Hawaiian Islands Cruise & Land Tour

June 17 - 27, 2005

 

June 17, 2005 (Friday):         Delta Airline Flight

          Atlanta to Honolulu

          DL 317     Departs 11:39 a.m.       Arrives 3:41 p.m.

 

*   There is a 6 hour time difference (earlier in Hawaii) from Atlanta to Hawaii

*   Transfer to Marriott Waikiki Beach Resort

*   Enjoy the afternoon and evening strolling along Waikiki Beach at the foot of Diamond Head.

*   Dinner on your own

 

June 18, 2005 (Saturday):    OAHU -   Waikiki Beach and Polynesian Cultural Center

*   Breakfast buffet included at our hotel

*   10:30 a.m.  Bus transfer from hotel to Polynesian Cultural Center

*   12:30 - 10:30 p.m.   Visit the Polynesian Cultural Center located on the beautiful north shore of Oahu.  You will experience all of Polynesia: Samoa, Tonga, Tahiti, the Marquesas, Fiji, Maori New Zealand and Old Hawaii with their authentic island villages.  Some of the activities you will enjoy are listed below.

          A.  “Rainbows of Paradise” canoe pageant where representatives from all the islands sail down the river in costume in canoes and play music from their cultures.  (2:30 - 3:30 p.m.

          B.   Special features at the IMAX Theater

                    1.  The Living Sea (12:30 and 3:00 p.m.) - This program takes viewers on a deep-sea journey of discovery.  One feels the power of the ocean as you surf thundering waves in Hawaii, track humpback whales in the open ocean, and take a guided tour of the Micronesian Island of Palau with its giant clam farms and mysterious Jellyfish Lake.  It features music by Grammy-winning artist Sting and narration is by Academy Award-winning actress Meryl Streep.

                    2.  Dolphins (1:30 and 4:00 p.m.) - Narrated by Pierce Bronson.  From the dazzling coral reefs of the Bahamas to the wind-swept seas of Patagonia, Dolphins takes you on an underwater adventure with inquisitive Atlantic spotted dolphins, acrobatic dusky dolphins and the familiar, bottle-nosed dolphins.  You will feel as if you are swimming beside some of the most graceful, extraordinary creatures on earth.

          C.   Authentic island handicrafts

          D.   Traditional lei greeting

          E.   Alii Luau with the traditional imu ceremony and entertainment (5:00 - 7:00 p.m.)

          F.   Spectacular Evening Show, “Horizons: Where the Sea Meets the Sky” - A cast of over 100 will perform traditional dances, songs, and stories from all the Polynesian Islands.  This show is outstanding!!          

          G.   Free video tape of the show

*   Return to our hotel by bus for the night

 

June 19, 2005 (Sunday):          Waikiki Beach - Board Our Ship

*   Breakfast buffet included at our hotel

*   Enjoy Waikiki Beach this morning or just relax and sleep in

*   12:00 Noon - Motorcoach transfer to our ship, The The Pride of Aloha by Norwegian Cruise Lines

*   Lunch included on our ship

*   Settle in, unpack, and explore our beautiful ship

*   Dinner included on our ship

*   Evening entertainment on the ship

 

June 20, 2005 (Monday):     Island of Kauai - Hanalei - Movie Tour

*   Breakfast included on our ship

*   8:30 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. - “Hawaii Movie Tours” of the Island of Kauai.  This tour covers the island from the south shore to the north shore, and a wealth of movie-making and TV history in the process, from Mitzi Gaynor washing that man right outta her hair in South Pacific to Indiana Jones battling Nazi evildoers in Raiders of the Lost Ark.  You’ll move from gorgeous locale to gorgeous locale in brand-new vans that’s like mini movie theaters on wheels, complete with surround sound.  Commentary and sightseeing stops are supplemented by video clips from famous movies and TV shows.

*   Deli lunch included on our tour.

*   We end our movie tour with a visit to the Kilauea Point National Wildlife Refuge located on the northernmost tip of the Hawaiian Islands and jutting out 200 feet above the deep blue surf.  This nationally protected 203-acre headland habitat is a magnet for magnificent seabirds and landbirds alike.  Year-round you can spot red-footed boobies, Kauai’s most visible seabird, which roost in the surrounding trees; the magnificent great frigatebird, with 7 ½ foot wings; and the endangered nene, or Hawaiian goose, the state bird of Hawaii.  Looking out to sea, you have spectacular views all around.

