Tales of the South Pacific from San Diego

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Relax and make the most of the myriad of facilities available on board the ship, from fantastic entertainment to delicious and diverse dining options.

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 in 1934, all the way through , and the 1976 remake of . If you want to star in your own gorgeous tropical idyll, pack for Kauai.

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 (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, on the island of Oahu’s south shore, is capital of Hawaii and gateway to the U.S. island chain. The Waikiki neighborhood is its center for dining, nightlife and shopping, famed for its iconic crescent beach backed by palms and high-rise hotels, with volcanic Diamond Head crater looming in the distance. Sites relating to the World War II attack on Pearl Harbor include the USS Arizona Memorial.

Magnificent , with its vast crater, is the highest point on the island of Maui, at 10,032 feet above sea level. Haleakala is considered dormant, having last erupted in 1790.

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.

Relax and make the most of the myriad of facilities available on board the ship, from fantastic entertainment to delicious and diverse dining options.

Relax and make the most of the myriad of facilities available on board the ship, from fantastic entertainment to delicious and diverse dining options.

Fanning Island, also known as Tabuaeran, which means 'heavenly footprint' in the native Polynesian language, is a ring-shaped coral reef surrounding a protected lagoon in the deep waters of the Pacific Ocean. Its non-Polynesian name derives from the American explorer, Edmund Fanning, who discovered the then unpopulated island in 1798. Tabuaeran later fell under British rule from 1889 through 1979 until it gained independence and became part of the Republic of Kiribati.Celebrated for its white-sand beaches, blue-green waters and friendly residents, Tabuaeran is a paradise for snorkeling, surfing and sunning. One of the closest landfalls is the Hawaiian Islands, though even they sit some 1,450 kilometers (900 miles) away. The island has even played the part of the proverbial desert island on television, appearing in the closing shot of . While the atoll may have been a stopover for the Polynesians who first settled Hawaii, unlike those more popular Pacific islands, it has retained its feeling of being a remote outpost into the 21st century. PREVIOUS Cross International Dateline

Relax and make the most of the myriad of facilities available on board the ship, from fantastic entertainment to delicious and diverse dining options.

Relax and make the most of the myriad of facilities available on board the ship, from fantastic entertainment to delicious and diverse dining options.

Pago Pago’s small size belies its historic stature and epic setting. The city—or more accurately, cluster of several fishing villages—lies along the shore of Pago Pago Harbor, which was carved from thousands of years of volcanic-crater erosion on Tutuila Island. The fjordlike harbor, one of the most stunning in the South Pacific, is bordered by steep and lush hills and dominated by Rainmaker Mountain.The protected harbor site was selected in 1872 by Commander R.W. Meade for a fuelling station for the U.S. Navy. Meade negotiated the real estate deal with a Samoan high chief and the resulting naval base at Pago Pago was in use from 1900 to 1951.Pago Pago itself is tranquil as far as capital cities go, though there is commerce and activity in the areas of Fagatogo and Utulei. The hills near the seafront are dotted with houses, while a variety of shops line the street that runs in front of the dock itself. The best views of the harbor and downtown can be had from the summit of Mount Alava in the National Park of American Samoa.

Relax and make the most of the myriad of facilities available on board the ship, from fantastic entertainment to delicious and diverse dining options.

The remote Polynesian nation of Samoa, surrounded by dragonfly-bright seas, boasts a dramatic volcanic landscape with vibrant green jungles. The country has two major landmasses: Upolu, the most populous of the Samoan islands, and Savai'i, the third-largest Polynesian island. Samoa's capital, Apia, sits midway along Upolu's north coast. This sprawling metropolitan area features a waterfront promenade and Beach Road, an avenue curving along the harbor where the Royal Samoa Police Band marches and hoists the national flag at Government House on weekday mornings. Check out their sharp ensembles, which feature navy (kilts) and robin's-egg-blue dress shirts. Adventurers will want to make a splash at Palolo Deep National Marine Reserve near Apia harbor, while bookworms make a beeline to the home and grave of Robert Louis Stevenson. But perhaps the best way to experience (the Samoan Way) is by visiting the small villages scattered throughout the two islands. Here, you'll see locals still living in traditional —round thatched homes with no walls, all the better to enjoy the ocean breeze—and cooking on , 'ovens' of hot stones placed in shallow holes in the ground.

Relax and make the most of the myriad of facilities available on board the ship, from fantastic entertainment to delicious and diverse dining options.

