Saturday, July 4, 2015

Oahu Travel: How to really enjoy the Hawaiian island

Hawaii is described as an archipelago of eight Islands long ago known as the “Sandwich Islands.” After the Pineapple lobby based in San Francisco flexed its political and military muscle in 1893 to de-thrown Hawaii’s  Queen, LiliÊ»uokalani, and grab land and resources, the Island became a major vacation resort for wealthy American tourists. Today, Oahu, which is the home to Honolulu and Pearl Harbor, is the most populated island. Here’s a way to travel there and enjoy it, and respect its native Hawaiian history

This is the first of several parts. An overview of my trip with follow-up stories to focus on beaches, areas, restaurants, scenic sites, historical monuments and places that should be recognized in honor of President Barack Obama. Originally published at Illinois News Network.

By Ray Hanania

RayHanania155x130Part 1: Before visiting Hawaii for the first time in 2012 for my daughter’s wedding, I only knew what they taught us in school about Hawaii’s history. The lessons focused on its statehood, and the Dec. 7, 1941 Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, and played-down the brutal occupation and theft of the land and resources by European and American settlers.
But I had read a few books hoping to enjoy the islands more, only to become depressed by the tragic history of that occupation in the 19th Century and its takeover by American pineapple and business interests. The one that depressed me the most was “Lost Kingdom: Hawaii’s Last Queen, The Sugar Kings, and America’s First Imperial Adventure” by Julia Flynn Siler.

That doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy Hawaii and be respectful at the same time. You can. Here’s what my family did when we traveled there last month for a 10-day trip.

On our first trip, we stayed at the hotel made most famous by the new version of the TV series Hawaii Five-O, which was popular back in the 1970s and 80s, and relaunched in 2010, Hilton’s Rainbow Towers, which sits on the Southside of the Island in Honolulu, on the west end ofWaikiki Beach, which was the destination of the Hawaiian Island’s royalty in the early 19th century, but became the tourism capitol under the direction of American robber-barons and one of the first popular Pacific islands’ resorts.

For any beach stay, I would recommend buying a small umbrella that twists down into the sand, about $24. These beaches do not have palm trees for shade, although they frame all.
Waikiki is a beautiful beach that technically stretched from the Harbor and Kahanamoku Lagoon all the way southeast to the beautiful Diamond Head mountain, a long since dead volcano. But the main stretch of Waikiki Beach starts at the Hilton Village and hotels and ends at the Sheraton Hotel, which is about 5 blocks long. The light brown sand is course, rock strewn and slightly littered.
It wasn’t my favorite beach.

Moku Nui and Moku Iki with kayakers at Lanikai Beach
Moku Nui and Moku Iki with kayakers at Lanikai Beach
That’s why this second trip, we rented a two-story stand-alone loft on the Northeast or windward side of the island near Lanikai Beach, which is a sister beach with Kailua, named after the nearby town. The ocean-front villas are hugely expensive and ours was less than one block away, which was fine. It was a short walk to Lanikai Beach which is one of the four finest beaches you can visit, but probably won’t unless you rent a car.
Make sure whatever you rent allows for parking because parking is in huge demand. The rich upper-class that owns the villas and homes along the beaches do everything they can to discourage people from parking in front of their properties, planting large bushes on open spaces and placing rows of large rocks. But, you will find parking if you get there before 9:30 in the morning. Just make sure you car parks off the street and that no part of your wheel encroaches on the “bike paths.” Police love to nail tourists who park even an inch on the trails and the fines are stiff.

The beach is filled with a lot of morning teams of kayakers, pulling their long boats into the water with 6 – 8 paddles. The sand is power white.

The only real hassle will be with the homeowners who walk their dogs up and down the beach, many without much attention and they can be annoying. But the homeowners know each other and I assume they get a kick out of harassing the tourists. Clearly, they really don’t want to share the beach with the public, but all Hawaiian beaches are public, including at all hotel resorts. You can go to any hotel, park in an appropriate parking place and walk to the beach and enjoy it.

Another recent law bans all smoking on the beaches and at all parks and public places, so don’t expect to relax and enjoy a cigar here or anywhere.

But the water is a crystal clear teal color. The waves can vary from small and calm to huge, so you always have to be careful.

