Jim_Iain - B2B Sydney - Honolulu - Vancouver

[Jim_Iain]

Sorry for the huge photo dump.   There was so much beauty I couldn't resit.   I put them into a slide show movie on my Travel with Jim_Iain group. 

 

On the way home it started raining and ended up raining pretty hard all night.    Luckily it cleared just after sunrise. 

 

--- Iain was up by 9:00 AM and we went for breakfast with Lucy...   We met a Katherine and Linda from our Cruise Critic Fan.   She was happy to learn of the breakfast items that are not advertised in Michael's Club.    It's the secret menu.... LOL

[Jim_Iain]

One thing we have noted on this cruise -- maybe just this ship.    The ice cream in Luminae is not up to it's usual standard.  I'm not talking exotics I'm talking Vanilla Ice Cream.   Our waiter said it was a different Vanilla they were using.    Iain said it has an icy texture and not creamy at all.  

 

That is really disappointing as it is our go to desert at Luminae.   I had vanilla at both the Gellato and regular Ice Cream Place and it is pretty much the same...    Come on Celebrity... what does it take to have a decent vanilla ice cream.  

 

Many have also pointed out that the new menus are Chocolate on the overload and topped of with the terrible Chef B's Chocolate Turd.    Another failure.    Maybe we should box up some and send to Kelly. 

Edited April 29 by Jim_Iain

[Jim_Iain]

Last night was our least favorite Luminae. 
 

Menu 3

 

 

we ended ordering from MDR - it was a French Mushroom Pot Pie.  It was actually quite nice.   
 

For desert I had the new Orange desert on Luminae.  
 

 

 

[Jim_Iain]

1 hour ago, Maui4us said:

Jim, I see that Enterprise has a non-airport location in Kailua-Kona about a mile from the pier. I am going to try that for our next 2 cruises. The wait at the KOA airport must have been irritating. HNL does the same thing unless you go with Avis. They are 5 🌟. 

-Kelley 

 

In Kona I rented from Thrifty.    I got a call from them yesterday to confirm my reservation.   I think I rented from the in-town office.    They said once off tender to go to the big Banyon Tree and call a number they gave me and they will be down quickly to pick me up. 

 

Actually Thrifty at Hilo only had 3 people on line.   I know because I was mixed up from the call and first stopped by Thrifty -  when she couldn't find reservation I discovered it was Enterprise with the huge line ......

[Maui4us]

4 minutes ago, Jim_Iain said:

 

In Kona I rented from Thrifty.    I got a call from them yesterday to confirm my reservation.   I think I rented from the in-town office.    They said once off tender to go to the big Banyon Tree and call a number they gave me and they will be down quickly to pick me up. 

 

Actually Thrifty at Hilo only had 3 people on line.   I know because I was mixed up from the call and first stopped by Thrifty -  when she couldn't find reservation I discovered it was Enterprise with the huge line ......

I will check out Thrifty! Mahalo! 

-Kelley 🌺 

[kwokpot]

3 hours ago, Maui4us said:

Jim, I see that Enterprise has a non-airport location in Kailua-Kona about a mile from the pier. I am going to try that for our next 2 cruises. The wait at the KOA airport must have been irritating. HNL does the same thing unless you go with Avis. They are 5 🌟. 

-Kelley 

Another alternative, which we are doing, is to use Turo. They will meet us at the Courtyard hotel which is right at the foot of the tender pier. We will return the car there also. $103 all in.

 

Edited April 29 by kwokpot

[Maui4us]

4 minutes ago, kwokpot said:

Another alternative, which we are doing,is to use Turo. That's what we are doing. They will meet us at the Courtyard hotel which is right at the foot of the tender pier. We will return the car there also. $103 all in

 

Big Mahalo for sharing 😁 

-Kelley 

[abbydancer2003]

1 hour ago, Jim_Iain said:

Last night was our least favorite Luminae. 
 

Menu 3

 

 

we ended ordering from MDR - it was a French Mushroom Pot Pie.  It was actually quite nice.   
 

For desert I had the new Orange desert on Luminae.  
 

 

 

 

Agree on this menu.  And who thought Pig's Feet carpaccio is a good idea?  I ended up, on our new fab waiter's recommendation getting the pork schnitzel.  It was quite yummy as was the orange dessert.

