Spectacular Cruise in the Western Caribbean
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Galveston Island Historic Pleasure Pier
Galveston, Texas
Undulating over the Galveston boardwalk like a cast-iron snake, roller coasters and carnival rides sit alongside this Texan city’s beach. Head farther down to Hope Boulevard to find one of Galveston's most famous attractions — Moody Gardens — a subtropical educational center focusing on the wonders of oceans and rainforests. There are plenty of other things to see and do during your stop here; visit the African-American Museum for a dose of history, take a couple of hours to relax on the beach or get your adrenaline pumping on the pier before setting sail.
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Roatán, Honduras
At this archipelagic idyll off the north of Honduras, ships sail into the Bay Islands’ characteristic white coast, traversing a sea whose cerulean surface is marbled by the splayed shallow reef. Roatán is the largest island in the group — the jump-off point for divers and snorkelers exploring Central America’s Caribbean coast. Navigating cavernous wells, coral-lined caverns and shallow reefs, divers, snorkelers and swimmers of every level of ability can engage with the island’s abundant marine life. Disembarking close to the island’s one and only paved road, head first to Roatán Marine Park, almost 10,500 square miles of protected and preserved reef skirting the island’s northeast coast. Catch a quick lesson on whale sharks and lionfish habitats (possible from February to April and August to October) before heading to explore the viridescent coral reefs that start just seconds away from the shore. Sea turtles, swooping rays and seahorses are known to inhabit the shallows, along with many different species of fish. There’s also the opportunity for scuba divers to explore the vast shipwrecks stranded on the ocean floor.
Freediving in West Bay, Roatán
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The most famous of them is El Aguila (meaning “The Eagle”), a freighter that sunk around the Utila Keys in the 1980s. While roaming between its disintegrating boughs, swimmers can spot skinny garden eels and see how coral reefs have adapted, growing onto the ship itself. Advanced divers should head to the island’s southwest, to Pablo’s Place. A natural drift runs roughly alongside a 50-foot vertical reef, a wall of crenellated color and fish colonies peeking from the coral perforations. Nutrient rich, the area plays host to near-constant shoals of fish as well as elusive giants like hammerhead sharks, barracuda, eagle rays and rare sargassum triggerfish.
Back on land, visit the family-friendly Gumbalimba Park, which opened in 2003, to admire a microcosm of Honduras’ wildlife. This is where capuchin monkeys leap between trees, sloths meander at an aching pace, macaws flash scarlet across the sky and peacocks preen on the forest floor. Furthermore, there are parrots, hummingbirds, iguanas and turtles. The privately owned park also includes a museum, a suspension bridge and a treetop zip-line, offering adrenaline fueled adventure options on the island. Recoup with a cocktail made with freshly squeezed tropical fruit and a tasty, tortilla-wrapped treat, all served up in shoreside stands.
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Ruins of the Mayan pyramid Muyil
Puerto Costa Maya, Mexico
Standing sentinel over the Caribbean coastline, the remnants of a powerful Mayan blockade guide ships into Puerto Costa Maya. Tulum’s pyramids once served as lighthouses, ushering travelers around the Gulf of Mexico for centuries. After pulling into the southerly port, inquisitive cruisers should opt for an excursion northward to the Tulum Archaeological Zone. Tulum was central to the Maya’s international trade network — a place where people could buy turquoise and jade, terracotta, copper and cacao. Its cliffside position allowed it to connect Mexico’s opulent interior with the wider Mesoamerican world. Travelers can see its prosperity up close, in its gigantic pyramids dedicated to the divine, in the remnants of its ornate royal palaces.
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For travelers preferring to err on the side of natural wonder, the small town of Bacalar is only an hour’s drive south of Puerto Costa Maya. Here, visitors can paddle between indigo underwater cenotes, the plunging meteor pools unique to the Yucatán Peninsula. In Bacalar, these include swimmable sections at Cenote Negro, Cenote Esmerelda and Cenote Cocalitos, as well as the lake-like Cenote Azul, accessible by foot from the town center. Seafarers can also explore the narrow pass of Pirate Channel, witness to many sieges on Spanish forts in the early colonial era, or float past prim herons in the mangroves of the Island of Birds. After a day traversing the lagoon, head to one of Bacalar’s many waterfront restaurants and bars. Try and snare a secluded spot at La Playita to accompany the sunset view with fresh, citrusy ceviche and a bottle of Modelo beer.
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Cozumel, Mexico
Only 10% of the species endemic to the Mesoamerican Reef are thought to have been discovered. This vast patch of coral reef stretches out from Cozumel, its tendrils trailing as far as Honduras and western Cuba. Launching off from Cozumel Reefs National Park, delve into the realm of fanged moray eels, swarms of nurse sharks and flocks of fish. Divers in the park are also known to run into immense manta rays, backlit by the Caribbean sun as they surf the surface of the waves, as well as sea turtles, barracuda and eagle rays. If you venture from Playa El Cielo in the island’s north instead, you’ll only need a snorkel and a boat ticket to catch a glimpse of the scattering of starfish conserved on the seabed.
Shopping in Cozumel
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On land, travelers should head to Parque Punta Sur Eco Beach, a protected southern section of the island segmented by sand-covered paths. Crocodiles lurk here, shrouded by the mangroves, and endangered turtles use its quiet sands to lay their eggs. Be sure to make the most of your visit here and while away a day surrounded by lagoons, mangroves, snorkeling spots and idyllic coastal trails. For travelers more intrigued by the island’s Mayan history, it’s worth venturing to see a unique instance of early meteorology, at the Mayan ruin of El Caracol. The structure was designed to emit a humming noise once the winds picked up to hurricane speeds, giving mainlanders advance warning of impending disaster. Punctuate a day of exploring with city comforts in San Miguel de Cozumel, its honey-colored clocktower shadowing its flower-laden walls. Settle in the garden at La Choza Cozumel and order a Mexican delicacy: the cochinita pibil favored in the peninsula, a meaty mole poblano (an earthy, savory chocolate sauce), or a classic fajita spread with freshly prepped corn tortillas. As is typical in Mexico, street vendors are also dishing up delicacies — while Cozumel doesn’t share the fried fish expertise of the Baja Peninsula, you can still grab tacos filled with grilled octopus or breaded shrimp from street vendors around the city. Top each bite with a scorching scoop of fresh salsa and tuck into a taste of the nearby marina.
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