Hawaiian Islands Cruise Maui Port of Kahului

We left the spacious room at Waikiki Outrigger Reef and headed for the confines of our shipboard cabin with just enough room to change your mind, but only if you step into the passageway.  Our trip to the port was by taxi.  Our driver spoke fluent Korean, but no English.  Luckily, he assumed our port destination.  We were happy with our decision to take what turned out to be a $17 taxi ride versus waiting for the recommended "cheaper" shuttle.  The shuttle would cost only $12.50 per passenger and would require us to wait an extra hour in the hotel lobby.

Security at the port was tedious as it is geared to keep out all alcohol and liquids of any kind.  They use metal detectors with no pretext of looking for metal.  Just throw your machete, chainsaw, etc., into the basket and it won't get a second look.  They just want to have an excuse to go through carry-on bags to search for liquids that might cut into their bottom line.

Tin Man Smuggling Alcohol on NCL Cruise

We found our room and moved in.  Our roll-aboards and the two of us filled all of the available space.  We awaited the arrival of our large suitcases and pondered where it would all go.  The room was a bit warm so we turned down the AC.  We noticed that the bathroom had a new safety feature in the shower.  It was designed so small that it was impossible to slip and fall down.  You might get wedged in but you won't fall.

Our Stateroom Was a Bit Crowded

An hour later our big bags arrived and we spent the next hour trying to stow our Hawaii clothes in drawers and on hangers and put our San Francisco clothes back in the luggage for under bed storage.

Stateroom Closet Ready for Hawaii

While all this was going on, we noticed that our room was still warm.  We would, after several phone calls, find out that the Maintenance section had scheduled this day to perform maintenance on the AC compressor that serviced our room and several adjoining rooms.  Opening the balcony door to allow the 78 degree breeze to enter would seem like an option until your realize that somewhere below your room they were pumping out the sewage holding tanks.  That wonderful aroma and the fact that the dock workers were constantly backing their fork lifts and assorted vehicles, each equipped with very loud screeching back-up alarms, quashed that idea.

Management eventually found out from Maintenance what was going on and assured us our AC would be working in a few hours.  It seems Maintenance does what it wants on its own schedule and never informs the Hotel Management side of their plans.  Lucky us.

Our Stateroom AC Was More Complicated Than We Thought

We toasted our luck with the bottle of wine Sue kindly had "gifted" us before our departure from Miami.  Eventually the AC came to life.  We set sail for Kahului, Maui.

Maui was originally called ʻIhikapalaumaewa, but I'm glad they changed it. Coffee, macadamia nuts, papaya, tropical flowers, sugar, pineapple and Maui Waui are the most successful crops.  Sugar and pineapple are no longer exported.  Figures on Maui Waui exports are hard to find but it can be assumed that it is doing well.  The population of Maui is reported at 144,444 people and one antichrist (see below).

At Zero-dark-thirty the alarm went off and we got ready for our day.  A quick breakfast and we were off the ship at 7:55 to meet our tour guide Damien.  This was the Road to Hana tour, billed as featuring a luxury motor coach with captain’s chairs and large clear picture windows.  The featured attraction however, was Damien, who bills himself as "The Local Boy" and regularly reassures you that you were very fortunate to have gotten him as your guide.  While he was knowledgeable in Hawaiian history, local folklore and in identifying plants and points of interest on our tour, it slowly became evident he had more in common with his movie namesake than most would have wanted.

Childhood Picture of Our Tour-guide, Damien

Damien, who had a very loud speaking voice amplified even more with the bus’s sound system, began by scolding an older couple for having the audacity to talk among themselves when he wanted to talk.  It should be known that Damien wanted to talk ALL the time.  When it came to the point in the tour for the touted beach stop at the “seven pools”, Damien tried his best to shame the four potential swimmers into cancelling that desire.  As Damien tried to explain, we were all "family.”  He went so far as to intimate that the water wasn't clean even though the pools were fed from the mountains and elsewhere he bragged that Hawaii had the world’s best water.  We think he wanted to get back early for that Bud Lite he kept talking about.  I think he may have actually been talking about "lighting up a bud", after all, we were in the capital of Maui Waui.

Road to Hana Waterfall

We decided to walk down to the Seven Pools and see the sights.  It was a "5 minute walk" to the pools.  That last part was in quotes because it happened several times on our trip.  Whenever you hear someone say those words just know they are liars.  Unintended liars but liars nonetheless.  There is no such thing as a "5 minute walk."  Maybe there used to be 5 minute walks when I was in my 20's, but now, not a chance.  I can't clear my own shadow in under five minutes anymore.  This five minute walk was to be no exception.  As it happened this trail was a loop.  Loops are nice because they always bring you back.  Loops are bad because you never know which way to "loop".

Note that 0.5 mi does not mean "5 min walk"

We started down a path (Kuloa Point Trail Loop) and came to the cutlery, otherwise known as the proverbial "fork in the road."  As Yogi Berra would say when you come to a fork in the road, take it.  We did, and it was the wrong utensil.  A park ranger on that path said we would be better taking the other route.  We doubled back and took the easier dirt path which was strewn with loose rocks and a wide variety of tree roots.  Sue doesn't remember if it was a rock or a root that tripped her, but down she went.  She didn't tear her pants but managed to bloody both knees.  Sue's new destination would be the bus where she could get some ice. 

Path now named Kuloa Path (Hawaiian for "Skinned Knees")

Swimming in the Seven Pools

Overall, this tour included beautiful scenery and a plethora of Hawaiian history.  On the negative side was the fact that the shortcut back from Hana was along a very bumpy unpaved road.  And don’t forget we also had the pleasure of Damien's company.

Sue and I at Overlook

Scene Along the Road to Hana

Scene Along the Road to Hana

After our late rather exhausting day on Sunday, we decided to relax on board the ship and enjoy the pleasure of our stateroom on our second day in Maui.  Maintenance had other plans.  Again, without notifying anyone, someone decided to shut down our air conditioning to do some more maintenance.  We complained enough that finally the Assistant Manager of Guest Services came to see the problem.  He experienced the hot room.  I demonstrated to his nostrils why the usual back up plan of opening the balcony door was not a good idea.  When you feed 2,100 people with all you can eat buffets, the resulting waste product being regularly pumped into trucks at dockside no longer had that wonderful buffet smell.

We toured the ship and took pictures while the AC was under repair.  Given that the average passenger was covered by Medicare, the trip around the pool reminded me of a California Raisin’s commercial.

Poolside on Pride of America

Poolside Aboard NCL's Pride of America

We decided to stop by the John Adams Coffee Bar that sells more liquor than coffee.  We glanced at the menu and spotted our new favorite drink, The Painkiller.  We had one for each of Sue's battered knees.

A Pair of Painkillers

Tomorrow, on to Hilo on the Big Island.