Who hasn't dreamed of escaping to a tropical island paradise in the South Pacific? As it turns out, there are literally thousands of them, including some famous in legend, song and literature and the model for the fictional Bali Hai that still symbolizes this region of the world to many people.

Although these islands seem very far away, they're actually only a few hours away from the West Coast of North America by air, and with a number of cruise options available - including three-, four- and seven-night and longer sailings, it's actually possible to fit paradise into a week's vacation. Seven-day cruises among the Hawaiian Islands generally sail from Honolulu, but several lines offer longer itineraries calling in Hawaii from Ensenada, Mexico, and Vancouver, B.C., before and after the summer Alaska cruise season.