In the time before time, the people who would become the Fijians were shaped of wet earth, pulled from the sea on a giant fishhook and given more than 300 islands to live on. Or if you want to be a little more prosaic, the people of Fiji were part of the great Lapita migration, which began somewhere around Taiwan and headed east. The first boats to arrive stopped migrating when they found this maze of islands formed by the earth turning itself inside out with volcanoes.The new Fijians spent a couple centuries involved in internecine war and developed the bad habit of using clubs to bop all strangers. But strangers kept showing up for the simple reason that Fiji, especially the southeast coast of Viti Levu, was geographically wonderful: the kind of spot that made mariners chuck their anchors and start trying to make a living as a settler. And who knows, maybe the Fijians just had tired arms, but by the time missionaries came, powers had shifted and the bopping had stopped.Today that southeast corner of the largest island in Fiji, the city of Suva, holds three-quarters of the nation’s population. It’s also shielded by shimmering green mountains opening to a calm sea, a land lush with afternoon rains.

Lautoka is not in a logical position to be one of Fiji’s busiest ports. Ports are usually found in bays or harbors; here it's just the open Bligh Water (yes, that Bligh, who, after his crew mutinied in Tahiti, proceeded to pull off one of the greatest sailing feats in history, which included not letting his remaining men get turned into the Fijian daily special).Lautoka has a nice, fading colonial vibe with a 100-year-old sugar mill still in operation. The juxtaposition of Muslim mosques and Hindu temples in town, though, captures recent Fiji history in a nutshell. Indo-Fijians, many of whose ancestors had been brought over from India by the British in the 19th century as indentured laborers, eventually amassed enough power to begin buying up local stores and land. When the native Fijians noticed the imbalance, it led to a coup, a countercoup and, in 2006, a counter-countercoup. (Don’t fret: Visitors will not notice a thing. Democratic elections have resumed and all’s well.)Only 15 kilometers (nine miles) from Lautoka’s hustle and bustle is the Koroyanitu National Heritage Park. In an almost magical exception to what usually goes on in the South Pacific, this park contains a fully protected, unlogged cloud forest. Hike to the mountaintop and enjoy endless blue-green views of all those Fijian islands the great European explorers missed from fear of headhunters and cannibals.

During the great age of exploration, when sailors were poking into every unknown corner of the globe, nobody went to the islands of Fiji, including Dravuni, some 65 kilometers (40 miles) to the south of the main island of Fiji. Ships would sail up far enough to see perfect beaches, blue-hole reefs and mountains big enough to be called mountains, but not so big you'd kill yourself hauling a cannon up one.But then the Fijians would appear. Enormous people, faces tattooed in intricate designs, each carrying that one essential of Fijian life: a dark wooden club studded with shark teeth. The cannibal’s best friend.Most of the stories of head-hunting and cannibalism were set in Fiji, where the greatest honors were given to those who brought home the most enemy heads. Since the residents of the archipelago’s 300 islands had been warring with each other for centuries, they saw in the arrival of representatives of the outside world an exciting (and potentially tasty) development.But all things must pass, even cannibal rituals. Life on Fiji changed and these days, Fijians still come down to meet ships and they still carry war clubs, but instead of looking for lunch, they’re looking to yell '' in greeting to as many people as the day allows.

Known as the hidden paradise of Fiji, the striking harbor town of Savusavu is located on the south coast of Vanua Levu Island. Backed by green hills and featuring a bustling marina and attractive waterfront, the town was originally established as a trading center for products like sandalwood, bêche-de-mer and copra. Today the town is known for its burgeoning eco-tourism infrastructure, which has spawned several luxury resorts. The surrounding waters mean an abundance of scuba diving and yachting. On land, there are historic hot springs, waterfall hikes, bird-spotting in the Waisali Rainforest Reserve and visits to traditional villages. There are several key landmarks too, including the 19th-century Copra Shed Marina, which now serves as the local yacht club, and the Savarekareka Mission, a chapel built around 1870 by the first Roman Catholic mission on Vanua Levu. Of course, it’s also possible just to relax and enjoy the palm-lined pristine beaches and the town’s assortment of restaurants, cafés and bars.

Relax and make the most of the myriad of facilities available on board the ship, from fantastic entertainment to delicious and diverse dining options.

