From Glaciers to Palm Trees - Spend 71 days with Bill & Mary Ann on the Zuiderdam - 9-7-22 to 11-17-22

[Bookited]

3 hours ago, WCB said:

Hello Wayne!  Nice hearing from you, since it has been a while since we shared that fun table with you guys.  Do you keep touch with Pat D?  We have not heard from him for quite a while.  

Perhaps we may meet on another HAL ship in the future.

 

As President's Club members, we get 10 complimentary dinners in the specialty restaurants (except Sel de Mer & other pop-ups).  Does not matter if the cruise is 7 days or 128 days, the number is the same.  The extra dinner comes with the Have-It-All package on this 50 day voyage.  

 

Bill & Mary Ann

Thank-you just curious. Have a great trip and I enjoy following along

[ozcruizer]

Think I'd rather be stuck in a glass elevator than one of the inner ones!

[dchip]

1 hour ago, ozcruizer said:

Think I'd rather be stuck in a glass elevator than one of the inner ones!

Absolutely!!!! It was scary enough being able to see out. 

[zelker]

10 hours ago, dchip said:

Absolutely!!!! It was scary enough being able to see out. 

Yikes!  How long were you stuck and did you have company or was it just the two of you? 

 

Did you spend the day with your family in Hilo yesterday?

[dchip]

4 hours ago, zelker said:

Yikes!  How long were you stuck and did you have company or was it just the two of you? 

 

Did you spend the day with your family in Hilo yesterday?

Hey Barb, 

We were in there about 10 minutes. Just the two of us. 
 

Yes, we did spend the day with our niece. Had a great day. Miss you!!

[WCB]

Report #34    October 9, 2022  Hilo, Hawaii  8am-5:30pm  Overcast With Some Sun & Rain 85 Degrees   Part #1 Of 4......Text Only..Pictures In Parts 2,3,&4

 

The Zuiderdam was docked by 8am, about the same time we headed for breakfast.  We said goodbye to Lois, one of our favorite servers in the Pinnacle Grill.  This was her last day, and she will be heading home, which is in Curacao.  We never guessed her for being Dutch, since her accent is not strong.  We wished her a safe trip home, and hope to see her again on another ship. 

 

We planned to make a quick trip to Walmart on their free shuttle.  Well, guess what?   That’s what a whole lot of people decided to do as well.  Usually, they are on the tours, and do the shuttle in the afternoon.  Not today.  When we reached the terminal, the line was HUGE.  Every time we have been here, they always used full size buses for the short transfer.  But now they have down-sized to using smaller shuttles that hold maybe 35 people.  From what we could tell, only two were running.  Of course today was a Sunday, so that might have had something to do with fewer drivers.  Therefore, our wait was for one full hour.  A few impatient folks jumped in Ubers, but we were in no big hurry.  By the way, except for us few passengers, we saw no one wearing masks in Hilo. 

 

The amusing thing was being surrounded  by a few ladies that were watching for folks cutting the line.  They made sure no one would sneak into our huge line, and were vocal if they suspected someone was saving places.  In addition to this shuttle, was a free ride to old downtown Hilo.  People had to get tickets to take that one.  We did that once, and it was also on a Sunday.  We found out that not too much was opened, except the veggie and craft market.  Many attractions and restaurants were closed for the day.  And once the veggie market closed at noon, the buses stopped going there. 

 

There was a table set up with maps and info, which we figured we would pick up some on our way back to the ship.  However, the info folks were gone and so were the maps when we returned.  So there is no info on Hilo, other than what we did here today.  We can tell everyone that this part of the island of Hawaii  is all about volcanoes and Mauna Loa and Mauna Kea, some of the tallest mountains in the world.  We have toured the area thoroughly in the past, and really enjoy just doing our own thing here. 

 

Well, we found most of what we needed at Walmart, and the rest we can find in Honolulu or Lihue.  With the locals shopping as well as the bus loads of cruise ship passengers and crew, the store was very crowded.  This place is really popular with the crew members, because they sell their favorite snack items.  Once back outside, we located the line of folks waiting for the shuttle.  And once again, the line-cutters were under surveillance.  We found it quite amusing. 

