LIVE from the Diamond to Hawaii

[spingal]

Well I know sometimes they do have to tender in Kauai if there are two ships in port that day, but there is no way you would be docking in Lahaina. It is a tender port only.

 

Thank you!!! You would think Princess would know this!! LOL! :eek: :eek:

[Nancyquilts]

Thank you!!! You would think Princess would know this!! LOL! :eek: :eek:

You would think - I guess they don't. Nancy

[Nancyquilts]

Thank you!!! You would think Princess would know this!! LOL! :eek: :eek:

You would think - I guess they don't. Nancy

[as19111]

Can't answer the Lahaina docking question, but we did tender in Kauai because NCL was docked. So we tendered in Kona, Kauai and Lahaina.

[spingal]

Can't answer the Lahaina docking question, but we did tender in Kauai because NCL was docked. So we tendered in Kona, Kauai and Lahaina.

 

I checked and we are the only ship in Kauai - no NCL. So hopefully we dock! :D

[spingal]

Can't answer the Lahaina docking question, but we did tender in Kauai because NCL was docked. So we tendered in Kona, Kauai and Lahaina.

 

I checked and we are the only ship in Kauai - no NCL. So hopefully we dock! :D

[ccure911]

I checked and we are the only ship in Kauai - no NCL. So hopefully we dock! :D

 

 

The Diamond cruise 2/1-2/16 was the only ship in port in Kauai and we docked. However, if you can't dock, the tender is only a one minute ride, as you will ancor right next to the dock.

[Lynda90]

On the 12/3 cruise, we tendered in Kona and Lahaina.

[TorontoTL]

I would say that they have made an error. You will dock in Nawiliwili (Kaua'i) and tender in Kona.

[spingal]

I just got a message from my TA. She went all the way to the ship operations department at Princess to get the answer! :D

 

We are docking in Kauai and tendering in Lahaina and the itinerary is wrong. Princess will be changing the itinerary but it has not been updated yet.

 

Mystery solved and the Princess folks told my TA to thank me for finding it. Duh - still can't believe they didn't get it right!!!!!!!!! LOL!!!

[FritzG]

When you see Lahaina you'll know why docking there is a total impossibility.

[spingal]

When you see Lahaina you'll know why docking there is a total impossibility.

 

Agreed - been there before so that is why I knew the Princess itinerary was wrong. Thanks.

[TorontoTL]

I'm missing the Diamond Princess and Hawaii now.....snowing here and very cold.:(

[flamingo3]

So, it's not a Vespa kind of day, huh Benny? I miss it also. Hard to believe a week ago we were still on the ship. After having gone to trivia twice a day for 2 weeks, I miss that too. I have been practicing my ukelele though.

 

I think if you book another cruise you may get over the malaise. Wish we could do that, but we have to plan our trip to Vegas or C.P. and Muffin (son and his GF) will get upset. Have you and Fabian done the Panama Canal? I can't remember. It's a good one.

 

Aloha!

 

Susan

[TorontoTL]

Aloha Susan and Paul, good to hear from you! Nope, it is certainly not a Vespa day today or anytime since returning from Hawaii. The laneway behind the garage is covered with thick ice and ruts from areas that the ice has been removed by some homeowners. Too treacherous to take a chance with on only two wheels.

 

We have done the Panama Canal in the past and it was great. I think we'll probably book something again for next winter or maybe this fall at the earliest. I have a conference in Palm Springs this May and for August we have to travel to Newfoundland for a wedding that one of Fabian's nieces so our immediate vacation plans are taken up by those things.

 

I hope you enjoy whatever vacation you have next, I'm sure you will.

 

I'm glad to hear that you're practicing your ukulele it was a nice one that you purchased in Honolulu. We're drinking our Kona coffee this morning that we purchased at Bayview Estate while in Kona, nice way to bring back a bit of Hawaii with you.

 

Take care Susan, I hope to see you around here again and hopefully our paths will cross again.

[lannp]

Aloha to Susan and Paul, Benny and Fabian. It's definitely not Vespa weather today.

