twangster

The next significant feature of the park we visited was the Pu’u o Lokuana Cinder Cone. 
Standing on the rim along the highest point looking back into the bowl of the cone.

A trail leads down into the cinder cone itself.  

My fellow guests help to define the scale of the cone.  

It's pretty amazing to think think was at one time a volcanic vent spewing lava.



During WWII there was a secret radar station located here, the remnants of which are hard to spot now in the growth.

Looking over the landscape you appreciate how thousands of years have developed these lush and tropical rolling hills.
 

The next significant feature of the park we visited was the Pu’u o Lokuana Cinder Cone. 
Standing on the rim along the highest point looking back into the bowl of the cone.

A trail leads down into the cinder cone itself.  

My fellow guests help to define the scale of the cone.  

It's pretty amazing to think think was at one time a volcanic vent spewing lava.



During WWII there was a secret radar station located here, the remnants of which are hard to spot now in the growth.

Looking over the landscape you appreciate how thousands of years have developed these lush and tropical rolling hills.
 

The chart above is for Royal C&A members sailing on Celebrity and was in response to that exact scenario:
       At what point does it make sense to sail celebrity with using royal loyalty level? 
The chart doesn't compare the two loyalty programs, just the status recognized for Royal cruisers while on Celebrity.
Does Captain's club have moire levels?  Sure.  In terms of status recognition for Royal C&A members though it doesn't matter.  Status recognition stops at Elite level benefits. 
If a Diamond member cruises on Celebrity they get Elite benefits.  
If a Diamond Plus member cruises on Celebrity they get Elite benefits.  Diamond Plus do not get Elite Plus benefits.
If a Pinnacle member cruises on Celebrity they get Elite benefits.  Pinnacle do not get Zenith benefits.
 

I've never understood the concept of rewarding folks who don't have to fly to a cruise. 
I have to buy a plane ticket to cruise so therefore I and not eligible for cruise fare discounts.  How does that make sense? 
I have flexible travel plans, Southwest offers reasonable airfares under 90 days yet I am penalized because I have to fly.  
Why should someone who can drive to the cruise port get a discount?  
Celebrity seems to be on the same page as me, Royal not so much.  

Florida resident more frequently get resident rates.  You'll never see them in NJ (for a Florida based cruise) just as I won't in CO.  Bayonne benefits NJ residents with rates that that FL residents won't see - on Royal.
The difference with Celebrity is that Celebrity still throws a bone to folks like me who don't live in a state with a cruise port.  Royal doesn't, not very often.  

Another difference... Celebrity does tend to offer resident rates more than Royal.  Definitely take the time to enter your state when looking at rates on Celebrity.

Royal is geared to appeal to families across the spectrum from the young to the young at heart.  There is always a lot going on around a Royal ship.  Royal also trends to larger ships where Celebrity operates a smaller fleet.  You won't find any Quantum or Oasis class sized ships in the Celebrity fleet.  
Celebrity is more an adult cruise line, more refined but not in the luxury high end market.  No bumper cars, zip lines, ice skating rinks, water slides, sky pads, laser tag, flowriders, iFly indoor sky diving, etc. on Celebrity.  
That's not to say kids are not welcome on Celebrity but there isn't the space and activities dedicated to them like there is on Royal so you tend to see fewer kids on Celebrity.  It won't be zero kids but not as many as Royal. 
I enjoy Royal even if I don't do all the activities because it keeps me young.  Celebrity is there for me if I ever grow up and mature.  

That photo speaks volumes... about the need for some better photoshop skills :) 

Our next stop was at Bay View Farms where among other things they have 10 acres of coffee trees.  If anyone is a die hard coffee lover they've probably heard of Kona coffee.

Our driver and guide Dastan talking about the process of picking coffee cherries and the tree itself.  They have to be picked by hand and it's a lot of work for little pay.

The farm has other crops also planted.




While the Papaya and Pineapple are nice, this stop is all about coffee.




Coffee cherries have to be picked when they are red, not before and not long after they have turned color.

We were welcomed to sample a medium and dark roast variety of their coffee.




The farm has beautiful grounds with plenty to see.


We were warned when buying Kona coffee to avoid anything that said "blend" but insist on 100% Kona coffee.  A blend could have just 1 or 2 Kona beans and the rest something else where as 100% Kona coffee is just that.





Very interesting stop and of course I had to buy some Kona coffee right from the source.

Our first stop is at The Painted Church.
In the early days of missionaries coming to Hawaii they were faced with either local native Hawaiian or immigrant workers few if any of which spoke english.  To get the message across this church resorted to paintings to help convey the message they were spreading.



