There is an abundance of things to see and do in the Ft. Lauderdale area: visit the newly redesigned Ft. Lauderdale Beach and cafes, stroll the historic Riverwalk, shop the luxurious stores on Las Olas Boulevard or adventure to the Everglades for an intriguing air boat excursion.

The lovely, European-influenced port of Charlotte Amalie wins the prize for Caribbean shopping thrills. Cameras, jewelry, watches, perfumes are all here. So are beautiful beaches, undersea gardens and tales of Blackbeard. Sample shore excursions: Sea Trekking Helmet Dive & Coral World; Champagne Catamaran Sail & Snorkel to St. John; St. Thomas Ocean Racing; Ultimate Island Experience.

Antigua is a Caribbean paradise, with sun-drenched beaches and lush rainforests. Explore the capital city of St. John’s, where the baroque towers of St. John’s Cathedral stand guard. Visit the Museum of Antigua and Barbuda and see Arawak and colonial antiquities. Glimpse rarely-seen species in the rainforest canopy. Nearby, Barbuda is home to one of the region‘s most significant bird sanctuaries. Sample shore excursions: Kayak & Snorkel Adventure; Five Star Bird Island.

An enticing mix of pink and blue buildings, yachts, rum cocktails and pirate lore. Play on a soft-sand beach or sail away to islands of buccaneer legend. Sample shore excursions: The North Shore & Pusser s Landing; Wreck of the Rhone Two-tank Certified Dive; Virgin Gorda & The Baths; Swim with the Dolphins.

Massive El Morro Fortress guards Old San Juan, while the benevolent Indian spirit Yuquiyu keeps watch over the entire island from the highest peak in the rain forest. By night there are roulette wheels to spin and fiery flamenco shows to catch. Sample shore excursions: Old San Juan Historic Walking Tour; El Yunque Rain Forest Drive; World Heritage Fortress & Art Museum.

The Caribbean is full of tropical wonders and natural beauty. But there’s nothing like Half Moon Cay, our pristine private island paradise in the Bahamas. Cruise to the Bahamas with Holland America Line and discover the most stunning, highest-rated private-island experience in the region, Half Moon Cay. This island has won Porthole Cruise Magazine’s Best Private Island award 17 consecutive years, and was also named the best in Travel Weekly‘s Readers‘ Choice Awards. As soon as your toes touch that powdery white sand and your eyes settle on the perfect blue-crystal clear water, you’ll understand why this island is one of the most sought out destinations. Whether you are planning a romantic getaway or a family vacation, book a Bahamas cruise and explore Half Moon Cay‘s beautiful beaches, exciting cruise excursions, exclusive beach cabanas and more.

There is an abundance of things to see and do in the Ft. Lauderdale area: visit the newly redesigned Ft. Lauderdale Beach and cafes, stroll the historic Riverwalk, shop the luxurious stores on Las Olas Boulevard or adventure to the Everglades for an intriguing air boat excursion.

Its official name is Cartagena de Indias—or “Cartagena of the Indies”—but call it Cartagena for short. The formal name hints at this Colombian city‘s colonial relationship with Spain; it was founded in 1533 and named after the mother country‘s Cartagena. Colombia declared independence in 1810, but there‘s plenty about its fifth-largest city that evokes old Spain, including the impressive fort of Castillo San Felipe de Barajas, and the wall that encloses the old town, one of the few intact structures of its kind in the Americas. Both were considered important enough to inscribe on UNESCO‘s list of World Heritage Sites in 1984. They may be historical artifacts, but the fortress and wall aren‘t merely tourist attractions; they are central to daily life here. Take a stroll and you‘ll see couples sitting atop the wall, locked in passionate embraces; parents watching their children walk it like a balance beam; and friends chatting while enjoying the Caribbean breeze. Along with history, there‘s cultural and culinary intrigue here, too. This colorful city was a muse of the late Nobel Prize–winning writer Gabriel García Márquez, and is increasingly being recognized outside Colombia for its cuisine, which takes many cues from Caribbean ingredients. (Don‘t leave without trying the coconut rice.)

Located west of Panama City at the Pacific entrance to the Panama Canal, Fuerte Amador is a gateway to exploring the many faces of this unique Central American country. The impressive engineering of the canal itself is a wonder to behold; a quick trip to the Miraflores Locks‘ visitor center with its panoramic observation decks offers the chance to watch behemoth barges thread their way through the legendary manmade waterway. Just minutes from the cruise port, the recently opened Biomuseo is a Frank Gehry–designed natural-history museum dedicated to Panama‘s ecological marvels. And Fuerte Amador sits within easy taxi distance of Panama City, the bustling, multicultural capital metropolis where visitors can wander a conquistador-era UNESCO World Heritage Site, sip coffee in street cafés and peruse modern malls. For a rural escape, it only takes an hour or two by car to trade the city for the tropical rain forests of Soberanía National Park, where an aerial tram carries passengers through treetops, or to meet Emberá tribespeople in their traditional village along the Chagres River.

