Viking Oceans Cruises – Hawaiian Islands Sojourn (Mexico, United States) 17 Days

Embark your ship and settle into your stateroom. Los Angeles is renowned as the world’s leading center of film and television, and is home to an endless array of museums, concert venues and other cultural institutions. The city also offers some of the best dining in the world. Along the palm-lined streets of Beverly Hills, grand celebrity mansions hide behind iron gates. The chic shops of Rodeo Drive invite endless browsing. The Roosevelt Hotel, an icon built in the 1920s that once served as the residence of Clark Gable and Carole Lombard, oversees the Hollywood Walk of Fame and the historic Grauman’s Chinese Theater.

Sail Mar Pacífico, meaning “peaceful sea,” dubbed by Ferdinand Magellan when he crossed these waters almost 500 years ago. Enjoy the amenities of your ship as you sail. Perhaps take a breath of fresh air on a brisk walk around the Promenade Deck or begin your day with a workout in the well-equipped Fitness Center.

Hilo, the capital of the island of Hawaii, overlooks a crescent-shaped bay at the base of two volcanoes. The oldest city in the Hawaiian archipelago, this former sugarcane boom town is home to the University of Hawaii and is regarded as the cultural epicenter of the island with its many galleries and museums. Located on the eastern side of the island, it receives around 140 inches of rainfall annually, which make its landscape a mix of dramatic waterfalls, lush rainforests and beautiful gardens full of colorful flowers; Hilo is world-renowned for the cultivation of orchids.

Oahu hosts a rich variety of Eastern and Western traditions and cuisine. The rising crater of Diamond Head overlooking Waikiki Beach in Honolulu embodies the profusion of natural beauty on the island, Hawaii’s third largest. Its 125 stunning beaches are a mere prelude to the crystalline lagoons, cascading waterfalls and dense rainforests that grace this stunning natural paradise known as “The Gathering Place.” Kamehameha I founded the Kingdom of Hawaii on these shores. Famously, the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941 pulled the United States into World War II.

Nawiliwili is the gateway to the oldest and greenest of the Hawaiian Islands, Kauai. The lush vegetation and wildflowers of this tropical paradise have earned it the nickname “The Garden Island.” This is the unspoiled Hawaii of which travelers dream: green valleys glimmering under a Pacific sun and waterfalls plunging into the sea over soaring cliffs. To many, this is the most authentic of the islands; town ordinances forbid buildings taller than coconut trees and the culture of ancient Hawaiians lives on in respect for the mana, or spiritual essence, of their land.

Kahului’s harbor has been an vital center for commerce since the founding of the kingdom by King Kamehameha in 1810. Whalers were the first to take advantage of its deep waters to stock up on supplies. Following the industry’s decline, sugarcane production dominated the local economy beginning in the late 19th century. Today, tourism drives Kahului, making it a gateway to Maui’s natural beauty. Located south of this vibrant city is Haleakala National Park, an expanse full of diverse landscapes and one of the world’s largest craters known as Haleakala, or “House of the Sun.”

Traverse the world’s largest ocean, covering almost 64 million square miles. At twice the size of the Atlantic, the Pacific is an ocean of extremes. As you sail today, savor a range of international cuisine on board. Choose from a variety of international flavors at the World Café, enjoy al fresco dining on the Aquavit Terrace, or regional specialties in The Restaurant.

The Mediterranean-style microclimate of Ensenada, located on the Pacific coast of the Baja California peninsula, is perfect for the cultivation of grapes, earning the city renown as the capital of Mexican wine. Home to the country’s oldest winery, more than 150 establishments dot the surrounding valleys; collectively, they produce 90% of Mexico’s wines. Though wine has been bottled here for centuries, it has only been in the past couple of decades that the world has developed a taste for this region’s award-winning varieties, with millions of cases being exported annually.

Los Angeles combines the art deco nostalgia of film’s Golden Age with the modernist excitement of the 21st century. The turquoise-and-sunburst splendor of the downtown Eastern Columbia Building and the hilltop grandeur of the Griffith Observatory are both beloved landmarks for locals and visitors. More recent, and more daring, buildings catch the eye with untraditional lines and materials. The Walt Disney Concert Hall is a billowing flourish of stainless steel, while The Broad embraces its contemporary art in a travertine panel facade. After breakfast, disembark your ship and journey home.