Chuck is still congested but seems to be getting better. Several of his buddies have the same symptoms. He has been sharing our supply of DayQuil and NyQuil which is a nice thing to do. However, I started worrying that we wouldn’t have enough to get him through his bout and/or help me if I came down with it.
I suggested an Uber trip to Walmart. He agreed and after breakfast in the Lido, an Uber picked us up at the port and took us to the Walmart Supercenter.
When you walk into this Walmart, you are inundated with Hawaiian products and souvenirs. I was hooked immediately. Meds? What meds? There are macadamia nut cookies and candies and Hawaiian coffee to buy. I even talked Chuck into buying a very nice Hawaiian-made shirt.
The store was very crowded with both tourists and locals. We eventually leave the souvenir area and did buy the OTC meds we needed and a few toiletries. I was glad I had brought our own large plastic shopping bag because they charged for the regular plastic bags. I had remembered from a previous Hawaiian visit that stores charged.
Once we were back to the ship, we had a Lido lunch and then spent the rest of the nice day at the pool. The time passed quickly, and it was soon time to get ready for our Pinnacle Grill reservation.
As usual, the Pinnacle Grill did not disappoint. Chuck had the crabcakes, ribeye, and a warm chocolate stroopwafel cobbler with chocolate sauce and ice cream. I had the seafood bisque, braised beef short ribs, and chocolate ice cream. They also gave us a couple of macarons.
We almost waddled right off to bed after we finished, but we managed to rally to attend one session of the Rolling Stone lounge band. Then we waddled back to the room.
I assumed that after the ordeal yesterday, we would wake up stiff and sore. We did not. However, Chuck woke up congested. There has been an uptick in coughing and sneezing around the ship. Luckily, I pack a mini-pharmacy for every trip. Time to break out the DayQuil.
We had arrived in Honolulu for our overnight visit.
We had a relaxed morning and an early pizza lunch at the New York Deli. Our plan today was to pay our respects at Pearl Harbor. There were many tours we could have taken there but we decided to take an Uber to and from the site and explore on our own.
In my opinion, you should have a reservation to go out to the USS Arizona. There is a stand-by area, but you are risking not visiting the memorial if no slots open up. For today’s visit, I got our tickets in January on the website Recreation.gov. I chose the 2:00 time slot.
We caught an Uber at the port at 12:30 and we arrived at the site before 1:00. That arrival gave us plenty of time to go to the restroom, walk through the displays, and watch a film describing the attack before our 2:00 reservation.
We had a slight hiccup before we went to the display area. I had gone into the little food mart to buy us a bottle of water. When I came out, I noticed that Chuck no longer had his ship’s keycard in his lanyard. On closer inspection of the holder, we could see a tear at the seam so it must have slipped out.
We weren’t sure if it had come out in the Uber or in the park. I suddenly remembered I had taken his photo outside of the park and, yes, he did have it then.
I told him we’d have to retrace our steps and hope for the best. So, we did.
Or at least he did. I did not follow him back into the men’s room. I thought it was a long shot, but he came out holding the card. Yes, it was in the urinal. Yes, he washed it thoroughly. No, he didn’t put it back in the lanyard. It went into a zipped pocket.
It would not have been a disaster if he hadn’t found it. I would have to go to ship security to have them come to the port entrance to verify that he could come back on the ship. Then we’d get another card at guest services. But it would have been annoying and time-consuming so I’m glad he beat the odds and found it.
Now we could wander through the exhibits without having that worry nag at us. For a small space, they had an impressive amount of artifacts.
Then we went into a theater to watch the film which included Roosevelt’s “Day in Infamy” speech. The film was sobering and heart-breaking.
Soon a serviceman could be heard announcing (bellowing) that the 2:00 tour should start lining up. We did as we were told and then presented our tickets before we entered the auditorium.
We listened to a park ranger explain the rules of visiting the Arizona. He also told a story about four friends from Detroit, all under the age of 18, who lied about their ages and joined the Navy. They were excited to go to Hawaii when they were stationed at Pearl Harbor – a great adventure for these city boys. Two survived and two died that day. Not many dry eyes in the auditorium.