 

Security in the cruise terminal was not like we remembered.  It was always very strict here.  Today, we only showed our ID and keycard.  There was no x-ray done on shore.  It was done on the ship. Once back at the ship, we dropped our stuff off and headed back out.   Now we were ready to take our hike to Ponds Hilo, where we knew we could find ice cold draft beer and one of the best burgers in Hilo.  Since it looked like it was clouding up, we took umbrellas just in case.  We forgot to mention that it was very hot and humid today.  And very little breeze.  This will take some getting used to, especially after coming from Alaska and Canada.  The parking lot of the restaurant was full of vehicles, and the first thing we thought was that they were too busy for more customers.  Oh well, if that’s the case, we will skip lunch here.  But if you don’t go inside and check it out, perhaps not all of the cars were for here.  On the weekends, we notice that the local families pack up the BBQ and spend the day at the beaches and parks.  Turned out there was room in the restaurant and we got seats at the windows.

 

 Ponds is not a fancy place, but their food is really good.  We shared a mushroom swiss cheese burger, and asked for the sandwich to be cut in half.  Our waiter brought two plates with each half, surrounded by a mound of crispy French fries on each plate.  Did not expect that.  We really liked the Big Wave Golden Ale… it was ice cold and so good.  Then we shared a decadent hot chocolate brownie with mud pie ice cream on top.  The name “Ponds” is appropriate since this restaurant is perched over the spot where very cold river water enters the saltwater cove.  It becomes brackish and is ideal for koi carp.  Directly under the seating area of the building, is a caged pond full of colorful koi carp….some very large ones perhaps 10 pounds.  Swimming among them are some turtles.  On the outside of the cage were more turtles and even some Nene geese, native to Hawaii.  Of course, we had the best seats to take numerous photos of the wildlife, which included the kids antics at dive-bombing folks.

 

The most entertaining aspect of dining here has to be the gang of local teens that jump off of the railing and into the shallow pond, creating an explosion of water.  Of course, they usually wait just until some unsuspecting tourists are walking by them before they do the cannonball jump.  These kids are nuts, since the water is only 4 foot deep.  Of course, we were victims several years back, so we know to walk across the road these days.

 

After lunch, we walked past all the picnickers to the Liliuokalani Park where among other things, we saw a few mongoose darting in and out of the volcanic rocks.  These curious little creatures were brought here to kill the rats, but it turned out, they are not nocturnal, and did not rid the area of the rodents.  Making a circle through the gardens, we strolled across the walking bridge to the point where more kids were jumping off the old remnants of the bridge. By now, the skies were getting darker, and we made our way back.  It did start to sprinkle and would have felt good if it rained.   It eventually did, but not until after 5:30pm. 

 

Sure was nice to get back to the ship, where we sipped cold lemonade before boarding.   One of the gangways was being pulled inside, and Shiv was there to have his crew pull in the last one after the all aboard time of 5:30pm.    The photos needed downloading, while one of us relaxed on the veranda.  Still muggy as heck, it did begin to rain briefly.  It was dark by the time we cleared the breakwater, as we headed towards the next port of Honolulu.

 

Dinner was back in the dining room with appetizers of Thai beef salads, hake fish, and prime rib.  All was good, except I have to remember to order the prime rib medium next time.  It came really rare, but I did not want to wait to send it back.  Saved some room for dessert by only eating half of the entrée.

 

On the Mainstage was comedian Chris Strait, and the Music Walk was in full operation.  Not sure how busy these venues are on nights before a series of ports.  Hard to burn the candle at both ends……

 

Bill & Mary Ann 

 

 

[CruisingGrandmaW]

HaHaHa on the Walmart Shuttle "line-cutter" patrol.

Once, when in Kauai, hubby & I waited in a Walmart Shuttle line. 

We had over an hour wait for the one small shuttle that day.

Luckily it wasn't too hot & back then my knees were good.

But I laugh, because in my old age now --- I can SO see myself being part of the line-cutter patrol.

🤣🤣🤣

The line we waited in that day, had line-cutter patrol also.

A group of passengers who used their walkers to block anyone trying to cut line. 🤣

 

So enjoy your commentary.  Living in San Diego - Hawaii cruise is one we frequently take.

You've given us a new place to eat - Ponds.

As always thank you for sharing your cruise with all of us.

 

[LouChamp]

We love your daily posts! Dividing our time between New York and Honolulu it seems that Walmart is a popular tourist destination on every island lol.  Hilo gets a tremendous amount of rain but is an enjoyable place to visit. Glad you are visiting the islands. Mahalo once again for your posts! 

