36: Millennium 2009 The Hawaiian Islands
25th April - 9th May 2009
Millennium at anchor off the beach at Kailua-Kona
So what's a Celebrity Cruise like? See this promotional video here >>
This time we were 9 again; while Dad, John & Sally were not with us, Anne was back and Joyce was joined
by Sam, the newest recruit to The Lynch Cruise Club.
Itinerary
= ports at anchor
Saturday 25th April
-
Fly to Los Angeles, USA & stay overnight
Sunday
-
Fly to Honolulu, Oahu & embark Millennium
Monday
-
Honolulu, Oahu
Tuesday
-
Nawiliwili, Kauai
Wednesday
-
Hilo, Hawaii
Thursday
-
Kailua Kona, Hawaii
Friday
-
Lahaina, Maui
Saturday
-
Lahaina, Maui
Sunday
-
at sea
Monday
-
at sea
Tuesday
-
at sea
Wednesday
-
at sea
Thursday
-
at sea
Friday 8th May
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Vancouver, Canada disembark and fly o/night to UK
Saturday 25th April
Heathrow Terminal 5 to Los Angeles
It seemed remarkably busy to me and with queues for the toilets at 7.30am, I was not that impressed with Terminal 5,
opened barely a year ago. But having checked-in on-line the day before, our "processing" through security was relatively painless and a nice cooked breakfast
helped to get us in the right mood. 5 of us had also upgraded to "Premium Economy" this time!
After an 11-hour flight, we arrived at Los Angeles Airport and eventually found the shuttle-bus to our overnight rest-stop
at the Westin Hotel. I was thankful of the opportunity to freshen-up in the Hotel's outdoor swimming pool.
Meanwhile, Joyce & Sam arrived on a different flight from Manchester a bit later, looking weary but in good spirits. Now we were 9!
We had intended to eat in the hotel that evening but its small restaurant was far too expensive and with our body-clocks telling us it was about 3.00am UK time,
we were all in need of an "early" night, so we ended-up across the road at the Taco Bell. Talk about slumming it!
Sunday 26th April Honolulu, Oahu
After a fitful night (not helped by barking dogs from the Airport dog-pound and a severe case of "bonking-bed syndrome" from a young couple in the room next door to mine!),
we were all assembled at crack-of-dawn for more Airport security checks and another 5-hour flight, this time with Hawaiian Airlines and with no upgrade!
(right) Once the tallest building on the island, the 184ft high "Aloha" Tower at the Cruise Terminal in Honolulu
Welcomed at the Airport by the Celebrity Cruises Rep, our luggage was whisked away and we were soon at the ship; check-in was
efficiently dealt with and we were in our cabins in time for lunch!
My Deluxe Outside Cabin (6026) was similar to the standard cabin I had last year; spacious and well-appointed,
with good quality fabrics and attractive wood finishes. The bathroom was adequate, with a good size shower (no bath!) but only limited storage space (particularly for 2 people).
However, in the cabin, there's plenty of storage space for clothes and nick-nacks (especially for just me!); and a fully-stocked fridge, umbrellas, robes and a free tote-bag are all standard provisions.
The major addition for me this year was a large balcony which also made the room much brighter.
See the view >>
The others were all in Concierge-class cabins, similar to mine but slightly larger and with better "nick-nacks", while Lesley & Peter had a Sky Suite on the same deck as me.
Read more about the ship >>
Having been "on the go" for something like 40-hours with little sleep, the rest of our first day was to be spent unpacking and getting a good night's sleep before an exciting day to come.
Monday 27th April Day 2 in Honolulu, Oahu
It was an excellent idea of Celebrity Cruises to plan this itinerary so that we began with an overnight in Honolulu
but while there is a great deal to see here, there was no doubt in anyone's mind what we all wanted to see first - and it's also
the single most-visited attraction in Hawaii.
U.S.S. Arizona Memorial
Dedicated in 1962, the 184ft long structure spans the wreck of the USS Arizona, which still lies just below the surface, a tomb for most of the 1,177 crew
who died when the ship exploded and sank in just 9 minutes on December 7th 1941.
