travelin.sisters

HONOLULU & NAWILIWILI

Two lovely days in Hawai’I so far & two more to go.

Saturday, the day before Honolulu, it was finally warm enough to eat lunch out on our balcony…one of the wonderful joys of cruising!!

Honolulu was hot (up to 80), sunny & dry. I was up by 6 (side-effect of all the turning back of our clocks) & could see land about then as the sun began to rise. The pilot came aboard about 9:15 & we made our way into the harbor (lots of people out on their balconies excited to see Hawai’i & eager to get there. We were docked by about 10:15. Down in the Piazza they someone had hung the Hawaiian decorations overnight & people we waiting to go & wondering where we would disembark…another advantage of sailing with so few passengers were that it still was not crowded. About 11 (our announced arrival time) there was an announcement that we were still waiting for all the processing to be completed & by 11:30 I was ashore looking at the Grand.

Getting off was so easy…just place your medallion on the scanner & go…no one ashore to check any paperwork or ask any questions. I walked off & let Google maps direct me to Walmart for a couple of items & flower photos on the way & Aloha Tower then back to the ship. No one asked me for my ID while I was out but I did need to show it to get back into the terminal as Princess had not given security a scanner for our medallions.

That evening we did Germaine’s luau (they substituted this for our Polynesian Cultural Center excursion). Cousin Ben was a great driver & kept us entertained on the ride there & back. Fortunately, he reminded us that we needed our ID & vaccine cards to get into the luau as two guests did not have theirs & had to run back to their rooms to get them. Roads were not crowded & we still arrived early. There was music & time to take photos & watch the sun set on the beach as we enjoyed an appetizer plate (fruit, a slice of taro, coleslaw, green salad) & our drinks (each person got 2 drink tickets for alcoholic drinks & soda, juice & punch were complementary). Some people had bought the VIP package (kokui nut lei rather than shell one, reserved seating, special section to get your drinks) …as uncrowded as it was, I don’t know if it would have been worth the extra cost. Once everyone had arrived, they invited us to the imu (roasting pit) area where they lit the torches & uncovered the pig. The luau was maybe half full or less but was very enjoyable—way too much good food & a very nice show. Dinner was served buffet style with staff serving the food onto your plate & there was the opportunity to go back for more (we were unable to eat all the food in our first serving so had to skip having seconds). There was: sweet rolls & butter, lomi lomi salmon, poi, white sticky rice, macaroni & potato salad, teriyaki beef, kaluha pork, fried fish, huli huli chicken, white cake & haupia. Before the meal they described the dishes so that you could choose what you wanted to try. Seating is at picnic tables so it can get a little long sitting om hard wooden benches with no backs if & the ground is loose sand. We were back in plenty of time before the ship was ready to go & off to Kauai.

We had been told in the port talk that watching the ship sail into Nawiliwili harbor is not to be missed so we were up early to watch as the Grand turned her way in an S pattern into port (that pilot certainly earns his/her wages)! Since it was an early port day with lots of early excursions, the breakfast buffet was slightly crowded for the first time this sailing. After breakfast we made our way to the Princess Theater where there was no effort to encourage social distancing & it was quite full (relative to this cruise, not to a normal sailing) with 8 or so tour groups all gathered together.

We were soon on our way to our tour bus where Jonna was our driver/guide. We chose the Waimea Canyon tour which was a little disappointing because of the weather but still enjoyable. The morning was cloudy & ranged from sprinkles to drizzles to light rain (definitely needed my rain poncho). We started out on the way to the canyon through town & then out into very green countryside. Our guide shared about plants & history as we went & despite some intermittent problems with the PA system it was very good. We made an (unscheduled) stop to see the Hanapepe Valley where they shot part of the 1st Jurassic Park. Some of us got out in the drizzle to take photos & we were on our way to Fort Elizabeth, an unfinished Russian fort. From there we continued on to Waimea Canyon. Unfortunately the cloud cover was so thick that we were unable to see across or into the canyon. Next we headed to Spouting Horn where we had better luck, enjoying the blowhole & even seeing a sea turtle. Along the way I was able to get lots of photos of Kauai chickens, which were not a thing the first time I came to Kauai & we barely saw last time. We also saw a Hawaiian rainbow on the tour. Back to the port & easily on to the ship to rest up for Hilo!

7 hours ago, cr8tiv1 said:

Feast your eyes on this beautiful lady.  Honolulu Harbor at night.

 

thank you...she looks so elegant

13 hours ago, Desert Cruisers said:

We are on the January 19th sailing.  Would be interested in knowing if Walmart & other shopping malls are running shuttles in any ports. We use the shuttles to stock up on basics that we forgot or are running low on.  It's also a great way to get between the dock & the Ala Moana area in Honolulu.