It has been observed that the palm fronds on the ceiling are painted brown in one direction and green in the other.  The message being follow Christ forward where there is life but if you don't the other direction is death.

Day 10 - Kailua-Kona
Up early for arrival at our final port of call on this cruise.  I've never been to the big island of Hawaii before.




Also a tender port and our excursion met again in the theater before being escorted to a tender shortly after 7:30am.  Today's excursion is a full day tour called Hawaii Volcanoes National Park - Kahuku Unit booked through Royal.

The port area for tenders is a short rise without the narrow channel that Lanaiha has.  This made for a faster tender process.


Our group had around 9 in our bus and there were 5 smaller shuttle like buses used for all participants.  On the way to our first stop we had a 25 minute drive.  As we got closer the roads went from highways to smaller two lane roads.  Interesting tree along the way that has grown in a full loop.

The big island clearly shows that this island is a volcano.  While all of the Hawaiian islands are born from volcanoes you feel it more on the big island.  As our guide and driver put it, you were on an active volcano the moment you stepped off the tender.  Lush and tropical in places contrasted with areas that have been wiped clean of any vegetation by a lava flow at some point in the last several hundred years.

Day 9 - Sunset
With our departure getting closer, the clouds are retreating.

We've been very fortunate with our sunsets on this cruise.

Back to the marina for our waiting bus and the ride back to Lahaina.  We were all glad to see short tender lines this time.

More local surfers out looking for that perfect wave as our tender made its way out through the channel into deeper water.

After 45 minutes in the water we were given some turkey wraps, chips and water or local fruit juices.  We were getting ready to leave when a pair of dolphins visited.






On the ride back to Maui more dolphins came by.



Pretty cool seeing them up close like this.

Beautiful water with depths around 17' that slope up to the walls teaming with fish.





Very different reef with more brain coral and fewer sea fans or tubes compared to Caribbean snorkeling.




The water was an amazing blue color.  

Day 9 - Lahaina, Maui
Still in Lahaina with nothing but a few hours sleep between excursions it was soon time to meet my excursions.  This time with an early morning excursion we met in the theater on board and were escorted down as a group to a tender.
There is a narrow channel through the reef with surfers on both sides.  Here they are waiting to ride the next good swell as our tender made it's way through the reef.  


Today's excursion is Molokini Zodiak Snorkeling.  Our group of 51 boarded a bus for a 25 minute drive to a marina where we were divided into two groups. Our boat held 30 while the other boat could only hold 21. 

The other boat.

Our Captain's plan was to head down the coast towards the Southern part of the island but a late summer South swell was causing rough surf so the waters were too rough to snorkel. 



We did see some turtles though.  



With snorkeling prospects low we headed over to the Molokini crater.
Approaching from the back side the crater walls with waves breaking against them were quite breathtaking.




Coming around to the front side of the crater you can see that the wall of the crater on this side is low into the ocean so you boat right into the crater itself.

It was a popular spot for boat trips today.





The walls of the crater really show the layers that formed it over time.


This would be our snorkel spot today, well sheltered from the wind.

The magical views weren't done with us.  The drive back down from the summit was pretty special as well.


We re-entered the cloud layer and continued our descent towards sea level.

Finally it was time for the main event.

  As the sun dropped lower it reappeared from behind the clouds.





It was pretty magical and soulful.  
With that it was time to regain feeling in my frozen fingers so we boarded our bus for the drive to our restaurant just over an hour away. 

Today's excursion is called the Haleakalā Summit Sunset Experience. 
Our excursion met and we boarded a small shuttle type bus where we met our driver and guide.  We drove around 45 minutes to their business where we could get a coffee, snack, use the restroom and get a jacket for the summit.  

The summit is around 10,000 feet in elevation and the weather is very cool up there.  Today it was 41°F.  Jackets were highly recommended due to the strong winds and wind chill.
Menus were passed around for a post-summit dinner.  We picked our entree which was called into the restaurant prior to our arrival later in the evening.

Our bus ride continued up through changing weather and ecology.  Entering the Haleakalā National Park we stopped at the visitor's center for a restroom break and interesting talk about the type of plants in this area.   At this point we were above the clouds at around 7,000 feet.

We learned that many plants found here are endemic to Hawaii - they only exist here and nowhere else in the world.  Some are unique to each island and are not even found on other Hawaiian islands.

The Silversword is an example of one unique and exclusive to Maui.

We continue our drive towards the summit first stopping at a viewing area halfway there.

The sun was getting lower on the horizon.

Our guide tells us the story of Pele and Maui, both gods in Hawaiian culture.  Pele is the goddess of volcanoes and fire and the creator of the Hawaiian Islands.  Maui was responsible for the mountains rising from the ocean floor.  

