SHORE EXCURSIONS CREDIT

Step into the heart of Kanak culture on this enriching journey through Lifou's northern villages. Travel through the seaside community of Easo, where sweeping views of jewel-toned Santal Bay set the scene, before continuing to Xepenehe for a scenic overlook of this historically significant harbor. Your experience continues at the tribal chief's hut, where a warm traditional welcome awaits. Inside, you'll gain fascinating insight into Melanesian social structure and the symbolism woven into daily life. The visit concludes on a flavorful note with fresh coconut water and a traditional cooking demonstration by village women, showcasing the preparation of Bougna, a beloved local dish slow-cooked in banana leaves using time-honored methods.

HIGHLIGHTS
• Learn about the traditional Melanesian way of life in the rural village Hnathalo.
• Sample the Melanesian dish bougna, which is cooked in banana leaves in an earthen oven.
• See the interior of the revered Chief's Hut and meet local villagers.
• Enjoy scenic views of Santal Bay and Xepenehe harbor.

HELPFUL HINTS
• Dress in weather-appropriate clothing.
• Wear flat comfortable walking shoes.

OVERVIEW

Experience the magic of Hawaii during an oceanside luau in Ko Olina, where island hospitality, cultural traditions and live entertainment come together for a memorable evening. Travel by motorcoach from the Honolulu pier to Ocean's Edge, a beautiful coastal setting where the sunset may provide a striking backdrop. After check-in, enjoy a signature welcome drink and take part in interactive cultural activities before savoring an island-inspired feast featuring authentic Hawaiian flavors. A pre-show hula performance sets the stage for the main production. Enjoy vibrant music, graceful hula, thrilling fire-knife performances and stories celebrating Hawaii's heritage. Developed with guidance from the Hawaiian Council, the entertainment thoughtfully honors and preserves the traditions of the islands. Following the show, reboard your motorcoach for the return to the ship.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Savor an island-inspired feast featuring authentic Hawaiian flavors.
• Experience vibrant music, hula, fire-knife performances and Polynesian storytelling.
• Participate in interactive cultural activities and hula dancing.
• Enjoy warm island hospitality in an oceanside setting in Ko Olina.

HELPFUL HINTS

• Dress in weather-appropriate clothing.
• Wear flat comfortable walking shoes.

Discover Moorea's visual splendor, art and local Polynesian lifestyle during this scenic orientation drive around the island.

Enjoy a scenic and relaxing drive around Moorea. The distance around this idyllic island is approximately 38 miles and offers many spectacular sites and photo opportunities. Pass the sacred temples (Marae) and get an insight on Polynesian culture.

Down the East Coast reach Ia ora View Point for a unique view on the island of Tahiti only located about 10 nautical miles from Moorea, from there the view on the clear blue lagoon of Temae Beach is breathtaking. Driving down to the West Coast you’ll reach the Tiki Village for a short walk through the property, and free time. During your free time, you might browse the small boutique or discover the island's artistic beauty at an art gallery. Here, you will have an opportunity to see a replica of Gauguin's Maison du Jouir and view a large selection of the most beautiful reproductions of his artwork. You could also visit a black-and-white picture gallery showcasing the works of famous photographer A. Sylvain. Located by the ocean, the village is home to a lovely white-sand beach that offers wonderful photo opportunities.

OVERVIEW

See the highlights of Fiji’s capital on a panoramic drive that presents the most meaningful historical landmarks and shows how the city has changed over time. One of your first impressions will be from a lookout that offers a sweeping view of the urban landscape and your cruise ship as a reference point. You will also drive through the town of Tamavua on Suva’s outskirts and for contrast pass the Laucala campus of the University of the South Pacific. The stately Presidential Palace that serves as the residence of the president of Fiji reflects Suva’s colonial past as its architecture is Georgian. For an even deeper dive into the past, you will browse the Fiji Museum, whose collection ranges from artifacts dating back 3,700 years to cultural objects from more recent times. Free time follows, during which you can shop by the waterfront for fashions, handicrafts and other fine Fijian merchandise.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Enjoy an introductory drive through Suva that passes the capital’s key landmarks.
• Delve into Suva’s history by browsing the highly informative Fiji Museum.
• Shop in the collection of stores near the waterfront during free time.

