AQS SEAM Hawaii

Dear Quilters and Friends,

Aloha! We are excited to announce our Second Exclusive AQS Member Only Quilt Seminar at Sea in conjunction with American Quilter’s Society! We’ll sail on Holland America Line’s beautiful Nieuw Amsterdam, round trip out of San Diego, California exploring the Hawaiian Islands! Included on this cruise is a fabulous AQS Gift Package, 8 days of quilting classes and plenty of activities and sewcializing while onboard the ship. Our quilting classes are held during our “at sea” days with 5 different class choices for each class session. We offer you a wide variety of classes from which to choose, taught by five award-winning, renowned instructors in the world of quilting:

Joyce Hughes, Michelle Hiatt, Kathy Dunigan, Kyra Reps and Margaret Willingham!

There’s something wonderful awaiting you in every port of call! Wildlife and exotic cultures abound on this trip of a lifetime! Onboard ship you will have the opportunity to perfect your quilting skills with our class choices from four fabulous teachers, as well as myriad opportunities for “SEWCIALIZING” with other people who all share your love of quilting!

We will visit some beautiful ports in the tropical Hawaiian Islands as well as Ensenada, Mexico! We will visit The Big Island of Hawaii, Kauai, Maui and Oahu. We will sail past the active Kilauea Volcano. Hopefully she’ll put on a show for us! What a great way to escape the winter blues and take a break from everyday life while enjoying 5 star service and the company of fellow quilters!

San Diego, California – Before you set out on your cruise from San Diego, take in the city’s many attractions. With more than 300 days of sun every year, San Diego is known as a surfer’s paradise thanks to the iconic swells of Del Mar, Oceanside, and La Jolla. Add a bustling culinary and craft beer scene and plenty of distinct neighborhoods to explore, and San Diego is a must-visit for cruise passengers. Here’s how to appreciate this laidback city to its fullest.

Kahului, Maui – A surplus of natural splendor and the genuine hospitality of its people have helped to make Maui Hawaii’s second most popular island. Explore the fascinating history of the town of Lahaina. Plant yourself on a pristine beach, or play one of the world’s most beautiful golf courses.

Hilo, Hawaii – Water and fire reign here: This is a land of verdant rain forests bisected by sparkling falls. But the fiery element flares along the volcanic coast of Kohala and the roaring furnace of the Kilauea volcano: Lava has continued to seep from the crater since its last eruption in 1983. Nature is Hilo’s blessing, as well as its challenge. The beautiful crescent bay served as a funnel to two major tsunamis that battered the city—tragedies that are never forgotten and hopefully never repeated. (Hilo’s Pacific Tsunami Museum remains a leader in safety education.)Once a busy fishing and farming area, Hilo blossomed into a commercial center for the sugarcane industry in the 1800s. Today’s town—its waterfront rebuilt since the last destructive wall of water in 1960—flourishes as a hub of galleries, independent shops, farmers markets and homegrown destination restaurants. A world-class astronomy center has joined this mix, underlining the awe unfolding through the telescopes atop Mauna Kea (the world’s tallest peak from base to summit, outstripping Everest by 1,363 meters, or 4,472 feet!). Meanwhile, leafy Banyan Drive celebrates more earthbound stars with its arboreal Walk of Fame. Look up, look down: Wherever you glance, Hilo looks good.

Kona, Hawaii – Both culturally and geographically, Hawaii’s Big Island divides into exact halves. The east is jungly, dark and prone to lava flows. The other side, the Kona side, grows all the coffee, and everyone wakes up really, really early. You might even see someone break the speed limit there, which is inconceivable elsewhere in the islands. Much of this drier region almost resembles a desert. But the shapes of the hills and the way rain snags on ridges means Kona holds hundreds of microclimates. That’s how the coffee growers have flourished: Variations of only a few feet in altitude can result in very different brews. Some farms cover barely an acre; others sprawl enough to encompass two or three varietals. Either way, the beans are babied—from bush to cup—by hand. Thankfully, plenty of places exist to play and burn off a little caffeine around Kona. History lies thick on the ground, from Kamehameha’s heiau (temple) to the sacred buildings of Puuhonua O Honaunau (“The Place of Refuge”) to the bay where Captain Cook breathed his last. Whales love the Kona side, spinner dolphins live up to their names, and giant mantas slowly barrel roll up from the depths. Half an island is world enough.

Honolulu, Oahu – The capital of Hawaii—and gateway to the island chain—is a suitably laid-back Polynesian mash-up of influences and experiences. Away from the Waikiki crowds and glossy high-rise hotels, our Hawaii cruises give a taste of the “real” Hawaii: brick Victorian buildings, including America’s only royal palace; thriving Chinatown nightlife; sacred temple remains on distant bluffs; and the wartime memories of the attack on Pearl Harbor, including the USS Arizona Memorial. Of course, the “real” Hawaii can’t be quantified so easily. It’s everywhere—in the volcanic nature of the soil, in its lush bounteous flora, and in the positive spirit of the people, who know there’s raw magic in their gentle islands. Our cruises to Honolulu offer a deeper understanding of this amazing place.

Nawiliwili, Kauai – The oldest of the Hawaiian Islands, Kauai, sits under a steady blast of trade winds that sweep in abundant moisture. Expect a wet, tropical climate—especially in the eastern and central areas—complete with swamps and rain forests. In 1778, when Captain James Cook discovered Hawaii—never mind that plenty of people already lived here—the British explorer sailed right past Oahu, the first island he sighted, and disembarked in Kauai. He and his men spread a few diseases, traded nails for provisions, and left, never to return to Waimea. Kauai only gets about a quarter as many visitors per year as Oahu, yet it may be the island we all know best, thanks to its amazing topography, full of perfect waterfalls and lush knife-edged mountains. It’s called the Garden Isle for good reason and Hollywood can’t get enough of this backdrop, from White Heat in 1934, all the way through Jurassic Park, Raiders of the Lost Ark and the 1976 remake of King Kong. If you want to star in your own gorgeous tropical idyll, pack for Kauai.

Ensenada, Mexico – Nicknamed the Pearl of the Pacific, with the Pacific Ocean to the west and a mountain range to the east, Ensenada is Baja California’s third-largest city and one of its commercial and cultural hubs. The weather here is pleasant year round, evoking comparisons to Mediterranean climates. But the hot days and cool nights aren’t the only reasons Ensenada and surrounding towns are compared to the Mediterranean; similar crops are grown here, including asparagus, olives and grapes. It’s this last crop that makes Ensenada the gateway to Baja’s wine route (Ruta del Vino), where labels little known outside of Mexico are produced, often in small batches. Winery tours and tastings are a quintessential Ensenada experience. It all makes for a pleasant visit, especially for foodies and oenophiles, who will appreciate the area’s farm-to-table ethic and its many alfresco restaurants. Active travelers will love the region too, their greatest challenge being how to choose among the many adventures—zip lining and horseback riding are two highlights—that await in Ensenada and its outskirts.

From turtles to stingrays, submarines to snorkeling, there’s something wonderful awaiting you in every port of call! Onboard ship you will have the opportunity to perfect your quilting skills with many class choices from our fabulous teachers, as well as myriad opportunities for “SEWCIALIZING” with other people who all share your love of quilting! Bring a friend, your spouse, or your family – non-quilters are always welcome to join us! There are many activities to pursue while you are in class! We can’t wait to see you on board!

Sincerely,

Joyce Hughes, Michelle Hiatt, Kathy Dunigan, Kyra Reps and Margaret Willingham

Quilt Seminars at Sea

American Quilter’s Society