Category: Hawaii & South Pacific Cruise

All posts related to our trips involving Hawaii and South Pacific Islands.

Victoria, British Columbia, Canada

Friday, April 4, 2025

I was really looking forward to today and didn’t even mind that it was cloudy and 41 degrees.

Today we would be in port until 9:30 pm so I would finally get to go to the Butchart Gardens.

Our tour was not scheduled to leave until 10:00 so we were able to have an early breakfast in the main dining room. There was an announcement that the officers of the Koningsdam were meeting with representatives of the First Nation for a welcoming ceremony.

I never did understand if this meeting was because it was the Koningsdam’s first time ever in Victoria, BC or just the first time this year.

We walked out on the third deck to watch the welcoming ceremony. The deck was very crowded so I could only see a little of what was going on. I do know that the ceremony was a long one.

We were not allowed to disembark until the ceremony was completed. The lines to the gangway on Decks 2 and 3 were stretched down the hall and spilled over to other halls. People on private tours or renting cars were the most anxious as their time ashore was getting used up.

We were on a HAL tour – Butchart Gardens & Short City Drive

ABOUT THE EXCURSION – This tour offers the very best of Victoria, combining the city’s unique highlights with a visit to the world-famous Butchart Gardens. On a panoramic drive you’ll take in Chinatown and the Gates of Harmonious Interest, along with the Old Town and scenic Marine Drive.

At beautiful Butchart Gardens, see how the Butchart family has transformed a barren rock quarry into what is now one of the world’s best-known horticultural attractions, covering more than 55 acres.

The gardens are a lush paradise of flowers, rare trees and winding paths and were created more than 100 years ago. Enjoy the cascading fountains and footbridges connecting the many themed gardens, including the beautiful Sunken Garden, the Japanese Garden and the Rose Garden. A map will help you on your self-guided tour.

Notes: This tour operates during daytime calls to Victoria only. Due to ongoing road construction, panoramic tours of Chinatown may not be possible.

I like when the Shore Excursion staff tells us to meet at the World Stage and then, when the busses are ready for us, we can all go out as a group to our bus(ses).

Unfortunately, today we were to meet at the busses in the parking lot, so we were caught up in the long lines trying to get off the ship. I wasn’t as anxious as the private tour people because I knew that HAL would have to give us the full tour experience no matter what time we left or would refund part of our money if they cut it short.

It was even more chaotic at the busses because there were several busses that had tours going to the Gardens but no clear lines as to which bus we would be getting on. Of course, once we figured it out – it was the longest line, and we were at the back of it. Sigh.

We were 1/2 hour late leaving. It was a double-decker bus, and we were on the top deck. The views were great. Luckily, the sound system was very good, so we had no problem hearing the guide. He had a lot of stories and information as we drove through Victoria. We had seen some of Victoria the last time we were here, but we didn’t have the depth of information he was able to give.

I was so happy that the weather was good when we got to the Gardens. We received our tickets and were told to be back at the bus in 2 hours. The people at the Gardens were apologetic that the roses weren’t blooming yet, but I was thrilled at all the spring flowers and blooming trees.

We had plenty of time to wander through the entire Garden with no rush. Really amazing how a quarry was turned into something so beautiful.

A working carousel
The Star Fountain/Garden

I didn’t even mind spotting one of the local residents sunning on top of the hedges.

We returned to the ship about 4:00 and it was time to get ready for the evening. We had reservations at the Tamarind, the Asian specialty restaurant. Our server told us that they are planning to update their menu in the next few months. That news usually means that some of our favorites are going away.

We had an excellent meal tonight. I had the crispy ginger duck and Chuck had the wasabi-crusted tenderloin.

After the meal we went to the early show of Elliott Finkle. We’ve seen him on other HAL ships but he never ceases to amaze us with his wonderful piano-playing and story-telling.

The Rolling Stone Lounge band was off tonight, and the Casino was closed. We decided to go see the BB King Lounge band only to find that they would not be performing tonight because they had learned that day that one of their original band members had passed away. He was supposed to join back with the band tomorrow when we dock at Vancouver. Sad.

We stayed to listen to the DJ play some songs but then decided to call it a night and relax in the cabin.

