Little did we know how exhausted we would be by the end of this day when we woke up bright and early to another beautiful morning in paradise. Learning to pace ourselves on these vacations might be a good idea, but who has time for that when you have to see every sight there is to see in the land mass furthest and most isolated from all others? To catch our tour bus at 6:20 a.m., we got up at 5 - not too difficult considering our body clocks know the true time at home.
Robert's Hawaii provided our Pearl Harbor / USS Arizona & City Tour. We were lucky to have Kevin as our tour guide, a transplanted mainlander who had been in Hawaii since the 70's. He was a wealth of knowledge about the history of Pearl Harbor and Hawaii in general.
The number of people we met along this trip who had visited Hawaii decades ago and decided to make it their home was intriguing. Last night at the luau we met a woman from Wisconsin who had grown up on a diary farm. After completing an internship as an Occupational Therapist, she never went back home except for visits. We heard these stories over and over as people explained how they fell in love with this oasis in the sea. By the way, Germaine's Luau last night was a fun experience in an open air setting on a secluded beach. The fire handlers were the most impressive to watch. Now, back to Pearl Harbor...
The grounds of Pearl Harbor are a tranquil and beautiful resting place for the young men who had their lives so violently taken from them on December 7, 1941. The short film shown before you board a boat to be taken to the Arizona Memorial is often described as "moving". I can't think of a better descriptor, so I'll leave it at that. We saw footage we have never seen before, and it made me think about what it must have really been like for my Great Aunt when she peered into that bomber's eyes as he flew over her home as she was hanging clothes out to dry that day. Stationed there with her husband, I had heard the story many times of how the Japanese flew down so low she could actually see his face as he flew by. Pearl Harbor was an experience anyone who visits Hawaii should make time for.
Kevin, our tour guide extraordinaire, completed our day in Honolulu with a city tour that ended with a drop off at Hilo Hattie - Hawaii's tourist one-stop shop spot. Matching Hawaiian shirts and a pineapple swirl later and we're off to board our ship. On my way to the ship, I kept reflecting on how appropriate it was to end the day stepping onboard a ship named The Pride of America after beginning our day at Pearl Harbor.
Reflections on Oahu: Hawaii's climate is just about perfect. Warm but not hot, no humidity, gentle breezes. It calms you, cools you and warms you all at the same time.
Norwegian Cruise Line's Pride of America:
This cruise terminal is not as high tech as many of the others, but because of that, it gives you more of a personal feel as you're being checked in. We were greeted with a fresh flower lei. They certainly know how to spread the Aloha spirit! More surprises await us. In our cabin, we find sparkling wine from the Captain along with a VIP cocktail party invite. Thanks Captain Nesheim! By this time, we're feeling pretty welcome and at home in our floating resort on the sea, but fatigue is setting in. Tonight we'll stick with the buffet and drag ourselves to the Welcome Aboard Show. The comedian was so funny he kept our eyes from slamming shut. What a full day! Time to prepare for tomorrow. Pride of America is a pretty little ship with all kinds of nooks and crannies to be discovered. Simply put...I like this ship!
Tips Upon Boarding: Make specialty dining reservations for the week early on that first day if you have a favorite. Teppanyaki is our favorite and they book up fast! No need to pack a hairdryer. NCL's hairdryers are actually really good. One thing I really like that NCL does - coffee in the cabin!
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