Maui wedding of your

Maui Wedding Association - Maui, Hawaii - Maui Wedding Association - Wedding Professionals Coordinators/Planners Photographers Videographers Site Providers Travel and Lodging Music and Entertainment Catering/ Cakes Florists Limousines/ Transportation Marriage License Agents Ministers and Officiate Publications Rental Equipment Specialty Products and Services Beauty and Spa Bridal Gowns and Formal Wear Home Request a Wedding Planner Request Information International Listings -- Selected Videos -- Photo Credits Aloha! Thank you for taking the time to visit our website. On the following pages, you will find a variety of vendors all with information to assist you in planning the Maui wedding of your dreams. Our members are devoted to excellence in service. Please take your time going through all the different services and see why Maui is "No Ka Oi" The Best place to be married. "The mission of The Maui Wedding Association is to bring together businesses, to promote the advancement of the Maui wedding industry, to offer opportunities for professional growth through education and the sharing of ideas, and to foster a caring attitude and Aloha spirit among members in dealings with the community, with clients, and with each other." E Komo Mai (Welcome) to Maui! The Maui Wedding Association Board of Directors, 2005-2006: Larry Mischle Cece Scoppettone Tad Craig Billy Arbour Maui Visitors Bureau | Join Maui Wedding Association | Privacy Policy © 2003-2006 Maui Wedding Association Maui, Hawaii, USA

Hawaiian History Calendar for

Hawaiian Historical Society New HHS Publications Ka Mooolelo Hawaii The History of Hawaii Hawaiian Journal of History, Volume 39 Hawaiian History Calendar for 2006 About HHS HHS Library Publications Reference History Moments Historic Register Links Site Map Search The first Hawaiian Historical Society Pa‘a Mo‘olelo Award has been presented to Esther T. Mookini. Click here to read more about the award and its first recipient. Welcome Welcome to the on-line service of the Hawaiian Historical Society . Founded in 1892, the Society is dedicated to preserving historical materials relating to Hawai‘i and the Pacific region and to publishing scholarly research on Hawaiian and Pacific history. In addition, the Society presents lectures and other programs, free to the public, on various aspects of Hawaiian history. The Library of the Hawaiian Historical Society provides a research collection of printed and manuscript material for use by scholars, historians, history buffs, serious students, Society members, and others in the community interested in the history of Hawai‘i and the Pacific Island area. The Hawaiian Historical Society is widely known through its publications , which include a Papers series published between 1892 and 1940, Annual Reports, The Hawaiian Journal of History, and books emphasizing original sources. Hawaii History Moments are short descriptive essays on various topics from Hawai‘i’s colorful history, originally written as texts for a series of radio broadcasts. The Hawaiian Historical Society Web Reference Collection contains a convenient assortment of bibliographies, lists, and other guides useful in researching Hawai‘i’s past. This selective list of links to other sites on the World Wide Web provides pointers to material of particular interest to historians. Use this link to search the entire Hawaiian Historical Society Web site for topics of interest. Dedicated to collecting and preserving historical materials related to Hawai‘i.

Maui Windsurfing

Maui's windsurfing shops Maui's Windsurfing Shops Candy.. .It's all sweet, but it's a question of flavor. There is no place on earth with the selection and service as the windsurfing shops of Maui. Highly competitive, and eager to help you have fun, Maui's shops are stocked with the latest and greatest rental fleets and merchandise. Half the fun of preparing for a trip to Maui is investigating the shops. I encourage you to ask your friends about their experiences with particular shops and keep in mind that other shops you may have not heard about could be pleasant surprises. None of the shops listed here are lacking in any way. It may be no more than, " you like the guys at the counter " that makes one shop more attractive to you than another If yer asking me what I think personally? I like them all. I stand on my personal reputation when I say that the people of Maui' s windsurfing retail are all the kind of guys (and gals) you'd love to sail and party with. The shops are listed in the order that they submitted their responses to me. WDFA (taken from a famous Van Halen tour bus) Hawaiian Island Surf and Sport ( herein referred to as HI ) 415-A Dairy Road, Kahului, HI 96732 Local # 808 871-4981 Toll Free: 800 231-6958 Fax: 808 871-4624 E-Mail - hisurf@maui.net WWW - http://www.maui.net/hisurf/index.html Hi-Tech Surf Sports ( herein referred to as HT ) 444 Hana Highway Kahului, HI 96732 808 877-2111 fax 808 871-6943 Sailboards Maui ( herein referred to as SBM ) 360 Papa Place Kahului, HI 96732 808 871-7954 fax 808 871-8453 Windrigger Maui Ltd (herein referred to as WR ) 261 Dairy Road Kahului, HI 96732 808 871-7753 fax 808 877-2049 Maui Coconuts Boy ( herein referred to as CB ) 340 Hana Highway Kahului, HI 96732 808 871-5084 fax 808 871-5176 The Maui Windsurf Company ( herein referred to as MWC ) 520 Keolani Place Kahului, HI 96732 808 877-4816 or 800 872-0999 fax: 808 877-4696 Second Wind Sail and Surf (herein referred to as SW ) 111 Hana Hiway Kahului, HI 96732 808 877-7467 fax 808 877-0091 What make and style of boards do you rent? HI : Naish Custom, Angulo Custom, Jimmy Lewis Custom, Bic, Mistral, Kinetic, Seatrend, Clam Sandwich HT: Hi-Tech custom wave and wave/slalom, Hi-Tech EPS production wave, wave/slalom and slalom, Bic production for water starts and beginning jibes SBM : Mistral, Bic, Fanatic, Tiga, Copella, Strapper WR : Mistral, Hunt Hawaii, Gem CB: Rogue Wave slalom and wave MWC: F2, Tiga, Timpone Hawaii, Seatrend, Island Unique, North Shore Extreme SW: Island Unique, Angulo, Seatrend, Logosz, Bic wave - wave/slalom - slalom, styro epoxy and polyester What make and style of sails do you rent? HI : Neil Pryde, Gaastra, Windwing, Naish Sails, From VX slalom race to camber wave & wave slalom HT: Neil Pryde... combat wave - V-6 slalom - VX race, Ezzy Wave, North Zeta, Simmer Wave Comp SBM : Gaastra, Rushwind, Hot, Naish Sails WR : Hot Sails, Waddell, Mistral, Airfoil CB: Simmer Style MWC: Neil Pryde, Hot Sails Maui (all styles) SW: Sailworks, Simmer, North Wave wave - wave/slalom - slalom models What make and style of booms do you rent? HI: Fiberspar WorldCup Carbon, Hawaiian Proline, Neil Pryde, Chinook, Carbon Creations HT: Neil Pryde wave and slalom, Fiberspar carbon, Hawaiian Proline wave SBM: Chinook, Hawaiian Proline, Windsurfing Hawaii WR : Hawaiian Proline, Mistral CB: Fiberspar carbon MWC: Neil Pryde, Hawaiian Proline, Windsurfing Hawaii SW: Hawaiian Proline, Da Kine Is there anything about your rental fleet that you would like to point out? HI: Maui's most complete rental center. We offer every level of rental gear. From learning waterstarts to high performance slalom and wave boards. HT: We are the only shop that owns it's own factory, so we have the newest board design and board construction in our rental fleet. SBM: 200 boards, none over 1 year old, 7 different lines. Something for everyone. WR: We never run out of equipment and keep up to date 1995 equipment. CB: We are willing to negotiate. Rental ware almost new. MWC: We doubled the size of our fleet for 1995. All equipment is new for this year! Great selection of the "latest and greatest" SW: We have a very high performance rental fleet. With a great selection of styro/epoxy wave boards in radical wave shapes or toned down wave/slalom models. Also a full selection of "Bump an Jump" in small sizes, 8'2" - 7'11". We also have a great selection of high performance surfboards to rent. From 10' longboards to 6' shortboards. Rental Equipment Prices... 7 day board/rig and two sails (exchangeable at any time) I have decided that publishing the prices may begin a cheesy price war and get me in trouble on this small island. I will tell you that the prices vary from $240-$280 . Prices also fluctuate according to time of year. (It's more in the summer when the shops are rockin and less in the very sailable winter months) Although it is not published anywhere...Many shops have an attitude discount. Smiles count for a lot on Maui.I urge you to consider minor price differences as insignificant relative to service and equipment offered. Check out all the shops for the best value before you decide.. The smart thing is to call around well in advance. Particularly in the summer season. OK, bitch at me. Price for 30 days rental? Again, the shops vary only slightly from one another. the range is $540-$570 What is your policy on damage to rental gear? HI: We offer insurance to clients for damaged equipment. HT: Customer pays for damage unless a manufacturers defect SBM: $3 a day insurance. $20 deductible. Covers damage, not theft. WR: Customer pays for replacement or can have insurance for $5 a day . CB: Equipment responsibility &security deposit, from agreement MWC: Insurance available through travel package SW: Customer is responsible for any damage to gear. All gear we rent is damage free before it leaves the store. What is your policy on counting days sailed? HI: We offer the fairest policy. If you sail, you pay. HT: Customer only pays for the days he (she) sails but customer must turn in equipment on "off" days. SBM: On no wind days, we offer the customer an instant credit to be used for future