Carnival Spirit Vancouver to Hawaii Semi Real Time Review

[AprilRoseTwo]

I appreciate you sharing your trip! We are cruising Honolulu to Vancouver next year on the Spirit. First time. Enjoy hearing your impressions of the cruise.

[valj]

Love your review!!Your sense of humor is refreshing! Pat is lucky even if she doesn't hit it big in the casino:D!

[RYPERO]

I just want to let you know that this is the perfect review for me, I love Hawaii having been there twice this year and over twenty times for my life, I love cruising and will be Platinum on our next cruise in January and most of all my greatest love is Commercial air travel currently I am a 1 K on United and fly Southwest over a 100 times a year. So I just wanted to thank you for your thorough review and thanks for your years as a pilot getting my fellow business travelers home safely to their anxiously awaiting families and our fellow travelers safely to their vacations.

[boaterette]

You two certainly make avery handsome couple. Thank you for posting your pictures. Love reading the posts.

[SunnyDayz4me]

Wonderful review ! Thanks so much for taking time to do this for us ! Keep it coming....please ! We're booked for the 15 day out of San Diego in April 2012....long way off but gives us loads of time to get all the Hawaii info we can.

[suzanne217]

Have enjoyed your reviews! Are you doing the B2B, or do you have to get off the boat in Honolulu?

[ryanpatricksmom]

I'm so glad that you got the photos to work so that we could see that perfect rainbow shot!

 

We were getting off of the Spirit the day that you embarked. I cannot tell you how much we wanted to call in to work and book a cabin for your sailing. I know that you're having a great time....she's a great ship with a great crew! Five more years before our youngest graduates from high school and that becomes a reality. Until then, I'll have to live vicariously through your review. :)

[jimbo5544]

OP, truly an outstanding review. Dust off your writing skills my butt! Nice Job.

[capndinghy]

Have enjoyed your reviews! Are you doing the B2B, or do you have to get off the boat in Honolulu?

 

Hi Suzanne, Sadly we are not doing the B2B. I dread leaving the ship on Sunday morning. Lots of my fellow passengers are. Like one British guy explained to me, it is a no brainer. The cost of an airline ticket from HNL is about the same as the boat trip.

[capndinghy]

Wednesday September 22nd

Position: Hilo

 

Good Morning. Today the dawn brought rain showers at sea as we were about 5 miles off the north shore of the Big Island Hawaii enroute to Hilo. It was nice and warm outside on the balcony having my morning coffee with just a hint of spray in the air.

As the sun rose higher in the sky lovely rainbows became visibile. I made several wishes regarding my dear wife Pat, her Slot Machine Proclivity, and JackPots.

Morning Rainbow on approach to Hilo by capndinghy, on Flickr

 

We docked in Hilo right around 9AM. Right now I am sitting on the Balcony writing this missive. Again it is overcast, with mountain tops obscurred and scattered rain showers. I suspect this is normal weather conditions for here. Every thing is green and it looks just like one would think Hawaii should look like. I don't think the folks headed up to the top of the volocanos will have much of a view since they will be in cloud. I have noticed some helicopters passing by on aerial tours. I know I wouldn't be flying in this low visibility in moutainous terrain.

 

The life boats are located just below our balcony so I have been watching the crew practice lowering the lifeboats, driving them around, then re stowing them. There are several important looking guys dressed in white yelling directions so I suspect there is a bit of training going on. I am happy to report none of the Life Boats have sunk!

 

Life Boat practice in Hilo by capndinghy, on Flickr

[capndinghy]

We do not have any activities planned for here today. We will go into town and play it by ear. I have no doubt there is a Tourist “Souveneer” shop that would love to have us drop by.

So for now...... I shall sign off

Back again.....3PM

Pat and I disembarked at Hilo at about 11AM. We had planned on taking a shuttle into town, however we decided to charter a Taxi Cab again. So for $60 per hour we climbed aboard a Taxi and headed out to Volcano National Park. Once again we were glad we decided to take a tour rather then just hanging out in town exploring Hilo Hatties. It was an interesting trip up the mountain to the volcano. I always thought the volcano crater was located at the top of a mountain but discovered I (once again) was wrong. This crater is located at about 4000 feet elevation kind on a high flat plateau. For some reason Pat kept trying to talk me into climbing down into the cauldron to get a closer look. I decided to pay attention to the Danger Signs and stayed at the viewing area. Lot of Vapor spewing out of the caldron. We then visited a hole where steam was escaping and Pat swears she got scalded. When I went close to the 'hole' all I felt was a slight change in temperature. I guess it is all the good living I do! The trip took a bit longer than I had anticipated, just a little over 2 hours (or $140 worth).

