Category: Hawaii & South Pacific Cruise

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

Hawaii/South Pacific: Sea Day #4

March 4, 2022

Had a very nice time listening to the Dance Band play two sets prior to dinner last night. I like watching couples who are either natural ballroom dancers or took lessons. They can waltz, rumba, and cha-cha. After the second set, we played some slots. Tried a few new machines but kept going back to old faithful – Wonder Woman. I have her theme song stuck in my head now.

Dinner was in a different section with different waiters. I wonder if we will ever repeat waiters during this voyage?  No matter. There were no hiccups in tonight’s dinner. I had the sweet potato soup, Hawaiian macadamia and pineapple salad, and Pasta with chicken meatballs. Chuck an appetizer, the same salad, and the Parmesan encrusted chicken breast. He also had a hot fudge sundae.

I had assumed that the pasta would have several small meatballs in it. No…just one large chicken meatball. Interesting.

We went to the first set of the BB King Band. Another excellent performance. Lots of people up dancing to Prince and Stevie Wonder. After it was over, Chuck went for some three card poker and I headed for the room. I briefly thought about getting dessert in the Lido but just kept going to the room.

The laundry was delivered all cleaned and pressed. I got it put away. I am very thankful for this service.

Only fly in the ointment last night was the shower again. The warm water is tepid interspersed with bursts of Arctic water. I’ve got to check with our room stewards to see if they have notified maintenance. If not, I will need to call Guest Services. I might someday take part in a Polar Bear swim but I don’t want it to be an every day shower.

We set our clocks back another hour so we are officially on Hawaii time now.

After a light breakfast in the Lido, we went up to the gym. Quite a few members of the BB King Band were working out. I had to admire them. Put on a great show every night and then workout in the mornings. Dedication.

Hope this rain doesn’t follow us all the way to Hawaii. Would love some sunny 80 degree days – especially in Kona where we are supposed to snorkel.

I attended the 11:00 lecture on “Unexpected Heroes” presented by Ian, the Cruise Director. He discussed the various Caribbean sports teams that made history by besting some of the sports powerhouses over the years. Examples – Jamaican Olympic Bobsled team, Trinidad/Tobago vs USA in soccer, and West Indies team against England Cricket. David and Goliath type stories.


Met Chuck for lunch in the Lido. As we were eating, he spotted birds flying along side and diving into the water. First birds we have seen since leaving Catalina. They were too fast for pictures but I think they were frigates. Glad to see them as it is a sign we are getting closer to land even though frigates can fly miles away from land.

It was still raining so Chuck decided a nap was in order. I went to the Explorer’s Café to pick up a latte and then went to the presentation by the Hawaiian ambassador, Kainoa. It was entitled “Hawaiian Migration.” Two main points in the presentation – how people navigated to Hawaii and all the different cultures that can be found in Hawaii. He is a great speaker. I look forward to more presentations.

Interesting points: Hawaiian islands are the most isolated group of islands in the world. First wave of people are said to have come from the Marquesas islands around 200 AD. The first explorers determined that there were islands north of them due to the types of currents flowing to the Marquesas. Had only canoes to traverse the ocean and stars and currents to guide them. Hawaiians are the only Polynesians that never participated in cannibalism (good to know).

Hawaii/South Pacific: Sea Day #3

March 3, 2022

I went back to the room and got ready for the evening. I also got another bag of laundry ready for the room stewards to pick up that evening. Once I returned to the Ocean’s Bar all dressed up for Gala night, we danced a while, then played some slots, and then listened to the Lincoln Center Stage performers until it was time for Dinner.

We shared a table with a woman from Tucson who was traveling solo. The dinner was excellent. I had the prosciutto ham appetizer, artichoke and carrot soup, and the Rainbow Trout. Chuck had the Filet Mignon. We both skipped dessert but had coffee.

We had every intention of going to tonight’s show but once we came back to the cabin for a few minutes, Chuck said he was tired. I readily agreed that I was too. I think the rocking motion of the ship combined with full stomachs was just too much to overcome the caffeine.

We had our first towel animal of the voyage. They may only be bringing those on Gala nights now. Time will tell.

Slept soundly last night. But we must have had a rolling night because our towel animal fell off the couch and was in pieces on the floor this morning.

The weather seemed warmer than yesterday but still cloudy.

Went for coffee at 7:00. People asked me if HAL gave me the coffee carrier I use. No. Amazon is my friend. Easy to fold and pack in the suitcase.

After an excellent breakfast of made-to-order omelets, the weather cooperated enough that we finally were able to walk a mile around the promenade. A number of people had the same idea.

