May 16, 2014

KAUAI

Had a late breakfast this morning and left the ship about 9:00 a.m.

Walked to Nawiliwili Park near the pier.

Kalapaki Beach at Nawiliwili Park

Kalapaki Beach

Kalapaki Beach
The sand socks were again great for walking on the beach - thank you, Doug.

Kalapaki Beach

Spent the morning lying on the beach

I returned to the ship about noon.

 Had a nice barbeque lunch at Ocean Drive Bar (Deck 11)

The ship left Nawiliwili Harbor at 2:00 p.m. to allow a trip to the Napali Coast on the North Shore of Kauai.
The Majestic sea cliffs rise 4,000 feet above Kauai's Uninhabited North Shore.

Napali Coast as viewed from our cruise ship

Napali Coast

Napali Coast

Napali Coast

Napali Coast

Napali Coast

Had a wonderful dinner my last night onboard the ship at the Liberty Dining Room (Deck 6)

Boston Clam Chowder

Pork Cutlet, apple sauce, spinach

Coconut souffle with mango sauce

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

May 17, 2014

Saturday morning the ship docked in Honolulu at 7:00 a.m.

I had breakfast on board and debarked the ship at 9:00 a.m.

Went to Honolulu Airport and caught Hawaiian Airlines flight #12 at 1:30 p.m.

Arrived home about 11:00 p.m.

May 15, 2014

KAUAI

 Cruise ship entering Nawiliwili Harbor (Kauai) 8:00 a.m.

Had an early breakfast and joined the shore excursion "Journey to Waimea Canyon"

 First stop along the way was Po'ipu Beach

 Po'ipu Beach extends along the main hotel area in Po'ipu.

 These chickens are protected by Hawaii and roam freely along the beach.

The tour continued to Waimea Canyon Lookout
"Grand Canyon of the Pacific" (Mark Twain)

Waimea Canyon
The Canyon is 10 miles long, 3,600-feet deep and over a mile wide.

Waimea Canyon

Waimea Canyon

Waimea Canyon

Flowering Tree at Waimea Canyon

The tour bus returned to the ship at 1:30 p.m.
I had a nice lunch in the Oloha Cafe.

In the evening I went on another shore excursion to Luau Kalamaku.

Here I'm wearing my Hawaiian shirt at the Luau.

Just one of the many offerings of food at the Luau -
cups on the right in the photo contain poi - it takes like brown paste!

Performers at the luau.

Hula

Hula

Great dancers

The tour bus returned to the ship about 9:30 p.m.

Jonathan left another towel sculpture

May 14, 2014

KAILUA-KONA

The ship arrived at 7:00 a.m. in the harbor at Kailua-Kona

Tender boats are used to transfer cruise ship passengers ashore.

Hulihe'e Palace

Hulihe'e Palace (1838)
One of only three royal palaces in the United States.
Built by Governor John Adams Kuakini.
In the 1880's it served as King David Kalakaua's summer palace.

Sign under tree on Palace grounds
"Watch for Falling Coconuts"

Kona Shoreline Park

View of  cruise ship from Kona Coast
Volcanic rock in foreground along the shoreline

Moku'aikaua Church (1837)
Oldest Church in Hawai'i,- built by missionaries

Church entrance gait

Makuaikaua Church
Thatch hut was erected on this site by missionaries in 1820 - a more permanent structure was built in 1836.

I walked along Alii Drive, which runs along the coast and did some shopping.

Afterward, I took the Tender Boat back to the ship.

Had dinner in the Aloha Cafe, heard some Hawaiian music in the lounge and returned to my cabin.,

Towel sculpture of the day - complements of Cabin Steward, Jonathan

May 13, 2014

HILO

The ship docked at 8:00 a.m. this morning in Hilo Harbor.
I met the group for a shore excursion to VOLCANOES NATIONAL PARK at 8:30 a.m. provided by Polynesian Adventure Tours

First stop within Volcanoes National Park was the Thomas A. Jaggar Museum

Kilauea Caldera with crater and volcanic gas

Crater with volcanic gas

Ohi/a Tree grows in volcanic ash

Pahoehoe lava (smooth, ropy surface)                      A'a lava (rough ragged surface)

 Thurston Lava Tube

 Thurston Lava Tube

 Thurston Lava Tube

 Thurston Lava Tube

A'e ferns grow in cracks from lava

 Lava

 Lava

Ohi'a tree growing in lava

Kilauea Iki

 Kilauea Iki with a'e ferns and ohi'a tree

On the way back to Hilo, our tour bus stopped at Candies Big Island.

Hand Dipped Chocolates assembly line

The tour bus returned to the ship about 1:30 p.m.

I had a nice afternoon lunch in the Aloha Cafe and took a short nap.

Had a late-night snack at the Cadillac Diner