Our 25th Anniversary Adventure - Baja Mexico & Hawaii on the Inspiration & Splendor

[Jamman54]

Yes, there can be traffic in Honolulu…..

 

 

This is Aloha Stadium, home of the University of Hawaii, and former home of the NFL’s Pro Bowl…..

 

 

 

 

This is the way to Pearl Harbor…..

 

 

We have arrived at the Pearl Harbor Visitor Center. They do not allow bags of any kind into the center. Our driver tells us to leave any bags on the bus, which he will keep locked. If you bring any bags you have to check it into baggage storage for a $5 fee…..

 

 

Our driver has picked up and distributed our tickets for the Arizona Memorial. The time on our ticket is 1:30 pm, so that will give us about two hours to explore……

 

 

Thank goodness our bags are locked on the bus. Look at the line for baggage storage…..

 

 

Here is some site information…..

 

 

 

 

To be continued…..

[James4me]

I’m really excited to read your review of Pearl Harbor.

[TomCruise48]

7 hours ago, Jamman54 said:

We were honored to be invited. Perhaps we were invited because it was our anniversary. Anyway, we think it will be pretty cool to watch us sail into Honolulu from the bow, which is normally reserved for the crew.

 

We were on the same cruise last December with Lee and the same group of senior officers.   The Honolulu Sail In event was held for all Diamonds.  Unfortunately it was raining and we never made it to the bow.  We stayed in the lounge and enjoyed refreshments and conversation with the staff.

 

Enjoying your pics and review.  On our cruise, Lee had almost no hair.  He had it shaved off about a month before to support St. Jude.  Your pics show us how he looks with a full head of hair.  We thought Lee was fantastic.

 

Also enjoyed your review of Inspiration.  We will be on her next February on the first leg of a S2S  before boarding the Panorama.  This is part of our quest to "complete the fleet."  Only 3 ships to go after Panorama.

 

Noticed that we are booked on a couple of the same future cruises with you - Sunrise on 9/22/19 and Mardi Gras on 9/30/20.  Looking forward to meeting you and Patti at CC M&M.

Edited June 8, 2019 by TomCruise48

[TomCruise48]

Just now, fyree39 said:

We were on the cruise that had Lee shaving his head.  The ED did it for him and it was hilarious! Lee Mason is now my favorite CD.

 

Now that Jaime D has left, Lee has taken her place as my favorite CD as well.

[TravelLots]

On 6/5/2019 at 2:14 PM, Jamman54 said:

 

 

And it tasted great too!!!

 

How does it compare with the Australian Wagyu?  Normally, I get the ribeye, too.  And it is great.  But I love seeing the wagyu presentation.  Didn’t you have that when the new steak menus first came out?

[MalGee64]

Aloha Stadium has a great flea market Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday. If you’re looking for souvenirs or aloha shirts you can’t beat it for range and value for money. Something to remember for next time.

 

[Jamman54]

15 hours ago, fyree39 said:

I've been to Pearl Harbor twice and I'm very sorry you'll miss actually stepping onto the memorial platform. 

 

We were sorry that the repairs weren't made in time for our cruise, but it still was a powerful emotional experience. 😎

 

14 hours ago, James4me said:

I’m really excited to read your review of Pearl Harbor.

 

Thanks for reading!  More about Pearl Harbor going up shortly. 😎

 

13 hours ago, TomCruise48 said:

 

We were on the same cruise last December with Lee and the same group of senior officers.   The Honolulu Sail In event was held for all Diamonds.  Unfortunately it was raining and we never made it to the bow.  We stayed in the lounge and enjoyed refreshments and conversation with the staff.

 

Enjoying your pics and review.  On our cruise, Lee had almost no hair.  He had it shaved off about a month before to support St. Jude.  Your pics show us how he looks with a full head of hair.  We thought Lee was fantastic.

 

Also enjoyed your review of Inspiration.  We will be on her next February on the first leg of a S2S  before boarding the Panorama.  This is part of our quest to "complete the fleet."  Only 3 ships to go after Panorama.

 

Noticed that we are booked on a couple of the same future cruises with you - Sunrise on 9/22/19 and Mardi Gras on 9/30/20.  Looking forward to meeting you and Patti at CC M&M.

 

The Honolulu sail in could have been for Diamonds, but the letter didn't make it seem that way. No matter as it was an awesome experience.

 

Lee and the Fun Squad for this cruise were awesome. I think Tyler and Cheeky Charlie were flown in specifically for this cruise.