Afterwards, Chuck went to his poker tournament and I went to the lecture by the onboard Naturalist. His presentation “Hawaiian Giants: Hawaii’s Most Iconic Tourists” was all about the humpback whales. You could tell he loves his topic. He had some great videos of juvenile whales. Hope we can see some on our whale-watching tour in Maui.

Interesting points: Humpback whales are the length of a school bus and are as heavy as seven African elephants. Every Humpback has a unique fluke pattern. They can be found in all oceans around the world. Migrate to Hawaii to give birth because the water is warm for the newborns who won’t have any blubber to keep them warm in Alaskan waters, the water is shallow so that the babies can practice their swimming and breaching skills, and no Orcas can get them because they don’t come to the warm waters.

The next lecture was by Ian, the Cruise Director. It was titled “The Deep Blue.” The first half of the presentation dealt with sea turtles and how important they are to the ocean. The next half of the presentation was about sunken treasure and Mel Fisher’s discovery. It was very well presented.

Interesting points: Scientists discovered that turtles use the Earth’s electromagnetic field to help guide them back to their nesting grounds even after swimming thousands of miles away. Mel Fisher discovered the sunken treasure 10 years to the day that his son Dirk perished in a capsized boat accident helping the family look for the treasure.

Sun peaked out for a while and it was pleasant relaxing on the balcony. Time for a light lunch in the Lido before the afternoon activities started. First up – the Dance Band would be performing at 3:30 in the Ocean’s Bar.

Hawaii/South Pacific: Sea Day #2

March 2, 2022

Interesting start to the evening last night. I couldn’t seem to get hot water for my shower. Granted, I like to take hot showers that some might say would boil a lobster. But, I was shivering in this particular shower with only intermittent lukewarm water. It was a very fast shower. If it is no better today, I’ll need the room steward to call a plumber. Weird thing is that the hot water in the sink is very hot.

The challenging evening continued into dinner. We had a reservation for 7:00 like usual. Since we don’t specify which table, dining room section, or waiters we prefer, we take whatever is assigned to us when we arrive. We’ve been pretty happy with any table/wait staff we get.

The waiters were very nice and they took our order promptly but dinner was not without its SNAFU’s which in our experience rarely happens with HAL. Sometimes service is slow but accurate. As usual, we each ordered an appetizer, soup, and a main course. We planned to split a dessert and I ordered a cappuccino and Chuck regular coffee.

The appetizers came quickly but I realized we had no salt/pepper on the table. I could have reached over to the next table to get a set but I figured the people dining there would not be pleased. Finally got the waiter’s attention and he seemed startled that the set wasn’t there.

After we finished, he cleared the setting and put down a new knife and fork – no spoon. I told Chuck that I bet we weren’t getting that soup. Yep – out came the main courses – Vegetarian Jambalya for me and steak for Chuck. We could have insisted on getting the soup but the portions for the main course were large so we didn’t bother asking. I helped Chuck eat his steak fries.

Our dessert came and my cappuccino but no coffee for Chuck. We didn’t want to wait so we just ate and left. Inaccuracies in the order happen so rarely, I hope they were just having an off night.

I also noticed that there were many people as confused as me about “Festive” night. Some dressed like Gala nights. Others did nothing special. While some, like me, threw on some Mardi Gras beads and called it a day.

We went to the BB King’s Room to listen to the band’s first set. The leader singer’s voice was great and her backup musicians were excellent. We danced to several songs as did many other couples. Once the set was over, we called it a night.

Slept really well and woke up at 5:30 to a beautiful dawn. Chuck roused up at 7:00 when I came back with our coffees.

As I was in the process of logging out of my Navigator account on my phone and logging into it on the laptop, I suddenly realized I did not have to go to that trouble. Our internet package allows for only one device at a time to be logged into the Internet. However, we both were given the package. Since Chuck doesn’t bother with Internet access, I kept my login on the phone and used his login for the laptop. No more wasting time logging in and out. Yay! Small victories.

We ate a light breakfast in the Lido and then went to the gym. They were having a yoga class and many of the aerobic machines were in use. We used the weight machines and did the best we could to duplicate the routine we do at Workout 24/7 at home. I was proud that we spent about an hour in there. We need to keep it up – at least on sea days.

We then went to the Crow’s Nest to locate the tour organizer of our tour in Bora Bora. We needed to pay him for our spots. He was located where he said he would be and we spent a while chatting with him and his wife.

We tried walking the promenade deck today but there was no sunny warm side of the ship. Sprinkles, wind, and cool temps – I was done before we made it halfway down the promenade. Chuck did not object.

