Hawaii Day 2: Pearl Harbor & Boarding Pride of America

Day 2: Pearl Harbor then Boarding the Pride of America - June 18, 2011





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!

Azamara Journey Ship Review 11/29/10 - 12/11/10

Having just returned from my "azamazing" adventure onboard the Journey for 12 sun-kissed days, I must say I'm having a bit of trouble adjusting to real life. The service onboard this ship was absolutely indulgent. They boast the friendliest crew I've yet to meet. All guests were made to feel as if the crew actually enjoyed making our every wish come true. So impressed with the genuine happiness of the workers onboard, finally, my curiosity got the better of me. "Why do you all seem so much happier than the crew on other ships?", I asked a charming young man making small talk with me while serving my special coffee in the cafe. He explained that they don't work longer than 6 hours at a time. They are also allowed to go onshore much more often than their counterparts on other cruise lines. Aaawww. The secret ingredient. Make your crew happy, and they make your guests happy!

If you are looking for a more intimate experience, look no further. Azamara Club Cruises delivers a small ship experience with extra touches hard to find on other ships. Your special treatment begins on the day of embarkation. Greeted with a glass of champagne as soon as you cross the threshold, feel free to say a toast to yourself for making a great vacation choice. If you've been cruising mega ships in the past, you might be a bit confused as you wonder where the crowds are hiding. Keep looking. You won't find any during the course of your trip. When speaking to fellow cruisers about what they liked best onboard this ship, they often responded: "I love not being nickeled and dimed to death." This exact phrase was repeated by a variety of people from all backgrounds. Not having to sign a slip of paper every time you asked for a glass of wine was a real relief to many. And the wine flowed freely at lunch and dinners as it was included in the cost of the cruise. One of my favorite perks was so simple. As we left the ship each day to go to port, we were offered iced bottles of water to take out with us for the day. Upon our return to the tender, a server with lemonade, water and cool towels awaited us with the greeting, "Welcome Home!"

Let's not forget the importance of the destinations offered by these floating boutique hotels. "Longer Stays and More Overnights". The slow pace allowed for a truly relaxing experience. How many times have you rushed back to your ship in the early afternoon? Azamara wants their guests to experience the ports to the fullest, so they stay later. Want to take advantage of the local cuisine for dinner? On our sailing, we were in Marigot, St. Martin until 11:00 p.m. allowing many aboard to sample authentic French restaurants. Our itinerary also called for an overnight in St. Barths - shopping capitol of the Caribbean. What a great place to spruce up that French wardrobe! Expensive when making the conversion from U.S. dollars to Euros - yes. Fun - definitely!

Entertainment included a guest lecturer, dance classes, a talented cruise director with a voice that should be on Broadway and all your usual cruise fun.

I would recommend this line to anyone looking for a truly relaxing experience who appreciates great food and great service!

Norwegian Epic Review: "So What's In a Name?"

"So what's in a name?" I ponder this as I reflect on my most recent cruise during the week of October 16th on Norwegian Cruise Line's newest ship, the Epic, and "Epic" she is. Webster's definition: "grand and noble" most definitely comes to mind when stepping onboard. The first dazzling sight to greet you upon entry is the behemoth of a chandelier hanging from the ceiling and spanning several floors. As lights bounce off the crystals, this show of elegance sets the stage for a week on a ship that delights all the senses.

Innovative has been the word most often used to describe NCL's largest ship. Innovative in design, and in my opinion, most innovative in entertainment. This is the area where the Epic is making a huge splash! NCL is known for their freestyle cruising which means you don't have a traditional dining and show time. Instead you're free to dine when and where you want, either in the traditional dining room or in one of many specialty restaurants. Our two favorites were Le Bistro, French Cuisine in a romantic setting, and Teppanyaki, the Japanese Grill. Delicious! Now, hear a word of warning, freestyle still requires some advanced planning. You'll need to make reservations at some of the specialty restaurants in order to secure your spot. Although we were able to walk in on one lucky occasion. You'll also need reservations for the hit entertainers, Blue Man Group and Second City Improv. As you can imagine from the sound of the line up, the entertainment is some of the most modern I've seen on a cruise ship. Blue Man Group had the crowd laughing from start to finish. If you've ever had a hankering to participate in a murder mystery show, they put on a murder mystery luncheon that's interactive and a lot of fun. The Ice Bar is a novel idea that everyone seems to feel obligated to visit. It was so blasted cold in there I was ready to leave after just 10 minutes! The things we do to have fun while on a cruise. Sit on a block of ice in subfreezing temperatures and drink from an ice-glass. For those of you watching your onboard bill, some of the liveliest entertainment did not require an additional charge. The dueling piano act in one of the bars drew a huge crowd every night with the talented young players taking requests from the audience and amazing everyone with their abilities. If Jazz & Blues is more your style, an excellent band entertained a slightly more mature crowd. Sports enthusiasts and children playing Wii were enthralled by the two story movie screen in the Atrium. Of course, as is to be expected on any cruise ship, the disco was hopping every night, and all the usual newlywed games were to be found.

