Central America and Panama Canal

Miami is the busiest cruise port in the world, hosting a myriad of ships year-round from all over the globe. Although it is technically not on the Caribbean Sea, no other American city exudes more of the diverse tropical appeal of the Caribbean. The city is home to a large and vibrant immigrant population that blends snowbird refugees from more northern climes with emigres from all Latin America and the Caribbean, as well as sizable groups from Europe, the Middle East and Asia. From the hot-blooded Art Deco haunts of South Beach to the natural wonders of the UNESCO-inscribed Everglades and the laid-back charms of the Keys, South Florida offers a bounty of appealing attractions that make an extended stay in the region nearly mandatory for those either embarking or disembarking here.

The island of Cozumel lies just a short distance off the coast of the Yucatan Peninsula. The first Spanish explorers arrived in the 16th century and found various Mayan settlements in different parts of the island. During the 17th and 18th centuries Cozumel was a haven for pirates who lay in wait for the Spanish galleons that had to stop here for water.The 1960s saw the modern-day tourists arrive, thanks to the publicity resulting from a marine life documentary filmed at the Palancar Reef by the famous oceanographer Jacques Cousteau.To this day the most popular activities are skin-diving and snorkelling among the colourful reefs surrounding the island. Other activities include the exploration of some recently excavated Mayan ruins, browsing in the many local handicrafts and souvenir shops, or just relaxing at one of the numerous beach hotels.

As the center and one-time capital of the country, Belize City boasts an array of historic attractions – St. John’s Cathedral, the Swing Bridge, Government House Museum and the colorful fruit market, all of which can be seen on a city tour.

San Andrés is a Colombian island in the Caribbean Sea, off the coast of Nicaragua. It’s known for its coral reefs and reggae music. Lively Spratt Bight Beach features a palm-lined promenade. Offshore is Johnny Cay Park, a small island with coconut groves and white-sand beaches. Old Point Regional Mangrove Park is a wildlife sanctuary, with crabs, iguanas and birds

Limón, commonly known as Puerto Limón, is a district, the capital city and main hub of Limón province, as well as of the Limón canton in Costa Rica. It is the seventh largest city in Costa Rica, with a population of over 55,000, and is home of the Afro-Costa Rican community.

Bocas Town was established on Colon Island in this archipelago by the United Fruit Company in the 1920s as a base for its banana plantations. The picturesque period charm of the town is today exploited by the locals to attract tourists. All of the islands have lovely beaches, mangrove waterways to explore and even several different indigenous populations who make and sell colorful handicrafts. A plentiful variety of wildlife including many species of birds, animals and sea turtles adds to the area’s appeal. Panama shares the nearby Parque Internacional La Amistad (Friendship), a UNESCO World Heritage Site, with Costa Rica.

In the early morning, your ship joins the flotilla of hulls of every shape and purpose from the far corners of the globe. They gather in Limon Bay off the shoreline of Cristobal in the Caribbean Sea to form the day’s convoy. Soon you will parade in file into the mighty Gatun Locks, there to be lifted patiently by inrushing water through three steps and exit into Gatun Lake to begin your transit of the canal. In truth, your ship sails from west to east, threading the jungled Gaillard Cut and before arriving at the Pedro Miguel Locks to begin your descent to the Pacific Ocean. At the Miraflores Locks, your ship files through the three descending steps, lowered gracefully by the outrushing waters into the mouth of the canal, bidding farewell to your convoy, and sailing on into the largest ocean on earth.

Gatun Lake is a large freshwater artificial lake to the south of Colón, Panama. It forms a major part of the Panama Canal, carrying ships 33 km of their transit across the Isthmus of Panama. The lake was created between 1907 and 1913 by the building of the Gatun Dam across the Chagres River.

The town was built as the Caribbean terminus of the Panama Railway and is adjacent to the Caribbean end of the Canal. A trip through the coastal rain forest to the old Spanish fortress of San Lorenzo gives great views of wildlife along the way and the seacoast at the end. Visitors often tour to the Miraflores or Gatun Locks of the canal from here. The Chagres National Park offers visits to the indigenous Embera people, and nearby Portobelo is a UNESCO World Heritage Site whose church holds an unusual statue of Christ depicted as a black man.

Miami is the busiest cruise port in the world, hosting a myriad of ships year-round from all over the globe. Although it is technically not on the Caribbean Sea, no other American city exudes more of the diverse tropical appeal of the Caribbean. The city is home to a large and vibrant immigrant population that blends snowbird refugees from more northern climes with emigres from all Latin America and the Caribbean, as well as sizable groups from Europe, the Middle East and Asia. From the hot-blooded Art Deco haunts of South Beach to the natural wonders of the UNESCO-inscribed Everglades and the laid-back charms of the Keys, South Florida offers a bounty of appealing attractions that make an extended stay in the region nearly mandatory for those either embarking or disembarking here.