This large, modern port serves Chile’s capital, Santiago, a city with Spanish colonial charm and a vivacious spirit. Encircled by the Andes and the Coastal Range, Santiago is centered around the Plaza de Armas, with several of the city’s landmarks: the 18th-century Metropolitan Cathedral the Palacio de la Real Audencia from 1808, the City Hall and the National Museum of History. North of San Antonio lie the picturesque old port and university town of Valparaíso and the colorful seaside resort of Viña del Mar. In between the coast and the capital are valleys filled with some of Chile’s most famous wineries, all inviting you to come and taste.

Coquimbo may be relatively small for a capital city (it's the seat of the Chilean province Elqui), but between its location along the Pan-American Highway and its status as an important port, Coquimbo receives quite a few domestic and international visitors. Many of them use the city as a jumping-off point from which to explore the attractions of the surrounding Elqui Valley. Reached by the Ruta de Estrellas (Route of the Stars), the valley's vineyards yield to a desert landscape that is home to approximately 70 percent of the world's astronomical observational infrastructure, including nearly a dozen observatories. Other popular out-of-town destinations include southern beach towns like Guanaqueros and Tongoy. Don't rush beyond city limits without checking out Coquimbo's own sights, though; because of its mining and port history, there's been a fair bit of global influence on local life and culture. One place where this influence is evident is the Coquimbo Mosque; while it's a recently built structure, inaugurated in 2007, it's still a testament to the long and fascinating history of this Chilean coastal town.

Cruising at Sea

While most tourists envision a lush Peru—with mountaintop citadels shrouded in jungle and mist—the Pisco region is a stunningly stark junction of lunar landscape and teeming sea—all earth tones and aquas. For a place whose beauty is so austere, however, the area is shockingly fertile, both agriculturally (the beloved national brandy of the same name hails from here) and culturally (civilizations from the Paracas to the Incas have left a mark—or many—here). But your visit won't be all about signature cocktails and ancient ruins: The local waters are home to such a mind-blowing menagerie, they're often called the Galápagos of Peru or simply Little Galápagos. You can reach these wildlife hangouts, among other Pisco-area highlights, quite easily from the port of General San Martín. Or you can simply stake out a seaside table and fill up on some of the freshest ceviche of your life—a house pisco sour close at hand for good measure.

Peru's bone-dry capital (only Cairo is drier as far as national capitals go), Lima is a booming energetic metropolis built on ancient foundations millennia in the making. At first she is no looker, but scratch that parched surface below the high-rise offices and dust-settled dwellings and Lima's charms begin to shine: Strikingly preserved pre-Columbian ruins sit defiantly among modern skyscrapers, a cultural potpourri of world-class museums, sun-toasted beaches beautifully illuminated by nightly sunsets and one of the most exciting and dynamic culinary landscapes in the world. Lima is a tale of two cities. Colonial charms abound in the city's historic center, where impressive plazas—including the cinematic 16th-century Plaza de Armas, the handiwork of Spanish conquistador Francisco Pizarro—are overseen by Baroque and neoclassical cathedrals, palaces, monasteries and remnants of ancient city walls. But a different Lima emerges in the cliff-hugging seaside barrios of Miraflores and Barranco. Miraflores, Lima's modern face, is a bustling enclave of chic restaurants, bars and nightlife, and Barranco is a bohemian resort commune flush with grand casonas converted into atmospheric hotels and eateries. One of the city's allures is navigating between the old and the new. But the Peruvian capital is at its most extraordinary at mealtimes, where the signature dishes of its world-famous cuisine—ceviche, lomo saltado pisco (beef stir-fried with tomatoes, peppers, onions and fried potatoes), aji de gallina (a pepper-laced chicken stew), causa (avocado and shrimp layered between mashed potato)—are the culinary stuff of legend, further wowing when chased by Peru's extraordinary national cocktail, the highly addictive pisco sour. ¡Salud!

The port of Salaverry is essentially a ticket to a best-of-Peru buffet. Half an hour away is Peru’s northern capital, Trujillo, home to one of the most iconic squares in the country: the city's Plaza de Armas. The bright blue, yellow and red buildings date back to the 16th century, and—traffic aside—transport you back to the days of the conquistadores. For time travel to a more distant past—a past that predates even the Inca—visit the profusion of ruins around the city. There’s the Chimu capital Chan Chan, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and the Mochica sites of Huaca del Sol and Huaca de la Luna, to name just a few. And for time travel with a twist—or more accurately, with an arc—there are the caballitos de totora, curvilinear fishing boats made from reed and used by ancient Peruvians, that continue to ply the waters (and serve as the calling card) of the nearby village of Huanchaco. Watching these graceful arched vessels 'surf' the waves is totally enchanting—especially if you’re seated at a beach-view table with some ceviche and a cerveza.

