7-Night, Western Caribbean Cruise!
We just booked our first cruise together and it's truly greater than I could have ever imagined. Finally! 13 hour days are actually paying off.
I love you, Angelo... we deserve this!
Sun, Aug 14 - Miami, Florida - 5:00pm - Departure
Mon, Aug 15 - At Sea...
Tue, Aug 16 - Belize City, Belize - 9:00am-6:00pm
Wed, Aug 17 - Costa Maya, Mexico - 7:00am-6:00pm
Thu, Aug 18 - Cozumel, Mexico - 7:00am-5:00pm
Fri, Aug 19 - George Town, Grand Cayman - 9:30am-5:30pm
Sat, Aug 20 - At Sea...
Sun, Aug 21 - Miami, Florida - 8:30am - Arrival
Miami, Florida
It's the most Latin city in the U.S., with a hot-hot-hot club scene, sparkling beaches, crystal clear waters, and more palm fronds, glittering hotels, and red sports cars than you'll find anywhere outside Monte Carlo and Rio. On top of all that, Miami is also the undisputed cruise capital of the world, with more than three million passengers passing through yearly, and more supersize ships berthing here than anywhere else.
Belize City, Belize
Trying to choose which natural or man-made wonder to explore will be the most stress you'll feel in this very laid-back, diverse, stable, and English-speaking nation, whose population of about 216,000 comprises Creoles, Garifuna (Black Carib Indians), mestizos (a mix of Spanish and Indian), Spanish, Maya, English, Lebanese, Chinese, and Eastern Indians. The country has the highest concentration of Mayan sites among all Central American nations.
Costa Maya, Mexico
Costa Maya is located near the sleepy fishing village of Mahajual, just over 161km (100 miles) south of Playa del Carmen and not too far from the Mexico/Belize border. Millions of dollars were invested in a pier that opened here not too many years ago, and in a lavish oceanfront shopping and restaurant complex that caters exclusively to the needs of the cruise ship passengers. Princess, Royal Caribbean, Carnival, and Norwegian are among the lines that visit the port. The Mayan ruins of nearby Kohunlich and Chacchoben are the draw, along with silky white beaches and diving and snorkeling at the Chincorro, Mexico's largest coral atoll.
Cozumel, Mexico
The ancient Mayans, who lived here for 12 centuries, would be shocked by the million cruise passengers who now visit Cozumel each year, and by the fast-food, raucous-bar, and power-shopping character of San Miguel. Outside town, though, development hasn't squashed the island's natural beauty, and there are still armadillos, brightly colored tropical birds, and lizards scuttling among the dunes. Offshore, the government has set aside 32km (20 miles) of coral reefs as an underwater national park, including the stunning Palancar Reef, the world's second-largest natural coral formation.
George Town, Cayman Islands (Grand Cayman)
Flat, relatively unattractive, and full of scrubland and swamp, Grand Cayman and its sister islands (Cayman Brac and Little Cayman) nevertheless boast more than their share of upscale, expensive private homes and condos, owned by millionaire expatriates from all over who come because of the tiny nation's lenient tax and banking laws. (Enron, the poster child of shady business dealings, reportedly had more than 690 different subsidiaries here to help it avoid paying U.S. taxes.) Grand Cayman is also popular because of its laid-back civility-so civil that ships aren't allowed to visit on Sunday. George Town is the colony's capital and its commercial hub, and many hotels line the sands of the nation's most famous sunspot, Seven Mile Beach. Scuba divers and snorkelers come for the coral reefs and other formations that lie sometimes within swimming distance of the shoreline.
ABOUT THE SHIP
Stroll Explorer of the Seas's Royal Promenade and you may get the idea you're in an upscale urban mall. Hit the sports deck, where a rock-climbing wall rises above a mini-golf course and inline skating track, and you'll think cutting-edge rec center. From morning workouts to midnight buffets, from pool games to ice shows, this megaship keeps her 3,100-plus passengers entertained around the clock. Her tropical destinations, of course, are lovely, but for many, Explorer is a destination in itself.
Heard on the deck (from a woman strolling among the shops and cafés along the Royal Promenade): "Wow, it looks just like New York, New York in Las Vegas."
Why Explorer of the Seas?
Welcome aboard: Hop-to-it stewards are eager to please, servers always offer smiles (whether they're on duty or off), and everyone from the captain to the room-service crew seems genuinely glad you're onboard.
Play all day: If the 30-foot climbing wall, inline skating track, and challenging mini-golf course don't wear you out, there's always indoor ice skating or scuba in the pool.
Nonstop nights: Midnight buffets, themed parties, parades on the Royal Promenade, an ice-skating show that has to be seen to be believed -- hey, you can sleep when you get home.
Who Should Go
Veteran cruisers looking for new twists on traditional cruising and first-timers seeking a patient staff will find both on this ship. Passengers span the globe, with middle-class families from across the U.S. and Canada mingling with a regular United Nations of international travelers. The wealth of recreational facilities makes Explorer a good choice for families with young kids and couples who are young at heart.
