Hawaiian Holiday 🎄🍾 LIVE from Koningsdam Dec 21-Jan 6: join me for my 1st solo cruise & 1st inside cabin!

[Mary229]

51 minutes ago, Haljo1935 said:

I agree. I find the maps useful to help orient me at the port and get a general sense of how far shops are from the port.

I miss them when they're not delivered. I don't want to rely exclusively on my phone in case battery runs low.

Are these maps being delivered to your stateroom? Or are you picking them up on shore?  I miss the days when HAL delivered or at least had available the port maps.  Few of my cruises since 2022 had them or if they did one had to know to go to the port talk to grab one.  I now rely on AllTrails, Whatsinport and other web sources.  This morning while planning my cruise next week I realized Google has those user created maps and downloaded quite a few nice city walking maps from there. 

[Haljo1935]

We have arrived in Kona

 

Weather 

Bow Cam view 

Aft Cam view 

Plan today is to take the shuttle to town and explore. 

[Haljo1935]

4 minutes ago, Mary229 said:

Are these maps being delivered to your stateroom? Or are you picking them up on shore?  I miss the days when HAL delivered or at least had available the port maps.  Few of my cruises since 2022 had them or if they did one had to know to go to the port talk to grab one.  I now rely on AllTrails, Whatsinport and other web sources.  This morning while planning my cruise next week I realized Google has those user created maps and downloaded quite a few nice city walking maps from there. 

Yes, these are being delivered to the cabin. I have not received them in a long time and was surprised to get them this week. Port talks we've had to take pictures from the presentation of the maps we wanted as they have not been available in hard copy.

Edited December 30, 2023 by Haljo1935
Additional comment

[AryMay]

15 minutes ago, Mary229 said:

This morning while planning my cruise next week I realized Google has those user created maps and downloaded quite a few nice city walking maps from there. 

 

Can you share how you access these user created maps? I get confused (easily) when using Google Maps!

[Haljo1935]

725am we have been cleared to go ashore. Priority tender access meets in PG, General tender access meets in Billboard Onboard, Excursion access meets per ticket info.

Last tender back is 530pm.

Hopefully, today's process will be smoother than yesterday's. Apparently, there was a very large number of excursion ticket holders lining up for stickers at World Stage as they'd been instructed to do. The line got so long it doubled back and eventually passengers were told not to wait and just go to the pier and find the buses. Elevators were jammed. What a disaster!

Late afternoon, Captain made an announcement reminding everyone that today would be a tender port & thanking us in advance for our patience as it can be an effort to get 3,000 people off a ship at one time. Oh boy...

I saw the long line of people yesterday as I was going down to get off (which was quick once we were cleared), but wasn't stuck in it since I wasn't on an excursion. 

Fingers crossed 🤞 the madness has cleared after breakfast - I'm waiting until then to go. If it's bad, I am fortunate to be able to wait until later since I'm not on a tour schedule.

[Mary229]

32 minutes ago, AryMay said:

 

Can you share how you access these user created maps? I get confused (easily) when using Google Maps!

I wish I could figure this out, I find them through google search.  Hoping someone else has better ideas 

[Haljo1935]

Dive In view waiting for my dog.

 

Menu

And the dog arrives. Hard to photograph with all the sunshine, lol.

She's got her top off - it's a beautiful day!!

Edited December 31, 2023 by Haljo1935
Typo

[DAllenTCY]

"Priority" tendering....is offered to President's Club, 4&5 Star Mariners, Pinnacle Suites, and Club Orange.

 

That could easily be 600+ who opt to go ashore early.

 

David

 

 

[SeaHunt]

1 hour ago, Haljo1935 said:

Dive In view waiting for my dog.

 

And the dog arrives. Hard to photograph with all the sunshine, lol.

 

 

Now that's what I call an emotional support dog LOL! 😁

 

(I'm really enjoying your report, big thanks for doing it!)

[Haljo1935]

1 hour ago, SeaHunt said:

 

Now that's what I call an emotional support dog LOL! 😁

 

(I'm really enjoying your report, big thanks for doing it!)

Thanks so much for coming along. I didn't even think about emotional support dog, so thanks for that - no wonder it tasted so good!!

[Haljo1935]

1 hour ago, DAllenTCY said:

"Priority" tendering....is offered to President's Club, 4&5 Star Mariners, Pinnacle Suites, and Club Orange.

 

That could easily be 600+ who opt to go ashore early.

