A whale of a time

It was similar to a scene from Moby Dick: 50 pairs of expectant eyes strained against the afternoon sun to scan the ocean for 360 degrees around our 70ft catamaran – its engine quite silent. No-one spoke and the tension mounted as seconds ticked by. Then: "There he blows, close at three o'clock!"

The cry from the wheelhouse triggered an expectant rush to the port side to witness the telltale spout of water. Without warning, a huge knobble-headed humpback whale broke surface and soared into the air, water streaming from its flanks. For a moment, this magnificent 40-ton beast hung there, glinting in the sunlight, before plunging back into the ocean with a tremendous splash.

On our boat the clicking of cameras was drowned by a cheer that put seabirds to sudden flight. What a thrill – and to think this experience was in the same stretch of water that inspired author Herman Melville to write Moby Dick in 1851.

For we were on a two-hour whale-watching cruise in the bay off Lahaina, the charming capital of the beautiful Hawaiian island of Maui – to where the humpbacks have migrated 3,500 miles from Alaska to mate since long before Melville arrived in the 1840s.

It was a highlight of our cruise to America's 50th state whose eight main islands, 2,400 miles from their nearest neighbours, are the remotest parcels of land on Earth.

There are few places more exotic to see on a 14-day cruise. Hawaii is a beautiful and magical place – combining its traditional Aloha Spirit with the spruce efficiency of America. Although flights to and from Los Angeles – where the cruise embarks – take 10 to 11 hours depending on headwinds, a pre-cruise night in LA adjusts the body clocks.

We took a two-hour coach tour of downtown Los Angeles, Beverly Hills and Hollywood ending in a teatime departure on Golden Princess – one of Princess's 17-strong fleet.

Refitted in 2009, this 109,000-ton ship has 13 decks and an amazing glass-walled room atop the stern with spectacular views from both sides. At night, as a disco, it is a heaving bubble in the sky.

After four days at sea, our first port of call was Hilo, capital of the Big Island of Hawaii and home to two volcanoes. One of them, Mauna Loa, is the highest mountain on earth, measuring 30,000ft from the seabed to its summit. A trip to the 13,796ft peak – above the water – is one of more than 20 tours on this island, ranging from $69 to $279 for a ride in a helicopter.

Next day, we reached what some saw as the Mecca of the whole cruise: the island of Oahu and the state capital, Honolulu with its magnificent Waikiki beach. So many movies have been shot here that it seems familiar. We dutifully photographed the narrow, rock-strewn beach where Burt Lancaster and Deborah Kerr daringly frolicked in the surf in From Here To Eternity.

A must on Oahu is the pilgrimage to Pearl Harbor and the sunken USS Arizona – a poignant war grave. As we know from Hawaii Five 0 and Magnum PI, Honolulu is a fascinating city combining age-old Polynesian culture with modern commercialism. Grab some time ashore after dark before the ship sails.

Our next stop, Kauai, also seemed familiar from films such as South Pacific, Raiders of the Lost Ark and Jurassic Park. Its fairytale beauty is stunning. Take a scenic drive to Waimea Canyon – second only to the Grand Canyon. You will be bowled over by its magnificence from a 3,400ft viewpoint.

Try, also, to view the green-fringed corrugated mountain wilderness of the Na Pali coast from the sea: one of the world's most-wonderful natural beauties. Helicopter tours, from $269, are hardly cheap but an excellent way to see the sights efficiently.

If whale-watching on Maui is not for you, Princess offers 21 other tours on this beautiful island. Other main islands of Molokai and Lanai, though not on our itinerary, are just as rewarding.

Of course, the long 2,500-mile voyage to the Hawaiian Islands might not suit those who like cruising mainly at night. But there is plenty to do in a packed shipboard programme: deck and pool games, plus lectures and dance classes including the hula.

Quizzes, art auctions and the popular Scholarship@Sea programme with topics from Hawaiian culture to creative photography are also on offer.

Even with 2,700 passengers on board, Golden Princess has oodles of space for relaxing in the sun. More exclusive is the Sanctuary where, for a surcharge, you chill out in what looks remarkably like a Bedouin tent.

A popular venue, too, is the Lotus Spa near the well-equipped gym. Treatments range from teeth whitening to something called an ionithermie algae-detox.

The Golden Princess also benefits from cruise ships' latest must-have: Movies under the stars, a key Princess selling point. The giant screen is amazingly popular by day and after dark.

Entertainment below decks is also spectacular with an excellent show company and individual entertainers at various venues throughout the evening. If you just want to relax with a drink, there are 14 bars to choose from.

There is huge variety in dining, too. Some prefer the traditional formal dining, while others eat any time in two restaurants from 5.30pm to 10pm. There is also a 24-hour buffet, and a grill bar/pizzeria from 11am to 11pm.

And for many, the bustling casino featuring favourite card and dice games, as well as the ubiquitous slots, was a permanent draw.

Because Golden Princess was the first American ship we had tried, we wondered how it would compare with the quintessential British experience on Cunard, P&O or even Fred Olsen? However, the Americans and Canadians we met were delightful: polite, softly-spoken and friendly.

Two-thirds of the passengers (1,955) were Americans, followed by several hundred Britons and slightly fewer Canadians. Twenty other countries were represented among the passengers, while the crew were a floating United Nations – from 40 countries from Argentina and Borneo to Zambia.

They were, without exception efficient and can-do people, for whom nothing was too much trouble. I met passengers rewarded for their loyalty with a range of benefits through membership of the Princess Captain's Circle.

Retired soldier Eric Antonen, from Pembrokeshire, was on his 79th cruise with Princess and P&O since 1995. Eric, who once took 10 cruises in a year, says South America is his favourite destination and regards swimming within the Arctic Circle as a particular highlight.

Hawaii must be up there, too. This was a momentous trip, even before a whale took his bow.

CRUISE FACTS

Roger Watkins travelled with Princess Cruises on the 16-night round trip from LA departing every 14 days between September 28, 2010 and April 26, 2011. Prices from 1,499, include return flights ex-Heathrow, airport, transfers and overnight hotel accommodation and inside category stateroom.

A Head Start package to give a more relaxing start to people living a long way from departure airports is available from 129 per person, including connecting flights to Manchester.

Princess Cruises Reservations: 08453 555 800 and www.princess.com

YP MAG 5/6/10