I didn't see one in Honolulu...just walked to Walmart & then Aloha Tower in the morning; but I saw a Hilo Hattie shuttle in Nawiliwili...there may have been others that I didn't see as I wasn't really looking.

15 hours ago, cr8tiv1 said:

Someone should suggest to the ED that Tiki Dave should be in the Vista Lounge....every night!  He has enough material to do several shows.

they are in the Explorer's lounge tonight, I asked him if he was doing his jukebox of our lives show (he did on our last Hawai'i cruise) which is a big theater production & he said no, he hadn't been asked. Hopefully we will hear more from them on the way back although I have enjoyed listening to them in the Piazza every evening

16 hours ago, startedwithamouse said:

What princess shows have been shown on this Hawaii cruise? Looks like many guest entertainers rather than crew dancers and singers.  Are they running low on performers?

we have only gone to see the magician once, there are also musical acts & a comedian...no production shows yet but it looks like there are two scheduled on the way back

Tiki Dave & Leialoha have been in the Piazza each evening on the way out, but they are scheduled for the Explorer's Lounge tonight

19 hours ago, gracebest said:

We are also booked with a different cruise line in April, but one way to Honolulu.  So that would mess up flights and hotel plans if extending in Honolulu.  I guess time will tell!

it seems like everything is in flux...right up to boarding & even since we sailed things are all subject to change, I feel like Princess has done well at making things work for us but not necessarily really well at communicating what is happening...some examples:

1. with the itinerary change, our Polynesian Cultural Center excursion had to be canceled as they are closed on Sundays (which I knew would happen, but only because I know their schedule & actually chose this cruise over the Christmas one because it was not in Honolulu on a Sunday) & so they put us on a luau excursion, but did not notify us for several days when the tickets showed up in our room...it is hard to find out what excursions you are actually scheduled for...they do not show up on your medallion app or on the TV section which says it lists your shore excursion you have to go to grand.princess.com (if you remember that it exists) & look there...the shore excursion desk has not been open much considering how many changes there have been...they pretty much redid the whole schedule because of the late itinerary changes
2. when we docked in Honolulu they did not tell us anything about the procedure & they have not been good about letting people know that they need to take photo ID & vaccine card when they go out (I know they are trying to save paper but...they do announce it maybe once at each port but if you miss that announcement or don't understand what they are saying...maybe the wake show could remind people or a sign at the place where you get off the ship..one of our excursions we had to wait while people went back to get
3. just in general it seems like they aren't communicating well but they are taking good care of us...hopefully by the next cruise it will all be more routine

back from 2 outings in Honolulu...will say more after Nawiliwili tomorrow, but wanted to share that once the ship was cleared by the authorities,  it was easy to get off, just needed medallion, when I came back early the outside security did not have a scanner so I had to show my ID & he checked on a list but after our evening luau they had the scanner so it was super fast & easy...did have to show ID & vaccine card at the luau so be sure you take those...more after our day at Kauai

pilot just came aboard...we are not moving at the moment...now moving very slowly forward toward port

11 hours ago, nocl said:

What features of medallion are not functional on Grand?  

 

Can you do food and drink orders?  How about locating other members of your travel party?

@kiwimum gave a good answer to this, but I am also planning on doing a post about the medallion (what works, what is annoying, etc) on our homeward journey

29 minutes ago, redrocks07 said:

We are on the 1/19 cruise. If you make dinner reservations on the app prior to sailing are you given any kind of confirmation of the reservation when you board? Should you go to the dining room when you board to confirm?

 

Has anyone asked the ship (I know the ship won't answer but maybe someone would) why they are not making announcements about Covid infections - whether there are none or some?

 

Thanks in advance.

we made reservations in the app & they show in the app for each night we just arrived at our time the first night & they showed us to our table...chose the same time/place for each night so we have the same table, not quite as smooth as when there were 2 dining times & everyone came & left at the same time & the dining crew think it is harder as well but it is getting sorted out...I would recommend everyone make reservations as I have seen people without them have to wait an extended time

4 hours ago, JF - retired RRT said:

What kind of pie is this? Someone posted on a thread that they miss the Curtis Stone (gone for good) Chicken w/Leek pot pie. Maybe, this is a Princess substitute?

cajun seafood...my BIL said it was good but definitely not chicken & leek

...land...& dolphins!!!!!

more food photos...the food is not bad but maybe less variety (unless like my BIL you love fish & seafood) the rolls as always are wonderful & unlike our last cruise they don't seem to be rationing butter at dinner...my sister (who dreams about the fettuccini alfredo) said it was as good as ever & the fruench onion soup was so good I ordered it again the next night...oh the green creme brulee (they have one everynight) is pistachio not mold

4 hours ago, JIMBO1950 said:

Going on the Grand Jan 19.  Curious if the Wake show is still on.  And do they do "shout out" and jokes submitted by passengers?