(right) A Navy Launch and the USS Arizona Memorial (by Andrew)
The sunken wreck of USS Arizona
The Observation Platform
The Memorial Wall contains 1,177 names
The US Flag marks Arizona's main mast
The base of what was No.3 Gun Turret
The Sinking of USS Arizona
On December 7th 1941, USS Arizona was just one of a number of capital ships moored along "Battleship Row", as 185 vessels of the US Pacific Fleet lay at anchor
in the safety of Pearl Harbor. At 8.06am, barely 10 minutes into the infamous Japanese attack, an armor-piercing bomb slammed through her deck
and exploded her forward ammunition magazine. The ship sank in less than 9 minutes with 1,177 crew, a total loss. The nearby USS Oklahoma, hit by several torpedoes,
rolled completely over, trapping more than 400 of her crew inside. By 10.00am, the attack was over but in 2 hours, 21 ships were sunk or badly damaged and heavy losses
of aircraft were inflicted at the island's various airfields. American dead totalled 2,390; the Japanese lost 64 men, together with 29 planes and 5 midget submarines.
The attack on Pearl Harbor propelled the United States into the Second World War.
The quiet serenity created by the isolation of the USS Arizona Memorial from land is aided by an efficient and well-conceived system of delivering a limited number of
visitors to it by a fleet of US Navy Launches, thus enabling visitors to appreciate it in a relaxed atmosphere.
The Visitor Center land-side is dedicated to all those lost in the attack on Pearl Harbor and includes a small museum, film-theater and
a Memorial Circle displaying the names of all the crew lost from the other ships involved in the attack.
U.S.S. Missouri - "The Mighty Mo"
This 58,000-ton Battleship was launched in 1944 and it was on her deck that the Japanese surrender was signed, marking the end of the
Second World War. So it's rather appropriate that you can see her from the USS Arizona Memorial, tied-up in the same
place that USS Oklahoma was moored on the day of the attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941.
The Mighty Mo
Andrew
Big Guns!
From the Bridge The USS Arizona Memorial
U.S.S. Missouri
One of 6 Iowa-class 58,000 ton Fast Battleships, she was commissioned in 1944 and was one of the most powerful battleships ever built.
At 887ft long and with a main armament of 9 16-inch guns, she could fire a shell the size of a Volkswagen car more than 23 miles over the horizon.
Missouri saw action towards the end of the Second World War and it was on her deck that the Act of Surrender was signed by Japan. She again saw action
in Korea but was "mothballed" in 1955, only to be refurbished and recommissioned in 1986, seeing action in the Persian Gulf in support of
Operation Desert Storm. Her final official duty was to lead the fleet into Pearl Harbor on December 7th 1991, marking the 50th Anniversary of the
infamous Japanese attack. She was decommissioned in 1992 to become a museum at a new dock constructed close to the
original moorings for USS Oklahoma and a poignant memorial near the entrance is dedicated to the 429 crew lost.
See Gerry's Photo of the USS Oklahoma Memorial >>
Paradise Cove Sunset Lu'au
The Polynesian Lu'au is an entertainment put on for the tourists at many hotels all over Hawaii but we chose this one because it took place in
a purpose-built rustic village setting on the coast about an hour's drive from Honolulu.
Henna Tattoo Painting
Traditional Cooking at the Imu Ceremony
Picking Coconuts
How to Cast a Fishing-Net
Various side-shows, events and attractions culminated after sunset in a Hawaiian feast and a stage presentation involving "rather too much folkloric dancing", as Andrew put it!
But highly commercialised though it was, it was actually well-presented, well-organised and very good value. All 9 of us had a great time!
We returned to the ship about 10.00pm and after such an exhausting and packed first day of events, we were all so tired that no-one stayed up to see the ship sail
an hour later at 11.00pm!
Tuesday 28th April Nawiliwili, Kauai
Proportionate to its area, the island of Kauai is probably the most rugged of the Hawaiian Islands and Gerry & I had booked excursions all day that would
exploit these qualities to the full; a Backroads Adventure in a 4-wheel drive and a deluxe Helicopter Flightseeing, including a close-up view of
the Manawaiopuna Waterfall, famous for its appearance in the film Jurassic Park. As it turned out,
the day was so nearly a disaster, no thanks to Celebrity's Shore Excursions Desk!
A Day so nearly a Disaster!
