Panama Canal from San Francisco, CA

Seaports have always been important throughout history… it’s about more than just the cargo, but the import and export of ideas. You could say that a city’s seaside status almost necessarily creates a crossroads of cultures. All that said, something sets San Francisco apart! Maybe it’s the year-round comfy weather that makes people want to spend their time outdoors, or perhaps it’s the spectacular food culture, or the history, or the hills, or the architecture. But one thing can be proven: San Francisco is beautiful, arguably the most romantic and cosmopolitan city in the U.S., and all of these elements go into the mix of making it a place you want to be, whether you know it or not. From the world’s most recognizable bridge, The Golden Gate, to the quirky, flower-lined Lombard Street… it’s no surprise that in SF even a former prison island — you knew we’re talking about Alcatraz, right? — ends up being an iconic destination.

If you’re looking for a beautiful cruise destination to call your own, cruises to Cabo San Lucas should be at the top of your list. You’ll return home with spectacular vacation photos that get all the Likes! Cabo San Lucas makes its home on the Baja California peninsula, the second longest in the world, sitting pretty down at the south end. Tucked between golf courses and desert mountains, Cabo San Lucas straddles two oceans — the calm turquoise Sea of Cortez and the crashing blue Pacific. With 18 pristine miles of coastline connecting your port to colonial San José del Cabo, you get two seaside cities in one on a Cabo San Lucas cruise. But, along with water-based activities like fishing, paddling and swimming, you can also add action — or maximum relaxation — to your itinerary. Cruises to Cabo San Lucas offer a huge variety of things to do, from riding ATVs in the desert to sipping margaritas on the beach. Try one or try it all!

Bordering a gentle stretch of sand kissed by Pacific breezes, the former rough-and-tumble port town of Puntarenas, Costa Rica is now a laid-back seaside retreat. With a Puntarenas cruise, you can stroll the mile-long seafront Paseo de los Turistas boardwalk past restaurants, cafés and colorful souvenir stands. On your Carnival cruise to Puntarenas, relax on the powdery beach and watch the sun melt into the Gulf of Nicoya.

Zoom your map way out and Panama looks like a small sliver of land, so a trip through its famous canal is a quickie, right? But not so fast — traversing the Panama Canal actually takes at least 20 hours! Cruise it and enjoy a zoomed-in real-life look at perhaps last century’s greatest engineering achievement… along with its surrounding lush, verdant lands. This testament to human audacity joins the Pacific and Caribbean in the most direct way possible, and is worth making a leisurely part of your vacation.

Considering cruises to Colombia? You’ll want to make sure Cartagena is at the top of your vacation list. If you tell someone you’re planning on visiting Cartagena, make sure you tell ‘em which one — Colombia’s fifth-largest city found its namesake in a town in Spain that’s over 2,000 years old. But Carnival’s cruises to Colombia take you to Cartagena, Jr. — only about 500 years young — where you’ll find a vibrant Colombian city with a range of neighborhoods like the bustling Downtown, the traditional Getsemaní, and even the waterfront Bocagrande… an entire cultural center on a walkable peninsula featuring beaches, shopping and nightlife galore. Put yourself at the center of all this action with one of Carnival’s cruises to Cartagena.

Set sail from a historic jewel in the Gulf of Mexico on Carnival cruises out of Galveston, Texas. Perched on the Gulf Coast, Galveston was a major commercial port in the late 1800s and has the restored architecture and proud history to show for it. Galveston’s long seawall stretches from beach to beach and offers gulf views the whole way. Sprinkle in a few museums, amusement parks, attractive beaches and tasty seafood restaurants, and you’ve got a great start to your cruise from Galveston.