rentals. In unusual circumstances, we will refund. WR: If equipment is out it is counted as a day sailed CB: No wind day, no charge MWC: We only charge for days actually used. SW: Customers only pay for the days they sail. A "Lay Day" is given when the gear is returned to the shop. So, customers only pays for the days they choose to sail. What brand and type of boards do you sell? HI: Naish, Angulo, Jimmy Lewis (all custom made) HT: Hi-Tech custom - wave - wave/slalom & slalom. Hi-Tech EPS production - wave - wave/slalom & slalom SBM: Sailboards Maui WR: Mistral, Gem, Hunt Hawaii CB: Rogue Wave - wave & slalom MWC: F2, Island Unique, Tiga, Timpone Hawaii, North Shore Extreme SW: Island Unique, Angulo, Seatrend, Logosz, Dennis Parton, all models What brand and type of sails do you sell? HI: The complete lines of Neil Pryde, Gaastra and Naish Sails HT: Neil Pryde-combat wave - NR wave - New wave slalom - VX race, Ezzy Wave, North Zeta, Simmer Wave Comp SBM: Gaastra, Hot, Naish WR: Hot, Waddell, Airfoil, Mistral CB: Simmer Style MWC: Neil Pryde, Hot Sails Maui SW: Sailworks, Simmer, North Wave wave/slalom and slalom Type/Brand of booms? HI: Fiberspar, Hawaiian Proline, Chinook HT: Fiberspar carbon, Hawaiian Proline, Windsurfing Hawaii, Neil Pryde, North SBM: Chinook, Windsurfing Hawaii, Hawaiian Proline, Gaastra, Da Kine WR: Hawaiian Proline, Windsurfing Hawaii CB: Fiberspar MWC: Hawaiian Proline SW: Fiberspar, Hawaiian Proline, Da Kine Type/Brand of masts? HI: Fiberspar, Gaastra, KC Fiber, Neil Pryde HT: Fiberspar tidal wave, Neil Pryde carbon/kevlar 35 & carbon /kevlar 75, North Xcellerator SBM: Dynafiber, No-Limitz, Gaastra WR: Fiberspar, No Limitz CB: Fiberspar MWC: Neil Pryde SW: Fiberspar, Dynafiber, North Type/Brand of universal/extensions? HI: Windsurfing Hawaii, Streamlined, Fiberspar, Neil Pryde HT: Streamline, Windsurfing Hawaii, Neil Pryde, Fiberspar SBM: Chinook, Streamline, Gaastra, Windsurfing Hawaii WR: Streamline, Windsurfing Hawaii, Mistral CB: Fiberspar MWC: Streamline, Windsurfing Hawaii SW: Windsurfing Hawaii, Fiberspar, Streamlined, Da Kine Type/Brand of fins? HI: Northshore, Kalama, Maui Fin Co., Rainbow, Naish, Angulo HT: Hi-Tech, Kalama, Maui Fin Co., Northshore, True Ames SBM: Curtis, True Ames, Maui Fin Co., Fin Works WR: Maui Fin Co., Rainbow, Ozone CB: Maui Fin Co. MWC: Maui Fin Co., White Sands SW: Kalama, Angulo, Island Unique, Polokow, Naish, True Ames, Maui Fin Co., White Sands, North Shore Fins, Rainbow, all types Describe in brief your clothing and other non-windsurfing gear products for sale... HI: Clothing: Local Motion, Town & Country, Gotcha, O' Neill, Counter Culture, Jimmy Lewis, Angulo, Kalama Sunglasses: Oakley, Maui Jim, Bolle, RayBan, Black Flyes Other: Complete Bodyboards and Snorkling Equipment HT: Surfboards: Gerry Lopez, Rusty, Channel Islands, Island Classics Wetsuits: O'Neill, Quicksilver, Xcel Clothing: Hi-Tech, Quicksilver, Ox Bow, Billabong, Rusty, Burton Bodyboards, skateboards, snowboards SBM: Mossimo, Rip Curl, H.I.C., Local Motion, Counter Culture, Tavarua, O'neil, Da Kine Exclusive Long Boards: Robert August, Dewey Webber, Dale Brewer WR: Body Glove, Da Kine, Ocean Pacific CB: Da Kine, Wild Banana MWC: Rip Curl wetsuits, shoes for windsurfing, T-shirts, gloves, hats, etc. etc. SW: Gotcha, Rusty, No Fear, Rip Curl, Kalama, Simmer Style, Mossimo, Raisins and more. Arnet and Maui Jim sunglasses, Reef, Flojos, Teva, Nike shoes. O'Neil, Rip Curl, Gul wetsuits. How many years has your shop been in business? HI: 12 HT: 13 SBM: 15 WR: 7 CB: 3 MWC: 9 SW: 10 Do you provide access to accommodations and transportation? HI: yes HT: yes SBM: yes WR: yes CB: n/a MWC: yes SW: yes Through who? Phone numbers..names HI: Hawaiian Island Vacations [800] 231-6958, [808] 871-4981, Fax: [808] 871-4624, E-Mail - hisurf@maui.net HT: Maui Windsafari (Carie or Marsha) [800] 736-6284 SBM: Cathy Siccard [808] 575-9920 WR: Alamo Rental Car CB: n/a MWC: Vela High Wind Centers [800] 223-5443 and Maui Int. Connection [800] 963-6284 SW: Second Wind Travel [800] 936-7787 contact: Jodi Is there any additional information you think would be pertinent to this questionnaire? HI: We look forward to serving our old friends and new customers in our new, big, beautiful shop with only the best in extreme sports equipment and service. HT: Former World Cup competitor Alex Aguera is designing and building our Hi-Tech custom slalom boards. Alex joined our team in December. SBM: Just expanded over 5000 square feet WR: We pride ourselves in service and quality windsurfing rentals by the Maui Mistral Windsurfing school CB: Moving in two weeks Renewal Open May 1st 340 Hana Highway MWC: Our school is operated by Cort Larned, the leading windsurfing instruction professional in the United States. SW: We have always prided ourselves on customer service. We put in an extra effort toward making people's time in our shop fun, relaxed and enjoyable. We all love to sail, surf, etc. Who has answered these questions? HI: Lenny Cappe HT: Kim Ball SBM: Rolf WR: Mark Dubois, pres. CB: Noriyoshi Makebe MWC: John Kelly, sr. president SW: Wendy Brewer

