Cruising News Magazine Cruising News February 2019 | Page 6

Vision of the Panama Canal
This 20-night Fly, Cruise & Stay
package includes return flights from
Australia, a 16-night cruise on Royal
Caribbean’s Vision of the Seas, and
accommodation at both ends in Florida
and Los Angeles.
Departing 14 November 2019, the trip
starts with flights to Fort Lauderdale,
where guests check in to a three-star
hotel for one night pre-cruise and a
chance to enjoy the local beaches
and bars. After breakfast, which is
also included, board the ship at Port
Everglades and set sail in the afternoon.
Spend the next day at sea, before
arriving at the first port of call in Grand
Cayman. A full day allows time to
explore one of the Caribbean's hottest
destinations, world-renowned for its
water sports and party lifestyle. The
manicured capital of George Town,
home to more than 500 offshore
banks, offers access to great diving,
windsurfing, golf, shopping and dining.
Most tourists flock to the hotel-lined
Seven Mile Beach.
Following another day at sea, the ship
docks at Cartagena, Colombia. This
historic town is home to a walled city
and fortress, designated a UNESCO
World Heritage Site, filled with exquisite
16th- and 17th-century Spanish colonial
architecture. Other highlights are the
museums, churches and restaurants, as
well as snorkelling and diving. Check
out the views from La Popa Hill and
nearby Santa Cruz monastery. Balneario Likín, a popular Guatemalan
resort town.
Next stop is Colón, near the Atlantic
entrance to the Panama Canal.
The province has a wide variety of
attractions, beautiful beaches and
islands, fascinating historical sites,
excellent bird watching, diving and
snorkelling and Isla Grande National
Park. Then there is time to relax with two days
at sea before Puerto Vallarta, Mexico.
Take a stroll along cobblestone streets,
past white-washed buildings topped
with terracotta roofs, and admire
ocean views from the promenade.
Enjoy the music, the food and the
tequila.
The climax of the cruise is the all-day
transit of the Panama Canal, one of the
world’s greatest works of engineering,
connecting the Atlantic and Pacific
Oceans. Marvel as the 2,514-passenger
Vision of the Seas squeezes through the
manmade canal, with other vessels
ahead and behind it, in a floating
‘traffic jam’. After two more days at sea, the
cruise concludes in Los Angeles. But
the holiday is not over yet, with three
more nights in a four-star hotel at
Redondo Beach to get immersed in
this dynamic city. Beyond Hollywood,
LA boasts world-class museums, cool
neighbourhoods, a legendary beach
scene and diverse dining cooked up by
its multicultural population.
The voyage continues to Puntarenas,
Costa Rica’s most important fishing port,
making it the perfect place to indulge
in fresh seafood. A 7pm departure
permits dessert at an open-air café
along the waterfront where they
specialise in ice cream and fresh fruit
drinks.
Puerto Quetzal, near the city of Puerto
San José, serves as a gateway to
Guatemala's Mayan ruins. One-day
tours of the well-preserved ancient city
of Tikal are available. The surrounding
area has some of the country’s nicest
beaches, good bird-watching, and
The ‘Vision of the Panama Canal’
package is priced from $3,699 per
person twin share based on an inside
cabin and flights from Sydney. Upgrade
to an outside cabin for only $400 extra
($4,099 ppts). Add $320 for flights from
Brisbane or Melbourne. Departure from
Adelaide or Perth starts from $4349 per
person twin share.
To find your local friendly team of
experts at a Worldwide Cruise Centre
to discuss your best options for ‘Vision
of the Panama Canal’ Package go to:
www.worldwidecruisecentres.com.au
iStock image credit: member no 6438912/13336761, image no: 00000087114
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