Having done my research, I figured that that weather would be better for a helicopter flight in the afternoon, so I had booked
an afternoon flight and the "Backroads Adventure" in the morning. For reasons best known to themselves,
Celebrity then re-scheduled our flight to the morning and didn't tell us until the night before. By the time we could speak to anyone this morning,
we were unable to reschedule our "Backroads Adventure", as it was now fully booked, so we had to cancel it if we wanted to do the flight.
Having cancelled one trip, we were collected by the Helicopter Company and taken to their check-in centre, only to be told that the flight was cancelled due to poor weather.
(Pouring rain and a major power-cut didn't help!)
When we got back to the ship, we could have done with a little moral support and some assistance from the Ship's Excursion Staff in finding us something to do to avoid our day being a
"total write-off" but we were left to fend for ourselves. Fortunately for us, we found a young female taxi-driver called "Summer", who was willing to take us and another couple on a 3-hour tour
for $180.
The 14-mile long Waimea Canyon in the west of Kauai is called the Grand Canyon of the Pacific
and we were thankful that the weather cleared by the time our taxi stopped at the lookout, because the view
is spectacular. From here you can see the two-tier Waipo'o Falls, tumbling 800 feet into the ravine.
It was just a bit frustrating to see the helicopters flying to-and-fro; which is exactly what we would have been doing
at this time, if Celebrity's Excursions Desk hadn't rescheduled our flight!
Spouting Horn near Kukuiula
Lockheed HC-130 "Hercules" of the U.S. Coast Guard
The Wailua River, Opaeka'a Falls and Fern Grotto (Andrew's Photos from the Wailua River Cruise Excursion)
We also had the chance to call at the Spouting Horn blowhole on the coast, where a U.S. Coast Guard plane gave us a low fly-by,
before we continued on a scenic coastal drive back to the ship. Gerry & I never did get to see the Jurassic Park Waterfall but we consoled ourselves
that our day wasn't entirely a wash-out - and we were better off to the tune of about £230 each!
Our First Formal Night in the 1,200 seat
Metropolitan Restaurant
Second night aboard is always the first Formal Dinner and as we were all out last night, it also meant we were introduced to our waiters tonight.
Providing us with excellent service this year were the sophisticated Farrha (married to the Assistant Maitre d') and the unassuming but very efficient
Josef (Photo >>) Menus were perhaps not as
imaginative as last year but still worthy of high praise. Typical Dinner Menu >>
Wednesday 29th April Hilo, on the "Big Island"
The locals call this "the Big Island", partly because it's the largest in the group but also because its real name is Hawai'i,
the name of the State and that also used to mean the entire island group.
Arriving at Hilo, the second-largest city in these islands, it's so flat that you wouldn't think you were on the slopes of an active volcano;
in fact, there are two: Mauna Loa (13,677ft) and Kilauea (4,091ft) and Gerry, Andrew, Stella and I
went to see one of them at the Hawaii Volcanoes National Park.
The Kilauea Caldera Two-and-a-half miles across and 300ft deep
Thurston Lava Tube Once ran with red-hot lava
We also visited the small Jagger Museum close to the main Observatory and we were supposed to take the 11-mile long Crater Rim Drive. However, because of the
level of activity & wind direction, "Health & Safety" Rules prevented that but we did get to see steam coming up through the ground amidst the sparse vegetation
and to walk through the 450-foot long Thurston Lava Tube, which once flowed with molten lava - though thankfully not today!
No excursion from Hilo is complete, it seems, without a visit to the famous Macadamia Nut Factory, from where pretty much the entire World's supply of Macadamia Nuts
originates! Needless to say, there's a shop where you can "buy your nuts" coated in every kind of chocolate or flavoured covering you could think of. Yes, I bought
some and they were all eaten within days!
The dormant volcano of Mauna Kea (13,796ft) is not only the highest peak in the Pacific but also home to
the second-largest (twin) telescope in the World at the Keck ObservatorySee Picture >>.
We were unable to take the excursion to see it this time
but late that evening, Celebrity Millennium manoevred to within a quarter-mile of the active lava flow from Mt. Kilauea and we witnessed a
spectacular display of molten lava pouring into the sea.
Thursday 30th April Kailua-Kona, Hawai'i
On the eastern coast of the "Big Island" are many of the popular resorts and hotels, as the weather on this side of the island
tends to get less rain. And today was to prove no exception.
