Live theatre is something that we both enjoy. We’ve seen three plays in the last three weeks. Being close to performing companies was one of our draws to Victoria. While Vancouver and Toronto have the headliner shows, they do eventually come to Victoria, sometimes while they are in vogue, and other times when they are winding down. 

Of course, live theatre is only possible with a few key ingredients. Support from patrons and sponsors; these shows need to be funded. Another key is the numerous local, amateur and grass roots companies that perform purely for passion. Some of the shows we’ve seen have been amazing while others may have been less wonderful. The ‘knock your socks off’ ones more than make up for those that lack.

Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious

Three weeks ago, we went to see everyone’s favourite nanny – Mary Poppins. The play was tweaked from the Disney’s version, most notably, there was no women’s suffrage. There was another nanny who replaced Mary Poppins during the play for part of Act II. The script has her as a ‘holy terror’, which she was. There were also a few other on-stage adaptations. The play was held at the McPherson play house in downtown Victoria. We bought our tickets some months ago and had good seats. 

Rise and Fall of an Empire

Two weeks ago, we saw the Lehman Brothers trilogy. From the time Brian Markinson, playing Henry Lehman stepped onto the stage to open the play, I was mesmerized by the acting. While I roughly knew the story of the bankruptcy in 2008, after all, they were one of the stars of the 2008 financial crisis, I didn’t know how they started some 150 years earlier. This was a production with only three actors, all of whom played many roles. One of the actors was a female, who starred as the youngest of the Lehman brothers. 

I was skeptical when I heard there were only three actors, even more so when I learned the play had three acts, each one a full hour. There were two 15-minute intermissions. If you have a chance to see this play, I would highly recommend it.

We were fortunate enough to see it at the Belfry Theatre in Victoria. It was our first time there and we are now selecting our tickets for the 2024/25 season.

British Humour

Our third play was Jeeves, a British comedy at the Chemainus Festival. We’ve been going to the Chemainus festival for years as it’s only 45 minutes from Nanaimo. It’s a bit further from Victoria, which gave us a reason for an overnight trip! We packed our bikes so we could do some exploring before and after the play. Then, the day before, our friends from Texas let us know they were in Nanaimo. We told them about the play and they managed to get tickets. We had a blast together over dinner and then the play.

The concept behind Jeeves is simple. He’s a butler who tries his best to keep his ward, a young aristocratic gentleman, out of trouble. This is the fourth ‘Jeeves’ Chemainus has done, each one different. Watching the previous Jeeves was one of the few times I burst out laughing aloud. If British humour is not your thing, you may not appreciate Jeeves’ dry, almost arid sense of humour. For us, it is a way to let loose and enjoy the moment. 

This version was a bit different than the previous ones. It was more of a slapstick comedy and lacked the wit (sarcasm) of previous ones. There were a few chuckles, but none of the big laughs we had previously. 

Hiking and Biking on Vancouver Island

The next day, with brilliant sunshine, we took advantage of being mid-Island for some outdoor activities. We started with a one-hour hike around Chemainus Lake. As it had rained heavily two days earlier, everything was green and fresh. For me, there is no better time to walk in the woods than early morning on a crisp, sunny day.

As we headed south down the Island Highway, we went to the Kinsol Trestle. At 187 metres in length and standing 44 metres above the salmon bearing Koksilah River, the Kinsol is an incredible structure and one of the highest railway trestles in the world. It is constructed out of old-growth Douglas fir timbers and has dizzying views when you look down. 

You can take a foot path from the end of the trestle down to the river. There are picnic tables, both at the top and bottom. The trestle is part of an old railway that was used to transport lumber “back in the day”. The rail line was abandoned in the late 70’s and is now an amazing trail, and part of the Trans Canada Trail. Being an old rail line, the grade is gentle, allowing us to do a 21km round trip bike ride. The scenery through the valley was superb. During our ride, we only encountered two other people once we left the trestle. 

Visiting a Cidery

After our bike ride, we headed to the Merridale Cidery, which was only 15 minutes from the trestle. We had hoped to take a tour, but they weren’t running any on a random Thursday in late May. Meg wandered around and managed to speak to the head Cider Master who graciously took us on a complementary VIP tour. We learned a lot about cider and the process is basically identical to wine making. You crush the fruit, add yeast and magic happens. 

In the fall, when the apples are picked the cider making process begins. Once it is blended and stored, it is aged. There was cider being aged in French oak casks, producing a very dry cider. There were numerous stainless-steel vats, most of which were filled with cider waiting to be bottled. Various types of heirloom apples, mostly from Brittany, Normandy and England, are used in the cider making process, all of which make great cider. Skilled cider makers ensure consistency and quality.

