Rainforest Hike – Manoa Valley

Posted on October 18, 2023 by JoeTourist

2023 Vancouver-Hawai’i Cruise

Oct 18, 2023 – Day 2 in Honolulu – Rainforest Hike in the Manoa Valley

I have breakfast in the Main Dining Room this morning: cappuccino, Passion fruit parfait, and a smoked salmon omelet. Afterward, I grab my notebook computer and go to the Crow’s Nest to hang out there. At 9:30AM the Pacific Collector, a US Navy Auxiliary ship is pushed into an adjacent dock by two tugs. It doesn’t appear to be under power, and has two large white domes on the main cargo deck.

Pacific Collector being towed into the harbour and docked

I go on an excursion today: Tropical Rain Forest Nature Walk. It is leaves at 11:45AM, including a 45 minute hike through the Lyon Arboretum rain forest in the Valley of the Rainbows at the head of the beautiful Manoa Valley. I take lots of photos of the many plants, flowers and birds found in the rain forest. Our guide then drives us to the Pu’u Uala’kaa — the hill of the rolling sweet potatoes above the city at an elevation of 1,048 feet. We have great views of Diamond Head, Waikiki, Honolulu, and the harbour and airport, and our ship is visible from here. We also drive through Punchbowl Crater, which is a memorial graveyard for the US Armed Services.

We return to the ship just after 3PM, well before the 4:30 All Aboard time. After getting cleaned up, I decide to wear my new Aloha shirt from our port call in Kaua’i.

4:30PM Captain’s Report – We will sail between two low pressure systems on the return voyage to Vancouver. Waves are expected to be 10′ most of the way, as both systems are generating significant wave action. Koningsdam was scheduled to depart Honolulu at 5PM, but it looks like we will be delayed by an hour due to a medical disembarkation and some late-arriving passengers from an excursion.

Our delayed departure actually works out really well, since the ship sails out of the harbour entrance at sunset, giving us beautiful views along the coastline with some dramatic clouds, ships in the distance on the horizon, all making for some good photos. After looking closer at my sunset photos, I realize there are five mirages of ships and the city floating above the ocean!

Oahu South Coast

29 photos

Kailua-Kona, Big Island of Hawai’i

Posted on October 16, 2023 by JoeTourist

2023 Vancouver-Hawai’i Cruise

Oct 16, 2023 – a day in Kailua and the Kona Coast on the Big Island of Hawai’i, USA

I am up at 7AM and have my usual light breakfast in the Grand Dutch Cafe: fruit parfait, blueberry muffin and a cappuccino. The ship anchors in the bay, drops some tenders into the water, and is soon ready to transfer passengers to shore after the ship is cleared by the port authorities.

I wait until just after 9AM to go down to Deck 1, where we are immediately loaded onto a tender. I have VIP service with my 4-Star Mariner status, so I don’t have to get a tender ticket or wait around to be called. Once I’m ashore, I walk the short distance to the Courtyard King Kamehameha’s Kona Beach Hotel and wait in the lobby for my friend to pick me up. She is running late, so I hang out in the hotel to stay out of the heat and away from the noise. There are many artifacts on display in the hotel, including the impressive Mahoe, Kai Opua Canoe Club’s 40-foot koa canoe. The Ironman competitors are also leaving the hotel this Monday morning after competing over the weekend, so the people watching is great.

My friend arrives, and we are off to Pu‘uhonua o Hōnaunau National Historical Park (Place of Refuge). It is great to retreat from the crazy tourist strip, driving through the Captain Cook coffee farms to soak in the good mana at Pu‘uhonua o Hōnaunau, which is probably my favourite place in the world. In past visits, when I stayed at B&Bs in the Captain Cook area of the Big Island, I would come down here to just hang out for hours. There is a Hawaiian man weaving baskets in the Canoe Hālau A-frame, and there is a beautifully made wooden Kōnane Papamū under the palms for playing kōnane (Hawaiian checkers). A Green Sea turtle (honu) blesses us as it swims in Keonae’ele Cove just before we leave. The bonus today is that admission is waived!