Nuku'alofa, the financial and commercial hub of Tonga, is usually visitors’ first taste of the kingdom. Located on the northern coast of Tonga’s largest island, Tongatapu, it’s a charming, idiosyncratic city with a lively infrastructure that combines a slew of pleasant cafés and restaurants with historic churches and long, stunning beaches. It’s an easy city to navigate on foot, and the surrounding island can be explored equally easily with a car or motorbike, both of which can be rented locally. Head to the water and take advantage of some of the world’s finest snorkeling, or venture out to sea on a whale-watching charter between June and November (or watch for free from several local viewpoints). Land options can include a round of golf or a cultural experience such as the Tongan ancient village. On Sundays, when the city shuts down, it’s possible to take a day trip to nearby islands. Visit the upscale eco-resort Fafa or the lower-key Makaha‘a Island; you can reach both by local ferry or even by kayak if you’re feeling adventurous.

The Vava’u (va-vuh-OO) island group is part of the Kingdom of Tonga—an even larger collection of tropical Pacific Ocean islands. With an ideal year-round climate that’s perfect for swimming, snorkeling, diving and sailing, the islands—which are mostly uninhabited—boast a varied set of attractions for visitors that only begin with their famed white-sand beaches lapped by turquoise waters (with visibility down to 30 meters, or 100 feet) and enchanting coral reefs teeming with abundant marine life like tropical fish, dolphins and sea turtles. In addition to these simple but highly memorable watery pleasures, the Vava’u islands offer tropical forests, limestone cliffs and caves to explore, traditional villages to check out and a wealth of activities ranging from sea kayaking and gamefishing to yachting. Not only can you spot humpback whales (between July and October) and take in the unique atmosphere of historic cemeteries, you can also enjoy a hike up Mount Talau. The island’s tourism infrastructure extends to boutique resorts and ecolodges, as well as plenty of cafés and restaurants, particularly in the main city of Neiafu.

Relax and make the most of the myriad of facilities available on board the ship, from fantastic entertainment to delicious and diverse dining options.

Aitutaki is an island dreamscape curled around a blindingly blue lagoon. A cruise to Aitutaki brings guests to the middle of the ocean, far from the bustle of cities. There are only 1,700 residents on Aitutaki and most live in Arutanga, the main town. Even during peak tourist season, you will find that Aitutaki stays quiet. This remote volcanic island has plentiful beaches and deserted (coral islets) scattered across the lagoon. Take a boat tour to One Foot Island, home to a tiny post office and cabin. Laze under a coconut palm and soak up the astonishing scenery. Or explore by scooter or bike. When it’s time for a cool off, there’s swimming and sandbar-hopping. These warm waters are full of curious marine life. Spot super-sized clams and giant trevallies, pufferfish, rays and octopus. O’out Beach, one of the island’s most popular, is a sandy haven near bungalow resorts and restaurants.

The Cook Islands are a South Pacific nation with a traditional Polynesian culture and governmental ties to New Zealand. Of the nation's 15 islands, Rarotonga is the youngest, geologically speaking, and it serves as the point of entry for most visitors. The landscape hints at the relaxed lifestyle its 10,000 residents enjoy: There's only one main road—without a single stoplight—following the 32-kilometer (20-mile) perimeter.The island's most visible landmark is a towering granite pinnacle known as the Needle, which rises from razor-backed ridges. Rarotonga’s other main calling cards are its Muri Lagoon, a dazzling patchwork of soothing blue hues, and its extraordinary people. Cook Islanders have a passion for Polynesian drumming and dancing, which they perform with an old-school, hip-swinging intensity that gets even bystanders’ hearts racing. The singing at Sunday church services is equally inspiring.The capital, Avarua, has fewer than 6,000 people and a handful of shops, restaurants and bars. While scooters are the primary mode of transport, the convenient bus line loops around the island in 55 minutes, which simplifies independent sightseeing and trips to the beach. Sports activities range from leafy treks across the island to diving among lionfish and moray eels.

Relax and make the most of the myriad of facilities available on board the ship, from fantastic entertainment to delicious and diverse dining options.

Most first-time visitors to French Polynesia end up on one of the three best-known Society Islands: Tahiti, Moorea and Bora-Bora. And repeat visitors often head to the Tuamotu Archipelago or the Marquesas Islands, to scuba dive, seek out traditional Polynesian culture or learn about the cultivation of Tahitian black pearls. One of the sleepier Society Islands, Raiatea—located adjacent to Tahaa and within viewing distance of Bora-Bora—offers travelers all those things and more.Cruise lines have discovered the quiet allure of Raiatea, French Polynesia’s second-largest island, home to a flower so rare it grows nowhere else on Earth. Its landscape is dramatic and mountainous—its tallest peak tops ‎1,000 meters (3,330 feet)—fitting for a place whose name means 'faraway heaven.' Tahitians consider this their sacred island, and a journey here will take you to sites associated with legends and lore. But adventure seekers will also find plenty of outdoor activities, including hiking, kayaking, diving and exploring by horseback, while shoppers can browse a handful of shops and the daily market in the port of Uturoa.

