10-Night Hawaiian Cruise from Honolulu ending in Vancouver

By Michael

Lisa and I boarded the Disney Wonder in Honolulu. We left Aulani in the morning and were at the cruise terminal by late morning, then checked in and got our boarding passes for group eight. Once aboard we found Eye Scream and got ice cream, in our matching Father Daughter Hawaiian Adventure shirts and leis. This was our 19th Disney cruise, bringing us to 132 nights at sea with Disney Cruise Line.

By Michael

The Disney Wonder called at Kahului this morning, and Lisa photographed Maui from the ship before sunrise. We headed ashore to Maalaea Harbor for the Maui Snorkel Cruise, meeting our boat at the Maui Fun Charters dock.

The boat took us out toward Molokini Crater, with humpback whales on the way out. We suited up and got in the water. Yellow tang and saddleback wrasse moved through the coral, and Lisa signed I love you for the camera in the water. After Molokini the boat moved along the coast to a second spot, where we snorkeled with green sea turtles before heading back to the harbor.

Back at Maalaea we walked past the Coast Guard station and looked over a map of the island before returning to the ship. That evening we dressed up for dinner at Palo, Bob along in his own little tuxedo. Lisa wore a black lace gown and I wore a tuxedo, and we had a table by the window looking out over the water. Back in the stateroom a towel animal was waiting on the bed. Later we changed into the Hawaiian shirt and green dress and met Minnie, Donald and Daisy in the atrium.

By Michael

Hilo came into view through low cloud that morning. We had a helicopter tour booked and made it as far as the Blue Hawaiian helicopter on the tarmac at Hilo airport, but the flight was cancelled for fog. Near the harbor we walked through Liliʻuokalani Park, among banyan trees and a Japanese garden with an old wooden torii gate in the mist.

A local guide named Dan picked us up in a white van and took us around instead, starting at the summit of Kīlauea in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. We stood at the crater rim looking down at steam rising off the black rock far below. Lisa looked through binoculars for a closer look and signed I love you for a photo with the volcano behind her, then we walked to the steam vents along the rim trail.

From the summit we drove into the rainforest to Thurston Lava Tube, walking down through tree ferns and moss covered roots to the tunnel entrance. Inside, the tube was lit and we walked its length together, the walls glowing orange and gold.

It was raining by the time we reached Rainbow Falls, so we shared one umbrella at the overlook and watched the water drop into the pool below.

Back at the pier Dan saw us off with a wave. Aboard again, Lisa went to Marvel Trivia, an 1820 Society event for 18 to 20 year olds, and was the only one who showed up. I stopped in to check on her and joined her. I knew most of the answers, and we won, Goofy winner medals and all. Being the only team helped, but we did win. That evening, dressed for dinner in a red gown and tuxedo, we had dinner at Animator's Palate, table 85, where Lisa ordered two soups, and then went to the Golden Mickeys. During the red carpet segment Lisa turned up live on the theatre screen with Diana Dior, and she signed I love you for a photo at the show's backdrop.

The Disney Wonder called at Nawiliwili again, our second day on Kauai. Donald and Mickey posed with us in the atrium, both of us in red. Ashore, near the visitor center by Spouting Horn, a small flock of wild roosters and hens crossed the parking lot in front of us, and Lisa signed I love you for a photo above the surf.

By Michael

Another sea day, our fourth in a row. We were back in our Hawaiian shirts in the morning for character photos with Donald, Pluto, Mickey and Minnie and a portrait with the Encanto characters.

Down in the atrium Trent, the cruise director, had Donald and some of the ship's officers with him for the Goofy and Max's Boat-Building Bash, handing out certificates. Trent has been on many of our cruises, always with his "Are you ready, are you ready, are you ready?" Later we got blueberry Eye Scream ice cream by the pool.

At 3 pm it was Officer Hide and Seek, one of the events Lisa had asked to have interpreted. The officers lined up on stage, and afterward we were up there too, in a big group photo with them.

At Animator's Palate we filled out draw your own character sheets at our table, table 85, before dinner. That evening we had a photo taken with the captain, and later did some pin trading at the shop.

The ship's photographer took our picture with the three ASL interpreters who signed for Lisa all week, Stephanie, Erika and Alex. Erika was one of Lisa's interpreters on our Southampton cruise too. Jonathan Burns was on stage in the theater later that night.

By Michael

Our last full day at sea was packing day, because the ship reached Vancouver the next morning.

Late in the morning the atrium filled up for one more character gathering, the staircase full of characters and a crowd packed in around the rail below. We watched from above, then I took a selfie in a full theater. Someone later sent us a snapshot: Lisa in the atrium with Stephanie, Alex and Erika, the three ASL interpreters who had signed for her all week, and Marco, a deaf traveler we often see on Disney cruises.

In the afternoon Lisa had her picture taken with crew members and other guests. One woman in an orange shirt signed I love you with her.

Lisa and I took a selfie together, and that evening the map showed us entering the Strait of Juan de Fuca.

Dinner was back at Tiana's Place, with Tiana and Louis the alligator both in the dining room. Lisa had her picture taken with our servers there too. Dessert was beignets with two sauces to dip them in. Later there was ice cream by the pool while a movie played on the big screen.

Back at 5009 the suitcases were packed and lined up in the hallway. Lisa came back with a crayon drawing of us on a beach with the ship, names and all. Late that night the show came down the grand staircase, and Lisa met several of its stars.