Hawaii and more sea days

We are now in our second day at sea after visiting Hawaii.  It has turned cloudy and windy, too cold to be out for very long unless wrapped up.  Keith did well in the casino last night and as for me not so much.  Today we had our project runway event and my outfit did well.  It was voted on by the crowd and some think it sounded like it won but came in second.  I had fun making it and met some great ladies.  Kim

Hi All,

We are back on board the Sea Princess after visiting Maui today.  The weather continues to be perfect.  Today we had very nice breezes with a high of about 78.  I had never been too interested in visiting Hawaii, but I now understand why people love it here – the weather and the scenery!    

Our first appointment of the day in Honolulu was at the Embassy Suites.  A very nice property that is not on the beach, but very close.  The 2^nd property was the Outrigger.  They have two resorts within walking distance and we toured both.  Both of these properties had beach front and had great rooms.  These are locally owned properties and strive to maintain a more traditional experience.  They treated us to lunch and is was great – I had a fried pork dish with rice, tomatoes, onions.  They take the pulled pork and deep fry it till crispy.  Kim had fish and chips and it was the best that we have had so far on the trip.  We did visit the Sheraton, but they were not expecting us and we did not get to see their rooms, but they did give us access and a short visit to the club level.   The last property was the Halekulani (5 star resort) – one of the oldest resorts on the Island.  The room layouts were unique with nice touches, closets that could be accessed from the room and the bathroom with sliding doors on either side.  A foyer type entrance that can be closed off.  Very nice views of Diamond Head and the beaches.   Kim and I had cocktails at their outside restaurant named “A house without a Key” and watched the sunset with free local Hawaiian singers (a father and his adult daughters – they were very good)  and the Hula performed by a former Miss Hawaii (very easy on the eyes!).  The cocktails were a bit pricey at $13, but the free entertainment made up for the expense. 

Waikiki is for people looking for everything!  Night Life, Upscale Shopping, Beaches and Pools, Nice resorts and Fine Dining.  This is South Beach Miami without the heat, this is Vegas without the gambling but with beaches.  The areas between the resorts are really one giant outdoor upscale shopping areas with coffee shops and ABC stores.   (ABC stores are mini WalMarts that are on every block in Honolulu.  Very convenient and surprisingly affordable for this area.

We did not have to be back on the ship until 10:30PM so we had dinner off the ship.  We decided to do something familiar and went to PF Chang’s.   Honolulu is easy to get around with a very large bus system.  You can board for $2.50 and transfer to get anywhere on the Island.  We caught up with the local politics at the bus stop from a guy that moved to Hawaii many years ago.   We ran into some great young ROTC candidates on the bus that just arrived for active duty and trying to see at much as possible.  They were engineering college students from Rice, Duke and the dumbest (tongue in cheek) of the group was from Florida State.  As soon as we got back on the ship and sailed, we were asleep.

This morning we were off around 8:00AM and planned to catch the bus from Lahaina, Maui where we tendered, up to the resort area of Kaanapali Beach.  There was a long line waiting for the $1 bus ride, so we decided to avoid the pushing and grabbed a cab for $20 that included the tip.  We did not make any appointments in advance, but they did allow us to see rooms at the Westin Resort.  Very nice rooms and very typical Westin décor.  This is a great option, especially for those that are familiar with Westin and really like their predictable excellence.  It is very easy to move between the resorts here with a planned beach walk area that covers over 3 miles.   The 2^nd property was a condominium resort called Alli.  They have 1 and 2 bedroom condos that are well decorated with roomy living areas and separate bedrooms.  The manager was fantastic to take us around the property and show us the rooms without an appointment.  This is a great option for families or friends traveling together.  They have charging privileges at the Westin and Marriott (They are between the two) and they also provide room service.  Great pool area with BBQ grills for their guests.  (This was my favorite room option in Hawaii)  The online marketing is getting almost too good – some of our suppliers are sending us specials for the destination that we are visiting.  They must be tracing Kim’s location from her cell phone.  We received a 7^th night free offer for our customers staying at the Alli early this morning before we left the ship.  We had a great lunch and Mai Tais at the Whaler’s Village market at a nice restaurant on the beach (The Hula) with live local entertainment.  Then we ventured a little further to the Sheraton – a very large spread out property that is well maintained and a great beach and multiple pools and a lazy river.  We did not see any rooms, but made several pictures of the common areas.  This is all within an easy walk and probably 4 to 5 other resorts that I did not mention.

