41 DAY SOUTH PACIFIC CROSSING AND NEW ZEALAND COLLECTOR
HOLLAND
OCT 12, 2025 TO NOV 23, 2025
Unfortunately this post will be pictureless because I have managed to lose ALL of my pictures from this trip. I know, I know … the only thing I can think is that we will have to got back again!
OCT 12
SEATTLE WASHINGTON
Thankfully, with the government shutdown, we didn’t encounter any hiccups on our flights from OKC to Seattle. We settled into our hotel (Embassy Suites) in time for happy hour and dinner. I made a note of the hotel in case we come back again. The next morning our shuttle to the pier was about half an hour late which worked to our advantage because from dropoff to walking on the ship took less than 20 minutes AND when we got on board our rooms were ready. We sailed at 4pm to just outside the breakwater, then spent the next 45 minutes with the ship turning around time and time again for the annual recalibration of the onboard compass. We have a priest on board so we went to mass at 5, then dinner at the Lido, did 2 sets of music at the Rolling Stone lounge and called it a night.
OCT 13
SEA DAY
Jeff did Tai Chi this morning. The seas are very rough and he said it was challenging. I went to a calligraphy class (apparently NOT my cup of tea), a water color class (too basic), and an origami class (yawn!).
OCT 14 – OCT 18
SEA DAY
The remainder of the sea days were lovely. I spent mornings by the pool and Jeff did Tai Chi everyday of the cruise with the exception of days where we had early excursions.
OCT 19
HONOLULU HAWAII (OVERNIGHT)
We’ve been to Honolulu multiple times. I can remember the first time that we were at Honolulu a couple of years ago. I couldn’t believe when I asked our table mates at dinner what they were going to do and they said they were going to take the free shuttle to the mall, or Target, or Ross. I was like – “You’re in Hawaii! Why would you do something you can do at home?” Now I understand, especially after our last trip where we nearly missed the ship because of traffic gridlock after dropping off our rental car – but that’s in a previous blog post! All this to say, we took the free shuttle to the mall! And from there we walked to Sam’s to load up on snack foods and Dr Pepper 😊 We made our first haul back to the ship to unload our goodies and then we missed the free shuttle (we watched it drive out of the pier area), and ended up taking the city bus back to the mall. This time we walked through the mall to check out the shops and eat in the food court.
OCT 20
HONOLULU HAWAII
AN EVENING AT THE POLYNESIAN CULTURAL CENTER
The Cultural Center was close to an hour bus drive as it is located on the north side of the island. The drive was nice and we took a route we hadn’t taken on the island in previous trips here. I was surprised to find out that the cultural center was run by the church of Latter Day Saints. They have a satellite campus for Brigham Young University and a lot of the students that attend the university here are from the Polynesian islands. They work at the Center to pay for their tuition. EVERYONE that worked there was AMAZING! They were knowledgeable, polite, helpful, outgoing … you get the picture. The grounds were PRISTINE.
The Center was divided up into different Polynesian areas – Hawai’i, Tahitia, Fiji, Tonga, Aotearoa (New Zealand), and Samoa. Each section put on their own cultural show presentations, had hands on activities, cultural exhibits and of course, shopping or food. At Tonga we watched a presentation called “Cultural Core Values and Nafa.” It involved audience participation with drums. They did a great job of picking three men from the audience who were then dressed up in grass skirts and had to drum and shout certain phrases – you had to be there – it was very entertaining!
At Tahiti we watched a traditional wedding ceremony and renewal of vows. Lots of drums and dancing with the narrator explaining what we were seeing and the meaning of the movements, sounds, and costumes.
We visited the Leaning Center next which had a working replica of a traditional Hawaiian double-hulled voyaging canoe. Canoe makes it sound small, but it was very large. This replica had actually been on the water and sailed. They explained the wood used and how ropes were made out of coconut husks.
At Fiji we walked through replicas of the Chief’s house and the meeting house.
Next we went to the Aotearoa (New Zealand) exhibit where we watched a Mau Rakaum or, Maori weapons demonstration. Remember, all of these demonstrations were conducted by the students. They were very experienced and capable in their abilities.
