Aruba, Colombia & Panama Cruise: Oranjestad, Cartagena & Panama City

Known as the 'cruise capital of the world', Port Miami is is considered to be the world’s busiest cruise ship port. Whether arriving or departing, aboard your cruise liner you can take in the superb view of the Miami skyline.

This multicultural city where the sun rules supreme is more than just a cruise port. Palm-lined causeways stretch across luminous Biscayne Bay as Miami rises in a gleam of glass towers, Art Deco curves, and tropical colour. Along Ocean Drive in South Beach, pastel facades from the 1930s glow beneath the Florida sun, while nearby Little Havana hums with domino parks, cigar shops, and the aroma of Cuban coffee. Beyond the shoreline, calm waters, yacht marinas, and breezy promenades frame a city shaped by Caribbean rhythms and sunlit coastal glamour.

Your boutique hotel at sea, the Azamara Onward® is a mid-sized ship with a deck plan that’s intimate but never crowded, and offers everything modern voyagers are looking for - plus some unexpected extras. Seven restaurants, cafes, and lounges, a refreshing pool, sun-drenched decks, a revitalizing spa…the list goes on.

Dutch influence still lingers on this balmy Caribbean island, part of the former Netherlands Antilles until its independence in 1986. Aruba is a contrast, the island's arid interior is dotted with cactus and windswept divi-divi trees while secluded coves and sandy beaches make up its coast.

Top Things to Do in Aruba:

• 4WD through the Aruba Arikok National Park
• explore the islands capital, Oranjestad
• climb the steps to the summit of Hooiberg
• swim and relax at Eagle Beach
• snorkel or dive the Antilla shipwreck

Incredibly white sands and cobalt blue seas make the small island of Aruba a popular destination. In the bustling freeport town of Oranjestad, sherbet-coloured Dutch colonial buildings, draped in bougainvillea, oleander and hibiscus are simply picturesque. Ships will dock at the cruise terminal. 

Top Things to Do in Oranjestad:

• 4WD through the Aruba Arikok National Park
• visit the National Archeological Museum
• climb the steps to the summit of Hooiberg
• swim and relax at Eagle Beach
• snorkel at De Palm Island

Discover a touch of old Amsterdam transported to an island paradise. The capital of the Caribbean island Curacao, Willemstad is famous for its technicolour UNESCO World Heritage Site city centre. Ships will dock at the port.

Top Things to Do in Willemstad:

• explore Christoffel National Park
• snorkel in Caracas Bay
• ride the trolley train through Willemstad
• relax on Cas Abao Beach
• visit the Hato Caves
• join an underwater tour in a semi-submarine

Spend the day sailing in style aboard your boutique hotel at sea. Indulge in a treatment at Sanctum Spa, stay ship shape with a class at our fitness center, or lounge the day away on our sunny pool deck. In the evening, savor inspired Italian cuisine at Aqualina, or relish in a classic steakhouse experience at Prime C. Plus, you’ll find plenty of exciting evening entertainment, from thrilling shows at Cabaret Lounge to intimate performances in the Living Room.

Cartagena is a feast for the senses, with its consistently warm air, bright colours, history and nightlife. Filled with legends, romance and splendour, the walled city features Spanish colonial architecture, cobblestone streets, and cultural sites. Ships will dock at this port.

Top Things to Do in Cartagena:

• join a walking tour through the city
• visit the Rosario Islands
• explore the Castillo San Felipe de Barajas
• visit the chocolate or emerald museums
• wander the streets of Old Town and the Plaza Santo Domingo
  

Home to the Panama Canal's Atlantic Ocean entryway, Colón was founded as a result of the California gold rush in 1850, the starting point of a railroad that carried prospectors across the Isthmus of Panama. Ships will dock at the cruise terminal.

Top Things to Do in Colon:

• explore Portobelo National Park
• watch ships pass through the Panama Canal
• check out the old quarter of Panama city, Casco Viejo
• shop until you drop at the Duty-Free Zone
• ride a vintage train on the Panama Railway

The Panama Canal, a marvel of engineering, links the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, facilitating global maritime trade. Stretching approximately 80km/50mi, this intricate waterway features three locks - Miraflores, Pedro Miguel, and Gatun - that elevate and lower vessels to overcome the variation in sea levels.

The Miraflores Locks' visitor center offers an insightful experience, allowing observers to witness massive ships navigating the locks. The Gatun Locks, a crucial part of the canal, showcase the impressive process of raising and lowering water levels to enable the passage of ships.

