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Combine the new Icon of the Seas with these top destinations for the most memorable, kid-friendly, Western Caribbean family vacation. Puerto Costa Maya in Mexico is home to Mayan art and architecture (as its name implies), but you can also find the Spanish fort Fuerte San Felipe Bacalar. Spend your day exploring this historic site, just over an hour from the port — there's also a cenote cavern nearby if you're uparagraphCopy for some diving. Dive under the sea, fly above the ocean, and treasure-hunt through the jungle with a cruise to Western Caribbean.
Best For A European Adventure
The Yucatán Peninsula is home to ancient pyramids, like Chichen Itza, a cultural UNESCO World Heritage Site dating back over 1,500 years built by the Mayans. Hundreds of underground swimming holes, called cenotes, beckon scuba divers and snorkelers to roam around the region's underwater wonders. In Puerto Costa Maya, spend your day trip on your cruise vacation lounging along palm-lined beach or admiring the sea life at the Mesoamerican Reef, one of the largest reef systems in the world. Adrenaline addicts, prepare to fly across the sky on a zip line tour for a bird's eye view of the emerald and cobalt hues that make up Puerto Costa Maya's shoreline. Wander inland to learn more about Mexico's mesmerizing Mayan marvels like the ruins of Chacchoben, Dzibanche and Kohunlich. Transatlantic sailings make for such a special vacation, and this 13-night Transatlantic Azores itinerary on Adventure of the Seas® packs four remarkable ports into the crossing.
Night Caribbean - Western CruiseDetails
This tiny country is packed with adventure activities and is home to a thriving barrier reef rife with technicolor corals and reef fish. An elegant outfit for drinks and dinner creates a true Caribbean vacation feel and is a fun way to embrace the ship's formal night onboard. If it's whale-watching season or if you love peering into treetops for birds, pack a pair of binoculars.
Royal Caribbean Cruises to the Western Caribbean
Formal Attire – A 7-night cruise often has two formal nights that fall on the sea days. For formal night, men should wear slacks and a sport coat and women a nice dress with heels. The best activity to do in port at Roatan is an ATV island tour that includes a zipline, animal sanctuary, beach, and sightseeing. If you are planning a Western Caribbean Cruise, my #1 tip is to choose the right cruise line. The cruise line you choose will dictate the quality of food, onboard amenities, onboard activities, and excursion options. For thrill-seekers, exploring the Chiquibul Cave System, the longest cave system in Central America, is a heart-racing experience.
Top Kid-Friendly Places in Mexico
However, they are easy to plan, have guaranteed quality, and the ship will wait for you if you are running late. While many cruise lines operation in the Caribbean, my favorite is Royal Caribbean, hands down. I’ve taken dozens of Caribbean cruises, most recently to the Western Caribbean on the Harmony of the Seas and the Oasis of the Seas. One bottle of reef-safe sunscreen per adult in your party is a wise move, that way sun protection is never too far away. A small dry bag will keep your phone, camera and wallet protected from the elements during shore excursions. Slow-cooked meats have a storied history in Central and South America, and stew chicken is arguably Belize's greatest contribution to the tradition.
Caribbean Vacation Ideas for a Seven-Night Cruise Royal Caribbean Cruises
For the adventurous ones, Daredevil's Peak® waterslide is North America's tallest and promises an adrenaline rush. On an eight-night journey, this ship will first cruise to Labadee, the cruise line's private peninsula adventure park and beach. The next private island destination is Perfect Day at CocoCay, Royal Caribbean's oasis in The Bahamas.
10 of 11,796 Royal Caribbean Western Caribbean Cruise Reviews
Independently run tours are often more affordable, have more options, and have a more local presence. When deciding between a cruise excursion and an independently run tour, there are a few things to consider. Cruise excursions are typically more expensive, and there are limited options. Even better than their “hard product” described above, the service on Royal Caribbean is unparalleled.
Great Destination Ideas For Seven-Night Western Caribbean Cruises
When you're ready to come up for air, take flight on a massive zip line over Labadee's shimmering coastlines in Haiti. Or soak up some sun and see the pastel-hued, conch-style houses in Key West. In both the Eastern and Western Caribbean, you'll find ports that are designed for shopping, with a mix of luxury boutiques and knick-knack stores spread out around the cruise ship terminal. If your fantasy is stretching out in the sun and splashing in the surf, you'll want to pick your Caribbean itinerary carefully so you can live the dream. When it comes to beaches, the Eastern Caribbean islands have the Western ones beat in most cases. For Western Caribbean sailings, you can depart from Florida ports as well as Galveston, Texas, Mobile, Alabama and New Orleans, Lousiana.
Test your fear of heights at the tallest waterslide in North America or from the basket of a helium balloon. For more adrenaline, get swept away in the wave pool or challenge other daredevils to a race at the four-lane Splash Speedway slide. When it's time to unwind, drift the day away in the fresh waters of Oasis Lagoon, order an ice-cold cocktail in a private cabana, or strike up small talk at the swim-up bar.
10 cruise ships to book right now instead of Royal Caribbean's Icon of the Seas - Cruise Blog
10 cruise ships to book right now instead of Royal Caribbean's Icon of the Seas.
Posted: Wed, 14 Feb 2024 08:00:00 GMT [source]
While swimsuits are an obvious must-have, don't forget to pack any athletic attire if you're planning adventurous excursions like ziplining, jungle trekking or off-roading. Comfortable shoes will carry you through the storied streets of charming coastal towns. Breezy scarves, sunglasses and wide-brimmed hats add a practical yet stylish touch to any cruise outfit.
I highly recommend this tour to visit the ruins and learn about the history of the area. If you want to stick to one activity in Roatan, this beach horseback riding tour looks super fun. It will give you extra time to explore the port on your own or head back to the ship for some pool time. Since the island is only 40 miles long by 10 miles wide, its doable to see the entire thing in one day. The below Caribbean cruise port guides are based on the ports I visited on my recent Royal Caribbean western Caribbean cruise. Research is key for visiting cruise ports to maximize your one day at the destination.
The national parks of the West Coast are full of natural wonders waiting to be discovered. Check out the exotic desert landscapes of Joshua Tree just outside Los Angeles. Hike through the rugged mountains of Olympic National Park near Seattle. Or go kayaking at Gulf Islands National Park Reserve near Victoria, British Columbia. Get to know the distinctively laidback and unmistakably unique culture with the best West Coast cruises.
Get to Know Crew Members – They are more than just waiters and custodians; many of them are local guides who can provide unique insight about the islands you visit on your cruise. Chantae Reden is an adventure writer and photographer who rarely strays far from the coastline. She is a freediver, surfer, scuba diver, and has a mild obsession with sharks.
Your own snorkeling gear makes it easy to explore the shoreline of any beach, but if you're packing light, you can easily rent this equipment. Because it's the tropics, blue skies and rain showers can occur on the same day, so bring along a rain jacket just in case. Or spend your day in the Yucatan or Cozumel exploring Mayan ruins that are still standing after thousands of years. When it comes to water sports, some of the easiest opportunities to paddleboard, sail, kayak and parasail are available on the cruise lines' private islands, mainly located in the Bahamas. That said, if you see an itinerary that embarks in the Caribbean, know that you'll get a little extra time in the islands in exchange for that international flight.
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