Seventy‑eight days sounded like forever when we first booked this trip — and then we met people on the ship who are doing the entire 115‑day world voyage. Suddenly our “forever” felt almost modest. Our own adventure is divided into three chapters: 33 days across the South Pacific, 10 days in Sydney, and 28 days in the Philippines.

The full itinerary begins with five long sea days from Los Angeles to Honolulu. We decided to trade that stretch of open ocean for a simple five‑hour flight instead — a choice that gave us more time on land and a gentler start to the journey. It felt like the right kind of shortcut.

We began in Honolulu, easing into the adventure with two beautiful days on Oʻahu. Warm breezes, familiar beaches, and that slow shift into travel mode set the tone perfectly. From there, we hopped through the Hawaiian chain — Kauaʻi, Maui, and the Big Island — each stop a reminder of why these islands never lose their magic.

Before we left, we installed a little camera in our bedroom so we could peek in on our kitties along the way. It’s become our tiny daily ritual — somewhere between checking the weather and checking the dinner menu, we check on the cats. They seem completely unimpressed that we’re crossing the Pacific, which feels exactly right.

Now we’re settling into our own stretch of five sea days as we make our way toward French Polynesia. There’s a quiet rhythm to life out here: the gentle sway of the ship, the endless horizon, the way time stretches when the only thing on the agenda is simply being.

We’ve made it a little mission to watch for life in the water — whales on their migration paths, dolphins darting through the ship’s wake, anything that decides to appear. Every time someone points toward the ocean, we look up like kids waiting for magic. The sky has joined in too, with soft, pastel sunrises and sunsets that start quietly before setting the whole horizon on fire. With five days at sea, we’re hoping for more of those peaceful moments — and hoping to avoid any seas that feel like we’ve accidentally wandered into the Drake Passage.