Island Princess departed Los Angeles January 18, 2024, for the second segment of the World Cruise, having embarked the additional 8 Cruise Specialists guests. We crossed the Pacific over the next five days until we arrived in sunny Honolulu, Hawaii. Sea days were filled with many activities on board, starting with Yoga Six Flow at 7:00 am, followed by Tai Chi at Sea, and many other activities until completing the days in dance and music venues, or fabulous Production Shows with World Class Entertainers. There are so many activities available that the passengers pick and choose their favorites. Additionally, there are quite a few interest groups that hold get-togethers. One group is the popular passenger Photo Group Workshops (learning about the iPhone and Android photo enhancement app) which is co-led by one of our Cruise Specialists guests.
We reached Honolulu, the capital of Hawaii on January 24th, and the wonderful world of ‘Aloha’. Aloha means Life, Welcome, Good-Bye, and Love depending on the context in which it is used. Hawaii brings up visions of warm caressing winds, fragrant flowers, and Waikiki Beach – an area that is always alive with action. You see many tourists walking about, shiny limousines and buses on the roads, pedestrians sharing the sidewalks with dogs and scooters.
Guests enjoyed the beaches of Oahu, many happy to take a stroll through historic parks or going on an amazing hike up Diamond Head. Let’s not forget the Luau, the authentic Polynesian Show that includes traditional hulas and dances while eating delicious Hawaiian foods prepared in the historic way. The ‘sail away’ was late that night to allow guests this option. On board, fabulous dancers entertained those of us who were happy to stay on board in the late evening.
Anyone over the age of 65 can enjoy a bus ride for $1.25, which many guests took advantage of. Day passes can be purchased in the ABC stores and are also good value for the money. Buses run to and from the docks to the Ala Moana Plaza Shopping Mall, or Walmart, which was another favorite destination.
Some passengers took a tour to Pearl Harbor Naval Station, and to the USS Arizona Memorial. A first visit can be quite overwhelming as one thanks the many soldiers for their ultimate sacrifice that helped to end WWII. This tour requires plenty of time to see everything, read the many tributes and to have moments of reflection and prayer.
The following day we anchored off Kailua-Kona, on the Big Island of Hawaii, a lovely unspoiled stop reminiscent of Oahu a century ago. The most popular attractions included a walk along the picturesque beach and stopping at boutique stores, set next to the ABC stores, visiting the various bars and restaurants, and for some, a visit to the Mauna Kea Summit. However, another popular location was Long’s Drugstore where passengers purchased some of those last minute needed supplies.
A few more sea days and we were all given the news that there would be a change in the itinerary. Most of the passengers were quite happy with the port changes despite missing Dubai and Aqaba/Petra. Cruise Specialists guests continue to take the changes in stride. After all, they are still cruising! It comes as no surprise to see their positive attitudes, they are all experienced cruisers and understand that changes happen.
On January 29th we experienced the Crossing of the International Date Line, missing the 29th altogether! Consequently, January 30th followed January 28th and everyone became a Golden Shellback. One of the long-standing traditions that the Cruise Lines follow is the initiation ceremony for anyone who has not yet crossed the equator. King Neptune, his wife, and the court of Neptune come aboard amidst much fun and antics. On this cruise, passengers volunteered to participate in the initiation rituals because they had never crossed the Equator before and wished to be shown to be worthy seafarers.
Our first Cruise Specialists cocktail party was scheduled for the 30th, an event that was filled with high spirits, energy, and new friendships. Captain Marco Cataldi joined the reception line and spent some valuable time greeting each guest. Our Cruise Specialists PowerPoint pictorial presentation allowed the guests to reminisce about past days and encouraged more sharing of memories. The non-hosted component of the party continued well into the night with all sorts of renditions of our guests dancing on the deck at the Deck Party. A good time was had by all.
