Jan 8

Cruise Blues

At 11AM today, once again, our ship was released by the Coast Guard - free to go on our way, leaving GRAND Princess alone to carry on the search until midnight.

Our question: If the grid-pattern search cannot be done after sundown, what good would it be for GRAND to remain until that time?

One thing more, though. GRAND has a passenger with a medical problem, so it is necessary for the two ships to meet while that passenger, family and luggage is transfered to our ship. Here are photos of the transfer.

Now we are guessing there will be no further interruption for OUR cruise. We'll see.

Shortly after we left GRAND behind, we were told that the Coast Guard changed their mind, and GRAND was also released from the search.

Our new question: Was that passenger transfer really necessary?

January 8

Cruise News

After spending the day in a grid search pattern with the Grand Princess and cargo ship HORIZON RELIANT, the U.S. Coast Guard released the Star Princess so we could continue our westward journey toward Hawaii, but ordered the Grand to remain on scene to resume the search effort at first light tomorrow.

We had been heading westward for nearly 3 hours when the Coast Guard ordered us back on scene to rejoin the Grand and we will be searching again at first light Jan. 8.

Because of this unfortunate diversion, our cruise itinerary has so far been altered as follows: Jan 10 Hilo / Jan 11 Honolulu / Jan 12 Nawiliwili (Kuai) / and Jan 13 is yet to be determined, but it's between Kona on the Big Island, or LaHaina on Maui, both tender ports, then we'll be making a run for it to Ensenada, arriving there on Jan 18. Depending on how things go tomorrow (Jan 8) will determine if we will need to make further adjustments to our Hawaii visit.

Hawaii Cruise - January 7

Cruise News

We have been notified that, at 1:15AM today, this ship was notified by the U.S. Coast Guard that a crew member from the GRAND Princess, also underway to Hawaii but from San Francisco, went overboard. Details of that are not available - whether the man overboard was accidental or what.

At that time, this ship turned Northward and has been rushing to get closer to the GRAND. (We wondered during breakfast why the Sun was where it is. We could tell that we had turned, but were concerned about HOW MUCH we had turned.

We will be joining up with the Grand, with a Coast Guard vessel (photo), and with a Coast Guard aircraft (and a number of cargo ships) to participate in a grid-like search for 'something' in the water. We have joined a number of others volunteering to be EYES at the rails.

We were told this will effect our itinerary. Details will be announced later.