We stop at a mall at Keauhou to have some fish tacos at Tropics Taphouse, which is a sports bar in the mall. My friend drops me off at the hotel, and I walk back to the tender dock, where I board the next tender with no waiting. I’m back in my cool stateroom by 3PM, freshen up and then take my notebook down to the Grand Dutch Cafe to have a cappuccino and big chocolate chip cookie, which revives me nicely.

I watch the crew hoist the tender boats aboard from the Promenade Deck, and then return to my stateroom to dress for dinner in the main dining room. I have corn and crab fritters to start, spaghetti aioli entree, and a banana crisp for dessert. I don’t go for my usual martini nightcap this evening and skip the magician show, preferring to work on my photos and journal stay in my stateroom.

Starting tomorrow, we will be docked in Honolulu for two days with an overnight at the dock. I go online to buy a ticket to the Bishop Museum for tomorrow, since it was back in the 1980s when I last saw the museum exhibits.

Kona Coast

11 photos

Hilo, Big Island of Hawai’i

Posted on October 15, 2023 by JoeTourist

2023 Vancouver-Hawai’i Cruise

Oct 15, 2023 – a day in Hilo on the Big Island of Hawai’i, USA

I’m up at 6:30AM to enjoy the beautiful approach to Hilo harbour, with Maunakea lit by the morning sunlight and the observatories clearly visible on top. My stateroom balcony gives me a great view of the shoreline as the ship sails into Hilo Bay and docks at 10AM. I’m ready to go, so leave the ship by 10:30AM – my destination is Reeds Bay, Banyan Drive, Coconut Island and Queen Lili’uokalani Gardens.

Map of my walk along Hilo Bay from Koningsdam - Apple Fitness iOS app. — Map of my walk along Hilo Bay from Koningsdam – Apple Fitness iOS app.

It’s already hot, and it takes 20 minutes to walk along Kalaniana’ole Street to my first stop, Kuhio Kalaniana’ole Park. I need to cool off a bit before walking further to Reeds Bay, walk along Banyan Drive and find a mini-market where I buy a chilled Coca-cola. This revives me nicely as I continue my walk along Banyan Drive to Coconut Island. It is Sunday, so lots of local families are enjoying playing in the shallow water, having picnics, and just hanging out in the shade.

I spot a Common Myna and some Saffron Finches foraging in the grass, and a Pacific Golden Plover perched on a stone pagoda in a pond.

I continue to wander through the beautiful Queen Lili’uokalani Gardens and then walk back to the ship and the welcome air conditioning. My Apple Watch tells me I’ve covered 6.4 kms (4 mi) and taken about 10,000 steps, so it was quite the workout for me today in the tropical heat! Although I walk every day around the Promenade Deck while we’re at sea, land walks provide more meaningful exercise.

A Cannonball Impossible burger with fries and a Heineken beer for lunch after my walk

It’s nice to sit in the shade aboard ship and enjoy my late lunch of a Cannonball Impossible burger with fries and a Heineken beer.

I make use of my Jethro Mobile USA mobile plan to call my friend as the ship is leaving port, to confirm our rendezvous for tomorrow’s port call in Kailua-Kona on the other side of the Big Island. Later in the Main Dining Room, my choices for dinner: Kaua’i Poke appetizer, Mahi mahi for main course (excellent sauce and moist fish), and Cherry crisp for dessert. I have a Trader Vic’s Mai Tai with dinner – a nice drink, but too sweet for me.

I have my usual Tanqueray 10 Gin Martini before the Crow’s Nest Lounge closes at 9PM. My favourite server knows me well, so my nightcap is always made just how I like it. It’s lovely to be spoiled!

Hilo

16 photos

Nawiliwili, Kaua’i

Posted on October 14, 2023 by JoeTourist

2023 Vancouver-Hawai’i Cruise

Oct 14, 2023 – a day in Nawiliwili, Kaua’i, Hawai’i, USA

Nawiliwili is the first port of call for Koningsdam, spending 5 days sailing across the North Pacific Ocean to Hawai’i. The ship is delayed a bit by another ship leaving the harbour this morning, but once we are tied up passengers are soon ashore and off on their excursions, despite some having to be cancelled due to our later arrival. I have nothing planned, so I have a leisurely breakfast aboard ship at the Grand Dutch Cafe: muffin, fruit parfait, cappuccino.

