Panama Canal, Hawaii & South Pacific Discovery Cruise

Day 1 - Miami, Florida

Arrive: Sat 09 November 2024 / Depart: Sat 09 November 2024 at 17:00

Miami is the busiest cruise port in the world, hosting a myriad of ships year-round from all over the globe. Although it is technically not on the Caribbean Sea, no other American city exudes more of the diverse tropical appeal of the Caribbean. The city is home to a large and vibrant immigrant population that blends snowbird refugees from more northern climes with emigres from all Latin America and the Caribbean, as well as sizable groups from Europe, the Middle East and Asia. From the hot-blooded Art Deco haunts of South Beach to the natural wonders of the UNESCO-inscribed Everglades and the laid-back charms of the Keys, South Florida offers a bounty of appealing attractions that make an extended stay in the region nearly mandatory for those either embarking or disembarking here.

Day 2 - At Sea

Day 3 - At Sea

Day 4 - At Sea

Day 5 - Cartagena, Colombia

Arrive: Wed 13 November 2024 at 08:00 / Depart: Wed 13 November 2024 at 18:00

The Spanish founded Cartagena, officially known as Cartagena de Indias, in 1533. The city rapidly became a thriving commercial port, where precious stones and minerals from the New World awaited shipment back to Spain. Situated in a bay on the Caribbean Sea, Cartagena had the most extensive fortifications in South America, once guarded by 29 stone forts and a high wall of coral-stone measuring 16-miles long, 40-feet high and 50-feet wide. Completed in 1657, the Castle of San Felipe de Barajas is said to be the most grandiose work of military architecture erected by Spain in the Americas. Today, Cartagena's riches are found in the Boca Grande, an area of the city with beautiful waterfront hotels, trendy restaurants, casinos and boutiques.

Day 6 - At Sea

Day 7 - Enter Panama Canal Cristobal

Day 7 - Cruising Panama Canal And Gatun Lake

Day 7 - Exit Panama Canal

Day 8 - At Sea

Day 9 - Puntarenas, Costa Rica

Arrive: Sun 17 November 2024 at 08:00 / Depart: Sun 17 November 2024 at 18:00

The principal town of Costa Rica’s Gulf of Nicoya, Puntarenas gives access to several of the nation’s ecological reserves, including the Monteverde Reserve, as well as highlights of the highlands such as the famous woodcarving center of Sarchi and the distinctive highland town of Grecia with its metal Gothic church. At the nearby Carara National Park, visitors can see the “Pura Vida” waterfall, some 650 feet high and keep an eye out for brilliant Scarlet Macaws.

Day 10 - At Sea

Day 11 - Puerto Quetzal

Arrive: Tue 19 November 2024 at 08:00 / Depart: Tue 19 November 2024 at 18:00

Once the site of an impressive ancient Mayan civilization, Guatemala was conquered by Spanish conquistadors in 1524. Puerto Quetzal is Guatemala's largest Pacific Ocean port, offering access to the natural and historic wonders of Guatemala. Beyond the black-sand beaches that surround Puerto Quetzal, a narrow ribbon of lowland runs the length of the Pacific shore, where local farmers raise cotton, sugar, bananas and maize. Bordering the fertile lowlands, the Guatemalan highlands suddenly emerge, rising to heights of 2500 to 3000 feet. Jutting boldly from the southern highlands is a string of volcanoes, adding even more drama to this diverse land of ancient Maya ruins, Spanish Colonial heritage and breathtaking scenery.

Day 12 - Puerto Chiapas

Arrive: Wed 20 November 2024 at 07:00 / Depart: Wed 20 November 2024 at 16:00

Puerto Chiapas is located in the southern Soconusco region of the Mexican state of Chiapas, close by the Guatemalan border. The region produces both coffee and cacao for chocolate, and so provides opportunities to see how these commodities are grown, processed and used worldwide. Bananas and tropical blooms are two other regional agricultural mainstays. If you have never tasted a truly tree-ripened banana, the experience can be revelatory. There are some pre-Columbian ruins at Izapa, although nothing on the scale of other, more famous Mayan ruins in Mexico and Guatemala. Favorite activities that have been developed for visitors include people-to-people opportunities in some of the nearby rural (and very friendly) communities.

