From Fort Lauderdale to San Diego · South America & Antarctica · 15 nights
Crystal Symphony returned to the ultra-luxury cruise sector in 2023 – fully refurbished and enhanced and not to be missed.
The beloved Crystal Symphony, having been dutifully maintained
for the past three decades underwent an extensive refurbishment in
2023, reducing the guest capacity and enhancing the accommodations
onboard. Crystal signatures such as exceptional service and
world-class dining remain but the ship returned to service with a
new lease of life.
These days Fort Lauderdale is a sophisticated place awash with upmarket hotels and excellent restaurants. The glorious weather and swathes of golden beach are still a huge draw, but there are also plenty of cultural attractions, such as the Museum of Art and the Museum of Discovery and Science. The city also boasts 300 miles of navigable waterways and canals, meaning there's plenty of space for the resident millionaires to park their yachts, and the cruise port is one of the busiest in the world.
Cartagena 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 camera-friendly collection of cobbled streets and colourful, colonial-era buildings.
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.
The beach town of San Juan del Sur is a popular hangout for surfers, and it’s a nice place to spend some time relaxing. If you’re looking for a more immersive cultural experience then it’s worth taking an excursion to the beautiful colonial town of Granada, an hour and half away on the shores of Lake Nicaragua.
A cruise call at Acajutla is a rare opportunity to explore the tiny Central American nation of El Salvador. Popular excursions include the Mayan ruins at Tazumal, scuba diving off beautiful Los Cabanos beach, or a trip to the Izalco volcano, where you can peer down into the dormant caldera.
The resort town of Puerto Vallarta, on Mexico’s Pacific coast, has bags of charm in spite of its popularity. Spend some time exploring the pretty old town, with its cobbled streets and quirky boutiques, or relax on the beach. Humpback whales breed out in the bay during the winter months, and dolphins can be spotted year round.
Laid-back, friendly and blessed with near-perfect weather all year round, San Diego is one of America’s most likeable cities. Enjoy a stroll through Balboa Park, dotted with beautiful Spanish Renaissance-style architecture, take a whale watching trip along the coast, or sample the nightlife of the trendy Gaslamp Quarter.
