Thurs Jan 20: Pull into Honolulu harbor around 9 am.  Have been to this city many times but this is the first time arriving by boat.  Very beautiful entrance,  perfect weather, arrive as we're enjoying breakfast on deck.  Bus tour to various beaches & parks on southern part of island.  Learn some of the history of the islands.  Settled maybe 1,000 years ago by polynesians.  First European visitor was captain Cook in 1778.  King Kamehameha united the 8 islands into one kingdom in 1810.  Hawaii was attacked by Japan in 1941.  Became 50th state in 1959, and only state that was previously a monarchy.  Could have just googled this, but then no buffet.  Bus driver points out a six-story building that was originally designed as a seven-story building.  But that's another story.

Lunch on ship, then a special tour for world cruisers to see Iolani palace, which was the palace for Hawaiian royalty built in the 19th century.  Very beautiful, European-style building. Reportedly the first palace to have electricity, it was built in 1882. Gracious greeting with old-fashioned flower leis, live entertainment, hors dourves, drinks, then back to the ship around 8pm.

Jan 21  full day in Honolulu.  Tour Pearl harbor - sobering visit to museum and memorial facilities that preserve the memory of the 1941 attack.  Later stroll along Waikiki beach and shopping areas.  Learn that state of Hawaii is likely to legalize casino gambling within next few years in effort to boost tourism and state revenue. 

Wonderful barbeque/buffet, entertainment on top deck, then sail to Maui at midnight.

Jan 22 Lahaina Maui:  For our short time in this old whaling town, we choose a whale-watching cruise - Brigit gets the photo above with whales up close, Lahaina & Regent ship in background.  (To view more photos visit Brigit's blog at http://anchorsawaygrandworldcruise.blogspot.com/ )   Stroll shopping area, lunch at our favorite Lahaina restaurant (Pacificos).  Then we say aloha to Hawaii and the U.S. for the next five months.  We sail at 5 pm, headed south toward French Polynesia, where we will visit Moorea, Bora Bora, and Tahiti.  Maybe an opportunity to practice my French.   Will be at sea for the longest continuous time of this cruise - six days, or 18 consecutive buffets.