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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Its as if you had your own chartered yacht and could sail anywhere you wanted, except we do all the work for you while you laze in our pool, or watch the dolphins play. Crystal - Mexican Riviera and New England from $1,323 per person Description: Choose between extended itineraries to the Mexican Riviera or relaxing fall foliage cruises to Canada and New England. Sail with Crystal Cruises and discover why the difference is Crystal clear. Experience a convenient 7, 11 or 14-day voyage with the luxury Crystal Harmony or Crystal Symphony. NCL - Caribbean and Bahamas extra savings of $100 per person Description: Explore the islands and beaches of the Bahamas with stops in Nassau and Castaway Cay. Visit historic Bermuda or experience the changing of the seasons in New England. On your way home, enjoy a relaxing day at sea. Includes Philadelphia and New York departures. 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Hawaiian Barbecue

Marga's Foodblog: Restaurant Reviews + Wikiwiki Hawaiian -- Marga's Foodblog recipes - reviews - rants « Ono Hawaiian BBQ | Main | Got a lot of books » October 10, 2005 Restaurant Reviews + Wikiwiki Hawaiian Even though I've been eating out quite a bit lately, I've been very remiss about writing about the restaurants I've visited. Of course, you could argue that there is absolutely no reason why I should be writing about the restaurants in the first place, but as long as I do it, I figure I should be comprehensive. I'm particularly interested on being comprehensive about San Leandro restaurants, as there aren't really good resources out there on the San Leandro restaurant scene (and given how poor it is, no wonder). The problem comes when I go to a restaurant I don't particularly like and then I forget to write the review. After a while, i feel compell to go back and write it, and yet I don't want to go back and waste money in subpar food. But if I don't, my guide will never be comprehensive. This has happened with Buffet Fortuna - a horrible Chinese buffet located near the downtown Safeway, with Bancheros, an institution serving Chef-Boyardee tasting Italian food in Hayward and with a couple of burger joints. It also happened with Wikiwiki Hawaiian BBQ on East 14th, near Bayfair mall, which I visited last June. Wikiwiki is one of the many Hawaiian BBQ joints that have sprouted in San Leandro in the last year. As I've written before, I've found most of them to be underwhelming, and while Wikiwiki wasn't the worst, it certainly does not merit another visit. As in the other restaurants, I found the chicken to have a strange consistency, very dense, almost canned-like. I can only speculate as to what gives chicken that horrible consistency at Hawaiian BBQ places. One theory is that the high salt & sugar content of the marinade dries out the meat making it denser. Anothe perhaps more likely one, is that the places use "chicken filets", scraps of chicken that are manually pressed and glued together into the desired shape. The taste was OK, nothing special but certainly edible. I also ordered the lau lau pork, pork wrapped in taro leaves and steamed. The pork was covered with a shredded green substance that might have been the taro leaves, but more likely was seaweed. It certainly imparted a very fishy taste to the pork, which I found quite unpleasant, but others might like. I can't imagine going there again. Wikiwiki Hawaiian BBQ 15696 E 14th St San Leandro, CA (510) 276-0777 Posted by marga at October 10, 2005 08:28 AM| TrackBack Comments I have lived in southern california for quite a while and there are tons of L&Ls in my area. I visited Wikiwiki and thought that the food was same if not better than the other ones that i have eaten at. And about the Lau Lau, i believe that it consists of pork, butterfish, and taro leaves. I loved it, so i think that only local/or people who knows what it is able to judge and enjoy this hawaiian dish. Thanks..just my thoughts. Posted by: Sarah at December 23, 2005 05:33 PM Post a comment Name: Email Address: URL: Remember personal info? Yes No Comments:

Molokai / Lanai >