 

We enjoyed our cruise on the Inspiration. We still love to cruise on the Fantasy Class ships from time to time. We are also trying to sail the fleet, but we need a couple more ships than you do.

 

Looking forward to seeing you on the Sunrise in September. See you at the Red Frog Rum Bar! 😄

[Jamman54]

13 hours ago, fyree39 said:

We were on the cruise that had Lee shaving his head.  The ED did it for him and it was hilarious! Lee Mason is now my favorite CD.

 

13 hours ago, TomCruise48 said:

 

Now that Jaime D has left, Lee has taken her place as my favorite CD as well.

 

We have to agree with you. We were never compelled to go to the Morning Show each day until we met Lee! 😄

 

[Jamman54]

12 hours ago, TravelLots said:

How does it compare with the Australian Wagyu?  Normally, I get the ribeye, too.  And it is great.  But I love seeing the wagyu presentation.  Didn’t you have that when the new steak menus first came out?

 

I loved the Wagyu when I had it, but I love the spice rubbed ribeye even better. At one time they used to offer a 24 oz. Porterhouse. Now THAT was a steak!!! 😄

 

4 hours ago, MalGee64 said:

Aloha Stadium has a great flea market Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday. If you’re looking for souvenirs or aloha shirts you can’t beat it for range and value for money. Something to remember for next time.

 

 

Thank you for sharing that great information! 😎

[Jamman54]

Here are some more details about the Pearl Harbor Historical sites…..

 

 

 

 

 

 

The USS Missouri and the Arizona Memorial can be seen across the harbor from the Pearl Harbor Visitor Center…..

 

 

 

 

This is one of the Arizona’s anchors. The anchor was blown a thousand feet away from the ship by the force of the explosions that destroyed and sank the Arizona, and was able to be recovered…..

 

 

 

 

 

To be continued……

[Jamman54]

Here are some of the displays that can be seen at the Pearl Harbor Visitor Center…..

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This is the submarine USS Bowfin…..

 

 

This is the Tree of Life……

 

 

 

Me with the USS Missouri and the Arizona Memorial in the background…..

 

 

To be continued…..

[Jamman54]

Hawaii is the Crossroads of the Pacific……

 

 

We were a little hungry so we visited the Snack Bar, where we got a couple of hot dogs, some nachos, and drinks. There were plenty of tables to eat and relax at. After eating, Patti went to the nearby souvenir shop and checked out the Pick a Pearl Experience…..

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Here is one of the Arizona’s ships bell which was recovered during salvage operations in 1942…..

 

 

 

 

To be continued…..

[Jamman54]

It was nearing 1:30 pm so we made our way over to the Pearl Harbor Memorial Theater. Please be aware that they are very strict with the times…..

 

 

 

There are two auditoriums there, so a new showing starts every fifteen minutes. The Documentary on the December 7, 1941 attack on Pearl Harbor runs about twenty five minutes. We learned quite a few new things that we didn’t know about the attacks. It was a very powerful and moving film, and when it ended, you could hear the sound of people fighting back the tears, including myself.

 

We were then led out the front of the auditorium and onto a waiting Navy launch that will take us over to the Arizona Memorial…..

 

 

 

Another Navy launch is returning to the Pearl Harbor Visitor Center….

 

 

Since we were one of the last to board the launch, Patti and I wound up sitting a row apart on the port side. I wound up sitting next to a couple from Australia who were very nice…..

 

 

Though the banter is light now, as the launch approached the Arizona Memorial it got very quiet. The only sound you heard was the pre-recorded description of the events of December 7^th that was playing over the loud speakers.

 

They had made the announcement earlier that due to safety concerns, no one was to stand up and take pictures.  They would first pass the Arizona Memorial and the USS Missouri on the starboard side, then turn around and pass them on the port side. This will let everyone safely take their pictures. Here is a picture of the USS Missouri as we approach the Arizona Memorial…..

 

 

As I mentioned earlier, we will not be able to get off the launch and step onto the Memorial itself. In May of 2018 they discovered cracks in the support structures that hold the ramp that goes from the dock to the Memorial making it unsafe. We had hoped that it would be repaired before our cruise, but even today as I write this, it still hasn’t been repaired. The latest projection for reopening the Memorial is October of this year. We’ll see.

 

The launch now passes the Arizona Memorial on the starboard side…..

 

 

 

 

 

 

To be continued…..

[Jamman54]

These are the mooring quays for the USS West Virginia and the USS Tennessee…..

