Highlights and Summary
During our trip of a lifetime, our ship, the Island Princess, visited 42 ports, 23 countries, Hawaii and American Samoa. Seven port visits were canceled during the cruise (Nicaragua; Picton, Wellington, and New Plymouth in New Zealand because of a cyclone; Darwin, Australia because of rough seas; and Slovenia and Croatia for unknown reasons), and three before the cruise (Venice, Italy and Bora Bora).
We traveled almost 40,000 nautical miles in our 111 days, traversing the Caribbean, the Pacific Ocean, the Indian Ocean and the Atlantic Ocean. We also crossed through many seas, such as the Tasman, Arabian, Adriatic, Red Sea, Mediterranean, Adaman, and the Coral Sea. We crossed the Equator and the International Date Line. We went through the Panama Canal old locks and the Suez Canal.
Following is a brief summary of the images and experiences that come to mind or stand out the most when we remember each place we visited.
Cartagena Columbia, January 8
The calls of tropical birds, bright sun over a sparkling, blinding white city; searing hot, heavy humidity. (Brief port of call — we did not enter the city.)
Panama Canal, January 9
Mechanical “mules” moving the ship through the Old Locks; modern bridges; wide Gatun Lake with its mangrove forests; heat and cloying humidity, relieved by rain moving in from the mountains.
Puntarenas, Costa Rica, January 11
Massive pale crocodiles on the river bank that had black sand sparkling like diamonds; exotic birds, such as tiger herons, scarlet macaws, kingfishers, and frigate birds; huge iguanas napping in the trees. A third world country highly focused on conservation of their ecosystems as they build toward the future.
Huatulco, Mexico, January 14
One of our favorite stops, this newest resort on the Pacific Riviera has coral reefs, ecological reserves, crystal waters, colorful flowers, a lovely village with open markets, and delicious fresh caught fish you can pick out yourself, to be cooked your favorite way. Shops are more expensive than expected.
Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, January 16
Green mountains, frigate birds, bustling coastal city, very clean. Walking along the oceanfront on the Malecón with lovely statues, crashing surf, shops and restaurants, native feathered dancers, and acrobats twirling high in the air while playing instruments.
Los Angeles, California, January 19
A long wait in confusing lines through the (required for everyone on the ship) customs process. The quiet town of San Pedro with statues and monuments honoring fishermen, military and the maritime trades.
Honolulu, Hawaii, January 24
Lush green mountains, Diamond Head looming over the crowded and busy city; roosters and chickens roaming everywhere. The stunning Bishop Museum, featuring the cultures and history of the Hawaiian Islands and all of Oceania. Great little hidden gem — an Indian Restaurant where the locals eat. Homeless people camped outside Iolani Palace.
Kauai, Hawaii, January 25
So lovely, it can bring tears to your eyes. Stunning scenery around spectacular beach front resorts, surfers, koi ponds, lush green mountains (just as dramatic as shown in the Jurassic Park movies); rivers meandering through high forested cliffs; the Fern Grotto with invasive but lovely Madagascar geckos; stunning waterfalls; chickens and roosters everywhere; birthing stones and sacred ruins.
Papeete, Tahiti, French Polynesia, January 31
Verdant cliffs towering over sailboats in the harbor; a busy town; rainy season (intermittent showers); blooming red hibiscus trees scattered throughout the mountains. Vanilla and black pearls.
Mo’orea, French Polynesia, February 1
Rugged, breathtaking, heavenly beauty rivaling Kauai. Coral reefs in bright turquoise waters. Black pearls, colorful sarongs, pineapple plantations, vanilla plants, guava, papaya. Wild interior, panoramic views, lush wet vegetation, bright sun, breezy.
Pago Pago, American Samoa, February 4
Dense rain forests on craggy mountains. Beautiful, friendly people who greet all visitors with a wave and a big smile. Crashing surf, black rocks, dogs wandering everywhere, the acrid odor of open fires. Warm trade winds. Open pavilion guest houses and family crypts in front of homes. The bus almost backing off a steep, wet cliff. Samoan Village with dancers and demonstrations of shaving coconut meat and native cooking methods. Tsunami damage and memorials.
February 6 — Crossing the International Dateline
Partying and celebrations around the upper decks to "haze" first-timers (Polywogs) and induct us as "Shellbacks."
Bay of Islands, New Zealand, February 9
Gorgeous islands in a pristine sparkling bay, cool weather, frequent earthquakes. Orange and persimmon groves and kiwi vineyards. Keri Keri Mission Station, high tea, New Zealand wine, Waitangi Treaty Grounds, and emerging ourselves into the Maori culture.