Molokai - All About Molokai Hawaii - Travel Information Articles and Net Links  You are here: About > Travel > Hawaii / South Pacific for Visitors > Maui / Molokai / Lanai > Molokai Travel Go Hawaii Essentials Which Hawaiian Island Suits You Best? Clickable Map of the Hawaiian Islands Beach Guide Hawaii Pictures Clickable Map of Maui, Hawaii Topics A Hawaii Vacation Planner Big Island of Hawaii Kauai Maui / Molokai / Lanai Oahu / Honolulu / Waikiki South Pacific Culture, History & Language Hawaii Lodging Hula Luau Maps and Weather Pearl Harbor Photos, Video & Cams Recipes Shopping and Gifts Buyer's Guide Tastes of Paradise from Hilo Hattie HilHilo Hattie Dresses and Sarongs Multi-Day Guided Tours Top Hawaii Guidebooks Top Maui / Molokai / Lanai Guidebooks Forums Help FREE Newsletter Sign Up Now for the Hawaii / South Pacific for Visitors newsletter! See Online Courses   Search Hawaii / South Pacific for Visitors > Maui / Molokai / Lanai > Molokai All About Molokai Your guide to the best vacation accommodations and sightseeing activities available on Molokai, Hawaii's "most Hawaiian" island. Subtopics A Hawaii Vacation Planner @ Molokai Maps (4) Beach Guide @ Molokai Photos @ Molokai Activities (14) Places to Stay on Molokai (22) Articles & Resources Sort By : Guide Picks | Alphabetical | Recent Daytrip to Molokai Join us as we visit Molokai for a day with Paragon Air and Molokai Offroad Tours and Taxi. Visiting Kalaupapa Today Thanks to the Molokai Mule Ride and Father Damien Tours you can now visit the Kalaupapa Peninsula on Molokai. Molokai Nun Takes First Step Towards Sainthood On Monday, April 19,2004, the Vatican approved the "heroic virtue" of Mother Marianne Cope, putting her on the road to sainthood. The German-born nun, who joined the St. Francis sisters in Syracuse, NY at the age of 24, worked for more than 30 years with leprosy patients in Hawaii. Molokai: The Story of Father Damien A major motion picture filmed on O'ahu and Molokai is now available on VHS and DVD.   Topic Index | Email to a Friend Our Story | Be a Guide | Advertising Info | Work at About | Site Map | Icons | Help User Agreement | Ethics Policy | Patent Info. | Privacy Policy | Kids' Privacy Policy ©2006 About, Inc., A part of The New York Times Company . All rights reserved. Around About Tips to Losing Weight Guide to Distance Learning How to Travel for Less PHOTOS: Italy PHOTOS: Hybrid Cars What's Hot Top Picks in Hawaiian Coffee Kamehameha the Great Kalua Pig Waikiki Beach, Oahu - Life's a Beach in Hawaii - Hawaii Beac... Best Beaches 1999 Headlines 2006 Special Packages on Kauai For travelers considering a visit to the Garden Isle of... Plumeria Photos from Hawaii Plumeria is the most common flower that you'll find in... You Won't See This Sign at Home! This certainly isn't a sign that you've ever seen near... Atlantis Submarine Tour Maui Since I had just experienced the Atlantis Submarine Tour on...

Hawaii Volcano

Hawaii's Volcano Quake And Tsunami Man- MidWeek Cover 01-19-2005 | Midweek.com Hawaii's Volcano, Quake &Tsunami Man Brian Yanagi By Alice Keesing Volcanoes, earthquakes and tsunamis. Thats quite an explosive trio and its up to Brian Yanagi at state Civil Defense to prepare Hawaii for the trio of natural disasters. The dynamic nature of his charges has earned the former naval intelligence officer the nickname of Mr. Shake n Bake. On the serious side, its his job to make sure they dont become massive killers. Yanagi would never say it, but there have been frustrating times in recent years trying to keep the public alert and prepared for such devastating disasters. While tsunamis are the No. 1 natural disaster killer in the Islands, a whole generation has grown up without experiencing one. The it wont happen to us mindset has taken hold. But oh, how things have changed since Dec. 26. After the Indian Ocean earthquake and South Asia tsunami, Yanagi and other tsunami experts have been in hot demand. I have been getting multitudes of international, national and local media calls about Hawaiis tsunami preparedness program, Yanagi says. The focus may be on another part of the world right now, but its also time to shake up Hawaiis attitude to the killer waves. Tsunamis killed 221 people and injured hundreds more in Hawaii in the 20th century compared to seven people killed by hurricanes. And Yanagi worries that with todays densely populated coastlines, the potential for death and destruction is even greater. There has been an unusual period of quiet in recent times, but the oft-repeated line in tsunami circles is that its not a matter of if, but when. I would say that Hawaii is more susceptible to destructive tsunamis than the Indian Ocean countries, Yanagi says. Thats because Hawaii sits in the middle of the Pacific Ring of Fire, a geologically volatile circle ripe for the earthquakes and underwater landslides that can shift the huge amounts of water that trigger tsunamis. The