Panama Canal with Costa Rica & Caribbean

According to the popular 1960 beach movie, Fort Lauderdale is “where the boys are.” The citys reputation as Americas Spring Break capital, however, has been replaced with the more favorable image of a prime family tourist destination, attracting more than 10 million visitors annually. The most popular beach resort in Florida is even more rightly famed as the “Yachting Capital of the World,” with more than 40,000 registered crafts calling its waters home. The city also prides itself on being the “Venice of America” with more than 300 miles of navigable waterways. Fort Lauderdale boasts world-class theaters, museums, sightseeing, and shopping.

Dutch influence still lingers on this balmy Caribbean island, part of the former Netherlands Antilles until its independence in 1986. Aruba is a contrast: the islands arid interior is dotted with cactus and windswept divi-divi trees while secluded coves and sandy beaches make up its coast. Arubas long and colorful heritage is reflected in its dialect. Called Papiamento, it is a tongue that combines elements of Spanish, French, Portuguese, Dutch, African and English.

Historians still contend over which European adventurer first spied the largest island in the former Netherlands Antilles. Some historians claim the honor for Alonzo de Ojeda; other historians champion Amerigo Vespucci. Little does it matter; todays travelers are content to bask beneath sunny skies cooled by the trade winds. Lying some 40 miles off Venezuela, Curaçao boasts a landscape that is dramatic, stark, and volcanic. In contrast, Willemstad, the capital, seems a cozy Dutch haven with its neat row houses. And while those gabled and tiled roofs illustrate the islands heritage, the bright, pastel houses speak pure Caribbean. Islanders themselves reflect this same colorful contrast: over 50 different nationalities have come to call Curaçao their home.

One of the more interesting cities on your itinerary steeped in history. This was the transit port for all the wealth Spain derived from South America. The famous “Old City” is comprised of 12 square blocks filled with attractions, boutiques and restaurants. Throughout Colombia, the Spanish Empires influence in the New World is self-evident. Its fortress walls, quaint narrow streets, and balconied houses are all vivid reminders of Spains hold on Cartagena and throughout the Caribbean and South America. This is the land of El Dorado and flamboyant adventurers in search of the ever-elusive gold. Cartagenas well-constructed fortifications defended its borders against seafaring pirates whose attacks lasted for more than 200 years. Today this modern and bustling city, seaport, and commercial center still boasts much of its original colonial architecture. Your journey here will provide you with a significant link to the regions grand past. **Please note that passengers may encounter numerous local vendors at various tourist locations and may find them to be persistent in their sales offers.

Colón is the second largest city in Panama, situated on the Atlantic coast at the Caribbean end of the Panama Canal. It was made a duty-free port in 1953 and is the worlds largest Free Trade Zone outside Hong Kong.

Costa Ricas Limon Province boasts pristine beaches, sprawling banana plantations and dense rainforest. These Caribbean lowlands are still sparsely populated–nearly a third of the provinces population lives around Puerto Limon–and conservation efforts have led to growing eco-tourism. Limon Province offers other charms as well. Afro-Caribbean influences abound, from the lilting speech and reggae rhythms brought by Jamaican settlers to the colorful bungalows lining small fishing villages. Limon is a zesty little slice of heaven.

When Columbus made his landfall in the Caymans in 1503, he found tortoises and sea turtles in such profusion that he promptly named the islands Las Tortugas. But the name that stuck for the islands was the Carib word “Caimanas.” Fitting, since the caiman is a New World crocodilian and the islands were long the lair of pirates, buccaneers, and assorted freebooters. Despite their past, the Caymans are a Caribbean demi-paradise of white-sand beaches, coral gardens, and offshore waters harboring spectacular shipwrecks. Grand Cayman, Cayman Brac and Little Cayman also boast the highest standard of living in the entire Caribbean. This union of natural beauty and cosmopolitan style makes Grand Cayman a spectacular port of call for todays adventurers. Note: Grand Cayman is an anchorage port. Passengers transfer to shore via ships tender. In certain sea conditions, an alternate pier is used to transfer passengers ashore. This may cause tour durations to vary.

According to the popular 1960 beach movie, Fort Lauderdale is “where the boys are.” The citys reputation as Americas Spring Break capital, however, has been replaced with the more favorable image of a prime family tourist destination, attracting more than 10 million visitors annually. The most popular beach resort in Florida is even more rightly famed as the “Yachting Capital of the World,” with more than 40,000 registered crafts calling its waters home. The city also prides itself on being the “Venice of America” with more than 300 miles of navigable waterways. Fort Lauderdale boasts world-class theaters, museums, sightseeing, and shopping.