live from the island princess

jbond · March 13, 2006

Hi everyone,

Today we should have docked in Nawiliwili, Kauai, but because of the big swells the captain decided that it was too risky. A little disappointing, but obviously the smart decision. Instead, we sailed around the island. It was an awesome trip. As we sailed down the Na'pali Coast, a spectacle in it's own right, we got into the middle of a pod (or whatever a large group of whales is called) of humpback whales and dolphins. It was absolutely incredible. We have never seen so many whales and dolphins. We sat on our balcony, well we hung over the rail most of the time, and we were treated to a really spectacular display. We saw water spouts everywhere. People were yelling out "Over there" all over our side of the ship, it was difficult to see everything. Of course I tried to take photos, but whales and dolphins have no concept of what creates a Kodak Moment, and I got a lot of shots of the Pacific. It turned out to be one of the most memorable days of all our cruises.

So far it's been a great cruise. Not as relaxing as I thought it would be, in fact those sea days get to be very strenuous. The food has been first class. Last night was Italian Night and I had a rabbit pasta dish, really tasty. Tonight is lobster, I'm not a big lobster fan, but I'm going to try it tonight with a California Chardonnay recommended at the Maitre D' s wine tasting yesterday. The entertainment has been excellent. We have only missed one show, and they put on two different shows a night.

Tomorrow we dock/tender in Maui. We are visiting the Maui Ocean Center and the Volcano National Park.

The next four days are going to be busy. If I can, I'll let you know what's happening, but I'll definitely post again around Friday, if not before.

One amusing thing, we called our neighbours this morning back in Bear Valley, where we live. Since Thursday night they have had 12 inches of snow. Gee, I do miss that. :grin: It's almost time to go have another martini. :rolleyes:

boba · March 13, 2006

Now, jbond, be nice to your neighbors back home. lol Sounds like a fantastic day with all the whales and dolphins. Check in again and let us know how it's going. :cool:

sailinglisa · March 13, 2006

Hey JB!! Thanks for checking in from my favorite ship! Glad you are enjoying your cruise on the Island. I would have loved to have the day you had today with the whales and dolphins. Sure wish I was there!

Shari2 · March 13, 2006

Thanks for checking in, jbond! Sorry you couldn't dock at Kaui, but it sounds like it was a good decision. On our first cruise around the islands of Hawaii, we saw quite a few whales breeching, too. Enjoy the beauty of Hawaii! Aloha!!

JoeyandDavid · March 13, 2006

JBond Thanks for checking in...The whale expeirence must have been awesome!

Joanandjoe · March 13, 2006

Enjoy your Hawaii cruise, jbond. We saw lots of whales in Alaska, since some whales winter near Hawaii and summer near Alaska. They are truly magnificent creatures, and are probably more interesting than one additional day on shore.

DaCruzNut · March 13, 2006

Great to hear from you. Glad you're having a good time.

Mebert · March 14, 2006

jbond,

How exciting it is to hear from you while you're taking your cruise. I can just see those whales, imagine the entertainment and almost taste the food.

Keep having a great time.

rogue · March 14, 2006

jbond, thanks for checking in. We loved th Island Princess and would go back on it in a heartbeat. Glad to hear you had that great experience with the whales. Enjoy the rest of your trip. :cool:

matchstickxx · March 14, 2006

When you get back, I'd like to hear about those strenuous sea days. We have been to Hawaii a couple of times, but have never cruised Hawaii...unless you count a day long whale watching cruise.

I'm glad to hear you're enjoying your cruise and can't wait to read more details.