Header Image

 

 

10-DAY PANAMA CANAL SUNFARER

PORTS OF CALL

Half Moon Cay, Bahamas

Oranjestad, Aruba

Willemstad, Curacao

Gatun Lake, Panama

Cristobal, Panama

Puerto Limon, Costa Rica

 

Half Moon Cay, Bahamas  

Holland America Line's pristine private island offers everything you need for a day of play in paradise: a two-mile crescent of perfect beach; an interior lagoon with warm blue & turquoise waters; private beachside cabanas with butler service, showers and misters; and all manner of watersports and activities, including a children's aqua park and a buoyed personal watercraft course.  The ship provides towels, lounge chairs line the beach, and private gazebos are also available for a day's rent.  For lunch, Holland provides a barbeque served by the ship's staff in their own open air dining pavilion.  This is the ultimate in a great caribbean day at the beach.  All water sport rentals are available for snorkeling and scuba diving to kayaks, sailing, aqua cycles and more.  And if this is not enough there is also volleyball and basketball courts, horseshoes and shuffleboard, and nature trails for hiking. Sample shore excursions: Horseback Riding by Land and Sea; Deep-sea or Flats Fishing; Stingray Adventure; AquaTrax Watercraft Adventure.

NOTE: Our Cruise includes a DanceFun Beach Party with our own Cabana & Music in Half Moon Cay !! 
More to be announced...

Half Moon Cay   Caribbean Cruise Half Moon Cay, Bahamas

Location: About 100 miles south of Nassau, in the Bahamas
Port Type: Tender

Activities:
Things to do: sunbathing on a white sand beach or floatmats in warm blue & tourquoise waters, swimming and snorkeling, catamarans, paddle boats, sailboats, windsurfers, kayaks, aqua cycles, view boards, scuba gear, jet-skis and fishing gear can be hired.  There is a charge for hire of the equipment.  On the beach itself there are games of volleyball or basketball, horseshoes or shuffleboard, which can be followed by a relaxing massage on the sands.  A variety of activities like treasure hunts are organized for children and there are banana boat rides and beach parties to appeal to teenagers.
Available Rentals: catamarans, paddle boats, sailboats, windsurfers, kayaks, aqua cycles, view boards, scuba gear, jet-skis, snorkeling and fishing gear.

Restaurants:
The Food Pavilion offers ample covered dining shelters and picnic tables. Lunch is a buffet-style barbeque, complete with icy drinks & ice cream.  Usually there is steel drum music too.  Bars are along the beach and pier, serving up a variety of drinks and cocktails. Food and drinks are included as on board.  Bar items/cocktails for a fee.

Shopping:
The 'West Indies Village' shopping centre in the resort offers souvenirs, gifts, and cruise line items.  There is also a selections for those who came unprepared for a day at the beach. 

 
Month
Temp Avg
Temp High
Temp Low
Rainfall
Jan
74.3
81.1
67.4
5.4

Return to Top
 
   
   
Oranjestad, Aruba  

Colorful floating markets, wondrous coral reefs and landscapes dotted with curiously bent divi-divi trees await on this, the "A" of the Netherlands Antilles' famous ABC islands. (Bonaire and Curacao round out the trio.) Sample shore excursions: Natural Wonders of Aruba;Spanish Lagoon Kayak Adventure' Jolly Pirates Sail, Snorkel, Swim & Swing.

Aruba Beach nature

Oranjestad Info - Aruba.com

Lewis Black Videos - Aruba.com

 
Month
Temp Avg
Temp High
Temp Low
Rainfall
Jan
80.6
85.0
76.1
1.9

Return to Top

 
   
   
Willemstad, Curacao  

Amsterdam-like canals, gabled Dutch colonial buildings, an exotic floating market. This bustling duty-free port has it all. Plus the world-famous Curaçao Liqueur Distillery and an intriguing coral reef teeming with parrotfish and queen angelfish. Sample shore excursions: Curaçao Dolphin Encounter; Curaçao See & Sea Tour; Highlights of Curaçao with Folkloric Show; Canoe Safari; Willemstad Trolley Train.