[Sir PMP]

Basically, Hilo is a wasted spot, it would be better to spend more time on Oahu, Maui or Kauai.

[bennybear]

2 hours ago, Sir PMP said:

Basically, Hilo is a wasted spot, it would be better to spend more time on Oahu, Maui or Kauai.

Really?   beautiful Akaha falls,  the volcano, botanical gardens and some of the best local food,   But I guess it depends if you’re looking for a more touristy spot, 

Edited October 11, 2022 by bennybear

[WCB]

Report #35  October 10, 2022  Honolulu, Oahu, Hawaii    8am-Overnite Till 11:30pm 10-11-22  Sunny And Hot 85 Degrees   Part #1 Of 4.......Text Only.....Pictures In Parts 2,3,&4

 

The Zuiderdam arrived to Honolulu close to 8am, docking at Pier 2.  But we were not cleared by the local authorities until well after 8am.  Ian begged the anxious tour people to please not crowd the gangway.  They seldom listen, do they?   And because of the early shore excursions, the Pinnacle Grill was not crowded this morning.   A few new waiters have appeared, since a couple, like Lois, have gone home.  Today, we had Raj from India. Also, looking out the window, we could see a Princess ship docked at Aloha Tower. 

 

We worked online until close to 10:30am, then gathered our stuff and headed out into the warm and humid weather.  There was a 10% chance of rain, but we suspect that may be in the center of the island, and maybe late afternoon.  Our destination was lunch at the Hard Rock Café, but with many stops along the way.  It appears that during the three years since we were here, downtown has been in the process of expanding.  Starting around the Ala Wai Yacht Harbor, construction projects are in full swing building more high rises, condos, and apartments, we assume.  Walking the length of the Ala Moana Beach Park, we noticed that there were fewer homeless people there.  We used to pass a field that was loaded with pup tents, like a village of homeless families.   All of that has been removed, and these days the field has been taken over by the pigeons, doves, egrets, and even chickens. 

 

The yacht harbor was in full swing with tour groups ready to go off either snorkeling or fishing.  Nice to see that the tourists have come back after the pandemic.  Walking through the park, we saw the massive banyans and baobabs that give the area a lot of shade.  Many of them are quite old,  and are now being protected with orange plastic fencing around them.   Supposedly to protect the root systems. 

 

Across the street from here is the Ala Moana Shopping Mall.  It is a destination in itself, and we will come back here tomorrow.  For the locals and tourists alike, it is a respite from the humidity and heat.   We began to reach the start of the hotels.  Along the way, we always pass by the Outback Restaurant.  It is no longer here…..closed down.  The hotel we pass through is the Hilton Hawaiian Village, where we stayed before one of our first cruises in this area.  This led us right to Waikiki Beach, where we watched the sunbathers and swimmers enjoying the sand and warm water.

 

Passing by the Hale Koa Hotel, we walked by the US Army Museum, but noticed there was no activity here.  Not sure it was opened to the public.  Continuing through Fort Debussy Beach Park, we found our way to the Hard Rock Café.  Glad to see it was still opened.  Now there is a greeter by the door, and she asked for our name and how many in our party.  Normally, we just went to the elevator and took it up one floor.  She said we had a five minute wait, then she would page us.  No she won’t as we do not have a cell phone.  We simply stuck around checking out their city t-shirts.  We did find one the right size, and proceeded to go buy it.   The salesman suggested we wait until after lunch, because they were having a special scratcher game, and we may win.  OK with that he put the shirt aside, and asked if we would like to have him take our photo in front of their store sign.  Sure, we had time, but we are not sure the photo will turn out good.  Nice of him to take it anyway. 

 

Once we were upstairs, we were seated a nice table in the breeze.  For a change, we had nachos with grilled chicken….shared of course.  The plate was huge.  We had no problem consuming two large Coke Zeros during our meal.  We had forgotten to look at the salad menu today, since that was always what we ordered in any Hard Rock Café. After lunch, our waitress brought us the scratcher card, and said we could only pick one square.  So we went with door # 1, and it was a winner.  Maybe they all were, but we could buy one t-shirt and get one free.   That worked for us.  Two for one.  On our way out, we asked the nice greeter lady why they did not serve the haystack salads anymore.  She agreed, as they were her favorite as well, especially with the Tupelo fried chicken on top.  We all hope it may come back someday……

 

Time to hit the road, we headed back to the ship.  One of us needed to hit every bench along the way, even if it was just for a minute or two.  Sure made the walk more enjoyable.  There are so many different varieties of birds here, they are fun to photograph. 