*   Afternoon arrival back to our ship for overnight in port

·       Dinner included on our ship

 

June 21, 2005 (Tuesday):                Kauai

*   Breakfast included on our ship

*   You have several fun options from which to choose this morning:

          A.   Helicopter Ride over the island of Kauai (60 minutes) - The flight is by Air Kauai, the epitome of helicopters with a perfect safety record.  You will see:

                    a.   Waimea Canyon - Hawaii’s most beautiful canyon known as the                            “Little Grand Canyon.”

                    b.   Napali Coast - Home of the incredible sea cliffs that rise thousands of feet from the sea floor. 

                    c.   Numerous waterfalls, including Manaowaipuna Falls made famous by the movie, Jurassic Park, flow year round and are highlights of the tour.

                    d.   Mt. Wai’ale’ale, the rainiest spot on earth with an average yearly                             rainfall of over 444 inches.

          B.   Several Excursions off the Ship.   Some that will be available include: 

                    (1) (Our Choice) Tour of Allerton Gardens located inland off the south shore of Kauai.  This National Tropical Botanical Garden is the height of cultivated tropical beauty in Hawaii.  It’s home to an extraordinary collection of tropical fruit and spice trees, rare introduced and native Hawaiian plants, hundreds of varieties of flowers, a marvelous palm collection, a series of Green Gian-sized Moreton Bay fig trees that were featured in Jurassic Park, and some prime examples of landscape gardening featuring outdoor “rooms” and gravity-fed fountains.

                    (2) Journey to Waimea Canyon - Discover the breathtaking gorge, often called the Grand Canyon of the Pacific,  in the heart of Kaua’i.  Driving along the island’s one main highway, you will enjoy many distinctive terrains as well as small villages and island landmarks such as the rugged Queen victoria’s Profile.  Once you get to the canyon, it greets you with a spectacular view: an array of rainbow colors created by the reds and browns of exposed volcanic rock mingled with the blues and greens of lush tropical vegetation.

                    (3) Wailua River and The Fern Grotto - Enjoy a scenic boat drive up the Wailua River to the Fern Grotto and visit the valley of the giant.  You will travel in a flat bottom motorlaunch for your journey up Hawaii’s longest navigable river.  During the cruise, you will be entertained with some local music, dances and narrations.  At the head of the river, you’ll disembark for a brief walk to the Fern Grotto, a hauntingly beautiful cave.  You will enjoy a serenade featuring the Hawaiian Wedding Song.  You will also see on the return Opaeka’a Falls, where the Wailua River makes a dramatic plunge over a high cliff and gives you the perfect photo opportunity.

                    (4) Sportfishing - This adventure departs from the small boat harbor just a few minutes away from the ship pier.  Within fifteen minutes of leaving the harbor, you’ll be in the best big game waters around.  Your sport fishing vessel is equipped with the finest tackle and electronics available to help you find and fight the largest fish.  Get ready for Pacific Blue or Striped Karlin, mahi mahi, ahi, ono and even an occasional sailfish.  Because each charter is limited to small groups of six to eight anglers, you receive personalized attention. You’ll be accompanied by an experienced captain and crew who know the most favorable spots for getting great results.

          C.   Swim free of charge on the beach in frot of the Marriott Resort.  You are welcome to use the beach (all beaches are public in Hawaii) and their restaurants.  Pools are closed to non-guests.  It is about a 15 minute walk from the ship to the beach.

          D.   Enjoy our ship on your own.

*   Lunch included on our ship.

*   1:00 p.m.   Ship sails.

*   Afternoon to enjoy our beautiful ship.

*   Dinner included on our ship.

 

June 22, 2005 (Wednesday)        Big Island - Hilo - Volcanoes National Park

*   Breakfast included on our ship

*   All day tour of Volcanoes National Park, the top natural attraction in the islands.  You will see -

          A.   Crater Rim Drive - It loops around the perimeter of Kilauea Crater and serves as the park’s main road, passing through rain forest and lava desert.