HELPFUL HINTS

• Dress in weather-appropriate clothing.
• Wear flat comfortable walking shoes.

Delve into traditional Tahitian culture by cruising to nearby Tahaa to discover how vanilla is grown and black pearls are produced before an island lunch and relaxing on the island’s gorgeous beach.

After departing from the pier in a motorized catamaran, you will enjoy a wonderfully scenic cruise across a turquoise-blue lagoon to the island of Tahaa, which lies due north. Your first destination ashore is a vanilla farm. You will probably be greeted by the scent of the spice before arriving as 70% of the vanilla grown in French Polynesia is from Tahaa.

Expect to see and smell fragrant vanilla pods curing in the sun. You may also stroll among the rows of climbing orchids that produce the pods and learn how they are pollinated. There will be some time for shopping before continuing on with a short drive to Motu Pearl Village. Established in 1991, the village cultivates black pearls in the warm, crystal-clear waters of the surrounding lagoon. After hearing the fascinating story of how the pearls are produced, you may shop for jewelry and other items adorned with these prized treasures. Like vanilla, black pearls are synonymous with Tahaa, and both are mainstays of the economy.

After the visit, enjoy a cocktail or a fresh local beer before a traditional Polynesian buffet lunch is served while a live Polynesian group entertains you. It makes for an excellent introduction to the pareo show that follows. A pareo is a wraparound skirt that is essential to Tahitian dance. Finally, you will head for the beach of Motu Mahea to relax, sunbathe or get in the water before returning to the pier.

Indulge your senses with the pristine natural beauty of Upolu during this scenic, tour of the island's northeast coast.

Depart the pier for a scenic drive along the northeast coast of Upolu. Along the way, you will pass through local villages that still observe a traditional lifestyle. Stop for photos at the Falefa Waterfall and Estuary, a former trading post for locals and whalers in the early 1800s. Fagaloa Bay offers you another opportunity for breathtaking views overlooking the coast.

Stop to visit Gina's Tropical Gardens, which features an abundance of native and tropical plants, flowers and fruits. Included are specimens found in the bird of paradise family, along with ginger, axoria, heliconia, ylang ylang, papaya, guava, star fruit, pineapple, and mango. During your visit, you will be treated with refreshments and seasonal fruits. Enjoy a demonstration of coconut tree climbing, husking, grating and preparing fresh coconut cream.

OVERVIEW

Explore some of the Big Island’s most dramatic landscapes and come away with a deep appreciation of its volcanic formation. After pausing at America’s southernmost bake shop, where you might try a mango malasada treat, you will travel to the Punalu’u Black Sand Beach. The jet-black sand is made of volcanic materials and lava fragments and is quite the sight, especially if you spot a green sea turtle basking on the beach. Symbols of wisdom and good luck, they are the only sea turtles known to sunbathe. The wonders of the Hawaii Volcanoes National Park will be even more extraordinary. The terrain and natural diversity there are so unique that UNESCO deemed the park both a World Biosphere site and a World Heritage site. You will see volcanic craters, the active volcano Kilauea and hot water vapor rising from countless steam vents.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Admire the volcanically formed black sand beach at Punalu’u and perhaps see a green sea turtle.
• Drive through stunning Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage site.
• View an active volcano, craters and steam vents releasing hot water vapor into the air.

HELPFUL HINTS

• Dress in weather-appropriate clothing.
• Wear flat comfortable walking shoes.

Discover the island paradise of Bora Bora during this scenic orientation tour via Le Truck, a casual, open-air vehicle resembling a windowless bus. Let your guide share with you the daily life of the people of Bora Bora.

Drive through the district of Fa'anui. Along the way, you will pass by small villages and fields that offer a glimpse into the everyday life of the people of Bora Bora. Witness how the popular pareo is made, learn about tupa crabs, taste locally grown fruits and see relics left behind by the U.S. military during WWII.