Auckland, New Zealand, February 10
Sara and Madison meeting us in this sleek, gorgeous, fascinating, immaculate, stunning city, with a blend of the old and ultra modern. The Maritime Museum. Sailing on the ship, Ted Ashby. Sky Tower. The high end shopping district. Known as “city of volcanoes,” its name means “desired by many” because of its abundance of resources and strategic location.
Tauranga, New Zealand, February 11
A tourist town that was one of our favorite stops, where Sara and Madison met us and we walked along the beach sidewalk looking at sailboats in the harbor. Ate outside at a lovely restaurant, and then walked out to a high scenic overlook over the water. Dominated by Mt. Maunganui and Mt. Drury, which are the evacuation zones for tsunamis. The views are breathtaking and the breezes heavenly. We loved walking through this lovely town filled with shops, restaurants, and lovely parks on a Saturday, watching families enjoy activities such as a crafts and car show, races, and games.
Melbourne, Australia, February 16
A glistening ultramodern city, with old Australian shotgun houses squeezed in between gleaming new buildings. Filled with rose gardens, trees, and lovely parks. The Skydeck. The pretty Yarro River running through the city. Unusual bird species, flowers everywhere. Hot, bright sun.
Sydney, Australia, February 18
Ranking high among our favorites, lively Sydney is one of the most lovely cities and harbors in the world. Trees and gardens, frangipani everywhere, palm trees, huge banyans. Old buildings preserved by the Heritage Law. Eclectic, historic, and ultramodern. Barangaroo and The Rocks districts for crafts, shops, food served outdoors, and breweries. An indoor zoo. A thunderstorm shook the night, and then fireworks exploded over the Sydney Opera House with lightning sparkling in the distance. The city came alive with waterside music and dining, and brightly lit yachts traversing the bay, with gourmet dining and partying passengers.
Tangaloma, Moreton Island, Australia, February 20
A sheltered beach resort on a sand island with massive towering dunes. Rainy day. Blue tongued lizards and bearded dragons, curlews and cormorants. Beer, live music and watching the band members break dancing at a resort bar.
Airlie Beach, February 22
Fog and drenching rain. Multi-million dollar homes hugging the hills and shore on this resort island. We took the water shuttle to shore and back, but did not explore the resorts.
Cairns, Australia, February 23
One of our favorite stops, because it is surrounded by the oldest rain forest on earth blanketing the mountains, which are the natural habitat of the huge, flightless Cassowary bird. Cairns is the Gateway to the Great Barrier Reef. The calls of various exotic birds as we walked along the waterfront esplanade and a man made lagoon. Deadly box jellyfish, stingrays, and sharp, slicing coral. Kuranda Village in the mountains, with shops, blue opals, and the best strawberry gelato. Scenic Railway traveling through the rain forest back to Cairns, with panoramic views, waterfalls, tunnels, and towering cliffs.
Komodo Island, Indonesia, March 2
Probably the most titillatingly dangerous place we visited. Hot, humid, with prehistoric looking, verdant mountains. A no man’s land — rugged, primitive, mysterious. At the end of our rigorous, hilly two hour walking tour, where we saw the dragons feeding, we entered the gauntlet of tented shops. As we were taking photos of children playing outside, adults started running and grabbing up their children. We turned to see an enormous Komodo Dragon lumbering toward us. Local villagers used forked sticks, tapping the ground, to redirect the dragon toward the beach. People live in stilt homes, because although the younger dragons can climb trees, they cannot climb ladders or steps.
Singapore, March 5
The Lion City, represented by the Merlion. Glistening, modern, ultra clean, dense city with a massive harbor — ships all around us as far as the eye can see. Trees, gardens, and flowers everywhere, with the biggest frangipani trees we have ever see. Soaking rain throughout the day. The panoramic views from Mt. Faber. The stunning National Orchid Garden. China Town. Twenty-two percent of the land reclaimed from the sea. The incredible multicultural show afterwards on the ship featuring Malay, Chinese, and Indian dancers. Definitely a place where we would love to return.
Penang, Malaysia, March 7
Butterfly farm and gardens, where we saw Oriental Water Dragons. The Batik Factory. Historic Georgetown. Industrialized, emerging economy. Friendly, happy people. Hills filled with durian trees, lychee, mangosteen, rambutan, betel nut trees, nutmeg, cloves, cinnamon.
Phuket, Thailand, March 8
Tall, rugged rainforest mountains and crystalline waters. Elaborate Buddhist temples. Hundreds of open air markets and shops, tight against each other, lining the roads. Coils and tangles of power lines. China Town with its golden dragon fountain. Dramatic high and low tides. Upscale beach resorts. Extraordinary rock formations in the harbors.
Colombo, Sri Lanka, March 11
We regretfully missed Sri Lanka because of illness. Our friend Joan disembarked and flew with a tour group to India, where she stayed at upscale hotels and visited the fabulous Taj Mahal. Her group rejoined our cruise in Dubai.
