Hawaii Cruise Packages Are Fun For Everyone!

The quintessential vacation destination, Hawaii is situated over 2000
miles away from any continent or other large land mass. As such, the
Hawaiian Islands are some of the most isolated islands anywhere in the
world. But modern conveniences and luxury also abound, making Hawaii a
great place to get away from it all, without forgoing luxury accommodations.

a href="http://cheaphawaiicruises.com"Hawaii cruise/a packages offer
a great way to travel to islands and are rated better than other modes
of travel. Cruises offer you the best way to explore the islands and the
bounties of enjoyment they offer. And here's the best part - you need
not spend a fortune to enjoy since Hawaiian cruise packages are easy on
the pocket.

Many kinds of cruise packages are available. They are targeted at
different groups, such as singles or elderly couples. Newlyweds will
gain many benefits from Hawaii honeymoon cruises, such as the freedom to
visit ports of call whenever they feel like it or to stay in their cabin
with a view of the ocean. A newly married couple cannot find a a
href="http://cheaphawaiicruises.com"honeymoon destination/a that is
more beautiful than Hawaii.

Some of the best cruise packages are what is called "all-inclusive",
which means they include everything. All of your food, entertaining, and
lodging budgets can be combined, because this package will pay for all
of those, and even some activities where you go ashore too. This helps
you save money, without feeling anxious about your budget while you
should be enjoying your vacation like the rest of the passengers. It
should be easy to customize your package, and add or subtract those
things that interest you most and are essential for your personalized
vacation.

By searching online, or asking a travel agent to do the hard work for
you, anyone can find Hawaii cruise specials available throughout the
year. While it is natural to envy anyone on their way to or from a
fantastic trip to Hawaii, it is completely unnecessary. You too can
afford to make a fabulous cruise to Hawaii. What could be better than
paying less and getting more?

If you've been dreaming of basking on soft sandy beaches under a warm
Pacific sun this winter while friends and family are shoveling away back
home, now's the time to make your dream a reality. You'll never regret
booking a winter cruise to fabulous Hawaii.

Located more than two thousand miles from any of the world's major land
masses, Hawaii is the most secluded island group in the world. There are
many different types of a href="http://cheaphawaiicruises.com"Hawaii
cruise packages/a, varying from singles cruises to cruises designed
specifically for elderly couples. a
href="http://cheaphawaiicruises.com"Hawaii honeymoon cruises/a offer
many advantages to newlyweds as well. By searching online, or asking a
travel agent to do the hard work for you, anyone can find a
href="http://cheaphawaiicruises.com"Hawaii cruise specials/a
available throughout the year. Why not treat yourself to a winter to
remember this year, and book a cruise to Hawaii?

When in town: Hawaii Volcanoes National Park
(on the Big Island of Hawaii)

Compiled and presented by…
John Sisker - SHIP-TO-SHORE CRUISE AGENCY®
(714) 536-3850 or toll-free at (800) 724-6644 & (Agency ID: 714.536.3850)
www.shiptoshorecruise.com


This is another in a new series called “When in town.� It is similar in
style, format and content to my “When on a cruise� series, but in this case,
only picks out one available shore excursion while in a particular port.

As with the “When on a cruise� series, this is not only a continuing series,
but anyone at all is always welcome to add any appropriate and related data
that they fell would be of benefit to all concerned. Naturally, this
information is only a starting point and is certainly not exclusive.



Hawaii Volcanoes National Park:

Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, established in 1916, is a United States
National Park located in the U.S. State of Hawaii on the island of Hawaii.
It displays the results of hundreds of thousands of years of volcanism,
migration, and evolution - processes that thrust a bare land from the sea
and clothed it with complex and unique ecosystems and a distinct human
culture. The park encompasses diverse environments that range from sea level
to the summit of the earth's most massive volcano, Mauna Loa at 13,677 feet.
KÄ«lauea, one of the world's most active volcanoes, offers scientists
insights on the birth of the Hawaiian Islands and visitors' views of
dramatic volcanic landscapes. The park includes 505 miles (1348 km) of land.
Over half of the park is designated wilderness and provides unusual hiking
and camping opportunities. In recognition of its outstanding natural values,
Hawaii Volcanoes National Park has been designated as an International
Biosphere Reserve in 1980 and a World Heritage Site in 1987.

The volcanic activity generated in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park helped
create Kalapana (now covered by lava from recent eruptions) and other black
sand beaches.
Within the park boundaries are the Thurston Lava Tube, a lava tube
approximately 540 years old with a short hiking trail running through it,
and the KÄ«lauea Caldera, skirted by the Volcano House Hotel, the Hawaiian
Volcano Observatory, and the Jaggar Museum.