 

Glen had the Luminae steak, and they overcooked it the first time.  Second time was fine.  (At least on this ship he didn't have to give the chefs a lesson on cooking steaks).

 

We're on the Beyond next.  Luminae meals are going to be a challenge.  On Apex last year, I had a small filet with bernaise most nights.

[kwokpot]

53 minutes ago, abbydancer2003 said:

Glen had the Luminae steak, and they overcooked it the first time.  Second time was fine.  (At least on this ship he didn't have to give the chefs a lesson on cooking steaks).

Was it a REAL NY Strip steak or was it a slice of beef from a whole roast?

[hcat]

Luminae is probably  the main reason we do not stretch our budget for a suite/Retreat.  Menu and prep is mostly uninspired for our tastes which are very simple.  BLU is better....and In our opinion Luminae is not at the same level as Specialty venues..at least on E Class ships.

 

Jim, maybe you can escape to BLU!

[Gracie115]

4 hours ago, abbydancer2003 said:

 

 

We're on the Beyond next.  Luminae meals are going to be a challenge.  On Apex last year, I had a small filet with bernaise most nights.

 

Last year on Apex I wound up with the "Kids" menu bolognese for about half the dinners.....  (didn't realize it was the "kids" until the last night when Sonny the waiter told me)

[Gracie115]

6 hours ago, Jim_Iain said:

Last night was our least favorite Luminae. 
 

Menu 3

 

 

we ended ordering from MDR - it was a French Mushroom Pot Pie.  It was actually quite nice.   
 

For desert I had the new Orange desert on Luminae.  
 

 

 

 

 

I think I would have opted for the Swiss Chard & Butternut squash lasagna just for the heck of it....sounds interesting.

 

But that orange dessert looks yummy!!!

 

[wrk2cruise]

6 hours ago, kwokpot said:

Another alternative, which we are doing, is to use Turo. They will meet us at the Courtyard hotel which is right at the foot of the tender pier. We will return the car there also. $103 all in.

 

 

Just a point of information.  If your depending on Credit Card coverage for your rental some credit cards don't cover Turo.  I know Chase Sapphire cards don't.

[MamaFej]

Another vote for The Coffee Shack.

 

PapaFej's aunt and uncle live in Kailua-Kona, and they go to The Coffee Shack at least once a week. We always end up there when we visit them. Good stuff! 

 

Oh, funny! As I was about to post, my son walked in the room, wearing a T-shirt from... The Coffee Shack. 😂

[mauimary]

We visit the Coffee Shack every time we are on the Island. We have been visiting the Big Island every year for over the last 20 years. We were so glad when the restaurant was sold several years back that the new owners kept the restaurant just like it was. 
 

We visit many of these same places every year and even make it down to South Point every couple of years.  We have even managed to see some of the locals jumping off the cliff one time. It was a non windy day.  I remember a couple of brave tourists that wanted to but were very hesitant so one of the local boys volunteered to jump with them. 
 

Another fun place we like to visit is closer to Hilo. It’s called “ What’s Shakin’.  Best Smoothies on the Island. 

Edited April 29 by mauimary

[FRMPEI]

On 4/11/2024 at 5:14 PM, Jim_Iain said:

 

Really would love to the do the New England / Canada one again.  Loved it.  

 

Would definitely have lined up (or stole Linda's fantastic Prince Edward Preserves.   Yum

 

 

Hi Jim,

Here I am very late in my reply busy with getting my personal taxes completed.  Now! If you guys ever return to my home port of Charlottetown again in the future I would love to show off my Island to you and Iain. I will even include a trip to Linda's fav Pei Preserve Co. 
 

Regards,

Kevin Reid 

[81Zoomie]

13 hours ago, Jim_Iain said:

Time to catch up--- Here's the LONG route Iain planned (inadvertently) for yesterday.    I have to say I got some mileage out of it and today --- I was King.   He said he would do whatever I wanted and I drug him ragged in just 1/2 a day.

 

Brings back memories!  My daughter lived in HI and we did this exact drive starting in Kona!  It was a day full of the southern most point, volcano winery, volcano natl park, and then the observatory for sunset!

