Day 4: Molokini Crater Snorkel Tour - June 20, 2011

Day 4: Molokini Crater Snorkel Tour in Maui - June 20, 2011

The heavens above were kind enough to bless me with a rainbow upon my wakening as a birthday gift this morning. Rainbows, snorkeling and Maui - what more could a girl ask for on her birthday?

Snorkeling trips have got to be my favorite type of excursions. I love everything about them. The feel of the vibration of the boat's motors beneath my feet, the sun beaming down on me, the gentle sway of the waves and the ocean breeze blowing wisps of hair every which way. And I'm surrounded by blue beneath and above - the simmering blue of the ocean dotted by bubbling white caps and the serene blue of the sky with its powdery white clouds echoing the waves below. The Maui mountains make an impressive backdrop as we sail onward.

So our snorkeling adventure begins. Off to explore the Molokini crater, a dormant volcano set amidst the vastness of the Pacific. This tour is conducted by the Pacific Whale Foundation and all our guides are college-educated marine activists. Raised by a marine biologist and with my own little biology degree, I think this is cool! As we're traveling to our snorkel site, our guides give classes on fish and the environment out on deck.





After a short trip, the crater looms ahead. Yes! I will pay the 10 bucks for the wet suit top. With water temps of just 71 degrees, I'm wondering how I'm going to survive this. Chasing tropical fish with the underwater camera has my ears popping. But after the swim, all I can think is... Wow! Was that worth it! Crystal clear waters and the most live coral we have ever seen. Before you know it we're off to the next site where turtles are said to abound. Time to suck it up and plunge into the chilly waters again. Two sea turtles joined us in our swim. The way back to the boat was a little challenging, because the winds and surf kicked up. Blue lips when I emerge from below are a testament to just how cold the water is here.





Maui is the 3rd windiest place in the world according to one of the biologists onboard, making for a bumpy ride back to the harbor. Chilled to the bone, I was real impressed with myself for being prepared: long-sleeved shirt and quick dry pants. But to no avail. One big wave splashes through the rails and I am soaked to the bone. That was one cold ride back!

NCL has another little surprise waiting for us when we reach our cabin, chocolate-covered strawberries! we took them out on deck with some decaf coffee and watched the rowers practicing in the waters below.
Tonight's dinner is in Lazy J's Steak House, one of NCL's specialty restaurants. Time to celebrate my birthday. It also happens to be formal night or as NCL calls it, "Dress up or not Night". They believe in freestyling, so everyone pretty much does as they like. We decide to dress up a bit for the occasion. The food was great and we were stuffed to the gills. As we were about to drag our full bellies away from the table, the waiters brought me a cake and sang Happy Birthday. We packed that cake to go!

Tips for this excursion: If you love snorkeling, consider this one because the water clarity was perfect and the coral was beautiful! Take Dramamine if you are prone to motion sickness. Due to windy conditions, this ride may be bumpy with large swells. Take warm clothes for after the snorkel. Due to the winds and cold water, you will be chilly. Rent the wetsuit top. It's worth the money! Take a little bit of cash for the gift shop afterwards.

Day 3: Road to Hana - Maui - June 19, 2011

Day 3: The Road to Hana - Maui - June 19, 2011




Our first port day is in the beautiful isle of Maui. Father's Day. Lon discovers a Father's Day card the girls have delivered to his suitcase for the occassion. Nice way to start the day.

We've received so many rave reviews on "The Road to Hana", we decided to check it out ourselves and booked the excursion through NCL. Tom, our driver, knew the route like the back of his hand and part of the thrill, at least for Lon, was Tom's peeling around curves on the edge of a cliff. Everyone knew we were from the South when Lon let out his, "Yeehaw", in approval. The winding, hilly road with hiar-pin curves that often narrows to one lane is not the right choice for the faint of heart or the passenger who forgot to take his dramamine. But the reward was a day of changing landscapes that included sugar cane fields, cattle ranches, waterfalls, mountains & valleys, lush tropical foliage and dry arid plains, and our favorite - a black sand beach with lava boulders. We were introduced to the Rainbow Eucalyptus, a tree that looks as if it were painted in stripes and left in the forest to dry. One of our stops included Aunty Sandy's Banana Bread stand where we sampled authentic home-baked bread which was delicious! To top off the day, the tour ended with a quick stop at a winery where we sampled some pineapple wine. We took just over 300 pictures on this 9.5 hour tour.