Contrasting with our earlier ports on this trip, Kailua-Kona has a quaint colonial feel about it, the sea-front dominated by the 112-ft steeple of Mokuaikauna,
the first missionary church in Hawaii, built in 1836.
(left) Our first tendering exercise on a Millennium-class ship
Tendering ashore for the first time from such a large ship proved to be a well-organised and remarkably stress-free experience.
On a promontory near where you come ashore is the restored ancient Hawaiian temple site of Ahuena Heiau, once destroyed in an uprising in 1820.
A centre for water-sports
Ahuena Heiau (Gerry's Photo)
Images of Hawaiian Gods
Hulihee Palace(1838) Once occupied by King Kalakaua
Mokuaikauna (Gerry's Photo)
The Hulihee Palace also fell into ruin after the choas of the 19th-Century Hawaiian uprisings; now restored as a museum,
it is also the focal point for various historic and cultural events.
In keeping with the resort-nature of the day, today we split-up and chose a number of different pursuits; Peter went off to play golf, while I
decided to have a go at Snuba, a cross between snorkelling and scuba-diving. A the Kona-Boys'
shack on the beach, we began with a safety-briefing before our Dive-leader took me and 3 other novices down the beach and into the water....
Snuba Kona Beach Dive
Towing our tanks on a raft, we swam out to the reef and connected by long air-lines, dived to about 20 ft some distance from the raft. Simpler than scuba,
it was great fun and I will do it again next time!
Meanwhile, Andrew, Gerry, Anne, Joyce & Sam took the Glass-bottom Boat Dolphin Adventure and had a relaxing day enjoying the local sea-life and chasing Spinner
Dolphins in their natural habitat.
A selection of Andrew & Gerry's photos:-
Andrew
Gerry awake
A Dolphin Mother and her calf
Gerry dozing
Dolphins at play
Atlantis Submarine
This was Stella's choice today. Carrying just 44 people in air-conditioned
comfort (See Picture >>) and diving to about 50ft, it has large windows
through which you can enjoy the coral reef and fish without getting wet!
While you can't escape the Macademia Nuts in Kailua, the other popular purchase here is locally-grown Kona Coffee, along with all the
cheaper blends and impersonations they warn you about!
While Kailua-Kona remains historically quaint, it is still heavily commercialised but I think everyone agreed they had a good time here today in
what is a relaxing and low-key resort.
(right) An evocative view of Millennium at anchor, seen from the beach in Kailua-Kona
Friday 1st - Saturday 2nd May 2 Days in Lahaina, Maui
From Kailua-Kona overnight, the ship dropped anchor the following morning off the north-west coast of the Island of Maui for 2 days in what
turned out to be a truly idyllic spot, with weather to match.
The Banyan Tree Largest in the United States
Lahaina Courthouse
The Missionary House The Baldwin Home
Bubba Gump's a restaurant with a view!
Coming ashore at the Pioneer Inn, the colonial-style & cultural heart of Lahaina is marked by the largest Banyan Tree in the United States,
which shades nearly an acre. Beside it is the Courthouse built in 1859, while over the street is the Missionary House or Baldwin Home, built in 1834.
Fisherman's Wharf
Lahaina still lives its history as a fishing and whaling port along its colourful and vibrant sea-front,
where watersports activities are intermingled with modern fishing boats for charter.
(Right) Gerry took this brilliant shot of a marlin, weighing-in at an impressive 240 lb!
The Iao Valley
Named for the Hawaiian Supreme God, the God of Light Iao, the ancient Hawaiians used to bring their royal dead here for burial, hence its other name,
the Valley of the Kings.
The valley is dominated by the Iao Needle, which rises 1,200 ft above the stream at its base.
(Left) The Iao Needle rises 1,200 ft above the stream.
Scene of a Bloody Massacre
One of the bloodiest battles in Hawaiian history occurred here in 1790, when the army of King Kamehameha I thundered across the plain in pursuit of Kalanikupule,
defender of Maui and son of his arch-enemy King Kahekili. With a cannon salvaged from a defeated American ship, Kamehameha took a terrible toll on the Maui forces.
In fact, so many were killed that their bodies choked the Wailuku River, which ran red with their blood. The cannon was forever called Waha-ula, "the red mouth", and the battle was
called Kepaniwai, meaning "the damming of the waters".
