Hawaiian Gift Baskets .

Bath, Body & More! Hawaiian Gift Basket Bath, Body & More Gift Basket The Bath, Body & More! gift basket offers a compliment of premium handmade soaps, bath salts, tropical bath crystals, body lotion, Hawaiian candles and personal care items. More Hawaiian Gift Baskets . Express Shipping via USPS Express Mail available for this gift item. Bath, Body & More! Gift Basket The Bath, Body & More! Gift Basket includes: Kauai Rose Handmade Soap 3.25oz Lavender Handmade Soap 3.25oz Passion Fruit Pure Coconut Soap 2oz Coconut-Rose Premium Hawaiian Bath Salt Tube 4.5oz Tropical Scented Lotion 4oz Tropical Scented Bath Crystals 6Pack Gift Set Nylon Lather Builder Pack (25) Assorted Mini Floating Plumeria Candles Keepsake Hawaiian Woven Lauhala Basket Gift Card Free USPS Priority Mail shipping within the US. Qty. Bath, Body & More! Gift Basket w/Free Shipping $54.95 Availability - this gift basket ships within 2 business days. Qty. Bath, Body & More! Gift Basket w/USPS Express Shipping $76.15 Availability - this gift basket ships next business day. Please note: Each keepsake basket is individually hand decorated here in Hawaii. The Hawaiian fabric colors and basket ornamentation may vary from those pictured above. It may be necessary to substitute an out of stock item with a similar item of equal or greater value on occasion. All of our Hawaiian gift baskets are individually created here in our shop and not mass produced or drop shipped from a gift basket vendor. Free shipping is via USPS Priority Mail with Delivery Confirmation within the US only. Please allow additional time for delivery during the busy holiday season. Fresh floral accents not included. Order online or call us toll free! 1-800-210-1668 [Home] [Handmade Soap] [Bath Salts] [Bath Crystals] [Gift Baskets] [Gift Certificates] [Glossary] [Kids Soap] [Hawaiian Bath Gels] [Hawaiian Body Lotion] [Hawaiian Candles] [Hawaiian Calendars] [Soap Making Books] [Soap Making Resources] [Soap Making Supplies] [Contact Us] [FAQ] [News] [Ordering] [Ohana/Links]