Joe wearing his new Aloha shirt featuring Frangipangi flowers on a dark red background.

I then go ashore, walking 10 minutes to the two resorts and shops on the nearby shores of Nawiliwili Bay. I find a shop selling 100% cotton Aloha shirts, so I buy a nice-looking one with Frangipani flowers on a deep red background. I think it looks quite classy, and I think it will match the Ultra Red on my new Tesla Model S! After taking a few photos along the beautiful beach, I walk back to the ship, and have a Tribeca pizza and Heineken beer for lunch outside.

Le Boreal, a Ponant premium cruise ship docks in the harbour midday. It is quite small with a 264 passenger capacity, and a very sleek design.

After our departure from Nawiliwili Harbour around 4PM there is a spectacular sunset as the ship sails overnight to dock in Hilo on the Big Island of Hawai’i tomorrow. I have dinner in the Main Dining Room, but order a light entree, since the pizza at lunch filled me up.

Kaua'i

41 photos

Astoria to Kaua’i – Day 4 at sea

Posted on October 12, 2023 by JoeTourist

2023 Vancouver-Hawai’i Cruise

Oct 12, 2023 – Day 4 at sea – Astoria, Oregon to Nawiliwili, Kaua’i

I have Lox and bagel with a passion fruit parfait for breakfast in the Main Dining room this morning.

Bagel, lox and creme cheese for breakfast

EXC Talk: Aloha Baby – The True Story of Iconic Hawaiian Symbols

History of the ukulele – 3 Portuguese immigrants made furniture and musical instruments, King David Kalākaua the Merrie Monarch popularized the instrument.
The Aloha Shirt – not a Hawaiian shirt.

Joe in a tie and jacket for Dressy Night. Flowers in the Ocean Bar aboard Koningsdam.

Noon Captain’s Report

We have sailed 1,157 miles from Astoria, with 770 miles to go for arrival in Kauai
Wind is 20 kts from the North, Force 5, 8′ swells
Our arrival in Nawiliwili will be delayed due to a cruise ship already being docked. New estimated arrival is 8:30AM, depending on when the other ship departs and releases the pilot.

It is Dressy night, so I put on a tie and jacket and go to the Main Dining Room for dinner. I then catch the The Runaround Kids – Prom Dance music in Main Stage.

Astoria to Kaua’i – Day 3 at sea

Posted on October 11, 2023 by JoeTourist

2023 Vancouver-Hawai’i Cruise

Oct 11, 2023 – Day 3 at sea – Astoria, Oregon to Nawiliwili, Kaua’i

Noon Captain’s Report

Wind currently 15kts SW force 4 with 2m swells (gentle)
Wind was 20kts overnight 1.5m swells

Five wines with cheese, fruit and bread

James Suckling’s Regional Wine Tasting in the Main Dining room with a Sommelier. Aboard Koningsdam, , , North Pacific Ocean 2023-10-11, 1:57:05 PM

I attend a complimentary Mariners’ James Suckling’s Regional Wine Tasting at 2PM in the Main Dining Room. The sommelier leads us through tasting a sparkling, two whites and two reds, accompanied with some cheese, fruit, bread and chutney. Since I’m not much of a wine drinker, it’s nice that my 4-star Mariner status with Holland America gives me these opportunities to try something different.

I skip lunch today in anticipation of my reservation for dinner in Canaletto, since I want to fully appreciate their amazing Osso Buco (Braised cross-cut veal shanks, mascarpone, saffron arborio risotto, carrots). I start with Burrata, a lovely fresh-tasting salad featuring the cheese with plum tomatoes, pistachio-garlic gremolata and extra virgin olive oil (see above banner image). The Osso Buco is fork tender and oh so richly flavoured! I finish with Affogato for dessert (malaga gelato, espresso, lemon zest). A glass of Chianti goes well with the veal.

Osso Buco – amazing flavour and fork tender!