 

We got back to the ship by 4pm, and cooled off with several cold sodas.  Our veranda was plenty warm, facing the west and the setting sun.  Ship traffic kept it interesting.  When it started to get dark, a container ship was pulled and pushed over to the dock area behind us.  It appeared that the off-loading would be done at night.  Looking out our drapes after dinner, we saw that another container ship was very close to our ship, also getting off-loaded.  Who knew the work would be done all night?  It will be a test to see how good our windows and door are insulated.

 

Dinner was dressy, which we thought was odd for a port day.  Then we saw that it was Happy Thanksgiving for the Canadians.  That might mean a full turkey dinner with all the trimmings.  So we both ordered the crispy shrimp starter, following by a Caesar salad, and of course, turkey.  Well, the plate came with cranberry sauce, which we had asked for doubles.  But when we tasted it, what a surprise to find it was sour and not at all sweet.  We mean really sour and bitter.  Telling our waiter, he brought Johnny over, who went to get one of the chefs.  This chef confirmed the fact they used fresh cranberries, but someone forgot the sugar.  He offered to make a new batch, but we declined.  We mainly wanted to warn them so they did not serve it to anyone else.  Truthfully, the dining room was about empty tonight, at least at the second seating.  As always, when there is a local performance, such as tonight and the Drums of Polynesia, most folks eat elsewhere and earlier.  The show was at 8pm, but for us, it was our dinnertime.  We seldom see those performances.  In the past, they would repeat this show on the room TV.  Not anymore.  

 

Anyway, we ended the meal with slices of pumpkin pie and a side of vanilla ice cream.  Took away the bitterness of the cranberries, thank goodness. 

 

Another day in Honolulu, and another hike tomorrow for us.

 

Bill & Mary Ann

 

 

[edward01ca]

On each of your posts, you mention pictures on on parts.  Is it possible to see them and where are they located.

 

Thanks,

Dale

[oakridger]

The pictures are on their blog. She  posted a link to it at the bottom of her post on page 1 post #23.     ~Nancy

Edited October 11, 2022 by oakridger

[Essiesmom]

11 minutes ago, edward01ca said:

On each of your posts, you mention pictures on on parts.  Is it possible to see them and where are they located.

 

Thanks,

Dale

The pictures are on their blog.  Link may be in the first post.  EM

[OldTymeCruiser]

There are so many other places to eat than the hard rock cafe in Honolulu. For example the Chart House by the Ala Wai Yacht Harbor.  Buho Cantina for Mexican.  I know because I live in Honolulu! Enjoy the Aloha Spirit!

[LouChamp]

1 minute ago, OldTymeCruiser said:

There are so many other places to eat than the hard rock cafe in Honolulu. For example the Chart House by the Ala Wai Yacht Harbor.  Buho Cantina for Mexican.  I know because I live in Honolulu! Enjoy the Aloha Spirit!

oldTymeCruiser is so right.  Happy to offer suggestions. By the way, we have sailed on the ZDam several times. My first HAL was on the Statendam in 1976. Many others since. Have a great voyage and smooth sailing . 

[felma531]

Bill and Mary Ann,

We are enjoying your posts and have entered the HAL world ourselves. Embarked on Monday in Civitacheeia for a 12 day Greek Odyssey followed by  28 day Mediterranean and Spanish farewell. Embarkation was a breeze, maybe because we were early at the terminal. Some changes after the worst of the pandemic are positive ones. 

We were given any time dining but at lunch on embarkation Day we met Zin who serves as an assistant matre d for the set dining.

We like the early dining and she said check in with her. She got us a table in the back corner. Our favorite place to be. Only1/4 or less of dining room is full so it's very quiet. Our waiter told us they are only using the kitchen on deck 2. It also seems our room stewards have more rooms than before covid. They only come once unless you have a specific request.

We had a shore day in Naples today. We've never been in this part of the world so we have some excursions booked. We went to Capri today. Felt like being in the cattle call as you described it. We have 1600 on board Oosterdam.

Keep enjoying your cruise. 

Regards from your Alabama friends, Margaret and Monty

P.S. We have mask suggested policy only. Most are not wearing masks. We are like you two- we still wear ours.!

[The Other Tom]

58 minutes ago, edward01ca said:

On each of your posts, you mention pictures on on parts.  Is it possible to see them and where are they located.