Hawaii hotels, Waikiki hotels,

Hawaii Hotels and Vacation Rentals in Waikiki and Maui - Castle Resorts and Hotels You need to enable JavaScript for this page to work Properly. If you are using a Netscape Browser: 1)Select Edit 2)Select Preferences 3)Double click on Advanced 4)Click on Enable JavaScript for Navigator 5)Click okay and refresh your browser If you are using a Internet Explorer Browser: 1)Select Tools 2)Select Internet Options 3)Click on the security tab 4)Highlight Internet 5)Change the security level to medium and press okay 6)Refresh Browser Kona Bali Kai Sizzling Hot Deal! Enjoy a winter vacation in one of Kona Bali Kai's fully equipped Kona oceanfront condos. Only $109 for Studio Partial Ocean View. Travel 1/4/06 thru 4/16/06. Book today! Partial Ocean View only $109. Book now! -- First Name: Last Name: Email: -- Email: (required) -- Oahu from $69 Kauai from $169 Big Island from $89 Maui from $119 Molokai from $99 Site Shortcuts --------------- ONLINE RESERVATIONS --------------- HOT DEALS --------------- RESORTS & HOTELS Islands of Hawaii - Oahu - Kauai - Maui - Big Island - Molokai Islands of Micronesia - Saipan New Zealand --------------- PACKAGES & PROMOTIONS --------------- PLAN YOUR STAY Golf Tennis Diving Water Sports Family Activities Shopping Events Calendar -- --------------- TRAVEL AGENTS --------------- TRAVEL PARTNERS --------------- MEETINGS & INCENTIVES Request for Information --------------- CONTACT US --------------- ABOUT US --------------- Site Map Privacy Policy Back to Home Page -- For a romantic getaway click here! Hotels & Condos Air/Hotel Inclusive Packages Select Island or Region: Select All Regions HAWAII (all islands) Big Island Oahu Maui Kauai Molokai MICRONESIA (all islands) -- Guam -- Saipan Chuuk (Truk) -- New Zealand Select Hotels, Condos or Both: Hotels AND Condominiums Hotels ONLY Condominiums ONLY Departing from: Depart: (MM/DD/YY) Morning Noon Evening 1 adult 2 adults 3 adults 4 adults Going to: Hawaii (Big Island) Oahu Maui Kauai Molokai New Zealand Return: (MM/DD/YY) Morning Noon Evening Castle Resorts & Hotels presents over 20 hotels and condominiums in Hawaii, Micronesia and New Zealand. Our hotels and condos offers value and variety: Hawaii hotels, Waikiki hotels, Hawaii vacation rentals, Maui vacation rentals, condominium resorts, first class business hotels, and luxurious resorts. Come to our beautiful islands where nature, culture and adventure await! Discover Castle Resorts & Hotels! Home | Contact Us | Site Map | Privacy Policy

Hawaiian Cruise

Cruise Ship Profiles Cruise Lines - American Hawaii Cruise Home Photo Gallery Cruise Talk Cruise Search Cruise News Search -- Search CruisePage -- Book a Cruise - CruiseServer - Search Caribbean - Search Alaska - Search Europe - 866.469.4733 Forums Cruise Talk Rail Talk Air Talk Destination Talk Hotel Talk Buy Stuff Evolution of the Ocean Liner Poster Reviews - Ship Reviews - Dream Cruise - Ship of the Month - Reader Reviews - Submit a Review - Millennium Cruise Community - Photo Gallery - Join Cruise Club - Cruise News - Cruise Survey - Cruise Jobs - Special Needs - Maritime Q & A - Sea Stories Industry - New Ship Guide - Former Ships - Port Information - Inspection Scores - Shipyards - Ship Cams - Freighter Travel - Potpourri Shopping - Shirts & Hats - Books - Videos - Reservations - Vacation Specials - Web Deals Contact Us - Reservations - Mail - Feedback - Suggest-a-Site - About Us Travel Resources Reservations Destinations Hotels Air Travel Cruise Travel News/Weather SHIP PROFILE American Hawaii SS Independence TravelPage.com Rating : Submit your review here Operator: American Hawaii Cruises Year Built / Last Refurbished: 1951 / 1994 Length / Tonnage: 682 / 30,900 Number of Cabins / Passengers: 406 / 872 Officers / Crew: American / American Operating Area: Year-round Hawaii Telephone / Fax: Tel 150 2244 / Fax 150 2244 Review by Mark H. Goldberg, TravelServer.net, Cruise Editor Hawaii captures you, soothes and enchants you, she lets you hangloose and envelop yourself in the bright colors of her land andsea. Sail the INDEPENDENCE and it won't be long before you'redecked out in a loud, colorful Hawaiian shirt and enjoying lifethe Old Hawaiian Way. Simply because the State of Hawaii iscomprised of islands, the ideal way to approach them is from thesea and the best way to see them is by this wonderful old cruiseship. Able to produce a maximum of 55,000 shaft horsepower at 150rpms, her steam turbines geared to twin screws are a sight tobehold. When she was new the INDEPENDENCE showed how powerfulthat is when she steamed at