We were in the Caribbean, so let's not forget about fun in the sun. The aqua park entertained everyone no matter what their age. I even conquered the water slides one afternoon. Hint here: lines weren't bad at all immediately after returning from a port. The children are sure to love the fact that they just might see someone get slimed with all the Nickelodeon activity onboard the ship. And if you have a picky eater, this is a ship where pizza is delivered anytime anywhere.

Personally, I'll have to give one of my highest marks to the spa. I was determined to win something at their raffle, and by some miracle, I won a facial. Always try to attend the sail-away tour of the spa on that first day. Not many people make it to these, so it greatly increases your chances of winning. The spa facilities are gorgeous, and the therapist I was assigned was the best I've had on a cruise. The fitness center was immense with all the equipment you could possibly need to burn off those extra calories you're picking up eating at the buffet.

The cabins on this ship are quite different than those you'll find elsewhere. Looking at cabin and deck lay-outs before you book will really pay off on this ship when considering noise or space. If you're really tall, be sure to choose wisely. Anyone over 5'9" has a tendency to hang off the end of the bed and in some room configurations, there isn't a lot of room between bed and bureau. The bathroom design has received a lot of attention, but I found them to be uniquely efficient with their separate rooms for showers.

The Epic holds 4100 guests and is 155,873 gross tons. At that size, I never felt any motion. We were onboard with a large group of 823 fellow travel franchisees, vendors and travel industry media, the largest group the Epic has accommodated. All group events went smooth as glass. I was sure to ask vacationers what they thought of the ship every chance I got. Everyone I encountered gave her rave reviews. She'll be in the Caribbean until April 2011. After that, you'll have to fly across the ocean and join her on a European itinerary.

Welcome Aboard Cathy's Cruise Chat!

Cruising. It's actually like a pebble with many colors. Once the novice picks it up and examines it the first time, they discover it's so much more than what they thought. At least that was my experience on my first cruise. Many years ago, my husband surprised me with an anniversary cruise. Now, you have to understand. I'm a sun worshipper from Florida who was transplanted up to Georgia and whines about missing the beach on a regular basis. So, this man of mine who doesn't like humidity decided he would sacrifice himself and take me on a cruise. Little did he know he was going to be in for a big surprise! What my beautiful white sandy beaches of the Gulf Coast couldn't do - the amazing clear blue waters of the Caribbean accomplished! My husband became addicted to cruising as much as I did. Now, let's be honest. Every once in awhile I will hear someone say they didn't like cruising, but it is rare...extremely rare. We all usually come back from our first cruise - mad, raving addicts! Many non-cruisers think of a cruise as being "trapped on a ship with nothing to do for days". They say they are afraid they'll be bored. Nothing is further from the truth. The cruise ships of today are floating cities. Often, there is not enough time to explore all the areas on the ship or get around to participating in all the possible activities. Yet, beyond the magnificence of the ship, there were two things that impressed me the most on that first cruise. First, I will never forget the awe I felt at seeing the magnificence of that brilliant, blue, crystal-clear Caribbean water for the first time. I could not tear my eyes away from it. Growing up on beautiful beaches in Florida, I had never seen water like that before. No, the Caribbean beaches don't beat out the white sands of the Florida gulf coast, but no where have I seen such a beautiful blue liquid painting in my life as on a cruise gazing down at that ocean. Secondly, both my husband and I came back from that cruise completely and utterly relaxed - for the first time after any vacation. Perhaps, it was because we didn't have to drive a car. Perhaps, it was because we didn't have to worry about meals. Perhaps, it was because the setting was beautiful and each day was a new adventure. Whatever, the reason...we were hooked for life!