Barbados to Panama Christmas Cruise

Day 1 - Barbados

Arrive: Sat 14 December 2024 / Depart: Sat 14 December 2024

On the wild and rugged east coast of Barbados, the isolated beaches are the colour of sunrise, the red sands having blown all the way across the Atlantic from the Sahara. The eastern most island of the Windwards, and indeed, of the entire Caribbean, reaches out to Africa and the Old World, as if not quite part of the New. Bridgetown, Barbados is an interesting town full of contrasts. George Washington actually slept here! Trafalgar Square reminds you that the laid back, rum-and-fun-loving island’s British-influenced heritage includes revered traditions like cricket and high tea.

Day 2 - Tobago Cays

Arrive: Sun 15 December 2024 / Depart: Sun 15 December 2024

Four small islets, virtually deserted but enormously appealing for those who love underwater exploration, Tobago Cays is a national park where snorkeling is superb. There are picnic and camping sites and beautiful protected anchorages for overnight yacht stops.

Day 3 - St Georges, Grenada

Arrive: Mon 16 December 2024 / Depart: Mon 16 December 2024

The aromas of nutmeg, cinnamon and vanilla baking in the sun - these are the tropical flavours of Grenada. From the horseshoe shaped Carenage at St. George's, follow the Sendall Tunnel (hand-built in 1895) to the Esplanade and old Ft. George for a spectacular view of Grenada.

Day 4 - At sea

Day 5 - At sea

Day 6 - Willemstad, Curacao

Arrive: Thu 19 December 2024 / Depart: Thu 19 December 2024

Willemstad is the capital city of Curaçao, a Dutch Caribbean island. It’s known for its old town center, with pastel-colored colonial architecture. The floating Queen Emma Bridge connects the Punda and Otrobanda neighborhoods across Sint Anna Bay. By the water is the 19th-century Rif Fort, now housing a shopping center. City restaurants serve dishes influenced by the island's mostly Dutch and Afro-Caribbean cuisines.

Day 7 - Bonaire

Arrive: Fri 20 December 2024 / Depart: Fri 20 December 2024

Kralendijk is the capital of Bonaire, a Dutch island in the Caribbean Sea. Colorful architecture dots the shopping street of Kaya Grandi. The Bonaire Museum displays archaeological finds, shells and old photos. Off the coast is Bonaire National Marine Park, with a coral reef sheltering tropical fish. This stretches west to Klein Bonaire Island, where the sandy beaches provide a nesting ground for sea turtles

Day 8 - Oranjestad, Aruba

Arrive: Sat 21 December 2024 / Depart: Sat 21 December 2024

Oranjestad is the capital of the Dutch island of Aruba, in the Caribbean Sea. Near the marina, the 18th-century Fort Zoutman and the Willem III Tower, formerly a lighthouse, house the Historical Museum, which chronicles the island’s past. The Archaeological Museum displays indigenous artifacts dating back as far as 2500 B.C. Along the waterfront, L.G. Smith Boulevard is dotted with boutiques and shopping malls.

Day 9 - At sea

Day 10 - Santa Marta

Arrive: Mon 23 December 2024 / Depart: Mon 23 December 2024

Santa Marta is a city on the Caribbean Sea in the northern Colombian department of Magdalena. A busy port, it was also the first Spanish settlement in Colombia. It's the gateway for trips into the Tayrona National Natural Park, and for multiday guided treks to the Lost City (Teyuna) archaeological site in the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta mountain

Day 11 - Cartagena, Colombia

Arrive: Tue 24 December 2024 / Depart: Tue 24 December 2024

Cartagena is a port city on Colombia’s Caribbean coast. By the sea is the walled Old Town, founded in the 16th century, with squares, cobblestone streets and colorful colonial buildings. With a tropical climate, the city is also a popular beach destination. Reachable by boat are Isla de Barú, with white-sand beaches and palm trees, and the Islas del Rosario, known for their coral reefs.

Day 12 - At sea

Day 13 - San Blas

Arrive: Thu 26 December 2024 / Depart: Thu 26 December 2024

The San Blas Islands of Panama is an archipelago comprising approximately 365 islands and cays, of which 49 are inhabited. They lie off the north coast of the Isthmus of Panama, east of the Panama Canal. A part of the comarca Guna Yala along the Caribbean coast of Panama is home to the Kuna people.

Day 14 - Panama Canal Transit

Day 15 - Panama City

Arrive: Sat 28 December 2024 / Depart: Sat 28 December 2024

Balboa is a district of Panama City, located at the Pacific entrance to the Panama Canal