Cruising Hawaii on board the Pride of America: Easy way to visit the isles

A voice over the PA on board The Pride of America tells us we're in for a treat. We're on the last leg of a week-long circle voyage of the Hawaiian islands departing Oahu and taking in Maui, Hawaii, otherwise known as the Big Island, and now Kauai. On the port side, many of the 2186 passengers stand silently with cameras at the ready to view the Na Pali Coast on the northern end of the Hawaiian archipelago. What follows is 24 kilometres of cinematic coastline (Jurassic Park, King Kong and South Pacific were all filmed here), of towering verdant rocky cliffs with peaks capped in cloud. We loop back, and everyone heads starboard side to see more of the white plumed waterfalls sprouting from the rugged cliffs. It's a highlight of a week of touring adventure.

There's a reason why even ardent "non-cruisers" choose this voyage. With 100 hours of shore time including two days each at Maui and Kauai, you can treat the Pride of America as somewhere to rest your head after a long day exploring the islands.

Don't let the name put you off. Sure, a spangling of stars and stripes abounds from the ship's livery to the eagle emblem seal on the floor of grand lobby. And there is some loudness; loud Aloha shirts, loud voices, and loudly coloured cocktails on the deck at the Waikiki Bar, but the ship never feels crowded. There are nooks and crannies where peace can be had, from the library to the verandah of your own newly renovated stateroom. There's an array of good food options (15 in total) too, including Cagney's for choice cuts, Jefferson's for French fare (try the brulee), a theatric Teppanyaki bar and a '50s retro diner that's open 22 hours a day.

Entertainment is standard big-ship fare, from a Jersey Boys-style musical to a pianist hellbent on playing every song ever recorded by Billy Joel in the Pink Champagne Bar. There are Hawaiian-themed activities too like lei-making and workshops on local culture but I'm really here to experience it all firsthand on land.

In Maui, we hire a driver to whisk us to the Upcountry to tour local farms opening up their larder for the visitor to sample. At the Ali'i Kula Lavender farm we potter through the fragrant fields and taste lavender-infused chocolate. At the Surfing Goat Dairy, we learn how goat's milk is made into delicious truffles and at Hawaiian Sea Spirits farm we sample distilled organic vodka.

It's on the Big Island that – after a tour of the island's waterfalls, and some decent Kona coffee – we finally get to explore the waters, diving with gloriously playful spinner dolphins out of Kona. The Sea Quest Hawaii tour then takes us across to Kealakekua Bay where we spend hours snorkelling the reef, only occasionally bobbing up to spy the obelisk marking where James Cook met his demise.

On Kauai, where by law no building is taller than a coconut tree, we take a driving tour with Erik Burton from Kauai Guided Tours. We swing by the Coco Palms Resort where Elvis filmed Blue Hawaii, and lunch at the Tahiti Nui Restaurant where George Clooney sat in The Descendents. Erik is passionate about locally sourced produce so takes us to abundant gardens, via the odd beach stop for a dip.