I really enjoyed our day in Victoria. Chuck said it was nice. High praise from someone who groaned when I first told him I very much wanted to see it. 😊 At least I didn’t ask to go to High Tea at the Empress Hotel (but maybe next time). 🤫

Tomorrow – Vancouver, BC

Astoria, Oregon

Thursday, April 3, 2025

Nice sunny day today but a brisk 47 degrees.

After a leisurely breakfast again in the main dining room, we decided to skip the state park. We were just going to walk the mile to downtown Astoria via the Riverwalk.

The path to the downtown area was clearly marked and we were not the only ones who decided to walk. Others opted for the shuttle that was provided for a fee. Some people rented cars while others took taxis or Ubers to their destinations.

Our first stop was the Astoria Riverwalk Viewpoint. With no fog, we could see across the Columbia River to the state of Washington.

The green bridge is the Astoria-Megler Bridge connecting Oregon and Washington.

Our next stop was the Oregon film museum in downtown Astoria. The museum is located in a converted old jail.

It was small but a very interesting museum. I was not aware of the number of movies that had been filmed in and around Astoria, Oregon.

Some sample movies –

But the over-whelming draw to this museum is the 1985 movie The Goonies. They had several items of memorabilia from the movie. A person could even film themselves starring in various clips of the movie.

I saw a number of tourists of all ages in the museum who were wearing Goonies apparel and were quoting scenes from the movie. I kind of remember The Goonies but I feel I should watch it again since apparently it is a cult classic. The actual Goonies house is somewhere in Astoria, but we did not seek it out.

Our next stop, just right around the corner, was the Flavel House Museum. It was the 1886 Queen Anne home of Captain George Flavel, one of the first millionaires in Oregon.

You get your tickets at the Carriage House which has exhibits also.

Then you walk over to the house.

There is a docent that greets you at the door and can answer any questions. The tour through the two-story house is self-guided. The furnishings were beautiful.

Indoor plumbing – a luxury

There were other museums we could have visited once we finished here, but we decided to head back to the ship again via the Riverwalk.

Once we were at the pier, I did a little souvenir shopping at the booths that were set up (have to get that Christmas ornament).

We spent the afternoon sunning by the pool until it was time to get ready for the evening. When we got back to the room we had another gift from the Casino – a beach bag.

Tonight, we had a reservation at the Canaletto, the specialty Italian restaurant. I ordered the Chianti-braised beef brisket and Chuck ordered the Chicken Parmesan.

The show in the world stage tonight was Move by the HAL singers and dancers. We had seen it before on a different ship, so we opted to go to the Casino.

The Casino was very busy as it is the last day/evening it will be open for this trip. We played for a while until it was too busy to enjoy it. We settled our account and made our way to the Orange Party.

The Orange Party, the celebration of the Dutch heritage, is held on every sailing. Tonight, the party would be in the BB King Lounge. Most people wear something orange, with several going all-out in costumes, wigs, etc. Chuck likes to wear his bright orange wig.

We stayed for a while listening to the music, but the dance floor was packed. We then made our way to our favorite venue – the Rolling Stone Lounge.

Once they finished their last set, we called it a night.

Back in our cabin, we were greeted by a towel animal, and some chocolate.

We really did enjoy our time in Astoria and agreed it would be a place we would like to come back to visit more in-depth.

Tomorrow – Victoria, BC

Travel Trivia*

Founded in 1811 by John Jacob Astor’s Pacific Fur Company, Astoria is the oldest American settlement west of the Rockies.

The Astoria-Megler Bridge, which spans the Columbia River and connects Astoria to Washington State, is the longest continuous truss bridge in North America.

The Columbia River Bar is one of the most dangerous navigational hazards in the world, with treacherous currents, shifting sandbars, and strong winds. The Coast Guard has a station in Astoria to monitor the bar and perform rescues when needed.

Located near Astoria, Fort Clatsop National Memorial Park is where the Lewis and Clark expedition spent the winter of 1805-1806.

*trivia supplied by Oregon and Astoria marketing materials

Sea Day #2

Wednesday, April 2, 2025

The seas were very rocky last night, so it wasn’t a restful night’s sleep. I was looking forward to my first latte of the day. Unfortunately, I had a longer wait than usual. The Grand Dutch Cafe was short-staffed, so the line of caffeine-starved passengers was stretched down the hallway. Sigh.

