We learned the day before that Cagney's would be open for breakfast this morning of debarkation but we opted not to have a big meal. Instead we spent the morning desperately searching the cabin because we couldn't find the house and luggage lock keys after locking and putting out our checked luggage the night before. Note to NCL - look into the luggage valet program that cruise lines like RCL and Celebrity offer. Made the flights home from those cruises so much nicer! In case anyone is missing a blue/green travel neck pillow, I discovered it under the bed while searching for our keys this morning. Coming up at a loss even after checking the obvious place of the outer pockets of our carry on bag, we resigned ourselves to the fact that we may have to cut off our TSA approved luggage locks and get my mom to let us back into the house.
I don't recall exactly what color luggage tags we'd been given but our "Oahu - Pearl Harbor & Honolulu City Tour" booked through Roberts Hawaii required being pier side by 8:50AM. We decided to head down to the gangway around 8:30AM and ran into Spencer in the hallway. We asked him if anyone had turned in some keys to the lost and found and he went into the back to check. He came up empty and promised that if they did find them they would send them to our house. Since we were already there, Spencer essentially played Vanna and directed us to the line of people disembarking. There didn't seem to be any real organization or restriction about who could disembark when like most lines who call for passengers by certain decks or certain luggage tag colors. Other lines require those choosing to walk off with all their luggage to leave first, often before 7AM. Here, according to our disembark information, that group could leave anywhere from 7:15AM until 9AM which ran the span of the other group's reported times.
Since we never left the country on this trip, there was no having to weave our way through customs or have our passports checked. Thankfully there are usually separate suite lines as part of the priority disembarkation when you do have to go through that step. Here in Baltimore where the customs area is much smaller resulting in more people waiting outside until the lines go down, they instead have suite guests go around the line and stand to the side being directed to the next available agent.
It was relatively easy to find our luggage once off the gangway and Dad called over a porter to help us. By the time we came out of the main warehouse area into what looked more like a giant hotel lobby, the multiple companies were there waiting for people to check in for their arranged transfers etc. We checked in with the Roberts Hawaii employee and were directed to go wait in a specific corner of the lobby space. Their form of organization was to group everyone in different areas of this large open space based on what you booked. The more people came off the ship, the more the sectioned groups became simply a large crowd standing around. Adam and Amy had probably gotten off the ship as soon as possible anxious to be that much closer to the airport since they were sitting on the floor waiting as one of the first people in the Roberts Hawaii Pearl Harbor group. It soon became overheated in the room and loud making it tough to tell whether it was your group all those people in green shirts were calling. Finally, we heard our tour called and we were told to go to "the bus on the end." We followed the crowds outside to a long row of buses unsure which "end" we were supposed to go to. After a bit of trying to figure things out, I went over to the other end and asked the young lady if this was the bus going to Pearl Harbor. She confirmed it and I motioned for everyone to come join me. They loaded our luggage (we opted to hold onto our carry on bag) under the bus based on which airline we were using.
A little sprinkle dotted the windows as we sat on the bus waiting for them to finish loading the luggage. Thankfully the bus didn't fill up so Dad and I sat separately so we could use the 2nd seat to hold our carry on bags. Our driver gave some commentary as we headed to our first stop of the Alliolani Hale building aka the Hawaii Five-O headquarters. Across the street is the real Iolani Palace. Only about 2/3rds of the bus opted to get off and follow our driver up the road about a block to stand in front of the building. He explained the significance of the King Kamehameha statue in front with the laying of flowers and assured everyone that there is no real Hawaii Five-O task force.
One last drive by took us to the Punchbowl National Cemetery:
Once we arrived at the Pearl Harbor Visitor Center, our driver let us off the bus to wait for our tickets. Once through the security bag check (people had backpacks and purses and as long as they were checked, they were allowed in), we were instructed to wait specifically "in a single file line" while he went and picked up our movie/boat ride tickets. We all found it a little odd that after arriving here around 10:30AM, we weren't given tickets for an earlier boat ride time. Instead we were given tickets for the 1:30PM slot, told where to line up to enter the movie theater by 1:20PM and then sent on our way to do whatever we pleased on the grounds. His final instructions were to meet back at the bus which now was off in the back parking lot by 3PM.
Adam and Amy opted to head over to the USS Missouri battleship to walk through it while Dad was more interested in seeing the newsreel movies as part of the museum displays. They reported later that since it was a working battleship, they had to move through confined spaces and crawl through small passageways. Definitely not an accessible attraction for anyone with disabilities.
Dad and I moved between the buildings checking out the exhibits and watching the footage. There was a small snack shop that was mobbed but was essentially our main means for sustenance so we joined the crowd picking out drinks and a bunch of carb filled snacks to sustain us. We joined the many other people who'd pulled up a bench outside the shop and did our best to avoid the birds who swarmed en masse in hopes of crumbs.
We passed on the varieties of seafood snack mix and taro chips:
Dad and I next moved to the water's edge to look out at the Arizona Memorial and check out the various quotes etched into concrete from the soldiers who were there that fateful day.
There were several interesting plaques along the water mapping out the geography of the harbor and the ships docked there that day. Dad used the map to show me where he'd worked by Hospital Point in Hickam Field when he and Mom had been transferred to Hawaii for his work shortly after they'd gotten married.
A quick pass through the gift shop (Dad was also hoping they'd have traveler items like new keys for TSA locks) and we spotted the desk where you could help yourself to stamping your National Park passport.
We next moved to sit in the shade nearby where the movie theater and boat dock were and soon reunited with Adam and Amy.
There was a former soldier manning the crowds filling the small overhang outside the theater and we listed to him routinely yell at the people to not be lining up too soon before their ticket time. When we did line up for our turn, his no nonsense comments and frankness made everyone laugh and kept us all in a good mood. He did make a point of letting anyone with strollers, little kids, or disabilities in first to get them settled before letting the crowd file in. He made a big speech before we went in about giving the movie our full attention and to not only silence our phones but to stay off them completely until the movie was over. He even promised to come in and check to make sure we were following his rule. Dad opted to choose seats near the back of the theater in hopes of getting out easier but once the movie was over, we were all directed to exit via the doors at the bottom of the theater on each side of the screen. The movie itself is played on a large screen and can get loud but is enthralling to watch.
Once outside, you essentially are right on the boat dock so it's a matter of funneling your way through the railings and onto the ferry boat. There are spaces on the ferry for those with wheelchairs and a small bench seat for your travel partner to sit next to you. Otherwise it's rows of bench seats you enter and exit from the center so unless you get to be the first one to enter your row, your view out the sides is going to be someone's head and then the Memorial.
The ferry boat was driven by two young navy sailors and a recording narration was played while they drove the boat out to the memorial, turned in a circle to give everyone a chance to see the Arizona Memorial specifically, and then back to the dock. The boat ride itself took all of 20 minutes if that.
Even though we had 30-40 minutes until we needed to meet back at the bus, Dad and I started to head back out to the parking lot. When Adam and Amy veered off to visit the same gift shop we'd perused earlier, we stopped to sit on a bench and wait for them. When they came out and announced that they'd found a sticker for their National Park passport (a goal they've long held for everywhere they visit) we asked if they'd also found the stamp. They had missed seeing the stamp set up so Dad and Adam went back in to get the passports stamped while Amy and I headed back to the bus. They soon joined us and all but one guy who'd been standing outside by the bus enjoying a smoke made it back to the bus by 3PM.
No comments:
Post a Comment