There's nothing quite like a winter cruise in Fiji's warm waters, says Gillian Vine.
''We even tie up to a coconut palm,'' said the Australian woman who had cruised before on Fiji Princess.
Yeah, right, I thought but didn't say it aloud as I'd already made an idiot of myself by assuming Yellow Cat was the name of a vessel.
It was, as it turned out, a sunshine-hued catamaran that was to take passengers from Nadi's Denarau marina to Fiji Princess.
A one-hour journey, with juice or fizz and snacks en route, took us to the Mamanuca Islands and an efficient transfer to the 55m Fiji Princess.
On board, there are just 34 staterooms, so even when full, the ship takes just 68 passengers.
Nice touches in the recently refurbished vessel are the Fijian-themed decor in the public areas and cabins, and the use of Fijian-made toiletries in the bathrooms.
These were a welcome contrast to the Denarau hotel where I'd stayed the previous night in a bland room that could have been anywhere in the world, emphasised by the soap and shampoo from China.
Fiji Princess, owned by Blue Lagoon Cruises, offers four or seven-day cruises from Denarau to the Yasawa Islands, moving quietly across the ocean to the west of the main island, Viti Levu.
On the way, we pass through Bligh Water, which commemorates Captain William Bligh, who - after the mutiny by his crew - sailed from Tonga via these waters in 1789 on his way to Timor, a journey of some 5700km.
Bligh didn't land, as he believed the Fijians were hostile cannibals.
He therefore missed an encounter with some of the friendliest people on Earth.
The laid-back attitude of the people is a delight.
When Fiji Princess was at anchor, it was not unusual to see Captain Jitoko snorkelling alongside passengers.
In the evenings, he was an enthusiastic member of the crew's exceptionally talented musical group, playing the guitar or an improvised bongo (a large plastic water container).
He was also very skilled on the ukulele, although I couldn't help think of the line from the sea shanty about the captain who ''played his ukulele as the ship went down''.
On the move, though, Captain Jitoko was as professional as any man afloat.
On the ship, almost everything is included in the fare.
Meals (including a lovo ashore and lavish morning and afternoon teas), snorkelling equipment, kayaks, village visits and entertainment cost no more.
Among the few exceptions are the diving option and massage treatments, while gratuities are at the passengers' discretion.
When anchored just offshore, tenders transfer passengers to the beaches, and if the weather is too breezy, the call is made to land elsewhere.
Fortunately, there is no shortage of alternatives.
A not-to-be-missed excursion is to the Sawa-i-Lau caves on a tiny island famous because a young chief took his girlfriend and hid her here so her parents could not marry her off to someone else.
The scary sounding 10-headed god Ultini rests here but thankfully did not make an appearance among the swimmers in the limestone cave on the day we visited.
Light comes through a hole in the ceiling into the main cave, while assisted by Fiji Princess crew, the more adventurous are able to venture through a short underwater tunnel to a second cavern.
Although the focus for passengers is on lazy days of swimming, snorkelling, kayaking or diving in quiet waters, interspersed with excellent food, for many a highlight is getting an insight into village life in the Yasawas.
Alongside increasing visitor numbers, from backpackers to those staying in posh resorts, life in the 27 villages across the 20 volcanic islands is much as it was a century ago.
There are no shops, postal services, doctors, dentists or mains electricity (diesel generators are popular for TV viewing).
Yasawa High School (YHS), which caters for 135 pupils from year 9 to 13, is the sole secondary school in the archipelago.
As in the rest of Fiji, classes are in English and the curriculum is based on Australia's.
Some children walk up to an hour each morning to get to their first YHS classes at 8.30am, while others board, their families paying $F50 (about $NZ31) a term, mainly to cover the cost of food, although YHS is self-sufficient in fruit and vegetables.
The daily schedule for boarders would daunt Kiwi children.
They rise at 5.30am, undertake cooking, cleaning and food-planting duties until 6.45am, then have breakfast.
After school, there is another work period, an hour of sports before dinner at 6.30pm and bed at 9pm.
Despite the hectic schedule, they take time out to entertain Fiji Princess passengers with songs and dances, and talk about recent sporting successes, as the school's rugby sevens team has just made it into the final of the national under-19 competition.
Adjacent to YHS is Naviti District School, one of the islands' three primary schools.
It has has a roll of 150 year 1 to 8 pupils and, as at the high school, teaching materials are limited and well worn.
A couple of the youngsters encouraged me to read their favourite story, Hairy Maclary From Donaldson's Dairy, a book so battered it was falling apart in my hands.
They appeared to like my Scarface Claw impersonation and trailed after me until it was time to assemble under a giant mango tree to farewell us with the traditional song, Isa Lei before we boarded a small boat to visit a nearby village.
Here, even if in full-length trousers as I was, women are asked to wear sulus (wraparound skirts) in a display of modesty introduced by Victorian missionaries who were shocked by Fiji's naked women.
Hats are a no-no, as only chiefs may wear them and even pushing sunglasses on to the top of one's head is forbidden.
To touch someone's head is an insult, which in the past meant a battle, so don't pat children's heads.
Back on board, we learn about Vinaka Fiji, a volunteering programme of which Blue Lagoon Cruises is a major sponsor.
Volunteers pay from about $NZ950 each for a week's accommodation and work alongside Yasawa villagers on projects from improving water storage to constructing gardens and helping lift children's reading levels.
The aim is to assist villages to find ways of living sustainably.
For example, boosting egg production means surplus can be sold to local resorts.
Back on board, Fiji Princess is on the move again, to another idyllic beach, where we tie up to a coconut palm.
''Told you so,'' says the Australian.
• Gillian Vine took a four-day cruise on Fiji Princess as the guest of Blue Lagoon Cruises. For schedules, fares and general information, see www.bluelagoon cruises.com