Lanikai Beach has some small close-in seaweed covered reefs which you can snorkel, and bigger reefs further out that offer an array of beautiful fish. And the clear sand areas are patchy, so sun bathers and swimmers not snorkeling congregate near each other. The view from the beach is beautiful and you will see two small mountains in the Pacific Ocean about 500 yards out, Moku Nui and Moku Iki. One is a nature and bird preserve and is closed to the public, but the other is open to the adventurous who paddle out there in kayaks or even on standup surf boards — large wider surf boards that people stand on and paddle in calm waters.

Kailua Beach facing northwest
Kailua Beach facing northwest
About a half mile to the west along the north coast is beautiful little town of Kailua and Kailua Bay which is about 2 miles long. There are more free parking areas but they also fill up fast. We drove there and easily found parking near where we laid out on the beach so it was convenient to bring a large ice chest filled with snacks and drinks without worrying about carrying it long distances.

At first, Kailua beach looks like a public beach that is overcrowded with tourists, the kind most people avoid. But it’s not. Ironically, most tourists to Oahu don’t travel on their own and concentrate in the hotel district near Waikiki Beach, which can become somewhat of a circus atmosphere. But Kailua is unbelievable. Pure white, powdery sand on the beach and in the water, too. No reefs nearby and it’s clear for 100 yards. About 500 years or more is Popoia Island.

There are two parking lots at the east side of the beach and it’s a short walk to one of my favorite restaurants, Buzz’s Original Steakhouse right across the main street from the beach, near the start of an inland canal.

The home where President Obama lived when he was born in 1961. No markers commemorating him, just the address.
The home where President Obama lived when he was born in 1961. No markers commemorating him, just the address.

This brings me to President Barack Obama, who was born on the island on August 4, 1961 at Kapiolani Hospital in Honolulu. The home where his mother and father lived is further to the east along the south coast, adjacent to the Paiko Lagoon Sanctuary and Bay. It was easy to find.

Obama stays in the area, at the northwestern end of Kailua Beach at the villa of Pearl Jam rock star Eddie Vedder, which isn’t too far from the huge Marine Corp Base (MCBH) and the Ulupa’u Crater (further north). When the Obama’s visit the island, you can expect traffic delays, closed roads and the small bay where he stays closed off to the public, according to many locals who live nearby.

I thought we could handle the sun longer than four hours, but during the summer months, the temperature may read 90 but the beaches feel more like 100 degrees. So by 2 pm, we returned to the loft, washed up and toured the island. One of the first places to tour was the small town of Kailua.

It’s a modern city with a Target, lots of McDonald’s but also other cafe’s and specialty restaurants. Lot’s of parking so you don’t have to worry. So we drove through the town and enjoyed several restaurants and different ethnic cuisines.

The first thing you learn when you visit Oahu and Pearl Harbor is that the United States may have defeated the Imperial Empire of Japan, but the Japanese are the largest presence on the island and while were there, the largest group of tourists, too. Oahu has a huge Japanese population and culture that is probably more sympathetic to the Native Hawaiians. And you can see the difference in attitudes among the tourists.

Most of the Japanese tourists I saw were young. Most of the Americans I saw were seniors. Hawaii is a bucket-list destination for many Americans because it’s a 10 hour trip from the east coast, nine hours from Chicago, and that’s if you take a direct flight. Add in the five hour time zone difference — Hawaii, of course is five hours behind us, and you can see why many Americans may see Hawaii is a once-in-a-lifetime vacation while the Japanese have a much closer flight and cheaper travel packages.

Food trucks along the roadside many offering a popular garlic shrimp skewer
Food trucks along the roadside many offering a popular garlic shrimp skewer

There are also a large number of military personnel stationed on the island who worked there and retired there, too. Lucky them because everything costs about 75 percent more to purchase on Hawaii. We stopped at Foodland grocery (which is a large grocery chain) and the food costs where so much higher, obviously because much of the products have to be shipped to the island. It’s pricey so be prepared.

We spent 10 days on the island and after enjoying the two beaches near us, we drove everywhere. Our first excursion was along the north coast which is dotted with beaches and food trucks. Yes, food trucks. They offer everything from popular skewers of garlic shrimp to ice-cold fresh coconuts and Lychee.

The drive is breathtaking, nearly everywhere. The mountains frame almost every perspective. The roads are safe, but slow. But we did the north coast in two hours, adding time for stops, and an hour for a return to our loft.

Halona Blow Hole
Halona Blow Hole
Heading east along the coast is Waimanalo which has wonderful beaches and several scenic stops including the Halona Blow Hole which is adjacent to a very small beach that you can only reach by taking a somewhat steep path down from the road which was made famous in 1953 in the movie “From Here to Eternity,” Halona Bay.