 

Thanks,

Dale

Here's a link to their blog.  Scroll to the bottom of each blog for a link to the pics.

"Treasures of Cruising the World" with Bill & Mary Ann (cruisingwithbillandmaryann.blogspot.com)

[WCB]

Report #36     October 11, 2022   Day #2 In Honolulu, Oahu, Hawaii     Overnite-11pm    Cloudy And Warm 85 Degrees   Part #1 Of 3.....Text Only.....Pictures In Parts 2,&3

 

Waking up this morning, we saw that the ship directly behind us was a very large car carrier, and they began off-loading and loading cars and trucks all through the night and it appears, all day as well.  The cargo ship in front of the car carrier also worked a 24- hour shift.  And we never heard a sound from either of them.   We came to the conclusion that since Honolulu is the capital, and the dock areas have the space, all of the vehicles arrive here, then are distributed to the other islands.  Just a wild guess.

 

Today was even more humid than yesterday, perhaps due to the clouds holding in the heat.  At some point today, we expect rain, but more than likely, it will be later.  The big event of the morning was veranda cleaning on deck five between 9am and 11:30am.  Although we need not be present, we can remain in our room.  Or….if we wish them to come at another time, we were free to call guest services before 11pm the night before.  The fellows simply go from room to room by opening up all of the veranda partitions, and clean all at once.  It is most welcomed, and never a problem for us.

 

We had a new waitress in the Pinnacle Grill by the name of Aurora.  She must be replacing Lois, who flew home yesterday.  She is very sweet and is from Indonesia.  The more we thought about our new waiter, Raj, from India, we seemed to remember him from the N. Statendam.  Although he was only in the Pinnacle for a month before going home, we recall him telling us he was the only PG waiter from India, and proud of it.  So we asked if he was one in the same, and he said yes, that was him.  We did not expect him to remember us, but he seemed happy we recalled him.  It appears that an effort is being made to keep this venue a bit more on the international side.

 

Catching up with report, photos, and emails, we left the ship by 10:30am. But right before leaving the room, we had our 2- week delivery of Cokes.  We assume the flowers would arrive later.  Always nice to get gifts. Refreshed by a good night’s sleep, the walk did not seem as far today as it did yesterday.   We headed back to the Ala Moana Center.  Along the way, we ran across a nice couple from Canada, Larry and Jacquie, that recognized us.  They explained they had been following our blog for a long time, and had met us briefly before this.  We all agreed how nice it was to be back on a ship, and more so, on this itinerary.  Some of the previous fears of the pandemic have dissipated somewhat as time goes forward. 

 

Making our way through the covered parking lot, we located the escalator up to the first level.  Starting from Macy’s, we happened to come across their sportswear sales, and accidently found a couple of pair of denim shorts I had been trying to find at Walmart.  That will save some time at home trying to find clothing out of season. Here in Hawaii, it is summer all year round.

 

It was time for lunch, and we had intended on going to Bubba Gump’s, but discovered it was no longer there.  But even a better alternative was California Pizza Kitchen, which was still there on the upper level 4 at Ho’okipa Terrace.  An Olive Garden had replaced Bubbas, but the longer line was for CPK.  One of our favorite lunch spots at home is CPK where they serve a salad/pizza combo.  However, we did not see it on their menu, so we split a CPK BBQ chicken chopped salad, and also shared a regular-size Margherita pizza.  Needless to say, we were in pizza heaven.  So glad we waited with the buzzer outside for a table.  Even though the restaurant was not crowded, there must be a shortage of wait staff.  The service and food were both excellent.

 

We strolled each level of the mall, taking some photos of the fountains, ponds, and koi carp.  Making our way to the opposite end where Nordstrom’s is located, we tried finding our way out.  It was a little tricky, since we had to go down to the street level.  One stop we needed to make was at Longs Drugs (not CVS here).  One of us forgot the extra tube of toothpaste, and we knew we could find it there.  Wouldn’t you know it, someone blocked the entire section, staring at every single box that was there.  We waited, expecting the fellow to leave, but he did not.  So we left.  With three more stops to make in Hawaii, it will give us something to search for.

 

Exiting at Pikoi Street, we took a right turn, and walked down the Ward Centre area, which is undergoing a transformation.  Only part of the old Ward Centre is there now.  If memory serves us right, the Ward Centre was the first “mall” type shopping area in Honolulu.  Now half of the street has been torn up, and a wall photo of the new area will include more shops and eateries, as well as a nice park.  This is close to the new high rises going up.