There is an undeveloped stretch of the Thurston Lava Tube which extends an
additional 330 meters beyond the developed area and dead-ends into the
hillside. Though it is blocked by a chain link fence to keep unwary visitors
from entering, the easily traversed stretch is in fact open to the public
and accessible through a gate in the fence. Visitors to the undeveloped
stretch should exercise caution on the brief climb down to the tube floor
due to the rough terrain. Once past the entrance, the rest of the walk is on
even ground.



History:

Kīlauea and its Halemaʻumaʻu caldera were traditionally considered the
sacred home of Pele, and Hawaiians visited the crater to offer gifts to the
goddess. The first western visitors to the site, English missionary William
Ellis and American Asa Thurston, encountered KÄ«lauea in 1823. Ellis wrote of
his reaction to the first sight of the erupting volcano:

A spectacle, sublime and even appalling, presented itself before us. 'We
stopped and trembled.' Astonishment and awe for some moments rendered us
mute, and, like statues, we stood fixed to the spot, with our eyes riveted
on the abyss below.

Lorrin A. Thurston, the American reverend's grandson, was one of the driving
forces behind the establishment of the park in 1916.



Current Events:

On March 19, 2008, there was a small explosion in Halemaʻumaʻu crater, the
first explosive event since 1924 and the first eruption in the KÄ«lauea
caldera since September 1982. Debris from the explosion was scattered over
an area of 74 acres. A small amount of ash was also reported at a nearby
community. The explosion covered part of Crater Rim Drive and damaged
Halemaʻumaʻu overlook. The explosion did not release any lava, which
suggests to scientists that it was driven by hydrothermal or gas sources.

This explosion event followed the opening of a major sulfur dioxide gas
vent, greatly increasing levels emitted from the Halemaʻumaʻu crater. The
dangerous increase of sulfur dioxide gas has prompted closures of Crater Rim
Drive between Kilauea Military Camp south/southeast to Chain of Craters
Road, Crater Rim Trail from Kilauea Military Camp south/southeast to Chain
of Craters Road, and all trails leading to Halemaʻumaʻu crater, including
those from Byron Ledge, 'Iliahi (Sandalwood) Trail, and Ka'u Desert Trail.



Legends:

It is said in legend that if any volcanic rock or black sand is taken from
Hawaii Volcanoes National Park (or anywhere in Hawaii) that the person that
took it will be cursed by the Hawaiian volcano goddess Pele until it is
returned. While purportedly an ancient Hawaiian belief, historians can trace
this legend only to the mid-twentieth century, and it is widely believed to
have been invented by park rangers to keep visitors from taking rocks.
Nevertheless, the lobby of KÄ«lauea Military Camp (now a vacation area for
military personnel) has a cabinet displaying rocks returned by people
attempting to atone for the bad luck that has befallen them, and letters
describing their predicaments.

Russ Apple may have been the originator of this myth; as National Park
Service Pacific historian and 30 year veteran of the NPS, Apple was
instrumental in restoring Hawaiian cultural resources in KÄ«lauea and
Pu'uhonua o Honaunau National Historical Park in Kailua Kona, Hawaii.



Hawaii Volcanoes National Park Photo Album:

(You are invited to see our personal online pictures during our visit to the
Hawaii Volcanoes National Park)
http://www2.snapfish.com/slideshow/A...48/t_=28292148.



Shore & Land Excursions: (just one example)

(Norwegian Cruise Line)
Hawaii Volcanoes National Park
http://www2.snapfish.com/share/p=401...=SYE/otsi=SALB



Other Sources and/or References:

* Hawaii Volcanoes National Park: http://www.nps.gov/havo/

* National Park Service’s World Heritage Sites:
http://www.nps.gov/history/worldheritage/hawaii.htm

* Hawaii Volcano National Park Guide:
http://www.hawaii.volcanoes.national-park.com/

* Wikipedia (the free encyclopedia):
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hawaii_..._National_Park

* Hawaii Volcano National Park Information:
http://www.volcanogallery.com/hawaii.htm

For reference, and with the exception of specific Wikipedia requirements,
the above was source material as the basic for information for this series,
and yet, is still in connection with the "fair use" exemption to copyright
law, which was created to allow things such as commentary, parody, news
reporting, research and education about copyrighted works without the
permission of the author. Furthermore, the license Wikipedia uses grants
free access to their content in the same sense as free software is licensed
freely.



Happy sailing...
John Sisker - SHIP-TO-SHORE CRUISE AGENCY®
(714) 536-3850 or toll-free at (800) 724-6644 & (Agency ID: 714.536.3850)
www.shiptoshorecruise.com