Passenger Services Act

This is a picture of the Norwegian Wind as we were leaving English Harbor on Fanning Island. I almost forgot that I wrote in a previous post that I would explain why the ship visits such a remote island.

The Passenger Services Act is a US law that came into force in 1886. Because of this law, a foreign flagged ship must visit a foreign port before disembarking passengers. The Norwegian Wind is such a ship.

There are no foreign ports near Hawaii. Fanning Island, which is about 1000 miles away, is one of the closest. So in order to comply with this law, the Norwegian Wind's 10 day cruise includes a 5 day round trip journey to Fanning Island.

For more information, you could look at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Passenger_Services_Act

Polynesian Cast

My wife and I had our picture taken with two members of the Matagi Polynesian Cast after their second show. This group of dancers performed three shows during the cruise. The second was in the evening after we had spent the day on Fanning Island.

The cast is made up of three men and four ladies. They presented native dances from the various islands of the Pacific, with several costume changes during each show. Each show was different and each show was entertaining.

The day after leaving Fanning Island, we learned that one of the four engines on the ship had broken down. Because of this, the speed of the ship dropped from 20 to 15 knots. As a result, the Capitan was forced to change our itinerary. Rather than going to Nawiliwili, we were going to Kona. Then because we could not get into the Nawiliwili port on Friday, we ended up staying in Lahaina for two days.

When things like this happen on vacation, you should just adjust. Complaining does not change circumstances. Many times in my travels, events occur that change my plans.

Johnny's Store

This is the only store that we saw on Fanning Island. It is next to the area where the cruise line has built its facilities.

The store has basic supplies that the local people can purchase such as canned goods. It also has a selection of t-shirts and other souvenirs for the tourists off the ship. I bought some stamps at the store. As you can imagine, Republic of Kiribati stamps are not common and are collectible.

Many of the other passengers were also buying postcards to mail back home. We were told that a post card would take about four months to get to a North American address.

NCL Primary School

I took this picture of the Grade 1 teacher and part of the class at the Primary School on Fanning Island. We also visited another class and the Staff Room. The other class did not even have tables for the students. This teacher kneels on the ground in order to write on the blackboard. She was doing this when we first approached the classroom.

Each classroom is in a separate building. There are no doors to the rooms and the windows have no glass. I suspect that vandalism is not a problem here.

Since Norwegian Cruise Line started visiting the island, the local people renamed the school after the cruise line. The school even flies the NCL flag. We were told that the cruise line provides supplies and other help for the school.

If you visit Fanning Island, the school is about a mile walk from the dock used by the tenders. For my wife and I, it was well worth the time and effort. Education is important to the future generations of the Republic of Kiribati, and these students and teachers are doing their part. In the other class we visited (I think it was Grade 3), two of the students were singing a song in English for the other students.

Fanning Island Home

We saw a local man building a new hut. As I took this picture, he moved behind a tree. I did not realize this until I downloaded the picture to my PC. You can see his arm coming out from behind the tree.

This picture gives you an idea of the homes on Fanning Island. This is fairly typical. We saw some that seemed a bit more solid than this, but many were like this: open sided huts made of natural material. Others were of similar design but had walls.

Visiting a place like this brings with it a lot of mixed emotions. Should you be jealous of these people because they have such a simple life? Or should you feel sad for them that they do not have many of the modern devices that you enjoy? Truthfully, their life is likely more hard than simple, and we get more stress than enjoyment from our modern toys. Life is never simple, and we all have our own problems.

Tug Boat

This picture is of a tug boat that sank at English Harbor on Fanning Island. It is close to the docks used by the tenders from the ship.

This is the story I was told about the tug boat. This tug boat was at Pearl Harbor when the Japanese attacked in 1941. It survived that attack. During World War 2, the US Navy established a base of operations at Fanning Island and sent the tug here. While it was here, it caught on fire and sank. It has remained where it is since World War 2.