When we got back to the room, I saw our room steward in the hall and told him about the lukewarm/cool shower last night and he came in and tested the water. He said he would call maintenance about it as he acknowledged that something was not right.

Chuck was signed up for the 1:00 poker tournament so we decided to head up to the Lido for an early lunch. Again, I had the salad bar and it did not disappoint. Paired it with two small slices of pizza and a Blue Moon which made it a perfect lunch. Chuck had a sampling of different offerings from the menu. We shared a table with a couple from Flagler Beach, Florida. We saw them on the dance floor last night. Very nimble on their feet.

The Captain came on the PA system promptly at noon for his daily address to the passengers. He was very pleased to announce that all passengers tested negative yesterday so, according to CDC guidelines, he could change the mask wearing from required to recommended.

There will be some venues that must still be required – Casino, Main Stage, riding the tenders, and getting on and off the ship. I still plan to wear mine whenever I find myself in a crowd. Hawaii should welcome us with open arms. Having no COVID cases out of this many people is amazing.

According to the paperwork received, we will be tested again on March 8 or 9 and again on the 16th. Hope the results are just as good as today’s results.

Once we finished, Chuck was ready to go to his tournament and I hung out in the room until it was time for the 2:00 lecture. The topic was “Geology and Geography” presented by one of the Hawaiian ambassadors: Kainoa. He was an excellent presenter mixing family stories with factual information.

Interesting points: Two types of volcanoes: Shield (a volcano formed entirely from accumulated flows of fluid lava, growing a few feet at a time and giving the volcano its broad, gently sloping profile – ex. Diamond Head) and Composite (is a conical volcano built up by many layers of hardened lava and tephra. Characterized by a steep profile with a summit crater and periodic intervals of explosive eruptions – ex. Mount St. Helens). Two types of lava: A’a – slow moving (so slow you can step out of its way) and Pahoeho – fast moving – can get to 60 mph.

Our next lecture was Navigating the Night Sky by Jim (HAL guest speaker). I had a feeling he was a college professor at one time. He was very enthusiastic and animated. He had some great shots of the night sky and was pointing out the various constellations. He is going to hold some actual star gazing workshops on an upper deck if we can get some starry nights. So far, the nights have been cloudy.

Interesting points: There are 88 constellations. The Big Dipper is part of the Ursa Major Constellation. A light year is 6 trillion miles. Constellations shift in the sky 15 degrees every hour. The star Polaris is a Super Giant – 36 times the brightness of the sun.

After the lectures, I found Chuck in the Ocean’s Bar listening to the Dance Band. He was already dressed and looking sharp for the Gala evening. I needed to catch up.

Hawaii/South Pacific: Sea Day #1

Tuesday, March 1, 2022

We did have a later night. We watched the comedian – Chris Strait. He was so-so. Chuck left about 10 minutes into the set. I stayed for the whole set. I found Chuck at the three card poker table and convinced him to come dancing. A DJ was playing tunes. Unfortunately, it took a while before he played some good slow songs. We called it a night after a few dances.

We set the clock back one hour last night. I ended up awake at 5:30. I had to manually change my iPhone time and get it to sync with my Fitbit watch this morning. First thing I noticed when I got up was how the ship was really rocking. I had forgotten how much rougher the Pacific is than the Caribbean. It was also very sunny outside but our deck was very wet. Must have been a shower at one point during the night.

Went for coffee at 6:30. It was so busy and the server was a little frantic as his computer was down and he was trying to hand write all the orders. There was a big line. We old people need our coffee!

We had to stop by Guest Services as there was a charge on our account for a drink we didn’t order. They said they would look into it and contact us. Annoying.

Had a light breakfast at the Lido. It was crowded so we were invited to share a large table. Talked with a couple who had experienced a bad night. At 1:00 in the morning, they had to change rooms because water started coming through their ceiling in their bathroom. As of that morning, it had still not been fixed. They hoped to be able to go back to their original room today. They did not like the room they had to be moved to last night. What a mess. Guess our incorrect drink charge pales in comparison.

Decided not to go the gym as we are being COVID tested again this afternoon. What has testing got to do with exercising? I want to keep my mask on as much as possible until all testing is done but I hate to exercise with it on. So, we decided to do some laps around the ship on the Promenade deck.

The walk started out very pleasant and sunny but as we rounded the front of the ship going to the other side, the wind whipped up and we were now on the very shady and cold side. Did make us walk much faster. Now we were back to the sunny and pleasant side. We decided to just walk back and forth on that sunny side instead of going around the ship again. However, we braved a lap one more time – Nope – still cold. We went inside.

We came back to the room and sat on the deck. The pesky fly was back and he brought two friends. I have named him Phil. Phil and his friends need to move on but they seem to like hanging out on our deck.