Bula from Fiji! Lured by its attractive deep harbor and abundant land, Fiji’s British colonists moved the capital of Fiji from Levuka in 1882. Today’s guests are lured by thoughts of white endless beaches, abundant verdant plants, colorful flowers, and dreams of mountainous volcanic hills reaching for the skies. That is not quite what they found in Suva. They were a bit underwhelmed, because Suva is a busy city, with many markets and a bus stop next to the harbor. Many guests spent time exploring the shopping malls, farmers markets, restaurants, or taking advantage of local tours to further immerse in the culture of Fiji. For guests who chose to stay on board, the crew had numerous exciting activities to ensure that everyone would enjoy the day, no matter what they chose to do. We were very lucky with the weather, and our ‘sail away’ was accompanied by the great music played by the Fijian Police Band in Dress Uniform.
February 5th was the day we arrived in Auckland. We found a vibrant Maori and European settlers’ community with waterfront restaurants, nestled in a bay on the North Island of New Zealand. The city didn’t disappoint. Cruise Specialists guests enjoyed their first special tour, a visit to the Historic and Military Museum. "Haere mai", Welcome to the Museum tour. Our guided tour divided into small groups, so everyone had access to the artifacts in the galleries and could clearly hear the docents. It was quite amazing how much attention was paid to us, the Museum opened early just for the tours! Once the doors opened to the public, the number of visitors standing around the exhibits wouldn't have allowed us to hear the guide's explanations about the importance of these exhibits. As they say, "timing is everything.” In addition, we enjoyed a panoramic drive past many of the city's highlights, with stops at scenic viewpoints like Mount Eden, and plenty of time to admire the views.
One of our photo stops was Bastian Point. The clifftop garden mausoleum honors former Prime Minister Michael Savage (1872-1940). The design to commemorate him includes a garden and a reflecting pool. The Bastian Point is also remembered for a Maori protest to do with confiscated land issues in the late 1970s, land that was then returned to the Maori. The sun was shining, flowers blooming, and the views of Auckland and the land were incredibly beautiful.
On this wonderful day, Cruise Specialists guests took many photos of the incredible views, enjoyed the beauty of the area, the historical importance, and the fine summer day.
Several Cruise Specialists guests chose to finish their visit by stopping at the Sky Tower, a telecommunications and observation tower in Auckland and a focal point that can be seen from most parts of Auckland. It is 328 meters tall, and opportunities for lunch or a controlled jump from the walkway are available. Although free of charge after a certain age, we chose to watch others jump instead.
The good weather followed our cruise to New Plymouth, where several Cruise Specialists guests took advantage of the opportunity to ride bikes along the waterfront and around town. Shuttle buses ran almost continuously since this was a working port. No one is permitted to walk through the mountains of sawn timber logs that are loose and piled up on shore. These are ready for transportation via the Open Hatch Bulk Carriers (OHBCs) that carry these logs to their destination around the globe, for further transport or manufacture.
Picton was our port on February 8th, a wonderful location for eco-travelers and its natural landscapes, for some of the best hiking, backpacking, canoeing in the Marlborough Sounds, and enjoying a sunny day exploring the town. Our ship docked in Shakespeare Bay, once again a working harbor with acres of pine logs piled in long and high rows of cut lumber logs. Picton was chosen by the New Zealand Company as a site for the town for the same strategic reasons Maori chose it centuries ago. Waitohi had shelter, deep water and access to Cook Strait. Named after Sir Thomas Picton, a British military hero who died at the Battle of Waterloo.
The final New Zealand port on this segment was Port Chalmers for Dunedin, a charming town, about a 30-minute bus ride from the port. As is quite common here, the sun and rain seem to take turns during the day. It was suggested that everyone prepare for rain, just in case. It was also the third port where we saw all the pine logs stacked for transportation to other countries. Amazingly, the hills are still covered in trees.
On Sea Days, we continued to enjoy the company of the Cruise Specialists guests as we shared life experiences, interests related to travel, sunsets and photography tips. Our guests are a very social and cohesive group and the laughter during our chat times has been so delightful. Almost everyone has created friendships, meeting regularly throughout the day to chat and participate in shipboard activities. Currently we are en route to the Land Down Under visiting Sydney, Australia, and look forward to the exciting arrival in a world class city with so many wonderful things to experience and see. Good Day Mate!
Interested in an upcoming Princess World Cruise? See itinerary options here.
2024 Princess World Cruise, chapter 1 | chapter 3