We are about to set sail for San Francisco.  We will be at sea for 4 days and arrive next Sunday.  We will continue to have our cell phone on while on the ship, but we will be fully available once we arrive in San Fran.

Later,

Keith Q.

Hi all,

Today we are in the French Polynesian Island of Moorea and yesterday (and last night) we were in Papeete on the island of Tahiti.  We are back on board and will be leaving these islands and headed for Hawaii.  We are onboard for the next 5 nights sailing to Honolulu.

It was very nice to have an extended stay in Papeete.  We visited the Radisson Resort and the Sofitel Hotel.  Both properties with beaches, but more like city hotels than island resorts.  Both of these properties have a number of guests that do pre and post cruises as well as guests that fly in internationally and stay over before traveling on to one of the outer islands such as Bora Bora or Moorea.  Kim and I were off the ship for dinner and enjoyed eating from street vendors cooking food from their trucks in a park like area next to the ship.  More locals hanging out there than folks off the cruise ship.  This takes place most nights.  Papeete is a medium size city with very good bus service and lots of shopping areas and an international airport.  We have been getting a few calls and emails from customers and working on their requests while on shore.  For those of you wanting to travel to Australia – We found a great price ($100 a night) to break up a long flight to Australia by stopping over in Tahiti.  The flights can be cheaper too.

Moorea is a real jewel of an island.  It is 51 sq. miles with a population of about 15,000.  It is only 15 miles from Papeete and a short inexpensive ferry boat ride.  A very rural feel and is very clean and well kept.  One of our taxi drivers called it Switzerland of French Polynesia and this is very good description.  Moorea is a mountainous volcanic island with beautiful waters and views from every angle.  I think Moorea might edge out Bora Bora as far as a place that I would want to come back and stay (it is still expensive, but less than Bora Bora).   The Hilton in Moorea is a picture perfect property with over the water bungalows that takes your breath away.  We were shown around by the hotel general manager (French) and he was excited to have us visit and very proud of his hotel.  Pictures will be posted to Facebook once we get to Hawaii and a faster internet connection.  We also visited Legends – a very nice villas resort that is more economical than most resorts with full kitchens and two and three bedrooms.  They have a private beach with free boat service for their guests.  The villas are up on the mountain with spectacular views.  (I’m running out of adjectives!)  This would be a great family option for Moorea.

The last two nights in the Casino have not been as good.  Nothing serious but Kim and I agreed to stay out for a few days and attend some shows.  The casino gets a little boring to me without a craps table.  Maybe this will change our luck.  I expect the casino staff will be sending us “get well soon” cards when we don’t show up.

That is all for now.  Probably less news during the next 5 sea days.

Keith Q.

Bora Bora

Bora Bora, French Polynesia

This is a very small island, 15 square miles, with a population of 7,395.  They speak French and Tahitian and English is widely spoken in tourist areas.  Mount Otemanu has an elevation of 2,390 at the highest area.  Currency is the Central Pacific Franc and the exchange rate is 80 to 1 so for our $200 we received 16,000 CPF’s.  We paid 5000 for 2 T-shirts.  Time zone is GMT -10. 

Hi All,

We just left Bora Bora, Tahiti and headed back out to sea.  Bora Bora is described by many as the most beautiful island in the world.  It is by far the most beautiful place that I have ever visited.  It was a little cloudy and rainy, but it did not stop us.  Tomorrow we will be in Papeete, Tahiti from 8:00AM till 3:30AM the next day – this will give us more time to explore resorts and see more of the sights.