Saw on our account that the incorrect charge was reversed. Glad we didn’t have to make another trip to Guest Services.

At 10:00, we went to the Casino to play some slots. Tried the Buffalo Stampede. It treated us as well as other Buffalo Stampede machines have – not great. Chuck then went to his poker tournament, and I went to a presentation on Marconi’s influence on current ship communications presented by Ian, the HAL cruise director. Very interesting.

Chuck didn’t win the tournament, but they will have several more during other sea days. We had lunch in the dining room. We sat at a table with two women who have been friends since grade school and one man who was traveling solo. The service was a little slow, but the food was good. I had the roasted cauliflower and mac and cheese. Chuck had a hamburger. We were going to have dessert but they announced our deck number to come for antigen testing, so we had to leave.

The line to get tested was long but it moved quickly. After the swab, we were sent back to our cabin and told to wait 30 minutes. If we didn’t get a call, we were free to leave and enjoy the ship. I set a timer on the phone for 30 minutes and kept my fingers cross for no phone call. Our laundry had returned so I got it put away. I was reading and jumped when the timer went off. Yay! No phone call! We passed again. I just wonder how many more times we will have to test on this cruise.

Since it is Fat Tuesday, the dress code tonight is “Festive.” I understand Smart Casual and Gala, but we have never had a “Festive” before. I will have to improvise, and I am glad I brought my Mardi Gras beads.

Hawaii/South Pacific: Avalon, Catalina Island, California

Monday, February 28, 2022

Yesterday caught up with me at 9:00 pm and I was soon asleep. Chuck went to the Casino and I never heard him come in.

Woke up at 6:30 and since I wasn’t going to be going to the pool, I got ready for the day. We were already anchored off the coast of Catalina Island. I could see the coast of California in the distance. I could just make out the outlines of buildings in the haze. The buildings stretched so far down the coastline.

Town of Avalon

Went to get coffee in the Exploration’s Café. It is located in the Crow’s Nest on Deck 10 forward. I walked all the way from the back to the front of the ship and took the elevator up to 10th and then reversed the process to get back to the room. A lot of steps first thing in the morning.

We went to the Dining Room for breakfast. Had my first Raisin Bun of the trip. I can’t have too many of these but I really like them. Afterwards, I sent out our first bag of laundry. Usually, it is a 24 hour turnaround. Hoping it is the same on this ship.

It was about 10:00 and we went to BB Kings to pick up our tender ticket. Sometimes the tender boats that take you from the ship to shore are provided by the Island you are visiting.

Today, the ship was using its lifeboats to ferry us over. It was not too crowded, and everyone was masked. The trip was only about 10 minutes. The longest tender ride I ever had was Belize. Takes about 30 minutes from the ship to shore over the reefs. Usually very humid and uncomfortable unless you can get by one of the open doors.

Gorgeous day today. Sunny and 76 degrees. We walked around the town and looked into the shops. There were also several hotels, bars, restaurants as well. People were renting electric bicycles and golf carts. Others were getting taxis for some island tours. There was a small beach for getting some sun. It was too rocky for swimming.

Seal is to the Left
Surf’s up Dude!

Most of the island is under ecological conservatorship so people could sign up for Bison expeditions, kayak tours, diving, and snorkeling. We thought about snorkeling, but some native Californians said the water would be very cold and we would have to wear wetsuits. I’m not crazy about the idea of donning a dark shiny wetsuit. I don’t think sharks can distinguish between tall women in wetsuits and a very long seal.

There was also a large casino at one end of the town. I had heard it wasn’t open for play but you could take a tour of the facility. Supposed to be very elegant. Was said to be a favorite of the “Rat Pack” and other famous Hollywood stars back in the day.

We walked to the miniature golf course. It was 18 holes and they were very challenging. We set ourselves a limit of 2 strokes over par on each hole or we would have been there all day on some of the holes. It was a close match but the winner was all smiles.

Back on the ship, we had a light lunch in the Lido and some time in the sun on the balcony. A fly keeps landing on my knee and just sits there. Doesn’t look like an ordinary housefly but I don’t know what kind it is. I am sure it will go away once we start to move out to sea.

Went to the sail-away party at the Sea View aft deck. The naturalist was there talking about the wildlife we MIGHT see as we sail – California grey whales, seals, and dolphins. Only wildlife I saw were gulls that were poised to snatch the party hors d’oeuvre if you turned your back.

The Hawaiian ambassadors presented their first performance for us. They will be with us until Honolulu. They will teach some craft classes, give lectures, and do other demonstrations throughout the next 5 days. Tomorrow’s craft class is one of the most popular – making leis.