just over 26 knots on her trials offCape Cod. By international rules, when new, the INDEPENDENCE was theeleventh largest liner in the world and certainly one of thefastest. The big question was...would anyone care? For spoken intones of a flat declaratory to a shrill protest the cry "No onetravels in an American ship!" was heard in steamship agencies andsmart parties the world over. Experienced travelers and neophytesalike looked upon American ships with a bemused condescension,secure in the "knowledge" that in terms of food and service,those "Yankee" liners just couldn't produce - the foreign linerswere better. American ships had a severe image problem. Yet theAmerican twins INDEPENDENCE and her identical twin CONSTITUTIONsoon proved themselves extraordinarily popular, hostingglittering rosters of notables intent on sailing under the "Starsand Stripes". Movie producers were drawn to them. Cary Grant andDeborah Kerr starred in "An Affair to Remember" costarrinq theCONSTITUTION. After United States Lines stodgily rebuffed Desilustudios, American Export sent plenty of material and film footageof the twin liners to Hollywood. Who among us can ever forgetLucille Ball "landing" by helicopter on the after Bridge Deck ofthe CONSTITUTION? And yes...THIS is the INDEPENDENCE the agent onthe pier mentioned when he told a distraught Lucy that she couldget to Europe on the following sailing... So great was theirpopularity that in 1958 American Export Lines sent both ships formajor overhauls. Fitting additional First Class cabins, theforward ends of their superstructures were massively altered. Forall that, against the ANDREA DORIA and CRISTOFORO COLOMBO andlater the LEONARDO da VINCI and the superliners MICHELANGELO andRAFFAELLO on the "Sunny Southern Route", the American liners justcouldn't compete. The results of a projected trio of 20,000 ton express liners forthe Mediterranean route, these ships began to take shape as farback as 1940 when American Export Lines, Inc. planned for thefuture. It would be YEARS before any such ships were built andwhen they were, there were two, not three. And bucking anAmerican Export Line tradition, the two ships were not givennames beginning with "EX" but were instead named for historicU.S. Navy frigates. Had the intended third sister been built, shewould likely have been named CONSTELLATION. Asking for inputfrom many quarters, it is Gustavo Pulitzer, famed Italianinterior designer who should be given first initial credit formany of the pleasing touches in the ultimate form of theseclassic liners. Noted American industrial designer Henry Dreyfussin collaboration with the Bethlehem Shipbuilding Corporationdeserves credit as the designers of the INDEPENDENCE and hersister CONSTITUTION. With the help of mail contracts and buildingsubsidies to pay the $25,000,000 each ship cost (that's over $150million each, in TODAY's dollars!) two ships were laid down atBethlehem Steel Company's Quincy, Massachusetts yards at thevery end of the 1940's, the INDEPENDENCE on March 29, 1949, theCONSTITUTION on July 12th. Their plans included many eventualdefense and military needs so safety provisions, fire proofing andrapid convertibility to trooping requirements took first place inthe design of the pair. And the INDEPENDENCE is still a very safeship today! Debuting with a 53 day cruise to the Mediterranean, Red Sea andIndia in 1951, the INDEPENDENCE got into service before theItalian postwar liners came out and captured the cream of theItaly trade. And even had the competition been less, theINDEPENDENCE and CONSTITUTION would have been hard pressed tomeet the enormous costs of operating under the American flageither on their regular Atlantic service or on cruises throughthe Mediterranean or to the Caribbean. By the late 1960s theseAmerican liners were desperate for money and American ExportLines entered into an agreement with Diner's Club/Fugazy to jazzup the twin ships. Only the INDEPENDENCE was actually updated toappeal to a "mod" generation and when she appeared with Harlow'seyes peering out from her halo of a "mod" sunburst on her whitehull, eyes rolled in contempt. Before the ship lover knew it, sheand the CONSTITUTION were gone from our lives. Withdrawn by 1968,the CONSTITUTION went into idleness at Jacksonville, Floridafollowed a few months later by the INDEPENDENCE which was laid upat Baltimore with their fleet mate ATLANTIC. Reports of a sale ofone or both of the sisters to Chandris came to naught. A plan tooperate the INDEPENDENCE on charter by Wall Street Tours, aManhattan based travel company also went nowhere. Should theyfind buyers willing to operate them, they would be but shadows oftheir former selves. The ships were idle for years until 1974 when fabled Chineseshipowner C.Y. Tung came to their rescue. Buying the pair with anobligation to return them to the control