Willenastad   

Curacao.com - All about the beautifil Ilse -- Willenstad, Beaches, Landscape, People, History, Shopping and more !

 
Month
Temp Avg
Temp High
Temp Low
Rainfall
Jan
80.6
85.0
76.1
--

Return to Top

 
   
   
Gatun Lake, Panama  

Gatun Lake is key to supplying the water necessary to operate the locks system. Formed by an earthen dam across the Chagres River to keep the water 85 feet above sea level, the water runs downhill to fill the locks. No pumps, no power other than the force of gravity! Fact: It will take about 52 million gallons of water to float your Holland America ship through the locks. Sample shore excursions: Gatun Locks & Kayak in the Canal; Panama Railway; Portobelo Market Town & the Panama Canal; The Canal Experience.

Caribbean Cruise Gatun Lake, Panama Canal  Caribbean Cruise Gatun Lake, Panama Canal  

Gatun Lake - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 
Month
Temp Avg
Temp High
Temp Low
Rainfall
Jan
79.1
87.6
70.6
1.79

Return to Top

 
   
Panama Canal  
The Panama Canal is a man-made canal which joins the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. One of the largest and most difficult engineering projects ever undertaken... Panama Canal - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia  


From Ocean To Ocean (Thru the Panama Canal) 1939 From Ocean To Ocean (Thru the Panama Canal) 1939

 This is a cool YouTube Video !

 
   
Cristobal, Panama  

Here, at the Atlantic entrance to the Canal, ships of every size and flag begin their miraculous journey between two oceans. In nearby Portobelo walk admidst the ancient cannons and ramparts that once protected the Spanish gold.

Wikipedia - Cristóbal is now part of the city of Colón, though it is also the name of the district which encompasses the Atlantic Side portions of the former Panama Canal Zone. Today, Cristóbal, like much of the city of Colón, is in poor shape, with crime problems and poor maintenance, though the architecture of much of what was once known as Steamship Row (the areas around Roosevelt Avenue, Terminal Street and Columbus Avenue) can still be appreciated. Other Cristobal area landmarks like the Hotel Washington, Christ Church by the Sea and the St. Mary's Academy's Church of Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal are very well preserved and worth visiting.

Despite Colón's poor shape, Cristóbal's port is thriving once again, under private management, but it now faces competition from other container ports built in the area of Coco Solo. For more Wikipedia Info...

Tour Spanish fortresses and pirate markets. Visit a rainforest jungle teeming with exotic wildlife. Learn about the interesting culture of Embera Indians, or explore the engineering behind the massive locks. Sample shore excursions: Portobelo Market Town & the Panama Canal; The Canal Experience.

Gatun Lock SpanishFort

More Colon City / Cristobal Info - ColonCity.com This site is loaded with pictures, maps, history and more

 
Month
Temp Avg
Temp High
Temp Low
Rainfall
Jan
79.1
87.6
70.6
1.79

Return to Top

 
   
   
Puerto Limon, Costa Rica  

From Costa Rica's Caribbean coast go in search of iridescent blue morpho butterflies, sloths, turtle nesting grounds and wise old shamans. Explore the capital city of San Jose, where museums beckon and markets burst with luscious local tastes - mangoes, bananas, pineapples, papayas. Sample shore excursions: Sloth Sanctuary & Canoe Adventure; The Tortuguero Canals; San José Town & Country; Nature Walk at the Shaman's Land; The Old Banana Route Jungle Train.

Caribbean Cruise Gatun Lake, Panama Canal River

Puerto Limon - GoVisitCoastaRica.com

Costa Rica Photo Gallery- GoVisitCoastaRica.com

 
Month
Temp Avg
Temp High
Temp Low
Rainfall
Jan
76.8
85.1
68.5
12.56

Return to Top