When the tour of the production and bottling facility were over, we walked around the orchard. For the most part, they grow their own apples, and it was interesting to see the various trees that made up the orchard. Now that we had completed a 21km bike ride and walked around an apple orchard, the only appropriate thing to do was sample some cider!

Tasting the Cider – Happy Times Indeed!

There were various flights of cider for trying, and we chose the “dry” flight. Sitting in the sun, looking over an apple orchard, drinking fresh apple cider on Vancouver Island – is there any other place one would rather be? When we finished our “flight”, we headed into the shop and bought a 1-liter bottle of fresh, unpasteurized, apple cider to take home. It will help us relive the memory when we open it up this weekend.  

As with all trips, this one was now winding down, and we headed back to Victoria, to unpack, store our bikes et al. We’re now planning for our next adventure, although we don’t know what it will be! 

Thanks for reading, feel free to leave any comments or reach out with the contact form.

Cam and Meg

Many people have asked us if we are bored with so many sea days. In reality we don’t have the time to be bored. Between enrichment activities, planned events such as dance classes, trivia, tours et al, we have to pick and choose what to do so as not to over do it. What seems to happen to us, is many activities are slated at the same time, forcing us to pick and choose. 

When we’re not at activities, we’re reading, resting or eating. We both took e-books and enjoyed the time we could have, gazing out the window at the ocean while turning the page of a good read. Then there’s the food.

Enrichment and Learning at Sea

Celebrity put on an enrichment series consisting of three different lecturers. There was naturalist, an artificial intelligence speaker and a physics talker. The latter also did a night talk on the upper decks where you could look at the stars. The naturalist was the same one who was on the ship last fall from Vancouver to Japan last fall and we really enjoyed her talks. We didn’t attend the other two speakers as their topics were not of great interest to us.

Here’s what the five days at sea looked like for us.

Wednesday May 1, 2024

Our first sea day – warm weather, slight breezes and plenty of sunshine. We spent most of the time up top in the open air, either in the Solarium or walking around the upper decks. Our lunch was grilled hamburgers and continual snacks which made for a festive day. 

Thursday May 2, 2024

The ship plodded along the North Pacific Ocean, steaming at 20 knots. The weather today was pleasant, sunny and a light breeze, although it was cooler than yesterday. Today was much the same as yesterday, lounging around the Solarium, snacking and enjoying life. 

Just before dinner, there was a “Mixology” event. One of the bartenders demonstrated how to make a Manhattan, A Pimm’s and a Mai Tai over a 45-minute period. The bartender was quite the showman, tossing bottles, mixers and ice cubes in the air and catching them with ease. He made it look easy, however I’m sure here was certainly a lot of practice that helped him hone his skill. If tried that two things would happen. 1 – there would be drinks and ice all over the floor and 2 – Meg would not be impressed. It’s the latter that would worry me the most. The best part of this event was, after showing us how to make each type drink, we were offered complementary samples.

We also met a delightful couple from the Netherlands who have cruised a lot, including 9 transatlantic cruises. 

Friday May 3, 2024

We knew we were heading north. Today’s weather was much cooler. There was no one scrambling for deck chairs around the pool. The Solarium on the other hand, which is enclosed, was a different story. Despite the cooler weather, I still wore shorts. This caused Meg to think I was losing it, but I was comfortable.

We decided to have hotdogs from the grill today and went to order. Our assistant waiter at dinner also works the burger gill at lunch. Hailing from Zimbabwe, he was dressed in a jacket, touque and long pants. He recognized us and asked how we were doing and we told him we were cold. His immediate reply was “I’m colder”. I’m sure he was colder. He has never seen snow before, I hope he does OK in Alaska this summer as that is where the ship was heading. 

Star Wars Day

Saturday May 4, 2024

May the Fourth be with you. The warm temperature was certainly not with us any longer. It was 10C and cloudy today. Another sea day with enrichment lectures, fitness classes, lounging around the Solarium and of course eating. The naturalist did a lecture on whales today where we learned a lot of interesting facts. The whale population, that was almost decimated in the 1970’s from over harvesting and random hunting, is bouncing back strongly. Orca’s still struggle; however, many more species are doing well.

The naturalist also told us the Blue Whale is the largest mammal in the world and obviously eats the most food, up to 2 tons per day.  She quickly added that this almost matched by cruise ship passengers. I’m not sure if she was being serious or not. Based on the size of many of the guests on board she may have been. The saying “more truth is spoken in jest” rings true.

