Panama Potpourri

Miami, located on the Atlantic coast at the southern tip of Florida, where outdoor sports are open all seasons and dress is casual, is a melting pot of cultures. Miami and Miami Beach are in effect two distinctly different cities, as Miami Beach is almost exclusively tourist orientated, while Miami is a cosmopolitan city with a distinctly Latin American flavour. Don’t miss the South Beach section where fashion designer Gianni Versace lived and died that is one of the trendiest neighbourhoods in the world. Read more about Miami, USA

Cozumel is a Caribbean island just off the Yucatan Peninsula in SE Mexico. It has grown steadily over the years since Jacques Cousteau first put the island on the map as a sea turtle sanctuary. While it has great beaches, friendly people and safe streets, with prices comparable to other Mexican tourist destinations, most visitors travel to Cozumel to see what is under the water. Read more about Cozumel, Mexico

With acres of unspoiled coastal land, vast natural resources and rich historic and cultural influences, Costa Maya offers visitors true insight into the essence of Mayan culture and the heritage of the Mexican Caribbean. While the port itself is home to: a modern tourist shopping mall; a central plaza with saltwater pools and swim-up style bars; as well as stores selling a mixture of souvenir items, most visitors enjoy going further afield. Costa Maya has the highest concentration of Mayan archeological sites and the largest existing Mayan population in Mexico. Read more about Costa Maya, Mexico

Harvest Caye, on an island 800m off the coast of Belize in the Caribbean, is Norwegian Cruise Line’s latest island development. Ships berth directly at the 75 acre resort. Features include: bars, 3 ziplines running from the ‘lighthouse’ over a giant pool, waterfall, private beachfront cabanas (pay), a nature centre, food outlets, and a variety of ship-sponsored shore excursions. Read more about Harvest Caye, Belize

Santo Tomas de Castilla lies at Amatique Bay off the Gulf of Honduras, making it one of Guatemala’s few coastal towns. The city makes a convenient base for exploring Guatemala's Caribbean coast, and as the country's entire eastern coastline only spans 118 km, plenty of beach destinations are within easy access of the port. Visitors wishing to relax, take the resort's shuttle from the cruise-ship terminal to use the beach at Amatique Bay Resort and Marina as a day visitor. Read more about Santo Tomas de Castilla, Guatemala

Roatan (aka Ruatan, Rattan) is the largest of the Bay Islands, which are a part of Honduras, lying just over 48 km from the northern coast of the Honduran mainland. It is known around the world for its scuba diving. The reef surrounding the island attracts beautiful tropical fish and snorkellers alike. Read more about Roatan, Honduras

Puerto Limon - aka Limon - is the capital of Limón Province in Costa Rica. It is the country's main Caribbean port, and most of its citizens are of African descent. Originally from Jamaica, these workers were brought to the area in the late 19th century to build the railroad line from San José to Limón. Read more about Puerto Limon, Costa Rica

Named one of the seven modern wonders of the world by the American Society of Civil Engineers, the Panama Canal is a 77 km ship canal in Panama that joins the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, and is a key conduit for international maritime trade. Built from 1903 to 1914, nearly 850,000 vessels have passed through the canal. Interestingly, the 8-10 hour journey from the Pacific Ocean in the west and the Atlantic Ocean in the east is one from SE to NW. Read more about Panama Canal, Panama

Named one of the seven modern wonders of the world by the American Society of Civil Engineers, the Panama Canal is a 77 km ship canal in Panama that joins the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, and is a key conduit for international maritime trade. Built from 1903 to 1914, nearly 850,000 vessels have passed through the canal. Interestingly, the 8-10 hour journey from the Pacific Ocean in the west and the Atlantic Ocean in the east is one from SE to NW. Read more about Panama Canal, Panama