This area includes a viewing platform for a view into the crater behind the summit.


Cinder cones were easy to spot on the crater floor.  These are from past eruptions.  Scientists believe Haleakalā has erupted at least 7 times over the past 1,000 years and they predict she will erupt again at some point.

From here we proceeded to the summit.

Another view of the crater from the visitor's center at the summit.

Not quite sunset yet the sun popped behind a cloud.  Looking closely you can see the shoreline of Maui before us.

Day 1 Shanghai  (the short version as its 2 am here , but at least I got the VPN up).
We tried to get out of the hotel at 9 am but it took us more time (strange , never in the past) at 9:40 we were inside the taxi after verifying the address several time , you must have it written in Chinese. the ride was going OK considering it was very windy , up until the turn to the port were it started to be very slow , we were stuck 20 minutes in traffic bur still arrived around 10:25. (20 $ ride). The rest is more and less like any other port , you give your luggage outside (after they verify you have the tag on) and you go to security , there are lines for Platinum + and all the  rest  , security was fast , from there you have line to the check in , the lines now split into Platinum+ and international travelers. Check it was about 10 minutes as you need to feel the Japanese landing card. The next station is the immigration , there was small lines so it took about 15 minutes, last station is the passport collection were they take the passport of all passengers until the last day. We boarded around 11 , our first station was our deck just to be on the safe side , what do you know the doors on one side were opened so we did our long way to our cabin , I thought its another different comparing to other cruises, later we found out the doors were opened by mistake but we already went to the cabin and left our carry on there (after asking the cabin attended) , I also thought its a good time to take pictures of other cabins ?   
Our cabin is an aft Junior suite with big balcony , the cabin looks smaller comparing to other JS we stayed before , maybe because of the long corridor that lead to it (which they calculate as part of the space.
Ops, sorry , cabin photos later , missing them in the email for some reason.
First disappointment, no walk in closet as we really love in the JS , yes there is one big closet and another smaller one on the opposite but they are not as big as the walk in and its not that easy to put the suitcase inside. Not sure who design the cabins , but comparing to other ships they have less space to store things. beside the cabin you have only two big drawers and that is it (well if you are not counting the sofa and the desk which I tend to use as another storage place.
Here are pictures of the room , do not get me wrong I still love it as the balcony have very nice view almost not interrupted .
A word for @Lovetocruise2002 I know you book same cabin for your next group cruise , if it is for just two of you its should be OK not sure about 4, also , you can feel the ship quite well , but that maybe due to the storm we were riding into (or next to). another strange issue with the room is lack of latches to the closet door , so when you have rough sea they keep open, we woke during the night and had to fix it with chairs and magnets. 
Anyway here are some pictures of another JS cabin  , balcony cabin and a gran suite.




Grand suite 




Balcony 

Our next station was the silver dining room , its on floor 14 forward and during lunch and breakfast its a buffet, I found it very nice not to face all the crowds, we also booked dinner there.







When we went out from the dining room we so something I could not skip , they were offering drinking package that cost 49 for first person and 50% of for second , so total with 18% it was 600 for both of us , although did not plan for I jumped on the offer.
Well that is for now , I already got complained that I prevent from people to sleep ? 

I wanted to wander a bit before my 2pm excursion that met on the island.
Clouds have formed over much of the island in just a few hours.

Here is the crew fixing the ramp after a swell knocked it off it's normal position.

The boats themselves are very comfortable with padded seating.  I think the capacity is 170.

Off and away we go...


The port area where we landed.


Walking along the shore for a bit.



Very close by is a street with shops.


It was very hot, over 31°C or almost 90° F.  I though something to cool me down was in order.  Conveniently located across from the port area is a hotel with bar.

Fortunately I found a Big Wave Golden Ale to cool me down.

Day 8 - Lahaina, Maui
Up early I noticed the sky was beginning to lighten.  Still moving I knew we much be getting close so I went topside.

Our first good look at our new home for the next two days.


First glimpse of Lahaina.

The first tender was dispatched to set up the port area for our visit.
According to our Captain this is the largest tender operation in the world.  Ovation has six lifeboats that have been designed specifically to function as tenders.  One hundred and ten crew would participate until 10pm when a local charter boat operator was hired to perform the hourly overnight tender service so that crew could rest before repeating the operation again the next day.


Sunrise was upon us.

The first hints of clouds forming over the island.

A closer look at a life/tender boat.

Maui is known as the valley isle.  

My excursion didn't depart until 2pm so I stayed on the ship closer to noon.  

I haven't forgotten about this thread.  
With three ports days in a row with long excursions each day followed by disembarking in Honolulu this morning there hasn't been time to post.  I'll finish this off from the comfort of my living room back home.