Booking Another Cruise

We have very much enjoyed our cruise so far and with that in mind, we headed down to the future cruise sales office. Our fall and summer have a number of confirmed activities as well as some placeholders. We were not ready to book a major cruise for the fall/winter of 24/25, however there was a short six-day pacific coastal cruise that aligned with our September schedule.

Of course, they try and upsell you and suggest you book a high category cabin with wi-fi and the beverage package. They refrain from using “booze” package. We decided an inside cabin with no beverage package and no wi-fi would suit our needs and booked. There are some advantages to booking onboard including an additional credits, reduced deposits and in-category room upgrades that, for us, make it worth-while.

This evening we attended a Senior Officers party, where the Captain and his top mucky-mucks were there, handing out drinks. There were also yummy appies, however as this event was between the two dinner seatings, we did not have any appies, having just eaten a lobster and beef wellington dinner. Such is the life of food on a cruise ship. 

Sunday May 5, 2024

Today is our last sea day. Waking up to swells that made the ship rock, we were greeted by rain and 7C. This made us miss Hawaii even more. There was more lounging, a galley tour, fitness classes and of course eating. Just before 11PM, in Canadian territorial waters, we turned north from the Strait of Juan de Fuca and headed toward Victoria. The view of the city, with all of its lights is always impressive. Race Rock’s light house was flashing and ocean was calm. The ship embarked a pilot and started the final leg for Vancouver.

Arrival in Vancouver

Monday May 6, 2024

I was up at 5AM and went up top to see us abeam Point Atkinson light house which marks West Vancouver. The ship carried on towards Canada place, passing under the Lion’s Gate Bridge at 5:37 AM. The view of the bridge from the water never gets boring. The ship berthed at 6AM. The last morning is always a rush, people trying to get their last meal before heading home. They want to stuff themselves and get their money’s worth. There are long queues for the lifts and difficulties finding a seat at the buffet. 

We had been warned the previous night, that getting ashore would be a challenge as there were three cruise ships in port. That increases the strain on Customs, taxis, etc. We had decided to take our luggage off ourselves and as we walked off at 8AM, we were on the sidewalk at Canada Place at 8:05 AM. The Customs agent simply took our card, gave it a cursory scan and said “you’re good to go”.

I checked in with my Mom, and she was just leaving to pick us up. We then sat on a bench in the warm sun, catching up on a week worth of emails with the free wi-fi. While there were a ton of emails, the digital detox was great. In the end not much happened that needed our immediate attention. Shockingly, politicians were still being fools, governments were overspending, special interest groups were rallying people for their causes, conflicts were taking place in parts of the world, the stock market was doing its thing. Very similar to when we left. 

Recap

This was a short trip, two weeks. We loved it. Warm air, good food, interesting sites and new experiences. Cruising is one of our happy places. It’s not for everyone, but for us it’s great. 

It’s no secret costs have gone up in the past few years. Unless you’ve been living under a rock for the last two years, you know restaurants have also raised their prices, sometimes by huge amounts. Increases in wages, food, rent, taxes, et al, have made dining out a luxury for many. The food on Celebrity is very good. Of the eleven nights we were onboard, nine of the dinners in the main dining room were outstanding. Two were meh and on those nights, we chose to eat in the buffet as the selections there were great. Some of the highlight meals were lobster, beef wellington, prime rib and lamb chops. There were curry dishes, vegetarian choices, fish dishes and chicken. Soups, salads as well as deserts. That is evening dining. 

During the day there are burger bars, various sandwich choices, salads and everything else. There is a lot of variety and if you don’t like something you’ve been given, you can send it back and get another dish. In the evening, we often struggled between two dishes. That’s not a problem on a cruise ship, they’ll bring you both. Portions don’t tend to be overly large, so it’s not as “piggish” as it seems. 

We are now looking forward to our September cruise and seeing the sights along the way, including San Francisco, where we spent part of our honeymoon some 35 ½ years ago.

Thanks for reading, feel free to leave a comment or reach out with any questions via the contact form.

Cam and Meg

Sunday April 28, 2024

Our plan for today was to check out the black sand beaches near the ship. Heading away east and then south from the ship, we stopped at two beaches which were only about a 15-minute drive away. We found them to be rather uninspiring.