location that most worries Yanagi is the Aleutian Islands off the coast of Alaska an earthquake there could spawn a tsunami that races south across the Pacific at 500 mph and reaches Hawaii in just five hours. Other areas the experts keep an anxious eye on are Chile and Japan. And then theres the potential danger of locally produced tsunamis. An earthquake on the Big Island could spawn a tsunami that sweeps ashore and through the islands in a matter of minutes. The real sleeper is Mauna Loa, Yanagi says. When it erupts, the strong earthquake shaking could generate a tsunami. Thats the one we need to keep an eye out for. Experts predict Mauna Loa will probably erupt in the next five years. The good news is that Hawaii is the most tsunami-prepared state in the nation and many are turning here for a role model in the wake of the recent tragedy. But given that, experts still agree there is a lot more that could be done even here. Yanagi and others hope the South Asia tragedy will provide the impetus for more resources to keep improving the system. In particular, Yanagi would like to see the number of tsunami detection buoys in the Pacific increased from six to as many as 30. Its those eyes in the ocean that help the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center predict the arrival of killer waves. Civil Defense also has spent years producing detailed checklists and developing response plans. When Civil Defense needs to spring into action, its hobbit-hole type bunker burrowed into the wall of Diamond Head Crater is full of ceiling-to-floor charts and maps, communication systems, an emergency radio broadcast facility, a generator and even bunks and supplies so the operation can continue 24 hours a day. Its part of Yanagis job to keep all that information up to date with the latest scientific information and to drill and drill and redrill the response plans. This is what Yanagi wants you to know:When the sirens sound, turn on your radio for the Civil Defense message. If its a tsunami warning, check your phone book to see if you are in a tsunami evacuation zone. If you are, get to higher ground. In the case of Waikiki, where an en masse evacuation would only result in traffic gridlock, the advice is to evacuate vertically get above at least three stories. People outside of the tsunami evacuation zones should just stay put, Yanagi says. Dont get in your car because youll just contribute to the traffic. Parents should also know that DOE schools are prepared to walk their students out. They practice and drill this. So parents dont need to rush down to pick them up. The situation becomes more urgent in the case of a locally produced tsunami. Things will happen so fast that there may not be time for a warning siren. If the ground shakes severely, or the ocean recedes or you hear the sound of a freight train coming for you, says Yanagi, thats Mother Natures way of warning you to get to higher ground. One of the nightmare scenarios for people like Yanagi and one that tragically occurred in South Asia is when people go down to look at the seabed that can be laid bare by the strong undertow-type forces that can precede the wave train. Animals sense danger and they run away, but when humans sense something unusual, even dangerous, they tend to wander down in harms way, Yanagi says. Now (after all the footage from South Asia) theres really no excuse for people to be wandering down to the ocean in the event of a tsunami. Hawaii tsunami expert Walter Dudley credits Yanagi and Civil Defense with efforts to educate the public on the dangers of tsunamis. The division teamed up with the Pacific Tsunami Museum and the Center for the Study of Active Volcanoes to distribute thousands of DVDs trying to debunk the myth that a tsunami is a surfable wave. Theyve been very, very proactive in that sense, says Dudley, author of Tsunami! and an oceanography professor at the University of Hawaii at Hilo. Worrying about impending threats has been the story of Yanagis career. Although to start with, he used to worry about manmade threats rather than those from Mother Nature. Yanagi grew up in Kaimuki, a childhood that he wryly says was spent trying to stay out of trouble and earn good grades to please his parents. His dad was Stanley Maui Yanagi, who was head of the Carpenters Union for 25 years in the 40s and 50s when Hawaii was becoming unionized. After graduating from Kalani High (where he was class president), Yanagi received a Congressional nomination to the U.S. Naval Academy at Annapolis, Md., from U.S. Sen. Spark