Pride of America Cruise March 2011

Pride of America Cruise March 2011 - Page Text Content

S: Pride of America Hawaii Cruise March 2011

FC: Pride of America March 12 - 19, 2011 Hawaii

1: Aloha!- come share our dream trip to paradise with us

4: . | A short flight from Charlotte to Atlanta and then a long 10 hour flight from Atlanta to Honolulu began our trip to paradise | please type here

5: Oahu is known as The Gathering Place and also the heart of Hawaii. It is a destination of contrasts, variety and abundance; an island of traditional culture and modern history, of luxurious resorts and manicured pineapple fields, of world - class diving and sensational surfing. With the warmth of aloha and the unique beauty of the island, O'ahu is an island to explore.

7: The Ilikai Hotel was our home for 3 days before boarding the Pride of America. The hotel was beautiful. At sunset, the conch shell was blown to signal the end of another beautiful day. | A gorgeous Waikiki sunset!

8: International Marketplace | Day 2 Waikiki

11: Diamond Head

12: Paradise Cove Luau | Day 3 Paradise Cove Luau

14: The luau was spectacular and the sunset was truly a perfect ending to a perfect day in paradise! | Doesnt' get any better than this!

16: Day 4 O'ahu Circle Tour

18: Day 5 Embarkation on the Pride of America | Meet and Greet with the Captain and Executive Staff | Our aft cabin 8706

19: Our beautiful sail away from Honolulu

20: Road to Hana - 3 Bears Falls, Keanae Peninsula | Poinsettias bloom year round in Hawaii | A tsunami hit Maui in 1946 and the only thing left standing on the Keanae Peninsula was the Congregational Church | Day 6= Maui

21: The Pools of 'Ohe'O Gulch - 7 Sacred Pools

22: Maui is the 2nd largest of the Hawaiian islands and is known as the Valley Isle due to the fertile swath of terrain that cuts between its two impressive shield volcanoes. Maui has an incredible diversity of nature and landscapes from the high country of Haleakala National Park to the lush jungle coastline on the Road to Hana.

23: The Upcountry of Maui - or the "backside of Haleakala and the Road to Hana. The terrain is completely different from the first section on the Road to Hana.

24: The Upcountry of Maui. It is also known as the backside of Haleakala. Sheer cliffs hug the mainly unpaved and one lane road.

28: The sunrise at Haleakala is a humbling, awe-striking experience that words nor pictures can do justice. Nothing can compare as the colors of the crater began to appear and the island below awakens. | As the sun rose above the clouds in the crater at Haleakala, there was total silence among the hundreds of people. Only the sound of the wind and a chant by a Hawaiian man are heard.

29: Day 7 Maui - second day

32: Iao Needle is the sight of the bloodiest battle in Hawaii. It is a spectacular valley and fogged in much of the time. We were lucky for a few glimpses. | We headed off to Lahaina and saw the largest banyon tree in the US. Had the most delicious shave ice before heading to Mama's Fish House - the views from Mama's are what Hawaii is all about.

34: The Big Island is the youngest of the Hawaiian Islands and is an island of contrasts, with nearly all the worlds' climate zones found here. From the snow-capped peak and astronomical observatories of Mauna Loa down to the warm sandy beaches, the Big Island has it all.

35: Bill and Elaine at Richardson Beach - the Black Sand Beach | Day 8 Hilo

36: Akatsuka Orchid Gardens - there is an orchid there worth $20,000

37: Sharon and Diane getting steamed!at one of many steam vents at Volcano National Park

39: Kilauea Volcano is one of the world's most active volcanoes. The Kilauea Caldera has been erupting continuously since 1983.

41: Kilauea Caldera

42: Thurston Lava Tube

43: The Rain Forest surrounds the Lava Tube

45: Our tour guide, Ricky, showed us VNP as well as Akaka Falls and Rainbow Falls | Bob and Craig test their muscles

46: Day 9 Kauai

47: Waimea Canyon is called the Grand Canyon of the Pacific. Each layer represents a different eruption and lava flow. The canyon is 10 miles long, 1 mile wide and more than 3,600 feet deep. | Waimea Canyon is often fogged in so we were very lucky to arrive before the clouds settle in on the canyon.

48: Bill, Elaine, Diane, Dad, Marie, Phil, Lori, Mark and Kenny and Diane enjoying the views from Waimea Canyon

49: The road to Waimea Canyon ends at the NaPali Coast lookout and we found many chickens keeping us company along the way.

50: Our Blue Dolphin cruise was incredible. We saw so many spinner dolphins and whales and the most gorgeous sunset we could have ever hoped for.

53: Our last day aboard the beautiful Pride of America before saying aloha to Kauai. We are so thankful for all our friends and family who helped make this trip a dream come true. The laughs we shared and the sights we saw will always be remembered - aloha...

57: The NaPali Coast is a 15 mile stretch of mountains on the northwest coast of Kauai. It is only accessible by boat or air. It was foggy as we started to sail by, but cleared with a gorgeous rainbow.

58: As we slowly sail back to Oahu, we must say aloha and mahalo nui loa to Hawaii for memories that will last a lifetime - A hui hou (until we meet again)!