Caribbean Cruise - from Miami - 126558

Miami is a city at the South-East coast of the US state of Florida. The "Coconut Grove" district was the heart of the settlement in 1884. Today, the city is dominated by elegant boutiques and pavement cafés. Often, free street concerts are held in the side streets - usually reggae or jazz music. The city has numerous high-rise buildings, hotel complexes, areas with palm trees, shopping centres, cultural and recreational facilities. Sights include: the Southeast Financial Center - the tallest building in Florida at 55 storeys high; Dade Country Courthouse; Metro Dade Cultural, a cultural centre that houses Miami Dade Main Library; the Centre for Fine Arts and the Historical Museum of Southern Florida.

Miami is a city at the South-East coast of the US state of Florida. The "Coconut Grove" district was the heart of the settlement in 1884. Today, the city is dominated by elegant boutiques and pavement cafés. Often, free street concerts are held in the side streets - usually reggae or jazz music. The city has numerous high-rise buildings, hotel complexes, areas with palm trees, shopping centres, cultural and recreational facilities. Sights include: the Southeast Financial Center - the tallest building in Florida at 55 storeys high; Dade Country Courthouse; Metro Dade Cultural, a cultural centre that houses Miami Dade Main Library; the Centre for Fine Arts and the Historical Museum of Southern Florida.

Key West is the most southerly town in Florida on the main island of Florida Keys. It is a very tourist-oriented town that enchants visitors with its sub-tropical serenity, laid-back lifestyle and Caribbean flair. In the early 19th century the town lived from piracy and looting sunken ships. In the late 19th century the residents of the town made a living from the cigar industry, sponge diving and hunting sea turtles. Tourism began to flourish with the expansion of the railway lines in 1912. The town's most famous resident was Ernest Hemmingway, who lived in Key West during the 1930s and 40s. Duval Street in the old town, a colourful mix of small shops, bars and restaurants, is a must-see. Key West also has many museums such as Key West Aquarium. One of the most famous attractions is watching the sun go down at Mallory Square Docks: tourists, locals, street performers and street traders gather on the beach and the promenade to experience the sunset. There are usually fireworks afterwards too.

'"Costa Maya" is the newest port on the Mexican peninsula of Yucatán. It is a city rich in cultural and natural resources, where you can experience the legacy of Mayan history, nature and beautiful landscapes first hand. A large number of luxurious shops close to the harbour offer duty-free shopping. There is also a lido with its own waterfall, a spectacular pool and a fantastic bar. Other must-sees include the archaeological areas of Dzibanché and Kohunlich, the Bacalar lagoon and the Caribbean beaches that stretch for miles.

The largest of Mexico's islands lies 57 km from Cancun and 20 km from the coast of Mexico. The island has developed into a popular holiday destination thanks to its idyllic beaches, the wide range of water sports on offer and the Mayan ruins. The ferry docks at "San Miguel de Cozumel", where visitors can visit the "Museo de la Isla de Cozumel" with artefacts detailing the natural history of the island. In the North of the island there are several ruins of the ancient Mayan culture. Cozumel was once a place of pilgrimage for the Mayans who wished to pay tribute to the goddess of the moon, Ixchel. The famous lagoon "Chankanaab" can be reached via the main road to the North. The lagoon has more than 50 species of tropical fish, shells and corals and is seen as a kind of natural aquarium.

The Mayan name for the port at the Gulf of Mexico is "Yaxactún", meaning "great turtle of stone". Progreso, a quiet town with a population of 50,000 is the most important port of Yucatán and a popular destination for tourists, who love the chic restaurants that line the beach promenade. Here, visitors can enjoy a stroll along the stands selling hand-made traditional souvenirs or spend a day at the beach, - the water here is excellent for swimming or snorkelling since there are no tides or currents. Progreso's 40-metre-high lighthouse, completed in 1891, can be seen from afar.

Galveston, also called Glaveston, was once the home of the Akokisa Indians and the pirate Jean Lafitte. The town is characterised by its Victorian, neogothic and classical architecture. Ashton Villa is a must-see, as are the Rosenberg library and "Bishop's Palace", also known as the Walter Gresham Castle. A really special highlight is the adventure playground "Moody Garden", a leisure park with rainforest pyramids, many species of plants and birds and an underwater aquarium.

This city in Mississippi, with a population of almost 500,000 (1.3 million as a metropolitan area) is considered to be the least American of all the US cities. The former capital of the state of Louisiana refuses to follow trends and continues to live by its old traditions. French, Spanish and Creole influences are just as clearly apparent as the African traditions of the former slaves of the cotton fields of Louisiana. Sights include: Audubon Park, Congo Square, French Quarter (Vieux Carré), Royal Street, New Orleans Museum of Art, Superdome (Football Stadium of the New Orleans Saints)

This city in Mississippi, with a population of almost 500,000 (1.3 million as a metropolitan area) is considered to be the least American of all the US cities. The former capital of the state of Louisiana refuses to follow trends and continues to live by its old traditions. French, Spanish and Creole influences are just as clearly apparent as the African traditions of the former slaves of the cotton fields of Louisiana. Sights include: Audubon Park, Congo Square, French Quarter (Vieux Carré), Royal Street, New Orleans Museum of Art, Superdome (Football Stadium of the New Orleans Saints)

Tampa, Florida's health resort and port at the Gulf of Mexico, today has a population of several hundred thousand and is a city full of contrasts. Visitors can find glittering sky-scrapers as well as the traditional university and the historic Cuban district Ybor City. Sights worth visiting include the Children's Museum of Tampa, the Museum of Art, the Museum of Science and Industry and the History Center. We also highly recommend a visit to the cigar factory "Tampa Rico Cigar Company" as well as 'Busch Gardens', an African-themed funpark with shops and restaurants. 'Water babies' will love the huge water funpark, 'Adventure Island', and the Florida Aquarium.

Miami is a city at the South-East coast of the US state of Florida. The "Coconut Grove" district was the heart of the settlement in 1884. Today, the city is dominated by elegant boutiques and pavement cafés. Often, free street concerts are held in the side streets - usually reggae or jazz music. The city has numerous high-rise buildings, hotel complexes, areas with palm trees, shopping centres, cultural and recreational facilities. Sights include: the Southeast Financial Center - the tallest building in Florida at 55 storeys high; Dade Country Courthouse; Metro Dade Cultural, a cultural centre that houses Miami Dade Main Library; the Centre for Fine Arts and the Historical Museum of Southern Florida.