I love you, Angelo... we deserve this!
Sun, Aug 14 - Miami, Florida - 5:00pm - Departure
Mon, Aug 15 - At Sea...
Tue, Aug 16 - Belize City, Belize - 9:00am-6:00pm
Wed, Aug 17 - Costa Maya, Mexico - 7:00am-6:00pm
Thu, Aug 18 - Cozumel, Mexico - 7:00am-5:00pm
Fri, Aug 19 - George Town, Grand Cayman - 9:30am-5:30pm
Sat, Aug 20 - At Sea...
Sun, Aug 21 - Miami, Florida - 8:30am - Arrival
Miami, Florida
It's the most Latin city in the U.S., with a hot-hot-hot club scene, sparkling beaches, crystal clear waters, and more palm fronds, glittering hotels, and red sports cars than you'll find anywhere outside Monte Carlo and Rio. On top of all that, Miami is also the undisputed cruise capital of the world, with more than three million passengers passing through yearly, and more supersize ships berthing here than anywhere else.
Belize City, Belize
Trying to choose which natural or man-made wonder to explore will be the most stress you'll feel in this very laid-back, diverse, stable, and English-speaking nation, whose population of about 216,000 comprises Creoles, Garifuna (Black Carib Indians), mestizos (a mix of Spanish and Indian), Spanish, Maya, English, Lebanese, Chinese, and Eastern Indians. The country has the highest concentration of Mayan sites among all Central American nations.
Costa Maya, Mexico
Costa Maya is located near the sleepy fishing village of Mahajual, just over 161km (100 miles) south of Playa del Carmen and not too far from the Mexico/Belize border. Millions of dollars were invested in a pier that opened here not too many years ago, and in a lavish oceanfront shopping and restaurant complex that caters exclusively to the needs of the cruise ship passengers. Princess, Royal Caribbean, Carnival, and Norwegian are among the lines that visit the port. The Mayan ruins of nearby Kohunlich and Chacchoben are the draw, along with silky white beaches and diving and snorkeling at the Chincorro, Mexico's largest coral atoll.
Cozumel, Mexico
The ancient Mayans, who lived here for 12 centuries, would be shocked by the million cruise passengers who now visit Cozumel each year, and by the fast-food, raucous-bar, and power-shopping character of San Miguel. Outside town, though, development hasn't squashed the island's natural beauty, and there are still armadillos, brightly colored tropical birds, and lizards scuttling among the dunes. Offshore, the government has set aside 32km (20 miles) of coral reefs as an underwater national park, including the stunning Palancar Reef, the world's second-largest natural coral formation.
George Town, Cayman Islands (Grand Cayman)
Flat, relatively unattractive, and full of scrubland and swamp, Grand Cayman and its sister islands (Cayman Brac and Little Cayman) nevertheless boast more than their share of upscale, expensive private homes and condos, owned by millionaire expatriates from all over who come because of the tiny nation's lenient tax and banking laws. (Enron, the poster child of shady business dealings, reportedly had more than 690 different subsidiaries here to help it avoid paying U.S. taxes.) Grand Cayman is also popular because of its laid-back civility-so civil that ships aren't allowed to visit on Sunday. George Town is the colony's capital and its commercial hub, and many hotels line the sands of the nation's most famous sunspot, Seven Mile Beach. Scuba divers and snorkelers come for the coral reefs and other formations that lie sometimes within swimming distance of the shoreline.
ABOUT THE SHIP
Stroll Explorer of the Seas's Royal Promenade and you may get the idea you're in an upscale urban mall. Hit the sports deck, where a rock-climbing wall rises above a mini-golf course and inline skating track, and you'll think cutting-edge rec center. From morning workouts to midnight buffets, from pool games to ice shows, this megaship keeps her 3,100-plus passengers entertained around the clock. Her tropical destinations, of course, are lovely, but for many, Explorer is a destination in itself.
Heard on the deck (from a woman strolling among the shops and cafés along the Royal Promenade): "Wow, it looks just like New York, New York in Las Vegas."
Why Explorer of the Seas?
Welcome aboard: Hop-to-it stewards are eager to please, servers always offer smiles (whether they're on duty or off), and everyone from the captain to the room-service crew seems genuinely glad you're onboard.
Play all day: If the 30-foot climbing wall, inline skating track, and challenging mini-golf course don't wear you out, there's always indoor ice skating or scuba in the pool.
Nonstop nights: Midnight buffets, themed parties, parades on the Royal Promenade, an ice-skating show that has to be seen to be believed -- hey, you can sleep when you get home.
Who Should Go
Veteran cruisers looking for new twists on traditional cruising and first-timers seeking a patient staff will find both on this ship. Passengers span the globe, with middle-class families from across the U.S. and Canada mingling with a regular United Nations of international travelers. The wealth of recreational facilities makes Explorer a good choice for families with young kids and couples who are young at heart.