 

Turning left, we re-joined the main drag, and made it back to the ship by 3pm.  That first blast of air-conditioning once you enter the ship, has to be the best.  Then finding a vase with a dozen yellow roses waiting for us in or room, was even better.  Sitting on the veranda with a big fan and an ice cold soda topped that.  One of us was industrious and worked on the computer, while the other one sat outside watching the car carrier load more vehicles.

 

Watching for another sunset was futile, since the dark clouds had covered the horizon, and the rain did begin to fall lightly after 5pm.  Dinner was casual, which was fine, and the mains we ordered were supposed to be snapper and lamb chops.  The snapper had turned into mahi-mahi, and according to Franz, the maitre’d, the snapper did not arrive with today’s delivery.  Many things did not arrive today he said.    So they do their best to substitute items.  All ended well with vanilla ice cream and banana frozen yogurt, and also one cappuccino – decaf with almond milk.  Sure tasted good.  

 

There was a movie in the Mainstage, South Pacific, 2001.  Fitting for the area we are visiting.  Exactly at 11pm, the car carrier pushed away from the dock, turned around in the basin, and headed out to sea, just as Captain Frank described.  All aboard here was 11pm, and we will leave before midnight, and we did manage to get a few sailaway photos.  There is a mere 93 nautical miles to reach Kauai tomorrow, so we bet the ship will sail slowly.

 

Bill & Mary Ann

 

 

[LouChamp]

Aloha. Glad you are enjoying our home!  Yes CVS owns Longs and it is very convenient for us as we can pick up needed prescriptions in either NY or Hawaii.  Its interesting you like CPK whilst on vacation as opposed to local eateries that are not tourist traps as I have a whole list of them near to the pier.  For example the Cheesecake Factory on Kalakaua is extremely popular with visitors from the mainland but to each his own.  I love reading your well prepared reports  wish you both good health and smooth sailing!

Mahalo

[zelker]

On 10/11/2022 at 2:21 PM, OldTymeCruiser said:

There are so many other places to eat than the hard rock cafe in Honolulu. For example the Chart House by the Ala Wai Yacht Harbor.  Buho Cantina for Mexican.  I know because I live in Honolulu! Enjoy the Aloha Spirit!

Our fav for local grindz is the Highway Inn Kaka'ako location, with the bonus that it's within walking distance of the pier, on Ala Moana.  We also enjoy walking around that neighborhood looking at all the great street art. 

[WCB]

Report #37    Wednesday  October 12, 2022  Nawiliwili, Kauai, Hawaii    Sun With Periods Of Rain   80 Degrees   Part #1 Of 5......Text Only...Pictures In Parts 2,3,4,& 5

 

Our port of call for today was Nawiliwili, Kauai.  We were docked before 8am, but not cleared immediately.  It was mostly cloudy and overcast with a 40% chance of rain.  Honestly, don’t believe the percentage….trust your instincts.  Kauai is the garden island of Hawaii, and what keeps the gardens green?  Plenty of water, like the most rainfall world-wide, we have read. 

 

Sitting at our Pinnacle Grill window table, we had the best seats to watch the activity happening on the dock.   Several tour groups were heading off to their coaches, all trying to outrun each other for the best seats.  Oh, we don’t miss that.  However, if you have never been here before, the tours are a good way to see it all.

 

We had given Raj our order, which always begins with yogurt and fresh fruit.  We were so intent on watching the people down below, we forgot we had not gotten our entrees.  Maybe 20 minutes had passed, so we asked Raj where they were.  Since another waiter delivers the entrees, Raj had assumed we were already done.  He was shocked when we said no, we never got the food.  Within seven minutes we had our all American and skillet breakfasts.  Oh well, it did not matter since we were in no big hurry to get off of the ship. 

 

Our plan today was to take the shuttle to nearby Lihue, 2 miles away, and make a sweep through Costco or Kmart for a few missing items.   However, since we were here three years ago, Kmart has closed, and the shuttle was no longer running.  The only shuttle going anywhere was to Anchor Cove, a short distance from the pier.  Among other shops, there is an ABC store there, although it is quite small. 

