Review of Cruise….Random Thoughts

November 21st

Today is the last day of our 30 day cruise.  It will be a very busy day getting everything packed up and the suitcases weighed…we have had a good time but I can’t say it will be remembered as one of my best cruises.  I’m sure others may feel differently.

I really do like Princess.  The cabin is very comfortable.  The food is TOO GOOD.  Entertainment was good.  The crew seems to enjoy their jobs.  The Star Princess is a beautiful ship and although there are 2600 passengers, I have never felt crowded.

Sydney….It really is just a big city.  I think most of what to see is outside of Sydney.  I also think I was very tired from the flight that that might color my opinion.  The one tour we took was to the Blue Mountains which was OK but I don’t like big bus tours.  If it had been a more personal tour I may have enjoyed it more.  Everything was so very expensive!!!

New Zealand…..The tours we chose were not very good.  Very long bus rides and very short times for seeing anything of interest.  Charlie enjoyed the scenery on the bus rides but one day we were on a bus for 14 hours..of the 14 hours, maybe 5 hours were actually viewing anything.  If I was ever in New Zealand again, I would definitely do things differently.

Fiji…….Our day at the Arts Village was enjoyable.  Other than that, can’t see what this island has to offer.

Samoa (Western and American)……Tours were OK.  There really isn’t much to recommend in these ports.

French Polynesia…..Tour on Moorea was good..would go back.  Tour on Tahiti was good but I do not like this island.  Just a dirty, congested mess.  Bora Bora…just leave me there and pick me up in 10 years!!!!!  That island is my idea of heaven…

Hawaii….weather was not good…would have preferred other island instead of Oahu.  Maui did not go well

Really did enjoy all the sea days.  Played Mah Jongg every sea day.

Will be glad when tomorrow is over.  Really am not looking forward to the LONG plane ride home.

 

 

Lahaina (Maui)Hawaii

November 17th

This is the last port of our cruise.  The seas were pretty rough on our trip from Oahu.  This morning we have a Princess snorkel tour scheduled.  Within 15 minutes of leaving the dock, the captain of the tour ship announced that because of rough seas (should not have been a surprise!!) we could not go to the Molikini Crater as planned. The tour went downhill from there..We were taken to a very poor snorkeling spot very close to the shore…served breakfast at 9AM and lunch at 10AM!!!!  All in all, it was the tour from HELL!!!! The tour should have been cancelled. It was truly unfortunate that this was our last stop.

The seas were very rough but the scenery was still beautiful.

Follow up……we did complain to the shore excursion desk and did receive a 50% refund of the cost of the tour.

Honolulu (Oahu) Hawaii

November 16th

Back on US soil!!!

After clearing immigration, we called Thrifty to send the shuttle so we could get our rental car.  Bobbie and Jack had opted to go independently to Pearl Harbor.  After getting our car, we headed to Pearl Harbor.  

Delia and Rich got an 11AM ticket to go out to the USS Arizona Memorial…..

 

 

Since we had already been to the Arizona Memorial, we decided to tour the Pacific Aviation Museum and the USS Bowfish.  This was very interesting…especially touring the submarine.  That sure was living in close quarters!!!!

Pacific Aviation Museum…..

USS Bowfish

After Pearl Harbor, we headed toward the Northshore….with a slight detour to Walmart.  We got lost, but Rich found Walmart!!!!  I thought he was just lucky but Delia said that he is very good at getting “unlost”!!!!

We had a very good Mexican lunch and continued our circle tour of the island.  Unfortunately, the weather did not cooperate and it rained most of the afternoon.

The rain stopped and we arrived in Waikiki Beach in time to view the sunset from the Westin Moana Surfrider.

Bora Bora

November 11th

Today we had the best excursion of the cruise!!!!!!  Our tour was a Lagoon Excursion with Motu lunch with Patrick Tairua.  Our tour started with pickup at the tender dock in the village of Viatape.

Our first stop was for snorkeling in a coral garden with many beautiful fish.  This was a little difficult for me as the current was very strong.  Jack and Bobbie did well and Rich forgot to take his money pouch off so he had a wet mess!!!!! Charlie and Delia passed on this spot.

Our next stop was to swim with the sting rays in shallow water.  This is like swimming with the rays in Grand Cayman.  These rays sure do know where to show up for a meal !!!! Since we were all in the water at this stop, don’t know if there will be any pictures….Found a picture…Delia took it.

Last snorkeling stop was to swim with the Black Tip Reef Sharks.  These sharks are scavengers and are harmless to humans.  I almost didn’t get in the water but I’m so glad I did.  It was an amazing experience.

 

We then proceeded to the Motu for our Polynesian lunch. Lunch was prepared in a traditional earth oven made with Volcanic rocks and covered by banana leaves…Poor little pig!!!  Lunch was served at tables set in the surf with umbrellas to protect from the sun.  This was a setting you would fantasize of as the perfect south seas location. 

       

After a wonderful picnic, we started back to the dock.  The water was just amazing.  These pictures do not do justice the color.  The water was the most beautiful turquoise I have ever seen.

One last swimming stop before we returned to the tender dock….

This was a wonderful day and one I will remember for a long time.  Now we have 4 sea days before be arrive in Hawaii.  This break is welcomed as the last 3 days have been very intense but I am so glad we had them.

 

Tahiti

November 10th

Finally, the sun is out but it is HOT…HOT…HOT.

It was to the interior that we went today on a tour with Patrick’s Adventures. This was a full day tour.  We wound our way in a 4x4 vehicle over mountain roads and trails…sometimes very rocky.  We stopped at swimming holes and picnicked by a stream.  All in all, the scenery was magnificent and really hard to put in to words.  The following pictures really don’t do justice to what we saw

 

 

We experienced a traffic jam on return to Papeete and returned to the ship with 15 minutes to spare…that is cutting it closer than I like!!!