Changing gears, we headed out of town to explore and Meg navigated us to a one lane road that seemed like was leading to no-where. Despite her protests that the map showed it to be a “real” road, I was grateful to have All Wheel Drive as I dodged water filled potholes. It really felt like we were in the middle of the jungle. The views were impressive and seeing countless mongooses (mongeese?) running in front of us confirmed we were in an area with minimal human inhabitants. There were a few view points along the way where we stopped as well as some impressive rock formations and parks. 

Exploring State Parks – always something interesting.

One of the highlights Sunday, after getting back on “real” roads, was the Lava Tree Loop trail at Lava Tree State Park. We came across this park by accident as it is not on all the maps. Within the park, there were a number of trees that were encased in lava from a volcanic eruption. They look rather haunting. During a volcanic eruption, most trees spontaneously combust in the lava flow. There are a few that do not and they become rock formations, encased in lava which hardens to rock. The loop trail walks you past some of these and provides an interesting insight. 

As we headed back to town, we carried on our quest for the ultimate brew pub and stopped at the Hilo Brewery. It is truly a working brewery and you find yourself in a warehouse, standing on a concrete floor, surrounded by large vats. There was loud pounding music and some not so comfortable looking chairs. We decided to grab two cans or beer and head to a park to sample them. 

The park, around the corner from the ship, provided great ocean views as well as a glimpse of the ship. As we sampled our adult drinks, we concluded that Honolulu brewing was still the winner so far on this trip. 

Once we returned the car, we embarked on the ship and took advantage of the ship’s happy hour. Dinner and a show followed and the ship sailed overnight for Kona.

Monday April 29^th

Kona was the second port on this cruise and we were tendered here. The queue to get a tender was not too bad at 8 AM, likely because it was an overnight stay, so not everyone was rushing to get off the ship. As this was a last-minute booking, we were not able to get a rental car in Kona itself, instead we ended up reserving one from the airport. We took an Uber to the airport and after getting the rental car we headed away from town to the ocean views at Waipi’o.

Waipi’o is supposed to be a “must-see” place with a great view. We drove the one-hour route, mostly uphill, and, while the view was nice, it wasn’t really worth the drive. One interesting fact is the valley below is where King Kamehameha was raised. I have a fondness for the King, based on what I have read and seen. Lunch was poke in the historical town of Waipi’o.  

Another State Park

As we headed back to Kona, we found a wonderful sand beach. Spencer Beach state park has a number of historic monuments and after seeing the plaques, we headed to a well-equipped beach area. Showers, change rooms and a long sandy beach with numerous trees for shade, and not very crowded. Pretty much perfect. Sandy beaches are a bit rare on the Big Island as it is so volcanic. I went for a swim and found the water warm. There was one main entry into the ocean from the beach, around the coral and, as I swam out, I saw various fish. 

It was an hour ride back into the city and we headed for Kona Brewing for happy hour. We’ve been to this brewery each time since we found it a few visits ago. Happy hour has pints for $4.75, which was the cheapest we saw in Hawaii. The brewery tied with Honolulu brewing, in our opinion, for best brewery in Hawaii. We stopped after one beer because we needed to move our car and “real” beer packs more of a punch. 

Keeping our car overnight came with the problem of needing to find a safe place to park it. We drove around a bit looking at some parking lots, but they all had signs saying they would tow. We weren’t willing to risk the possible tow and bill. Eventually we decided to park on the road where there were no “no-parking” signs and hoped for the best.

Tuesday April 30th

After getting up and having a light breakfast, we headed out to see if our car was still there. Our tender ride was uneventful and we walked over to the car, which was still there. Heading out of town in the other direction, we were going to a beach where the dolphins sleep during the day. 

The wrong beach, but a better choice.

We had been to this beach a few years ago and enjoyed the nature and fish we were able to see while swimming. The drive was about 45 minutes and we managed to find a parking spot, but the area did not look familiar. Speaking to the park host, we realized it was not the place we were looking for. This area had a grassy area with large trees providing shade along with some well-placed picnic tables. We unpacked and thought it was fine. I went for a short swim and saw a number of fish. Meg recalled being able to see fish from the shore at the other park. As she was not really interested in swimming, we decided to head out and find our original beach.

Once we got to the other beach, which was a 15-minute drive, we parked on the road and walked the final 100-meters to the beach. There was a State Park parking lot which was $20, but was pretty much empty as most people were parked on the road. Walking around the area, there was no beach, just coral and lava and no shade. The vendors, which were there a few years back, were gone, so there was really nothing there. The good news was Meg could see a number of yellow fish from the shore. With the lack of shade, we decided to head back to the first park. We spent the rest of the day lounging and swimming until it was time to leave. 