The class is first-come, first-serve and open to 100 people. If it was in the main stage area, I might go but I am not going to be crowded up in the BB King show room.

I wanted to get a shore excursion in Kona but I could never get it to show on the Navigator app so I bit the bullet and went to stand in line at the Shore Excursion desk. I was able to book it with them once I finally made it to the desk. They didn’t know why it wasn’t showing in the app.

Had a drink at the Ocean Bar. Then, played some slots. First time for the Wonder Woman slot. It was fun. Gave us a few good hits.

Dinner was at 7:00. Seemed busier than last night. I had a salad and the three-cheese enchilada. Thought it was better than the fajita from last night. Chuck had the Yankee pot roast. We each had a coffee instead of dessert. Hope it will keep me from going to bed at 9:00 tonight.

Next Up – Sea Day 1

Travel Trivia

Avalon, Catalina Island, California

Santa Catalina encompasses about 75 square miles. It has about 52 miles of coastline. It’s eight miles wide at its widest point and less than half a mile at its narrowest. The highest point on Catalina Island, Mt. Orizaba, is right around 2,100 feet.

Catalina is one of eight Channel islands; five of the others are national parks.

Catalina Island is part of Los Angeles County, and Avalon, incorporated in 1913, was the 13th city in the county.

Avalon’s golf course was first built in 1892, making it the oldest course in southern California.

Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, creator of the fictional character Sherlock Holmes, visited the island in 1923.

William Wrigley, Jr., of chewing gum fame, purchased controlling interest in Catalina Island in 1919. The Catalina Island Company is still owned by members of his family.

The city of Avalon, which is only one square mile, allows golf carts on the roads. 

*Trivia provided by Wikipedia and Holland America documents.

Hawaii/South Pacific: Embarkation Day

Sunday, February 27, 2022

Managed to stay awake last night until 10:00 EST which is not bad. However, since we are on Pacific Time, it was only 7:00. Pitiful. Street crowd still going strong. Still hear planes in the distance. But after a prior sleepless night and a long travel day, I just couldn’t keep my eyes open any longer.

Much better rest than the night before. Did wake up at 4:00 here but drifted in and out until 6:00. We were no hurry since I was able to get us the late check-out at 1:00. Our choices for breakfast were all grab-n-go bags. We each had a Jimmy Dean breakfast croissant of sausage, egg, and cheese, juice, water, and a trail mix bar. Our room had a refrigerator and microwave so it was easy enough to cook the sandwich.

Felt bad for a Mom that was in front of me in line. The choices of the grab-n-go bags were breakfast sandwich, breakfast burrito, or yogurt and pastry. Her smallest child kept insisting loudly that she wanted cereal – Cereal – CEREAL!  I think Mom got her the pastry choice. Hope it sufficed.

Gorgeous start to the day. Blue skies and white fluffy clouds. Stood on the balcony and enjoyed watching the city wake up – dog walkers, joggers, bicyclists, and only a few cars as it is Sunday. I am sure the traffic is much worse on the weekdays.

Lots of planes landing and taking off. Even a few sea gulls passed by at eye level. I made sure to eat my breakfast sandwich inside. Not sure if Pacific Coast sea gulls are as aggressive as Gulf Coast sea gulls are about taking food, but I wasn’t going to take a chance.

At 1:00, we made our way downstairs. Once I reviewed the bill, I called an Uber to take us to the port. There were 2 Holland America ships side-by-side and a lot of traffic, but the port authorities had it under control. He directed our driver to the correct lane, and we were dropped off at the luggage pick-up.

We were there 20 minutes before our assigned time so I assumed we would be sent to a waiting area. No. HAL personnel just kept directing us to the different stations – (1) Get our Covid testing ticket – we were both in Group 4; (2) Show our boarding pass, negative prior test results, and go over health questions; (3) Take the COVID test; (4) go through Security screening; (5) Health personnel looked at our Group 4 ticket and waived us through; (6) Check Passport and take Security Photo; and (7) Get on Ship and head to stateroom. We were in the room by 2:30.

I am still unsure how the Health Personnel knew we tested negative for COVID. We never sat down in the health screening area to wait. One person said that the Testing people would call the Screening people and say “all Group 1 negative, all Group 2 negative, etc.” so maybe they had called while we were standing in the Security line and said “all Group 4 negative.” I was just glad we were not pulled out of line and denied boarding.

We were soon met by our Room Steward Dodi and his assistant Dena. I think HAL room stewards are some of the best in the cruise industry. We also try to keep the room tidy also so not to make it difficult for them. Our room is an aft balcony which means it is all the way at the back of the ship. I love watching the ship’s wake. Mesmerizing.