Matsunaga. He earned his oceanography degree before going on to serve as a naval intelligence officer aboard the aircraft carrier USS Midway . Yes, it was real spy stuff, he says. Yanagi lived with Top Gun aviators and briefed them on Soviet Union and Middle Eastern intelligence operations. This was during the edgy times of the Iranian hostage crisis, the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan and the outbreak of the Iran-Iraq war. Yanagi had top-secret security clearance a real eye-opener to the world. The news only reports the tip of the iceberg, he says. I got to see the whole iceberg, what was really happening with politics and the military in the world. After retiring from the Naval Reserves, Yanagi went on to teach algebra and trigonometry at Hawaii Pacific College in the mid-80s. He then worked as a public relations consultant to Turtle Bay Resort promoting golf tournaments, including the inaugural Senior Skins Legends of Golf Tournament featuring Arnold Palmer, Gary Player, Chi Chi Rodriguez and Sam Snead. (Yanagi is a keen weekend chaser of the little white ball himself.) He joined the state Civil Defense Division in 1990. Last year he won the state defense departments employee of the year award. Thats pretty impressive when you consider the size of this department; thats thousands of people, says Civil Defense spokesman Ray Lovell. Hes very dedicated to what hes doing, Lovell adds. He realizes that the work he does, that were dealing with real life-and-death stuff. That has been driven home by what we saw in the Indian Ocean. We cant let down. When you spend your day thinking about killer waves that could descend within a matter of hours, it probably pays to have some light relief in your life. For this self-described middle-aged DINK (double income no kids), that relief came with an adventure into acting that started in the mid-90s. He got the bug when The Phantom of the Opera appeared at the Blaisdell. You just see how much fun these people are having on stage, Yanagi says. Its one of the great escapes you can have in life. Youre being another person for a while in your life. Its very invigorating. So he sings? Well, yes, badly, but I do sing. And Im trying to dance without falling over myself, he laughs. Yanagi has performed in half a dozen musicals, starring in Flower Drum Song with KHNL-8 anchor Jodi Leong, South Pacific with American Idol s Jordan Segundo and My Fair Lady with KHON-2s Tina Shelton. But these days, Yanagi is more involved with events on the world stage, organizing a visit to South Asia with an international team of scientists. They will be analyzing the damage caused by the tsunami. That information will help prepare Hawaii better for the next destructive tsunami, he says. Like others, Yanagi has been touched by the human tragedy. Even he is floored by the magnitude of the event. It just personally commits me more to this cause of saving lives and reducing property damage. To do that, he says, he needs people to pay attention and be smart too. MidWeek Home Page

Hawaii Resort and Spa

Maui: Diamond Hawaii Resort and Spa - Traveler Reviews - The Diamond Resort - TripAdvisor Diamond Hawaii Resort and Spa: Traveler Reviews Sign in • Sign up Home > United States > Hawaii > Maui > Hotels > Diamond Hawaii Resort and Spa > Traveler Reviews Maui tourism: Overview Hotels Flights Attractions Dining Deals Forums Maps, etc. Search (e.g., Boston hotels, Las Vegas, Paris art museum) Maui Maui Overview Maui Hotels Diamond Hawaii Resort and Spa All Maui Hotels Flights to Maui Maui Deals Maui Attractions Maui Restaurants Maui Forums Maui Maps Maui Discount Hotels Maui Vacation Packages Free Newsletter Get deals, news and articles on Diamond Hawaii Resort and Spa Plus weekend trip ideas from your hometown Diamond Hawaii Resort and Spa e-mail this page to a friend Traveler Reviews Write a review . What was your experience with Diamond Hawaii Resort and Spa? Tell others what's hot and what's not. Maui Diamond Hawaii Resort and Spa 555 Kaukahi Street Wailea Maui, Hawaii 96753 United States Deals on Nearby Maui Hotels Four Seasons Resort Maui The Fairmont Kea Lani Maui Grand Wailea Resort and Spa Wailea Marriott Resort Renaissance Wailea Beach Resort Wailea Grand Champions Maui Maui Makena Surf - Destination Resorts Wailea Ekahi Village - Destination Resorts Wailea Ekolu Village - Destination Resorts ResortQuest Maui Hill Maui Prince Hotel Mana Kai Maui Outrigger Palms at Wailea Best Western Maui Oceanfront Inn Maui Kamaole Kihei Surfside Kihei Kai Nani Hale Pau Hana Resort