 

 

 

This is the Battleship Missouri.  It was on this ship that Japan formally surrendered in 1945. It’s ironic that she is moored next to the Arizona Memorial where it can be said the war began. The Missouri is also moored exactly where the USS Oklahoma was torpedoed, rolled over and sank during the attack…..

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This is the mooring quay for the USS Vestal. She was moored next to the Arizona on December 7th…..

 

 

To be continued…..

[Jamman54]

We are now passing the Arizona Memorial on the port side. In the second picture you can clearly see that the ramp is missing between the dock and the Memorial…..

 

 

 

As we glide slowly past, you can see the base of one of the Arizona’s gun turrets sticking up out of the water…..

 

 

 

 

This is the mooring quay for the USS Nevada. She was the only ship to actually get underway during the attack. Badly damaged, the Captain did not want her to sink and block the channel out of the harbor, so he ran her aground…..

 

 

We are leaving the Arizona Memorial behind, and are heading back to the Visitor Center…..

 

 

Once we got off the launch it was time to head back to our bus. The excursion we took really only gave us a bare bones Pearl Harbor experience. There are other excursions that will give you a more extensive experience, including trips over to Ford Island where you can board the Missouri, visit the Aviation Museum, and see the USS Oklahoma, and USS Utah Memorials.

 

Around thirty minutes later we were back in Honolulu and at the Splendor…..

 

 

The Cruise Terminal seems deserted compared to what it was like this morning…..

 

 

Back at the cabin we found today’s towel animal…..

 

 

To be continued…..

[Jamman54]

Tonight we are back in the Gold Pearl Restaurant again. Here are tonight’s menus…..

 

 

 

 

Here are Patti and I at our table…..

 

 

 

Patti started with a shrimp cocktail, vegetable spring rolls, and Caesar salad….

 

 

 

 

I started with the flatbread and the Hawaiian ham salad…..

 

 

 

We both got the pan seared grouper fillet from the port of call menu…..

 

 

 

Here is tonight’s dessert menu…..

 

 

We both opted for the apple pie ala mode…..

 

 

After dinner we decided to head back to the cabin for the night. It had been a long day, an emotional roller coaster, and we were tired. What a great day! The highlight of the cruise for me!

 

Coming up next:   We head to the big island, and our day in Kona!

[pghsteelerfan]

1 hour ago, Jamman54 said:

There are two auditoriums there, so a new showing starts every fifteen minutes. The Documentary on the December 7, 1941 attack on Pearl Harbor runs about twenty five minutes. We learned quite a few new things that we didn’t know about the attacks. It was a very powerful and moving film, and when it ended, you could hear the sound of people fighting back the tears, including myself.

 

 

When we were in Hawaii in Sep. 2017 celebrating our milestone anniversary, we spent our first 5 days in Oahu and booked the same tour of Pearl Harbor through our hotel (we still have our tickets and they are identical).  I had no idea that the ramps to get onto the actual USS Arizona Memorial were damaged/being repaired, so I am so glad that we were able to get onto it.  We also saw the movie before they took us to the memorial and I am so glad they did.  My hubby and I both felt it added a personal feel to the whole experience and we felt the same way after seeing it.  When we went inside the memorial, it was almost as quiet as a church.  Many left in tears.  They day we went to Pearl Harbor was Sep. 12, a day after the anniversary of the 9/11 attacks. 

I noticed you mentioned the traffic in Honolulu.  We got a rental car while we were there and were staying in Waikiki Beach (Hilton Hawaiian Village - the large building with the rainbow down the side), and every time we went out, we sat in that traffic.  Traffic was not bad once you got out of Honolulu.  We were joking that we were on vacation but sitting in the same rush hour traffic as we did at home (we're in VA, about 30 miles southwest of DC) but at least with Honolulu there was beautiful scenery and mountains to look at while stuck in traffic. 

I'm really enjoying your review and since we've been to both Maui (we stayed just north of Lahaina, in the Ka'anapali area), and Oahu so I'm recognizing several things in Patti's beautiful pictures.  We also spent several days in Kauai and really enjoyed the beauty, but didn't get to the Big Island, so I'm looking forward to a "Big Island" experience through your words and Patti's pictures. 

[Mike981]

1 hour ago, Jamman54 said:

It had been a long day, an emotional roller coaster, and we were tired. What a great day! The highlight of the cruise for me!

 

Coming up next:   We head to the big island, and our day in Kona!

 

I can't imagine how emotional it must have been for you. It was for me just reading your experience. Thank you again.

