Cruise control in Hawaii

An invitation to sail to Hawaii conjured images of tropical bliss – and turned out to be a vacation of a lifetime.

And instead of going to a resort, a resort went to me – or rather, the resort traveled with me.

That’s certainly how it felt aboard the Norwegian Sky, a luxury liner which is nothing less than a five-star resort at sea.

The Continental Airlines Boeing 767-400 flew us from Manila to Honolulu via Guam – a four-hour trip. From there it was another seven hours before gracefully descending to the Hawaiian Islands, paradise beckoned as we viewed the majestic Waikiki beach flanked by the dramatic Diamond Head Volcano.

As soon as we hobnobbed with the locals, there was a drumbeating of excitement among us. This heralded our 10-day cruise in Hawaii which included the ports of Hilo, Kona, Maui, Kauia, The Big Island and the Fanning Island in the Republic of Kiribati in Polynesia. In Honululu, we walked down Waikiki and learned that long before the first tourists arrived, Hawaii’s royalty basked in the golden crescent of Waikiki Beach and surfed its endlessly soaring breakers.

Next morning, we went on a sentimental drive down history by visiting nearby Pearl Harbor.

After the eventful stroll in Honolulu, a limousine brought us to our ship, the Norwegian Sky, which became our home sweet home for more than a week. Comfort, variety, and style characterized this cruising experience. The NCL luxury liner has six restaurants to choose from with a wide array of menus, 12 bars and lounges, a Broadway-style theater, a spa, 24-hour fitness centers, big swimming pools and Jacuzzis. There are even supervised activities for children. The ship also offers exciting land tours and shore excursions, musical performances, discos, duty-free shopping, bingo, computers, art auctions, yoga, hula-dancing lessons, golf-putting tournaments and much more.

According to NCL’s Marlene Pajanel,"A cruise is an exhilarating vacation – an antidote to the stress and strain of life ashore. It gives you a chance to relax and unwind in leisurely surroundings, attentive service, great cuisine. Imagine, a ship that changes the scenery for you." With three ships and eight itineraries, NCL offers the most comprehensive cruise programs available in Hawaii. Cruises nowadays, as we experienced at the Norwegian Sky, are no longer exclusively for the affluent, the retired, and the elderly (there’s this notion that cruises are only for senior citizens). The industry today is vibrant and alive with passengers of every age and socio-economic background. Cruising is no longer the shipping business, but the hospitality business.

For 10 days, we sailed in style. The official photographer of the ship, Jacob Groves, exquisitely chronicled our escapades on board and off the liner. But if one is inclined, he doesn’t even have to leave the ship at the ports of call because there’s a smorgasboard of activities to keep him entertained. Why not try all the cuisine on board? There are French, Italian, Chinese, continental, barbecues and pizzas to choose from. Continental Airlines’ Marissa Torres certainly loved the nachos with melted cheese during our afternoon delights on deck. There’s even light cuisine for the weight watchers. A mouth-watering chocoholics buffet will certainly satisfy the sweet tooth.

At the NCL’s Sports Afloat, one will marvel at one of the most comprehensive sports programs offered by any cruise line. Who says one has to gain weight from all the delicious cuisine on board? On all NCL ships, there are activities to suit everyone from beginning to advanced levels of fitness and skill – exercise classes, aerobics, jogging,volleyball, basketball, games and tournaments.

At the art auction extravaganza, modern masters were sold at medieval prices. We also joined the bingo sessions where one of our companions was lucky enough to win $900. Winnie Laforteza from Rajah Tours and Helen Hao from Pan Pacific Travel joined the hula classes and lei -making every day. We were so thrilled to watch them at their grand dance recital together with the other passengers. Each of us found what we liked doing best, and my favorite place on the ship was the Mandara Spa where I enjoyed the hydrotherapy flower baths, rejuvenating massage and steam and sauna facilities every day.

While many opted to stay aboard the ship, those that checked out the shore excursions were equally satisfied with the gorgeous places they explored.