Chuck and his Volcano by capndinghy, on Flickr

[capndinghy]

Before boarding the ship Pat got herself a nice lei with purple flowers that not only smell great but also matches her blouse.

 

We climbed back onboard the ship a little before 2 PM and ran into our eveining dining tablemates. So we had a nice lunch and compared notes on our various Island Adventures.

(insert gangway photo)

 

Pat decided it was nap time so here we are in the Cabin. For some reason sleeping is really nice on this ship. Eat, Nap, Drink, Gamble, Eat, Nap, Drink, . . . . you get the idea.

 

Speaking of Nap Time . . . . .

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

While Pat was sleepily napping the afternoon away I headed up to the fan tail for yet another Sail Away gathering! I suppose by now you have realized I kind of enjoy waving good bye with my Gin and Tonic in hand. It turned out this 'departure' was really special. As we left Hilo in the 'wake' the new Autumn Moon Rose over the Pacific Waters.

Hilo Moonrise by capndinghy, on Flickr

[capndinghy]

Pat looked quite lovely in her Fresh Flower Lei.

Pat and her Slot by capndinghy, on Flickr

After dinner we attended another Hawiaan Party on the Lido Deck. Who can complain about a party every night? Great Music, Hula Dancing and Fun was had by all!.

Hula Party by capndinghy, on Flickr

 

And into the “Moon Lit” night we 'steamed' headed for the Island of Maui.

IMG_2166 by capndinghy, on Flickr

[baseballmom2]

I am loving this review!! Thank you for taking the time to do it Cap! I will be on the Spirit in November, can't wait!!! One day I would love to do a Hawaiian cruise. We spent a week in Kona this past January but I would like to see all (or at least most) of the islands on a cruise! Thanks again Cap, I've read every word!! :)

 

P.S. Your review is even better now that it has pics! ;)

[capndinghy]

Thursday – September 23rd, 2010

Position: Docked in Kahulia, Island of Maui

 

Good Morning. Today is Thursday, so we must be in Maui.

The moon was setting just as the sun was rising on the First day of Autumn as we steamed toward Kahului, Maui. A quick peek outside the door reavealed a beautiful “Moon Set”. So I pondered the complexities of the universe and what I would have for breakfast as I sipped my morning coffee out on the Veranda Balcony.

IMG_2177 by capndinghy, on Flickr

 

The approach into Maui is quite scenic. I used to fly here quite often in my “gainfully employed” years. Maui has always been one of my favorite Hawiaan destinations. Maui lookes exactly like one thinks an Hawiaan Island should look like. It has a wide plain between two volcanoes. Maui features white sand beaches, big bluffs, waves crashing on rocks, flowers, cows, sugar cane fields and of course Maui Wowee. There is a little something for everyone here. I have quite a few aerial photos as from time to time I would treat my passengers to a tour of around the island as we approached Kahului Airport. (Don't tell my boss) , so it is nice to get a sea borne refernce of this lovely island. We passed Io Valley as we nosed our ship into the harbor.

IMG_2220 by capndinghy, on Flickr

 

It find it relaxing to sit out on the balcony and watch the little tug boat standing by in case of a Ship Power Failure as we preform our Docking Manuever.

IMG_2205 by capndinghy, on Flickr

 

Pat and I are preparing to head off the ship soon. Believe it or not, our destination is Wal Mart! One might ask, what kind of NUT visits Wal Mart while visiting paradise island? It seems Wal mart is the tourist trap mecca. The have all the junk at of course the best price. I do plan on visiting Hilo Hatties before we leave. I would hate to think Wal Mart is going to run the Mom and Pop Tourist Traps all over the world out of business.

 

So I shall leave this missive for now as we explore this town.

[capndinghy]

I am happy to hear that you readers are enjoying this missive. I had planned on posting today's fun filled action packed activities, but alas I took a nap in order to rest up for the Lahina Luau. We will be walking out the door soon, so stay tuned, I shall attempt to post an update tomorrow afternoon.

 

I have been busy uploading photos so that tomorrows post will be more like reading Playboy rather than New Yorker.

 

Thanks again for the kind words of encouragement. I shall keep banging away on the ole keyboard. Until tomorrow -- Aloha (or Bye Now)! :D

[capndinghy]

Begin Post here

The crew practiced an abandon ship drill this morning once we were tied up to the wharf. All sorts of technical sort of commands were issued over the PA system and crew members were all doing basically the same thing they do during the pre-sailing saftey drill. Only on this drill we heard abandon ship three times (in the airlines we used “easy victor=evacuate”) and the ship's horn started blowing. Our balcony is right over the lifeboats. It was fun to watch the guys that were lauching “our lifeboat”. The guy running our assigned life boat sort of needs more practice. Once in the water they hit another boat. It was great sport to watch; but I did make a mental note to choose another life boat if we should sink!

