Cruising Around Hawaii Onboard Vision of the Seas, Royal Caribbean
- Michelle's Monologues
- Mar 27
- 6 min read
The beautiful islands of Hawaii are a must-visit! With stunning beaches, rainforests, lava fields, and much more. Hawaii is made up of a group of 137 islands, with the main inhabited islands: Kauai, Oʻahu, Molokaʻi, Lānaʻi, Maui, and the island of Hawaiʻi. Here is why you should visit this year-round destination.
Cruising Around Hawaii Onboard Vision of the Seas, Royal Caribbean
Back in the year 2001, I was working as a shore excursions assistant onboard the Royal Caribbean International cruise ship - Vision of the Seas. It was an incredible 8 months with a lot of highs (helicopter trips, walking across lava fields, driving a brand new little red Corvette Convertible, and sky diving) and lows (9/11). Like all travel adventures things change; ships, ports, excursions, and more. I hope you enjoy reading and feel inspired to visit the beautiful islands of Hawaii.
About Hawaii
Hawaii is said to have been discovered and settled by the Polynesian people between 940 and 1200 AD, after navigating the seas with the stars. Though settlements have been discovered that trace back 70 million years to the end of the Cretaceous Period. Hawaii was a sovereign kingdom, ruled by the Kamehameha dynasty, from 1795 until 1893. With the first chance sighting in January 1778 by explorer James Cook.
Becoming a republic in 1894, then in 1959 the 50th state of the United States of America.
Today discover the Hawaiian culture including the traditional Hawaiian language ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi,( Aloha - meaning love, is used to say both hello and goodbye. Mahalo/Mahalo nui loa - means thank you/thank you very much. Did you know the Hawaiian alphabet has only 13 letters?) religion (beliefs encompass the presence of spirits in objects such as the waves and the sky. The Hawaiian religion believes in four gods; Kāne, Kanaloa, Kū, and Lono), a must cultural experience is to attend a celebratory Hawaiian Luau feast with dancing and music.
General Facts:
The capital of Hawaii is Honolulu
Currency: U.S Dollars
Time Zone: Aleutian Standard Time (GMT minus 10 hours)
Flight Duration: UK 17 + hours from London Heathrow via Los Angeles to Honolulu
Shopping: Pearls, Mauna Loa Macadamia nuts (Hilo Hattie - the store of Hawaii), Original Red Dirt Shirt (unique shirt dyed with pure Hawaiian Red Dirt), Royal Kona Coffee, Hawaiian handcrafted art.
About Royal Caribbean International
Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines (RCCL) now Royal Caribbean International (RCI) was founded in Norway in 1968. The group includes Royal Caribbean, Celebrity Cruise, and Silver Sea. Based in Miami, Florida, it is the largest cruise line by revenue and second-largest by passenger counts. The oldest ship in the fleet is Grandeur of the Seas at 28 years old, and the newest ship Star of the Seas will make its maiden voyage on the 31st August 2025. The largest ship in the fleet is currently the Icon of the Seas with 248,663 gross tonnes. The Titanic measured 883 feet in length, today the smallest Royal Caribbean International ship is the Vision Class - Grandeur of the Seas at 916 feet long.
Today Royal Caribbean International has 30 ships including Star of the Seas. These are across Vision, Radiance, Voyager, Freedom, Quantum, Oasis and Icon Class ships.
Which one will you set sail on next?
About Vision of the Seas
The Vision of the Seas launched in 1998, the Vision Class ship has eight pools, whirlpools, rock climbing, solarium, variety of dining experiences including specialty restaurants such as Izumi, Govanni's Table, and Chef's Table. In the evenings get ready for the West-End style shows!
The ship might be small carrying only 2,050 passengers but the family-friendly ship is easy to navigate and sails to a variety of destinations.
Ports of Call
The Hawaiian Islands can sometimes be a bit confusing. Hawaii also known as The Big Island is home to Hilo, and Kailua - Kona.
Hilo, Hawaii
Hilo located on the cooler and rainy side of The Big Island is famous for the Kilauea, Mauna Loa, and Mauna Kea volcanos, macadamia nuts, and is also known as the flower capital of the world.
Must see and do's include the volcanoes, waterfalls including Akaka and Rainbow, and flower/orchid gardens.
I thoroughly enjoyed seeing the scenic vistas and volcanoes from a birds-eye view with Safari Helicopters. The hike through the Volcano National Park was also incredible! Walking across the uneven and jagged hardened molten lava terrain and see the bright red lava flows into the sea. It was very surreal!
Do wear long trousers and a long-sleeved top to protect you from the sun and also against any abrasions. Take plenty of water, a hat, and a rain jacket.
Stay on the marked trails and please pay close attention to your surroundings and location.
Be aware of volcanic gas (it can be dangerous).
Leave no trace and be mindful of the cultural significance of lava (many Hawaiians believe that lava is the physical form of the volcano goddess Pele. Please do not poke lava with sticks or other objects).
Kailua - Kona, Hawaii
Located on the opposite side of The Big Island is Kailua - Kona. The sunny & dry side is home of King Kamehameha.
Things to see & do include; King Kamehameha III birthplace and Place of Refuge (Puuhonua O'Honaunau: an ancient and mysterious place with tiki statues and information on ancient Hawaiian times), as well as beautiful beaches such as Haupuna Beach, Kahalu'a (good snorkel beach), Magic Sands (surfing) and at the Hyatt Hotel. You might also like to see historical Kona by horse-drawn carriage.
Lahaina, Maui
Lahaina is known for Humpback Whales, Haleakala Crater and, Road to Hana.
Maui is very scenic with green mountains, palm trees, Kaanapali Beach, historic downtown with great shopping and restaurants. This is also the place to experience a traditional Hawaiian Luau!
One of the most memorable experiences I had in Maui was hiring a brand-new red Corvette convertible from the Aloha Toy Store. I drove up to the Haleakala Crater. It was breathtaking.
Haleakala Crater - the Sacred "house of the Sun" is a must-visit when in Maui. With scenic views that stretch as far as the eye can see, the changing colours of the landscape as well as the unique flora and fauna.
The drive is not for the faint-hearted! The winding switchbacks, steep drop-offs, blind corners, and lack of guardrails can make the drive nerve-wracking for some.
Nawiliwili, Kauai
Kauai is Hawaii's fourth largest island also known as the "Garden Isle" with red clay dirt and lush green-blue foliage.
Must-see and do's include Waimea Canyon, Na Pali Coast, and Wailua Falls.
Honolulu, Oahu
Honolulu is known by the locals as "Los Angeles on a Rock".
Things to see and do include; Iolani Palace, Arizona Memorial, Chinatown, Waikiki, Diamond Head, Pali Lookout, the Polynesian Cultural Centre, and North Shore. Waikiki Beach is a great place to watch surfers, Hanauma Bay for snorkeling, and Kailua Beach Park is a bit quieter than Waikiki Beach.
For all those adrenaline thrill seekers, did you know you can skydive in Hawaii?
Skydive Hawaii has it covered! You can check out the video below, and see what to expect on the day, from the start to finish of a tandem skydive. Jumping out of a c-182 aircraft at an altitude of 9,000 feet above the Hawaiian Island of Oahu and free-falling for 35 seconds.
I hope you have enjoyed reading and feel inspired to visit the beautiful islands of Hawaii.
Until next time..
Happy Travels,
Michelle x
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