Dubai, United Arab Emirates, March 16-17
Modern, opulent, over-the-top architecture, immaculate. Loved the Al Bastakiya district the most — old, well preserved, on a lovely river. Hectic, busy, overwhelming Gold Souk, which is next to the Silver and Spice Souks. The city lights at night are magical, but the Dubai is very quiet, almost as if no one actually lives there.
Muscat, Oman, March 18
One of our favorite small town ports, sheltered by craggy, rugged, stark oceanic crust mountains that arose from the earth’s mantle. The huge Portuguese Mutrah Fort and round cannon turrets scattered throughout the hills and harbor. Walking along the pristinely lovely waterfront walkway, viewing the art, blooming Rose of Sharon bushes, and colorful bougainvillea vines. Exploring the old town Arabian Quarter, with its crowded markets, was better than the Dubai Gold Souk. The round, embroidered Omani Kufi prayer caps worn by the men. The soft smile of a teenager as the breeze lifted her veil.
Aqaba, Jordan, March 24
Extremely rocky, dry terrain, with Acacia trees. Beduoin tribes tending herds of goats and sheep. Incredible panoramic mountains and valleys that rival the Grand Canyon. The extraordinary, not to be missed Lost City of Petra, teeming with crowds of people, golf carts, horses, camels and mules.
Suez Canal, March 26
Nervous being so close to Sudan and Saudi Arabia as we passed through the Red Sea to the Suez Canal to reach the Mediterranean. Floating through Egypt and its deserts. Oasis towns lush and thick with palms at intervals throughout the journey. The massive rebuild of Cairo on the opposite side of the canal, where no one lives.
Jerusalem and Bethlehem, Israel, March 27
Surprisingly green and forested. Elvis Presley Diner. Mt. Olives with panoramic views. The Old Jewish Quarter and the moving, transcendental experience of visiting the Wailing Wall. Via Dolorosa, the Way of Suffering, traversing through the packed, frenetic Arab Bazaar. El Aqsa Mosque and the Dome of the Rock. Crowded, uneven, rocky walkways. Church of the Holy Sepulcher. In Bethlehem, the Church of the Nativity. In no place we visited, was the age-old division of religions more poignant.
Kusadasi, Turkey, March 29
The Ephesus Ruins were different, but just as spectacular as Petra. The best tour so far, it included the Basilica of St. John, a Byzantine fortress, the Temple of Artemis, Hadrian’s Temple, the Virgin Mary’s home, Terrace houses with mosaics and frescoes, and fabulous food, wine and beer served outside along the walkway where Anthony and Cleopatra once walked on a red carpet unfurled just for them. Lovely, walkable port town of Kusadasi, with great shopping and restaurants. Waves crashing on the rocks at the base of a lighthouse, and a lovely fort on an island with a land bridge to it. Demonstrations of rug weaving, and how silkworms are harvested from mulberry trees.
Gythion, Greece, March 30
One of our top five favorite small port towns that we visited. Snow capped, stunning mountains; perfect weather; walking along the waterfront, viewing shops and restaurants; watching children play in a schoolyard; octopus hanging in the sun to dry; gyros; excellent wine; olive trees in the square; renovations going on throughout the town, modernizing it, yet preserving the flavor and history of the town.
Ravenna, Italy, April 1-2
Industrial and marshy with fishing huts along the way to the city. Forts, mosaics, cathedrals. Walked past chic shops to the phenomenal historic courtyard with a market that was a feast for the eyes and nose — sausages, cheeses, breads, olives. Enjoying an outdoor cafe with outstanding white wine, luscious and silky lasagna, light as air tiramisu. Topping it all off with incredible gelato.
Kotor, Montenegro, April 5
Towering, rugged gray mountains on the stunning bay, an inlet to the Adriatic Sea. Cold and windy weather, shellfish farms, wisteria, orange trees. Our Lady of the Rocks church out in the bay. Bulwarks surrounding the Medieval Old Town, full of shops and restaurants. The most incredibly scenic sail away views on the entire world cruise.
Valletta, Malta, April 7
One of our top five favorite ports. Stunning views from Old Valletta, inside a massive seaside fortress from 1530. Blooming peach and redbud trees, vineyards, wildflowers, orange and palm trees. The ancient city of Mdina. The Mosta Church with its bomb shelter. The Catacombs. The Fish Market along the water.
Sicily/Catania, Italy, April 8
Mt. Etna. Rugged coastline. A massive fort on the shore. Ancient, crumbly historic buildings, many darkened from volcanic ash. Orange trees and wisteria. Anfiteatro Romano Colosseum. Piazzo del Duomo walkway lined with lovely shops and restaurants. La Elephant Fountain. Enjoying the city’s classic Pasta al Norma at an outdoor cafe.