Craft Market

Near the dock on Fanning Island, the local people set up a craft market when the cruise ship is there. When Norwegian Cruise Line first started to visit the island, there were no crafts for purchase. The people only made things that they needed. But as the years have gone by, more and more of the local people have started making them. I was told that some of the vendors can earn in one day as much as many of the islanders used to earn in a year!

Most of the crafts are fairly simple, however some do have a lot of detail. I am sure that as the years go by, the quality of items for sale will steadily increase.

One of the items that we purchased was a simple wooden cane. It was smooth and painted with simple designs and a message. There were no carvings on it or other details to make it unusual. One of the other passengers had a cane with him that he was using to walk that was detailed and unique. I saw one of the men selling canes speaking to the man, and then spending some time carefully looking at his cane to see how it was made.

Welcome to Fanning Island

When we got off the tender at the dock, there was a group of local people singing. This was our welcome to Fanning Island. All of the local people that we meet on the island were friendly and quick to smile.

There is some evidence of early Polynesians living on the island, but when Captain Fanning arrived in 1798, there were no inhabitants. In 1846 a coconut plantation was established on the island. Workers were brought from other islands. The local people are either descendents of these settlers or of others who have moved to the island over the last 200 years. Most of the population growth has occurred in the last 20 years, as families from other islands in the Republic of Kiribati have moved here.

Fanning Island

Our second port was English Harbor on Fanning Island. The locals call the island Tabuaeran. It is a circular coral atoll ringed with palm trees. There are three breaks in the ring. The picture shows the break that our tenders used to get to the dock which is on the inside of the island.

The island is part of the Repulic of Kiribati. The United Nations considers this one of the poorest nations in the world. The average income in Kiribati is less than $1000 per year. The total land area of Kiribati is 849 square km (about 330 square miles) but it covers 2 million square km (about 800,000 square miles) of the Pacific Ocean.

Fanning Island has no electricity except for that provided by a few generators. There are no telephones. About 1900 people now live on the island. A few times each year a supply ship will stop at the island. The local population is mostly self-sufficient and mainly eat fish from the ocean.

Making Leis

On three of the sea days, there was a lei making class. This picture is from the first class where we learned to make flower leis. A lei is any series of objects strung together with the intent to be worn. Normally, they are worn around the neck.

The flowers are fresh orchids. Orchids grow wild in Hawaii. We saw some growing in the ditch along the road.

The second class, we learned to make leis from Kukui nuts. Kukui is the state tree of Hawaii. The final class, we made leis with ribbon.

The classes were taught by a lady who was referred to as the Hawaiian Ambassador. Her name is Iuneu'imaumahealani Teruya. She told us, "people call me June." She is one of the most delightful people I have ever meet: kind, patient and with a great sense of humor. In a future post, I will tell you about the other class that she taught.

Ice Carving

During one of the sea days on the way to Fanning Island, there was an ice carving demonstration on the deck of the ship. In about ten minutes, this man turned a block of ice into an image of a native American with a feather head dress.

My wife and I were not surprised to learn that the ice carver is from her home town in the Philippines: Paete, Laguna. This town is well known for its wood carvings. Many of those who do ice, vegetable and fruit carvings on cruise ships are from this town. In the future, I will do some postings on my travels to the Philippines.

We were told that there were 15 crewmen on board from Paete. We were able to meet about half of them during the cruise.

Thurston Lava Tube

This picture was taken inside the Thurston Lava Tube, which is southeast of the Kilauea Caldera. Lava Tubes are formed when a lava flow is deep enough for a crust to form over it. This lava tube is extinct; no lava flows through it now. Wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lava_tube) has a good article on lava tubes if you want to learn more about them.

Going through the lava tube requires walking down a rather steep uneven path and coming back up a number of steps. However, it is not a difficult walk. Anyone who can walk unassisted should be able to handle it. You just may need to take your time. Be sure you have a pair of shoes with good traction.