The most amusing cultural presentation was “The Tree of Life/Fire Knife” at Samoa. The narrator was a Polynesian artist who was very humorous and entertaining. He was assisted by 2 young men from the school. They started fire with sticks and coconut husk fibers. They showed how the coconut was used to weave mats and rugs, how to split open a coconut, drink the milk and harvest the coconut meat. After this presentation we went to the courtyard to watch 2 men race to the top of the coconut trees and a Fire Knife presentation.
Our final cultural presentation was at Aotearoa (New Zealand) where we watched Maori dancing and saw the war dance, the Hake, performed. Each of the young people that put on this demonstration pointed out the carvings on the inside of the meeting house that depicted their ancestors. They also told us what they were studying at school.
We wrapped up our visit with a very nice buffet dinner followed by an evening show called “Ha – The Breath of Life.” The brochure describes the show this way – “On a perilous night, in an unknown place, a child was born and breathes the breath of life. His named is Mana. He grows and learns the lifelong values from his family and community to prepare for manhood and a family of his own. As his own child is born Mana learns that HA, the breath of life, goes on forever.” This show was done without any dialogue from the actors, but a narration was given. It was one of the best performances I have EVER SEEN! If you get the opportunity to go to Honolulu I HIGHLY RECOMMEND not only the cultural center but the evening show was a DO NOT MISS! I was initially hesitant to book this because it was a 10 HOUR excursion. But the timing was perfect! I couldn’t imagine having less time here.
OCT 21
KAHULUI MAUI
MOLOKINI CRATER AND TURTLE SNORKEL
This excursion started with about a 30 minute bus ride to the boat that would take us to the crater. We had 2 busloads of people from the ship but it never felt crowded because we were on a huge catamaran. The seas were relatively calm this day so not only did we make good time getting to the crater, but the captain was able to take us along the back side of the crater. We had been on this excursion once before and the abundance of underwater life was amazing! HOWEVER, this time, especially since we had been here before, it was a TOTAL DISAPPOINTMENT. The coral looked horrible and there were VERY FEW FISH. The only highlight was seeing an eagle ray when we first got in the water.
Our second stop was for turtles. I was hesitant to get back in the water because I’ve swam with turtles before, but I did get in and glad that I did. The coral and fish at this location weren’t pristine by any stretch of the imagination, but we did see a turtle (woohoo) and the coral and fish were so much better than at the crater.
After our return to the pier we were walked to a small shopping area where we killed a half hour (the obligatory shopping stop on every excursion) before the busses returned to take us back to the ship.
OCT 22
NAWILIWILI KAUAI HAWAII
OCT 23 – 28
SEA DAY
Lots of sea days on this cruise. Jeff went back to his daily Tai Chi, I did the pool and we settled into our regular sea day routine – Tai Chi, breakfast, pool, lectures at the main stage, nap (yes, really! It’s tough doing nothing!), shower, dinner, after dinner music trivia, Rolling Stone Lounge and/or main stage show.
For the most part, the main stage shows, especially those involving the singers and dancers, were excellent. The shows with the comedians, magicians, vocalists, etc – ranged from excellent to ho-hum. At one point in the cruise we quit going because so many people were coughing – really bad! At some point in the cruise, it didn’t matter that we avoided the crowds, because I developed the dreaded cruise cough. I HATE COUGHING!
OCT 29
CROSS INTERNATIONAL DATELINE
And just like that – we totally skipped a day and our today became our yesterday 😉No worries, we’ll get it back!
OCT 29
APIA UPOLO SAMOA
MANU SINA BEACH
We took a very slow bus ride to the other side of the island to go to a beach that people reported on Viator as EXCELLENT snorkeling. The only thing I have to say is don’t believe everything you read online. The ride to the beach was scenic but when the highlight is a horse tied up on the side of the road … it was not very inspiring. We did stop at a scenic overlook to a waterfall and the gardens there were full of blooming tropical flowers. It was a lot of stairs walking down to the river but I took my time (recent medial meniscus surgery). My recent knee surgery is hampering my ability to navigate stairs or do a lot of walking. I’m wearing a brace but by the end of the day I’m feeling the strain on my knee. We had to cross a mountain ridge to get to the other side of the mountain and that brought a little rain, just enough to have to use the wipers. We enjoyed waving to the school kids that were walking to or from school. When tourism is a big part of your economy, and you don’t get very many cruise ships to your island, then you’re definitely viewed in a friendly way.