 

yes to the wake show, no to shout outs, jokes, or contests...it is rather disappointing (I know Steve the CD is new to the Grand or newly back to the Grand but he isn't very dynamic on the show)...there is a lot of pre-taped content (Medallion, spa, wrinkle treatment, etc.) & not much except kind of reading the list of activities for the day...hopefully he hits his stride & improves for you

4 hours ago, kiwimum said:

Honolulu is required as the first port of call to complete all health documentation.    How long it will take to clear the ship is anyones guess.

 
We are from San Diego and have the weather rather cool.  Definitely needed a sweater or long sleeves.    It has been very windy with access to outside decks closed off periodically.   Today the sun is out and the outside temperature is warmer, still wjndy.   We have done this trip many times and this is the coolest and roughest we have had.   Usually 2 days out of the islands the weather warms up and the seas flatten out.  Just a little late this time.

 

thank you so much for sharing your perspective as well...I feel like people can make a better decision of what is right for themselves if they hear from more than one person...last time we went to Hawai'i it was roughest the last two days before the islands  as there was a storm tracking us & I think they even had to drain the pool...hope you are having a good trip despite the cold, wind & rough seas.

3 hours ago, travelingbears said:

I am concerned about the testing done.  Were there any positive tests results and if so what happens then?  

I have only heard of one person (on social media...no ship's announcement about test results or such) who tested positive, he is in isolation with his wife who decided to isolate with him even though she was negative...they were moved to the quarrantine section on the Aloha deck...he said they can get what they want through room service & the app...he thinks they will retest in 2 days but will not be able to get off in Honolulu even if they are negative then 

1 hour ago, loan lady said:

Thank you all for the wonderful information.  We are on the Ruby January 16th, hopefully, headed for Hawaii.   I am still wondering how cool is the pacific crossing so far? Trying not to over pack.  Thank you in advance.

it has been in the 60s outside & windy occasionally...inside has been comfortable or even a little on the warm side. I have not needed even a sweater (t-shirt weather, my sister who gets colder has worn long sleeves but not a sweater/jacket...I have seen more shorts than jackets onboard), I would imagine coming from Michigan it would be comfortable...you will want something for potential rain in Hawai'i

2 hours ago, mousefan73 said:

I have a question to the itinerary change. Is there a reason why you guys are stopping first in Honolulu? I believe I had read somewhere that that’s  a requirement now - all cruise ships need to stop in Honolulu first? Can anyone confirm this and why? One can only assume that if there was a larger outbreak that Honolulu would be more able to handle such a situation than smaller port cities. I ask because I’m booked on a different Cruise line in April and it’s not a round-trip , where the final stop is Honolulu where they turn the ship around for the return passengers. I’m getting all nervous now and wondering if  there’s a potential that my DIY car  excursions are messed up now. I’m getting paranoid and now thinking I should just book a car in Honolulu for the first part stop planned on our itinerary even if it’s right now not Honolulu.

there have been a couple of responses to this, but I will add my bit as well...I believe I read that all the scheduled cruises this winter/spring have switched to Honolulu first (you can read about the port agreements....my assumption was that it was that Honolulu would have the resources to do the arrival checks for several thousand people...I understand that we only have to do that at the first port...I would check with your travel agent or cruise line (you can also look at the port agreements that Carnival & NCL have signed at the Hawai'i DOT website, it looks like the cruise ship is responsible for evacuating or housing any sick crew/passengers so as not to overload the health care system. look here: Harbors | First port agreements for restart of cruise travel in Hawaii signed). 

For your cruise if you are not on a Carnival line or NCL they will need to do a port agreement unless you fly in & out there are different rules for interisland only cruises. I would check with the .cruise line or your TA. You can also check here: https://hawaii.portcall.com/#!?port=Honolulu - Oahu for when/where your ship is scheduled , you can look at all the islands

3 hours ago, CruisinNan said:

Is this on the TV? I am very interested in knowing about this. We are booked for Ruby Princess on February 10th going to Hawaii.   Thank you so much for doing this!