Located west of Panama City at the Pacific entrance to the Panama Canal, Fuerte Amador is a gateway to exploring the many faces of this unique Central American country. The impressive engineering of the canal itself is a wonder to behold; a quick trip to the Miraflores Locks‘ visitor center with its panoramic observation decks offers the chance to watch behemoth barges thread their way through the legendary manmade waterway. Just minutes from the cruise port, the recently opened Biomuseo is a Frank Gehry–designed natural-history museum dedicated to Panama‘s ecological marvels. And Fuerte Amador sits within easy taxi distance of Panama City, the bustling, multicultural capital metropolis where visitors can wander a conquistador-era UNESCO World Heritage Site, sip coffee in street cafés and peruse modern malls. For a rural escape, it only takes an hour or two by car to trade the city for the tropical rain forests of Soberanía National Park, where an aerial tram carries passengers through treetops, or to meet Emberá tribespeople in their traditional village along the Chagres River.

Yet another chance to witness the wonders of eco-rich Costa Rica. Or tour to Sarchi, where the painting of oxcarts has evolved to high art.

In the cultured little country of Guatemala modern Maya still weave their stories on backstrap looms, and the great stone temples of Tikal stand in silent testament to ancient Mayan ingenuity. Sample shore excursions: Casa Santa Domingo & Antigua; Lake Atitlan & Highlands; Finca Coffee Plantation Tour; Tikal Expedition by Air.

The southernmost port on Mexico’s Pacific coast, Puerto Chiapas is named for the state in which it is located. It is relatively new, built in 1975, and is the primary hub from which the region’s agricultural goods, including coffee, are sent abroad. For travelers arriving by cruise ship, the town of Puerto Chiapas is a jumping-off point to explore surrounding areas, including Tapachula, the second-largest city in the state of Chiapas. In addition to visiting the coffee estates and banana and cacao plantations of the area, day trips include excursions to Maya sites such as Izapa. Although not as well known as some of the Maya sites of southern and eastern Mexico, such as the UNESCO World Heritage Site Chichén Itzá, Izapa is impressive nonetheless. In addition to its interesting location—it sits along a river and is aligned with a volcano (the sixth-tallest mountain in Mexico)—archaeologists have found numerous stelae and evidence that it was the largest Maya site in Chiapas. While in the area, don’t miss the opportunity to sample the cuisine of Chiapas, which is influenced heavily by the Maya. One typical dish is tasajo, a thinly sliced beef steak marinated in a sauce made with achiote (also known as annatto) and chili.

Like the movie that was filmed here, Manzanillo scores a perfect “10” for the beauty of its beaches and the charm of its town. Farther afield: the Pyramids of La Campana, dating back to the first century, and the charming colonial towns of Colima and Comala, where tropical gardens and the sounds of mariachi bands make for a muy tranquilo afternoon. Sample shore excursions: Colima & Comala with Lunch; Manzanillo City & Shopping; Magic Pueblas; Deep-sea fishing; Resort Getaway.

Unique compared to Acapulco, Cancún, Zihuatanejo and several other coastal resort towns in Mexico—many of which were created by the government as planned communities—Puerto Vallarta (“PV” to locals), on the Pacific Ocean, retains quite a bit of its colonial-era charm. Its town square, Plaza de Armas, and the gorgeous parish church of Our Lady of Guadalupe, topped with an ornate crown and overlooking the port, serve as the loveliest representations of bygone ages. While on your Puerto Vallarta cruise, we take you alongside these echoes of the past are more modern attractions, including an ambitious public art project along the seaside walkway (the malecón) and trendy restaurants such as La Leche, serving contemporary Mexican cuisine. Round these out with plenty of fun-in-the-sun outdoor activities on and along Banderas Bay (whale-watching! snorkeling! jet-skiing!), excursions that reveal the best of Puerto Vallarta‘s flora and fauna, and a side trip to one of Mexico‘s pueblos mágicos (magical towns, a designation conferred by the government to recognize smaller towns that possess historical and cultural value), and you‘d be hard-pressed to find a more pleasant place to spend part of your cruise to Puerto Vallarta.

Easygoing San Diego embodies the Southern California surfer town fantasy, with its more than 300 days of sun, mild year-round temperatures and accessible, sporty pastimes and tourist attractions. Cruise to San Diego and hike the Torrey Pines State Natural Reserve to get a glimpse of whale migrations, go sailing in the bay and, of course, surf the famous swells of Del Mar, Oceanside and La Jolla (among many other superb spots). Cruise from San Diego and explore the sixth-largest city in the United States. Discover San Diego’s distinctive neighborhoods on a San Diego shore excursion. Visit Old Town, North Park, Point Loma and Coronado are all within a few miles of the port, while the bustling Gaslamp Quarter and Little Italy are within walking distance. And while there are lots of things to do for everyone on a San Diego Cruise—from visiting the country’s largest urban park to taking in the famous horse-racing season in Del Mar to riding the charming Old Town Trolley—definitely don’t pass up the chance to investigate San Diego’s quickly growing reputation as a culinary destination. Its inventive new restaurants and huge craft-brewing industry are something to be explored.