6-NIGHTS WESTERN CARIBBEAN

While at sea, take the time to recharge before the next adventure. Lounge by the pool, be spoiled at the spa, taste the delicacies or explore the venues on-board, until we arrive at the next amazing destination.

Pristine Belize sets aside a fifth of its area as nature preserves, and the human history dates back 4,000 years. Today, gregarious Belizeans include mestizo, Creole, Maya, Garinagu, Mennonite, Chinese, and Indian cultures. Belize City pivots around its beloved Swing Bridge. When boats need to navigate Haulover Creek, several strong-armed Belizeans crank open the relic. North of Swing Bridge, the Museum of Belize, once a prison, displays amazing ceramics, jade, and Maya artifacts. To the south, visit stately Government House, a museum with Victorian artifacts

On local tours, you can see manatees lumbering, crocodiles sunning, black howler monkeys screeching, and colorful parrots swooping. West of Belize City, the Belize Zoo is home to powerful jaguars, jabiru storks, and howler monkeys. The huge Belize Barrier Reef offers spectacular diving, snorkeling, and fishing. You can take a boat to Ambergris Caye or Rendezvous Caye. At Lighthouse Reef Atoll, the famous Blue Hole plunges 400 feet deep.

You can also explore the history of the Mayan ruins on your cruise to Belize. At Altun Ha, climb the 60-foot Temple of the Sun God, look down onto the plaza, and imagine the ceremonies that took place there 3,000 years ago. You can also visit Xunantunich, near Guatemala, or take a river safari to remote Lamanai.

Shop here for jade, which makes beautiful jewelry and gifts. Distinctive arts and crafts also include watercolors, oils, prints, baskets, turquoise jewelry, mahogany sculptures, and black slate carvings. Chefs fuse traditional dishes with papaya, mango, and other Caribbean fruits to create new flavors and aromas. Seafood caught this morning becomes the ceviche served tonight, and the local version incorporates lobster, shrimp, or conch, with onions, peppers, tomatoes, and spices. Popular local “stew chicken” gets spiked with habanero peppers.

Amid the largest coral reef in the West, this Caribbean island lures anglers, divers, snorkelers, and beachgoers. Fish the flats or head out to blue water to hunt for big game—mahi-mahi, marlin, sailfish, and more. Bring your dive card with you on your cruise to Cozumel and witness all the natural wonders waiting below the surface, like neon tropical fish, swaying sea fans, and vibrant coral colonies. Or, go snorkeling to see the show without a dive card. Curl up on the beach in a hammock with a cold one. At Playa Mia, you can even fly down Twin Twister waterslides.

Go cruise shopping for beautiful Mexican silver, amber, and other artisanal gifts in San Miguel. Or, hop a ferry to charming Playa del Carmen, on the mainland, and stroll along la Quinta Avenida for more inviting restaurants, bars, and shops. Down the coast from Playa, you can explore the ancient Maya city of Tulum, perched impressively on a cliff, overlooking the brilliant sea and powdery beach below. Cozumel cuisine means fresh seafood. Savor the catch of the day served on a banana leaf, or enjoy it marinated in lime juice, cilantro, onion, and tomato. Of course, this is the place for Mexican classics like tacos, guacamole—and margaritas.

While at sea, take the time to recharge before the next adventure. Lounge by the pool, be spoiled at the spa, taste the delicacies or explore the venues on-board, until we arrive at the next amazing destination.

In the 1800s, William Lauderdale built a fort. Today, 16 million visitors come each year for miles of broad white sandy beaches, dozens of lush green golf courses, and Caribbean cruises from Fort Lauderdale. Stroll the famous beachfront promenade, just 15 minutes from the port, and plunge into the warm Atlantic.

Head downtown to Las Olas Boulevard, paralleling New River, to sip lattes in outdoor cafés, shop chic boutiques, and catch concerts at the performing arts center. Stop at Stranahan House, the city’s oldest structure, built in 1901 as a trading post and preserved as a museum, or explore a whole village of historic buildings at History Fort Lauderdale. Join a Segway tour along the river or a waterborne cruise of Millionaire’s Row.

During your cruise to Fort Lauderdale, head out to the Everglades and enjoy Flamingo Gardens, home to pink flamingos, snarling alligators, black bears, and Florida panthers—plus exotic trees, butterfly gardens, and native flowers.

You’ll find great shopping on Fort Lauderdale cruises. Look for high fashion at Galleria Fort Lauderdale, north of the port and blocks from the ocean. Head west to Sawgrass Mills for 350 designer outlets, specialty shops, and eateries. Spend a relaxing day in downtown Hollywood, south of the port, for quaint shops, sidewalk cafés, and events in the park.

Discover Floribbean cuisine, a fusion of old Florida favorites with new Caribbean influences. Local seafood includes lobster, grouper, mahi-mahi, pompano, snapper, tuna, and stone crabs.

Florida dominates production of citrus fruits. Before you cruise from Fort Lauderdale, take advantage of anything orange—juices, sauces, marinades, marmalades, dressings, soups, and cakes. Try authentic key lime pie, which is sweet, tart, creamy, and yellow—not green—in a Graham cracker crust.