The beach has a small cave you can enter that leads under the road about 200 feet to a small opening at the end. It’s safe but filled with some rubbish from irresponsible campers.

There is a large parking lot where you can pull over and take great pictures of both the blow hole, a hole in the reef that spouts small to huge blasts of water straight up as the waves crash into its sides, and the Lancaster-Kerr beach.

From Here to Eternity Beach, Halona Bay
From Here to Eternity Beach, Halona Bay
The beach is small but beautiful and if you have seen the movie, it hasn’t changed much from when Burt Lancaster and Deborah Kerr kiss while lying down on the beach. Don’t be afraid. Just be careful and hike down the step-like reef steps and path which you can see from the famous movie scene of Lancaster and Kerr kissing, hasn’t really changed in a half century at all.

You’ll also pass Koko Head park, the also dead volcano crater, Sea Life Park where you can enjoy lots of fun, and the Hanauma Bay park where you can snorkel. The problem is the park opens at 6 am and by 7 am, it’s packed and long lines of people are cars wait until people finish. If you want to snorkel, get up early and get there by 6 am. The morning swim is worth it, especially in the summer months.

Just past that as you now head toward’s Honolulu and Waikiki beach along the south shore is Paiko Lagoon where Obama’s first home when he was born is located.

North from Lanikai is more breathtaking and takes you into the farmlands and more native areas. You’ll see many signs on the side of the road declaring “Keep the Country Country.” And “Enough Hotels Already,” and “No More Hotels.” Most of the trip will be on the Kamehameha (Ka-meha-meha) Highway, named after one of the island’s royal family dynasties.

You will pass many great looking beaches as you drive towards Turtle Beach Hotel and its beautiful but small Kuilima Cove on the east side of the hotel and Turtle Bay on the west side. We spent a day at Kuilima Bay and loved it.

Turtle Bay, Kuilima Bay
Turtle Bay, Kuilima Bay

Sunset Beach, Oahu
Sunset Beach, Oahu

But further down is my absolute Number 1 Beach of all time, Sunset Beach. The sand is soft and the waters are crystal clear. The waves can be huge but I enjoy waist to shoulder high waters anyway — thanks in a large part to the frights caused by the movie “Jaws,” and author Peter Benchley, who ruined swimming for everyone. Sunset Beach is a large beach with more than enough parking along the side of the road and also a parking area along with Sunset Beach Park. It’s all free, like parking we found everywhere. It’s not crowded at all.
There’s so much more including “Shark’s Cove,” which is really a shallow snorkeling area with small reefs and calm waters. It’s perfect for kids and their families. One area is for novices, and the other is for seasoned snorklers and divers.

The crown jewel of the north shore drive is just beyond Shark’s Cove at Hale’iwa Town which has several streets with cafes, souvenir shops and ice cream parlors. Park and spend the rest of the day there enjoying the small town Hawaiian ambiance.

From there, it is a start drive through the island back either through the southcoast and Honolulu, or back to the east coast and Kailua.

Waikiki Beach facing northwest to Diamond Head
Waikiki Beach facing northwest to Diamond Head
The South coast is also worth seeing, of course. And if you have never done so, you need to visit Pearl Harbor, although you should book your tickets before you arrive. You can buy the tickets and take a cab from Waikiki, or drive there from Lanikai and Kailua.

Waikiki Beach is also easily accessible. There is a large parking lot where you can pay about $11 to $30 for 5 to 10 hours. It’s a short walk past the Army Museum, which is across the street and right near the north end of Waikiki Beach.

There are many historical museums including the Palace of Queen Emma, which is small and may take an hour to see the home of a past Hawaiian Queen and Hawaiian royal customs. There is a modest entrance fee to help cover the costs of maintenance and care. So much Hawaiian heritage was stolen and worse, destroyed, and this museum strives to preserve what remains. There is also the more expansive and detailed Bishop Museum, which is free. The Bishop Museum offers lots of detail on Polynesian, Hawaiian and the cultures of the Pacific (Oceania).

Heading towards Honolulu
Heading towards Honolulu
Downtown Honolulu is like a more exotic New York City, but without the danger.

During my two trips, I never felt any threats and dangers walking through or in any of the locations. You should know that many Hawaiians, naturally, harbor a resentment to Americans and refer to them as “Haole” (pronounced How-lay) referring to White people from the mainland. Hard core Hawaiians will not speak with you, not out of rudeness but protest for America’s abuse and oppression. (They often say that the two biggest contributions the White Man made to Hawaii were fleas and gonorrhea to the islands. Can you blame them for being a little pissed?)