Maui Ocean Center The Hawaii Aquarium
The "Open Ocean" Tunnel
Bio-luminescent Jellyfish
Coral Reef
At the Maui Ocean Centre, you can walk in a clear tunnel through the 750,000-gallon aquarium stocked with sea turtles, rays and numerous sharks. The 5-acre facility
is one of the largest in the World and features many tanks and ponds filled with all manner of fascinating sea-life.
Lahaina-Kaanapali & Pacific Railroad The Sugar-Cane Train
The 325-ft long Trestle Viaduct
Embankments of Bougainvillea
Our Jolly Group!
The highlight of day-2 was our group outing on the Sugar-Cane Train, a restored narrow-guage railway originally built around 1860 to transport sugar-cane
to and from the mill in Lahaina. It was restored in 1969 to operate a scenic passenger service and now runs
6 miles up the coast to Puukolii, just north of Kaanapali, where there are now many resort hotels.
The rest of the day was spent either exploring the fascinating galleries and shops around the heart of this most genial of resort-towns or,
as was the choice of Andrew, Anne, Stella, Peter & Lesley, a dip in the Hawaiian sea before it was too late!
The beach in Lahaina
In the sea - at last!
Millennium at anchor off Lahaina
Surfers' Paradise
"Thar she blows!"
Given Lahaina's whaling past, it's not surprising that you can take whale-watching trips here. But even from Millennium,
Gerry took these fantastic shots of a whale spouting near one of the tourist boats!
Finally, all too soon it was time to depart Maui and to leave the Hawaiian Islands for good, as we set off across the Pacific to a traditional
Hawaiian Sunset! (Another of Gerry's little gems!)
With only 2 programmed formal nights and a surplus of outfits between us, we decided to have another Formal Night tonight.
But during drinks in my overcrowded cabin, first the bottle of wine turned-out to be water and then, too much sun and too much cheese must have made Gerry
poorly because he had to retire before we had this rather unusual Group Photograph taken.
Sunday 3rd - Thursday 7th May 5 Days at sea across the Pacific
In terms of the number of sea-days, this sea-passage was the joint 2nd-longest either Andrew or I have completed to date. But the others
had never been at sea for so long before and I think there was some slight concern as to the weather, sea-sickness - even the possibility that they might get bored!
The weather did deteriorate a bit as we moved north and the sea was a little choppy in parts but all-in-all none of this seemed to phase anyone. The days seemed to
slip by in one long round of swimming, sun-bathing, shopping, talks, trivia-quizzes and martinis - oh, and eating of course!
Andrew's a Winner! Don't try this at home!
The Captain's Club Cocktail Party Andrew wangles 4 glasses of Champagne in 45 min!
The Martini Bar A regular 5pm haunt!
Winning all that money in the casino must have made Andrew happy because on the night of the "exclusive" Captain's Club Cocktail Party,
Andrew managed to get 4 glasses of Champagne out of the waiter in 45 minutes! The usual ecstacies over passengers doing over 100 cruises and standing ovations
for the Captain but a nice party with excellent service and lots of hot nibbles.
The Galley Tour was another special treat for Captain's Club members. Preparing over 5,000 meals a day is no easy task and it's
amazing how they manage to mass-produce to such a consistently high quality and yet, by the time you receive it at the table, it all feels so personal.
What...No Omelettes for Lunch?
It came as a shock to me to discover that you can't get an omelette at lunch-time in the Ocean Cafe; at Breakfast yes but not for lunch because the Omelette-Station becomes
the Pizza-Station at lunch-time! As it happened, our lovely Dining-Room Steward, Farrha, was on duty that day, so I complained my plight to her, never imagining the upheaval and concern this minor point might cause
to the "Celebrity Machine"! The chain-of-command slipped effortlessly into play and before I knew it, the Senior Maitre d' was assuring me that I could have an omelette
if I would only care to ask for one. The following day, I tested the promise and was served by 2 waiters with a silver tray and "would you like some fries with that, sir?"
Now that's what I call 5-star service!
Tuesday evening was pre-dinner cocktails in Lesley & Peter's suite (no water in the wine this time!) and Lesley had sweet-talked their gorgeous Butler, Rayo, into providing an extra bottle of
Champagne as well as nibbles. My now traditional "Captain's Quiz" resulted in the equally traditional poor marks but this time, the highly competitive team of Andrew & Lesley proved hard to beat!