Traversing the Panama Canal provides a firsthand glimpse into the intricate operations that have shaped international shipping for over a century.

Panama is a cosmopolitan, dynamic city, where the modern and the traditional come together to create a cheerful and relaxed atmosphere. Three main sections make up the city, the historical ruins of the 16th century called Panama Viejo, the 17th century Spanish Colonial Casco Viejo and the modern skyscraper city.

Top Things to Do in Panama City:

• explore Portobelo National Park
• watch ships pass through the Panama Canal
• shop until you drop at the Duty-Free Zone
• ride a vintage train on the Panama Railway

Fuerte Amador, located at the Pacific entrance to the Panama Canal, is a man-made peninsula extending into the Pacific Ocean. The one-mile (1.6km) causeway is formed by connecting four small islands with rocks from the canal, and hosts shops and restaurants around a marina which serves as a tender dock to visiting ships. Offering panoramic views of Panama City's skyline, the causeway is also home to the Smithsonian Institute of Tropical Research. The tender dock is conveniently located, providing easy access to Panama City with a transfer time of around 25 minutes (14km/8.5mi distance).

Your boutique hotel at sea, the Azamara Onward® is a mid-sized ship with a deck plan that’s intimate but never crowded, and offers everything modern voyagers are looking for - plus some unexpected extras. Seven restaurants, cafes, and lounges, a refreshing pool, sun-drenched decks, a revitalizing spa…the list goes on.

Colourful fishing villages, unspoiled beaches and unusual tropical dry forest make Manta an attractive tourist destination and the starting point for exciting day trips. Set along the mid-coast of Ecuador, the city is on of the countries largest seaports. Ships will dock at this port.

Top Things to Do in Manta:

• tour the Cerro Jaboncillo Archaeological site
• relax on San Clemente Beach
• take a Chivas Bus to Montecristi
• visit the Cabuya plant-weaving factory
• look for Howler Monkeys at Pacoche Lodge and Reserve

Spend the day sailing in style aboard your boutique hotel at sea. Indulge in a treatment at Sanctum Spa, stay ship shape with a class at our fitness center, or lounge the day away on our sunny pool deck. In the evening, savor inspired Italian cuisine at Aqualina, or relish in a classic steakhouse experience at Prime C. Plus, you’ll find plenty of exciting evening entertainment, from thrilling shows at Cabaret Lounge to intimate performances in the Living Room.

Peru's capital, Lima was once the heart of Spain's South American empire in the 19th century, now modern Lima is a huge metropolis crammed with culture, and a history that pre-dates the Incas and is also a gateway to the marvels of Machu Picchu, Lake Titicaca and the Amazon jungle. The historic heart of the city is a UNESCO World Heritage site and this is where many of Lima's museums, churches and colonial treasures are conveniently located, and is best explored on foot.

Callao is the chief seaport of Peru and has a rich maritime heritage and vibrant urban culture. Located adjacent to Lima, it serves as a vital link between the capital city and the world.

Callao boasts an intriguing mix of colonial architecture and street art, most notably in the regenerated neighbourhood of La Punta, where visitors can stroll along the seaside promenade enjoying the ocean breeze.

The Real Felipe Fortress, a historical bastion against pirate attacks, dominates the local landscape with its imposing presence. Now a museum, it offers a deep dive into the area's colonial past.

Callao is also the gateway to the Palomino Islands, where visitors can see large colonies of sea lions and seabirds.

Peru's capital, Lima was once the heart of Spain's South American empire in the 19th century, now modern Lima is a huge metropolis crammed with culture, and a history that pre-dates the Incas and is also a gateway to the marvels of Machu Picchu, Lake Titicaca and the Amazon jungle. The historic heart of the city is a UNESCO World Heritage site and this is where many of Lima's museums, churches and colonial treasures are conveniently located, and is best explored on foot.

Callao is the chief seaport of Peru and has a rich maritime heritage and vibrant urban culture. Located adjacent to Lima, it serves as a vital link between the capital city and the world.

Callao boasts an intriguing mix of colonial architecture and street art, most notably in the regenerated neighbourhood of La Punta, where visitors can stroll along the seaside promenade enjoying the ocean breeze.

The Real Felipe Fortress, a historical bastion against pirate attacks, dominates the local landscape with its imposing presence. Now a museum, it offers a deep dive into the area's colonial past.

Callao is also the gateway to the Palomino Islands, where visitors can see large colonies of sea lions and seabirds.