ResortQuest at the Maui Banyan Castle Kamaole Sands Kihei Akahi Hale Kamaole Maui Parkshore Kihei Alii Kai Maui Coast Hotel Maui Vista Resort Wailea Makena Condos Hale Kai O'kihei Kihei Garden Estates Maui Sunset Condos Menehune Shores Leinaala Luana Kai Resort Kihei Bay Vista Maui Schooner Resort Kauhale Makai (Village by the Sea) Kihei Bay Surf Aston Maui Lu Resort Kihei Beach Resort Kealia Resort Sugar Beach Resort Condos Island Sands Resort Castle Maui Beach Hotel Old Wailuku Inn at Ulupono Maui Seaside Hotel Maui Polo Beach Club - Destinations Resorts Maui Tradewinds Hotel Hana-Maui Lahaina Shores Beach Resort Plantation Inn Read more Maui tourism Diamond Hawaii Resort and Spa : Traveler Reviews #1 of 139 hotels in Maui Compare rates with: Average price*: $ 284 555 Kaukahi Street | Wailea, Maui, Hawaii 96753, United States Rooms: 72 TripAdvisor traveler rating: Call now to book: 1-800-353-6145 from ClassicVacations.com Map this hotel: Expedia.com Hotel photos: Expedia.com Virtual tour: Expedia.com 72 Spacious Suites in 18 cotttages, peaceful environment - On Wailea Maui coast. This description is based on information provided by the hotel. Sponsored links * Hotel deal search: Diamond Hawaii Resort and Spa Click here for best prices for Diamond Hawaii Resort and Spa Diamond Hawaii Resort and Spa : Great rooms, Great rates Expedia.com Don't just travel. Travel right! Diamond Hawaii Resort and Spa : Great Rooms from $268 Orbitz.com The faster, easier way to find the hotel you want. Just Orbitz and go! Diamond Hawaii Resort and Spa : Book best available room ClassicVacations.com Call 800-921-2680 to find your luxury travel specialist Diamond Hawaii Resort and Spa : More rooms for more value hotels.com We Know Hotels Inside And Out. Click or call now: 1-800-434-6835 All results: View all 1,055 Maui travel deals Airfare: Find deals on airfare to Maui (arriving in Kahului, HI) TripAdvisor Traveler Rating Based on 18 reviews worldwide What to expect Rooms Service Value Cleanliness Pool Recommendations couples and romantics seniors families with small children budget travelers singles Traveler Reviews (7-11 of 18) (English) Traveler reviews (7-11 of 18) Previous | Next RATING: DATE: Show: All languages English (18) Traveler rating: Maui: Diamond Hawaii Resort and Spa : "The Diamond Resort" May 8, 2005 : A TripAdvisor Member, Ballwin, MO Compare prices with: I stayed at this hotel in: June, 2004 My ratings for this hotel are: Rooms Service Value Cleanliness Dining Activities and gym Pool I traveled to this hotel with: family members I recommend this hotel for: business travelers, couples and romantics, honeymooners, singles, families with teenagers, seniors, budget travelers, tourists My visit was for: extended vacation Would I stay at this location again: absolutely! They were very helpful and informative. They reccommended restraunts and stuff to do in Hawaii. Helped us get a rental car. This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor, Inc. 2 out of 10 TripAdvisor users found this review to be helpful. Write a review of this hotel Post your photos of this hotel Did you find this review helpful? Traveler rating: Maui: Diamond Hawaii Resort and Spa : "The Diamond was not the best" Mar 30, 2005 : A TripAdvisor Member, San Francisco, CA Compare prices with: I stayed at this hotel in: October, 2004 My ratings for this hotel are: Rooms Service Value Cleanliness Dining Activities and gym Pool I traveled to this hotel with: boyfriend/girlfriend I recommend this hotel for: couples and romantics, families with teenagers, seniors, tourists My visit was for: leisure The main problem with the Diamond is that it is neither a resort that you don't need to leave ever, nor it is a condo with everything you need to be self-sufficient. This is a problem in Wailea where you're more or less dependent on your hotel. When we first checked in we loved the view and the balcony, and the place was huge. However we got tired of having to pay resort prices, but still had to drive down the hill to find an open restaurant or bar, or even go to the beach. The Japanese-style baths were cold and not relaxing. I have been to hot spring baths in Japan, and that is an inviting and invigorating experience. This was not. There is also a normal pool and hot tub, but they are only open until 6 pm! There are three restaurants: two Japanese, and one Italian. The Japanese-French one is not really haute cuisine like they make it sound. That's probably why the restaurant is almost always completely empty. The Italian restaurant is a little more