(I’ll have more on the beaches, favorite restaurants, culture and President Obama in subsequent travel columns I hope you will check for here at Illinois News Network at www.IllinoisNewsNetwork.com or at my column’s website at www.RayHanania.com.)

Friday, March 6, 2015

Travel: Western Caribbean cruise on the Norwegian Epic

Travel: Western Caribbean cruise on the Norwegian Epic

By Ray Hanania

Norwegian Epic Cruise deck
Norwegian Epic Cruise deck
We cruised the Eastern Caribbean and the ports of the St. Thomas, St. Marten and Nassau in November 2013 over Thanksgiving and we decided to do it again over Thanksgiving in 2014, this time visiting the port cities of Ocho Rios, Cozumel and George Town in the Cayman Islands.
We enjoyed the Norwegian Epic a lot, mainly because of the stops, the Water Slides for the kids and the phenomenal entertainment that featured the must-see live performance of The Blue Man Group. The Blue Man Group is a show that everyone should see not just once but many times, and they are exclusive to the Norwegian Epic, which is why we decided to chose them instead of another cruise line for this cruise tour. The Blue Man Group is the most entertaining and enjoyable live show I have seen.
Norwegian Epic falls short in some areas, like food and on-board swimming pool, but it makes up for that with the three giant water slides and the “bowl” which was so much fun to try. Between the water slides and the Blue Man Group, my teenage son loved the trip more than we could have imagined.
Norwegian Epic one of the buffet stations
Norwegian Epic one of the buffet stations
But, like I said, the food on board the ship is just OK. The dining areas are good, so we opted to pay extra to enjoy the specialty restaurants each night to avoid the unruly, sloppy crowds that sloshed their way into the main dining room like it was their home kitchens in the middle of the night.
One of the big problems with the Norwegian Epic is that you haven’t finished paying for things once you have booked the cruise. We had to pay for Internet that just doesn’t work. This is our second trip and the $100 I spent for 250 minutes of Internet time on each cruise was such a disappointment, despite the great Blue Man Group and water slide, we’re ding another cruise line next time. There’s no option when it comes to the Internet. It’s a necessity and it would be nice if the Norwegian Epic took that amenity as serious as they do the room accommodations, which were nice.
Inside La Cucina in the Norwegian Epic
Inside La Cucina in the Norwegian Epic
We had to pay extra for good meals. We ate each night at a specialty restaurant including twice at the Hibatchi restaurant, Teppanyaki, which was a lot of fun. Cagney’s Steak House, which was good. And the Brazilian style steak house, Moderno, twice. It was THAT Good. We also tried Le Bistro, French cuisine, just to break up the monotony of the meals. And we enjoyed La Cucina,which featured Italian food in a very decorative, nice lower deck setting. It was part of the Ultimate Dining Package which only cost us $357.
There is lots to do on the ship, but I couldn’t find a place to smoke any cigars. The people on the cruise vary in decency. So many foreigners are just obnoxious and don’t care. We were sitting at a corner view on deck with 3 lounge chairs enjoying the view when an Indian family parked themselves on our seats while we were sitting down. These were Indian Americans! So rude. I had to threaten them with scowls and grunts in Arabic to scare the crap out of of them to get them to leave and show people respect. That was fun.
Our little place in cruise Heaven
Our little place in cruise Heaven
Our little place in cruise Heaven
Our little place in cruise Heaven
Reserving your lounge chairs is a necessity anywhere on a beach or a cruise line deck
Reserving your lounge chairs is a necessity anywhere on a beach or a cruise line deck
But nearby was a loud-mouthed woman who just couldn’t stop telling everyone on the ship that she was from Texas. Yes Tex-ASS! Shut up lady. No one wants to hear your endless blowhard silly pointless stories while your husband gets sloshed on beers — that cost quite a bit, too.
Alcohol and drinks on the ship are costly and are not a part of the package. We had to buy a drink package. The alcohol package has to be purchased for all adults in your group, at around $100 a day. I couldn’t imagine drinking $800 in alcohol during the cruise, until you see the prices, of course. So we opted for the lesser all pop and cola drink package for $140 for the three of us. They give you a plastic Mug that you carry around and get refilled. (There are juices, and water in the cafeteria, if you don’t mind getting down with the sows.
