JUST because you've landed in paradise, it doesn't mean that you don't qualify for some extra cosseting. This seems to be the Silversea Cruises philosophy.
Having got you to the South Pacific and the French Polynesian islands on a six-star cruise ship and taken you ashore at some remote and beautiful island, they don't want you to feel abandoned. So at the jetty where you arrive or wait for your return
launch, there is always a large sunshade, some chairs and ship's crew ready with iced water and tea.
Such cosseting in such surroundings tends to upset your critical faculties. Could we find something to complain about? Choppy seas? No, the waters of the Pacific Ocean are well named; like a millpond, and perfect for a nervous cruise passenger. I'm not a nervous passenger; I actually like some rough sea – just to confirm that we're at sea – but moaning about the smoothness of the water would have been ridiculous.
Nor was there anything wrong with the surroundings. As we approached the equator, the days were bright and clear, and the equally long nights gave us skies like velvet blankets pierced by the shiniest, clearest stars. Then there was the colour of the sea. It was just amazing; people hung over the ship's rails every day astonished at its deep cobalt hues alternating with aquamarine. I almost forgot the flying fish; shoals of glittering wings hovering just above the waves as they accompanied us from island to island.
Oh, and the islands. Literally just tiny dots in that blue, blue ocean, but equally colourful, with their towering, lush emerald green hills and mountains, leaning palm trees, hibiscus and orchids flowering by the roadside, glorious beaches and history. These were the islands that Robert Louis Stevenson cruised before settling, and dying, on Samoa. One of the Marquesas Islands, Nuku Hiva, was, for me, the most beautiful, and my absolute definition of paradise. It was also where Herman Melville spent some time, and where Paul Gauguin lived with a 12-year-old girl. As a guest lecturer on board the Silver Shadow pointed out, his paintings all feature unsmiling native women. There could be a clue here.
Another lecturer told us that Captain Cook, that formidable explorer who charted so much of this region, was murdered by the Hawaiians because he misunderstood the local culture. Hawaiians at that time would not so much share with the neighbours as regard all things as commonly owned, so when they saw the goods that came ashore from his ship, they simply took them. Cook, an upright Yorkshire man, saw this as stealing, so captured their king and kept him hostage – which is when he was attacked and killed.
We had started our South Sea exploration in Tahiti – an island more obviously prosperous than the rest, thanks to heavy French funding and investment (possibly to assuage their guilt at using French Polynesia for atomic testing) and a large helping of French tourists. The buildings in central Papeete are French-colonial in style, while the wonderful meal we had at Le Lotus, a restaurant suspended over the water at the Intercontinental Hotel, was French cuisine with Polynesian ingredients. And of course, the language is French.
But when we drew the curtains on our first morning in Tahiti, and saw the talcum-powder-soft, black sand beaches and an outrigger canoe of fishermen, their oars dipping rhythmically into the water as they set out across the bay, we forgot all about colonisation. This was Polynesia.
From Papeete, we boarded the Silver Shadow for days of extreme pampering. We were fed mightily – American passengers mean that there is a lot of beef on the menu – could have drunk excessively, and the service was at all times excellent. (Silversea Cruises are expensive, but all-inclusive means that all drinks and gratuities are included). The days at sea were enlivened by excellent lectures and an entertaining chef, who taught us how to produce the cookery of the American deep south. Her accent was pure molasses; if she could have bottled that she could have sold it, and the dishes she showed us were equally delicious. Our fellow passengers were also worth a study; a healthy mix of American, Canadian, Australian, British, French and Belgian, with a mix of temperaments too.
Some were cruising to mark a special birthday or anniversary, as we were, but there were also a large number of well-heeled repeat passengers, many of whom had undertaken ten or more cruises with the company, some upwards of 50 days in duration. And Silversea is unique in that its cruises sell out from the most expensive cabins first, which gives a real insight into the customer base.
Possibly this is why the majority of the American passengers were not amused when it was announced that Obama had won the election, but we counted ourselves lucky that we had arrived at the Hawaiian islands from French Polynesia, giving us a different take on the new president. For Hawaii, under the heavy overlay of American business and culture, the high-rise office buildings, McDonald's, Walmart and the rest, is still very much Polynesian.
So, here, as in the rest of the South Seas, you will be met by dancing women in grass skirts, placing leis, or flower garlands, around your neck. The cultural mix creates wonders such as the market at Hilo, on the east coast of Hawaii, where in the intense heat we found thatch-roofed stalls arranged haphazardly just off the coast road. Laid-back traders sold macadamia nuts, vibrant fruits, flowers, clothing and local crafts, while some offered shoulder and foot massages, with one proclaiming "the attorney is in – 25 consultation".
Sadly, we eventually had to leave – home and the credit crunch were calling, so we sailed through the first choppy waters of the voyage, to Los Angeles, and the airport. The US really should do something about their airports, but then I suppose reality had to hit at some point.
Fact file: South Seas
For details of similar cruises, contact Silversea Cruises (0844 770 9030, www.silversea.com). Silver Shadow departs on 19 February 2010 on a 14-day voyage from Papeete to Los Angeles, with stops at the Society Islands, Christmas Island and Hawaii. All-inclusive cruise-only fares start at £3,881 per person. An optional Silversea air programme is available from £1,769 per person. This includes flights, one night pre-cruise hotel accommodation and transfers.
