Hawaii & French Polynesia 2026

We were supposed to visit Tabuaeran today, and were so close to doing that we could see individual trees, but it was not to be. At 0800, when the captain, instead of the cruise director, started an announcement on the PA system, Pam & I knew bad news was coming. Sure enough,  a strong wind and a rip current through the lagoon opening led the captain to determine that conditions were unsafe for tendering passengers ashore.  Pam & I had looked forward to revisiting the island, while at the same time having some reservations about doing so. Specifically, we were worried about how much had changed since our visit in 2012. It has been such a unique experience for us. Would change, or even a sameness, be a letdown?  2012 was only my second year of blogging about trips. Presumably, I have gotten better at it since then, or at least the technology gives my blogs that appearance.  If you want to read about our visit over a decade ago, click here . View through the sh...

Originally, this would have been the first sea day of a three-day passage, but skipping Tabuaeran added a day at sea, making this the second sea day. We are now on the south side of the Equator.  During the day, Nieuw Amsterdam crossed the International Date Line (IDL) back into the western hemisphere. Since we were already into today, March 1st, tomorrow will also be March 1st.  Since we crossed the Equator, there was a ceremony for any crew member who had never been in the southern hemisphere - a "pollywog." They must be tried and deemed worthy to enter the waters of the southern hemisphere. The "court" is composed of a judge and a jury - Neptune, Salacia, and several senior ship's officers. picture taken by Pam The pollywogs come forward in groups. The verdict is inevitable. They have offended Neptune and must be cleansed. picture taken by Pam The first part of the sentence requires the kissing of a large fish.  Next, the 'medical team' welcomes each...

It is the first day of fall. What!? (What a great opportunity to use an interrobang for punctuation.) Meteorological seasons change on the first day of the month, whereas astronomical seasons change in the middle of the same month. Fall is based on being in the southern hemisphere.  Happy first day of meteorological spring to those in the northern hemisphere. ---------- Throughout the day,  Nieuw Amsterdam  held a course of about 160°, running into brief tropical rain showers. The wind had dropped since yesterday, so it was easier to walk on deck #10, which Pam and I prefer. There is a promenade deck (#3) on the ship where passengers can walk under cover, but we like the openness of the upper deck. We stuck with our rigid sea day routine of getting up too late, eating too much, exercising too little, and doing as little as possible that had any redeeming social significance. It was a struggle, but we succeeded. ---------- Let's talk geography. We crossed the Equator yeste...

Looking out our window, this is the first thing we saw this morning. Happy Birthday, Elizabeth!  Today began by getting up at 2:50 AM. It was literally a case of if I snoozed, I loosed.  ( Who knew that "loosed" is the past tense and past participle of the verb "loose?" I didn't, but let's move on.) Edgartown is one of the Massachusetts islands south of Cape Cod. Edgartown Harbor is an extremely popular boating destination during the summer. Usually, you need a mooring reservation. Usually becomes absolutely for the 4th of July and for Labor Day Weekend. Mooring reservations open at 8:00 AM Eastern Standard Time on Monday, March 02. Every year, within minutes, moorings for the 4th of July are gone. Soon thereafter,  so are the ones for Labor Day Weekend. Pam and I have other plans for the 4th of July, but we did want the option of joining friends there on Labor Day Weekend, so there I was, up and online by 3:00 ship's time.  Since I was up, did I stay up...

After four days with no land in sight, at sunrise, through low clouds and some heavy rain showers, we could see the island of Taha'a. Our destination was Uturoa on the island of Raiatea, in the Society Islands of French Polynesia, for a two-day port call. Nieuw Amsterdam approached Uturoa from the west, working her way through an opening in the barrier reef, then along the channel with Taha'a on the port (left) side.  After a couple of tight turns in the channel between Taha'a and Raiatea, the ship anchored at the northern tip of Raiatea. Pam and I were up to watch the ship come through the barrier reef and work her way to Raiatea. Having not yet applied sunscreen, we kept reminding ourselves to stay in the shade because, even when low in the sky, at this latitude, the sun can singe you. The chart on my phone showed a deep channel, but with no allowance for even a single deviation from it. The itinerary said the ship would dock, but a few days ago the captain announced that...

There was no leisurely start to today. We need to be ready to go at 7:45. We were on a tender at 8:15 and at the pier rendezvousing with our guide at 8:30. ---------- Today's Tour: Land & Sea of Taha'a Board a  boat  and glide over the tranquil lagoon toward Raiatea's sister island -- Taha'a. An ancient legend says that Raiatea and Taha'a were originally one island until an enraged creature broke through the surface of the earth, splitting the island in two to create Raiatea and Taha'a. Upon arrival on  Taha'a , board a  4-wheel-drive vehicle  and head to the valleys and mountains inland. Your guide will point out sights along the way. You'll stop at a beautiful viewpoint and learn about the traditional uses of local plants and trees. Sample local fruits and learn some tamure, a typical Tahitian dance. The island of Taha'a is often called "the Vanilla Island," and you will learn about this fragrant spice while visiting a small family-ow...