          B.   Halemaumau Overlook where you will walk to the crater’s edge and peer into the vast, still-sulfuric crater that is the legendary home of Pele, Hawaii’s goddess of volcanoes.

          C.   Chain of Craters Road where at the end you will see where the lava has blocked the road.  If conditions are good and the lava flow is accessible, you can walk across the hardened lava fields to get an “up-close” view of flowing lava.  You must wear hard-soled shoes because the ground is rough and uneven and sneakers often melt on the hot lava.

          D.   Lunch included at Volcano House - Here you will have a railside panoramic view of the Kilauea Caldera.

          E.   Thurston Lava Tube located in a small rain-forestry crater, luxuriant with giant ferns and native birds.  Here you will see a cave in the lava flow that hot lava once ran through.  It is fascinating!

F.   Kilauea Iki Crater - Here you will experience the awesomeness of actually being in a volcanic crater.  You descend about 400 feet to and across the floor of the Kilauea Iki Crater, which last erupted in 1959.  Crossing the black, steaming crater floor is a wild, otherworldly, magnificent trip.

*   Drive along Banyan Drive in Hilo where you will have a photo opportunity to see some glorious giant Banyan trees.

*   5:00 p.m.  Return to our ship

*   Dinner included on our ship

 

June 23, 2005 (Thursday):   Big Island - Kona - Coffee Plantation - Place of Refuge

*   Breakfast included on our ship

*   Morning tour of the coast south of Kona

          A.   Place of Refuge (Puuhonua O Honaunau) - This is an ancient Hawaiian religious sanctuary where tall royal palms surround the temple complex that sits on a 20-acre finger of lava bordered by the sea on 3 sides.  The only access to the temple of refuge was by swimming across a bay known as the sharks’ den.  If you managed to survive, the priest was required, under pain of death, to offer you sanctuary and absolve you of all wrong doing.  Here in the national park you can walk through an ancient Hawaiian village and see firsthand how the kings of Hawaii once lived.

          B.   Bay View Farm - this coffee farm is locally owned and operated.  You will see first hand how the entire procedure of growing and processing 100% Kona coffee is performed.  Of course you will get to sample this delicious coffee.

          C.   Kealakekua Bay - In this picturesque bay, Hawaiians and Europeans had their first prolonged encounter when Captain James Cook visited in 1779.  Kealakekua was a Hawaiian political and religious center, and the chiefs and priests may have believed tht Cook was the god Lono.

          D.   St. Benedict’s Painted Church - This is the oldest Catholic Church on the island, constructed in 1875.  The church has brilliantly colored murals depicting biblical scenes on the interior walls.  Its columns form the trunks of painted palm trees.

*   1:00 p.m.  Return to our ship

*   Lunch included on our ship

*   Afternoon free to enjoy our ship

*   Dinner included on our ship.

 

June 24, 2005 (Friday):     Maui - The Road to Hana!!

*   Breakfast included on our ship

*   8:30 a.m.   Depart on our all-day adventure on The Road to Hana.  This is an incredible journey!  You will encounter some of the most spectacular scenery found anywhere in the Hawaiian Islands.  You will experience 600 curves and 54 bridges, but each one brings something more spectacular!  Some of our sights include:

          A.   Stop at the Rainbow Eucalyptus Trees which are native to Hawaii.  Their barks have colorful green, yellow, and orange strips.  They are beautiful!

          B.   Kaumahina State Park to overlook Keanae Peninsula jutting out into the sea, with its checkerboard pattern of green taro fields and its ocean boundary etched in black lava.

          C.   Honomanu Bay - “The Bay of sharks” - There are 1,000 foot waterfalls above the bay.

          D.   Lower Keanae where you will see giant bamboo and many other native flowers

          E.   Hanawi Waterfalls (weather permitting) - One of the “hidden waterfalls” of Maui.  It isn’t the easiest to get to, but we can do it with our guide in order to see a “too-beautiful-to-be-real” paradise.

          F.   Pi’ilani Heiau - this is Hawaii’s largest, ancient place of worship that is still intact.  It dates back to the 14th century.  This area was overgrown until the 1970's which kept the site secret and therefore in excellent condition.