It was a short boat ride over and the military personnel emphasized several times that we were visiting sacred ground and to not take photos as you entered the monument (you could take them once you entered and once you left) and to not post on social media while you were there. Once we exited the boat, a group at the memorial boarded the boat to go back to the pier.
We had plenty of time to contemplate what happened there and say a prayer for all those who lost their lives.
Just a small sample of the names
Once the next boat discharged its passengers, we took it back to the pier. We walked down the path toward the USS Bowfin. You can also tour it for a fee. We had accomplished what we had planned so we did not go to it.
USS Bowfin
We also did not tour the nearby USS Missouri although we talked to a number of people who did and were happy they did.
We walked back to the Uber pick up spot and we were back on the ship by 4:00.
We visited with people on the Sea View deck until almost 6:00. At that time, we headed for the world stage to watch a group of local singers and dancers perform some traditional music and dances. We enjoyed the show.
Afterwards, we opted to go eat in the Lido. When we finished, Chuck said his congestion was coming back. We called it another early night and hoped that the Nyquil would help.
Today was a special day. My deepest gratitude to all you men and women who have served and are serving to keep us free.
The Dance Band had the evening off so we spent the pre-dinner hour enjoying the warm Sea View deck and watching the gorgeous sunset.
Dinner tonight was at a shared table of four other women. Three of the women we have shared a table before – two sisters from California and a solo traveler from Arizona. The other woman was from Oregon. She is traveling with a group but they didn’t want to eat in the dining room.
I had the shrimp and mango appetizer, the tomato and red bell pepper soup, and the Huli Huli chicken. It is a Hawaiian dish of bar-b-que’d chicken with a pineapple, soy, and ginger glaze. Really enjoyed it.
Chuck had the prime rib. He ordered medium but it looked medium rare. He didn’t finish it. I couldn’t look at it. I think he got one of the sister’s order. She had ordered medium rare and hers looked more cooked than his.
Sharing a table makes for some interesting conversations but your service is based on the slowest eater. They won’t serve the next course until everyone has finished their previous course. We didn’t finish dinner until after 8:00.
There was one show at 8:00 of Polynesian singers and dancers. If you don’t get there early, you are not going to get a seat. We saw the show in 2018 so we didn’t try tonight. We just called it a night. The laundry was back and they had taken our second bag.
One thing we did find out is that someone was taken off the ship by ambulance on Sunday. I hope it is nothing too serious and they were able to rejoin the ship before we set sail at 10:30 tonight.
I had filled out the breakfast card and hung it on our door. The breakfast was delivered promptly at 6:45 this morning. I tipped the delivery guy. You don’t have to but I usually do.
Our tour today was a HAL tour called “Explore and Taste Oahu’s North Shore.” The tour description is:
Enjoy the North Shore led by a guide who will provide interesting and fun information about Hawaii’s birds, plants, geology, geography, and history throughout your adventure.
From the cruise ship pier, you will drive to the Valley of the Temples.
Visit the picturesque Byodo Temple, located at the base of the stunning 2,000-foot lush green cliffs of the Koolau Mountain Range.
Travel north along the scenic shoreline past Chinaman’s Hat and Kahana Bay to Kahuku, home of the North Shore shrimp farms.
Stop for lunch to try some delicious locally-farmed garlic shrimp, fish or a chicken plate.
After lunch, a short drive will bring you to beautiful Sunset Beach, famous for towering surf during the winter months and hosts many international surf contests.
The picturesque Waimea Valley terminates at one of the world’s finest big-wave surfing beaches. Continue on to Haleiwa Beach Park — one of many surf breaks on the North Shore that make up a strip of what many surfers call “the seven-mile miracle”.
Passing through historical Haleiwa Town, watch for extensive views of Hawaii’s last pineapple fields enroute to the Dole Pineapple Plantation for a brief stop before returning directly to the cruise ship pier.
Our tour guide and bus driver was named Kella. He is a native of the North Shore and had a lot of interesting facts about the area as well as some funny family stories. He is one of 14 children and he and his wife have six children.
He said the high cost of living in Hawaii has driven many native-born Hawaiians to the mainland. For example, out of 312 in his high school graduating class, only 8 still remain in Hawaii. He said he and his children would like to move to the mainland but his wife refuses even though gas is $5 per gallon and milk is $11 per gallon.