 

So we left the ship around 10:30am to find another long line of folks waiting for the little free shuttle.  Truthfully, it is so close we always walk.  A mistake one of us made today was forgetting to bring the umbrellas, trusting that 40% prediction of rain would happen later in the day.  Within minutes, we were at the Marriott complex built above the Kalapaki Beach.  They have it all in a comfortable setting.  The stretch of white sand beach has a gentle surf and lots of grassy area to use as well.  There are restaurants, bars, a massive swimming pool, and hotel rooms with a view.  It is not a new hotel, but it is well-kept and landscaped beautifully.  Most people do not know that if they followed the pathway up towards the hotel, they would discover the hotel’s central garden and impressive lobby. 

 

Just about the time we walked into the garden, it began to sprinkle lightly.  A little water wouldn’t hurt anything, and it was so warm and humid, the rain felt good.  The ginger plants, banana trees, blooming hibiscus,  and various palms surrounded the many ponds here.  Every body of water held numerous koi carp.  There is one area in front of the main lobby where these fish are fed during the day.  There were hundreds of them waiting for a handout, many of them very large.  Unlike the hustle and bustle of the Hilton at Waikiki, this place is much less crowded, but still offers similar amenities.  An extended stay here could be very relaxing.    After taking many photos, we headed towards the sandy white beach.  That’s when the sprinkle turned into heavy rain. 

 

Time to make our way to Duke’s for lunch, as this was no passing shower.  Even with a 20 minute wait, we were undercover enough not to get wet.  The folks that run Duke’s Canoe Club love the rain.  They directed the guests to wait at the bar, where inevitably, they would buy drinks.  Works for everyone.  We split a delicious cheeseburger, once again, coming with extra fries.  But the best had to be the mountain of Kimo’s Hula Pie.  This decadent dessert of ice cream comes with a frozen Oreo crust, drizzled with hot fudge, sprinkle with chopped macadamia nuts, and covered on one side with strips of whipped cream, resembling a hula skirt.  Thus the name – Hula Pie.  Our nice waiter said we were welcomed to lick the plate.  It doesn’t take a fancy restaurant to make us happy. 

 

During the entire meal, the rain pounded down in passing waves, flooding the floors actually.  By the time we left, the storm was breaking up.  The restaurant greeters said try to stay dry and mahalo as we left.  We replied  by telling them that this rain would be most welcomed where we live in California, and we didn’t mind getting a little wet.  We made our way back to the shops at Anchor Cove, but the shuttle had just left.  Rounding the corner, we spotted the line for the little shuttle, and it had about 15 people in it.  The worst of the downfall was over, so we just walked back, and barely got wet.  Just lucky.

 

There was a sail away party at the Seaview Deck, but as always, we chose to enjoy the sunset right from our veranda.  It did not disappoint.  Now we are headed towards Maui, but not the town of Lahaina.  We have no idea why that port was switched, but now we are going to Kahului, a different port we have never been to.  Guess it will be a new adventure, or not, depending on how close we are to town. 

 

Dinner was good with a salmon entrée and a chicken parmigiana with spaghetti.  The portion sizes are smaller, but then it leaves enough room for a small dessert, not that we needed it after that Hula Pie.  Thank goodness we only had one, and not two servings this afternoon. 

 

Bill & Mary Ann

 

 

[TXCruiser78660]

Lahaina is rebuidling their dock so tenders are unable to get to port there.  I've heard there may be some issues with the new dock causing reopening issues.

 

[sandiego1]

On 10/11/2022 at 10:08 AM, Sir PMP said:

Basically, Hilo is a wasted spot, it would be better to spend more time on Oahu, Maui or Kauai.

If you think Hilo is a wasted spot, then you haven’t hiked in the VNP. It’s a beautiful park with great vistas and hiking. Been there (not on a cruise) 4 times. We’ve flown in a doors off heli over lava several times and it was thrilling. Ride bikes down to the shoreline where the lava was flowing into the ocean. What a show! So many great things to do from the Hilo side of the Big Island.

[Sir PMP]

9 hours ago, sandiego1 said:

If you think Hilo is a wasted spot, then you haven’t hiked in the VNP. It’s a beautiful park with great vistas and hiking. Been there (not on a cruise) 4 times. We’ve flown in a doors off heli over lava several times and it was thrilling. Ride bikes down to the shoreline where the lava was flowing into the ocean. What a show! So many great things to do from the Hilo side of the Big Island.

Yes, but if you look at the passengers, they just go to Walmart and look for a cheese burger, that gets old pretty fast.