          G.   Deli Lunch included in our tour.  We will stop for lunch at Akule Hale overlooking Hana Bay with its large black sand beach which is the result of lava eroding and washing into the ocean from a nearby stream.

          H.   Drive by Koki and Hamoa Beach, two beautiful beaches within proximity to each other.

          I.   South Wailua Falls - One of the most beautiful waterfalls on the island.  It lies right along the roadside so no hiking is necessary.

          J.   Palepala Hoo Hoomau - This church was built in 1857 and is the site of Charles Lindbergh’s grave.  Lindbergh lived his last days on the lush Hana coast.  Before he died on August 26, 1974, he sketched a simple design for his grave.  You will see his grave.

          K.   Mana Wai Nui Gorge

          L.   Kaupo Store (rest stop) - Kaupo is a little fishing town located on the rugged and desolate coastline of South Maui.  It is home to magnificent canyons that drop to the sea.  A little west of this town is Kaupo Store, a quaint little store offering snacks and soft drinks and a unique collection of antique camera, clocks, calendars, etc.  Frequently, horses (the preferred local mode of transportation) are hitched outside to the post.

          M.   Rice Park where we will enjoy a magnificent overlook of 3 islands.

*   Late afternoon return to our ship

*   Dinner included on our ship

 

June 25, 2005 (Saturday):       Maui - Haleakala National Park

*   Breakfast included on our ship

*   Morning tour of Haleakala National Park - Haleakala - the House of the Sun - is the massive 10,023 foot high mountain that forms the core of the island of Maui.  At the summit of Haleakala you will peer down into the crater of the world’s largest dormant volcano.  It has remained silent since 1790.  The crater is impressive: at 3,000 feet deep, 7 ½ miles long by 2 ½ miles wide, and encompassing 19 square miles, it’s big enough to hold the island of Manhattan, and mor than anything else resembles a barren moonscape.  This stark, rugged, otherworldly place is actually breathtakingly beautiful in its own way.  Just driving up the mountain is an experience in itself: The road climbs from sea level to 10,000 feet in just 37 miles, and the views are magnificent along the entire route.

*   1:30 p.m.  Return to our ship

*   Lunch included on our ship.

*   Enjoy the afternoon on our beautiful Pride of Aloha

*   6:00 p.m.   Ship sails

·       Dinner included on our ship

 

June 26, 2005 (Sunday):      Oahu - Pearl Harbor - North Shore

*   Breakfast included on our ship

*   Disembarkation

*   7:30 a.m.  Pick up at our ship

*   Morning tour of Pearl Harbor with a visit to the Arizona Memorial.  Some things you will enjoy are:

          A.   A small, but interesting museum which features personal mementoes, photos, and historic documents

          B.   View a film, Lest We Forget, a 2 part feature in memory of those who lost their lives.  Part One looks at the history of Pearl Harbor before 1941 and how the U.S. came to have such a strong military presence in Hawaii.  In Part II, one looks at the months immediately preceding the attack and how history is often based on one’s perspective of the event, the attack itself, and finally an examination of the immediate and lasting effects of the attack on Hawaii.

          C.   Arizona Memorial - A launch takes you out to the stark white 184-foot memorial that spans the sunken hull of the Arizona, which lies 6 feet below the surface of the sea.  The memorial contains the ship’s bell, recovered from the wreckage, and a shrine room with the names of the dead carved in stone.

*   Drive to the North Shore

*   Lunch included at Haleiwa Joe’s located in the small port town of Haleiwa.

*   Visits to Ehukai Beach Park, location of the famous surfing competition involving the Bonzai Pipeline and Sunset Beach, also famous for its surfing.

*   3:30 p.m.  Arrive at airport

*   Delta flight home

 

          Honolulu to Atlanta

          DL 316       Departing at 5:50 p.m.        Arrives at 8:15 a.m. on June 27th

 

June 27, 2005 (Monday)

*   Arrive in Atlanta at 8:15 a.m.

 

 

THIS TRIP TO HAWAII IS GOING TO BE A FABULOUS ONE!  WE ARE SO HAPPY THAT YOU ARE JOINING US!