Today we visited the Sofitel Resort and Spa Bora Bora.  As the picture shows, it is a resort with bungalows over the water.  (It was tough selecting one picture – those of you with facebook can see others at Kim’s Travel Deals)  We were treated magnificently with tours of the various bungalows, a lunch that was fantastic (including Lobster) and offers to use their facilities for snorkeling and internet.  They have a private Island out on the reef with their best bungalows and restaurant.  When we arrived on the Island we were met with a native blowing a conch shell to announce our arrival.  This is a moderately priced property for this area of the world – about 1/3 the cost of a Four Seasons or a St. Regis.  Getting around the Island was easy, the road circles the island with large volcanic mountains in the center.

Still about the same in the Casino – we continue to hold our own (which is very good!)

Take Care

Keith Q.

Our lunch was GREAT – we started off with local beer and some white wine for me, served with chips, sweet pepper sauce and black olives.  Our first course was fresh tuna tar tar after which we were given 3 large scallops in a local black pearl oyster shell and then we were presented with a small amount of cherry sorbet to cleanse our palates.   Our entrée was Native lobster which was flambéed at the table with coconut rum.  (Yum O)  For dessert we were each offered a plate with vanilla Ice cream, white layer cake and Crème Bruele.

Days at Sea

A couple of days at sea. 

Hi All,

Back at sea for two days before we reach Bora Bora.  Kim won the Poker tournament last night and feeling good about it.  She lost today’s tournament, but is still happy with her overall play.   I’m still holding my own in the Casino, but not getting in big wins.  We have done the usual stuff – wine tastings, hanging out on the deck, watching a few movies and napping in the afternoon – Tough Life!

Samoa is a volcanic group of islands and very mountainous with abundant plant life.  It is extremely beautiful.  The people are friendly and laid back and proud to be American.  We did not leave the port area, but did walk to a local resort and hung out with a number of the crew members and a few other passengers. 

We crossed the International Dateline and have a certificate from the Captain to prove it.  We are now on the same day as you guys are.   It is 2:00 PM here and 8:00 PM in the Central Time Zone.

Take Care!

Keith Q.

Hi all,

Not much going on, still at sea headed for Bora Bora.   I won the blackjack tournament and Kim took 2^nd.  I would tell you that it was brilliant play; however, it was just luck – I got a pair of matched kings on a side bet to take a 50 to 1 win.  That was a $500 payout so that helped our overall score!

More to come after Bora Bora!

Keith

Suva, Fiji

Hi all,

We are in Fiji today (April 25).  The weather is very warm and tropical now – 88F.

Fiji reminds me of Jamaica in many ways.  The landscape is about the same – volcanic, mountainous and very lush vegetation with about 200 inches of rainfall per year.  Fiji is made up of three groups -  1) the natives that are called Fijians, 2) people that were brought from India by the British called Indians and 3) a few others that are called Europeans (Brits, Aussies, NZ, etc.)  Kim is pictured with a few natives that are looking for dinner.  We are docked in Suva about 2 hours away from any resort areas.  We went up in the mountains for lunch at a local tourist area and had a decent lunch of fish and native foods.  The thing to do off the ship is to go to a local village for dancing and lunch and maybe catch the fire walkers.

Not much to mention about the Casino – we are holding our own, but no big wins to report.

We will cross the International Date Line tonight.  We will get to repeat our Wed. April 25^th tomorrow.   That is kind of a strange event. 

More later!

Keith Q.

Today is ANZAC Day and a very big holiday to Australian and New Zealand.  We have many from both countries on the ship so we have been honoring the day.

ANZAC DAY (the first April 25^th) – Instituted to honor the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps (AMZAC) soldiers who fought in World War I’s historic Battle of Gallipoli, Anzac Day is also an annual day of remembrance for the fallen troops of several South Pacific countries.  Many pay tribute to the fallen on Anzac Day by attending dawn services that include prayers, a moment of silence, and the laying of wreaths at war memorials. 