Once we did have sufficient caffeine, we went to the main dining room for a leisurely late breakfast. Then I went to a presentation by Gage, the Cruise Director, regarding information about Astoria, our next port. I was interested in going out to the state park but needed to know if Uber was available. If not, finding out what would be interesting within walking distance.

Spent some time in the Casino. It was very crowded since people had not been able to play until they re-opened the slot machines around 11:00 pm last night.

Since I didn’t sleep that well last night, I decided to return to the room to read and take a nap while Chuck stayed to play some cards.

I was reading when maintenance knocked on the door. Our room stewards had reported that our shower needed some grout work, and he had come to fix it. I had not even noticed the problem. He was in there about 30 minutes.

I thought I could still take a short nap but just as I was drifting off, there was another knock. Room service was delivering a gift of chocolate covered strawberries compliments of the Casino. Can’t be mad at someone giving you free chocolate.

Tonight was another dressy night, and we had been invited to HAL’s Awards Ceremony at 4:30 so my hopes for a nap were now dashed. It was time to get ready.

We weren’t getting any Medallions on this cruise. We have received our Silver Medallions, but we have many more sea days to go before getting a Gold one. There were several people on this cruise who received their Gold Medallions signifying 500 cruise days. We enjoyed chatting with other passengers.

We opted for an early dinner in hopes that we would avoid the fiasco of the last dressy night dinner. It was a good decision. The line was long but once we got to the host desk, he was able to seat us right away. No beeper needed.

Chuck and I each had the Beef Tenderloin Oscar. It was very tender and the crab meat on top was very sweet.

We went to the early show in the world stage. The show was a talented group of vocalists and dancers called The FlyRights. We really enjoyed their show.

After the show, we listened to the last two sets of the BB King Lounge band. They were better than the other night, but I still prefer the Rolling Stone Lounge Band.

We called it a night and hoped for a more restful sleep.

Tomorrow – Astoria, Oregon

San Francisco – Day 2

Tuesday, April 1, 2025

It’s another cloudy, windy 55-degree day with a wind chill of 38 degrees. So much for sunny California.

We had a room service breakfast because we needed to meet our HAL tour at 8:30. I ordered a bowl of cereal for me and a bacon and egg breakfast for Chuck. They brought the bowl of cereal and two bacon and egg breakfasts. I guess they thought the bowl of cereal was just an appetizer. I put the cup of milk in the refrigerator and the bowl of dry cereal on a shelf for later. I ate the bacon and egg breakfast.

Our HAL tour today was titled: Muir Woods and Sausalito

ABOUT THE EXCURSION – Cross the spectacular Golden Gate Bridge en route to visit one of the few remaining groves of virgin coastal redwood. These world-famous trees are among the tallest and oldest of their kind.

The nature trail at Muir Woods leads you into the heart of the cathedral-like grove of trees. Take a moment to enjoy the serenity of this majestic setting while learning the fascinating history of the giant redwoods.

The artist colony of Sausalito features winding roads, cliff-side homes, and houseboat havens — it’s one of the quaintest parts of the San Francisco region.

Enjoy some free time here to explore the many art galleries, boutiques and quaint shops. Don’t miss the spectacular San Francisco skyline view across the bay from this picturesque city on the water.

Notes: Wear comfortable walking shoes.

Our bus was comfortable and the guide’s talk interesting as we crossed over the Golden Gate Bridge and made our way on a very twisty road to the Muir Woods.

Once the guide gave us our tickets, we were free to walk the trail at our own pace. It was very level but wet and kind of muddy in some places. He advised us how far we could go on the trail to be back in an hour.

We were able to go as far as Bridge #3 and back which was a one-mile loop trail without having to hurry. There were plenty of benches, if needed, to just sit and breathe in the fresh air and listen to the birds.

Banana Slug – Symbiotic relationship with the Redwoods
Dark-eyed Junco posing for his photo

We really enjoyed our stroll through these peaceful woods. Back on the bus – our next stop was the town of Sausalito.

We only had 25 minutes here and some people were disgruntled. It is a pretty seaside town with many pastel buildings, art galleries, restaurants, and shops. We were fine just strolling along the waterfront and park, but others wanted to shop and eat. Since our ship was not departing until 9:00 pm, they decided to stay in Sausalito and either Uber/taxi back or take a ferry. We came back to the ship on the bus.

View of our ship from Sausalito

We ate a late lunch in the Lido and then spent the afternoon sitting in the sunshine around the pool. Still too chilly for me to get into the water.

