Caribbean Cruises: Excursions

Your tour begins with a sightseeing drive along the northeastern coastline to a small town known as St. Ann’s Bay. View the sights from your comfortable coach seat as your guide narrates the history, tales and interesting facts about Jamaica. Observe the town’s classic Court House of 1866 and Statue of Columbus, honoring his landing. On the return drive, observe the culture of exciting Ocho Rios as you are comfortably chauffeured through the stimulating town. A stop will be made at Wassi Art, a local pottery of skilled artisans. A guided tour allows you to interact with these fine artisans as they turn clay into masterpieces, found in the tempting gift shop at the end of the tour. Then, visit Jamaica’s Garden of Eden, the place that the Taino Indians called “Coyaba” or Paradise. Hear the roar, feel the fresh mist of the spray from the spectacular waterfall, cascading down, level after glorious level. Follow the trails with your professional attraction guide through this rainforest. Experience all the shades of green, splashed with exotic flowers of every conceivable color. Coyaba Gardens presents a fascinating museum with ancient artifacts from the natives and early colonials excavated on site. Pause at the eye-catching gift shop with native art and craft before re-boarding your coach. With time at leisure, relax on the outdoor terrace of the Almond Tree Restaurant that overlooks the hypnotic Caribbean Sea. Enjoy a cup of Jamaica’s world famous Blue Mountain Coffee and scrumptious banana bread made daily by the restaurant. Time permitting, take a stroll of the manicured gardens on the property. Finally, your tour ends with an optional drop off at the bountiful Island Village Shopping Centre or directly to the ship. Note: Participants must be at least 3 years of age. less

Experience the thrill of kayaking in a creek through pristine jungle and finish the day relaxing in the sun at a first class jungle resort. Board an air-conditioned bus for a guided tour through Belize City on your way to the Eco-Park. Climb into your two person kayak and start your tour paddling into a narrow creek shaded by Swamp Kaway. The creek then widens into a small lagoon where, turtles and juvenile crocodiles may be spotted. With some luck you might get to see a lizard skimming across the surface of the water, upright! You would have just seen the Striped Basilisk known by locals as the “Jesus Christ Lizard” because it can walk on water! Afterwards, kick off your shoes and relax in one of our hammocks in the shade of a Buttonwood tree and sip one of our frozen drink specials, made with local fruits. Our freeform pool with its waterslide and sculpted waterfall is ideal for swimming, lounging or simply cooling down. At your leisure, enjoy a delicious truly Belizean lunch prepared just for you, served cafeteria style. If relaxing is not for you yet, then learn about the many uses of native plants on Ixchel’s Walk, our self-guided Medicinal/Botanical Trail, or visit the Wild Wings Butterfly House and learn about the intricate lives of native Central American butterflies. Visit our Gift Shops where you can find a variety of Belizean made arts and crafts and a variety of other souvenirs. Note: Participants must be at least 12 years of age and weigh no more than 250 lbs. Bring swimsuit, towel and insect repellant. less

Experience Cayman's Underwater Wonderland. Upon arriving on the pier in Georgetown, take a short walk to board a motor cruiser for a short scenic cruise out to two snorkeling locations. The first is a majestic reef system, where you will have a perfect opportunity to swim with multitudes of colorful and tropical fish and marine life. The adventure continues with a snorkel stop over a shallow ship wreck, providing an up close encounter with what has become a superb artificial reef system as filmed by National Geographic and Discovery Channel. All in all, a delightful way to spend your day in Grand Cayman! Restrooms, shade and snorkel equipment included and provided onboard vessel. Note: Participants under 16 years of age must be supervised by an adult. less

This tour offers an opportunity to enjoy the awesome natural beauty of the rainforest, uninhabited jungle rivers and caves once used by the ancient Mayans who inhabited this region. You'll depart your ship on a high-speed boat for the Sabun River. Once on the river, the boat will wind its way upstream along the jungle-covered banks, a sight directly from an Indiana Jones movie. After approximately 45 minutes, the boat will arrive at the Landings, a secluded farm located on a peninsula by the river. You'll have a short break to visit the farm and get familiarized with the 4 x 4 Land Rover which will take you on the next leg of your journey to the Mayan Groto Caves. The Land Rover, which is famous for jungle driving, is the perfect vehicle for the 50-minute drive through the lowlands and into the jungle mud trails. Once at the base camp, your guide will give you local knowledge as he leads your small group on a traverse over a foot suspension bridge across the river. After a short walk through the dense rainforest where many species of huge trees can be seen, you'll arrive at the beginning of the cave experience. The first cave tunnels through the mountain and emerges into a tropical bowl with cliffs on all sides. The Mayans used this location as a sanctuary with protective walls still evident. Within the bowl there are many caves to explore each with different stages of stalactite and stalagmite growth. After caving, you'll have an opportunity to swim in the cool river, relax, and have a snack before boarding a jungle truck for the return trip to Belize City. Note: Participants must be between the ages of 8 years of age and 65 years of age and weight less than 250 lbs. Guests must be able to drive manual/stick shift transmissions and show drivers license. If you have any previous heart conditions, back or leg problems or are pregnant, this tour is not for you. less

Upon boarding your motor cruiser staffed with a highly trained and personable crew, you will be taken on a scenic cruise out to the Original Stingray City location, where you will have an opportunity to swim and snorkel with these amazingly friendly Southern Rays. This location is considered by many tourism publications to be the best 12-15 feet snorkel and dive location in the world. After a short cruise to Grand Cayman’s fantastic Barrier Reef you will have an opportunity to snorkel the incredible reefs and explore this “Wonderland beneath the Sea.” Note: Participants under the age of 16 must be supervised by an adult. less

Learn about, meet and interact with the bottlenose dolphin. The friendly nature and legendary intelligence of these animals account for their huge popularity. You’ll be transferred to and from Blue Lagoon Island by boat, from the pier (40 minutes each way). This lagoon is home to 19 bottlenose dolphins. Upon arrival, you’ll meet the dolphin trainers for a 10-minute educational briefing and be helped onto a floating platform in small groups for the opportunity to touch and interact with dolphins in waist-deep water. Note: Participants ages 3 or younger receive free admission if accompanied in the program by a participating paying adult (parent or guardian at least 18 years of age). Children between the ages of 3 to 12 must be accompanied in the water by a paying guardian/parent. The paying guardian/parent must be book at the same time of the child participant; these booking cannot be made onboard as space is very limited. Actual in-water encounter time is approximately 10 to 15 minutes. Approximately 1/2 to 1 mile of walking on the pier is required. Wear your swimsuit and bring a towel from your ship. Space is very limited so please book early. less