Our first stop was a cemetery that is the home of the Byoda Temple. I noticed that on many of the graves there were food and beverages. I am used to the tradition of leaving flowers but this tradition was new to me.
The temple area was very tranquil. Chuck and I did make an offering to ring the sacred gong. It is made of brass and is over 6 ft tall and weighs over seven tons. It was cast in Osaka, Japan. The wooden log used to ring the bell is called a shumoku. The tones of the bell are said to clear your mind of negativity and to impart deep peace and bring happiness, blessings, and long life. Were very melodic tones.
They had a number of animals at the temple including several feral cats.
Our next stop was the Kualoa Ranch. It has been the site of over 80 movies for 40 years – most notably the Jurassic Park movies.
We walked across the street to view the ocean and the Chinaman’s Hat. Our guide said that during very low tide you can walk across to the island but you had better bring a surfboard or boogie board because the tide comes in quickly and you can be stranded.
Our third stop was the Polynesian Cultural Center and Market. Most of the stores weren’t open and neither was the Center. When it is open, it offers performances and displays of all types of Polynesians – Hawaii, Tahiti, New Zealand, etc. The Center and much of the land around it is owned by Brigham Young University. The students work at the Center and by the time they graduate, they have worked off their student loans.
Lunch was next at Fumi Shrimp Farm Roadside Café. Had our choice of types of shrimp. I had the regular shrimp and Chuck had the lemon pepper shrimp. They were huge shrimp and very tasty.
We also stopped at a fruit stand but we didn’t buy anything. We were holding out for the last stop – the Dole Plantation and its famous Dole Whip. The visitor center was packed with people and the line to get the whipped ice cream was very long. I thought we wouldn’t make it to the front of the line before we had to be back on the bus. But we were able to get that mouth-watering ice cream with huge chunks of pineapple sprinkled on top.
Dole does not export pineapple here anymore. However, pineapple is still grown for consumption on the islands. I just think the pineapple I have eaten here and on the ship is just so much sweeter and juicier than what we get back home.
On the way back to the port, we passed several North Shore beaches where surfing is king. However, today it was mostly low tide so the waves were not impressive. We saw swimmers and not surfers.
We got back to the ship around 3:00. All in all, it was an okay tour. I wish the waves would have been bigger as I would like to have seen some surfers catch some big waves and we could have skipped the Polynesian Center since it wasn’t open but other than that I am glad we went.
Travel Trivia
Honolulu, (Island of Oahu) Hawaii
The Honolulu Symphony, originally known as The Hawaii Symphony Orchestra was conceived in 1900, making it the second oldest in symphony orchestra in America.
Before Hawaii was annexed by the United States in 1898, Honolulu was occupied by the Russians, French, and British, on separate occasions.
Honolulu is the only city in the United States that is home to a royal palace.
The Iolani Palace got electric lighting four years before the White House did.
More than 100 beaches surround Honolulu, more than almost any other city in the world.
Honolulu has one of the largest concentrations of Buddhist temples in the Western world, with over 30 of them spread throughout the city.
Waikiki Beach brings in more than 70,000 tourists every single day.
Honolulu translates in English to “sheltered bay.”
Duke Kahanamoku is widely credited with taking surfing from a little-known Hawaiian pastime to an internationally known sport. He grew up in and around Waikiki, learning to surf and swim at Waikiki Beach.
*Trivia provided by Wikipedia and Holland America Information
Sea Day evening routine of drinks at Ocean’s Bar to listen to the Dance Band.
Then we changed things up a bit by going to Sea View deck and watching the Hawaiian ambassadors perform some songs and dances in tribute to the sunset. Back to the routine of playing some slots before our dinner time.
Dinner at 7:00 and our streak continues as we were seated in a new section again tonight. Chuck ordered two appetizers and the short ribs. I ordered the turnip and mango salad. I got a Caesar salad. Oh well. It gave me a chance to try an anchovy. Never thought I would like one so I have always ordered my Caesars without it. I was right. Not a fan.
I did; however, really like the carrot and coconut soup. I was a little apprehensive about it especially after the anchovy incident, but the soup was excellent. For my main course, I had the Pacific Cod. It was light and flaky. It was a very large piece so I gave some to Chuck.