Another opportunity to spend at Costco

When we left, we headed to Costco, just to see what they had. There were high-quality Hawaiian shirts and other clothes, so we added to our collection. We then took the rental car back to the airport and tried to book an Uber to take us back. As noted on our arrival post in Honolulu, I do not understand the pricing algorithm. The starting cost for an Uber was $85, so we decided to take a taxi. The car rental shuttle was offsite from the airport and, after it dropped us off at the terminal, I checked Uber again and the cost was now $50. Checking taxi fares, it was $50 – $60. Meg went to the bathroom and when she returned, I checked Uber one last time. The fare was now $22. The drop from $85 to $22 took place in less than 10 minutes.

The Uber took us to Kona Brewing again, where we partook in their happy hour again. A ten-minute walk from the brewery took us to the tender. That tender turned out to be the last one of the day back to the ship, so we totally maximized our time on land!

We set sail at 5:00 PM and started our five-day transit for Vancouver. 

Another successful Hawaiian trip!

Thanks for reading, feel free to leave any comments or reach out with the contact form.

Cam and Meg

Friday April 26, 2024

We were up early and, after a quick breakfast on the cruise ship, we headed to Diamond Head crater for our hike. The hike up can easily be completed by someone with a reasonable level of fitness, however it should not to be taken too lightly.

The Top of Diamond Head

At the top, we took a number of pictures and admired the views. One picture we were keen to capture, was the view of Waikiki from Diamond Head. There are so many views from the other angle. Having climbed to the summit, we wanted to capture the reverse. For some reason, we didn’t look for our cruise ship. Don’t ask why, we both forgot to do that and stared blankly at each other when we got to the bottom realizing our error.

During our earlier drive up to the trailhead, we noted what appeared to be a cute town just past the park. We walked for about 20 minutes to get there, but realized it was cuter driving by, so we Ubered back to the ship. After lunch, we headed out to explore a bit more and checked out Waikiki Brewing. We found their offerings were not as enjoyable as Honolulu Brewing. 

We returned to the ship and had dinner shortly after sailing away from Honolulu. Our first production show was after dinner – Rock City, after which we retired for the day.

Saturday April 27, 2024 – On to Hilo

The ship sailed overnight to Hilo, on the Big Island. Once there, we headed ashore at 9AM to get our rental car. We had no plan once we got the car, in fact we weren’t sure how to get the car. It turns out, that after you leave the ship and walk through the industrial warehouse, there are shuttles and taxis. Budget offers a shuttle to the airport for cruise ship passengers, which was a bonus. 

Once we got our car, a Nissan Rogue, we decided to head to Wal-Mart (yes, I actually wrote that). We needed some toothpaste and snacks for the day. Health regulations prevent food from being taken off the ship. There is a daily market in Hilo, however the Saturday one is the “big” market, so we to head into town and see what was there. 

Wandering around Hilo

We decided to start by visiting the Mokupapapa Discovery Centre which highlighted the marine life in and around the Hawaiian archipelago. There were displays of marine life as well as history of evolution of the marine life. The building was a historical place, very well kept. Inside, we marveled at the 100-year-old original first growth hardwood floors that have been flooded many times by salt water but looked just fine. We then wandered a few blocks to the “Big Saturday” market. Once there, there wasn’t much we wanted. We decided to have lunch at a “cool” looking hot-dog place we had seen. Let’s just say we won’t be going back there. In addition to costing $25 US for two hotdogs and two bags of chips, they were meh, at best. 

It was now time to leave downtown Hilo and we headed to the observatory visitor center, which is at 9,200’ above sea level. Due to the weather, there are a number of high-power telescopes there that provide insight to the universe. The drive is not overly scenic, lots of lava fields and, in some places, shrubs. 

High Altitude Hiking

When we arrived at the visitor centre, we parked and went inside. There were signs about altitude sickness and the Ranger told us there was 30% less oxygen at the visitor centre than at sea level. We decided to pause for a minute and then did a short 20 minute hike up a small hill. Going slowly, allowing for any adaptation due to altitude, we easily reached the summit and the views were amazing. The wind was howling so we moved to the other side of the hill where we were sheltered. Enjoying the view and getting some pictures, we headed back down. 

Driving down the mountain was a lot quicker than going up. Once down at the main road, we turned back onto the highway where there was another park. Interpretive signs outlined hikes and explained some of the topography, but we chose not to do those.