We were not hungry for dinner, so we decided to go see the early show on the world stage. Tonight’s show featured comedian Jose Sarduy. We thought he was very funny.

We stayed for the last two sets of the Rolling Stone Lounge band and then called it a night.

We came back to the room and found the Canadian Customs Declaration form that would have to be completed and turned in by noon tomorrow. Sigh

I decided that the bowl of cereal I saved from this morning would be a perfect bedtime snack and it was.

Tomorrow – Sea Day

San Francisco – Day 1

Monday, March 31, 2025

My very first visit to San Francisco was in 1972. We were fortunate to have relatives that lived near San Francisco and didn’t mind being our tour guide. I can remember going over the Golden Gate Bridge, taking a cable car ride, driving down Lombard Street, eating lunch in Chinatown, and visiting the Japanese Tea Garden, the Ghiradelli Square, and Fisherman’s Wharf. I also remember how cold it was.

I just didn’t remember that we visited in August of ’72 until I found these photos that my Dad took, and the dates were on them. Maybe, if I had remembered, I would have thought to bring more warm clothes since we are now visiting in March/April. But I didn’t.

Alcatraz as seen from Ghirardelli Square
Walking in China Town (I’m the tall girl in the bottom right)
Japanese Tea Garden
Japanese Tea Garden
Waving to Dad from the Cannery’s outside elevator at Fisherman’s Wharf

So fast forward to 2025. I woke up at 5:00. Didn’t sleep great. The seas were especially rocky last night. I heard a lot of clanging noises coming from the Lido deck above. Not typical.

At 7:00, the Captain opened the bow for the sailing into San Francisco. It was too windy for me, so I went to the Sea View area where the wind wasn’t as intense.

It misted rain for quite a while but by the time we finished breakfast the sun had come out.

We were docked at Pier 35 at Fisherman’s Wharf. We decided to walk down to Pier 39 looking at the shops and making our way to the sea lions – a staple of Fisherman’s Wharf since 1990 when they arrived in droves after the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake and just made themselves at home.

We stayed quite a while enjoying their antics of circling the docks and trying to jump aboard. I just couldn’t understand why they didn’t spread out. There were plenty of docks.

We then strolled back to the ship and had lunch at the New York Deli.

It was still sunny, so we decided to take advantage of it and go to the Sea View. Chuck even went swimming. I wasn’t brave enough for the water.

Suddenly, we all heard a huge bang. We looked over the side of the ship to the pier and saw that one of the moorings holding the ship in place had broken on the pier snapping the line. The ship had to deploy its thrusters to keep from banging against the dock. Then the whole gangway fell away. It was so lucky that there was nobody on it at the time.

People coming back to the ship couldn’t get back on the ship and people wanting to get off the ship couldn’t leave. Took 2 hours to get the gangway fixed. Had to call in a tugboat to help keep the ship in place. All this was caused by high cross winds. Crazy.

We enjoyed the time at the pool until it turned cool again. We got back to our cabin to find our laundry was returned, and candy had been delivered from the Casino.

We had dinner in the Pinnacle Grill. The rotating menu had some Mexican-inspired dishes. But, we chose our main course from the regular menu – lamb chops for me and filet mignon for Chuck. Meals were excellent.

Tonight’s world stage show was Humanity by the HAL singers and dancers. We’ve seen it previously on other ships so decided to skip it. The Casino was closed because we were in San Francisco overnight. We went to the second set of the Rolling Stone band and then called it a night.

Tomorrow – San Francisco

Travel Trivia*

San Francisco’s Chinatown is one of the largest Chinese communities outside of Asia and the oldest Chinatown in North America.

The Beatles held their final show in California performing at San Franciso’s Candlestick Park (now Oracle Park) in 1966.

The U.S. Navy originally planned to paint the Golden Gate Bridge black with yellow stripes. The Navy thought this would make the bridge easier to see through the fog, especially while under attack. The “International Orange” color, the current hue of the bridge, was intended to be a sealant—not a color option—to protect the steel, but during transit, it caught the architect’s eye and became the official color.

San Francisco’s cable cars are the only moveable National Historical Monument. The cables that pull the cars run at a constant speed of 9.5 miles per hour.

Philo Farnsworth invented the first electric TV in 1927 in San Francisco. 

