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From surfing on Maui to kayaking on the Big Island, a seven-day cruise around Hawaii lets you experience the best of every island.

NCL's Pride of Hawaii cruises to Oahu, the Big Island, Maui and Kauai. Photography: Courtesy of NCL Corporation.

The fact that Hawaii is a special place goes without question. The natural tropical beauty is unsurpassed, the sun nearly always shines and the people are imbued with the spirit of aloha. Romance is literally in the air, and the islands invite a sense of adventure. It’s no wonder that Hawaii is one of the most popular honeymoon destinations on earth. But trying to decide which island to visit can be a bit daunting. Enter Norwegian Cruise Line, offering one-week sailings that stop at all four major islands—affording passengers the opportunity to see Maui’s fabulous beaches, Kauai’s lush greenery, the Big Island’s awesome active volcano and Oahu’s lively nightlife.

Cruising Together

The NCL ships, Pride of America, Pride of Aloha and Pride of Hawaii each carry about 2,000 passengers and are similarly decorated in bright colors, tropical prints and Hawaiian artwork. The cabins are cozy and many have private balconies. There are more than a dozen bars onboard, including special ones that serve champagne and martinis exclusively. And entertainment options range from big band performances to stand-up comedy acts and over-the-top floorshows. (You won’t find any casinos, due to Hawaiian regulations).

Onboard entertainment: a typical Hawaiian hula performance. Photography: Courtesy of NCL Corporation.

The sailings offer “Freestyle Cruising,” a term coined to let you know that some standard formalities (such as set meal times and table mates) don’t exist here. Instead, you can choose from among 7 to 10 restaurants. One night you can enjoy Mexican and margaritas; on the next, all-you-can-eat sushi with sake. Watch as the amazing teppanyaki chefs expertly wield knives and prepare your dinner tableside or else linger over a plate of pasta in the casual Italian spot.

Other onboard amenities include a spa, basketball courts, several pools and a large fitness center that offers classes like Spinning and Pilates. The ships also have samplings of Hawaiian culture, like hula performances, lei-making classes and storytelling sessions. But don’t miss the shore excursions! NCL offers dozens of them, ranging from sightseeing tours of historic attractions and folk museums to adventures on the best beaches and a sunrise cycling outing at Maui’s Haleakala Crater. Here’s the ultimate insider’s day-by-day look at the amazing week-long adventure (ncl.com).

Day one: Waikiki Beach, Oahu

One of the many cozy places to relax on deck. Photography: Courtesy of NCL Corporation.

The cruise starts at Oahu, home to Hawaii’s capital city, Honolulu, and the famed Waikiki Beach. Arrive a day early to take advantage of the island’s offerings. By day, Waikiki Beach and its white-tipped waves are bustling with surfers, swimmers and sun seekers—even at 7 a.m. Walk the promenade that passes the row of towering high-rise hotels, small shops and various restaurants, while affording a spectacular view of nearby Diamond Head. You can climb Diamond Head, via a trail that’s less than a mile long. Warning: The path can be steep at times. But stick with it and you’re promised an awesome view of all of Waikiki Beach, Honolulu’s expansive skyline and the vast Pacific. Then rent a convertible and hit the two-lane coastal highway for a ride around the island. On the four-hour trip, you’ll discover the North Shore’s low-key beaches and natural scenic outposts. But do keep an eye on the time, so you’re back to board the ship.

Day two: Hilo, the Big Island

Hiking on one of Hawaii's volcanos. Photography: Ron Dahlquist/ mauimediacenter.com.

After a night of sailing, you’ll arrive at Hilo, a small town on the east coast of Hawaii’s Big Island. Don’t be surprised if it’s a bit overcast when you dock; rain is common on this part of the island, but it’s generally light and shouldn’t prevent you from taking the ship’s volcano-viewing excursion.

Immediately after disembarking, you’ll meet a local guide for a 40-minute drive to Volcanoes National Park, home of the active Kilauea. You’ll note the slightly bitter smell of sulfur as your guide leads you on an easy walk through the park’s rain forest and past giant craters, near jagged cliffs suspended high above the sea and onto barren, black rock. You may feel some warmth from steam vents underfoot, so you’ll want to wear sneakers—your cue that under the surface lava is bubbling. And the slight crunch beneath your feet reminds you how fragile the earth is and what’s going on down below. (Volcanic activity has been taking place here for about 70 million years!) Finally, from a distance, you’ll see it—the restless Kilauea. It looks just as a volcano should, with a cone-shaped top, dramatic orange sparks and deep scarlet, molten lava. Nearby you’ll see a small patch of road leading to nowhere—all that’s left of a main roadway that was covered by lava in an eruption in 2003. It’s a reminder of the fact that the island is still being formed and that you’re witnessing the creation. Future generations will see a different island, with new land masses and new beaches formed by black ash.