As we drove back towards Hilo, we stopped at another nature trail that explained the 1936 volcanic eruption and we did a short hike through the lava fields. They are not super exciting, sort of what you would expect the moon to be like.  

Getting closer to the ship, we started discussing where to park the car overnight. In the end, we decided to park on the road, across from a factory that was close to the ship where other cars were parked. It was a Saturday night and everything worked out fine.

Tonight’s show was a comedian and he had the audience laughing a lot.

Thanks for reading, we’ll post more of our trip in a day or two as we catch up!

Comments and questions are most welcome.

Cam and Meg

Our travel to Hawaii was unique and parts of it were experiences we hope not to repeat. Do not be alarmed, we loved our time in Hawaii, however there were some “situations”.

In order to fly to Hawaii, we arrived at the airport in good time with Doug dropping us off. Check-in was a breeze as was US customs. While we were waiting for our flight, we visited the lounge and enjoyed their hospitality until it was time to board the aircraft, a WestJet Boeing 737 – Max 8. 

An “issue” on a Boeing 737 – not a warm feeling

Once we were settled in, they announced we would be delayed for “an issue”. The update that followed informed us there was a loose panel on the door and maintenance had fixed it. Reading about all the issues with Boeing aircraft recently, that was not the most comforting pre-flight announcement I had heard. 

All seemed well and we took off, Meg was enjoying the view out the window until about 3,000’ when we entered clouds. Around 30 minutes later, Meg decided to test the quality of the motion sickness bag. We are pleased to let you know they do not leak. It was the first time she has ever been sick on a plane. Our thoughts were it was something she ate at the lounge. The good news is she slept for most of the flight and felt fine in the morning.

Once we arrived in Honolulu, we got our luggage and then I looked at booking an Uber to take us to the hotel. The Uber app indicated it would $89 and said the price was high due to high demand. We headed to the taxi line and when we got there, there were no taxis about. Meg looked at a sign that said to call a number to order a taxi and the sign also listed fees. To drop the flag, it was $40. Other taxes et al raised that to $50, before you even left the airport. Time to check Uber again. 

Hailing an Uber, a game of guessing the price?

I’m not sure how the Uber algorithm works, however the price was now $75. We headed back in the terminal to try to find the Uber pick up point. It took us about 10 minutes of wandering around and going up elevators to find the right location. I then went to order an Uber. The price was now $59. I locked it in and we headed off to our hotel. 

By the time we checked in and took our bags up to the room, it was 11PM Hawaiian time, or 2AM Vancouver time. We were hungry and wandered out to find a snack. Most restaurants closed at 9 or 10. The ABC stores all closed at 11. We did manage to find a food truck and had a light meal and then back to our hotel. 

Enjoying Hawaii from the get go

The bed was comfortable and the hotel, although dated, was spotlessly clean. We both slept well and the morning saw us head out for a light breakfast, then a walk along the beach. When we got back to the hotel, we cashed in our “drink” tokens and had a swim in the beautiful pool.

As we checked out of our hotel, there was a group of seniors in the lobby who were also checking out and going to the ship. Their tour guide had a great deal of patience with the repetitive questions about going to the ship. From the conversations I overheard (the tour guide was often yelling to hard of hearing people), I gathered the guide was also going to be on the cruise. I thought to myself ‘I could do that job and get free travel’. Then I thought ‘tour guides are not allowed to throw clients overboard, even if they deserve it’. I guess that is not the best business model for me. 

Heading to our cruise ship

We decided to get to the ship ahead of them. A short Uber ride got us to the terminal at noon where we checked into our home for the next 11 days. Even though we beat the group at our hotel to the ship, there were others we saw who caused me to pause and ask myself ‘who ties your shoes for you in the morning?’

After lunch on the ship, we headed ashore and toured the Royal Palace, the only one in the United States. While there we read some signs and learned about the history of how Hawaii came to be part of the United States. From what I read it can be summed up in one word. Invasion. Rather distressing actually.

Starting our tour of Hawaiian Brew Pubs

The grounds of the Palace were lovely and after a rest under a magnificent tree, we headed to a brew pub. Honolulu Beerworks was around the corner and a perfect stop. The brewery is an open air affair, as are many places in Hawaii and we stood outside reading the menu. A server came up to us and let us know it was “Happy Hour”, all pints were $2 off. It didn’t take much convincing after that. The cold adult beverages were delightful.

Heading back to the ship, we had our dinner in the Main Dining Room and then wandered around the ship before the evening show. A gifted pianist played amazingly well with only a few band members as back up. After the show, we called it a day and headed back to our room.