One of our favorite cruises was September 2019 and one of our last cruises before the pandemic started.So looking back on it I’m glad to say it was a perfect fifteen days on the Carnival Legend to celebrate Ayr’s birthday. You get to enjoy five glorious sea days to relax before you arrive to the Hawaiian Islands and then five straight port days, with another five sea days to enjoy doing nothing after the hectic but fun time enjoying all the gorgeous islands and the great Hawaiian beaches. We set sail from Vancouver across to the Hawaiian Islands and then the cruise sailed to Los Angeles where we flew home from.
We flew to Seattle, spent the night, then the next day took the Amtrak Cascades to Vancouver, about a four hour train trip with stops along the way in Oregon and Canada. It is a very scenic ride during the day but we were on at night as the day train sells out a long time in advance. As soon as you know you are going make reservations for the morning train where you will pass by some very pretty impressive Northwest scenery. Amtrak Cascades trains have European rail cars that feature a bistro car. You can purchase local food, wine, microbrews and coffee. You can also bring food with you on the train. Other train amenities include free WiFi for general web browsing and electrical outlets at some pretty comfortable seats. We did have a rather boisterous group of Seattle Seahawk fans returning home to Canada after watching the game in Seattle. They were saying they take the morning train, go to the games, then return home that evening, making for a pretty long but fun day!
After doing a lot of research instead of shore excursions we rented a car at each island. They send a shuttle to pick you up, you rent the car get a map and off you go to explore on your own without a bus load of people with a strict schedule that some don’t feel the need to follow. You follow your dream itinerary for the day, places you always wanted to go and see, and set your own time table to return. (there is always “those” people on a tour bus that feel it is ok to be late returning to the bus on time while everyone waits for them)
Hawaii has some stunning beaches, but they are also quite diverse as is each Island. You have the globally famous Waikiki Beach, with all the infrastructure in the world, or Waimea Bay, world renowned as a surfing mecca. There are also hidden beaches, only accessible by boat or trails, with nothing there but nice sandy beaches and perfect waves. Hawaii is home to some of the most active volcanoes in the world and has a landscape of beaches, waterfalls, and rainforests. Maui is known for its beautiful beaches, world class surfing, and the scenic road to Hana. Oahu is home to Honolulu, the state capital, and the famous Waikiki Beach. Kauai is known for its dramatic scenery and outdoor adventures, while Molokai and Lanai offer a more laid-back, secluded experience. The Hawaiian Islands offer something for everyone, from outdoor adventures to cultural experiences, making it a popular destination for travelers from all over the world. A cruise gives you a taste of each island and you decide if you want to go back to a specific island to spend some more time there than just a day.
We got our car in Kona and drove up to the Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park which protects some of the most unique geological, biological, and cherished cultural landscapes in the world. Extending from sea level to 13,680 feet, the park encompasses the summits of two of the world’s most active volcanoes Kīlauea and Mauna Loa . Thankfully the day we were there there was no activity going on. We stopped at the Rangers station to pay and found out I could get in free due to being a senior so that was pretty cool. We did the Crater Rim Drive and It’s easy to forget as we drive along the Crater Rim Drive that the heart of a volcano is actively beating beneath our feet. You can feel its breath at this unique location on the side of the crater. On your left is pathways to the steaming bank as well as fenced off holes that belch warm, sulfur free steam. A small path begins from the parking lot and leads to the Crater Rim Trail, which provides beautiful views of the caldera and a few more steam vents. There are lots of scenic turn offs where you don’t have to hike far. We didn’t do the 4 hours round trip as we did have to turn around after an hour or so as this was a short port day and we still had an hour back with making no stops. For a quick minute though we did debate missing the ship and staying here forever, this Island is that awesome, tranquil, and relaxing. And as they say here no worries, no problem! Everyone here lives a much quieter slower life and the people are so friendly and helpful, we met many from the mainland who retire here to enjoy life at this pace. With the cost of living here I imagine one would have to have a lot of savings to be able to afford it.
We were off the ship at Hilo and I went in a gift shop to buy a Christmas ornament, we collect them from every place we go to and have a travel tree we keep up all year with all of our travel memories When I left the store there was Ayr speaking to a women who I thought he knew as they were so animated in conversation. Turns out no, he didn’t know her, they just hit it off and when her husband came out we all talked like old friends and became instant friends with Keisha and Brian. We told them about our idea of renting cars and we decided the next day we would rent one together and take off to see Kauai and spend some time at the beach. We wished we had met them earlier in the cruise to be able to have shared our adventures with them, they are such a fun couple and we love spending time with them on and off the ship! Again why we love to cruise, you meet the nicest people who become friends for life!
Kauai, also known as “The Garden Isle,” is home to some of the most secluded and tranquil beaches in Hawaii, including Hanalei Bay Beach and Poipu Beach. Hanalei Bay Beach located on the North Shore of Kauai and is a popular spot for surfing and paddleboarding. The beach is surrounded by lush green mountains and is known for its stunning sunsets. We knew this was where we wanted to spend some time.
We had a terrific day in Kauai, we drove all over one side of the Island and ended up at the stunning Hanalei beach, located on the North Shore of Kauai. We played in the water for quite awhile and we had Ayr on the beach being our lookout for sharks!! There are lots of them in Hawaii but how can you not enjoy the warm ocean water here with great waves to play in. We would have liked a even more time in Kauai to go to the other side of the Island but we had to get some food as we worked up quite the appetite in the Ocean, and then we needed to get the car back and return to the ship. It was one of those picture perfect days you always remember with great weather, great beach, great friends!