Our Cousin From Hawaii

Standing with my wife and I by the 1982 lava flow is our travel guide/bus driver. He told us that one of the reasons, people in Hawaii are so friendly is that they consider everyone to be their cousins! Throughout the bus ride, he would say, "Cousins, look out the left side of the bus . . ."

We also learned that his mother is Hawaiian, but his father was from the Philippines. Since my wife is from the Philippines, he may really be our cousin.

Hawaii is a beautiful place. But it is the people who live there that make it a joy to visit.

1982 Lava Flow

In this picture, I am standing on a lava flow from 1982 inside the Caldera. This is the most recent lava flow inside the Caldera. Before this, there was one in 1974.

Our tour guide/bus driver was at the Caldera when the last two eruptions occurred. He told us that in 1982, two buses were very close to the site of the eruption but, thankfully, were able to get away without anyone being injured.

We were warned to be careful if we visited a site where there is an active flow (which my wife and I did not). When lava turns black that does not mean it is cool. Black lava can still be up to 260C or 500F! Warnings from the Park Rangers at Volcanoes National Park are to be taken seriously.

Even walking on old lava as I did, you need to be careful. The lava flow is jagged, and if you fall, you could suffer some bad cuts.

Kilauea Caldera

This is a picture I took of the Kilauea Caldera. Within the Caldera, you can see the Halema'uma'u Crater. Also visible are some volcanic fumes escaping from the ground.

This area is part of the Volcanoes National Park. Mount Kilauea is considered one of the most active volcanoes in the world. We were told that it is the most active.

The Caldera is about 1200 meters above sea level. The park has a good road that goes around most of the Caldera and even goes into part of it. There is a Visitor Center and a Museum. When we were there, no lava flows were visible. The last lava flow inside the Caldera was in 1982.

On the south side of the mountain, there are two active flows coming from the side of the mountain through lava tubes into the ocean. When we left Hilo, the ship sailed around the south side of the island and we were able to view these flows from the ship. Because it was at night, I was not able to get a good picture of this with the camera I had. But it was a awe inspiring sight.

The "Big Island"

Our first port was Hilo. The town is on the island of Hawaii. It is called the "Big Island." I believe it is larger than all the other Hawaiian islands combined.

We booked a shore excursion. Our first stop on this excursion was the Mauna Loa Macadamia Nut Factory. This was primarily a stop at their gift shop where we had free samples and purchased some good quality Macadamia Nut products.

We booked our excursions through the cruise line. This is not the cheapest option. You can wait until you get to port and book an excursion on your own. You can book an excursion in advance with a tour operator on your own. Some people, on this cruise, rented a car for the day at each port and went places on their own.

There are advantages to booking the excursion through the cruise line. The staff on the ship know where you are. If there is a problem, such as a vehicle breakdown, the ship will not leave without you. The ship does not sail until all excursions booked through the cruise line return.

You also know ahead of time what you are doing in each port. You are not standing on the dock trying to decide what to do. If you book an excursion in port on your own, you may not get the best possible tour. All the excursions offered by the cruise line are with tour operators who are insured, reputable and fully licensed.

If you book a tour with the cruise line, and the ship's itinerary is changed for any reason (which happened on this cruise), you do not pay for any cancelled excursions made with the cruise line. If required, they will attempt to reschedule excursions based upon the change in itinerary.

I am not saying that booking excursions with the cruise line is the best way. It is one option. It is a personal choice. Just understand the advantages and risks involved with each option.

Emergency Drill

My wife and I were among the first passengers to board. You can wait up until one hour before sailing to board, but we had to check out of the hotel at 11 AM. So we were on board by 1 PM. The sailing was at 8 PM.

For those who board early the ship has a buffet lunch ready. So we ate lunch, and walked around the ship. We went on a tour of the onboard spa.