Braised cross-cut veal shanks, mascarpone, saffron arborio risotto, roasted carrots. My entree for dinner in the Canaletto restaurant. Aboard Koningsdam, , , North Pacific Ocean 2023-10-11, 6:03:47 PM

Astoria to Kaua’i – Day 2 at sea

Posted on October 10, 2023 by JoeTourist

2023 Vancouver-Hawai’i Cruise

Oct 10, 2023 – Day 2 at sea – Astoria, Oregon to Nawiliwili, Kaua’i

The ship was pitching a lot again last night, so there were strange noises, however I got to sleep. The ship’s clocks turned back an hour last night, so we have an extra hour of sleep. It looks like it will take us another day to sail clear of the huge storm north of us. It continues to cause the ship to pitch, so the outside decks are closed.

9am Captain’s Report: A large low pressure area is 600 miles to the north of us, with winds of 40 kts and 15’ swells.

Noon Captain’s Report: NW winds at 35kts – Force 8 with 15′ swells, reducing to 15kts by this evening.

Just before lunch, our Cruise Director Stephanie takes the World Stage to deliver an EXC Talk: The Kingdom of Hawai’i – Native Hawaiian Spirit. She confesses to being seasick from the ship’s motion, but does a great job of delivering the presentation. Continuing on with the cultural theme, a Hawaiian Brunch is served in the Main Dining Room today. I have the Hawaiian Plate – teriyaki pork and chicken, rice, macaroni salad. My table mates are a couple from Oliver, formerly from White Rock, and a couple from Pennsylvania, all well-travelled who offer interesting conversation.

There is Hula at the Aloha Sunset Music Hour in the Crow’s Nest at 6PM, performed by our three Hawaiian ambassadors: Jay, Jamie and Keoni. After having a prime rib dinner in the Main Dining room this evening, I go to Main Stage to enjoy a performance by Ryan Ahern, a talented pianist from Las Vegas.

Vancouver Departure

Posted on October 7, 2023 by JoeTourist

2023 Vancouver-Hawai’i Cruise

I have a coffee and a cereal bar in my hotel room before checking out and rolling my bag the few blocks down to Canada Place, stopping for a quick selfie before going inside. I am through the check-in at the cruise terminal shortly after my10:20AM boarding time, however it takes about an hour for the ship to start accepting passengers aboard. Since I roll my own bag aboard, I’m soon settled into my stateroom #5023.

I then head to the Grand Dutch Cafe for lunch: Beenam’s ham sandwich and a bowl of Dutch pea soup. The couple ordering ahead of me insist on loading up with two giant sized chocolate-covered cream puffs and two slices of Dutch apple pie each! The server and I have a chuckle about their greed. I take a cappuccino and a Perrier bottled water back to my stateroom.

Dutch apple pie, Chocolate vanilla cake, bran, chocolate and blueberry muffins, giant-sized chocolate covered cream puff. Dutch pea soup, Beenam’s ham sandwich. Grand Dutch Cafe aboard Koningsdam

It’s a lovely sunny day in Vancouver as the ship pulls away from the dock at about 4:45pm, which is a bit late due to a passenger having to be taken off the ship at the last minute for medical reasons. I never get tired of being aboard a ship at it sails under Lion’s Gate Bridge, passing Stanley Park and the North Shore heading out into the Strait of Georgia. It is dark by the time we pass my home city of Victoria, so rather than spend time on deck, I have my first Martini on this voyage and enjoy the jazz, blues and rock on the Music Walk venues this evening.

Harbour Air seaplane taxiing to the dock in Coal Harbour with pleasure craft and Chevron fuel dock, Brockton Point, Stanley Park, Lion's Gate bridge and the North Shore mountains

San Diego to Victoria – sea day 2

Posted on April 28, 2023 by JoeTourist

April 28, 2023 – Friday – Sailing from San Diego, California to Victoria, British Columbia – day 2 off the Oregon coast

2023 Panama Canal Cruise

We are sailing north offshore from the Oregon coast today. Bird watchers are setup on the Promenade Deck with their spotting scopes, binoculars and some have cameras. Apparently they are spotting seabirds, but I only see a few that are close to the ship.

