Embarkation day has arrived but we weren't done with Honolulu. Paul and I were up super early again, this time for a 6:00 a.m. reservation to hike Diamond Head State Monument. We arrived early to find a line of cars had already formed at the gate. The timing was perfect as the sun was just starting to rise and we all had time to step out of our cars to admire it.
Once the gate opened, we drove through a one-lane tunnel (a traffic light let one direction of traffic go at a time) to enter the floor of the crater where we parked and started up the path.
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| As you get closer to the top, you reach these steep stairs that take you through a tunnel. |
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| Paul took this nice panoramic photo looking down on the crater. |
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| When we reached the top, there was a faint rainbow in the distance and the city of Honolulu spread out before our eyes. |
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| If you look closely, you will see our cruise ship, the Celebrity Eclipse hiding behind the skyscrapers. |
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| A lighthouse sat closer to the water. |
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| Another view of the crater |
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| This is back at the parking lot on the floor of the crater. |
It really was such a neat hike and although it was busy, I imagine it would only get busier as the day went on.
We spent a little over an hour at Diamond Head and then went to go pick up some breakfast. Paul had read about this place called Leonard's Bakery known for its malasadas and doughnuts. Parking was a bit challenging around this location but we found a spot on the street a few blocks away. They were excellent, a little less sweet than traditional American donuts.
After enjoying Leonard's at our hotel, we packed up all our stuff, watched the safety videos on Celebrity's app, checked out of the hotel, returned the rental car to the airport, and caught a taxi to the port. At the taxi stand, we ran into a solo traveler going on our cruise who shared the taxi with us.
Our scheduled arrival time was 12:30 p.m. We arrived at the port about 12:15 p.m. to find the terminal completely empty of lines but full of crew anxious to check us in. The ship had already been cleared for boarding so within 10 minutes, we were walking the gangway onto the ship! This was our smoothest embarkation yet.
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| Pier 2 in Honolulu |
We dropped our belongings off at our cabins which is a nice plus to sailing Celebrity. Even if the rooms aren't done, they encourage you to drop off your carry on items. We also checked in at our muster station - we love eMuster! And headed to the buffet for lunch which wasn't as busy as I recall it normally is on an embarkation day. I imagine though that this itinerary is a bit different since we didn't leave Honolulu until very late the next day so there may not be the same rush to get on the ship.
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| After lunch, we stopped at the Martini Bar for our first drinks. I had my favorite the Eurekatini. |
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| We took a moment to check out the views of Honolulu from the ship. |
It was a nice leisurely afternoon for a change. Dinner was in the Moonlight Sonata main dining room. We have anytime dining this cruise but had made reservations ahead of time for each night. Our wait team (Lastra and Caitano) were excellent this first night and so we would continue to ask to be seated in their section. The Sommelier, Tuti was really knowledgeable and so friendly. Celebrity has both Sommeliers and bar staff in their dining rooms so the wait staff don't have to deal with drinks.
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| Dressed for dinner in my new Hawaiian shirt |
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| While we were eating, the sun set right outside our window. |
After dinner, we took in the views of Honolulu lit up at night including the Aloha Tower.
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