The scores? Andrew & Lesley 13.5/22; Gerry & Anne 8/22; Sam & Peter 7/22; Joyce & Stella 6/22; Too much Champagne I suspect!
"Captain" Mark & an egg for his omelette
The Winning Team Lesley & Andrew
Cocktail Time Formal Night
The Baked Alaska! Farrha & Josef
Formal Night, the Farewell Dinner and the Parade of the Baked Alaska came round far too quickly. Hawaii was now some 1,800 miles behind us and we were on the last leg
of our cruise and it felt like we were already on the way home.
(Right) A more traditional pose this time; the Group assembles on the last Formal Night for this photo
But our last day aboard Millennium, generally one of last-minute shopping and packing, provided a hiatus of a dramatic and entirely unexpected kind.
Lesley had been taking Hula Classes and was about to take part in the
Hula Graduation Show when smoke and real flames in the flies resulted in an emergency evacuation of the Theatre!
Lesley was right underneath it! Fortunately, the show went ahead later and we were treated to her Hula rendition of "My Little Shack".
Two Emergencies in One Day!
The threat of fire on any ship is never to be underestimated, so it was a salutory lesson to be reminded of the fact with the sight of flames after a
theatre spotlight burned-out. While we were still seated in the Theatre, they attempted to put the fire out using the automatic fire-supression system
but when that didn't work, we were all evacuated. All well and good so far but my Cabin was situated just above that part of the Theatre and you could
still smell burning in the corridor outside!
I wondered if it was no coincidence that at 8.30pm there was a helicopter evacuation of someone needing hospital treatment; perhaps a crew member who had
to climb into the flies to deal with that fire? We saw the helicopter from Dining Room window.
Friday 8th May Vancouver, Canada
We entered the straits to the south of Vancouver Island in the early evening on the 5th day, picking-up the pilot off the city of Victoria
around 6.30pm, with the United States to starboard.
Passing under the Lion's Gate Bridge in the small hours, by 6.00am we were docked - but not at the City's main Cruise Terminal as I had expected;
instead, we were alongside at the Ballantine Terminal in the industrial part of the docks.
After an early breakfast, there then followed a frustrating delay until 10.30!
(left) Lion's Gate Bridge; (right) the City & Cruise Terminal
The delay was caused by problems with the equipment unloading the luggage and we all had to hang around in the lounges waiting to be cleared ashore. But communication was good and passengers seemed
to accept everything with equanimity. Eventually, we were ushered ashore, collected efficiently and despatched to the Sheraton Wall Centre, where we
stored our luggage for the day.
At this point, however, we had to say goodbye to Peter & Lesley, who were being picked-up by friends with whom they were staying for a few days; so for the rest of the day,
the Group was 7.
The "Hop-on, Hop-off" Trolley Car
Canada Place Cruise Terminal with 3 other cruise-ships in port!
The Sheraton Wall Centre
A Float Plane Taking-off from the harbour
We had hoped to have a full day in the city but by now, some of us were already hankering for lunch, so it was just me, Andrew, Stella and Gerry who set-off on the
Sightseeing Trolley Car, the "hop-on, hop-off" sightseeing bus.
Unfortunately, time allowed us to do only the "Red Route", taking-in the main city and the lovely Stanley Park. Set in stunning scenery, we were pleasantly
surprised by what a colourful and beautiful city this is. I wished we were staying-on with Peter & Lesley!
(left) Indian Street Art (another of Gerry's photos)
There were more delays when it came to the Airport Shuttle later in the afternoon. Traffic had been very busy all day because there were 4 cruise-ships in port,
and it was a bit of a scramble to get on the shuttle-bus when it finally arrived, then frustrating to spend another 75 minutes going all round the other hotels before eventually
being deposited at the Airport, barely 8 miles away, at 6.00pm.
However, you can keep Heathrow Terminal 5 because Vancouver International Airport was the most modern, efficient and stress-free airport I have ever experienced!
There were no crowds, no queues and with a spacious waiting-hall with giant windows giving a spectacular view of the surrounding mountains,
there could not be a more relaxing place to embark your flight!
And Anne, Stella & I being upgraded to provided the final icing on the cake!
= ports at anchor
Fly to Los Angeles, USA
provided the final icing on the cake!
