Florida to Paradise & the Panama Canal

Cruise Itinerary

• Day 1: Fly from the UK to Miami, USA

  Today you will be transferred from the airport to your hotel in Fort Lauderdale for your 3 night hotel stay

• Day 2-3: Fort Lauderdale, USA

  Fort Lauderdale is an exciting city with a laid-back beach atmosphere. Found on the coast, your hotel is ideal for enjoying a range of water sports — from surfing and parasailing, to jet-skiing and scuba-diving. Fort Lauderdale is a popular shopping spot and is home to the planet's largest discount and entertainment mall, Sawgrass Mills. For some of the city's best cafes, boutiques and restaurants, head to Las Olas Boulevard — also known as the 'style mile'. There are kayak tours and gondola rides to explore more of the city, as well as popular wildlife attractions — including the largest butterfly aviary on the continent, Butterfly World, and one of the area's most significant nesting beaches for turtles at Mizell-Johnson State Park. You can find a network of bars, clubs and live music lounges to enjoy late into the night, too.

• Day 4: Fort Lauderdale, USA

  Today you will be transferred to the port to begin your 10 night cruise onboard Caribbean Princess

• Day 5-6: At sea

  Days at sea

• Day 7: Aruba

  Today, you get to admire the picture-perfect beaches and exotic flowers on the Dutch Caribbean Island of Aruba in the mid-south of the Caribbean Sea. Stroll around Oranjestad and shop for chocolates and Dutch-made porcelain. Make it a beach day with Eagle Beach, Baby Beach, and Arashi Beach all within easy reach. Step on the ferry to Palm Island and relax on pristine-white sands or splash around at the water park. Get active with an off-road vehicle tour of the wild northeast coast. Explore the magical Quadiriki and Fontein Caves at Arikok National Park. Get up close to the local animal life at Donkey Sanctuary Aruba, Aruba Ostrich Farm, and Philip's Animal Garden.

• Day 8: Curacao

  The Dutch Caribbean island of Curacao is home to beautiful colonial architecture and beaches. Head to Cas Abao or Playa Porto Marie to soak up the sun or, for the more adventurous, try out scuba diving and snorkelling at Playa Lagun. Visit Handelskade and stroll along the picturesque stretch of pier to admire the brightly-coloured Dutch colonial buildings across St Anna Bay. Uncover over 450 species of plants and native wildlife along the driving and hiking trails around Christoffel National Park. Kura Hulanda Museum offers a wide range of artefacts, relics, and artworks which trace the history of the African slave trade on Curacao. Finish off your day enjoying a coffee whilst admiring the boats sailing through the open arm of the floating Queen Emma Pontoon Bridge.

• Day 9: At sea

  Day at sea

• Day 10: Cartagena, Colombia

  Disembark in Colombia's Cartagena on the Caribbean coast. Discover cobbled streets, pretty plazas, old churches, and 13km of stone colonial walls. Visit the famous Palace of the Inquisition — which is a grisly museum featuring former instruments of torture from colonial times! Next, see Castillo de San Felipe de Barajas fortress, which dominates the skyline and includes a network of tunnels that you can enter. Enjoy beautiful buildings such as a convent founded in the 17th century and the stunning cathedral. Witness the palaces, mansions, and monasteries of the old town district — sampling local snacks and drinks on the way. Take a tour of the nearby mangroves and see colourful, local wildlife or hop on a boat to view Isla de Baru's white sand beaches and palm trees and Islas del Rosario's coral reefs.

• Day 11: Panama Canal Partial Transit New Locks - Colon, Panama

  The Panama Canal bisects the country just to the west of Panama City and was opened in August 1914 with a third, wider lane of locks added in June 2016. This artificial 82km-long waterway in Panama connects the Atlantic Ocean with the Pacific Ocean. The banks of the canal are covered in rain forest and national parks. Central Panama stretches out from the canal across three provinces and into two oceans to comprise everything from the mountains of the Cordillera Central to the west, to the Caribbean coral reefs and colonial fortresses in the north, to the beaches of the Pearl Islands in the Bahía de Panamá (Bay of Panama) in the south. The coast on either side of the canal's Caribbean entrance offers the remains of colonial fortresses surrounded by jungle, half a dozen beaches, and mile upon mile of coral reef. The mountains to the east of the canal hold flora and fauna and indigenous Emberá villages.

• Day 12: Limon, Costa Rica

  The seventh largest city in Costa Rica, Puerto Limon is the capital city and main hub of Limon province. Home of the Afro-Costa Rican community; if you time your trip right you could celebrate Dia de la Raza and enjoy live music, dancing, and other carnival festivities. Discover a multitude of vibrant bars and restaurants along the shores of Playa Bonita, take in views from Sea Wall, and walk amongst the greenery facing the docks at Parque Vargas. Enjoy a boat trip to view the Leatherback, Hawksbill, and Green sea turtles at Tortuguero National Park or shop for gifts at Central Market. Discover colourful marine life and coral reefs at Cahuita National Park and the stunning rainforests in the Talamanca Mountains to the south of the region.

• Day 13: At sea

  Day at sea

• Day 14: Ocho Rios, Jamaica

  Nestled in a verdant Jamaican backdrop; Ocho Rios is home to one of Jamaica’s best-known attractions, Dunn's River Falls. Climb the 180 meters of limestone tiers to the top of this spectacular waterfall or swim in the cool lagoons at the base. Over the road from the waterfall, you can stop by Dolphin Cove and encounter sharks and stingrays alongside the friendly dolphins. Relax on the white sands of Turtle Beach, snorkel in the shallow blue waters of Mahogany Bay, or escape to secluded Reggae Beach. Spend the afternoon exploring the restaurants, shopping centres, and craft markets on the busy Main Street. Travel to the village of Nine Mile, the birthplace and final resting place of Bob Marley, and tour the reggae legend's museum and mausoleum. Firefly and Blue Harbour, playwright Noel Coward's former island homes, are well worth a visit too.

• Day 15: At sea

  Day at sea

• Day 16: Fort Lauderdale, Florida, USA

  Today you will disembark your cruise and be transferred to Miami Airport for your return flight to the UK