On our rerturn to the ship, we quickly prepared for the VIP cocktail party with the Captain & Crew in the Lanai Martini Bar. All the officers introduced themselves and continued to exude the Pride's spirit of Aloha! Now we're off to pack bags for the Molokini Snorkel Tour in the morning.

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!

Aloha Hawaii! Traveling Day Leads to Arrival Day

Please read with a kind and open heart, with the Aloha Spirit if you will, for this blog will be written in the raw. I will be writing and posting quickly with little time for editing, attempting to capture our adventures in real time during the few lapses that occur during an action-packed schedule.

In all honesty, it was with some trepidation that I looked forward to the actual traveling that it would take to get me to my destination. Yes, it is true. This travel agent is not particularly fond of air travel. In fact, you might say in the past I was somewhat phobic over the idea. Wow! Have I come a long way. But, knowing the prize that awaited me at the other end of that long traveling day...I hopped onboard. Traveling from the East Coast to Hawaii makes for a long and grueling day, but oh is it worth it. We spent a total of about 10 hours in the air with a 3 hour-lay over in Los Angeles.

Our day began with a 5:30 a.m. beep of the alarm. Lon had been awake since 4:30, so excited was he to start his Hawaiian adventure. Atlanta reminded us that we live in the big city, as we experienced anxiety-provoking traffic delays on the way to the airport. Once there, long lines at security had us checking our watches, but no reason to fear. We made it on the plane with a good 30 minutes before take-off.

Prone to motion-sickness, after hitting about 30,000 feet in altitude, I could definitely tell we were in the air. A little pop of Dramamine at the L.A. Airport and I was all set for the next flight. It helped immensely. The flight from Los Angeles to Honolulu was much more enjoyable. Probably partly because our flight attendants were so much friendlier and efficient on that leg of the trip. Reminds me once again how important customer service is! Arrival in Honolulu around 5:30 island time - that would be 11:30 p.m. in Atlanta. Much to our surprise, we aren't feeling it yet. A quick nap on the plane and the sun revving our engines and we are good to go just a little while longer.

Now how many places do you know that have a beautifully landscaped airport? Walking between buildings to collect your luggage, you know you are in Hawaii. Beautiful plants and trees adorn the courtyards preparing tourists for the sites they are yet to behold. Robert's Shuttle of Robert's Hawaii was waiting to pick us up right outside. The only downside to this service was it took about 45 minutes to get to our hotel, because they were dropping other passengers off along the way. However, it was less expensive than a taxi, so...

Arrival at the Holiday Inn Waikiki Beachcomber Hotel surpassed my expectations. I booked this hotel based on location and the fact that I have points through their priority club to take care of the room. It was a practical decision that ended up being a lucky winner. The location is awesome! On Kalakaua Avenue directly across from Waikiki Beach surrounded by other hotels, high-end shopping, and next door to the International Market Place, the view from our "partial-ocean" view room was a pleasant surprise. Not only could we see the ocean but also Diamond Head was in prominent view from our balcony. Cool! So now that it's after midnight Atlanta time, what to do about dinner? Airplane food and peanuts had our stomachs growling for more. Luckily, down in the lobby, the hotel sports a Jimmy Buffet Margaretaville Restaurant. Cheeseburgers in Paradise for us tonight! The decor was fun and we're off to a great start. Though traveling fatigue is now beginning to set in. Our long day of travel ends at 3 a.m. Atlanta time - an early 9 p.m. HI. We managed to sleep until 5:30 a.m. Hawaiian time - not bad for the first day of time change. Expect to wake up during the night a few times when making this transition. Of course, the birds chirping outside the window during the night didn't help any. But, as Lon said, "The birds are so happy to be in Hawaii they chirp all night long.". Who needs sleep anyway, right?