The room has a King bed and a small couch that can be turned into a bed. The bathroom has a bathtub which we have not had on a cruise in a while. I prefer a walk-in shower. Personally, I think having to step into a bath tub on a moving ship is a little dangerous. Glad they have several grab bars.

One thing we did notice on our hallway is that one side of this deck is completely closed off. I assume those are the rooms HAL will use if anyone has to go into quarantine. Not sure how many times we will be COVID tested on this cruise. Hawaii and French Polynesia are being very strict on tourists.

We checked into our muster station and watched the safety video in the room. The process is so much better than the old one where you were jammed in like sardines on the deck. I’ve seen people faint from the heat while waiting for the demo to begin.

We had a late light lunch in the Lido. I really like HAL’s salad bar. I am sure I will be a frequent visitor.

The sail-away party started at 5:30 on the aft Sea View deck. It was breezy. Gorgeous sunset to see us out of San Diego.

Checked our room and the luggage had arrived. Got it all unpacked and stored before dinner.

We had reservations in the dining room for 7:00. I had the chicken fajitas and Chuck had the beef short rib stroganoff. Both very good.

Coming Up – Avalon, Catalina Island, California

Hawaii/South Pacific: Travel Day 2

Saturday, February 26, 2022

What do you get when you add one nervous traveler to a mix of fried fish sandwich, lemon pepper chicken wings, weird dreams, and a snoring spouse? You end up with a very restless night. Had two alarms set for 4:00 am. Ended up getting up at 3:45. Glad there was some coffee in the room even if it was weak.

The 6:00 hotel shuttle was so full that Chuck and 3 other people had to stand. At least it was only a five-minute ride.

Delta was the first stop and the majority of riders got off here. I was glad to see that the outside baggage check-in was open. Makes it so much easier to check our bags. Got concerned because the scale kept moving from 51 to 50 pounds. Finally settled on 50 pounds. Whew – just made it. Thought I was going to have to throw something into Chuck’s bag. Guess any souvenirs will have to go in his bag.

Got smart today and before we got into the CLEAR express lane, we got our stuff organized – pockets emptied into backpacks, belt off, laptop and e-readers ready, and jackets off.

Still didn’t matter, Chuck’s backpack was flagged. Never seems to fail – one of our bags goes down the naughty belt. Never found out what the problem was – they just opened and closed it without a word.

Our flight was departing from Gate A2 so we were first ones off the people-moving train but I don’t know why are gate is always at the very end of the concourse. Can’t really complain – from getting on the hotel shuttle to sitting down at the gate – 45 minutes. Not bad for a busy Saturday morning.

Chuck bought us coffee and a bacon-egg-cheese biscuit from McDonalds since we had to leave before the hotel breakfast buffet was opened. The boarding was delayed a little by a late flight crew member. Not a good start to her day. We were in Comfort Plus this trip – little more leg and seat room so we boarded fairly quickly. We took off on time at 8:15.

Flight was very smooth. Watched two movies Addams Family 2 (cute) and the Eternals (meh). They got me through the entire flight.

It was 10:00 PST when we landed. Taxi ride to hotel was quick. Of course, our room was not ready so we stored our luggage. There were a number of people trying to check in from other early flights. Found out we were all going on a cruise tomorrow. Some on the Koningsdam and others, like us, the Zuiderdam. We were all excited.

We walked around a while to stretch our legs. Sunny day in the 60’s. I was glad I still had my jacket especially in the shade. Ended up at Queensland Public House. Even though we had about a 30-minute wait, the food was worth it. Found out it was so popular because they were serving their weekend brunch items with ½ price mimosas and bloody marys.

I had the quiche, and it came with spring mix salad and sour dough toast. Chuck had “The Cure” – large biscuit, tator tots, spicy chicken sausage all covered in in gravy. Both thought our choices were excellent.

We were able to sit outside and people watch. My observation – every San Diegoan is between the ages of 21 and 27, skinny, good-looking, and owns a dog – at least the ones who eat at Queensland on a Saturday.

We got a few items at the nearby Rite Aid. When we got back to the hotel, our room was ready. We are on the 12th floor, and we can see the Bay. Would love to be able to see the cruise ship come into port. The room has a balcony which is surprising. Only big enough to stand but a nice breeze.

Also, so glad to get the N95 mask off. Did what it was supposed to – stay tight against my face. I still have the sensation of it on my face. Aggravating. I am going to wear a regular mask tomorrow.