There is a lot of deck space to find chairs and relax but it can get crowded. The ship carries more than 4,000 passengers and crew. That’s a lot for even the largest ship.
There are six Hot tubs on the Norwegian Epic
There are six Hot tubs on the Norwegian Epic
I slipped while walking down one of the deck stairs on the outside deck near the pool and jammed several fingers including my ring finger, and cut my leg, arm and hand. They have a medical center on board and it turned out that the young Doctor on board knew my family from Barranquilla, Colombia where he is from. Nice guy. They still have to investigate what happened and filled out all the accident forms. They obviously have to protect themselves from people who are looking to file lawsuits over anything. It’s better than playing the Lottery. The doctor had to cut off my three-braided gold wedding ring, which was not easy when my finger was swollen and turning blue. And they took x-rays. There was no added cost for it all and I assumed responsibility for the fall. The doctor noted that they have a dozen accidents on board every day, not to mention a few travelers who never make it back to the ship in time for sailing.
We had three port stops and we planned one day of activities at Cozumel, a split day of tourism (zip lining for my wife) and beach at the Riu for my son and I in Ocho Rios, and a day of luxury at the Royal Palms Resort in Grand Cayman Islands.
Ready to return to Cozumel Porto Langosta Plaza on the dune buggies from Playa Morena beach
Ready to return to Cozumel Porto Langosta Plaza on the dune buggies from Playa Morena beach
Playa Morena, Cozumel, Mexico
Playa Morena, Cozumel, Mexico
Beachbuffet at Playa Morena in Cozumel, Mexico Dune Buggy excursion
Beachbuffet at Playa Morena in Cozumel, Mexico Dune Buggy excursion
We booked a 4-wheel drive dune buggy day excursion for Cozumel. That’s a caravan of dune buggies that drive from the port to a beach and tour the island. I’d been there many times before and the place has definitely changed. The excursion took us to the east ocean-side of the island where we swam and enjoyed a decent Mexican meal under a nice tent. It wasn’t bad but the water was too rough.
While in Cozumel, we also hung around the downtown area near the cruise port docks, Punta Langosta Pier, which is packed with tourist trap junk shops. We walked along the waterfront and had a nice lunch at a hotel restaurant overlooking the water, The Barracuda Hotel.
It was small, had a tiny pool but lots of kids. And turns out it’s a Gay and Lesbian hangout. Bit we had a great meal there on the outdoor patio by the pool overlooking the Cozumel waters. The Barracuda Hotel is best known as a divers hangout, too.
View from the Barracuda Hotel patio where we ate
View from the Barracuda Hotel patio where we ate
What's Cozumel, Mexico with a Senior Frogs?
What’s Cozumel, Mexico with a Senior Frogs?
tourist stand at Cozumel port
tourist stand at Cozumel port
Norwegian Epic docking at Cozumel next to the smaller Norwegian Sun
Norwegian Epic docking at Cozumel next to the smaller Norwegian Sun
In Jamaica, we split up and my wife went on the Zipline tour and my son and I spent the morning walking around downtown Ocho Rios, hassled by many needy people who wanted to be our guides. We finally relented and walked through the downtown area while the man pointed out the sites and some history. I gave him $20 for his time, which was equivalent to $2,200 Jamaica Dollars.
Coconut stand in Ocho Rios
Coconut stand in Ocho Rios
Downtown Ocho Rios
Downtown Ocho Rios
Downtown Ocho Rios, Jamaica
Downtown Ocho Rios, Jamaica
At 11 am, we were booked to go to the Riu in Ocho Rios. I was a little hesitant about Jamaica. My last trip to Jamaica wasn’t a good one. I didn’t like the resort we stayed at the year before in Negril, the Grand Palladium Lady Hamilton.
The beach there was so small and there were flies everywhere. I was hesitant to try the Riu, but the place turned out to be phenomenal. I really hated the trip to the Grand Palladium Lady Hamilton,  but who knows, maybe I shouldn’t be so critical. I expected so much more from them and there was a lot the hotel could have done to make it a better stay by paying more attention to the needs of the guests instead of to themselves, and cleaning up the beach. Here’s my review of that trip.
But the Riu Ocho Rios was simply phenomenal. I am definitely going back there.
Riu Ocho Rios beach and jerk chicken outdoor barbecue
Riu Ocho Rios beach and jerk chicken outdoor barbecue
Riu Ocho Rios  beach scene
Riu Ocho Rios beach scene
2014-11-26 13.26.12
Beachfront at the Riu Ocho Rios, Jamaica