lively, and we enjoyed having a drink at the outdoor bar there, but it doesn't stay open late like other bars in Maui. We didn't visit the third, because it was always closed. The condo has a Japanese-style shower-room and separate toilet room. These could have been cleaner, or updated. The kitchen was very small with a mini electric stove and no oven, no microwave, no dishwasher, no dish drainer. And you had to rent a set of pots that didn't include much. The refrigerator was tiny and filled with frost, and froze all our food, so we didn't cook very much in the room. The king bed really is two twins pushed together. I couldn't believe it. The employees were very nice, though it's true that not many spoke English well enough to give you tourism advice or directions. I think that's a primary function of any hotel and shouldn't be overlooked. The grounds are well kept and the sunsets are a glorious sight from your balcony. It's very quiet with no children and I appreciated that. But as we visited other Wailea resorts throughout the week, and sat on their beaches with tropical drinks, and ate at fun restaurants, and watched people relax on loungers at the pool all day, I couldn't help but feel that was the Maui experience we had wanted to have, and the Diamond was just lacking. My advice is either to pay more for a true Wailea resort on the beach, or stay in a friendly condo in laid-back Kihei. This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor, Inc. 12 out of 15 TripAdvisor users found this review to be helpful. Write a review of this hotel Post your photos of this hotel Did you find this review helpful? Traveler rating: Maui: Diamond Hawaii Resort and Spa : "Not a good value" Sep 13, 2004 : A TripAdvisor Member, New York, NY Compare prices with: To my wife and I, the Diamond Resort was not worth the money spent. The grounds are okay, but the grounds next to the rooms were unattended too and unpleasant to see. The bathroom shower needed to be cleaned (by myself) with a pot scruber. The need to rent kitchen materials was a major disppointment and let down. The microwave also had to be rented. Such items are standard in places where we have paid 125% less. The Japanese dinning was great on service, small on food and a bit too costly to us. The spa area was the highlight of the stay. The 'body shower' and 'waterfall' were just what the body ordered! The need to pay for gym sessions with a personal trainer were also a disappointment. On vacation, we generally want to work out at our leisure, not be subjected to unwarrented training sessions. After paying for an overprice room the additional charges for all of the other basic items made this a place that we will not return. This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor, Inc. 6 out of 10 TripAdvisor users found this review to be helpful. Write a review of this hotel Post your photos of this hotel Did you find this review helpful? Traveler rating: Maui: Diamond Hawaii Resort and Spa : "Perfect Change of Pace" Sep 10, 2004 : A TripAdvisor Member, Beltsville, MD Compare prices with: I just took the family (wife (44), son (22) and daughters (19,17)) to Maui for 3 nights and Waikiki for 5, so we opened our trip at the Diamond Resort, which is really in Wialea. This was the perfect change of pace resort after a long flight from the east coast. The free spa is tremendous and relaxing (I hit it every night and my 17 year old had a facial and massage that made her trip - $100), and the rooms (really suites) were so clean and spacious. The property is large measured by land but very small measured by number of rooms, so you really get great treatment by the staff buy can hide away by yourself for peace and quiet if that's what you want. My daughters went to the Japanese restaurant at the resort and said it was the best. They also have a renowned Italian restaurant there, but I didn't try it. My one criticism is the king bed really isn't a king but two beds together, and the pillows were not great. And here is a tip...if you're older and/or don't walk very well, make sure you tell them so they can put you in a room that is close to the main level. The property is dramatically placed on a hill, so the lower you are the closer you are to the ocean but the more you have to walk up and down the hill. My kids were in building 20 and we were in building 1, and there room was much better than ours in term of walking and panoramic view. Even with these quirks, I give The Diamond Resort 4.5 stars; I knew my wife and I would love the place when I booked