob Hope memorial - a statue of Bob talking to statues of various service men with a recording of 1 of his shows playing.

 

There is a wide range of dinning options along the waterfront - everything from Ruth's Chris steakhouse to coffee and danish.* Naturally the shops at Seaport Village are geared to tourist - my favourite once again was the Wyland Gallery.* There are a number of tours available of the harbour area - one of them (Seal Tour) is in a vehicle that does a half hour city tour and then drives into the water for an hour*to where the seals and sea lions are - they have 2 locations to start the tours and 1 is wheelchair accessible.* The local map I picked up had discount coupons for some of the attractions.*

 

The waterfront was mostly very wheelchair friendly - just those places with interlocking stones make for a very bumpy ride.

 

We had a nice sail-away tonight - fully escorted a fair way out of the harbour by multiple coast guard boats with large guns on front.* Each of the channel markers we passed had seals resting on the base.* For over 2 hours we cruised along the coast with good viewing.* Hard to tell for sure when we hit the Mexican border - around the 2 hours mark we passed 5 fishing boats each with 2 very long lines pulling huge nets.* Some people briefly saw some whales then also.

 

Two things that surprised me about San Diego, 1 was that except for the downtown core, there where no tall buildings.* Seems except for downtown, everyone lives in houses instead of tall apartments or condos.* The 2nd thing was the very large smog ring that hung over the city and well down the coast.* It was a brownish haze but not enough to bother our eyes.

 

One of the city’s slogans is “Happiness is calling” – after a very nice day here, it seems very appropriate.

 

Today’s thought for the day - Travel makes a wise man better, and a fool worse. -Thomas Fuller

 

of my home town!! :cool: My husband is a docent on the USS Midway and he told me the ship was in town yesterday and that he had some visitors from the ship at the Visitor's Information Booth!! He mentioned that he had visited with a very nice British couple and after they left the people behind them in line said to him..."Don't you know who they are???...they're a famous actress and actor from England"...DH couldn't remember their names but said they were very nice ..do you happen to know who they are?

 

Sorry about the "smog"...it actually drifts down from LA and is not generated here in SD!! ;) ..and you are right...there really are limited tall buildings in SD...part of that is due to restrictions imposed by the CA State Coastal Commission...and part of that is due to the downtown area "dying" around the mid 60's and everyone moving to the "suburbs"..SD is incredibly spread out..from the border to the edge of Camp Pendleton in Oceanside. Glad you enjoyed the sail-out...I think it is one of the top in the world...but then...I am a little bias! :D LuAnn

[Mura]

I was born and raised in L.A. although I have lived in NYC for more years now than I lived there ... getting older doesn't seem to be reversible.

 

But San Diego is one of my favorite places. A high school friend and I (post-college) always drove down to San Diego in the summertime to take in all of the plays put on at the Shakespeare Festival in Balboa Park. And of course we also visited the Zoo. (We did this over two weekends usually, and I really miss it.)

 

I would recommend the Old Globe to cruise passengers if there would be a possibility of seeing a play! But alas, there is not. And it would be hard to get to the Zoo or the Animal Park either.

 

But if you are ever there on a land trip, don't miss these! (Of course, if you don't have a fondness for Shakespeare, they do other productions as well ... but animals lovers should love the Zoo or Park. Wide open spaces for the animals.)

 

Plus it's a beautiful city.

 

On the negative side: About 20 years ago my husband and I picked up my sister's car which was being repaired and upgraded in Tijuana. We drove to our Marriott Hotel and parked the car.

 

By the next morning the brand new hubcabs were already gone ... and it's not as if we'd parked on the street!!

 

But that could have happened just as easily in NYC.

 

Mura

[Waynetor]

Another hour time change last night.

 

Beautiful weather at sea today.* Almost pure sunshine and seas were on the calm side.

 

Re yesterday - I have not heard of any celebrity sightings in San Diego. Personally I would walk past 95% of the 'A' list celebrities and not notice them any more than they would notice me.

 

Three times today I saw whales from the side of the ship - could not see very clear but could see a bit of the body and the spray from their blowhole.* At times we could see the coast of Mexico.

 

At the various sports this afternoon we had the biggest participation of any day on the cruise.

 

This evening started off with the welcome aboard party and tonight we had a special party for the round the world guest up in Horizons. For the first hour some of the CD staff did songs and after that it was just the band - for many of the passengers it was the latest they had stayed up all cruise.

 

A group has been working on a very special quilt featuring ports of call since early in the cruise and tonight it was presented for the first time. It will be sold via draw tickets before the end of the cruise with proceeds going to a crew charity.

 

Today we were down by the customer service desk.* We overheard an individual say that they had just embarked in LA and for future reference was wondering what hours the service desk was open.* The lady helping there told him, "The desk is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week." He responded, "Is that local time or Miami time?"*

 

Today’s thought of the day - Call me Ishmael. Some years ago -- never mind how long precisely - having little or no money in my purse, and nothing particular to interest me on shore, I thought I would sail about a little and see the watery part of the world. It is a way I have of driving off the spleen and regulating the circulation.Whenever I find myself growing grim about the mouth; whenever it is a damp, drizzly November in my soul; whenever I find myself involuntarily pausing before coffin warehouses, and bringing up the rear of every funeral I meet; and especially whenever my hypos get such an upper hand of me, that it requires a strong moral principle to prevent me from deliberately stepping into the street, and methodically knocking people's hats off - then, I account it high time to get to sea as soon as I can. This is my substitute for pistol and ball. With a philosophical flourish Cato throws himself upon his sword; I quietly take to the ship. There is nothing surprising in this. If they but knew it, almost all men in their degree, some time or other, cherish very nearly the same feelings towards the ocean with me." -From Moby Dick by Herman Melville