 

When in Kona…. coffee at Lava Java is a nice way to relax!  Enjoy 😀

[Jim_Iain]

6 hours ago, Gracie115 said:

 

Last year on Apex I wound up with the "Kids" menu bolognese for about half the dinners.....  (didn't realize it was the "kids" until the last night when Sonny the waiter told me)

 

That night some friends of ours ordered off the Children's Menu --all the way..   They had Grilled Cheese Sandwich with a 4 Oz NY Steak and for desert had the Peanut Butter and Jelly Ice Cream Sunday.    It came out with a cone on top to look like a clown.   They really enjoyed the full meal

[Jim_Iain]

6 hours ago, hcat said:

Luminae is probably  the main reason we do not stretch our budget for a suite/Retreat.  Menu and prep is mostly uninspired for our tastes which are very simple.  BLU is better....and In our opinion Luminae is not at the same level as Specialty venues..at least on E Class ships.

 

Jim, maybe you can escape to BLU!

 

We looked at the Blu menu, Main Dining room and Luminae ---- the Pot Pie was the only thing that interested us.   

 

One thing we noticed is that on the Blu menu the deserts were identical to the MDR deserts.  hmm... not good.  Also they had the same French French Pie as MDR

 

 

 

 

Edited April 29 by Jim_Iain

[Jim_Iain]

2 hours ago, MamaFej said:

Another vote for The Coffee Shack.

 

PapaFej's aunt and uncle live in Kailua-Kona, and they go to The Coffee Shack at least once a week. We always end up there when we visit them. Good stuff! 

 

Oh, funny! As I was about to post, my son walked in the room, wearing a T-shirt from... The Coffee Shack. 😂

 

I think it is back on our list for tuesday.    Today I am finally going to get to snorkel ..... I hope.   I had to stop at Walmart to buy some Petroleum Jelly.    With a mustache the only way to avoid water leak is to make a seal of Petroleum Jelly  .... Ugh... sounds disgusting.

[Jim_Iain]

2 hours ago, mauimary said:

We visit the Coffee Shack every time we are on the Island. We have been visiting the Big Island every year for over the last 20 years. We were so glad when the restaurant was sold several years back that the new owners kept the restaurant just like it was. 
 

We visit many of these same places every year and even make it down to South Point every couple of years.  We have even managed to see some of the locals jumping off the cliff one time. It was a non windy day.  I remember a couple of brave tourists that wanted to but were very hesitant so one of the local boys volunteered to jump with them. 
 

Another fun place we like to visit is closer to Hilo. It’s called “ What’s Shakin’.  Best Smoothies on the Island. 

 

With all the votes I think Donkey Balls and Coffee Shack are on the list.    It is fun to return to old haunts .... they bring back such wonderful memories.

 

We often say ... do you remember ... and it could be a place, a person or just a memorable moment.   

 

 

 

Edited April 29 by Jim_Iain

[Jim_Iain]

1 hour ago, FRMPEI said:

 

 

Hi Jim,

Here I am very late in my reply busy with getting my personal taxes completed.  Now! If you guys ever return to my home port of Charlottetown again in the future I would love to show off my Island to you and Iain. I will even include a trip to Linda's fav Pei Preserve Co. 
 

Regards,

Kevin Reid 

 

Thanks Kevin..... I have to tell you that we LOVED CHARLOTTETOWN.    I have a feeling that the New England Cruise may again be on the agenda.   Maybe not on Celebrity but would love to do on a small ship where you can get into ports that you can't on the larger ships.

 

[Jim_Iain]

Yesterday was my day and off I went. 
For those renting cars finding a parking place is difficult as it is in an industrial area.  I spotted a place when we left the port. 

From port turn right. Pass the Chinese restaurant.   One the crowd wasn’t to eat but to be picked up for a tour. 
 

 

about a 1/4 mile down the street from

 

an area with about 10 cars parked.  Trhere aren’t any no parking signs. 
 

 

 

 

[Jim_Iain]

First up was Onehakakaha Beach park.  Being low tide didn’t work out for snorkeling.  Oh well Kona here we come today. 
 

 

 

 

 

Edited April 29 by Jim_Iain

[Jim_Iain]

Kamauna Cave was next on list.  About 20 miles away really interesting. 

Starts with a really steep ladder 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Iain decided to stay at the mouth as he isn’t a monkey like me.  
 

incredibly immersive experience.   Cool temperature with droplets of water dripping.  There are no lights but the iPhone 15 pro max is incredible in low light.