Fort Lauderdale is a coastal metropolis in southeast Florida’s panhandle, nestled between the blue exotic Everglades and turquoise waters of the Atlantic Ocean. The United States’ top cruise destination welcomes 11 cruise lines, 33 cruise ships and more than four million tourists annually. Fort Lauderdale is famed as the birthplace of “Spring Break’, which originated in the 1930s and has shaped the city as one of America’s party capitals.

Santo Domingo, the capital of the Dominican Republic, is one of the largest cities in the West Indies. The old town is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Worth seeing is the palace museum, the ruins of one of the first monasteries in South America and Fortaleza Ozama, the oldest fortress in the United States.

Santa Marta is located on the Colombian Caribbean coast and is home to the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta - the highest mountain range in the country. Another natural delight is the Taynora National Park, which is located just east of the city. Enjoy the sight of the snow-capped peaks of the Sierra Nevada, while surrounded by beautiful crystal clear waters and colorful marine life at the coast.

Puerto Limon is a bustling, industrial port city that serves as a gateway for many cruise ship passengers to Costa Rica’s natural wonders. The Veragua Rainforest is an easy day trip outside of the city, and visitors can explore it by foot on its hiking trails, by boat on a jungle canoe tour, or from above on a zipline canopy tour. Passengers preferring to stay close to port may prefer the waterfront park Parque Vargas, or learn about local history in the Museo Etnohistoric de Limon.

What better way to see the Panama Canal than by cruising through it? Sail in the wake of history as your ship navigates the locks which have been in service more than 100 years and are still functioning flawlessly today. Plagued by difficulties during construction, the final lock system was so effective, it has remained virtually unchanged throughout the years. The entire Panama Canal crossing takes 8 to 10 hours.

An island located off the west coast of Panama, Fuerte Amador is the gateway to Panama City. Sitting close to the Pacific entrance of the Panama Canal, it offers the perfect place to watch ships enter the locks as they begin to traverse the canal. In addition to holding numerous canal-related museums and attractions, Fuerte Amador offers easy access to Panama City, the metropolis-like capital city and heart of the nation.