Next stop was at one of many National Parks on the island, this one is the Kahuku Unit.  

Just to set expectations, there are no active eruptions or lava flows currently.  This isn't a site where you will look down into an active volcano or walk near hot, red molten lava flows.  Much of the Volcano National Park remains closed after the 2018 eruption of Kīlauea caldera.  The Kahuku unit is far enough South of the area that erupted that it can remain open.
Knowing how the island is entirely volcanic in origin and how long it takes plant life to grow it's amazing to see an abundance of plant life anywhere on the island.

Our bus takes us to the site of am 1868 lava flow that produced tubes.  Lava tubes are produced when slow moving flows begin to cool on the surface while the molten lava continues to flow below the surface.    

This results in a skin or tube like structure that hardens and becomes solid while the molten lava continues to flow eventually draining out of the tube leaving large cave like cavities.  

In some cases these can be large enough to walk into or in this area to live in.  Historically the native Hawaiian tribes were somewhat a hostile people often at war with other tribes.  Small battles resulted in some winners and some losers.  Warriors defeated in battle would take refuge in these tubes in shame of losing a battle.  





This is a marker setup by natives that sometime ago came in search of their ancestors.  Finding tubes that displayed signs of life these markers were a means to come back year after year to pay tribute to ancestors in a constantly changing island topography.  Hawaii is home to an average of 84 earthquakes annually since it resides on fault lines.  Between new lava flows and earthquakes areas like this can change overtime so the markers help them to return to places that have special meaning to them. 

There is one tree that is critical in the lifecycle of plant growth on lava.  The Ohia tree has special enzymes that can break down lava and allow it's root to penetrate.  Over time (hundreds of years) and with enough trees an area can develop a soil that allows other plants to begin their life cycle.  
The legend of the Ohia tree is founded in Hawaiian folklore.  It is said the Pele, the goddess and fire and volcanoes met a warrior named Ohia that she wanted to marry.  Ohia had already pledged his love to Lehua.  Pele was so enraged by his refusal she turned the warrior into a tree and stuck him into the lava.  Lehue was so distraught that other gods took pity on her and turned her into a flower on the Ohia tree so that the lovers could eternally be joined together.     

It is said that if anyone plucks the red flower from the Ohia tree it will rain that day as you are separating the lovers, Lehue and Ohia.

The flower is loaded with seeds that winds will spread allowing more Ohia trees to seed and take root.


It's not hard to imagine this back in 1868 as molten laving slow flowing down off this hilltop towards the sea.


High in iron the lava is literally rusting turning a rust brown color in the process.

This wall was built to separate and define the boundary between two native tribes in the late 1800's.   

The tour continues with our first sitings of old lava flows.  Not the Kraken variety.
Driving along the highway everything looks normal then you come across a barren section of land where it looks like someone has tilled the land but really it's a lava flow from decades or hundreds of years ago.  In some cases plant life is starting to make roots.

The brown area may look like dirt but it isn't.  It's more lava rock.

There are three predominant types of lava found on Hawaii.  Most of this is an example of aa lava, a very fast moving form that causes the flow to crack and break into pieces.

This is the big island.  The whole island was like this once but in areas that haven't received new flows a soil has formed over hundreds or thousands of years.  The isn't soil very deep though and lava rock like you see here is never far from the surface.  That makes it hard for trees to take root or to plant electric poles like this one.   This is an example of pahoehoe lava and it moves slower allowing a skin to form that protects the molten lava within so it doesn't crack in the same manner as aa lava.

The side of the lava exposed to air oxidized and became the porous lava rock we use in our BBQ grills while the lava flow further from the surface cools at a different rate that often causes it to crack and splinter.  

Note the brown lava rock versus the black lava rock.  More on that later.

The Southernmost point in the US in the distance.


To give you an idea how slowly plant growth comes back there are three lava flows in this area.  The oldest flow is brown in color now because of the high iron content.  It basically rusts over time turning the lava rock into a color that looks like soil.  It's not soil though, just more lava rock.  

The brown lava rock is believed to be from a flow between 750 and 1,500 years ago.  The darker "newer" lava flow is from 1907.




Note there are no trees on the darker flow, only the 1,000 year old lava has plant life.

This one species of tree has adapted to life on lava and it produces an enzyme that can break down the lava rock and allow its root to penetrate the rock.  The tree and the red flower that blooms on them have a storied beginning in Hawaiian folklore.  More on that later.

 
This lava flow rock is very sharp.  If you fell down it would hurt and probably cut you.  This is what the native population had to deal with prior to modern times.  No roads, no cars but to navigate Hawaii the native population had to deal with navigating across these types of flows all over the island for hundreds of years.