The snorkeling was mediocre at best. The fact that we were able to completely dry off before we returned to the bus was proof that we didn’t spend that much time in the water.
We were offered a lunch which consisted of coconut milk cooked fish, plaintains, and I’m not sure what else. It was pretty picked over by the time we got out of the water. We did find a few shells, an urchin shell, and some sea glass (aka broken beer bottles to Jeff).
OCT 30
SEA DAY
OCT 31
SAVUSAVU VANUA LEVI FIJI
TENDER
SNORKELING WITH COUSTEAU
Unfortunately, I’m trying to update this blog a year after the trip. Since I have no pictures to refer back to all I can say is I remember that this was a good excursion.
DRAVUNI ISLAND FIJI
TENDER
SNORKEL FROM BEACH (GO TO RIGHT)
This was a tender port that we were unable to tender into because of the wind. Bummer, because we had heard that the beach snorkeling was fantastic.
NOV 2
LAUTOKA FIJI
SAVALA ISLAND DAY CRUISE
Sorry, don’t remember any details from this.
NOV 3
SUVA VITI LEVU FIJI
A TROPICAL DELIGHT: PEARL SOUTH PACIFIC RESORT
Yeah right? A TROPICAL delight? It was definitely tropical …. was it a delight? NO! Even without pictures, this excursion was memorable enough to write about. It was sunny and humid when we left the ship. Then we crossed some imaginary boundary and it got overcast and windy. When we got to the resort it was sprinkling. When we got to an area to sit out and enjoy the tropical surroundings …. well, it absolutely opened up and didn’t let up until we crossed that imaginary boundary and the sun reappeared.
There was a nice lunch, an expensive, just so-so, tropical drink, and some interesting dancers who invited some of our fellow passengers to participate. It was entertaining and loud! After lunch and before we boarded the bus to return to port, the rain let up enough to allow us a nice walk along a deserted beach … everyone else was in the lobby waiting for the bus!
NOV 4
SEA DAY
NOV 5
MYSTERY ISLAND VANUATU
TENDER
MYSTERY ISLAND DRIFT SNORKEL AND BEACH
This was the absolute best snorkeling of the trip. They took us out to the reef in little skiffs where the hardest part was getting over the side and into the water. Once in the water we basically snorkeled our way back to shore. We didn’t see anything new but the water was clear the current wasn’t too bad and it was nice to be in the water. Once we were back on shore and had gathered our belongings we headed to the side of the island that the ship was anchored on. We still had plenty of time before we had to get back and rather than sitting in the sand we got our gear back on and headed back into the water. The snorkeling that we did on our own was the best snorkeling of the trip. We saw Clown fish in sea anemones and got some wonderful pictures.
NOV 6
SEA DAY
NOV 7
SEA DAY
NOV 8
SEA DAY
NOV 9
SYDNEY AUSTRAILIA
Do you remember our 15 mile trek in Amsterdam where Jeff said he had never walked that far in one day and I nearly killed him? Well, this turned out to be rinse and repeat …. oops! I didn’t find an excursion that interested me so instead I mapped out a route on goggle maps that included walking (in hindsight a LOT more than expected!) past the Opera House (which we sailed in past and docked right across from), then on to the waterfront garden (which was a 1000 acres … at least!), then on to a Catholic church which was having a morning service and EVERYONE was dressed to the nines, so we couldn’t get inside. Thru another park, a few steps into a mall which was built on a steep hill (not really feeling like retail therapy so we moved on), down to a waterfront harbor and into the aquarium. The aquarium had a huge multi level tank and we walked up and down ramps to each level – probably 4 stories high. Even though we do spend a lot of time in the water on our trips we do enjoy going to the local aquariums.
We stopped at a small convenience store and got a few snacks to energize our trip back to the ship. On the way we found a grocery store and loaded up on Jeff snacks, but alas NO Dr Pepper. On the walk back to the ship I was thankful that there were roadside benches all along the street we were on. My knee was killing me! I had to stop and sit down about every other block.