 

yes, I answered earlier & posted photos of how to find it on the stateroom TV...someone else also said you can find it in the app

breakfast buffet...they do still have the made to order omelets & crispy bacon (if you ask), but also some less traditional choices like pasta salad 

SEA DAYS 2 & 3: FORMAL NIGHT—SAILIING 40% FULL—CHANGES SINCE WE LAST SAILED—RANDOM THOUGHTS

So, as I stated earlier, I was up early yesterday & wrote the best ever, Pulitzer Prize worthy post which refused to load…here is the less profound version. 😉🤣

The 6^th was our first formal night (& in our group even the Stanley Bears dressed for the occasion). For the most part people were dressed up, although I personally did not see any Tuxes. There were people in the MDR who were not dressed up (Hawaiian shirts, knit shirts, etc.) I share this not to start a tangent about what people SHOULD wear for formal nights, but just as an observation of what WAS allowed. The next two formal nights are next week on Thursday (13^th the day after we leave Hawai’I) & the 16^th.

Last night we also turned our clocks back an hour & again tomorrow (the night before Honolulu). We turn them forward the night we leave the islands & 2 nights later. The crew I spoke with all appreciated the extra sleep but is not looking forward to the 2 nights with less sleep on the way back. I was told no crew parties are happening due to covid restrictions (traditionally the crew have a nice party the nights we turn the clocks back).

The captain announced that we are sailing with 1188 passengers (capacity is 2600). I did not catch the number of crew from his announcement (between his accent & the PA system sometimes I have trouble understanding him), but I did have one crew member tell me they were sailing with about 70% of normal crew & are expecting more in July.

The crew is all working hard but there are some definite changes for whatever reason (covid, # of passengers, staffing, cutbacks—I don’t know). I think everyone is probably aware that evening turndown service is only available if you request it (our steward asked if we wanted it on the first day, but you can also request for one time or the whole voyage on the medallion app). Venues are not open as long, sadly the International Café closes at 1AM instead of being open 24/7. The Michelangelo Dining room has been closed for the whole time so far. Bars seem to be open fewer hours & have fewer staff. A lot of traditional activities are not happening, I have noticed fewer games and crafts. There is no smoking anywhere indoors including the casino & the cigar lounge. We are having 2 shows a night (7 & 9) but there have been no production shows yet. Formal night was a magician. This has been mentioned on many threads, but the buffet has foods either in individual portions (plates, cups, bowls) or served by staff (breakfast buffet photos below). They are back to handing out plates/silverware (most of the time) & about half of the time someone is at the sink station to ensure that people wash their hands on entering. We haven’t been to the buffet often except for early breakfast, but it seems like there are more jobs than crew so sometimes there is a wait for someone to come from another station to serve your food.

I will probably do a whole post with my thoughts/experiences with the medallion on the way back bit I did want to share that you can easily have it set up to open other doors. We went to the customer service desk & asked if your medallions could open both doors for our travel group & this was no problem, they just entered the info into the computer & when we returned to our rooms both rooms were unlocked by either medallion.

Looking forward to Honolulu on Sunday (although we were disappointed that they changed our itinerary was changed as we picked a cruise that was scheduled on a day the Polynesian Cultural Center was open…oh well, an excuse for another Hawaiian cruise). We are booked for a luau so probably won’t do a post until after Kauai but will try to let you know that we were able to disembark.

4 hours ago, pris993 said:

Assume the TV lights off on sleep program, is that correct? 

yes lights off for the duration however after the 8 hours & some minutes, when it ends the TV lights back up

5 hours ago, Chris Lo said:

My wish is … may cruise passengers get along, be tolerant and respectful to everyone on board.  I do know it’s not a perfect world! 
I'm with you Any Major Cruise Dude! 

The majority of people I have encountered are doing just that...the few that I have heard loudly complaining about what used to be but isn't, are definitely the minority...even those who have struggled to find the help they need with the technology of getting their QR codes & other necessities for Hawai'i landing have been patient & gracious in their frustration. It is a good cruise.

11 hours ago, Bgwest said:

Not at all. 

I agree, we decided before we sailed, when there were still no port agreements with Hawai'i that even if we just got out to sea & sailed around we would choose to enjoy being out & about.

11 hours ago, Chris Lo said:

Have you noticed mask compliance by most or maybe even all passengers indoors, during boarding process and in dining room until order placed and food/drinks delivered?  Mahalo! 

In my experience most people are good about masking when out & about, although I have seen people walking the corridors without. As others have shared, dining/drinking venues are more hit & miss some cover between others take their mask off for the duration. A good thing I have noticed is that Princess has provided the crew with N95 (or KN95, haven't gotten close enough to read the labels but they look like N95) masks. I try to cover when waitstaff approach even if I am eating, we are in this together & their risk is higher so that seems easy enough to me personally. One thing that I have found strange is in the evening they are allowing dancers in the piazza without masks & during that time I also have seen (looking down from a higher floor) quite a few people sitting around without masks & not actively eating/drinking...that seems risky to the crew, performers & others.