The Americas & Caribbean from Fort Lauderdale

Originally a fort built by the U.S. Army in 1838, during the Second Seminole War, Ft. Lauderdale has little left of its warlike past. Instead the city welcomes visitors with broad beaches and an easy pace of life, plus convenient air and water connections that make the city a perfect place to begin or end a cruise.

Adventure, archaeology, water, sun and beach. These are all to be found in and around Costa Maya, the Caribbean’s first port planned solely for cruise guests. Designed to resemble an ancient Mayan city, Costa Maya features three grand pavilions, where you can see folkloric shows, observe local artisans creating their works of art, and witness cultural and culinary events. Within easy reach of the port are ancient cities boasting impressive temples and fascinating archeological sites. And you needn’t venture far from port to enjoy a range of water sports, including diving and snorkeling amid the world’s second-largest coral reef.

Santo Tomás de Castilla, also known as Matías de Gálvez is a port city in the Izabal Department, Guatemala. It lies at Amatique Bay off the Gulf of Honduras and is administratively a part of Puerto Barrios.

ALonely Planet “Best in Travel 2019,” Belize is home to the dazzling offshore Belize Barrier Reef – the world’s second largest after Australia’s – this is a haven for snorkelers and divers eager to explore an underwater world of rich marine life. Inland, verdant jungles are home to Mayan ruins including Caracol, renowned for its towering pyramid.

Here, where the skies are wide expanses of blue, waters are a transparent turquoise, and beaches are pure white edged by lush green palms, you can aim a point-and-shoot in almost any direction and get a beautiful picture. Photography aside, you can also dive, snorkel and swim with the dolphins. You might opt to explore the reef in a glass-bottom boat, go into town to shop for island crafts, or see the butterfly and floral gardens.

Puerto Limón, located on the Caribbean side of Costa Rica, boasts a rich combination of sights, sounds and smells. Once ashore, embrace these elements as they surround you, filling your senses with the essence of this delightful port city. The growth of the coffee market prompted the Costa Rican government to search for an Atlantic port to facilitate shipping coffee to Europe and beyond. In 1871, the port of Limón was established and what was once a migrant fishermen’s village of five huts grew into an important center of commerce. With the introduction of a rail service the following year between San José and the Atlantic coast, Limón became a thriving railroad and banana town.

She is celebrated as the queen of the Caribbean coast, and given the shimmering lagoons, bays and stunning sea that surround her, it’s easy to see why. Cartagena’s beautifully preserved Old Town is a UNESCO World Heritage site, with winding alleys, vibrant displays of architecture and iconic churches. Explore islands offshore, swim in the crystalline waters, and be sure to sample the

She is celebrated as the queen of the Caribbean coast, and given the shimmering lagoons, bays and stunning sea that surround her, it’s easy to see why. Cartagena’s beautifully preserved Old Town is a UNESCO World Heritage site, with winding alleys, vibrant displays of architecture and iconic churches. Explore islands offshore, swim in the crystalline waters, and be sure to sample the

Willemstad is the capital city of Curaçao, a Dutch Caribbean island. It’s known for its old town center, with pastel-colored colonial architecture. The floating Queen Emma Bridge connects the Punda and Otrobanda neighborhoods across Sint Anna Bay. By the water is the 19th-century Rif Fort, now housing a shopping center. City restaurants serve dishes influenced by the island’s mostly Dutch and Afro-Caribbean cuisines.

The long, narrow island of Aruba, located just 15 miles from Venezuela’s coast, has a dry, sunny climate year-round. Its distinctive beauty lies in the stark contrast between the sea and countryside. Next to arid deserts, which host an array of wild rock formations, curiously bent divi-divi trees and cactus jungles, are magnificent beaches that shelve into transparent blue waters. Aruba has become one of the most popular playgrounds in the Caribbean, boasting sophisticated resorts and casinos.

Arich history is exists in Santa Marta, Colombia, revealed in the massive, whitewashed cathedral, which is the country’s oldest, and in the founding of the city itself, which dates to 1525, making Santa Marta South America’s oldest city. A faded colonial heritage is being brightened with a refurbishment of the colonial district, while Simon Bolivar’s revered status as Latin America’s hero of independence is forever enshrined at the Quinta de San Pedro Alejandrino, the hacienda where he spent his last days. You will want to spend every moment you can discovering the city’s historical sites and beautiful location. The fashionable beach resort of El Rodadero beckons from the south. From the north, the fishing village of Taganga invites a visit. Farther up the coast, the protected coastline of Parque Nacional Tayrona summons trekkers and nature lovers to marvel at views of the world’s tallest coastal mountain range and glimpse the area’s wildlife.

The Panama Canal is an artificial 82 km waterway in Panama that connects the Atlantic Ocean with the Pacific Ocean. The canal cuts across the Isthmus of Panama and is a conduit for maritime trade.

Acrescent-shaped bay, excellent surfing and fishing, and authentic, laid-back culture make this slice of paradise a tempting invitation to stroll golden-sand beaches and streets lined with wooden buildings painted in vibrant colors. Hammocks and sunsets are the way of life here, where the hilltop statue of Christ of the Mercy gazes upon the bay, like Christ the Redeemer in Rio de Janeiro, but on a much smaller scale.

Relatively new on cruising sojourns, El Salvador is likely to become pinned as a surprising favorite, due to a unique blend of authenticity and rusticity combined with classic tropical attractions – think national parks, steep volcanos, wide beaches, colonial history, colorful handcrafts and an easy-going attitude. Outdoor pursuits might put you in snorkel gear or on ziplines, or you might make a beeline for a café serving the region’s famed coffee.

With its golden beaches and brilliant waters, the picturesque seaside port of Zihuatanejo is somewhat reminiscent of Polynesia. Just five miles away lies its twin town, the resort of Ixtapa, an isolated oasis of high-rise hotels, yet Zihuatanejo’s natural beauty has been preserved and its pristine, fine sandy beaches remain.

Despite being Mexico’s biggest and busiest seaport, this sunny destination is known for its miles of golden sand beaches – by some counts there are twenty – and water sports including swimming, stand-up paddle boarding, surfing, snorkeling and diving. Manzanillo hosts the annual International Sailfish Tournament (be sure to see the 82-foot turquoise sailfish statue in town!), so not surprisingly, the deep-sea fishing here is excellent, too.

Embraced by rugged tropical mountains on one side and the beautiful Banderas Bay on the other, Puerto Vallarta is second only to Acapulco when it comes to the Mexican Riviera’s leading resort cities. White stucco houses are capped with red-tile roofs and surrounded by bougainvillea-lined cobblestone streets. Native women who beat their laundry along riverbanks as busy fishing boats return to port illustrate a lifestyle that has been maintained for decades. Nearby, sophisticated restaurants, luxury hotels, smart boutiques and lively nightclubs bear testament to the changes wrought on this quiet seaside city since the 1960s. Life here has never been quite the same since the filming of the movie “Night of the Iguana” and the worldwide publicity accorded the romance of its stars, Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor. Puerto Vallarta brims with life. Shop for leather goods, shell and silver jewelry, hand-embroidered blouses or painted figures from Oaxaca. Explore cobblestone streets and picturesque alleyways filled with the scents and bustling energy of Mexico.

This magical city is festive and friendly, from its legendary zoo to Balboa Park everyone here seems to be living that quintessential California lifestyle – sun, sand and surf. Between ocean and desert, the near perfect weather here is ideal for exploring charming neighborhoods, gorgeous parks, and of course, the beach.