Day 13 - Santa Cruz, Mexico

Arrive: Thu 21 November 2024 at 09:00 / Depart: Thu 21 November 2024 at 18:00

The nine glistening bays of Huatulco were virtually unknown outside the state of Oaxaca until the first coastal highway was completed in 1982. Now part of Mexico's 'Master Plan' to develop certain coastal areas into premium resorts, Huatulco may one day rival Acapulco and Cancun in the competition to attract tourists from around the world. The pleasing subtropical climate, fine golden sand beaches and warm waters certainly won't disappoint.

Day 14 - At Sea

Day 15 - At Sea

Day 16 - Cabo San Lucas

Arrive: Sun 24 November 2024 at 08:00 / Depart: Sun 24 November 2024 at 17:00

Cabo San Lucas is ideally located where the Mexican desert collides with the confluence of the Pacific Ocean and the Sea of Cortez, producing postcard perfect views. Once a hideout for pirates and a tranquil fishing village, Cabo is located at the southernmost tip of the magnificent Baja peninsula, and is blessed with what many describe as the perfect climate. Long a favorite for anglers out to land the "big one," Cabo San Lucas has great beaches, unlimited shopping options, restaurants and cantinas, and a variety of hotels and resorts. Cabo is also known for El Arco, a magnificent natural rock formation at Land's End and Playa Medano, Cabo San Lucas' long white sand beach.

Day 17 - At Sea

Day 18 - At Sea

Day 19 - Los Angeles, CA

Arrive: Wed 27 November 2024 at 07:00 / Depart: Wed 27 November 2024 at 17:00

Los Angeles is a city spinning with energy and creativity, where tomorrow’s trends are born, nurtured and released. Having one of the best climates in the world, Los Angeles draws visitors year-round from all over the world. Officially founded in 1781, the modern-day metropolis of Los Angeles sprawls across over 4,000 square miles between the beautiful Pacific Ocean and the snowcapped San Gabriel mountains. Los Angeles is considered the entertainment capital of the world, a vibrant city of visual delights with more museums than any other U.S. city.

Day 20 - At Sea

Day 21 - At Sea

Day 22 - At Sea

Day 23 - At Sea

Day 24 - At Sea

Day 25 - At Sea

Day 26 - Maui (Lahaina), Hawaii

Arrive: Wed 04 December 2024 at 08:00 / Depart: Wed 04 December 2024 at 18:00

Voted "Best Pacific Island" by readers of Conde Nast Traveler, the sights of Maui do not disappoint. Named for an ancient Hawaiian god, Maui is a tropical paradise graced with long stretches of white sand beaches, magnificent waterfalls and the mist-shrouded Iao Valley. Maui is also home to the 10,023-foot Mount Haleakala, the world's largest dormant volcano and a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve. In 1790, after a fierce battle in Iao Valley, King Kamehameha took control of Maui and made Lahaina the new capital of the unified Hawaiian Kingdom. For nearly five decades, Lahaina served as the center of government for Hawaii. Today, the historic whaler's port of Lahaina offers excellent shopping venues, restaurants and entertainment, as well as one of the largest Indian Banyan trees in the world.

Day 27 - Hilo

Arrive: Thu 05 December 2024 at 08:00 / Depart: Thu 05 December 2024 at 17:00

“The Big Island” offers plenty of popular attractions from Punalu’u Black Sand Beach at sea level to the observatory on the peak of Mauna Kea at almost 14,000 feet! Downtown Hilo makes the most of its history with nostalgic shops like Hilo Hattie’s, famous for its vivid floral shirts, or the Mauna Loa Macadamia Nut factory. Other choices include the 80-foot Rainbow Falls at Wailuku River Park, serene Liliuokalani Japanese Gardens or a trip to the active Kilauea caldera in Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park, where sea-run lava flows are busy making new beach-front real estate for Hawai’i.

Day 28 - Honolulu

Arrive: Fri 06 December 2024 at 08:00 / Depart: Fri 06 December 2024 at 18:00

Home to the state capitol and the majority of Hawaii's population, the island of Oahu is a vibrant mix of natural, cultural and historic wonders. In Honolulu, an array of cultures blends harmoniously, allowing each to retain its distinct flavor. The downtown sector combines Hawaii's royal history with the modern-day action of a major metropolitan center. Waikiki Beach, with its impressive hotels and glittering atmosphere, is a famous tourist hub and resort destination of international renown. Honolulu is also the location of Diamond Head, Oahu's famous volcanic landmark, and Pearl Harbor, the largest natural harbor in Hawaii and the only naval base in the United States to be designated a National Historical Landmark.

