An Extended Journey from Caribbean Isles to Central America Cruise on Explora II from Miami

Miami

Miami is a city located on the Atlantic coast in southeastern Florida and the county of Miami-Dade County. Miami is a major center and a leader in finance, commerce, culture, media, entertainment, the arts, and international trade. Miami is nicknamed the "Capital of Latin America", with a Spanish-speaking majority, and the largest city with a Cuban-American plurality. The Port of Miami, known as the "Cruise Capital of the World," has been the number one cruise passenger port in the world. It accommodates some of the world's largest cruise ships and operations, and is the busiest port in both passenger traffic and cruise lines. Going south you will find the Coral Gables, a select and elegant neighborhood with beautiful waterways, fountains and squares. It is recommended to take a guided tour that can pick the Old Town Trolley tours and you will have up to 90 minutes ride departing from Bayside. Miami Beach, between Biscayne Bay and the Atlantic are some of the most fascinating areas of the Great Miami. Here prevailing Art Deco buildings, the sophisticated atmosphere, and the best beaches...

Gustavia, Saint Barthélemy

Gustavia is the capital of Saint Barthélemy (also known as Saint Bart). The city has been adjusted to satisfy the number of tourists that visit it. Restaurants, boutiques and gift shops fill the streets in line, occupied by traders, marine merchants and adventurers.

Guadeloupe (Pointe-à-Pitre)

Guadeloupe mixes the best of France, a fully modern infrastructure and fantastic food, with a local culture. It’s two main islands look like the wings of a butterfly and are joined together by a mangrove swamp. Grande-Terre, the eastern wing of the island, has a string of beach towns that offer visitors a variety of fun in the sun. From beach bars to long stretches of beautiful sand and azure water. Basse-Terre, the western wing, is home to the national park, crowned by La Soufrière volcano. Hiking trails and a Jacques Cousteau underwater reserve offer adventure for those who want it. South of the butterfly-shaped ‘mainland’ of Guadeloupe are a number of small archipelagos that give a taste of Guadeloupe’s yesteryear.

Bequia

Bequia is the largest island in the Grenadines at 7 square miles (18 km2). The native population are primarily a mixture of people of African, Scottish and Carib Indian descent. A substantial number of white Barbadians also settled the Mount Pleasant area of Bequia in the 1860s. Many of their descendants still inhabit the area. Other highly populated areas include the island capital, Port Elizabeth, which hosts the ferry terminal and Paget Farm, which hosts the airport. There are also villages at Lower Bay, La Pompe, Hamilton and Belmont. Other prominent areas of Bequia include Spring, the site of a former coconut plantation and home to agricultural animals, Industry Bay and Park Bay, where the Old Hegg Turtle Sanctuary is located. Bequia is popular among cruising yachts, expats and tourists. One of the busiest times of the year is the annual Easter Regatta. Two scuba diving stores run dive trips to 28 identified dive sites around Bequia. There are several wrecks and shallow caves accessible to advanced divers. It is not unusual to see Hawksbill turtles, lobsters, moray eels and many kinds of fish when diving around Bequia.

Santa Lucia (Castries)

Volcanic island, located at the south east of the Caribbean. Surrounded by hills, its large, safe harbor at the head of a wide bay is a constant hive of activity. Castries is a major port of call for cruise ships, that dock at Pointe Seraphine. The islands population is around 140.000, the mayority are catholic africans. The oficial language is english although they also speak a french dialect (french patois). the capital and principal port is Castries. Its economy is based on agriculture, some industry and a growing tourism, and has good internal communications networks and airports. The island was discovered by the Spanish in 1500 and in 1660 a permanent French colonywas established, its control was contested between French and English until 1814 passed into British hands. The island gained independence within the Commonwealth in 1979.

Antigua (St. John's)

The Lesser Antilles (also known as the Caribbees) are a long, partly volcanic island arc in the Caribbean Sea. Most of its islands form the eastern boundary of the Caribbean Sea with the Atlantic Ocean, with the remainder located in the southern Caribbean just north of South America. The Lesser Antilles and the Greater Antilles compose the (or the Caribbean in its narrowest definition), which together with the Lucayan Archipielago comprise the West Indies.The islands of the Lesser Antilles are divided into three groups. The two main groups are the Windward Islands in the south and the Leeward Islands in the north. The third group is the Leeward Antilles in the west. These consist of the Dutch ABC islands just off the coast of Venezuela, plus a group of Venezuelan islands.

