SOUTH PACIFIC CRUISE: SAN DIEGO TO THE BIG ISLAND AND MAUI, HAWAII

Jim and I wintered in Tucson this year, with no further travels plans except for coming back home to the Northwest for the spring and summer.  However, when we received an email from "Travel with Alan" (http://www.travelwithalan.com/) describing a 35 night cruise to the South Pacific leaving in 6 weeks, we discussed it for about 5 minutes and then jumped on it.  One of the really great things about this cruise was that it involved only one 2 hour flight, from Seattle to San Diego, and the ship returned to Seattle at the end of the voyage.  Another really appealing thing was the amount of days at sea.

San Diego Harbor

We left San Diego on April 14th and then had 5 full days at sea before our first landfall on the Big Island of Hawaii, at Hilo.  Hilo is one of our favorite Hawaiian places as it evokes the laid back-ness of yesteryear Hawaii.  We headed straight for the Farmer's Market which has a mixture of local produce and crafts.  We were so excited to find a bag of papayas for $2 and also bunches of these anthurium flowers for a little bit of nothing.  We bought 3 bunches of flowers and they lasted for nearly our whole cruise! 

Hilo Farmer's Market

 When you have a lot of sea days you develop a daily routine which sometimes makes you almost resent the ports of call.  After the first morning of breakfast in the cafeteria, we had breakfast in our room everyday via "in-room dining," a complimentary service.  We enjoyed our delicious Hilo papayas for many days with our morning yogurt.  We were fortunate on our cruise to have a ton of daily activities and events.  I attended cooking classes done by "Chef Michael," an impressive Toronto native with a slight Caribbean accent, with my new-found friend Theda.  Theda is an 87-year-old pistol from Sacramento who was our table mate at dinner along with John and Cathy from Portland, OR.  We five hit it off and had a grand time together.

Theda and Jim on formal night

John and Cathy on formal night

 My other favorite activity aboard ship was attending all the art auctions and lectures.  This is a great way to learn about art, drink champagne and win raffles.   And yes, I won three raffles, including free art and several spa treatments.  Not bad!

The morning after Hilo we anchored off Lahaina, Maui (no harbor) and were tendered ashore.  Jim and I rented a car so we could head to the other side of the island and meet our friends and former neighbors from Santa Rosa, Mark and Teresa, for lunch at Mama's Fish House.  If you have never been to Mama's you have a treat in store!  It is ridiculously priced but really, really good.  You have a personal relationship with the fish you are eating.  Check out the menu descriptions:

Mama's Fish House Menu, Maui

Yes, they have wonderful umbrella drinks

Teresa

Mark

Three Fish Sashimi with different colored salts

Coconut Prawns

Ehu or Pink Snapper, with Hana Ginger

And of course, the dessert we have been talking about for years since the last time we had it, The Black Pearl, (passion fruit chocolate mousse in a pastry shell).

Part of the Mama's mystique is the decor

Ginger

Teresa with the Heliconia

as well as the setting!

Teresa and me

Jim and Mark

 And then there were turtles down the beach...

 ...a truly magical day with special people.  We were so lucky that our friends were vacationing the very week we were visiting Maui.

Next, Oahu's Hidden Wonders

Audrey