Kona, Hawaii

Reliable sunny days, marvelous sunsets, fascinating historical sights and tidal pools teeming with marine life were what greeted us in Kona. One highlight was a leisurely afternoon at the Kona Coffee Country Driving Tour which took us to retail outlets, farm mills and museums. Kona is reputed to produce the best coffee in the world. Coffee and Kona are a match made in heaven!

Fanning Island, Republic Of Kirabati

Our sojourn took us back in time on Fanning Island. The marvelous island itself is an atoll, a ring-shaped coral reef enclosing a protected lagoon. It was a deserted island when Captain Edmund Fanning landed here in 1798. It took another 50 years before there was human habitation. Even now, two centuries later, there are only approximately 1,500 people living on this remote island. The locals are called Tabaueran from the Kiribati word meaning "heavenly footprint."

Hilo, Hawaii

Nestled between the volcanic slopes and forest reserves of magnificent Mauna Kea and Mauna Loa, Hilo is considered Hawaii’s most tropical town, replete with flowers and plants. Here we saw the very famous Akaka Falls, which plunges 420 feet from the tropical gorge into a deep pool far below. Another memorable highlight was the Banyan Drive. The area is lined with historic banyan trees planted by individuals of fame many years ago. Each tree has a plaque identifying the person who planted it – like Babe Ruth and Amelia Earhart.

Nawiliwili, Kauai, Hawaii

Kauai’s jagged green mountains and dazzling white beaches would stir any cinematographer’s soul. It’s no surprise then that the island has become Hollywood’s choice venue whenever a script calls for a tropical setting. Over the years, Kauai has doubled for Vietnam’s rice paddies (Uncommon Valor, Flight of the Intruder), Costa Rican rain forest (Jurrassic Park) African Jungle (Outbreak), and even the Australian outback (The Thorn Birds). It became Peter Pan’s Never-never Land (Hook), South Pacific’s Bali Hai, television’s Fantasy Island and the original Gilligan’s Island. The islands have also put in more than a few appearances as itself. Elvis got married at the Coco Palms in 1961’s Blue Hawaii and returned to croon his way through two other movies set here.

Lahaina, Maui, Hawaii

Maui is affectionately known as the "Valley Isle" and is often described as one large oil canvas of pastels. It is encompassed by alpine scenes, legendary volcanoes and a seacoast sculptured by the unassuming Pacific. From the cascading waterfalls to vibrant rainbows, it is easy to see why romantics are often taken by Maui’s sorcery. My visit to the Hyatt Regency Maui, dubbed as one of the most spectacular resorts in the world, was unforgettable. At its Spa Moana, try the most envigorating Ka’anapali Chocolate Macadamia Nut scrub. It’s simply divine!

Maui is probably the best-known of the Hawaiian Islands and with good reason. Approximately 20 years ago, savvy tourist experts opted to market Maui and position this world-class destination as a finer alternative to its sister islands.

Apart from these beautiful places and the many activities that abound in the ship, what made the cruise more unforgettable was the presence of the Filipino crew on board. I learned that 65 percent of the crew were Filipino. They were so friendly and accommodating to the point of cooking sinigang and adobo upon our request.

It was refreshing to realize how our fellow countrymen are doing such excellent work aboard the liner. In fact, Becker said he admires the graciousness, hard work, discipline and excellent work ethics of his Filipino crew. My heartfelt thanks go to all of them especially to assistant maitre ’d Abelardo, chef Edward Guanzon, Leonardo Tiu, Romeo Roque, Nestor Roque, Sheryl Ann Baluyot, and Jenny Martin.

As we disembarked the Norwegian Sky and said farewell to all the crew, another group of passengers boarded to sail once more to the heavenly Hawaiian Islands.

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For more information, call Continental Airlines at 817-96-66 and Norwegian Cruise Line at 521-56-60, 526-84-01 or visit www.ncl.com.