Hawaii Cruises Cruises Hawaii

Cruisegal specializes in Hawaii Cruise Packages. Things to Do Cruises Tours Packages Resorts The World North America United States Hawaii Cruises Cruises Hawaii Cruise Packages Register | Profile I want more information Email page to a friend Call Cruisegal toll free at 1-888-255-3148. There are many Hawaii Cruise Packages to choose from. Cruisegal will help you choose the one that fits your needs. Search Cruises Cruise Line Any Above and Beyond American Rivers American Safari Cruises Atlantis Events Carnival Cruise Line Celebrity Cruises Christian Travel Finder Clear Channel Entertainment, SFX Touring Inc. Costa Cruises Cruceros Australis Cruise West Crystal Cruises Cunard Line Discovery World Cruises Disney Cruise Line Gayribbean Cruises GNL Cruises Gto Travel Holland America Line Imperial River Cruises In The Wild Adventures Maharaja Cruise MSC Cruises Norwegian Cruise Line Oceania Cruises, Inc. Olivia Cruises and Resorts Orient Lines Out On The Water Pied Piper Travel Princess Cruise Line R Family Vacations Radisson Seven Seas Cruises RiverBarge Excursions Romeo-n-romeo Royal Caribbean RSVP Vacations Seabourn Cruise Line SeaDream Yacht Club Silversea Cruises Swan Hellenic Lines University at Sea Uniworld Viking River Cruises Windstar Cruises World Explorer Cruises Ship Name Destination Any Africa Alaska Asia/Far East Bahamas Bermuda Canada/New England Caribbean Europe Hawaii Holy Land/Middle East Mexico Pacific Northwest Panama Canal Scandinavia/Russia South America South Pacific/Australia Transoceanic United States World Antarctic Duration Any 1-5 days 6-9 days 10-15 days 16+ days Date Any January 2006 February 2006 March 2006 April 2006 May 2006 June 2006 July 2006 August 2006 September 2006 October 2006 November 2006 December 2006 January 2007 February 2007 March 2007 April 2007 May 2007 June 2007 July 2007 August 2007 September 2007 October 2007 November 2007 December 2007 January 2008 February 2008 March 2008 April 2008 May 2008 June 2008 Max Price $ Departs From Any Baltimore Boston Charleston Ft. Lauderdale Galveston Honolulu Houston Jacksonville Los Angeles Miami Mobile Montreal New Orleans New Jersey New York City Norfolk Philadelphia Port Canaveral San Diego San Francisco San Juan Seattle Seward Tampa Vancouver Promotions Only Sort By Select one Price (Low to High) Price (High to Low) Featured Promotions Cruise Line Cruise Destination Cruise Duration Departure Date Prev Cruises 1-10 of 53 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | Next 5 Pages Next 10-Day Hawaii Honolulu round-trip from $799.00 (USD) Select Ship Name : Norwegian Wind Destination : Hawaii Departures : Mar 22, Oct 18, Nov 08, Nov 29, Dec 20, Jan 10, Jan 31, Feb 21, Mar 14, Apr 04 Ports of Call : Starting in Honolulu with stops in Hilo, Fanning Island, Nawiliwili, Lahaina, Kona Duration : 10 11 Night Eastbound Hawaii Cruise from $1,119.00 (USD) Select Ship Name : Serenade of the Seas Destination : Hawaii Departures : Oct 05 Ports of Call : Starting in Honolulu (Oahu) with stops in Nawiliwili (Kauai), Lahaina (Maui), Hilo, Kailua Kona, Ensenada Duration : 11 11 Night Southbound Hawaii Cruise from $2,359.00 (USD) Select Ship Name : Serenade of the Seas Destination : Hawaii Departures : Sep 24 Ports of Call : Starting in Vancouver with stops in Kailua Kona, Hilo, Lahaina (Maui), Honolulu (Oahu) Duration : 11 11-Day Hawaii Honolulu round-trip from $849.00 (USD) Select Ship Name : Norwegian Wind Destination : Hawaii Departures : Oct 07, Oct 28, Nov 18, Dec 09, Dec 30, Jan 20, Feb 10, Mar 03, Mar 24, Apr 14 Ports of Call : Starting in Honolulu with stops in Hilo, Lahaina, Nawiliwili, Fanning Island, Kona Duration : 11 11-Day Hawaiian Escape, Honolulu to Ensenada from $649.00 (USD) Select Ship Name : Norwegian Wind Destination : Hawaii Departures : Apr 01 Ports of Call : Starting in Honolulu with stops in Hilo, Lahaina, Nawiliwili, Ensenada Duration : 11 11-Day Hawaiian Escape, Kahuli to San Francisco from $3,099.00 (USD) Select Ship Name : Pride of Aloha Destination : Hawaii Departures : Apr 22 Ports of Call : Starting in Kahului with stops in Honolulu, Nawiliwili, Hilo, Kona, San Francisco Duration : 11 11-Day Hawaiian Islands, San Francisco to Honolulu from $1,089.00 (USD) Select Ship Name : Pride of Aloha Destination : Hawaii Departures : May 17 Ports of Call : Starting in San Francisco with stops in Nawiliwili, Hilo, Kona, Kahului, Honolulu Duration : 11 12 Day Hawaii from Ensenada from $1,299.00 (USD) Select Ship Name : Carnival Spirit Destination : Hawaii Departures : Apr 16 Ports of Call : Starting in Ensenada with stops in Hilo, Maui, Kona, Kauai, Honolulu Duration : 12 12 Day Hawaii from Ensenada from $1,099.00 (USD) Select Ship Name : Carnival Spirit Destination : Hawaii Departures : Apr 15 Ports of Call : Starting in Ensenada with stops in Kauai, Maui, Kona, Hilo, Honolulu Duration : 12 12 Day Hawaii from Honolulu from $1,449.00 (USD) Select Ship Name : Carnival Spirit Destination : Hawaii Departures : Apr 28 Ports of Call : Starting in Honolulu with stops in Maui, Hilo, Kona, Kauai, Vancouver Duration : 12 Prev Cruises 1-10 of 53 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | Next 5 Pages Next Cruises 14 Night Hawaii Circle Cruise Onboard Summit from $1,900.00 (USD) Hawaii is a land of fascinating contrasts. 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Hawaiian Quilt Collection -