of the United Statesgovernment in time of war, he had each ship's twin funnelsrepainted with his signature livery, a red chrysanthemum on buff.Prefacing each ship's name with "OCEANIC", he sent them to HongKong. Some work was found for the OCEANIC INDEPENDENCE but nonefor her sister which now rode at anchor in the shadow of VictoriaPeak. For a while in 1975 the OCEANIC INDEPENDENCE shuttledbetween Lisbon and Angola carrying refugees, mostly civiliansfleeing Angola to Portugal Lisbon. Then, despite several goodintentions, she was again retired and returned to lay up. When Matson and later Pacific Far East Line went out of thepassenger business leaving the piers at Aloha Tower bereft ofpassenger tonnage save the occasional cruise caller, C.Y. Tungsaw possibilities where others saw problems and investigated thepossibility of operating his beautiful OCEANIC INDEPENDENCE as acruise ship among the Hawaiian Islands. But since Congressthought to protect American ship owners and shipbuilders as earlyas 1886, any ship operating Hawaii cruises would have to haveAmerican registry. American ships sold abroad are ineligible toreturn to U.S. registry except in time of war. Though Americanbuilt, the ship was now registered abroad and THAT could havebeen a big problem for the proposed weekly cruises through theHawaiian islands. Unanimously approved by both the U.S. Senateand House of Representatives in 1979, an Act of Congress broughtthe OCEANIC INDEPENDENCE back under the Stars and Stripes andallowed American Hawaii Cruises to go into business. The pleasanttask of refurbishing the graceful vessel for modern cruisingbegan. Eliminating class distinctions, upgrading cabins on thelower decks and altering the decor to include the soft atmosphereof the Hawaiian Islands, the OCEANIC INDEPENDENCE was ready tobegin a new life. Wearing a traditional Hawaiian lei at her stemas she arrived off Honolulu for the first time, she paused offPearl Harbor long enough to drop a wreath in memory of Americanforces killed in the surprise attack there on December 7, 1941. But after that, at least since her maiden sailing on her 7 daycruise circuit of the major islands on June 21, 1980, the gentleHawaii of the tradewinds reigns supreme aboard this wonderfulship. In the meantime American Hawaii Cruises has changed handstwice and the newest owners, who also own the wonderfulMISSISSIPPI QUEEN, AMERICAN QUEEN and DELTA QUEEN decided toupgrade and substantially improve the INDEPENDENCE. In 1994 theship was withdrawn from service and sent to Newport NewsShipbuilding and Drydock Company where she was extensivelyrefitted and prepared to last another forty five years! Conceived to be an example of luxurious modernAmerican living at sea the INDEPENDENCE still offers relaxedelegance in a bright and airy modern decor reflecting the naturalbeauty and colors of Hawaii. The INDEPENDENCE has acres of deck space and both open andcovered promenades. The design of the ship includes a pair ofwings over the old Sea Isle Club, once the First Class pool. Fromthere you have an eaqle's view of the festivities on the afterdecks. It's also a great place to see and not be noticed...Justbeyond the former Sunlane Club, now called the Ohana Lounge isthe big swimming pool and its surrounding lido is the scene ofmany a party. The main public rooms are the semicircularCommodore's Terrace...aft on Kamaa'ina (formerly Promenade) Deckwhere evenings are welcomed with a cocktail and a tune from thetalented pianist. Next is the Hoi Hoi Showplace where sightlinesare mostly good and the efforts of the cruise staff and twoHawaiian dance troupes are shown during nightly shows.Centerpiece of the INDEPENDENCE's public rooms, though, is theKama'aina Lounge...newly thought out and opened up during herrecent refit...so it now extends to the floor to ceiling windowsof the former glass enclosed promenade. Tropical in decor it'sworth a visit if only to write a postcard home...if you can evenremember you had a life before you came to Hawaii. One deck below are the Ohana Lounge and the Ohana Buffet...theformer providing seating for people feasting from the buffet aswell as offering a venue for some late night entertainments. Waydown deep in the ship is a cinema while in spaces once occupiedby Tourist Class public rooms on Maui (formerly A) Deck are thegym and a conference center. There are generally two sittings at dinner, mostbreakfasts and lunches are served in open sittings. Down in the420 seat Hibiscus Dining Room on sailing night there's a buffet.The more intimate 110 seat Orchid Dining Room doesn't operate onSaturday night...it opens for breakfast on Sunday morning. "Aha!"you'll think if you are skeptical of American tonnage - the hotdogs. "There must be something fishy here...Is this an Americanship? This is a sumptuous set up and it looks good," you'llthink. That's