I had an email today from someone aboard the Diamond now. The Captain told them and the crew are also saying how miserable the weather was for our cruise. They've had smooth seas, no rain. The Captain told them he found the visibility was really poor coming into Hilo. I remember standing on my balcony, debating whether to take that shore excursion.

Susan, my friend agrees with us. She says Angel has been a terrific room steward.

Linda

[TorontoTL]

Hi Linda, good to hear from you! I was nice meeting you as well. I hope we have a chance to meet again in the future.

[flamingo3]

Hi Benny,

 

I just wanted to tell you that I thought about you today. It is 48 degrees (Farenheit) outside. It is definitely a Vespa day! :D

 

I will always coin nice days "Vespa days" and think of you. What a cool way to think about it.

 

I drove a moped once on Nantucket Island. The native weren't too friendly and tried to run us off the road. I decided "cages" were a better fit for me.

 

I've been reading the 3/17 thread. They are getting pretty excited about the trip. I hope they have as nice a cruise as we did. It was so lovely and we met some great people -- you and Fabian among them.

 

Aloha for now,

 

Susan

[TorontoTL]

Hi Susan, that is so nice that you have coined the term a "Vespa Day". We haven't had any Vespa days in quite some time especially after the big snow storm we were hit with on the weekend. However, Thursday and maybe Friday could be Vespa days as the temperature is supposed to rise above freezing. However, my ability to ride will be hampered by the amount of slush and ice still in my laneway behind my garage. :(:(

 

I only have good memories of our cruise now, it really was wonderful. I miss Hawaii and miss the days onboard the ship. We'll need to book or plan another cruise for next year to get me over the withdrawal. In the meantime, we are booking a Las Vegas getaway at the end of April as our next trip. We've never been to LV because when we were booked to go there, 911 happened and our flight was cancelled. :( So now we'll go and link it to my conference I have coming up in May. It's great to have something to look forward too isn't it. You and Paul have something planned coming up don't you? How is the ukelele coming along? I hope you're practicing.;)

 

Aloha

 

Benny

[flamingo3]

Hey! I found a ukulele teacher and my first lesson is this Thursday at 7 p.m. :D I've been practicing every day. If I ever quit, Paul is supposed to say to me. "You bought the f***ing ukulele. Play it!" Why he'd care I don't know. I paid for it with my bonus from work. It is so fun. Im already practicing Mele Kalikimaka for the holidays -- I know it's only March.

 

I'll take it a laneway is an alley.

 

We are going to Vegas in June -- taking C.P. and Muffin (aka Chris and Char.) I think you'll like it there. Too much to do and not enough time. Too bad Ziegfried and Roy are gone. What a great show. I want to see Elton John (or Bette Midler) but tix are pricey. $250 I think for Elton. Yikes!!!

 

It topped out at 49 today. Zoom, zoom!

 

Aloha,

Susan

[Cruisin' Chick]

I have a question for everyone who sailed on the Diamond..........

 

I am almost positive that Princess has our itinerary for the 4/1 sailing wrong. They have us tendering in Kauai even though we are the only ship in port that day. And they have us docking in Lahaina!! To the best of my knowledge, Lahaina does not have a cruise ship pier!! :confused: :confused: Unless they built one since last October!! LOL!

 

So did you dock in Kauai and tender in Lahaina? Some of the folks from our roll call and my TA called and the Princess reps keep insisting that the intinerary is right -- tender in Kauai and dock in Lahaina. :eek:

 

Just goes to show that the CSRs need to actually go on a cruise. Or get better info to refer to while answering calls.

[vjpsunshine]

Hi, I just sailed on the Diamond to Hawaii. Everything you said was right! I just loved the ship, crew, food & activities. Please say hello to Alicia & all the activities team. I helped out on scrapbooking with her & all the others.

I'll be back soon, I hope! Valerie, Florida

[spingal]

Just goes to show that the CSRs need to actually go on a cruise. Or get better info to refer to while answering calls.