Naples and Pompeii, Italy, April 9
Magnificent Pompeii — the sophistication of this incredible city’s structures and way of life. Stone speed bumps to slow down carriages; mosaics and frescoes still on the walls and floors; massive Mt. Vesuvius towering over the ruins. Pompeii was exceptionally crowded on Easter, but it was definitely one of the best tours on our cruise. Cameo carving factory and shop. A huge fort in the city of Naples. Naples was crowded and filthy with trash. Terrifying traffic, making it a dash for your life to cross the streets.
Rome, Italy, April 10
Civitavecchia — lovely, with old forts and ancient walls. A train ride through gorgeous countryside along the coast to Rome. St. Peter’s Basilica Square, Castle S. Angelo, the Colosseum, numerous ancient ruins. Extensive amounts of trash and graffiti; homeless people sleeping on mattresses on sidewalks outside high end shopping mall. The best part was sitting at a sidewalk cafe, sipping wine, enjoying class Italian soup and meatballs, while soaking in the significance of visiting one of the most glorious cities in the world.
Nice, Monaco and Villefranche, France, April 11
The Riviera — chilly, but sunny. Flowering trees; full orange and lemon trees on city sidewalks; gardens; the sparkling Mediterranean. Nice was lovely with its ancient walls. The cornice roads that wind around the mountains have stunning views. Rich and opulent Monaco (heavy traffic) -- the Grand Casino, Gran Prix, and Old Town, with its winding narrow streets joined by arched covered alleys and panoramic views of Monaco. Villefrance, with its towering ancient walls, brightly painted houses, lovely fishing harbor, and Citadel from 1560.
Marseille, France, April 12
A French Riviera beauty with forts and palaces. Neo-Byzantine Notre-Dame de la Gard with its many sets of steps and panoramic views, marble, mosaics, and murals. Heavy traffic that resulted in our missing key sites on the tour.
Barcelona, Spain, April 13
Perhaps our favorite big city on the entire cruise. Artsy, quirky, immaculately clean. Las Rambles, the magical wide walkway through the heart of the city near the port, with its shops, massive food market, restaurants and amazing Snickers gelato. (Huge discrepancies in pricing throughout the city in every shop.). Gaudi’s architecture — Casa Batto, Casa Mila, and the incredible and fascinating La Sagrada Familia Cathedral, with the kaleidoscope effect on the walls and ceilings from the stained windows. There is so much to see in Barcelona, we definitely would love to return some day.
Malaga, Spain, April 15
Like every city and town we visited in Spain, Malaga was immaculate. The architecture was lovely, and lush gardens were everywhere. Roses blooming, trees flowering, palms, banyans, hibiscus trees. Flocks of noisy green parrots. Lovely lighthouse. Horse and carriage ride for only 10 Euros each. Huge Alcazaba fortress and magnificent cathedrals. Delicious Sangria. The show afterwards on the ship, featuring unique handmade instruments from around the world.
Casablanca, Morocco, April 16
White and purple wisteria, fountains. Lovely garden homes near the beach. Massive Hassan II Mosque beside the sea. Storm damage along the beaches; intense crashing surf, unsafe for swimmers. Mix of the ancient with the modern and sleek — a clean city in transition. Habous Quarter in old French Style, with high walls surrounding private courtyards, and massive doors with huge decorative nailheads.
Lanzarote, Canary Islands, Spain, April 18
An island made up of 300 dormant, stark, bare brown volcanoes. A lovely town built around a lagoon. Perfect weather. Shops and sidewalk cafes along the Calle Leon y Castillo. Immaculately clean. The best Sangria.
La Palma, Canary Islands, Spain, April 19
Dramatic rugged mountains, stunning landscape. Volcanically active (2021, eruption lasted 85 days). Strong trade winds — warm and breezy. Immaculately clean streets and shops. Bananas, honey rum, mosaics, handmade cigars, stargazing at night. Very walkable from the marina.
Magnificent Last Night at Sea, April 26
Throughout the cruise, Cliff was hoping to witness some lightning storms and rain squalls far out at sea, like he used to experience in the Navy. Although we had some rain, we never went through any dramatic storms at sea. However, on our last night on the Atlantic, miles off the coast of Florida, we witnessed not far from our ship a massive storm with intense lightning, lasting for hours. Our ship and another cruise ship just to the southwest of us slowed down almost to a stop to avoid entering the violent storm as it moved south. Lightning repeatedly struck the water in the same locations (I counted 16 strikes that seemed to be in the same spot), with some of the bolts flashing as long as six full seconds. We watched from the balcony a show more fantastic than Fourth of July Fireworks and laser shows. It was a truly fabulous and a memorable welcome back to Florida!
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