One note about Waikiki Beach. It's one of those places that doesn't sleep. Cars up and down the drag, sirens going off a few times during the night. An action-packed place.


DAY 1: Waikiki Beach

Off to breakfast in our new favorite Jimmy Buffet's, then it's time to try out the new camera. We had surf lessons planned for this day, but with almost no surf we rescheduled those for Kauai. Instead I get to shop for souvenirs in the International Market and swim in the inviting Pacific Ocean. One side note here: You will be stopped multiple times by vendors on the street to purchase excursions. They're very friendly but persistent. Once I told them we had everything planned already, because I was a travel agent - problem solved - on to their next friend for the day! This job does comes in handy sometimes. Found a few goodies for the daughters and time for a quick bite of lunch. I don't recommend the International Market's Food Court- buy hey, it was protein.

Now...beach time. Drying off in the sun after a dip in the inviting waters of the Pacific, I'm people watching. It strikes me that this small microcosm called Waikiki Beach is like a representation of the diversity of the Hawaiian Islands we have yet to see. Palm trees set against high-rises, a dormant volcano looming over the sparkling ocean, and the people...children frolicking in the waves, young people gathered in circles on rafts talking about their partying adventures the night before, athletic types attempting to surf the slight swells that begin to appear in the afternoon, and older folks hunched over unable to stand tall yet walking the sands. The hustle and bustle of Waikiki Beach and the gentle lapping of the water against the shore. It all blends together to produce a place that is vibrantly alive - day and night. Sitting beside me, Lon says again, "Can you believe we are in Hawaii?"

But alas, we must leave the beach and head out to prepare for the next adventure on our agenda - a luau. First, a quick stop at the ABC store right down the street from our hotel. Can you tell I really love the location of this place? With a fridge in the room and an ungodly pick up time of 6:30 a.m. tomorrow morning, we decide to get protein drinks, bananas and protein bars for a quick breakfast. Stocked up for the morning, it's time to prepare for that luau. See you on the other side.

Tips for First Time Cruisers

What a thrill! You're going on your first cruise. A cruise adventure is just a little different than your typical land vacation, so here are a few tips I usually share with first-timers.

*Really excited and want to start your vacation a little early? If you don't mind the possibility of having to wait for a bit at the port after check-in, arrive much earlier than your documents indicate. It's not unusual for first-timers to board the ship mid-afternoon to see all the old-timers lazing around the pool like they've been there all day - because they have! Arrive by 11 a.m. and you should be onboard in time to take advantage of lunch. Yes, you'll have to haul your carry-on around with you until your cabin is ready (usually around 1:30 or so), but it gives you a few extra hours to explore your new home.

*On the downside, be prepared to leave very early the day of debarkation (the day you get off the ship). You'll hear the ship pulling into port around 6 a.m. and they'll be encouraging you to leave your room as early as 8 a.m.

*Study your ports before the cruise. Average port time is about 8 hours. Don't assume you'll be able to just wing it in every stop and make good use of your time. A well-planned excursion based on your interests and what that area is known for makes for a fun day. And some excursions really do sell out in advance! If you plan a 3 to 4 hour excursion, you still may have several hours to kill. Have a plan. Will you go back to the ship for lunch first then back out to port? Will you shop downtown or around the port? Are you tendering or walking off a pier? If tendering (being shuttled back and forth to a pier because the water is too shallow for the ship to dock), allow about 20 to 30 minutes total time each way for lines and tender time. If you've never been to a port before, you might want to consider using the ship's excursion instead of venturing off on your own. It's a safe way to learn about the surrounding area.

*Beware of a cell phone onboard the ship! The ship towers typically take over your cell phone with roaming charges even when in port in the U.S. These charges are VERY expensive! Call your cell phone provider before your leave home and find out how much they charge per minute in each port of call. It will probably be less expensive than making or receiving calls from the ship. You may want to consider an international calling plan for a month. Texting is usually much less expensive from onboard the ship but more expensive than from home. People have been shocked by their cell phone bills when arriving home. Prepare in advance!

