fbpx

Caribbean Beauty, Mayan Treasures and Jazz in New Orleans

Caribbean Beauty, Mayan Treasures and Jazz in New Orleans

From AUD $10,470

Description

PONANT invites you on a brand-new 17-day cruise in Central America, from Fuerte Amador to Miami, between sumptuous islands in the Caribbean Sea, majestic Maya sites rising out of the tropical forests of the Yucatán Peninsula, and diverse cities full of lively rhythms. Aboard Le Boréal, discover this exceptional heritage, a vibrant testimony to the Pre-Columbian, Hispanic and Afro-Caribbean influences.

After sailing through the world-famous Panama Canal, linking the Pacific to the Atlantic, sail to Costa Rica and Puerto Limón, not far from the island named Tortuguero. Literally “the Land of Turtles”, the village and the National Park are key nesting sites for four species of sea turtle, including two critically endangered species.

Your ship will then call at Water Caye which offer wonderful snorkelling opportunities to discover the treasures of the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef System.

The next port of call will be Santo Tomás de Castilla. From there, you will be able to discover the pyramids of Tikal, another major site of the Maya civilisation, or the palaces, pyramids and sanctuaries of the Archaeological Park and Ruins of Quiriguá.

Next, you will discover Belize, its heavenly beaches and its wonderful barrier reef, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, home to the emblematic Great Blue Hole.

Le Boréal will head for Progreso, famous for its pristine sandy beaches, and gateway to the ancient Mayan cities of Chichen Itzá and Uxmal and Merida, the capital of the Yucatán region.

Finally, you will cross the Gulf of Mexico to finish your journey at the gateway to Louisiana. You will sail the Mississippi River to reach the heart of festive and multicultural New Orleans. Make sure you visit the “Vieux Carré”, its famous French district, and stroll its lively streets lined with wrought iron balconies.

The port of Miami, Florida, will put an end to an unforgettable voyage.

Trip Name
Caribbean Beauty, Mayan Treasures and Jazz in New Orleans
Days
17
Overview
Vessel Type: Luxury Expedition / Cruise Ship Length: 142 meters Passenger Capacity: 264 (in twin cabins, 200 in Antarctica) Built: 2011 A superb mega-yacht with 132 cabins, she is the fruit of the expertise of the Italian Fincantieri shipyard and French sophistication, as interpreted by designer Jean-Philippe Nuel. Le Boreal remains faithful to our philosophy - to create a unique atmosphere, a subtle blend of luxury, intimacy and well-being. Superior materials, discreet elegance and a tasteful décor combined with exterior and interior lines to reflect a nautical mood, subtly revisited. On board, soothing neutral tones are enlivened by splashes of red, our signature theme linking tradition and innovation to create personal touches in the spirit of a “private yacht”. Cuisine Loyal to the great French tradition, the haute cuisine on board is worthy of the finest restaurants, where discreet, attentive service is the hallmark. Our two restaurants welcome you for breakfasts, lunch and dinner. The Gastronomic Restaurant, with a capacity of 268 persons, is situated on Le Liberte Deck and serves you French and international cuisine accompagnied by fine wine. On the Grill Restaurant, you will have the opportuniny to eat outside and enjoy buffet lunch and themed dinner. Life On Board Whether you want to join other guests in the theatre or games area (Wii™ consoles, etc), or relax on your own in a quiet corner of the library, Le Boreal has been designed to meet the needs of every guest.  Everything has been done to preserve the independence of each guest to suit their personal tastes: lounges for lectures and shows, a spa in partnership with Carita™, but also more intimate spaces such as the library and internet corner. Comfortable cabins, nearly all with private balcony, are available forfamilies either as triples or as communicating cabins. There is also a games area with Wii™ consoles, children’s menus, and a baby-sitting ser vice.Just as if you were on a private yacht, your time is your own to do as you please. Fitted with the latest equipment (Kinesis Wall, running machine) and in partnership with the famous Carita™ brand, the Beauty Centre on Le Boreal welcomes you for some unforgettable moments of relaxation and pampering (beauty treatments, hairdresser, hammam, balneotherapy).