Spanish Town

Miami

Miami is a city located on the Atlantic coast in southeastern Florida and the county of Miami-Dade County. Miami is a major center and a leader in finance, commerce, culture, media, entertainment, the arts, and international trade. Miami is nicknamed the "Capital of Latin America", with a Spanish-speaking majority, and the largest city with a Cuban-American plurality. The Port of Miami, known as the "Cruise Capital of the World," has been the number one cruise passenger port in the world. It accommodates some of the world's largest cruise ships and operations, and is the busiest port in both passenger traffic and cruise lines. Going south you will find the Coral Gables, a select and elegant neighborhood with beautiful waterways, fountains and squares. It is recommended to take a guided tour that can pick the Old Town Trolley tours and you will have up to 90 minutes ride departing from Bayside. Miami Beach, between Biscayne Bay and the Atlantic are some of the most fascinating areas of the Great Miami. Here prevailing Art Deco buildings, the sophisticated atmosphere, and the best beaches...

Key West (Florida)

Located in the Florida Keys, Key West is considered the Southernmost City in the Continental U.S. Used as a retreat by former U.S President Harry S. Truman and once home to Ernest Hemingway the island now plays host to thousands of tourists from around the world world both international and domestic. Old town is the heart of the islands tourism trade and is where the majority of attractions, historic sights and hotels can be found. Away from the town, the Island boasts palm tree laden beaches and crystal clear waters that offer some of the finest snorkeling, diving as well as deepsea fishing and various other activities.

CAYMAN BRAC

Cozumel (Mexico)

Mexican heart and a Caribbean soul, Cozumel is a paradise which combines tradition, flavor and joy. You will always find a friendly face and a warm welcome to make your visit memorable. Cozumel is home to the largest reef system in the Americas, the Mesoamerican Reef. Teeming with hundreds of tropical fish, turtles and other vibrant sea life, it is truly a diver's dream. But even if you dont explore down into the depths of the ocean, there is much to see for snorkelers too. There are as many as 250 different species of tropical fish including the queen angelfish and the illusive toadfish, seen nowhere else in the world. Above the sparkling surface of the water, the trees are speckled with frigate birds, brown pelicans, olivaceous cormorants and others. If you look closely, you may catch a glimpse of a tree frog, a crocodile or the prehistoric iguana resting in the lush vegetation

Cozumel (Mexico)

Mexican heart and a Caribbean soul, Cozumel is a paradise which combines tradition, flavor and joy. You will always find a friendly face and a warm welcome to make your visit memorable. Cozumel is home to the largest reef system in the Americas, the Mesoamerican Reef. Teeming with hundreds of tropical fish, turtles and other vibrant sea life, it is truly a diver's dream. But even if you dont explore down into the depths of the ocean, there is much to see for snorkelers too. There are as many as 250 different species of tropical fish including the queen angelfish and the illusive toadfish, seen nowhere else in the world. Above the sparkling surface of the water, the trees are speckled with frigate birds, brown pelicans, olivaceous cormorants and others. If you look closely, you may catch a glimpse of a tree frog, a crocodile or the prehistoric iguana resting in the lush vegetation

Costa Maya (Mexico)

The Mayan Coast extends along 45 kilometers of beach, with the same atributes as Cancun: fine sand and turquoise blue crystaline water, and 19,400 hectares, of which 60% are destinated to the ecologic preservation. In this paradise for divers, we can find the Banco Chinchorro, one of the main attractions of the mayan reef, the second most important reef in the world.

Progreso (Yucatan)

Yucatan has become a major Mexican cruise stop, it is a place where many cultures come together. Yucatan, a place of legends, historical sites, beaches, cenotes, archaeological sites and above all, a lot of life.

Miami

Miami is a city located on the Atlantic coast in southeastern Florida and the county of Miami-Dade County. Miami is a major center and a leader in finance, commerce, culture, media, entertainment, the arts, and international trade. Miami is nicknamed the "Capital of Latin America", with a Spanish-speaking majority, and the largest city with a Cuban-American plurality. The Port of Miami, known as the "Cruise Capital of the World," has been the number one cruise passenger port in the world. It accommodates some of the world's largest cruise ships and operations, and is the busiest port in both passenger traffic and cruise lines. Going south you will find the Coral Gables, a select and elegant neighborhood with beautiful waterways, fountains and squares. It is recommended to take a guided tour that can pick the Old Town Trolley tours and you will have up to 90 minutes ride departing from Bayside. Miami Beach, between Biscayne Bay and the Atlantic are some of the most fascinating areas of the Great Miami. Here prevailing Art Deco buildings, the sophisticated atmosphere, and the best beaches...