[jgeraci7]

Thanks for the very vivid & descriptive tour pictures of Pearl Harbor.  It brings back many memories of our trips there.  The first time you experience it is memorable.  But, believe it or not, no matter how many times I've been there , it is still a moving experience.  I urge others to add the visit to the Missouri.  It's another memory well worth the time.

Joyce

[grima625]

The review looks great, but after 6 days on the Magic, I’ve got some catching up to do. 

[blarko]

So what color pearl did Patti end up with from the pick a pearl? Did I miss that? When Sea World was in Ohio they used to have “Japanese Akoya pearl divers”  dive in a man made basin of water for oysters. They would give you an oyster and you would take it to the oyster station, very similar to the one you show in the photo. They would shuck the oyster and I remember the excitement of waiting to see what color pearl would be in the oyster.  If one was lucky, there may have even been two pearls in an oyster. 

[Jamman54]

7 hours ago, pghsteelerfan said:

When we were in Hawaii in Sep. 2017 celebrating our milestone anniversary, we spent our first 5 days in Oahu and booked the same tour of Pearl Harbor through our hotel (we still have our tickets and they are identical).  I had no idea that the ramps to get onto the actual USS Arizona Memorial were damaged/being repaired, so I am so glad that we were able to get onto it.  We also saw the movie before they took us to the memorial and I am so glad they did.  My hubby and I both felt it added a personal feel to the whole experience and we felt the same way after seeing it.  When we went inside the memorial, it was almost as quiet as a church.  Many left in tears.  They day we went to Pearl Harbor was Sep. 12, a day after the anniversary of the 9/11 attacks. 

I noticed you mentioned the traffic in Honolulu.  We got a rental car while we were there and were staying in Waikiki Beach (Hilton Hawaiian Village - the large building with the rainbow down the side), and every time we went out, we sat in that traffic.  Traffic was not bad once you got out of Honolulu.  We were joking that we were on vacation but sitting in the same rush hour traffic as we did at home (we're in VA, about 30 miles southwest of DC) but at least with Honolulu there was beautiful scenery and mountains to look at while stuck in traffic. 

I'm really enjoying your review and since we've been to both Maui (we stayed just north of Lahaina, in the Ka'anapali area), and Oahu so I'm recognizing several things in Patti's beautiful pictures.  We also spent several days in Kauai and really enjoyed the beauty, but didn't get to the Big Island, so I'm looking forward to a "Big Island" experience through your words and Patti's pictures. 

 

Thanks for sharing your experience with us! 😎

 

7 hours ago, Mike981 said:

 

I can't imagine how emotional it must have been for you. It was for me just reading your experience. Thank you again.

 

You are quite welcome! 😎

[Jamman54]

7 hours ago, jgeraci7 said:

Thanks for the very vivid & descriptive tour pictures of Pearl Harbor.  It brings back many memories of our trips there.  The first time you experience it is memorable.  But, believe it or not, no matter how many times I've been there , it is still a moving experience.  I urge others to add the visit to the Missouri.  It's another memory well worth the time.

Joyce

 

Thanks for sharing your thoughts. We agree completely! 😎

 

3 hours ago, grima625 said:

The review looks great, but after 6 days on the Magic, I’ve got some catching up to do. 

 

Thanks for following along! 😎

 

2 hours ago, blarko said:

So what color pearl did Patti end up with from the pick a pearl? Did I miss that? When Sea World was in Ohio they used to have “Japanese Akoya pearl divers”  dive in a man made basin of water for oysters. They would give you an oyster and you would take it to the oyster station, very similar to the one you show in the photo. They would shuck the oyster and I remember the excitement of waiting to see what color pearl would be in the oyster.  If one was lucky, there may have even been two pearls in an oyster. 

 

Patti didn't pay for the experience. She saw two pink pearls and one white one as she watched. 😎

 

[CruisinginWonderland]

My great uncle was on the USS Nevada. It was a a very moving visit when I went with my family about 15 years ago. 

[nybumpkin]

Jeff, thank you for some lovely photos of Honolulu and a very moving tour of Pearl. Doug and I visited over 30 years ago when Doug's brother was a Navy lieutenant on a destroyer homeported in Pearl, and my dad served on a submarine in WWII, sailing out of Pearl to Australia. Funny, though, our Navy Son has not been to Pearl and doesn't plan to put in for a ship based in Pearl - the cost of living is too high, even with the housing stipend the Navy gives.

 

BTW - Loved your photos of Diamond Head. Doug and I hiked to the top when we were there. As we close in on 60 years old, that's not happening again.😃

Edited June 9, 2019 by nybumpkin