Fort Lauderdale to Puntarenas

City meets sea in the coastal metropolis of Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Soak up the sun along vast swaths of pristine white sands, take a scenic boat tour through palm-fringed canals, shop your way along the famous Las Olas Boulevard, and sip refreshing craft beers along the Fort Lauderdale Ale Trail. When it comes to dining, you’re spoilt for choice: from fresh seafood with a waterfront view to Michelin-approved pizza, there’s mouthwatering cuisine at every turn.

Nassau, the bustling capital city of the Bahamas, is a tropical paradise boasting stunning white sand beaches and crystal-clear turquoise waters. With miles of powdery white sand, sunshine 300 days a year, and turquoise waters averaging 80 degrees, the capital of The Bahamas is home to 17 spectacular beaches. Rich in pirate lore and vestiges of its British heritage, Nassau today is a hub of culture and a thriving nightlife. Discover a perfect mix of nature, history and modern-day indulgences, from colorful reefs to dazzling casinos, straw markets to lavish resorts, and ancient forts to the world’s third-largest wine cellar at Graycliff.

A day at sea with Crystal can be as relaxed or as engaging as you wish. Begin with breakfast on your veranda, take a walk along the Promenade Deck or spend the morning by the Seahorse Pool before retreating to the Aurōra Spa & Salon for a restorative treatment. Enrichment is always close at hand, with lectures, bridge, creative workshops, dance classes, wellness sessions and opportunities to fine tune skills from photography to golf.

Dining is a highlight throughout the day, from relaxed bites by the pool to elegant dinners at venues such as Umi Uma by Nobu, Beefbar or Waterside. As evening arrives, enjoy live music, theatre entertainment, comedy, social gatherings, cocktails in the lounges or a quiet night in with 24-hour in-suite dining.

Candy-colored houses and sugar-sand beaches give this sweet port town a fairytale appeal. One of the quieter spots on this island, the Samana Peninsula allows easy access to coves and bays straight out of a picture book. Playa Payita, known to the locals as The Little Lagoon, offers aquamarine water to dip into and the shade of bamboo and banana leaf umbrellas to retreat beneath. Playa Fronton, with its coconut palms and backdrop of black rock, is the perfect place to snorkel amid schools of parrotfish, nemos, and sunfish. But the big draw is the humpback whales that visit in winter – there's even a museum dedicated to the awesome creatures. Back on dry land, Los Haitises National Park, home to enchanting caves and ndangered birds, is a pretty place to hike, bike or kayak.Indulging in Samana’s coconut-infused and zesty fresh seafood delicacies, taking a boat to the secluded beach at Playa Madama, spotting manatees amongst the mangroves in Los Haitises.

Puerto Rico’s capital makes a strong impression – even before you arrive on shore. Sailing into the harbor, keep an eye out for El Morro, a 16th-century citadel and UNESCO World Heritage Site, Castillo San Cristobal, a fearsome fortress built to scare away invaders, and La Fortaleza, the impressive official residence of the Governor of Puerto Rico. Once ashore, step back in time along cobbled streets and through squares flanked by pastel-colored Spanish colonial buildings. Or take your pick of beaches – will it be the golden-sanded Isla Verde, the snorkeler-approved El Escambrón, or the laid-back Ocean Park? Just don’t leave San Juan without sampling a piña colada (or two) – the tropical cocktail was invented here in the 1950s.

A day at sea with Crystal can be as relaxed or as engaging as you wish. Begin with breakfast on your veranda, take a walk along the Promenade Deck or spend the morning by the Seahorse Pool before retreating to the Aurōra Spa & Salon for a restorative treatment. Enrichment is always close at hand, with lectures, bridge, creative workshops, dance classes, wellness sessions and opportunities to fine tune skills from photography to golf.

Dining is a highlight throughout the day, from relaxed bites by the pool to elegant dinners at venues such as Umi Uma by Nobu, Beefbar or Waterside. As evening arrives, enjoy live music, theatre entertainment, comedy, social gatherings, cocktails in the lounges or a quiet night in with 24-hour in-suite dining.

Aruba is a long, narrow island, located just 15 miles from Venezuela's coast, with a dry and sunny climate year-round. Its distinctive beauty lies in the stark contrast between the sea and its countryside. Next to arid deserts, which host an array of wild rock formations, curiously bent divi-divi trees and cactus jungles, are magnificent beaches that shelve into transparent blue waters. Combining Dutch efficiency and Caribbean charm, Aruba has become one of the most popular playgrounds in the Caribbean, boasting sophisticated resorts and casinos.

Lose yourself in the beautiful chaos of Cartagena, where layers of cultural influence intersect to create a city rich in character. The walled Old Town – established in the 16th century and now a UNESCO World Heritage site – is best explored on foot. Stop by a street stall for fresh lulo juice before setting off to explore the labyrinthine streets, filled with shady plazas, ornate former mansions, and balconies overflowing with flowers. Just outside the historic walls, you’ll find the colorful neighborhood of Getsemaní, where vivid murals adorn the facades of shops and galleries, and salsa music wafts from lively bars.