Quilting Hawaiian in the Yahoo! Directory Search: the Web | the Directory | this category Quilting > Hawaiian Email this page Suggest a Site Advanced Search Directory > Business and Economy > Shopping and Services > Arts and Crafts > Crafts > Quilting > Hawaiian SPONSOR LISTINGS ( What's this? ) Sponsor Your Site - want to enhance your commercial listing? Click here to learn how. SITE LISTINGS By Popularity | Alphabetical ( What's This? ) Sites 1 - 10 of 10 Hawaiian Quilt Collection - Historical or contemporary Hawaiian designed quilts or kits. Pacific Rim Quilt Company - Specializing in Hawaiian quilts and applique. Offers classes, patterns, and a quilt gallery. Quilt Hawaiian - Offers Hawaiian quilt patterns, kits and notions to hand applique or machine piece. For beginners and experienced quilters. Poakalani & Co. - Traditions, history, and culture of Hawaiian quilting. Hawaiian Style Quilts - Handmade quilts with a Hawaiian motif. Photographs of many designs and custom orders available as well. Aloha Quilts - Traditional and contemporary Hawaiian quilt kits, books, and more. Kenui Quilts - specializing in handmade Hawaiian quilts, wall hangings, and accessories. Hawaii's Keepsakes - specializes in fine hand-sewn bedspreads, wall hangings, and pillow covers using traditional applique patterns inspired by Hawaii's flora and fauna. Moana Gifts - offering a large selection of Hawaiian quilts, handmade by skilled artisans. Also features quilted baby blankets, wall hangings, and other Hawaiian gifts. Island Quilts - handmade quilts, wall hangings, kits, and other Hawaiian and quilted items at wholesale prices.