Maui, we never made it over to Lahaina, we thought we would visit next time, and now we will wait until they rebuilt. And they will as the Hawaiian people are strong with faith and belief in “Ohana” they are all family there and they will all work together to get it done even if it will never be the same due to all the historic buildings lost that have been there for decades. I’m excited to see the rebuild when the time comes. I now am sorry that we didn’t get over to Lahaina and see this old historic town as it was before it was struck by the horrible tragic fire.
We wanted to do something a bit different than the beach on this island so we went to the Ali’i Lavender Farm. It’s a sprawling property growing 45 varieties of lavender & a gift shop with a range of scented products of fresh lavender. The gardens are beautiful and smell so good, you need some good walking shoes as the terrain was a little steep and difficult. The air is clean and fragrant and the view of the mountains and the ocean is breathtaking, and you can get some great gifts to bring home from here, of course everything lavender. This place is all about relaxation, rejuvenation and renewal and what’s special about this magical place that the spirit calls home.
Lavender is the queen of herbs. This pretty purple plant can relieve pain and tension, enhance blood circulation, and even treat respiratory problems. Plus, its sweet, soothing smell eases both body and mind. You smell this as soon as you arrive and you want to take it home! |
We were here for awhile and it was lunch time so we asked about a good Italian restaurant and was told there was a Pizza Hut up the street, lol. Not exactly what we had in mind so we asked someone else and were directed to this little mom and pop place. It didn’t look like much it was really small with no air conditioning but what a wonderful family running it They made everything from scratch from old family recipes and we had the best chicken parmesan lunch. It had been in this location for years and the family was so warm and welcoming, they don’t see many tourists as it is in a local area so we enjoyed some interesting conversation from the family along with our good lunch.
After lunch we drove up to Haleakala National Park, Haleakalā Crater, the East Maui Volcano, is a massive, active shield volcano that forms more than 75% of the Hawaiian Island of Maui. The western 25% of the island is formed by another volcano, Mauna Kahalawai, also referred to as the West Maui Mountains. Haleakala Crater is 10,230 feet above the Pacific Ocean, taking up three-quarters of Maui’s 727 square miles. Its ascent takes trekkers through 6 of the world’s 14 climate zones, while its depression was deemed the quietest place on the planet by acoustic experts, who found that its ambient sound levels were “near the very threshold of human hearing.”
Its summit is considered one of the leading destinations in the world for observing and monitoring astronomical wonders. It was getting cloudy and starting to rain so I didn’t get a lot of good pictures. There was also a protest going on by Native Hawaiians upset about a large telescope being built for an observation center. They are against the development as Mauna Kea is a sacred mountain to Native Hawaiians where many deities had lived, and that the cinder cone being proposed as the site was holy in Hawaiian tradition as a burial site for a demi-god.
We then stopped at a beach to watch an Hawaii sunset, and as pretty and tranquil as it was we realized with the traffic we better get going. We got to the car rental place and had to wait for their shuttle bus back to the ship but we realized we had no time to spare, we played it a little too close not counting on that much traffic here in the evening. We called an Uber and raced back to the ship and we were told we were the last to board, we don’t ever play it that close but it was really getting harder to leave all this beauty! Another great day in Paradise!
Our last stop was O’ahu which was a nice long day as the ship docks from 8am until 11pm. We got the car and drove over to the North Shore, the drive was spectacular so much beauty once we got out of the crowded city of Honolulu. The laid back North Shore is a stretch of coast known for big waves and professional surfing contests at Waimea Bay and Sunset Beach. In summer Pūpūkea Marine Life Conservation District has calm water for snorkeling among colorful coral and fish. Indie galleries, surf shops and Hawaiian lunch spots fill Haleiwa town, while the Dole Plantation runs tours of its pineapple fields and tropical gardens.
First, we went to the Dole Plantation and it was a fun for a couple of hours. Originally operated as a fruit stand beginning in 1950, Dole Plantation opened to the public as Hawaii’s Pineapple Experience in 1989. Today, Dole Plantation is one of Oahu’s most popular visitor attractions and welcomes more than one million visitors a year. The Plantation provides enjoyable activities including the Pineapple Express Train Tour, the Plantation Garden Tour, and the Pineapple Garden Maze. The plantation country store offers a wide variety of Dole Plantation gifts, local favorites, foods and refreshments including the world famous Dole Soft Serve ice cream, it was pretty yummy!
We had until 11 to get back on the ship but we were tired and hungry and the prices in Hawaii for food are so high, that we decided to return the car and go back to the ship for dinner and to rest up. A lot of people went to one of the many luaus and the ship has shore excursions available where they would take and bring you but it just didn’t appeal to us. A quick dinner and plenty of rest sounded about perfect now.
The five days touring the Islands had been unbelievable for us visiting and seeing this unparalleled beauty and diversity of each Island the gorgeous ocean the vibrant flowers, with the warm tropical climate, and such a rich cultural heritage with such proud welcoming people, and as sad as we are to say Aloha to Hawaii we know that we will return one day. For us w feel this is the way to get a good sample of the Islands and if you find one you really love you can go back and stay at one of the beautiful hotels there. We love we can spend the days sightseeing but then return to the ship for food and entertainment.
We would recommend this cruise to anyone Hawaii really is Paradise on Earth, and we really feel a cruise is the perfect way to experience it, just a nice mix with a good amount of sea days and then being able to visit all the Hawaii ports and having the days to relax on the ship afterwards.