 

I completely agree!! :eek:

[TorontoTL]

Susan, we're having a hard time deciding on which hotel to book in Las Vegas. Do you have any suggestions? We are considering Signature at MGM or New York New York. Signature @ MGM has very good reviews on Trip Advisor. New York New York is a place that a co - worker of Fabian's just booked. We'd like to be in the thick of things but also want a nice enough hotel. We don't know what shows we want to see yet, I guess we need to decide that soon too. Any suggestions.

[flamingo3]

Hi Benny,

 

Just thinking about Vegas can get me excited. It's a pretty fun place. We have stayed at Monte Carlo, Caesars, Mirage and Treasure Island (twice). We seem to prefer that end of the strip -- well, Monte Carlo is on the other end. Plan on bringing really comfortable shoes as you will walk and walk, and then walk some more. When we stayed at Caesars it took us 20 minutes to get to our room from the sidewalk. But, for those who care it's got a topless pool. Paul, of course, had to take a gander. Truth be told, the Mirage is my favorite, but it's been a while since we stayed there. We were in Vegas in Dec 2006 for my 50th birthday and we stayed at Treasure Island that time. Haven't stayed at any of the casinos/hotels you mentioned but I'm sure they are nice also. Imperial Palace is yucky -- but cheaper gaming than say, Bellagio. They have a fabulous car collection at I.P. that we always check out -- free! Bellagio --never seen a room there but the public areas are lovely. I'd like to stay at the Flamingo Hilton in June but I think we're priced out of that due to Muffin paying for her mom and dad. I like it because it isn't a 20 minute walk to the rooms. I'm not sure how the rooms are, but for us the location is ideal. We like to go gaming at the older casinos and the Flamingo is right there.

 

Where ever you guys stay, you'll love it. Listen to your friends -- they know what you like.

 

Show? Never seen a Circ d/Soliel show -- can't even spell it, but I hear they are wonderful. Google "Las Vegas shows" and you should be able to see what's playing when you're there. That's what we do -- sometimes we see a big" show, other times we go to moderately priced ones. They can be really entertaining. We saw Danny Gans before he hit it big and it was only about $50 a ticket. Now it's a lot more. Second City? Not so much. Didn't like it last time. We saw Penn and Teller last trip and they were great! Paul was up on stage for the first "trick" and it was amazing. Too bad he missed it. Penn took Paul's glasses from him and put them in his (Penn's pocket). They do some schtick and then Teller comes out wearing a clay "thing" on his head. Penn smashes the clay thing and Teller is wearing Paul's glasses. Wow, I tell you.

 

 

 

Excaliber, Circus,Circus, Harrah's (and any other older hotel) are ones you probably wouldn't care for. I'm a pool person in Vegas so I do like a good pool. Monte Carlo has many pools, featuring a lazy river and wave pool. Not the most luxurious looking but serviceable. Talk about "chair hogs" though! Mandalay Bay is supposed to have a great pool area. Flamingo Hilton and Tropicana have real live flamingoes (!) strutting around their pools -- or at least they used to. Mirage has a waterfall setting which was kinda cool.

 

There are so many hotels it'll be hard to choose. Too many shows etc. also. Do you like Liberace? We finally made it to Liberace Museum last time and it was FABULOUS! Cars. costumes, pianos and jewelry! Wow! It's in a strip mall away from The Strip but well-worth the time and effort to see. That was my "special" treat that I did on my birthday. I loved it!

 

I can't begin to advise you about "clubbing". But I can't really picture you and Fabian clubbing. Paul's friend Ann went clubbing (she's about 43ish) and told us if you want to have a table at the clubs you have to buy a bottle of booze. It was $350 for a bottle of vodka, but she got a table! She also said she was too old to go clubbing any more. Ah, youth!

 

Due to the magic of computers this little epistle got all out of order. Hope it makes sense. Sure would love to hear what you decide to do.

If ever you want to chat, our e-mail is nemodog@comcast.net.

 

Aloha,

Susan

 

P.S. MAJOR Vespa day today. 3 in a row!

P.P.S. Hey, Fabian!