The Captain had announced earlier that he would be turning the lights off on Deck 10 so not to disorient any birds flying around at night. He warned everyone to be careful if they were walking up there but he also said that it would be a perfect place for viewing the stars.
We made our way up there at 8:30 but the lights were still on. We did see the star gazing group along with the speaker from the other day. The lights diminished the stars somewhat but he was able to show us the Big and Little Dippers, Polaris, and Orion’s Belt.
We were going to watch the Step One Dance Company on the mainstage at 9:30 but Ian announced that the main stage was having technical difficulties so they were going to show the movie Aloha instead. We took a pass on the movie and went to the BB King band’s first set.
Afterwards, Chuck went to three card poker. I went back to Deck 10. The lights were out by now and the stars were amazingly bright. I loved how they were all twinkling and I could pick out the Belt and the Dippers again. However, it soon started to feel creepy because of how pitch black it was and not being able to see the deck path past a couple of feet in front of me. Add that to the whooshing of the ocean and I had sufficiently spooked myself. I went back inside.
Today I had the alarm get me up at 6:30 because I wanted to see us sail into Honolulu. The last time we were here in 2018, we got to Honolulu so early that I missed it. Today, we were not docking until 10:00.
I noticed on the bathroom floor what looked like wine had splashed all over it. I never heard Chuck come in so I had no idea what had happened. I looked for a broken glass but the glass was fine.
I went on to the balcony that stretches along the front of the gym above the bow of the ship. It’s a great view and a good place for pictures if you don’t mind the wind. I was the only one up there for a while. Only a few people joined me. Either people don’t know you can access this spot from the gym or they weren’t interested in the view or the wind.
After I got several pictures of us getting closer and closer to Honolulu, I stopped by the Crow’s Nest for our coffees. They were serving the HAL powdered sugar puff pastries. HAL makes these particular pastries any time there is a special sail-in such as today or the Panama Canal. Each special occasion has its own unique cream filling. Today it was pineapple cream.
The pastries are very big. I thought about getting a picture or taking it back and sharing it with Chuck and then realized I was swallowing the last bite of it. Mmmm…so good.
If not sharing the pastry wasn’t bad enough, when I did hand Chuck his coffee, I somehow hooked the lid and it flipped off and coffee splashed on both our hands/arms. It was hot but luckily not scalding. Now we have coffee and wine stains on the floor. Tried cleaning it up best I could with tissues. The stewards are going to wonder what type of pigs they are dealing with in here.
Chuck said as he was putting the wine glass down last night, the ship lurched and it sloshed out of his glass all over the floor. That is his story and he is sticking to it.
After the coffee debacle, we went to the dining room for a leisurely breakfast. We were docked but the ship had not yet been cleared for passengers to come ashore. We watched the Coast Guard, complete with gunner at the ready with a mounted machine gun and the blue light flashing, come speeding up behind us. Idled there like they were taking down our license plate. Maybe someone didn’t pay his or her bar tab. They then sped off to around the side of the ship. Came back and then sped off again. I think they were just showing off to us old folks.
The Cruise Director announced a little after ten that the ship was cleared and all passengers could disembark at their leisure. We were docked at an industrial terminal right in the middle of the Business District.
We walked off the ship and were presented with the traditional Leis. Once we exited the terminal building where they didn’t check our health QR codes like the paperwork said they would, we were free to explore Honolulu.
When we were here in 2018, we hiked Diamond Head, snorkeled off Waikiki Beach, and visited the Aquarium.
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Today, we went to Walmart.
We realized a few days ago that we were going to possibly run out of some of our essentials (a girl needs her hair products) and Honolulu would be the best place to restock. I googled stores and discovered that there was a Walmart only three-fourths of a mile from the dock. It was a pleasant walk there and back. In addition to the items, we had on the list, we purchased a couple of rolls of paper towels in case of any more mishaps.
After lunch at the salad bar, we had thought about walking back to Aloha Tower. Its observation tower is supposed to provide a spectacular view of Honolulu. The website said it was open today but some passengers who had walked down there said it was closed. I tried calling but only got a recording. We just decided to take advantage of an empty ship and enjoy the hot tubs and our choice of deck chairs.
