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.

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South America's most popular cruise port, Cartagena is a must-see stop on any Panama Canal or southern Caribbean cruise. The city is safe and tourist-friendly, and most tourist places will speak English and accept U.S. dollars. Beautiful parks, museums and shops welcome visitors, and beautiful Spanish cathedrals and castles lurk around every corner. For beach lovers, there are plenty of sandy beaches and coral reefs within easy access of the city. And for shopaholics, kiosks and tourist shops dot the inner city.

Cristobal is one of two ports in Colon on the Atlantic side of the Panama Canal. Many ships stop in Cristobal before they enter the locks, or stop in Cristobal and then turn around on partial crossings. If your cruise belongs to the latter, consider booking an excursion to complete the crossing in a smaller boat to get the complete experience. Directly next to the pier, cruise passengers will find a lively flea market with plenty of opportunities for shopping, souvenir hunting, and haggling over prices. Adventure-seekers and nature-lovers may wish to visit the beautiful Gatún Lake.