A day at sea with Crystal can be as relaxed or as engaging as you wish. Begin with breakfast on your veranda, take a walk along the Promenade Deck or spend the morning by the Seahorse Pool before retreating to the Aurōra Spa & Salon for a restorative treatment. Enrichment is always close at hand, with lectures, bridge, creative workshops, dance classes, wellness sessions and opportunities to fine tune skills from photography to golf.

Dining is a highlight throughout the day, from relaxed bites by the pool to elegant dinners at venues such as Umi Uma by Nobu, Beefbar or Waterside. As evening arrives, enjoy live music, theatre entertainment, comedy, social gatherings, cocktails in the lounges or a quiet night in with 24-hour in-suite dining.

Willemstad, the capital of Curacao, is characterized by story-book Dutch architecture, waterfront promenades, fine shopping and a colorful floating market. Located in the southern Caribbean, just 38 miles north of Venezuela, a harmonious blend of Dutch, Caribbean, African and South American cultures makes Willemstad unique among the Caribbean ports of call.

The "B" of Netherlands Antilles' ABC islands (with Aruba and Curaçao), Bonaire is the easternmost of the three. A small island – but at 112 square miles the middle-sized of the ABCs – and generally flat, it features some of the best beaches in the Antilles, huge wildlife reserve areas and year-round sunshine. The charming beachside town of Kralendijk fits snugly into the leeward curve of the island. This capital of Bonaire features the ABC islands' signature pastel-colored buildings and old Dutch homes, reminders of the "home country." Sights include a colorful boat harbor and fish market, historical Fort Orange, the Old Fort museum, jewelry and duty-free shops, plus a pretty main square shaded by mimosa trees and surrounded by brightly colored flowers.

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

Fancy lounging on a picture-perfect Caribbean beach? Then Santa Marta is for you. Colombia’s oldest founded city not only has popular swathes of sand on its doorstep, but it’s just a short drive from the Tayrona National Park, in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada. The setting is sublime, with gin-clear waters lapping pristine beaches that are backed by palm trees and lush vegetation. Back in Santa Marta, while much of the colonial heritage has long been swept away, you can still visit the Quinta de San Pedro Alejandrino, where the revolutionary leader Simon Bolivar drew his last breath.

A day at sea with Crystal can be as relaxed or as engaging as you wish. Begin with breakfast on your veranda, take a walk along the Promenade Deck or spend the morning by the Seahorse Pool before retreating to the Aurōra Spa & Salon for a restorative treatment. Enrichment is always close at hand, with lectures, bridge, creative workshops, dance classes, wellness sessions and opportunities to fine tune skills from photography to golf.

Dining is a highlight throughout the day, from relaxed bites by the pool to elegant dinners at venues such as Umi Uma by Nobu, Beefbar or Waterside. As evening arrives, enjoy live music, theatre entertainment, comedy, social gatherings, cocktails in the lounges or a quiet night in with 24-hour in-suite dining.

Sailing through the legendary Panama Canal, one of the Seven Wonders of the Modern World, brings to life the incredible potential of human achievement. Connecting the Pacific Ocean with the Caribbean Sea, this engineering icon, which began operating in 1914, raises ships 85 feet above sea level to Gatun Lake, then lowers them at the other end. While traversing the Panama Canal, keep an eye out for monkeys and sloths in the lush surrounding jungle.

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).

A day at sea with Crystal can be as relaxed or as engaging as you wish. Begin with breakfast on your veranda, take a walk along the Promenade Deck or spend the morning by the Seahorse Pool before retreating to the Aurōra Spa & Salon for a restorative treatment. Enrichment is always close at hand, with lectures, bridge, creative workshops, dance classes, wellness sessions and opportunities to fine tune skills from photography to golf.

Dining is a highlight throughout the day, from relaxed bites by the pool to elegant dinners at venues such as Umi Uma by Nobu, Beefbar or Waterside. As evening arrives, enjoy live music, theatre entertainment, comedy, social gatherings, cocktails in the lounges or a quiet night in with 24-hour in-suite dining.

Once the center of Costa Rica’s coffee-exporting boom, Puntarenas sits on a slender spit of sand that snakes into the Pacific Ocean. Still a working port, home to a charming blend of colonial buildings, chatty street vendors, and a must-visit market selling tropical fruit and handmade souvenirs, this place packs a punch. Ticos, as Costa Ricans are known, flock here to soak up the laid-back beachfront atmosphere and stroll along the promenade. The place is famed for its fresh seafood, and traditional dishes include zesty lime-drenched ceviche, best sampled at the family-run sodas, or restaurants, that line the old dock.