The Cruise Report With Cruise Specialists Cruise Reporter Ralph Grizzle

You’ll feel like you’ve paddled into paradise when cruising the Hawaiian islands.

Cruise ships weren’t the first vessels to bring ocean-going passengers to Hawaii. Outrigger canoes were. Polynesian settlers paddled to the islands more than 1,000 years ago. Their first glimpses of Hawaii revealed much of what cruise passengers today see: verdant volcanic peaks forming a backdrop to fertile valleys of sugar cane, thick groves of coconut palms and ocean as blue as Windex.

Cruises make it possible to see much of the best of America — from a ship.

Traditionally, we Americans take to the highways when vacationing in our own country — and with good reason: In such a large landmass, we find scenic beauty, historic sites and cultural diversity. But you also can count on high gas prices, traffic jams and the hassle of moving from one hotel to another each day.

Some of the most picturesque scenery in the world is reachable only via cruise ship, from the fjords of Norway to the fall foliage of New England, from the active Kilauea volcano to the mystical glaciers of Antarctica. And while some destinations are reachable from land, there’s no more breathtaking or unique perspective than from the sea.