what I thought the first time and every time I'vesailed since as I pile on enough shrimp, roast beef and assortedfoodstuffs to choke a pig. A steward brightly garbed in an Alohashirt will escort you to a table and your culinary adventurebegins. For a change I cannot say enough about the food in theINDEPENDENCE. Maybe it's because my expectations were low ormaybe because the food is so good...in fact the food is usuallybetter than good and I'll spill the beans...one feisty old lady,a Mrs. Gottrocks in her own right...and something of a cruiseship reviewer proclaimed the only cruise ship to serve betterfood than she ate on the INDEPENDENCE was the SEA GODDESS I, anaccolade I surely second.... You will eat so well aboard this ship I'd be surprised if you'reable to muster up the curiosity to investigate the midnightsnack. If the lunch buffet doesn't tempt you and the menu in the DiningRoom does, GO...even if you feel less than hunger pangs. Iremember sitting down and thinking "Drat!, foiled again! No HotDogs" - but for simple meals there are great burgers assembled asyou like them, a big sandwich and several choices of hot dishes. Every brochure in the business trumpets the praises of the shin'scuisines so loudly that few can really deliver. American HawaiiCruises has always underplayed its claims to wonderful foodthough the food aboard the INDEPENDENCE is a treat. Somewherebehind the scenes in this American operation must be a Jewish orItalian grandmother demanding that all hands be overfed! Underlining the contemporary American way of living, there was solittle cleavage between First and Cabin class spaces it seemedthat most cabins were interchangeable between the two. And therewas a lot of truth in that for 40% of the 1,003 berths in eachship were interchangeable among classes. Only 205 berths werepermanently graded First Class, 109 always Cabin Class and 258full time Tourist Class. That flexible passenger arrangement gaveAmerican Export Lines tremendous leeway in following marketdemands. Highlight of modern American living were cabinsconvertible to sitting rooms by day. Most cabins are still soequipped and that sofa you use in the afternoon is a verycomfortable bed - because it's not a pull out...the sofa back folds down to reveal a thick comfortable mattress. TheINDEPENDENCE is a one class ship now offering a dazzling 13different varieties of private quarters from tiny Category GBudget Cabins (both inside and outside available) to a CategoryAAA Superior Suite...Category D is the lowest grade for two lowerbeds but for this cruise...your cabin is not where you will wantto be. Take a look at an outside cabin on A deck forward. Decorated withHawaii in mind, it has a Hawaiian name as well as a number. It'sbig enough to sleep four comfortably and the round portholereminds you you are aboard ship. Once you unpack you will bepuzzled by the surfeit of storage space for there are enoughclosets for a dowager and enough drawers for an apothecary. What is small, though, is the shower...but that good Americanplumbing is happily in evidence. American Hawaii Cruises is very"INTO" Hawaii...so much so that one of the most popular employeesaboard ship is the KUMU, the Hawaiian story teller....whose jobit is to tell the visitor as much as possible about Hawaiianlore, customs and culture... Around twilight time on Saturdayevenings, passengers gather in the Hoi Hoi Showplace for aHawaiian Show, one show aboard ship I'm glad I saw. Thisextravaganza of Hawaiian music and hula dancing and memories ofthe "Aloha" that evening will remain with you long after theINDEPENDENCE stops sailing. With the full range of usual cruiseship activities enhanced by some like lei making and ukelelelessons apropos in these parts, it's not hard to imagine how mostpassengers spent their day at sea. I saw some at breakfast in theDining Room where the extraordinary personalities of friendlystaff broke the ice of a first morning at sea. I saw others atthe breakfast buffet while I was on my way to stock up withlogoed souvenirs in the ship's signature shop. But a visit to theNavigation bridge of THIS ship always gets me and I alwaysvisit...even if only for another look at the framed noticeinstructing the officer on watch to take the ship immediately tosea in the event of a nuclear attack. My favorite Hawaiian island is always the one I'm on and I thinkI'd like to keep with the INDEPENDENCE until I have done everyshore excursion the line offers... and at last count there are 56of them. Getting ready to board the INDEPENDENCE I grin like ahyena even before a lei is placed around my neck and I pause forthe obligatory mug shot cruise lines like to sell boardingpassengers. Even before sailing the INDEPENDENCE offers a lot ofthe Hawaii experience but for me one of the best is the moment ofdeparture on this unique American flag ocean