The Captain just came over the sound system to let us know that tonight we will move one hour forward and one day back.   Is this time travel???  Or are we in the movie ‘Ground Hog Day’? 

Photos to come with faster internet service. 

4-24-12 Day at Sea, concerns and recipes

Below is an email we just received from one of our customers and we thought it might be enlightening to some.   We are big fans of RCCL and have never heard of this issue but we will check it out before booking a repositioning cruise for anyone. 

Hey Keith & Kim,

     We have enjoyed the updates on your cruise.  I was talking with my hair stylist and she did a repositioning cruise on RC.  Their cruise was a short one just across the Atlantic.  She said the number of crew was less the half of a normal cruise, with one cabin steward per about ten cabins.  They did not get room service unless they asked for it.  She also said there we no shows but there were a few entertainers in the smaller venues.  They also did not have the midnight buffets and food service was limited, and only the slots and video gaming was available in the casino.  Just wondering how that compares with your cruise.  I also wanted to know if the mini golf on your ship is as bad as the one we had on the Sapphire Princess.

Cheers,

Robert

Hey,

Thanks for the feedback from your stylist – We will be sure and do our homework before booking customers on repositioning cruises.  If this is a recent experience, she might consider writing the Crown and Anchor with details about her cruise.   They may send her a next cruise offer to help get her back onboard.  I’ll be glad to do that for her if she sends me the information on the service, her crown and anchor number and the cruise details.

I do not see any evidence that Princess has cut back on service or other activities on this cruise.  They switched out entertainers in Auckland and the feedback from other passengers is that the shows and entertainers have been very good.  They have their dancers and regular shows, comedians, singers and all that I would expect.  The ship is full and as I mentioned a older crowd – makes us feel very young.  They also picked up sells specialist for Tahitians pearls in Auckland. 

The casino is absent a craps table and the slot machines are configured for the Australian market with no video poker machines – but that is understandable.  The casino staff is at full strength and they are keeping all their table games open even during slow periods.  They all know us by name and are very engaging and helpful.  Princess has also been very good at opening up a table that is closed if you make the request.   Food service is also very good and they have a very nice pizza dining venue that is probably the overall top restaurant on the ship and rivals the best land based pizza that I have eaten (excluding Italy of course!).  The Sterling Steak house on this small ship is open in the evening on the other half of the buffet.  It is closed off and the décor and service is excellent.  I was not overly impressed with the beef, but we are pretty picky.

The captain (Martin Stenzel) has been the most approachable and conversational of any captain that we have encountered.   I took a bridge tour conducted by a Jr. Officer, but the captain joined us on the bridge for a Q&A session at the end. 

Sea Princess is one of their 3 small ships – 1900 passengers and 900 crew.  They do not have mini golf onboard.  To make up for it, they have daily goofy golf challenges on sea days.  Kim is of course participating.  They configure mine golf type courses around the ship and putt down stair ways and through obstacle courses for prizes.  The will also have a chipping contest into one of the pools as sea conditions permit.   We are a bit windy and rocking and rolling today.  They have a sports court that is configured for basketball, but also a miniature type of paddle tennis that Kim and I play onboard.  However, a bit rough today.

Take Care,

Keith

The goofy golf has been a bit goofy indeed.  I have not won any lanyards yet, too many sand traps and water hazards. J  I was at a competition between the head chefs and the head bartender earlier and I think the bartender won.  He made five drinks to the chef’s two entrees.   All had to be made with Kiwifruit which is big in New Zealand and they looked wonderful.  Here are the chef’s recipes –

Shrimp Cocktail with Kiwi Guacamole

Ingredients for 4 Persons

·         4 green kiwifruit, scooped into pieces

·         1 avocado, peeled and pitted (do last minute)