*Tipping is part of the cruising culture. All cruise lines will add an automatic gratuity to your bill at the end of the cruise in the amount of about $10 to $12 per person in your cabin per day. This gratuity is divided among the staff who directly served you - your cabin steward, waiters in the dining room, etc. Don't forget to take plenty of $1.00 bills along with you to tip luggage porters. Those dollar bills just seem to come in handy when making small purchases - especially in the Caribbean.

*Yes, cruising is almost all-inclusive, but there are a few basics not included that could really have you walking off the ship with a hefty bill. Bottled water, soft drinks and alcohol are all extra costs. I like to save my spending money for the fun things like excursions and shopping, so I always go to the trouble to pack bottled water and soft drinks. It can save you a bundle depending on your family. I have a daughter who is addicted to Mr. Pibb, so into the bags go her allotted number of cans for the week! Also, if you have a craving for a particular brand, check the ship and make sure it will be available. Don't try to smuggle alcohol onboard the ship without checking their policy. They will confiscate it if not allowed. Some cruise lines will allow you to bring a bottle of wine onboard your carry-on. Remember, your luggage is going through security!

*Pack your carry-on with everything you will need that first day on the ship. Your checked luggage may not arrive until after dinner. Mine almost always arrives mid-afternoon but there are no guarantees. I suggest making sure both people in the cabin have a few things in the carry-on to protect against lost luggage. 1st day suggestions: bathing suit if you plan to go to pool, clothes for dinner that night, always pack all valuables and medication in your carry-on.

*Use a TSA approved lock for your checked luggage.

*Packing Tips: Pack a sweater or jacket no matter the destination or the time of year. The ships are often VERY cold! If you are an ambitious type, don't forget your exercise shoes and clothes for the gym or taking a jog around the ship up on deck. Power strips, tote bags for the pool and excursions, and travel alarms come in handy. Women may find a very lightweight over shoulder bag or lanyard (for key card) convenient for around the ship if packing clothes without pockets.

*Remember: The ship is a cashless system. You will charge everything with your key card which will be secured by a charge card or you may put a certain amount of cash on your account when you board the ship.

*Have fun! Explore the ship the first day. Ask the porter's desk if there are any behind the scene tours being offered. Participate in some activities but find time to relax!

A Glimpse onboard the Norwegian Epic

What a fun ship the Norwegian Epic is! And beautiful too. Check out the video to catch a glimpse of our trip onboard the Norwegian Epic in October 2010 with stops in Costa Maya, Cozumel, and the beautiful Roatan, Honduras.

Staying Safe While Traveling Abroad

Leisure travel is a welcome escape from life's day to day routine. Planning that escape has the power to fill you with energy and the trip itself will often leave you feeling restored. Be sure to follow a few easy tips to keep your trips hassle-free.

*Always travel with a passport when visiting foreign ports by cruise ship. Even though many cruise lines will allow you to board with just a birth certificate and picture ID, you are leaving yourself open to difficulties if something goes wrong in your plans. If someone in your party gets sick, has an accident, or heaven-forbid misses the ship, that person will not be allowed to re-enter the U.S. by flight without a passport.

*Check your destinations for any inoculations that may be suggested, and it never hurts to be up to date on your tetanus shot when traveling.

*When traveling abroad, take advantage of the "STEP" or Smart Traveler Enrollment Program. This is a free service that the U.S. Government provides to U.S. citizens who live abroad or travel to a foreign country. You simply register your information about your upcoming trip with the State Department so they can assist you in the unlikely event of an emergency.

*Don't wear your expensive jewelry in destinations that are unknown to you. You don't want to make yourself a target for a robbery. And as you have heard so many times before, stay with the crowd. One block does make a difference when visiting foreign cities. If you take the wrong turn and find yourself in an alley without much foot traffic, turn around and go back. Always be aware of your surrounding. A vacation is no time for your common sense to take time off.

For the most part, you will find people in foreign destinations to be friendly and helpful when you are friendly to them. Travel smart and come home refreshed!