When we got close to the ship area, the promenade was packed with people. They had something going on at the park next to the ship dock with lots of vendors and I swear everyone that wasn’t working was there … with their kids … and their dogs. It was a nice spring day in Austrailia and I think everyone was outside on this gorgeous day.
NOV 10
SEA DAY
NOV 11
MELBOURNE AUSTRALIA
WILDLIFE AND WINERIES
No wildlife to see but did have wine tasting ….
NOV 12
SEA DAY
NOV 13
HOBART TASMANIA AUSTRALIA
We missed this scheduled stop because the wind was too strong for us to be able to 1) safely dock, and 2) be able to move away from the dock when it was time to leave.
NOV 14
SEA DAY
NOV 15
SEA DAY
NOV 16
MILFORD SOUND NEW ZEALAND
CRUISING FIORDLAND NATTONAL PARK
TRUST ME …. This scenery was absolutely amazing …no pictures 🙁 . We had a naturalist on board that told lots of interesting facts and stories of the largely uninhabited area.
NOV 17
PORT CHALMERS (DUNEDIN) NEW ZEALAND
TAIARI GORGE TRAIN
A train ride with gorgeous country scenery. When we reached the end of the line we had about a 15 minute potty stop while they … turned the train around!
NOV 18
LYTTELTON (CHRISTCHURCH) NEW ZEALAND
MOUNTAINEER TRAIN
NOV 19
PICTON NEW ZEALAND
LOCHMARA WILDLIFE AND UNDERWATER
This was a resort with some wildlife and an underwater exhibit plus a touch tank with sea stars, star fish, and sea slugs. In my opinion, overpriced and over hyped.
NOV 20
WELLINGTON NEW ZEALAND
TE PAPA & ZEALANDIA ECO EXPERIENCE
Very interesting location with geysers and a “dark” exhibit where we finally got to see the Kiwi. No photos allowed (I would have only lost them!) and had to be totally quiet. When I say it was dark … it was like being in a cavern when they turn the lights off …. you couldn’t see walls! The exhibit was in red light so you could see the Kiwi walking around but I guess they couldn’t see us. They are bigger than I imagined … about the size of a football. I can see why they are nearly extinct … they are flightless, nocturnal and literally sitting ducks for predators. Once we finished with the Kiwi, and the outside tour of the geysers, we were led through a “school” where they teach the locals crafts and can be certified to sell their goods. The students have to apply and be accepted and apparently it is very competitive. This included wood carvings, weaving, basket making …. all had students working and we were provided with an explanation and demonstration from the students.
NOV 21
NAPIER NEW ZEALAND
It was pouring rain here and while we didn’t have any ship excursions planned, what I did have planned required a fairly long walk to an aquarium. Given the rain, and my overworked knee, we decided to stay on board today.
NOV 22
TAURANGA (ROTORUA) NEW ZEALAND
TE PUIA GEYSER AND MAORI ARTS
NOV 23
AUCKLAND NEW ZEALAND
DEBARKATION TOUR: CITY TOUR AND AIRPORT DROP OFF
We did the tour and planned on catching a cab from the airport to our hotel because our flight wasn’t until the next day. I asked the bus driver for directions to the taxi stand and she asked where we were going. She said she was dropping someone else off at another hotel and told us to put our bags back on the bus. When we got to the hotel our rooms weren’t ready because they were having a cosplay convention. I have never seen so many animal costumes in one place. We just sat out by the pool and watched them until our room was ready. Once we got to our room I realized that I didn’t even think to bring our electrical converters. So that necessitated a trek to a local store to purchase some converters. Apparently they are used to it because they had them in stock and another couple that was staying at our same hotel followed right along behind us for the same thing.
NOV 24
AUCKLAND TO DFW TO OKC
Our FIRST business class flight! I think, that if you have to travel 15 hours non-stop, that you should be able to lay down and sleep. It was awesome. The crew was awesome, the meals were awesome and it was amazing how fast 15 hours went by.
HOME SWEET HOME!
Ta Ta …. Until our next adventure ……