I go up to the Explorations Cafe just after 7am for cappuccino and relax for awhile in one of the chairs facing forward. It’s quiet up here at this time of day – too early for the trivia or game players. I have breakfast in the Main Dining room, sharing a table with a couple from Surrey, who mainly go to Mexico all-inclusive resorts, but are trying cruising. They are finding Holland America doesn’t offer enough onboard activities, but they are otherwise enjoying their time aboard, especially the Panama Canal transit.

Ship's position off the Oregon coast at 5:30pm — Ship’s position off the Oregon coast at 5:30pm

I drop off my Canada Border Services declaration to the staff who are setup mid-ship on my floor this morning. I declared the Halley Hansen jacket and a Holland America 150th Anniversary 2-mug set. I didn’t buy anything while I was ashore on this trip! I give a gratuity to my room stewards this morning, after getting a couple of envelopes from Customer Service.

I watch a movie this afternoon: A Man Called Otto with Tom Hanks in the lead as a grumpy old man with a heart of gold. I enjoyed it, since he always brings so much subtle emotion to his roles. Mariana Treviño knocks it out of the park as his fiery new neighbour.

It continues to be cold, foggy and some rain is falling today as we sail up the coast of Oregon on our way to Victoria. As can be seen by the ship’s position map, there is lots of shipping traffic along this coast!

I go to the Main Dining Room this evening, and have some Prosecco with my Rack of Lamb. Later, there is a lovely sunset over the ocean, which I watch and photograph from Deck 10. I surprise myself with the good quality photo I take of the 9 day old Waxing Gibbous Moon directly overhead. Canon’s image stabilization works amazingly well, even from the deck of a cruise ship!

Cabo San Lucas

Posted on April 24, 2023 by JoeTourist

April 24, 2023 – Monday – Cabo San Lucas and San Jose de Cabo, Mexico

2023 Panama Canal Cruise

We arrive in Cabo early at 6:30am. Nieuw Amsterdam is the only cruise ship anchored in the bay, so we get the nearest slot to the harbour, which means the tender trip to shore doesn’t take too long.

I booked the Cabo Land & Sea excursion a couple of days ago, since I wanted to see more of the area than last time I was here, when I just walked around the marina area. Our group is on the first tender off the ship before 7am, but end up waiting for awhile to fill the large catamaran with perhaps a hundred people on this excursion. We then cruise along the shoreline where the famous beaches are located, and the hole in the rock (Cabo San Lucas Arch or El Arco). We go around the rocky point and a bit further into open water to see the beaches and resorts on this side before returning to the bay. There are included refreshments while on the excursion boat.

After returning from the boat trip, we board a tour bus, driving out of town and around the bay. We stop at a deluxe resort at Cabo Bello with a great view back to Cabo San Lucas, the beaches, resorts and of course our ship anchored in the bay. We only have 15 minutes, since our excursion is about an hour shorter than normal due to our ship leaving at 1pm, but we have time for some refreshment and of course photo ops to take in the spectacular view.

We next head to San Jose de Cabo, seeing hundreds of spectacular resorts along the way. We have a half hour in this lovely town, which I find to be much nicer than Cabo San Lucas. If I return to Cabo, this is the area I would prefer to stay in. I’m astounded at the wealth and development. Of course, this stop is to give people time to shop before we return to Cabo San Lucas for our final stop at a glass factory for a demo of glass blowing. We are then driven back to the marina, taking the tender back to the ship.

I have pasta for lunch in the Lido ahead of the ship leaving, and setup my GoPro action camera on my balcony rail to take a time lapse video of the departure, since I’m facing the shore. There are some great views of the beaches and rocks from our ship as we sail away out into the open Pacific. Speaking of which, when we round the point at El Arco, the ship is hit with very strong headwinds and there are whitecaps on the ocean!

I make a reservation for dinner in Canaletto for 6pm, since I’m still trying to spend my shipboard credit. I have the Osso Bucco again for my main course since it is the Monday special. The beef is absolutely wonderful, and the minestrone soup for my starter and chocolate torte for dessert are also very good. I’m stuffed by the time I leave to return to my stateroom, so I grab my fleece jacket (since it is quite cool and windy) to walk around the Promenade deck a couple of times to work off my meal.

Cabo San Lucas

40 photos