Chinese fortune cookies were invented in San Francisco by a Japanese resident named Makoto Hagiwara. As the story goes, he was the landscape designer for Golden Gate Park’s Japanese Tea Garden and served the treats in the tea garden, popularizing the fortune cookie in 1909. 

*provided by the California.com website

Sea Day #1

Sunday, March 30, 2025

I was sleeping great but at 4:00 a.m. the Captain came over the loudspeaker and called for the medical response team. Those types of announcements are broadcast in all rooms whereas general announcements are only broadcast in public areas. They were called to a passenger’s room number. I hope the situation ended well.

Once I did get up, I went down to the Grand Dutch Cafe for our usual specialty coffees – a vanilla latte for me and an Americano for Chuck. The Grand Dutch Cafe also has pastries and later on in the day it will serve Dutch lunch items like pea soup. It is a very popular place on the ship and can only be found on the three Pinnacle-class ships. I highly recommend their raisin buns and Dutch apple pie.

I recognized the Barista from one of our Rotterdam cruises. She was not looking at me when she took my order but when she heard my voice and saw my coffee carrier, she looked up, smiled, and said “Welcome to the Koningsdam! So good to see you again.”

It was a rainy and foggy day so there would be no pool time. The ship was also rocking so I relied on my trusty Bonine to take care of the queasiness.

We found some empty seats in the casino and got to play some of our favorites.

We then went to the Sunday brunch in the main dining room. Even though we are on a Pacific coastal cruise, the menu featured a Mexican theme (the Koningsdam had just come from doing a Mexican Riviera cruise). Chuck had the huevos rancheros. I had a vegetarian burrito.

We spent some time in the Sea View (under the awning) talking with fellow passengers. Another stop at the Casino which was more crowded than this morning. The afternoon passed quickly. I noticed it was not warming up and still very breezy. I believe I have packed poorly for this cruise.

We planned to have dinner in the main dining room as it was the first dressy night. Apparently, so did everyone else. The line to the host station was long and when we got up there, instead of being shown to a table, we were given a beeper and told to go wait in the Ocean Bar. It was well over an hour before we got seated. Honestly, I was so hungry that taking a photo never crossed my mind. I had a NY strip steak and Chuck had the filet of sole. Here are some photos from Google 😊:

We decided not to go to the main show – David and Dawn Meyer. I had seen it before and enjoyed it, but didn’t need to see it again. Chuck was not interested.

Instead, we went to the second set of the Rolling Stone Band. Aferwards, we called it a night.

Tomorrow – San Francisco

Embarkation

Saturday, March 29, 2025

According to my Apple watch, I slept nine hours. I knew I was exhausted. I also woke up with a headache but luckily it went away after coffee.

The shower flow was terrible. Felt more like a rinse than a shower. At least the water was hot.

This hotel only offers a Grab-and-Go breakfast. They used to have a restaurant but the pandemic put an end to it. There were three choices of your to-go bag: an egg and sausage biscuit bag, a fruit and yogurt bag, and an egg and cheese wrap bag. They all came with water and juice and two granola bars. We both chose the biscuit bag. We heated them up in the room’s microwave.

While we were eating, I received a text from HAL letting us know that the ship was late coming into port due to wind and high sea swells. Our embarkation was pushed back to 1:30. This was a problem since our check-out was 11:00. The hotel graciously extended our check-out to 12:30 with no cost.

We checked out at 12:00 and got an Uber. We decided if it was chaos at the port, we’d drop our luggage with the porters and find a restaurant along the waterfront for lunch. We arrived at the port at 12:20. We were directed into the port building, went through security and were in our room by 1:00. No chaos whatsoever.

In our room, we found a gift from the Casino, an invitation to a Casino meet and greet party, and an itinerary for the weeks Casino drawings, etc.

As I mentioned in a previous post, even though we had never sailed the Koningsdam, we knew the layout because of our trips on its sister ship the Rotterdam. Because of this knowledge, we knew exactly where we want to go for lunch – The New York Deli and Pizza. I had the Manhattan Treat – a turkey, Swiss cheese, sauerkraut, Thousand Island dressing on rye bread. Chuck had the Reuben Rye – a hot corned beef, Swiss cheese, sauerkraut, Thousand Island dressing on rye bread. Each order came with potato chips. Sadly, we scarfed them down before I thought to get a photo.