Late in the afternoon, they have a life boat drill, so that you know where your muster station is, and what you should do in an emergency. This picture is of my wife and I in our life jackets during the drill. Those who board after the drill is done, are required to take part in an emergency drill the next morning. Just like when the instructions are given on a plane, people tend to talk over or ignore the person explaining the emergency procedures.

Norwegian Wind

This is a picture that I took of the Norwegian Wind from a Tender. We were on our way back to the ship from one of the ports.

The Wind was built in 1993 and then enlarged in 1998. They actually split the ship in half and added a new section in between the two halves. On board, I saw before and after pictures of this.

The Wind is about 51,000 tons which is about half of the size of newer cruise ships. This was the second cruise for my wife and I, both aboard the same ship. We were on the Norwegian Wind in 2003. On that cruise we visited Alaska. I will write about that trip sometime in the future.

We did not plan to go on the same ship. We wanted to visit Hawaii, and our travel agent (www.cruise-connections.com) found us a very good deal for a 10 day cruise on the Wind. I was surprised when he told us the name of the ship.

The itinerary was to leave Honolulu on Wednesday, stay in Hilo on Thursday, spend two days at sea, visit Fanning Island in the Republic of Kiribati on Sunday, spend two days at sea, stay in Nawiliwili on Wednesday, Thursday visit Lahaina and then stop in Kona on Friday before returning to Honolulu on Saturday. As a result of a small problem, the captain had to change our itinerary in route. I will explain that in a future posting.

My wife and I liked the ship. We heard some other guests complain about some things. My suggestion is that if you are going to spend the money for a cruise, take the time to investigate the itinerary, the cruise line and the ship. Be informed.

Some guests did not like the four days at sea. I do not understand why they booked this cruise. There are other cruises in Hawaii that do not visit Fanning Island. (I will explain why the Norwegian Wind did in another post.)

Some guests complained about the "Freestyle Cruising." This is how Norwegian Cruise Lines describes their style of organizing service on board. There are differences between Cruise Lines and how they service their guests. You should understand this before you book.

Other guests thought that the ship was too small. Why did they book a cruise on a smaller ship if they wanted the features of a big ship?

Complaining about these things proves that a person was unwise in their choice of a vacation package. It is a reflection on the individual not the cruise. It also makes it harder for them and those who hear their useless complaints to enjoy their vacation.

Waikiki

This is a picture of my wife by a statue on Kalakaua Ave in Waikiki. This is close to the hotel.

We walked along most of the length of Kalakaua Avenue. It is a busy tourist area. There are a lot of shops along this road. At night, there were many street performers playing music or doing mime.

There is a park near the police station. At night, there was a free concert in the park that included two hula dancers. My wife and I enjoyed it. I am not sure how often these concerts occur.

A short distance from our hotel was the International Market. This is an open air market with lots of souvenirs. We bought a few things there. You can haggle over the price with the vendors.

Waikiki Gateway Hotel

This is another picture I took from our hotel. We stayed at the Waikiki Gateway Hotel. The main reason I selected this hotel was price. On the internet, this was the least expensive hotel in Waikiki that I could find at the time.

It is undergoing renevation. When they are finished, it may be a better hotel. However, I would not have stayed there more than one night. (We stayed one night before and one night after our cruise.)

The room that we stayed in before the cruise had ants in it. We discovered these in the morning. After the cruise, they did not have a non-smoking room available, so they put us in a smoking room that stunk. When we complained about the smell, they sent someone to spray the room to reduce the odor.

If you need an inexpensive hotel for one night, it may be OK. If you are spending a week in Waikiki, I would suggest spending more for a better hotel.

Hawaii

My wife and I just returned from a two week vacation to Hawaii. We spent two nights in Waikiki and ten nights on the Cruise Ship, Norwegian Wind. The picture above was the view from the hotel when we first arrived.

Hawii is a great place. The weather is nice, just a little warm for me. The people are friendly. The landscape is beautiful. Things can be a little expensive, but it is worth the trip.

My next posts will deal with what we saw and did while we were there.