Pacific Coastal Cruises: Excursions

Enjoy a leisurely paced walking tour of Cabo San Lucas. Explore a part of Cabo that many never see, such as the famous Cabo Wabo and the incredible buys at the local flea market for starters. After a brief walk from the pier with your tour guide, your first stop is a very folkloric street where your warm up for shopping will take place. Then it’s off to the church of San Lucas - a small catholic church built in 1730 by Spanish missionaries. Across the street is the main park in town where you’ll enjoy a popsicle and walk to the town square to learn about the culturally rich background of Cabo. View real whale skeletons set up on display and visit the local Cabo San Lucas museum. Follow your guide down a scenic side street on your way to a popular Mexican restaurant to enjoy a complimentary, non-alcoholic beverage and after a brief stop there continue past the legendary Cabo Wabo Cantina owned by the 1980s rock star Sammy Hagar of the famed rock band Van Halen. Move on to the local market and try your bargaining skills, from hammocks to clothes, trinkets to leather goods, talavera pottery and much, much more…you’ll find all the souvenirs you need at the flea market. You’ll have free time to shop before heading back to the pier with your guide. less

Explore Willemstad’s Dutch architecture, pastel-colored buildings and ornate facades on a guided walking tour of the historic city. Travel along the waterway to the Queen Emma Pontoon Bridge. Cross the waterway by bridge or ferry, then head to Willemstad’s historic downtown district. See Fort Amsterdam, built in 1635 and which today is home to the Governor’s Palace. Pass various government buildings and the old fort’s wall arches and continue along Main Street, passing the floating market where fresh fruits and vegetables are brought from Venezuela by schooner. Your knowledgeable guide offers island history and provides commentary throughout your tour. You’ll end at Museum Kura Hulanda exhibiting a large collection of traditional artifacts from continental Africa as well as Afro-Caribbean artifacts. After this museum visit, take a nice walk through the hotel property, which is one of the most remarkable one’s in the entire Caribbean. From here it’s a short walk back to your ship, or you can stay in the city center and cross the famous Emma Bridge to Punda shopping district. Note: We recommend you wear comfortable walking shoes. less

Take a walking tour of historic Cartagena. First, stop for pictures at San Felipe Fortress, considered the largest Spanish fort in the New World. Next, visit the Old City and stroll down its beautiful Colonial streets with its breathtaking balconies and overflowing flowers. Walk through the main plaza and its adjacent streets. See San Pedro Square, Custom’s Square, Bolivar and also Santo Domingo’s Square. Finally, visit the modern city of Bocagrande and the shops at Pierino Gallo Plaza. Upon arrival, you’ll have some free time and refreshments while you browse for emeralds, handcrafts and leather goods. Note: This tour is not recommended for guests with walking difficulties. less

Drive west into the country past the salt flats and flamingoes to a typical Curacaon village with an impressive church and excellent examples of both Cunucu and land houses - the original homes of both the poor and wealthy. Proceed to the spectacular Hato Caves. Deep within the cliffs, overlooking the north shore of the island is a dramatic collection of grottos filled with stalactites, stalagmites and crystal-clear pools, centuries in the making. At the foot of the caves is found the easily negotiated Petroglyphs Trail. A short stroll will take you past an ancient shelter for slave shepherds and exceptional 1,500-year-old religious scenes carved into the rock walls. From the Hato Caves you’ll continue to the Curacao Museum in Otrabanda, founded in 1946 and housed with a former military quarantine hospital. The museum combines contemporary art with an exhibition of life in Curacao during the mid 19th century. Crossing the Queen Juliana Bridge, 200 feet above Willemstad, you are afforded magnificent views of the city below. Your guide will point out major points of interest as you drive through Punda in the heart of Willemstad and past the Mikve Israel Emmanuel Synagogue, the oldest synagogue in use in the Western Hemisphere. If you wish to stay in town, you may leave the tour at this point; otherwise, it’s a short five-minute drive back to your ship. Note: There are 50 steps to climb at the Hato Caves. Wear comfortable walking shoes. less

Let's party aboard a Chiva! Drink, laugh, clap, sing and listen to jokes, as you enjoy non-stop "papayera" or "vallenato". Meet new people, enjoy live music and take part in the open bar while your Chiva takes you around Cartagena. You’ll make a photo stop at San Felipe Fortress, Manga, Pie de la Popa, El Centro, Boca Grande, Laguito, Castillo Grande, and the old city. Your Chiva will stop at the historic Santa Calatina’s Bastion. Here you can stretch, enjoy refreshments, dance to the beat of the music band or enjoy local entertainment. You’ll have some time for souvenir and handicraft shopping at Las Bovedas Artisan Center. Note: Chiva buses are old artisan modified buses used in rural areas for public transport. They are painted colorfully with local arabesques and figures. Most of the chivas have an incorporated ladder for the rack on the roof which is also used for carrying people; seats are bench like, made out of wood and with doors instead of windows and all of them have a unique nickname. We recommend you bring comfortable shoes and casual clothes. Wear sunscreen. less