From Cartagena to Puntarenas · South America & Antarctica · 10 nights
Arguably one of the finest ships at sea returned to the ultra-luxury cruise sector in 2023, completely refurbished and enhanced.
Following extensive refurbishment, Crystal Serenity has emerged
reinvigorated with contemporary, spacious accommodations and an
industry-leading space to guest ratio. The array of social areas,
wide-ranging entertainment and world-class dining options deliver
the ultimate in luxury cruising.
Cartagena de Indias, to give the city its full name, was founded by Spanish conquistadors in 1533, and the beautifully preserved centre is a real highlight of Colombia's Caribbean coast. The walled old town, the Ciudad Amurallada, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, a camera-friendly collection of cobbled streets and colourful, colonial-era buildings. It's not all about the old town though; the Bocagrande peninsula, fringed by a long stretch of beach, is where many of Cartagena's hotels are situated, and it's a trendy district that's home to chic restaurants and a thriving café culture.
The gabled houses of Willemstad lend an undeniably Dutch feel to the capital of little Curaçao, with a splash of Caribbean colour thrown in. The island itself is not your typical lush tropical paradise - the landscape is characterised instead by thorny shrubs and cacti - but there are some fantastic beaches and quaint little villages.
The quiet, cactus-covered Dutch Caribbean island of Bonaire is internationally renowned for its diving, ringed by spectacular coral reefs that teem with life. The capital, Kralendijk, is home to some pretty colonial architecture, and the island is also known for its flamingos and pink sand beaches.
The tiny Dutch Caribbean island of Aruba, located just off the coast of Venezuela, lies outside of the hurricane belt, meaning it enjoys a largely dry climate, and boasts some of the best beaches in the region, if not the world.
Situated on Colombia’s Caribbean coast, Santa Marta is the oldest surviving Spanish colonial city in South America. The modern city lacks some of the charm of nearby Cartagena, but tourism has come on leaps and bounds in recent years, with a number of ambitious regeneration projects and a host of new restaurants and bars.
The port of Fuerte Amador sits at the southern edge of Panama City, near the Pacific entrance to the Panama Canal. The shining skyscrapers of the Panamanian capital are a testament to the city’s status as a key financial centre, while the tiny Casco Viejo is home to pretty colonial streets, hip hotels and happening bars.
Situated on a peculiarly shaped peninsula on the Gulf of Nicoya, Puntarenas is a popular weekend beach destination for residents of Costa Rica’s capital, San José. The port itself is not pretty, but the beachfront Paseo de los Turistas is a nice place to relax with a drink or enjoy a seafood lunch.