I checked on our luggage and two of the suitcases had arrived in our room.

We went to the Sea View area on the back of the ship and immediately met a staff member who recognized us from our South Pacific cruise in 2022. He told us about two other staff members who were on that same cruise so that we could find them. Looking forward to seeing them.

We soon had to attend a full muster drill instead of just having our cards scanned and watching the video. At least we were able to go to the dining room (our muster station) for the information instead of standing out by the lifeboats.

After the muster drill, we went back to the Sea View for the sailaway party. It was fun with music, dancing, drinks, and appetizers. Thus begins our first leg of our B2B cruise – seven days up the Pacific Coast.

On the way to the Casino meet and greet, we stopped by the room again and our third piece of luggage had arrived. At the party, we talked to several people and met the casino hosts. The casino activities on this cruise are not as elaborate as the last one we attended but it was advertised as an “Ultra” Casino cruise and this one was advertised as a “VIP” Casino cruise.

We came back to the room and got all the luggage unpacked and stored under the bed. I never think we are going to find space for everything but somehow we do.

We decided to eat the steak dinner in the Lido. So did a lot of people. It was hard to find a spot to sit. A couple from Nevada invited us to eat at their table. We had a pleasant conversation. It wasn’t long before the casino opened.

Wow! The casino was so crowded. Being a Casino VIP cruise, I shouldn’t have been so surprised. I guess people had staked out their favorite machines early. I think it is going to be the tone for the next seven days.

Chuck made sure he had been credited with his promised “free play” money, and he had. We ended up playing an unfamiliar machine. We just “weren’t feeling it” so we headed to the BB King Lounge to listen to the Band.

I think the two singers are pretty good, but the backup band just overpowered their voices. The band also dragged out each song with unnecessary riffs. We stayed for the whole set but moved on to the Rolling Stone Lounge to listen to the Band’s last set.

They were good and played so you could hear the singers. They also didn’t talk a lot between songs like the last Rolling Stone band we had on the Rotterdam.

Once the set was over, it was after 11:00 pm and I was fading fast. Back to the room we went. It had been a good embarkation day.

There is a tiny gnat flitting about in our room. I have named him Nathan.

Tomorrow – Sea Day

Traveling Days

Thursday and Friday, March 27 and 28, 2025

For early flights, I always prefer going to an airport hotel the afternoon before the trip. Just cuts down on my travel anxiety and Chuck indulges me. Unlike our last trip, we didn’t have any last-minute house problems.

We left Pumpkin sulking under the couch. He hates to see the suitcases roll out. He knows his staff is taking another unauthorized vacation.

The shuttle to the airport left on time but the traffic was terrible. I was very happy not to be driving and not worrying about getting to a flight. Several passengers kept checking their watches/phones during the ride.

We stayed at the airport Hyatt Place again. We like the location and the prices are reasonable. We walked over to the Ruby Tuesday for dinner. The service was very slow but, once it finally arrived, the food was good. We each had their special of the evening – one trip to the salad bar and a smash burger with tater tots.

After a restless night (typical for a trip), I got up at 5:30 for a shower. The bathroom light is on a motion-sensor. Last time we were here, the sensor didn’t work and I was caught in the shower in total darkness until I could reach the switch. This time, when the lights went out, I just had to move a little and they came back on.

We ate breakfast at the hotel and caught its shuttle back to the airport. With CLEAR, TSA-precheck, and not having any carry-on go through the “naughty” line, we quickly arrived at the T-gate which is right past the security area. We don’t get to fly out of T-gate very often, so it was nice that we didn’t have to take the tram to another gate.

The flight left on time. I watched the movie “A Complete Unknown” about Bob Dylan. I’m not a huge Bob Dylan fan so I wasn’t sure I would like it. I thought it was very good. Chuck watched several episodes of 1923.

We arrived in San Diego early but then we had to wait for a gate to open so the flight ended up being officially late. We took an Uber XL to the Best Western Bayside. Getting to the Uber pick-up area in the airport was very easy which I appreciated. Not that way in every airport.

The traffic was bumper-to-bumper, and a lot of construction was going on, but we got to the hotel by 2:30. Our room was ready but “there is currently no hot water but we’re working on it.” Oh, great. Hoping we’ll have it before tomorrow morning. I am not a cold shower person. The hotel is very near the port and the view is always interesting.