Itinerary



Day 1 - Day 1 FUERTE AMADOR, FLAMENCO ISLAND
An artificial peninsula situated at the Pacific entrance to the Panama Canal, Fuerte Amador is the gateway to several noteworthy sites. Right near there, the impressive Miraflores Locks are a shining example of the engineering feats deployed during the construction of the Panama Canal. Further north, in villages nestling amid dense vegetation, lives the Embera tribe, guardian of the forest and of the Chagres River. This proud people have successfully preserved their traditions and their ancestral way of life, which predate the colonisation of the region by the Spanish.
Day 2 - Day 2 CROSSING THE PANAMA CANAL
Aboard your ship, experience something unique, that has inspired the imagination of numerous adventurers in the 20th century: sailing the Panama Canal. Its construction started in 1880 under the direction of Ferdinand de Lesseps. Abandoned then resumed, this marvel of engineering was completed by the United States in 1887 and opened in 1914. The canal crosses the Isthmus of Panama and links the Atlantic to the Pacific. Including three levels of locks and by raising ships to the level of Lake Gatun, almost as if the water was a lift, it allows them to avoid having to round Cape Horn.
Day 3 - Day 3 PUERTO LIMÓN
We’re pretty sure the little coastal town of Puerto Limón will completely win your heart. It is located on the Caribbean sea. Just beyond the harbour, Playa Bonita creek opens its arms to a haven of beauty rimmed by clear blue waters and shaded by giant peach-palms. If you wish to explore the lush green areas in the town, it’s worth taking a stroll through the lemon groves that give Puerto Limón its name. You’ll have all the time in the world to mosey around the streets scattered with multicoloured wooden makeshift stalls. These makeshift bars with their raffia roofs offer fresh juices blended just for you.
Day 4 - Days 4 - 5 AT SEA
During your day at sea, make the most of the many services and activities on board. Treat yourself to a moment of relaxation in the spa or stay in shape in the fitness centre. Depending on the season, let yourself be tempted by the swimming pool or a spot of sunbathing. This day without a port of call will also be an opportunity to enjoy the conferences or shows proposed on board, to do some shopping in the boutique or to meet the PONANT photographers in their dedicated space. As for lovers of the open sea, they will be able to visit the ship’s upper deck to admire the spectacle of the waves and perhaps be lucky enough to observe marine species. A truly enchanted interlude, combining comfort, rest and entertainment.
Day 5 - Day 6 WATER CAYE, ISLA UTILA
The Bay Islands archipelago is home to stunning cays, sheltered coral islets with warm, crystal-clear turquoise waters. Off the island of Utila, the white-sand beaches lined with palms and coconut trees and the reefs of the deserted islet called Water Caye offer a picture-postcard setting that will delight fans of swimming and snorkelling.
Day 6 - Day 7 SANTO TOMÁS DE CASTILLA
A port city located in the north-east of Guatemala, on the coast of the Amatique Bay, Santo Tomás de Castilla offers exceptional access to the fabulous Mayan archaeological site of Quiriguá. Listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1981, this place takes you back in time, deep into a décor of ruins and vestiges from the 8th century.
Day 7 - Day 8 BELIZE CITY
Belize City is the former capital and the country’s largest town. Located on the Caribbean Sea, this lively little town symbolises the fusion of British, Spanish and Maya cultures. The departure point for flights over the Great Blue Hole and the barrier reef, it’s also the ideal gateway for discovering the treasures of Maya architecture: in the heart of the jungle, the grandiose and mysterious ruins of temples and palaces at the Lamanai and Xunantunich sites await you. Another unmissable experience: a trip to the mouth of the Belize River: with a little luck and care, you’ll get a glimpse of manatees, dolphins, crocodiles, iguanas and many aquatic bird species.
Day 8 - Day 9 AT SEA
During your day at sea, make the most of the many services and activities on board. Treat yourself to a moment of relaxation in the spa or stay in shape in the fitness centre. Depending on the season, let yourself be tempted by the swimming pool or a spot of sunbathing. This day without a port of call will also be an opportunity to enjoy the conferences or shows proposed on board, to do some shopping in the boutique or to meet the PONANT photographers in their dedicated space. As for lovers of the open sea, they will be able to visit the ship’s upper deck to admire the spectacle of the waves and perhaps be lucky enough to observe marine species. A truly enchanted interlude, combining comfort, rest and entertainment.
Day 9 - Day 10 PROGRESO
On the Yucatan Peninsula, the charming seaside town of Progreso will delight visitors seeking authenticity. In addition to its magnificent sandy beaches and pleasant seafront promenade, the town offers ideal access to the former Mayan cities of Chichen Itza and Uxmal. UNESCO World Heritage sites, they allow visitors to be truly immersed in Pre-Columbian Mexico, discovering one of the world’s most mysterious civilisations. In the surroundings, be sure to visit Mérida, capital of the Mexican state of Yucatán. Called “the White City” due to the colour of the limestone used to build its dwellings, this old colonial city, built on the ruins of a Mayan site, offers a mix of tradition and modernity, colonial architecture and Mayan heritage.
Day 10 - Day 11 AT SEA
During your day at sea, make the most of the many services and activities on board. Treat yourself to a moment of relaxation in the spa or stay in shape in the fitness centre. Depending on the season, let yourself be tempted by the swimming pool or a spot of sunbathing. This day without a port of call will also be an opportunity to enjoy the conferences or shows proposed on board, to do some shopping in the boutique or to meet the PONANT photographers in their dedicated space. As for lovers of the open sea, they will be able to visit the ship’s upper deck to admire the spectacle of the waves and perhaps be lucky enough to observe marine species. A truly enchanted interlude, combining comfort, rest and entertainment.
Day 11 - Day 12 SAILING ON THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER
a:0:{}
Day 12 - Days 13 - 14 NEW ORLEANS
Located along the Mississippi, festive and multicultural New Orleans is a very captivating city. Founded in 1718 and the capital of Louisiana until 1880, it was ceded to the Spanish Empire then recovered by the French before being sold to the United States in 1803 by Napoleon Bonaparte. From the French Quarter to the colonial houses sporting elaborate wrought-iron balconies and the Bohemian atmosphere of the Faubourg Marigny, the Native American, African, Creole, Cajun and European cultures have shaped this city’s identity. The birthplace of Louis Armstrong and Sidney Bechet, it became the cradle of jazz and blues. Cajun music and the nearby bayous are also part of the landscape.
Day 13 - Days 15 - 16 AT SEA
During your day at sea, make the most of the many services and activities on board. Treat yourself to a moment of relaxation in the spa or stay in shape in the fitness centre. Depending on the season, let yourself be tempted by the swimming pool or a spot of sunbathing. This day without a port of call will also be an opportunity to enjoy the conferences or shows proposed on board, to do some shopping in the boutique or to meet the PONANT photographers in their dedicated space. As for lovers of the open sea, they will be able to visit the ship’s upper deck to admire the spectacle of the waves and perhaps be lucky enough to observe marine species. A truly enchanted interlude, combining comfort, rest and entertainment.
Day 14 - Day 17 MIAMI
The ultimate symbol of Florida if ever there was one, to this day Miami remains a must-see city. The home of what is considered to be the world’s busiest cruise ship port, this multicultural city where the sun rules supreme has a lot more to offer than just long beaches and glamour. Miami is also worth visiting for its Art Deco district in South Beach, home to pastel-coloured buildings and to hotels with eccentric shapes. Artists, designers and top couturiers enliven this multifaceted city of skyscrapers, boutiques, frescoes and turquoise water. Not far from there is Everglades National Park, the largest subtropical wilderness reserve in North America, listed with UNESCO.
Day 15 - Please Note:
Itineraries are subject to change.