Since we can’t check-in tomorrow until 2:00, I was able to get us a late check-out until 1:00. I am currently very tired and still on Eastern time. I hope I will be able to be on Pacific time tomorrow with a decent night’s sleep. Fingers crossed.

Up next – Embarkation (pending another COVID test)

Travel Trivia

San Diego, California

San Diego is the birthplace of California. The first European exploration of the West Coast was lead by Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo, a Portuguese navigator sailing for Spain. He landed in San Diego on September 28, 1542.

Ronald Reagan, the 40th U.S. President, was the first person to drive over the landmark San Diego-Coronado bridge. It opened in 1969 connecting downtown San Diego with Coronado.

The San Diego International Airport is the busiest, single-runway major airport in the nation and the second in the world after London Gatwick.

Between The Old Globe and the Tony Award-winning La Jolla Playhouse, San Diego has sent more shows to Broadway than any other city in the U.S.

The Hotel Del Coronado has hosted ten United States presidents. In 1970, it was the first venue to hold the first state dinner outside the White House. The resort also unveiled the world’s first electrically lighted, outdoor Christmas tree in 1904.

San Diego has one of the top-ten best climates according to the Farmers’ Almanac.

Snow in the city is so rare that it has been observed only five times in the century-and-a-half that records have been kept.

The steep and varied topography and proximity to the ocean create a number of different habitats within the city limits, including tidal marsh and canyons.

Hawaii/South Pacific: Travel Day 1

Friday, February 25, 2022

Two days before embarkation. To me it has become one of the most stressful travel days.

One – until such time as the requirement is lifted, we have to take a proctored COVID antigen test two days before embarkation. Even though we feel great and have tried to take every precaution, you never know if the sneeze is COVID or from the trees and flowers budding.

Two – we have an indoor/outdoor cat. When we travel, he must stay indoors and is taken care of by a great cat sitter. He does not like to be without his options. I always worry that he will be out roaming when we need to get him inside.

Typically, these worries will keep me from getting a decent night’s sleep. Surprisingly, I slept pretty well last night and got up with the alarm.

We were fortunate on both fronts today. Our Emed online proctored tests were both negative and it was raining this morning. Why was I happy that it was raining? Because when Pumpkin came in for breakfast, he was wet. He doesn’t like to be wet.

Got him toweled dry and he decided to take his morning nap inside. No searching and calling for him needed. He did get suspicious that something was amiss and ultimately, he ended up under the couch – his go-to hiding place. At least he will be safe. I will deal with his displeasure when we get back.

We had hoped to take the 1:00 shuttle to the airport but it was canceled and we were offered the noon one. Ate a late breakfast and left the house at 11:10. Should have left at 11:00. I caught every stupid red light. Supposed to arrive there at 11:45. We got there at 11:52.

Van ended up not leaving until 12:10 as another passenger was late. Surprised they waited as I have seen them leave people who were late. We were going to the airport hotel so no big deal for us. If we were trying to catch a flight, 10 minutes can be critical.

The shuttle made 3 stops before getting to the airport. Sometimes we luck out and go straight to the airport but not today. Glad I wasn’t worrying about a flight departure.

Had to wait about 20 minutes at the hotel shuttle area for the Hyatt bus. There were several of us waiting including some airline crew members. Only took about 10 minutes to get to the hotel once picked up.

We have stayed here several times. Checked in online. I was able to by-pass the front desk and use my phone to open our room door. Love the convenience. We did get an extra key later on. We walked a few laps around the hotel to stretch our legs. Was impressed that some redbud trees were in bloom.

Took advantage of the happy hour prices and had a couple of glasses of wine at the hotel. Then walked over to the next hotel and ate at their restaurant – The Burger Place. Good food but high prices. Oh well, welcome to the big city.

Have to have an early night tonight since we must be on the 6:00 shuttle back to the airport tomorrow morning. Hoping for a good night’s sleep.

California Here We Come!

Travel Trivia

California – The Golden State

California was first settled by various Native Californian tribes before being explored by a number of Europeans during the 16th and 17th centuries. The Spanish Empire then claimed and colonized it. In 1804, it was included in Alta California province within the Viceroyalty of New Spain. The area became a part of Mexico in 1821, following its successful war for independence, but was ceded to the United States in 1848 after the Mexican–American War. The California Gold Rush started in 1848 and led to dramatic social and demographic changes, with large-scale immigration from other parts of the United States and abroad.

It was admitted as the 31st state on September 9, 1850.

The first motion picture theater was opened in Los Angeles on April 02, 1902.

The Mojave Desert, at more than 25,000 square miles occupies one-sixth of the land area of California.