liner. Once out ofthe harbor the ship turns to port and is soon off Waikiki. Sunday - It's not far from one island to the next but Sundays are spent at sea and for most of the day from nearly anywhere outon one of her 23,000 feet of open dock space, you can look outand see islands, Kahoolawe, Molokai, Lanai, Maui, depending uponthe circuitous route the Captain chooses to navigate. An activesort, I spent usually spend Sunday afternoons aboard theINDEPENDENCE in a deck chair outside the Surfrider Bar, hardlyable to pause later for some fresh popcorn. When Monday morning comes...be ready for a wonderful time onKauai, the Garden Island. There should be time for a drive out toHanalei Bay. If there is a prettier spot than that end of Kauai,its not on this planet. It's vaguely around the corner from theNa Pali coast, a formation of lushly covered steep cliffsshrouding pretty beaches accessed only by boat orhelicopter.Compelling is the word for the helicopter trip theline offers for a look at those cliffs which rise majesticallyfrom the sea. It's a toss up as to which is lovelier...Kauai orMaui but since the ship arrives at Kahului, Maui on Tuesday foran overnight call, you have plenty of time to check it out anddecide for yourself IF YOU CAN! Maui, so deservedly popular withvacationers, exudes a charm of her own. From the jumbled strandsof spaghetti paved into a road called the Hana highway, a 55 milecourse through landscape inordinately compelling to the majesticIao valley, Maui is a sensual delight. Never mind that AmericanHawaii brings a fabulously rousing Hawaiian show to entertainpassengers here. It's during the Maui call that American Hawaiioffers a shore excursion like no other. Uncommercial in theextreme, it's Tour 32 (at least it USED to be), not a trip forthe queasy or the debile. Leaving the ship's side at 3:30 AM,participants follow a tour leader and bike down the slopes fromthe summit of Mt. Haleakala, 10,000 feet above sea level.MAGNIFICENT! On Thursday the INDEPENDENCE calls at Hilo on the Big Island ofHawaii where you can pick up another rental car and drive it toAkaka Falls, catch another look at Volcano National Park, drivedown the Chain of Craters Road and maybe have lunch in town.(Whatever you do...DON'T bother with the buffet at VolcanoHouse...) To me it is near Hilo, sleepy, rainy little Hilo, wherethe air is gentlest and the breeze softest. Kona on the bright,dry side of this big island is the next port and the INDEPENDENCEanchors there on Friday mornings and the tender gives youflawless views of the ship as it pulls away, runs alongside andcuts across the liner's gently raking bows. Coffee plantations,macadamia nut farms and the Parker ranch are on this side of theBig Island. After the INDEPENDENCE clears Kona on Friday evening, my leiwent into the sea from the after deck. I know that it washedashore and will bring me back...A week in the INDEPENDENCE speedsby like an hour, drawing all to soon to a close. This graciousGRANDE DAME really does turn on its ear for all time must be thatabsurd old saw, "No one travels in an American ship" for here inthe waters of Hawaii the INDEPENDENCE is deservedly popular, anAmerican ship that wins the hearts of most who sails with her. The "who's who" of who has sailed in the INDEPENDENCEor CONSTITUTION at some point in the ship's career really doesread like "Who's Who" for so many names in that book have been onthe ships' passenger lists. It was President Reagan who happilysigned the bill to bring the CONSTITUTION back under Americanregistry. He was familiar with these ships and had been aboardthe INDEPENDENCE for a Governors' conference back in the 1960'swhen he was Governor of California. A framed photograph of himand Mrs. Reagan hangs in the ship's wheelhouse. It is said thatwhen he took the helm the ship veered slightly to the right... People demanding nonstop 24 hour a day loud action accompanied bypulsating bass may not enjoy a cruise in this ship (though I'd besurprised if there is ANYONE who doesn't enjoy a 7 nightINDEPENDENCE cruise). This ship is particularly popular withpeople over 40 who seem to enjoy the sock hop, pajama party andother events calculated to please us aging "boomers" but there isa lot here for everyone - from toddlers to great grandpa!. The first time I set out for Honolulu to takethis ship I hoped for the best and expected the worst. Visions ofplastic cups, paper plates and hot dogs, motel modern style andindifferent American service filled my dream track the nightbefore my first sailing in this ship. Well I needn't haveworried! That cruise was marvelous. Now, after a multi-milliondollar refit and plenty of attention to detail, the ship exudes awarm, friendly Hawaiian air. In a nutshell...this ship and her 7night Hawaii cruise is HIGHLY RECOMMENDED. 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