Lifeboats practicing by capndinghy, on Flickr

Pat and I are preparing to head off the ship soon. Believe it or not, our destination is Wal Mart! One might ask, what kind of NUT visits Wal Mart while visiting paradise island? It seems Wal mart is the tourist trap mecca. The have all the junk at of course the best price. I do plan on visiting Hilo Hatties before we leave. I would hate to think Wal Mart is going to run the Mom and Pop Tourist Traps all over the world out of business.

[capndinghy]

Begin Post here

We are back from our little sightseeing tour. After seeing a line of over 75 fellow “floaters” standing in line for the Wal Mart Shuttle we decided that Wally World was not in our future for today. Instead we hired a Taxi to take us to a little beach town called Paia located on the Hana Highway. It reminded me of Key Biscayne (where I lived in the 60's) , Florida. A nice quaint little town with the requisite 'trendy' shops and watering holes. Maui is quite the expensive 'island'. Lots of wealthy folks have homes here (Gosh I wonder why). They told us that at Charlies, a popular inspot, it is not uncommon to walk in and find Willie Nelson jamming with the folks.

I peeked in to wave to Willy but for some reason he wasn't there.

Paia a neat little Beach town by capndinghy, on Flickr

We stopped in and had a beer and coke at the local Paia Pizza Place that specialized in Organic Pizzas and stuff like that. The place was really busy with the local folks. It seems as though between surfing, windsurfing, beaching it, Zen Budduhaism, and Willie Nelson these folks eat healthy too.

 

Pizza Oven Paia Hi by capndinghy, on Flickr

end post here

[capndinghy]

Begin post here

Lunch time was upon us so we called Nick our Taxi driver to come get us and take us back to the ship.

I sure am glad that we decided to explore rather than take the shuttle with the rest of the “Wal Mart Shoppers”. Paia was the perfect little town to explore.

Pat Boarding the Ship by capndinghy, on Flickr

After much discussion when we boarded the ship Pat and I decided to opt for the Lahina Luau for $150 per pop. We decided that since this is the only chance we would have to experience one..what the hell. So we along with about 500 other Polynesion curious Passengers boarded buses for the 45 minute ride to Lahiana located on the other side of the island. Pat dressed in her finest polynesion style complete with flower in her hair. (Although I do think the flower was on the side of that signals I am available for free, come and get me).

 

Wahine Pat by capndinghy, on Flickr

 

 

 

[capndinghy]

What can I say. Dining out doors with 500-600 of ones closest friends was not what I had envisoned when I popped $300 for the fancy feast. Over all it was ok and the Roast pig dinnner was pretty good.

(insert photo of luau)

IMG_2250 by capndinghy, on Flickr

There were some rather nice dancers shaking their hineys in a hula dance and Pat really got off on the Fire Dancer Guy.

(insert

IMG_2263 by capndinghy, on Flickr hula dancers)

 

And so ended Day 1 in Maui!

nd post here

[capndinghy]

I do hope some of you are enjoying this boring blog. If you get a chance leave a message and ask any questions you would like.

Thanks -- Chuck aka Cap

[MalGee64]

Cap, this is by no means a boring blog account - you have a very entertaining and engaging writing style and the daily updates are as good as being there. We did this same trip back in '06 so your report is bringing back some very pleasant memories indeed - so much so that we're booking for the LA - Hawaii -LA roundtrip on the Spirit at the end of next year.

 

Keep up the great review, and hope you and the better half have a nice remainder of your cruise.

 

Cheers,

Mal

[baseballmom2]

I do hope some of you are enjoying this boring blog. If you get a chance leave a message and ask any questions you would like.

Thanks -- Chuck aka Cap

 

Boring!?!? Are you kidding, you are so funny! :) like I said before, I've read every word! I would love some advice about the Spirit, and what were your favorite spots on her? I will be on her for Thanksgiving with the whole family and then in January with just my hubby for our 10 year anniversary, I can't wait!!! Please give me some advice! :)

[AprilRoseTwo]

Dear Cap,

I check every day for your updates. Here's a question for you. We are thinking of doing the Road to Hana tour as we are leaning toward skipping the luau this time. Having never been to Hawaii I think I will enjoy the scenery more. Hopefully we will make it to Hawaii again someday and then we will try for a luau. Sounds like the right choice. What do you think?

Kathleen

[terreberre]

Cap,

I am loving this review. We will board the Spirit tomorrow for our 12-day Hawaiian cruise, after you get off. Sadly, I won't get the read the rest until we get home, as we are leaving today to stay overnight in Toronto before we fly away. Can you tell me how much did the lei cost that your wife bought? It's just beautiful.