Molokai

molokai landscape Contents | Calendar | Mahalo Mail True Hawaiian Culture Nowhere else in Hawai'i can you expose yourself to so much variety in landscape so quickly - so leisurely. Moloka'i is only 10 miles wide and 38 miles long. Carved sharply from the mountains to the sea, its northern sea cliffs are the highest in the world; its West End plains descend gently across ranchlands and deer hunting preserves to clear waters and the longest, least crowded of the accessible beaches in Hawai'i. Moloka'i's shoreline road on the East End presents surprises around every bend, with ancient Hawaiian fishponds, taro farms, mango patches, and incredible inlets and bays with surf Hawai`i's longest beaches­ Moloka`i's West End spots and fishing. At the end of the road, you reach Halawa with its valley walls, waterfalls, meandering stream and Hawaiian village. In the center of the island on the southern coast, the longest pier in Hawai'i extends past reef to a dock where a ferry travels to and from Maui. The main town of Kaunakakai is nearby, with an historic church row and village life. Highway 470 ascends up the mountain for the spectacular lookout to Kalaupapa, a tongue of land extending into the Pacific below the sea cliffs. The isolated village welcomed Father Damien in the 1870s to help the residents, victims of what was then called leprosy. When leaving Ho'olehua Airport, the a sign reminds you that Moloka'i roads, which have no stoplights, are a place to "Slow Down"- one of the reasons many people come to Moloka'i. At Ho'olehua, visit the Purdy family of Hawaiian homesteaders who grow macadamia nuts, harvesting and cracking them for your enjoyment right before your eyes in the shade of mac trees. At Kualapu'u, see Coffees of Hawai'i, which grows Muleskinner and Malulani Estate Coffees and offers mule wagon rides through the plantation. The place to eat in the area is Meyers Sugar Mill & Museum the Kualapu'u Cookhouse, with its home-style cooking, catering and baking of pies and cakes. Continuing up 470, the Kalae Highway, the diversity of Moloka'i becomes apparent as the green hills turn into forests opening up to spectacular ocean views. The R. W. Meyer Sugar Mill (circa 1878) offers a look at an early pioneer who married into a Hawaiian family and developed agriculture. The old mill is on the National Register of Historic Sites. On the grounds is Moloka'i Museum & Cultural Center, which conducts tours and offers classes. Up Kalae Highway is the barn for Moloka'i Mule Ride, which carries visitors down the 1,700-foot Kalaupapa Trail. Kalaupapa can also be reached by small plane. Daily tours are led by Damien Tours. To see Kalaupapa Peninsula from above, continue to the end of Kalae Highway and walk a short path through Pala'au State Park to Kalaupapa Lookout. Interpretive signs explain the history. Nearby, the Phallic Rock is the subject of many legends about fertility. Halawa Valley on Moloka`i's East End Heading back down Highway 470, visit the R.W. Meyer Ltd., which owns 1,800 acres with hiking, mountain biking, fishing and nature treks by 4-wheel drive. When traveling to Kalae, see the Meyer Gate, 610 mile past mile marker 7. Nearby is the 9-hole Ironwood Hills Golf Club. Where Hwy. 470 makes a 'T' with Hwy 460, take a left and head east for a drive along Church Row as you enter Kaunakakai, the main town on the island. Kaunakakai offers shopping, a variety of dining, and the Kaunakakai Wharf, the major shipping center and transportation link, by ferry, on the Maui Princess. See the Giant Banyan Tree at Pau Hana Inn and drive along Kamehameha V (Hwy. 450) to view Keawanui and other ancient fishponds where Hawaiians practiced aquaculture. Wagon ride to ancient heiau Two churches were built by Father Damien on Moloka'i's East End. They are well marked, as St. Joseph Church and Our Lady of the Sorrows Church. One of the largest heiau (Hawaiian temples) in the state, Ili'ili'opa'e, is located near Puko'o, and a Hawaiian family takes visitors by horse-drawn wagon on an interpretive tour, designed for individuals or groups. Moloka'i Horse & Wagon Ride also offers prearranged activities and an informal Hawaiian picnic on the beach next to the largest mango patch in Hawai'i. At Moloka'i's far East End is the verdant Pu'u O Hoku Ranch, with charming ranch buildings. Known for their interest in preserving Hawaiian culture and endangered species, the ranch offers guest rooms to travelers with reservations. Purdy's Hawaiian Homes macadamia farm As you approach the end of Kamehameha V Highway, the scenic drive becomes more winding and the coast more rugged. The tiny, turtle-shaped isle of Mokuho'oniki is just offshore. As you descend into Halawa Valley there are beautiful lookouts and the mouth of the stream is a wonderful place to rest. The walking trail up the valley is closed to the public. (Left) Father Damien's church at Kalaupapa, (right) Touring coffee fields by mule wagon The highway ends at Halawa, marking the beginning of the inaccessible North Shore and the world's highest sea cliffs. The deep valleys were agricultural centers of old Hawai'i with taro patches and many house sites. Today, the valleys are visited by hunters, fishermen and paddlers of kayak and canoe. It is best to find a guide, as the coast is very rugged. The return road trip from Halawa to the airport is 37 miles, and is most enjoyable driven leisurely, taking several hours for scenic stops. (above) Moloka`i Made: Muleskinner Coffee (right) The famous Moloka`i Mule Ride Moloka'i's West End is a short drive along Hwy. 460. The road climbs the gentle slope of Maunaloa, birthplace of hula, and descends to the sunny side. Take the right fork onto Kaluakoi Road to beaches of Papohaku and Kepuhi. Kaluakoi Resort offers an 18-hole championship golf course, accommodations, tennis, and ocean activities. Adjacent Papohaku Ranchlands is a community of homes and ranches for people who enjoy sun, serenity, trails, wildlife and beaches. Papohaku Beach Park is excellent for strolling on the longest, widest sandy beaches in Hawai'i. At nearby Maunaloa Village, visit Moloka'i Ranch Outfitters Headquarters for a safari through Moloka'i Ranch Wildlife Conservation Park. The ranch offers trail rides for ranch guests and has the best rodeo arena in the state; you learn to be a wrangler. Ask about hiking through the rangelands and places to stay. Maunaloa Village has shops and places to buy snacks. It is a quaint town, with a history dating back to the early cattle industry in Hawai'i. It offers beautiful views of the coast and spectacular sunsets for the end of your day.

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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