Shaped like a heart and crowned with emerald-green spires, Moorea is easy to love. The Magical Island, as it's nicknamed, is celebrated for its untamed landscape and symmetrical side-by-side bays (called Opunohu and Cook's); it was said to be the inspiration for the mythical isle of Bali Hai in James Michener’s Its languid lagoon seems without end, wrapping this 132-square-kilometer (50-square-mile) isle in shades of liquid blue, from pale aqua to intense turquoise. Dolphins and stingrays glide through the waves alongside snorkelers and divers exploring the stunning undersea scene. Venture inland to the valleys and another aspect of island life becomes clear: agricultural abundance, with crops that include pineapples, bananas, taro, sugarcane, coffee and cotton. Moorea has shopping, too, mainly for lustrous Tahitian black pearls and brightly patterned pareus (wraparound skirts).Wherever you head, you'll find the South Pacific you have dreamed of, moving to the leisurely pace of island time. It can be hard to believe Moorea is just 20 kilometers (12 miles) from Tahiti’s bustling capital, Papeete.

Maroe Bay, on the southern end of the French Polynesian island of Huahine, is an idyllic place for snorkeling, sailing, beachcombing, biking and swimming with friendly sharks.

When Captain James Cook first sailed to Tahiti in 1769, he and his crew all thought they’d found paradise. Cook hinted at it in his journals, in coy language that would have been acceptable in his day; his men felt considerably less reserve, and returned home sporting tattoos and stories of a people who ate what fell from trees, and lived lives of freedom unknown in Europe. All without much need for clothes.Although all of French Polynesia is sometimes referred to as Tahiti, Tahiti proper is only one island, ringed by a reef that turns the water shades of blue even sapphires can’t come near. Rivers flow down from its high peaks, and every night, the sun goes down behind the neighboring island of Moorea, outlining the mountains like a laser show.Papeete, the capital of French Polynesia, is a bustling business and government center, with black-pearl shops on almost every corner. As you move into the countryside, time starts to slip, and it's just the changeless ocean and the almost unchanged forests—and much the same sensation that made Cook think he'd found heaven on earth.

Arriving by sea, you'll experience the innumerable shades of blue that are the lagoon encircling Fakarava, one of the largest atolls in French Polynesia's Tuamotu Archipelago. Once you step ashore, you'll notice the beaches alternate between whitest white and palest pink sand, with a backdrop of coconut trees swaying gently in the tropical breeze. And while this pristine paradise—which counts only around 800 residents on an island 60 kilometers (37 miles) long and 21 kilometers (13 miles) wide—has a healthy tourism industry, it's also a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve. That designation means Fakarava, as well as its six neighboring atolls, are entirely protected—both onshore and in the surrounding waters. No wonder then that Fakarava is famous for its incredible snorkeling and diving. A lagoon excursion, which also spirits you to the atoll's most beautiful beach—one accessible only by boat—is a great way to complete your Seven Seas fantasy.

Relax and make the most of the myriad of facilities available on board the ship, from fantastic entertainment to delicious and diverse dining options.

The dramatic landscape of the Marquesas is like nowhere else in French Polynesia. Formed by volcanoes, islands like Nuku Hiva—home to the charming port town of Taiohae—don't have a barrier reef or lagoon to protect them. As such, the sea crashes directly up onto the shore, creating wild scenery that has inspired artists and writers from Paul Gauguin to Herman Melville.At the base of craggy, soaring peaks, Taiohae may be the main 'city' in this far-flung island group, but don't expect tall buildings or massive resorts. Instead, Taiohae has a peaceful village vibe with an air of tropical languor. There's not much to do other than wander and shop. And shop you should, as the Marquesans are known for their excellent handicrafts. On Nuku Hiva you'll find skilled carvers working in wood, bone and volcanic stone to create true pieces of art.Beyond Taiohae are opportunities to explore Nuku Hiva's wild interior—replete with sharp basalt pinnacles and lush, green river valleys—by either horseback or on foot.

Relax and make the most of the myriad of facilities available on board the ship, from fantastic entertainment to delicious and diverse dining options.

Disembark ship for overnight flight to UK