On October 14, 1947, over Lake Muroc, California, Captain Charles Yeager flew a rocket aircraft reaching Mach 1.06 at an altitude of 42,000 ft. becoming the first supersonic flight.

The state produces 80% of the world’s almonds.

The highest and the lowest point in the continental U.S. are within 100 miles of each other. They are Mount Whitney at 14,505 feet and the Badwater Basin in Death Valley at 282 feet below sea level.

It is estimated that each year there are approximately 500,000 detectable seismic tremors in California.

The General Sherman Tree in Sequoia National Park, California, is the largest tree in the world, weighing more than 6,000 tons.

California is the birthplace of the Frisbee, Barbie dolls, skateboards, and video arcade games.

Hawaii/South Pacific: Times They Are a Changing (and Dates too)

Well, the cruise message boards were right. The cruise itinerary has changed. But it changed more than I think anyone imagined.

HAL added a stop at Catalina Island, California, a stop at Kona, Hawaii, and a stop at Tahuata, French Polynesia. HAL changed the port we were to visit in Maui. HAL dropped Christmas Island, Huahine, Rangiora, and Hiva Oa. HAL made Raiatea an overnight stop.

In addition, the days and times of the French Polynesia ports all changed. Has really caused havoc with independent tours. I already know I will have to find alternative excursions for Moorea because that tour operator can’t adjust his tours to the new date.

The tour operators in Raiatea, Papeete, and Huka Niva have rescheduled us for the new dates. Yay – small victories.

I am still hoping the tours for Honolulu and Bora Bora can be changed to the new dates. The tour operators have been notified. May end up just taking excursions offered by HAL.

Stay calm. Cruise on.

Hawaii/South Pacific: Pre-Cruise Thoughts

We’ve had this upcoming cruise on the bucket list for years. In 2020, we decided to take it off the “want” list and move it to the “just do it” list by putting down a deposit for a trip in February 2021. We naively thought Covid would be in the rear-view mirror by 2021.

Instead, Holland America (HAL) had to cancel that cruise and gave us the opportunity to move it to 2022 for the same price. In addition, HAL threw in a few extra days/ports, and a couple of extra perks. Or we could get our deposit back. We decided to take the transfer.

Fast forward to 2022. Covid is still here. We have sailed two Caribbean (Carnival and HAL) cruises recently and they had port changes and restrictions. Some cruise lines have cancelled their cruises until Spring. And I’ve read about people’s experiences being quarantined onboard their ship when they failed an onboard Covid test. From the reports, at least HAL seems to make quarantine bearable. Other lines, not so much.

Then, if Omicron illnesses weren’t enough to add to the uncertainty of cruising, there is the crazy bad weather we’ve had this Winter with so many airline delays and cancellations. (I can understand all the snow, freezing temperatures, even Winter tornados but Seriously? – an undersea volcano erupts in the South Pacific? WTH?)

So, at this point in normal cruise planning, all I usually have left to do is contact the credit card companies about the travel dates, set up the mail hold, and pack. For this one, I still have those things to do plus get our required entrance paperwork for Hawaii completed, buy more masks, and gather things we might need if we find ourselves in quarantine – playing cards, coloring book/pens, lots of books downloaded on the Kindle, crossword puzzles, etc.

We also must pass our initial Covid tests which we can’t take until 2 days before we are scheduled to embark. If we fail the test at that point, everything comes to a screeching halt and we start dealing with cancelling the cruise, flight, shuttle service, and the pre/post-cruise hotels.

There has also been talk on the cruise message boards that our itinerary will be changed from the one that is currently printed. This change is because of Hawaii’s new rule that our first stop to the islands must be Honolulu and not Hilo. Also, some say we will be docking at a different port in Maui because of construction at the original port. However, at this point, we have not been officially notified by HAL about any changes to the itinerary.

And to add to all that excitement, there is also talk on the message boards that, in addition to doing our Covid tests at home, we will be tested again at the port on the day of embarkation. Test positive and No Ship for You! But again, no official notification from HAL so who knows?

What HAL has notified us of is that the French Polynesian government and the Hawaii state government are both requiring all guests who want to visit to have their booster shot at least 14 days prior to boarding. At least that requirement is not a problem for us. We had ours as soon as we were eligible.

Why are we putting up with all the hoops and uncertainty?

Just call me Annie.

I am determined to remain optimistic. I believe we will pass all our Covid tests. I believe we will have good weather and the plane will take off on time. I believe we will be able to get to every wonderful cruise port and be allowed to take our tours or wander about as we see fit. I believe we will avoid onboard quarantine.

I believe we will have an excellent time on this 35-day Hawaii, French Polynesia, Marquesas islands cruise.

I believe!