Trip Dates

StartEndPrice FromRoom Type
03-04-202319-04-2023AUD $10,470Superior Stateroom
03-04-202319-04-2023AUD $11,400DeLuxe Stateroom
03-04-202319-04-2023AUD $12,080Prestige Stateroom - Deck 4
03-04-202319-04-2023AUD $12,470Prestige Stateroom - Deck 5
03-04-202319-04-2023AUD $12,990Prestige Stateroom - Deck 6
03-04-202319-04-2023AUD $17,910Deluxe Suite
03-04-202319-04-2023AUD $19,370Prestige Suite - Deck 5
03-04-202319-04-2023AUD $20,030Prestige Suite - Deck 6
03-04-202319-04-2023AUD $21,090Owner’s Suite

Inclusions

    • A brand-new cruise to seven Central American countries between idyllic beaches and pre-Columbian sites.
    • UNESCO World Heritage Sites: Tikal by plane and the archaeological park and Mayan ruins of Quiriguá from Santo Tomás de Castilla; the Belize Barrier Reef with (flight over the Great Blue Hole), Chichen Itzá, from Progreso.
    • The lush tropical forests of Costa Rica, from Puerto Limón.
    • A port of call amidst desert islets with white sandy beaches surrounded by turquoise waters at Water Caye.
    • From Santo Tomás de Castilla, an extension is possible to visit the famous Tikal pyramids, incredible vestiges of the ancient Mayan civilisation, listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
    • From Progreso, with an exceptional visit to the Mayan sites of Chichen Itzá and Uxmal, and the visit of Merida.
    • An exceptional sailing on the Mississippi River.
    • Two nights in the festive and welcoming city of New Orleans.

Map