Cruising at Sea

Manta is a major coastal city located in the Coastal Lowlands of Ecuador. It is a commercial and vacation resort area and is the second largest seaport in Ecuador. Manta receives numerous visits from foreign as well as local tourists. Manta boast many popular beaches, such as "El Murciélago", "Santa Marianita", "San Lorenzo" and "Barbasquillo". The refurbished Playa Murciélago (Bat Beach), very popular with locals, is in the Malecón area; it features a scenic boardwalk, restaurants serving excellent seafood fresh out of the ocean, recreational sports, craft markets, bars and other places for fun and relaxation. Other important sites include Iglesia La Dolorosa, the "Mirador" at San Lorenzo beach, the Teatro Chusic, the "Parque de la Madre", and the "Plaza Civica". Nearby, also, is the small town of Montecristi, founded in the early 1600s. With its colonial architecture, this small town is a great place for shopping for local crafts such as ceramics, wickerwork and Panama hats in a variety of shapes and colors. Things to See & Do * Beaches * Montecristi * The Malecon * Playa Murcielago - the most popular beach area * Plaza Civica

Cruising at Sea

Located west of Panama City at the Pacific entrance to the Panama Canal, Fuerte Amador is a gateway to exploring the many faces of this unique Central American country. The impressive engineering of the canal itself is a wonder to behold; a quick trip to the Miraflores Locks' visitor center with its panoramic observation decks offers the chance to watch behemoth barges thread their way through the legendary manmade waterway. Just minutes from the cruise port, the recently opened Biomuseo is a Frank Gehry–designed natural-history museum dedicated to Panama's ecological marvels. And Fuerte Amador sits within easy taxi distance of Panama City, the bustling, multicultural capital metropolis where visitors can wander a conquistador-era UNESCO World Heritage Site, sip coffee in street cafés and peruse modern malls. For a rural escape, it only takes an hour or two by car to trade the city for the tropical rain forests of Soberanía National Park, where an aerial tram carries passengers through treetops, or to meet Emberá tribespeople in their traditional village along the Chagres River.

Enter Panama Canal Balboa The town of Balboa stands at the Pacific end of one of the world's great engineering wonders, the Panama Canal. Long the administrative center of the Canal Zone, it was U.S. territory until the last day of the last century, when it was returned to Panama on December 31, 1999. The 77-kilometer (48-mile) route that begins here and ends at the Caribbean unfolds like an epic tale. Cruising Panama Canal Exit Panama Canal Cristobal Think of the Panama Canal, and the image that may come to mind is of the world’s huge tankers and cruise ships passing through a series of locks. That, however, reflects only one aspect of this part of the world. As ships travel from the Pacific to the Atlantic, they also pass colonial towns, historic fortresses and manmade lakes that are today home to sanctuaries for hundreds of different animal and plant species. At the canal’s Pacific entrance, Panama City's glittering skyline of office towers and condominiums reflects the country’s dynamic present and future. Some 77 kilometers (48 miles) to the north, at the Caribbean entrance to the Panama Canal, Colón evokes the old Panama of yesteryear, with its historic buildings gradually being restored. Traveling between these two cities, an epic tale unfolds before you—an old-school feat of engineering, ambition and courage. As David McCullough recounts in his sweeping history The Path Between the Seas, it was a combination of sheer human might and engineering prowess that today allows ships to cross the Panama isthmus, saving sailors from making the dangerous, almost 13,000-kilometer (8,000-mile) journey around the tip of South America.

Cruising at Sea

A cruise to the Cayman Islands has everything you would want from a Caribbean destination—warm breezes, clear seas and a laid-back attitude—but the archipelago also has something you might not expect: an exciting culinary scene. Between the celebrity chefs who’ve set up shop on Grand Cayman and the 135 or so resident nationalities that have helped season the island’s giant melting pot, this is, hands down, one of the best places to eat in the Caribbean. In and around George Town, the Cayman Islands' capital, you’ll find such an amazing array of culinary offerings, you’ll fear for the future of any buttons, snaps or hooks on your waistband. And that’s where the island’s other chief pleasures come in: There’s enough walking (whether along the fabled Seven Mile Beach, around historic sites or through lush gardens) as well as stunning swimming, snorkeling and diving to be done to counter the effects of . . . So. Much. Good. Food. Or at least you can begin to. Oh, and one warning: Should you wind up at Rum Point—Grand Cayman’s castaway beach imago—there’s a good chance your ship is, by your own design, sailing without you. Regardless of what you do, our Cayman Islands cruises are sure to have something relaxing and enjoyable for you to experience and remember.

Cruising at Sea

Ft. Lauderdale is sometimes called the Venice of America because of its many canals and waterways. It's home to the annual Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show, one of the largest in-water boat shows in the world; one of the many reasons our Fort Lauderdale cruise guests love visiting. . Guests of Ft. Lauderdale cruises can easily get a taste of the area's nautical lifestyle by cruising the Intracoastal Waterway on an old-fashioned paddle wheeler. Other options include hopping aboard one of the popular water taxis or Venetian gondolas that glide down the historic New River that flows right through town. While Ft. Lauderdale is often overshadowed by its flashy neighbor, Miami, the port city is expanding rapidly as major developers and high-end resorts build up the beachfront and surrounding neighborhoods. Visitors will find world-class shopping on famous Las Olas Boulevard, celebrated restaurants and a cultural explosion in the Riverwalk Arts & Entertainment District. It's clear that the city is solidifying its place as a sophisticated destination, and one of the reasons our Fort Lauderdale cruises are a popular choice for many vacation goers.