Hawaiian Cruise 2009; Day 2, 19 Sept.

Today was our first full day on board. Since we are still in northern waters, the weather is still cool at this time of year. It will take another couple of days to get into the warmer water and air. Consequently, we spent the morning at the indoor Solarium pool rather than the main pool which is open air. The wave action is fun and being able to float vertically is a terrific experience.

We attended one of the many art auctions and presentations by Park West Galleries today. Anyone familiar with cruising will know that art auctions are an entertaining and educational experience on most cruises. Today was no exception and we enjoyed the lecture about art collecting. The auctioneer's catch line was, "If you don't own a Peter Max; get one." Max is well known, especially for his Liberty series which features the American flag and the statue of liberty in bold colours.

After the auction, Kimo and the Spirit of Polynesia were performing in the Centrum. As always, they were amazing and the dancers were beautiful and performed several authentic Hawaiian and Tahitian dances.

Supper in the Edelweiss Dining Room was formal this evening as the first day at sea is when the captain hosts the Welcome Aboard Reception. Our captain for this cruise is Capt. Rick Sullivan, a Canadian. We learned a little bit about him and were introduced to the other senior officers and department heads. Throughout the reception, we were treated to free champagne and hors d'oeuvres. They certainly know how to make you feel welcome.


The recption was followed by the show at the Broadway Melodies Theatre, featuring pianist, Craig Dahn. His performance was energetic and very entertaining, featuring music ranging from the classics to Rock 'n' Roll. More information about this artist and even a 5 minute show are available at http://www.craigdahn.com/ .