From waking up in Waikiki without my luggage to buying emergency clothes, navigating Honolulu’s traffic, and finally joining the ship, it was a calmer day than the long-haul flights, but still full of its own challenges.
Morning in Waikiki.
I woke up in my hotel at Waikiki Beach in Honolulu feeling tired, but definitely better than the night before. I had originally planned to visit the USS Arizona Memorial at Pearl Harbor this morning, but after seeing the traffic and roadworks on the way to the hotel last night, I had already decided not to risk it. With the ship due to leave at 14:00, I didn’t want to chance getting stuck somewhere and missing the cruise altogether.
I woke just before 09:00, made myself a coffee, and took my tablets, which I had luckily packed in my hand luggage. Then I got in the shower to get ready for the day.
Change of Plans.
When I came out of the shower, I noticed a note had been slipped under my hotel room door. The coach transfer time to the cruise ship had been moved forward to 12:30. It was just as well I hadn’t gone to Pearl Harbor as planned, or I would probably have missed my transport.
With my suitcase still somewhere between Amsterdam and Honolulu, I put on the same clothes I had travelled in and walked to one of the clothing shops in the hotel complex. Fortunately, they were having a sale. I bought two T‑shirts, a pair of shorts, and a pair of swim shorts. I also picked up some sunglasses, as mine were in my missing suitcase and, without them, the bright light would have been a real problem for my eyes. I added a cheap pair of flip‑flops to the pile, paid, and went back to my room.
Checking Out and Waiting for the Coach.
At around 11:00, I took my bag of new clothes down to reception and checked out. I walked to the rear of the complex, stopped at a shop to buy a bottle of water, and then headed to the bus stop to wait for the coach to the port.
When I arrived at the pickup point, there was already a large queue. The previous coach had been stuck in traffic, and another one had to be called. My leg was still badly swollen and painful, so I took a painkiller and sat on a wall to wait.
The coach eventually arrived a few minutes late, but there were only about seven of us on board. We drove back through the same roadworks I’d seen the night before, and I realised how right I had been not to attempt a trip to Pearl Harbor. There was no way I would have made it back in time to board the ship.
Boarding the NCL Spirit.
When we reached the cruise port, I was surprised to find there was no disabled queue, no seating, and no special arrangements for people with mobility issues. There was, however, priority boarding for those in suites. While standing in the long line, I started chatting with two American ladies who kindly offered to hold my place so I could sit on a low wall between the regular and priority queues.
As the line snaked back and forth, I kept an eye on where they were and shuffled along the wall on my backside each time they came closer. After about an hour, they reached the front and told security that I was ahead of them in the queue. I was then ushered forward, sent to the next available check‑in desk, had my photo taken for my ID card, showed my passport, and was directed to a disability lift to board the ship.
First Impressions and Delayed Luggage.
Once onboard, I went straight to the service desk in the atrium to report my delayed luggage. A very helpful lady filled out the necessary paperwork, gave me a small bag of toiletries and a T‑shirt, and told me they would immediately credit $200 to my account as compensation. She advised me to keep all receipts for anything I needed to buy, as these would also be reimbursed.
After that, I went to find my cabin. I was pleased with it, cabin 8526, on the port side towards the bow. Once I’d had a look around and checked everything worked, I decided it was time for a drink.
Settling In Onboard.
The ship had a daily cocktail, and today’s was called “Grass Clippings”. I tried one at a bar on the back of the ship overlooking one of the pools, then wandered around for a while to get my bearings. After exploring, I went back to my cabin, lay down on the bed, and promptly fell asleep.
I woke up around 20:45 and headed to the Windows Dining Room for dinner. I had a very nice steak and a beer before returning to my cabin. It had been a tiring couple of days, and I fell asleep as soon as my head hit the pillow.
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