With the time change and the breakfast being a long time ago, we were soon ready for dinner. We walked to the Queenstown Public House, a New Zealand inspired restaurant. We’ve eaten there before and enjoyed the food. This time, we were seated inside because I thought it was too breezy and chilly for the outside seating. We were by a window so we could still watch all the dog walkers.

We got there during their happy hour so we chose food from that menu. Chuck chose the fish and chips, and I chose the chicken/pineapple/potato chip slider with string fries. Everything was very good.

We walked back to the hotel. I was getting the bags tagged for the ship, and we heard a loud bang. We saw a car on its side, the traffic light down, and the windows blown out of the Starbucks. There were numerous police vehicles and rescue vehicles. I hope the person(s) involved would be okay. We had just walked through that intersection about 20 minutes prior to the accident.

Starbucks windows boarded up after the accident

The time change was finally getting to me. 7:00 – lights out.

Up next – Embarkation

New Experiences

Wednesday, March 26, 2025

We received a good offer on a cruise we’ve never taken before and a good offer on a cruise we’ve done twice before and loved each time. Bonuses: (1) They were back-to-back cruises which makes traveling to and from the embarkation/disembarkation ports easier to justify. (2) We stay on the same ship – Holland America (HAL) Koningsdam (a Pinnacle-class ship we have never sailed before although it will be similar to the HAL Rotterdam, a ship we’ve sailed several times). (3) We stay in the same room for both cruises.

The first cruise is a seven-day one described as the Pacific Coastal. It begins in San Diego and ends in Vancouver.

We will overnight in San Francisco. I’ve been to San Francisco, but Chuck never has so I’m happy to be able to experience the tourist attractions with him. Neither of us have been to Astoria, Oregon so a new experience for us both. We’ve been to Victoria, British Columbia, but only for a very short stay. This time we’ll be there for an extended day, so we’ll be able to take an excursion to the Butchart Gardens which I’ve wanted to see for a while.

Once we arrive in Vancouver, Canada, we will stay on the ship as it heads to Hawaii. We will island hop and then sail back to Vancouver – a 17-day adventure. We’ve been to the islands before but there is always something new to experience.

I hope we make it to Nawiliwili this trip. The first time, a storm kept us from being able to go. The next time, this port was not on the itinerary. Third times the charm so fingers crossed. I want to see the Grand Canyon of the Pacific.

Bags are packed. Let’s go west and have some new experiences.

Hawaii/South Pacific: Traveling Home

April 4, 2022

We walked to the Little Italy section of San Diego. We had not decided on a restaurant but there were plenty to choose from on both sides of the street. It was cold so I wanted to eat inside. We found the Princess Pub and Grille, an Irish Pub. Bold move to have an Irish pub in the middle of all of those Italian restaurants. We ate there.

There was a rowdy group inside, but the food was very good. Chuck had the fish and chips and I had pork bar-b-que sliders. When we got back to the hotel, we picked up our breakfast to-go bags and put them in the room fridge.

It was hard to go to sleep and I tossed and turned until the alarm went off at 2:45 a.m. We were ready to leave the room at 4:00. I was surprised but I found an UberXL that was available to take us to the airport.

It was only a 10-minute ride. The driver said that if it was 5:00 instead of 4:00, we would be crawling to the airport. I was happy to see that Delta had an outside luggage check-in.

There was no CLEAR kiosk and the TSA pre-check people and the regular line people were all merged. The only difference between them and us was that they didn’t have to take their shoes and coats off. The line was long and hectic even at that time of day.

We took off at 6:20 just as advertised. There was no turbulence. I watched Ghostbusters – Afterlife. It was a cute movie and a nice tribute to Harold Ramis. I still had time to watch another movie and I found – Groundhog Day. As I mentioned before, I’ve never seen that movie so now would be a good time. I didn’t realize it was a Harold Ramis directed movie too. Sweet movie.

We arrived about 15 minutes earlier than expected. We still had 45 minutes before our shuttle arrived. It arrived right on time. Luckily there was no traffic problem, and we were back in record time.

Happy that the car started after all the days of inactivity. Covered in thick pollen but no other problem.

Was glad to see that all was well when we got home. Pumpkin was furious with us, but he was fat and sassy and well taken care of for us. Home Sweet Home.

Great trip. Great memories.

 “Travel and change of place impart new vigor to the mind.” – Seneca