·         1 tbsp fresh key lime juice

·         1 medium tomato, seeded and diced

·         2 green kiwifruit, scooped and cubed

·         1/3 cup sweet onion, minced

·         1 tbsp cilantro, chopped

·         1 large clove garlic, minced

·         1 tsp sugar

·         ½ tsp salt

·         ½ tsp black pepper, ground

·         24 shrimp, cooked, 21/25 count

Mash pieces from four kiwis, avocado and lime juice in medium bowl, leaving some lumps, Stir in tomato, the two cubed kiwis, onion, cilantro, garlic, sugar, salt and pepper.  Spoon 2/3 cup into chilled martini glass, and arrange six shrimp around the rim.  Serve immediately

Cashew Chicken Stir-Fry with Kiwifruit

Ingredients for 4 persons (vegetable oil, for the skillet.pan)

·         500g chicken breast, boneless, skinned and sliced into strips

·         1 garlic clove, crushed

·         2 fresh red chili, seeded and sliced

·         Red bell pepper, chopped

·         ¼ cup oyster sauce

·         ¼ cup cashew nuts, roughly chopped

·         1 ½ cup fresh bean sprouts

·         ¼ cup fresh basil leaves, sliced

·         1 jigger Brandy

·         4 fresh Kiwifruit

·         Hot cooked egg noodles or rice

Heat an oiled wok or large frying pan to medium-high heat.

Stir-fry the chicken in batches until browned and tender.  Set chicken aside, and keep warm. 

Stir-fry the garlic, chili and red bell pepper until tender.

Return the chicken to the wok and add the oyster sauce, cashews, bean sprouts and basil.

Slice kiwifruit into halves and spoon out bite-sized chunks into the wok with the remaining ingredients,  Stir-fry until just hot.  Serve on a bed of egg noodles or rice. 

Enjoy for now - tomorrow we will be in Fiji…

Auckland, New Zealand

Hi all,

We are now at sea for the next three days headed for Suva, Fiji.  The seas are moderate – meaning a few large swells and some rocking back and forth.  This is typical for the open Pacific Ocean. 

Auckland was a really ideal large city.  I’m never overly impressed with large cities, but this one was very clean, well laid out and a good mix of old and new.  We did a little shopping in the morning and then took a ship’s tour and visited three wineries out in the country side.  (Kim took her own credit card – she is finding out it is much easier to carry her own than asking me to pull out my wallet!)  The Hilton Hotel is right on the pier – we were looking onto the balconies from our cabin.  NZ is known for the white wines (Sauvignon Blanc) and we tasted several superior wines with very good prices.  I lowered the size of the attached photo to help reduce the transmission time.  This is a picture of us leaving Auckland last night.

Kim did not win last night’s Poker Tournament, but has another chance at 1:00PM today.   I broke even.  (That makes me a big winner!).  Princess has some very good lectures onboard.  I’ve been attending finance lectures by David Leibowitz that is onboard for the entire cruise.  He is entertaining as for as investors go, but I don’t have any great stock tips yet.  The average passenger age of the cruise is probably around 65.  I noticed a number of people sleeping through the lecture.  Kim is off at a service meeting for her Rotary participation. 

I’ll probably not send updates for the next few days until we reach Fiji unless something interesting happens.  Our reports from the house continue to be very good.

Take Care,

Keith Q.

We bought wine at two of the wineries Nobilo Icon we purchased a 2010 Pinot Noir produced in Marlborough, NZ and at Soljans Estate we picked up a Gisborne Pinotage 2010.  We were also given 2 Selaks Sauvignon Blanc 2011, small bottles.  It was a fun day.  We only have 5 showing up to the Rotary meetings but they have been interesting. 

I just played another poker turnie and went out early.  Just no cards came to my spot.  Next I will be off to a horse race and then a hole in one competition and Keith is heading for his bridge tour with the captain.  Formal night tonight and seas are getting rougher should make for a rocking/rolling good time. Kim