Riu Ocho Rios beach view from water
Riu Ocho Rios beach view from water
2014-11-26 11.42.06
Riu Ocho Rios beachfront
Riu Ocho Rios beachfront
Riu Ocho Rios pool area
Riu Ocho Rios pool area
The Riu in Ocho Rios has a beautiful beachfront that is large and expansive. There are a lot of palm trees for shade and many lounge chairs to relax. And, it had a wonderful pool area. Plus, the hotel hosted an outdoor barbecue where they offered jerk chicken, rice and black beans and even fresh coconuts that you could drink from. Free. Drinks were free, too.
It was a day trip, which means the hotel allows cruise guests to enjoy their facilities for a fee. It only cost about $90 per person ($180 for the two of us.) It was well worth it.
We grabbed a cab from the cruise port in Ocho Rios, after walking through the town in the morning. I could have taken one of the tourist cabs which rip you off — they wanted $30 US to drive us to the resort which was about 2 miles down the road. We walked to the mainstreet and hailed a cab that had people in it.
Port Ocho Rios tourist stands
Port Ocho Rios tourist stands
When I leaned in and asked how much the cab ride was, he said $200.
I said, “$200 dollars? You have to be kidding?” That was before I realized $200 was Jamaican dollars and less than $2 each. I told him I’d give him $20 and he said get in.
When he dropped us off, I handed him the $20 US and he gave me back $18 US. I was surprised by his honesty and I gave him a $10 US tip.

After show picture with a member of the Blue Man Group and my son Aaron.
After show picture with a member of the Blue Man Group and my son Aaron.
The ride included four other ladies who were sitting int he front and back and we crowded ourselves in and listened to the Jamaican chatter as we crawled down the road through traffic. I thought my son would appreciate that experience more than an overpriced tourist targeting cab ride.
The water at the Riu Ocho Rios was beautiful. So clean and clear. We really had a lot of fun there. It was a day trip, so we returned by cab to the boat about 30 minutes before it was to depart. My wife loved the zip lining.
Our third stop was to be the Cayman Islands where I had booked a day of luxury in the sun and a private Cabana at the beautiful Royal Palms Hotel in George Town. But the waters were so rough the cruise ship had to skip the port. I was disappointed. That was going to be my one stop where I would relax and smoke cigars the whole day and enjoy the beautiful waters of the Cayman Islands.
Last year’s excursion to the Bahamas was so disappointing. The Bahamas have been ruined by tourism and over building of the Atlantis Water Park which has eaten up most of the beach area with dirty shark pools and stingray pools and water slides. The nice thing was that because the ship never docked, they didn’t charge me for the day trip there which was only $100 for the three of us. We’d buy our own food and drinks, which I didnt mind. Served by a waiter. We would have had a cabana and three chairs in front, right on the beach, that would be reserved just for us.
Oh the humanity of it all lost! Sigh!
Port Ocho Rios tourist stands
Port Ocho Rios tourist stands
The two places I definitely will go back to is the Riu in Ocho Rios. I am so happy I found a great vacation spot in Jamaica. I was so worried about what has happened to tourism there. I’ve spent half my life there with relatives and friends since the 1970s — of course in 45 years, a lot sure does change although Rick’s Cafe in Negril is still brilliant and worth every penny.
The Norwegian Epic has a casino, many floors with music and a big screen TV, a dance floor, and casual dining restaurants that I never got to explore. The ship doesn’t do a good job of telling you what’s on board and you pretty much have to explore on your own, which is good and bad because you might find a gem and you might miss a gem. No matter what the deal they offer, it still will cost $3,000 for three people including the “Children free” option. With the taxes and the mandatory tip you are required to give to the cruise employees ($252 at the start of the trip), it all adds up, and that doesn’t include the drink or food packages, or any of the excursions.
Norwegian Epic Ice Bar
Norwegian Epic Ice Bar
One bar we did try was the Ice Bar. This is literally a bar made completely out of Ice in a room that is chilled to sub-arctic freezing temperatures. You put on a fur lined coat with a hood and gloves and go inside and enjoy two drinks. It’s the one place where Vodka tastes great.
I realize Vodka doesn’t taste as good unless them temperature is below Zero! We didn’t stay long enough to finish our drinks, but it was really something to experience.
Norwegian Epic Ice Bar
Norwegian Epic Ice Bar
Norwegian Epic Ice Bar
Norwegian Epic Ice Bar