Day 29 - Kona

Arrive: Sat 07 December 2024 at 07:00 / Depart: Sat 07 December 2024 at 15:00

The island of Hawaii, called the Big Island, is the largest, youngest and most changeable of the Hawaiian Islands. It was the last in the chain to be formed and is still creating and re-creating itself. Lava flowing to the ocean in a sustained, years-long eruption of Kilauea, the world's most continuously active volcano, has added 300 new acres of topography, while it has demolished some of the island's most treasured landmarks, including a 200 year old black sand beach. It was on this island that the Polynesian voyagers are believed to have first set foot in Hawaii about 500-750 CE, and it was here that Kamehameha the Great was born and died, and Captain James Cook was killed.

Day 30 - At Sea

Day 31 - Cross International Dateline

Day 32 - At Sea

Day 33 - Fanning Island

Arrive: Wed 11 December 2024 at 10:00 / Depart: Wed 11 December 2024 at 17:00

Tiny Fanning Island, lost in a vast ocean halfway between Hawaii and Tahiti, is rarely visited by anyone. Meet the friendly locals, enjoy a refreshing coconut milk drink while combing its pristine beaches, or dream away under a palm tree.

Day 33 - Cross International Dateline

Day 34 - At Sea

Day 35 - At Sea

Day 36 - Bora Bora

Arrive: Sat 14 December 2024 at 08:00 / Depart: Sat 14 December 2024 at 18:00

Bora Bora, has long been noted for its stunning beauty. A tiny island, less than 20 miles in circumference, Bora Bora is dominated by the castle-like Mount Otemanu and Mount Pahia, two volcanic peaks with lush tropical slopes. A protective coral reef encloses Bora Bora, and the lagoon is dotted with colorful motus, or islets. Perfect white-sand beaches give way to brilliant turquoise and sapphire-colored waters, and locals in the small village of Viatape sell colorful fabrics, sculptures carved from native wood and precious black pearls.

Day 37 - Papeete

Arrive: Sun 15 December 2024 at 08:00 / Depart: Sun 15 December 2024 at 18:00

The islands of French Polynesia are acclaimed as the most beautiful in the South Pacific. Tahiti is the largest of the Polynesian islands and home to the capital city of Papeete, a delightful blend of cultures. Papeete, meaning the "water basket," was once a gathering place where Tahitians came to fill their calabashes with fresh water. Today, it is the gateway to the country, and boasts romantic resorts, fine dining, vibrant markets, pearl shops, and boutiques. Tahiti's mountainous interior is adorned with deep valleys and scenic waterfalls, while the rugged coastal lands are home to fields of tropical flowers, and glorious white and black sand beaches.

Day 38 - Raiatea

Arrive: Mon 16 December 2024 at 08:00 / Depart: Mon 16 December 2024 at 18:00

The second-largest of the Society Islands is practically twinned with its neighbor Taha’a. Actually they are connected by a reef in the same lagoon and may have been one island in the past. The main town, Uturoa is where most of the population lives. It’s lively, although no competition for Tahiti. Called the Sacred Island, Raiatea’s name means “bright sky,” and it was probably the first human community in the islands. The ancient sacred site of Taputapuatea is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and may have been the place from which Polynesian migrations to Hawaii, the Cook Islands, New Zealand and the rest of the South Pacific started. Although less touristed than Tahiti, caring for visitors has grown in importance. Agriculture is mainly given over to coconuts, pineapples and vanilla. Vanilla orchids are hand-pollinated, since Raiatea has no insect pollinators for vanilla blossoms. South Seas pearls are farmed in the lagoon in various colors. A hike up Mt. Tapioi rewards with stunning views of the lagoon and sea, and tall Bora Bora on the far horizon. Another favorite hike leads to the island’s three waterfalls. The tallest peak, Mt. Temehani, is the place to look for the unique, five-petaled Tiare Apetahi flowers that grow nowhere else. The lagoon is dotted with tiny motus, which are mostly coral sand beach, and are popular for castaway swimming and snorkeling adventures.