Admire the ever-changing colors of Bora Bora’s world-famous lagoon, and discover tropical flowers and trees among the dense green vegetation on the mountainside. Central Mount Otemanu rock, standing at more than 2,400 feet high, dominates the island and overlooks the turquoise lagoon and her crown of coral islands. Your drive around the island will allow you to enjoy the view of this impressive mountain. Driving by the East Coast you’ll pass some of the famous resorts before reaching Matira point, with the prettiest sand beach of the main island.

Witness one of the most esteemed ceremonies in Samoan culture, performed at a traditional village and enjoy a scenic drive with photo stops along the way. Begin your tour with a drive east, during which you'll delight in the island's natural beauty and historic natural landmarks. Highlights include the stop at Camel Rock, a rock formation resembling a lonely camel laying on the bay. Your tour carries on towards the east end of Tutuila. Stopping at Auasi wharf to take photos of the beautiful island of Aunu’u off in the distance and watch locals board local fishing boats utilized as taxis between the two islands. Before returning to your ship make a stop at Fagatogo Marketplace to shop, local handicrafts, jewelry, or local clothing.

Celebrate the honor, valor and courage of the World War II US servicemen on this special tour. This nostalgic journey takes you to the two places that marked the beginning and the end of the war for the United States - Pearl Harbor and the USS Missouri.

The 1941 attack on Pearl Harbor will unfold in detailed narrations and photos. From here you'll travel across the Ford Island Bridge to the historic USS Missouri battleship, nicknamed the 'Mighty Mo.' Explore the passages, rooms and corridors on a self-guided tour.

OVERVIEW

Stroll the winding paths of an exotic orchid garden and delve into Fijian culture at a seaside village on the island’s western shore. Supposedly founded as early as 1500 B.C., Viseisei is considered to be the oldest settlement in Fiji and its villagers still follow traditional ways. After a brief guided tour of Viseisei, you will browse the shell market and take in the stunningly beautiful views from Vuda Point, where those original settlers landed. You will also visit the exquisite Garden of the Sleeping Giant, which is named after the legend of a giant that ate so many Fijians that he fell into a deep sleep. The garden started as a nursery to house the orchid collection of actor and part-time Fiji resident Raymond Burr of “Perry Mason” fame. Thousands of brightly colored orchids now flourish there in the foothills of the Nausori Highlands, including hybrids that Burr created.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Tour the oldest settlement in Fiji, which according to tradition dates to 1500 B.C.
• Browse the village shell market and admire the panoramic views from Vuda Point.
• Meander through the Garden of the Sleeping Giant, a lush paradise full of exotic orchids.
• Hear how the garden began as a nursery for the orchid collection of actor Raymond Burr.

HELPFUL HINTS

• Dress in weather-appropriate clothing.
• Wear flat comfortable walking shoes.

OVERVIEW

Explore Rarotonga's culture, history and traditions during this scenic and informative island tour. Depart the pier for an orientation drive around the island; an excellent way to see Rarotonga and gain insight to its culture. Along the way, you will visit such sites as Ngatangiia Harbour, the departure point of the Polynesian Migration to New Zealand in 1350 AD, and a historical back road built in 1050 AD called the Road of Toi, or Ara Metua. You will also pass by ceremonial sites that include Arai Te Tonga, along with old church buildings, the theological college, the library, the museum, and fruit and vegetable plantations. Stops will be made at the Cook Island's Library and Museum to view the artifacts. Following your tour, you will be returned to the pier.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Explore Rarotonga signature sights and landmarks on an informative island introduction tour.
• Travel a road that dates back to 1050 AD and pass the most significant ceremonial site on the island.
• Visit the harbor where a great migration from Polynesia to New Zealand departed in 1350 AD.
• Visit inside Cook Islands Library and Museum to browse their extensive collections of cultural artifacts.

HELPFUL HINTS

• Dress in weather-appropriate clothing.
• Wear flat comfortable walking shoes.