it, but I was shocked at how much my children loved it too. This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor, Inc. 6 out of 10 TripAdvisor users found this review to be helpful. Write a review of this hotel Post your photos of this hotel Did you find this review helpful? Traveler rating: Maui: Diamond Hawaii Resort and Spa : "Spectacular view in a serene setting." Sep 9, 2004 : A TripAdvisor Member, Pelham, NY Compare prices with: I stayed at this hotel in: August, 2004 My ratings for this hotel are: Rooms Service Value Cleanliness Dining Activities and gym Pool I traveled to this hotel with: spouse/partner I recommend this hotel for: couples and romantics, honeymooners, seniors, tourists My visit was for: extended vacation We spent part of our honeymoon here and had wonderful time. The rooms are spacious and though we had a Garden View Room all rooms are ocean facing and we had a partial view of the ocean from the first floor. We enjoyed lovely sunsets from our location. The bed was MASSIVE and I loved the two white spa robes that were provided. And it was so cute that they provided a green tea set along with american coffee cups and coffeemaker. Whatever coffee or green tea we used was replenished daily by the maid service and our tea/coffee cups were cleaned by the service. It may be a minor inconvenience to rent cookware for $4 a day - but the cost is really nominal, and frankly who cooks all that much on vacation? The kitchen (more of a kitchenette) was really rather small to create a culinary masterpiece anyway - just 2 burners and a dorm size fridge. With all the spectacular restaurants in Maui we never ran out of options in 2 weeks. Also, I wanted to address some of the earlier reviewers' comments which are really misleading. First, while I will agree that this resort caters to a primarily Japanese clientele, I spoke with the front desk staff a few times, to have them change the time of our dinner reservation, ask general questions, and schedule spa appointments - there was no barrier in communication and things were handled as requested each time. In fact, the staff was mostly Hawaiian, so it is untrue that they only understand Japanese. Second, prior to our stay at Diamond it was very clear to me that the use of their fitness facilities are only for those who are using their personal trainers. I thought this limitation was unfortunate, but this is fairly clear. Their was no information in the brochure or the DR website to make you think otherwise. Aside from this, I just wanted to mention that the views were spectacular, I had a sublime facial at their spa - it lasted over an hour, we enjoyed feeding the koi that are in all the pools and waterfalls that are woven throughout the grounds (DR sells bags of food for just a $1), and their restaurant Capisché? ranks with the top restaurants in Maui for a reason - they have an extensive wine list, sophisticated menu and delicious food. The entire resort staff was very gracious and attentive to our needs during our stay. If you are looking for tranquility, privacy and amazing views, I would highly recommend this unique experience. And it is minutes from some of the best beaches and shopping in Maui. It is also one of the most economical places to stay in beautifully manicured landscape of Wailea. Thanks! This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor, Inc. 6 out of 6 TripAdvisor users found this review to be helpful. Write a review of this hotel Post your photos of this hotel Did you find this review helpful? Traveler reviews (7-11 of 18) Previous | Next Sponsored links * Hotel deal search: Diamond Hawaii Resort and Spa Click here for best prices for Diamond Hawaii Resort and Spa Diamond Hawaii Resort and Spa : Great rooms, Great rates Expedia.com Don't just travel. Travel right! Diamond Hawaii Resort and Spa : Great Rooms from $268 Orbitz.com The faster, easier way to find the hotel you want. Just Orbitz and go! Diamond Hawaii Resort and Spa : Book best available room ClassicVacations.com Call 800-921-2680 to find your luxury travel specialist Diamond Hawaii Resort and Spa : More rooms for more value hotels.com We Know Hotels Inside And Out. Click or call now: 1-800-434-6835 All results: View all 1,055 Maui travel deals About TripAdvisor TripAdvisor provides recommendations for hotels, resorts, inns, vacations, travel packages, vacation packages, travel guides and lots more. Recommendations for hotels, resorts, inns, vacations, travel packages, travel guides and lots more! 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