Day 39 - At Sea

Day 40 - Arutanga, Cook Islands

Arrive: Wed 18 December 2024 at 08:00 / Depart: Wed 18 December 2024 at 17:00

Aitutaki is the second largest of the Cook Islands, a “semi-atoll” consisting of a volcanic main island and a series of coral atolls, uninhabited motus and barrier reefs enclosing a spectacularly turquoise-hued, triangular lagoon of about 30 square miles. The Polynesian islanders arrived about 900 A.D., and thrived on the fertile volcanic area surrounding the hill of Maungapu. The first European contact was Captain William Bligh’s arrival on board the Bounty, in 1789. The sleepy town of Arutanga offers a charming, recently restored church, the oldest in the islands from 1828, with stained glass windows and carved woodwork. If possible, don’t miss an opportunity to hear the local choral music (either live or recorded). Cook Islanders are marvelous singers, and join in four-part harmonies that are positively spine-tingling. Along with the view from the top of Maungapu, their sound will live in your memory for a long time.

Day 41 - Rarotonga

Arrive: Thu 19 December 2024 at 07:00 / Depart: Thu 19 December 2024 at 16:00

Rarotonga was one of the last of the Cook Islands to be visited by European ships, but since its "discovery," it was always a favorite of sailors and merchants. Today, Rarotonga is the most populous island of the Cook Islands, and the location of the country's capital, Avarua. Isolated for years from major tourist routes, travelers began to arrive in Rarotonga following the opening of the international airport in 1974, many lured by the untouched beauty of pristine white sand beaches edged with swaying palms and crystal-clear lagoons.

Day 42 - At Sea

Day 43 - Alofi

Arrive: Sat 21 December 2024 at 09:00 / Depart: Sat 21 December 2024 at 17:00

Alofi is the capital of the Pacific Ocean island nation of Niue. With a population of 597 in 2017, Alofi has the distinction of being the second smallest national capital city in terms of population. It consists of the two villages: Alofi North and Alofi South where the government headquarters are located.

Day 44 - Cross International Dateline

Day 45 - At Sea

Day 46 - Nuku 'Alofa

Arrive: Tue 24 December 2024 at 08:00 / Depart: Tue 24 December 2024 at 18:00

The capital of Tonga is on Tongatapu, its largest island. Learn about the history and heritage of the Tongans at the Tonga Cultural Centre, a complex of traditional buildings holding museums and artisans workshops where traditional crafts are made. In the nearby village of Mu’a, see the marvelously crafted stone tombs of Tongan kings from the past.

Day 47 - At Sea

Day 48 - At Sea

Day 49 - At Sea

Day 50 - Russel bay of islands

Arrive: Sat 28 December 2024 at 08:00 / Depart: Sat 28 December 2024 at 17:00

With 144 islands and bays, the Bay of Islands is one of the best maritime parks in the region. Tenders take you ashore to the historic town of Russell, the first permanent European settlement and seaport in New Zealand. From the early 1800's, whaling ships anchored here, and despite the efforts of missionaries, Russell was a rough and lawless town. By 1830, there was a sizable settlement, and after British control was established, conflict developed between British settlers and the indigenous Maoris. Today, Russell is a peaceful retreat with old world charm that comes alive in the summer months as a vacation hideaway for international visitors and Aucklanders. Wander through the historic district, stop in a pub for a refreshment or discover some of Russell's many charming shops.

Day 51 - Matiatia Bay, Waiheke Island, NZ

Arrive: Sun 29 December 2024 at 08:00 / Depart: Sun 29 December 2024 at 17:00

Day 52 - Auckland

Arrive: Mon 30 December 2024 at 07:00 / Depart: Mon 30 December 2024

Auckland is one of the few cities in the world to have harbors on two separate bodies of water. The central part of urban Auckland covers a narrow isthmus between the Manukau Harbor on the Tasman Sea, and the Waitemata Harbor on the Pacific Ocean. In addition, Auckland's diverse geography and warm, humid climate has inspired a lifestyle regularly ranked in the world's top ten. A half hour drive from the city there is an abundance of activities: sailing to a secluded island, trekking through the rainforest, picnicking on a volcano, sampling wines at a vineyard or exploring a black sand beach.