 

David

 

 

Yes it could. Last cruise we were told there were over 800 and it wasn't even Christmas (or Hawaii).

[POA1]

On 12/28/2023 at 6:34 PM, canadianbear said:

Just wondering as someone on fb said they could post on FB but couldn’t get emails.

When you travel, you sometimes have to change the mail server settings on your email program. If the person has access to the webmail version of their email, that's usually a workaround.

[canadianbear]

5 minutes ago, POA1 said:

When you travel, you sometimes have to change the mail server settings on your email program. If the person has access to the webmail version of their email, that's usually a workaround.

I’ll know who to contact if I run into internet trouble in February as it’s beyond my scope of understanding! 

Edited December 31, 2023 by canadianbear

[Haljo1935]

Last tender deadline is rapidly approaching as it's at 530 and it's now 515.

Sun thinking about setting over Kona 

Bow Cam view 

Aft Cam view 

Weather

Edited December 31, 2023 by Haljo1935
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[Haljo1935]

This may be the final tender we need to bring back up.

Captain just announced we're doing final checks so we can leave. I think there's still someone needing to come back - they didn't bring that boat up

and it's now headed back to the pier.

[Mary Ellen1]

Haljo1935 I hope you're eating in the MDR tonight, because people are losing their ever-loving minds in the buffet.  People are crashing into each other, trying to get food. And pictures. 

 

There's fresh mahi-mahi, sourced at a Kona fish market mere hours ago. And this guy. From Honolulu. 

[BetsyS.]

Your Cowboys beat the Detroit Lions 20-19!!!!  Congratulations!! 😊🥂

[Haljo1935]

51 minutes ago, Mary Ellen1 said:

Haljo1935 I hope you're eating in the MDR tonight, because people are losing their ever-loving minds in the buffet.  People are crashing into each other, trying to get food. And pictures. 

 

There's fresh mahi-mahi, sourced at a Kona fish market mere hours ago. And this guy. From Honolulu. 

Wow  - nice looking guy, lol.

I will miss the madness as I will be in MDR, late seating. 

After the disaster at the excursion sticker line yesterday, maybe people think civility is a thing of the past.

I bet the food is pretty, though. And glad to hear the ship brought on fresh fish for the people who eat it.

[Haljo1935]

20 minutes ago, BetsyS. said:

Your Cowboys beat the Detroit Lions 20-19!!!!  Congratulations!! 😊🥂

Yay!! Thanks for the great news.

[Haljo1935]

Tomorrow's Daily 

 

TV has special holiday programs

 

[Haljo1935]

Sun rising east of Hawaii 

Bow Cam view 

Aft Cam view 

Weather

[Haljo1935]

Ate in MDR so we missed the "show" in the Lido as reported by @Mary Ellen1. I saw someone in the elevator with a bowl of fresh fruit, so it seems they brought on some local fruit, too. She had a couple of these in her bowl.

 

Dinner has progressed to hybrid family style as we tend to share desserts now. It sure cuts down on the waste and allows us to sample more of the menu. Who knows, maybe we're trendsetters!

The French Onion Soup was very salty. Disappointed the cheese no longer tops the entire dish, but just sits atop the bread. The crispy brown cheese peeled away from the side of the dish was the best part.

 

The pineapple was very good.

Notice the empty butter dish and twin bread baskets? Our table has grown to 4 bread baskets that still require refills and those butter dishes seem to empty as quickly as they're placed on the table.

Sachre Torte (apricot, not raspberry) 

Lemon Meringue Cheesecake was voted a strong winner

[Hogladyrider]

@Haljo1935...it seems like this cruise time has flown by, can't believe you are headed back east!

 

Enjoy your sea days, looking forward to your stop in Ensenada never been there before,

 

Happy New Year!

[Haljo1935]

32 minutes ago, Hogladyrider said:

@Haljo1935...it seems like this cruise time has flown by, can't believe you are headed back east!

 

Enjoy your sea days, looking forward to your stop in Ensenada never been there before,

 

Happy New Year!

Yes, it has flown by.😪 I've never been to Ensenada, either. Our time there has been cut from something like 7 hours down to just a few - we arrive 7pm. So, realistically won't see much.🙄 If I could have a yummy meal, I'd be mostly happy.😏

[BetsyS.]

The Philadelphia Eagles lost today, so that is good news for your Cowboys!

         Happy New Year! 😊🥂