Those who prefer to stay onboard can still catch the amazing nature show at night. Enroute to the next port the captain positions the ship so everyone can see the erupting volcano. Gather on deck and watch the fiery bright orange lava flowing and spurting above the dark sea into the star-filled sky. And listen as a native storyteller presents a traditional prayer to the goddess of fire, Madame Pele, over the ship’s loudspeakers.

Days three and four: Maui

To give you enough time to see as much as possible, the ship overnights in Maui. Take a morning to walk around historic Lahaina, home to the largest banyan tree in the country, then head to the Kaanapali coast for some snorkeling. Or take a boat excursion to view humpback whales in Honolua Bay. In the center of the island, you can explore the Iao Valley State Park’s amazing tropical gardens (there’s one dedicated entirely to orchids) and towering rock formations (some say that one resembles John F. Kennedy). Golfers will want to hit the south shore for challenging courses with sea views. And then there’s the can’t-miss attraction: the Road to Hana. The 52-mile, one-lane highway curls and climbs through mountains, past numerous waterfalls and the sparkling ocean, ending at the island’s legendary black beaches.

From the port of Kahului, where the ship docks, it’s about a 45-minute-drive to Lahaina, Hawaii’s capital when it was a kingdom. The town’s main road, Front Street, is lined with colorful 19th-century buildings that house galleries and shops. You can learn about the island’s past on a stroll around the town’s historic area. Stop at the Lahaina Heritage Museum for photos and interactive exhibits about whaling traditions.

Active travelers can live out their surf fantasies on an excursion. Surfing lessons are held on a small strip of beach at the edge of Lahaina. The two-hour sessions start with land lessons on how to stand up on the board. Then you’ll hit the water to wait for waves and more instruction. Lying down on the board, you’ll paddle as fast as you can before popping to your feet. It’s hard work—more than you may expect—but the rush of riding a wave makes it well worth the effort.

Another popular Maui ritual is watching the sun come up over the 10,000-foot Haleakala Crater, a sacred ancient site. The ship offers a cycling excursion at the top of the dormant volcanic crater before dawn. (Guides drive you and the bikes to the summit in a van.) It can get chilly up there before sunrise, but what better excuse to snuggle? Once the sun’s up, you’ll glide down the mountainside on bikes.

Day five: Kona, the Big Island

A kayak excursion's unique persepective. Photography: Courtesy of the Big Island Visitors Bureau.

Kona, located on the west coast of the Big Island, is an active little city famous for its locally grown coffee. The bustling (for Hawaii) streets are filled with a variety of small shops that sell handmade clothing and jewelry. And there’s a cool bead shop, where you can make your own keepsake. The town’s open-air market offers fabulous Kona coffee, rich macadamia nuts and other souvenirs, like grass skirts and coasters made from shells. You’ll also find a sandy beach next to the town’s large pier. As with the other ports, the cruise itinerary offers a variety of day trips. Choose the four-hour kayaking excursion and you’ll paddle along the black volcanic rock shoreline and into impressive caves, or opt to kick back at Hapuna, one of the island’s most famous beaches. Take a tour of a coffee farm or dive at Kealakekua Bay, a marine preserve that’s home to sea turtles, octopus and myriad colorful fish species. Kona is a fishing paradise, so you may want to try your luck; the deep waters are teeming with marlin, ahi tuna and mahi-mahi.

Days six and seven: Kauai

Kauai, “the garden isle,” is not as developed as the others, so the pace is slower and more laid back. Nature’s bounty is well on display with soaring cliffs on the Napali Coast, deep chasms in Waimea Canyon, cascading waterfalls, sandy beaches and plenty of foliage.

For an unforgettable experience, rent a car and drive a few hours to Waimea Canyon, a massive 3,500-foot-deep chasm. The crags and valleys and gorges throw off a reddish hue and are visible from multiple lookout points along a winding mountain road.

As there are more than 50 miles of beaches in all shapes and sand varieties, it can be hard to choose just one. But Poipu Beach near the town of Waimea is especially appealing. In addition to the fine sand and melodic surf, there’s a colony of monk seals who sunbathe here. And the offshore coral reefs are home to playful sea turtles.

At night, you’ll want to attend a luau held at the historic Kilohana Plantation. The meal features delicious Hawaiian dishes, such as salt-cured lomi lomi salmon and shredded Kalua pork cooked in an underground oven. While you dine, you’ll be treated to a show by a hula dance troupe that narrates the ancient story of the Polynesian migration to Kauai, as well as Hawaiian mythology, through movement and song.

After this cruise is over, the two of you may discover you have a favorite among these islands. Then you can plan a return to celebrate your anniversary.