Of the many attributes of the countries in the Americas, some of our favorites are the natural beauty, stunning flora and fauna and their daring-do spirit. We went searching for these and others during our stops in South, Central and North America during the first leg of our world cruise on Regent’s Seven Seas Mariner.
After two days at sea, unpacking, organizing our walk-in closet and completely settling in, as well as enjoying all that the Seven Seas Mariner offers including spending time at its pool, playing trivia, working Mensa puzzles and enjoying superb dinners in the main dining room and alternative restaurants, we arrived at our first port of call, Cartagena, Colombia. We signed up for the included, “Scenes of Cartagena” tour.
Cartagena
The tour provided an overview of this romantic, walled South American city, taking in San Felipe Castle, a 17th century fortress with thick walls built during the Spanish colonial period to protect the city from pirates, including Francis Drake, who once sacked it. In the plaza in front of the fortress we made a new buddy, a little donkey named Maria, who was dolled up with a gold blanket and hat with colorful flowers. Maria was friendly, posed for photos and in the meantime tried to nibble on my purse and my husband Humberto’s fingers.
In addition to the castle, our tour took us to see various historic neighborhoods with Spanish-style, colonial and modern architecture, the Adolfo Mejia Theater – built in 1911 to commemorate a century of Colombian independence, the landmark clock tower at the former entrance to Cartagena, as well as the quaint Old City with its churches, monasteries and palaces.
Panama Canal
Next on our itinerary was the Panama Canal – no matter how many times you cross it; it is always an impressive experience – and one of the highlights of the Seven Seas Mariner’s world cruise. We were out on the deck for a good part of the day, but rain brought us back in.
Costa Rica
Another Panama Canal crossing under our belts, we proceeded to visit Costa Rica. A favorite highlight for us was the tour to the Jaguar and Macaw Sanctuary out of Puntarenas, where incidentally we received a colorful port welcome with ladies in traditional dresses and even costumed characters including a macaw and a monkey. This included tour was dear to our hearts as we try to include places on our itineraries that have altruistic goals that help communities, the environment and other worthy pursuits. The Jaguar and Macaw Sanctuary, Natuwa, rescues animals that have been hurt and cannot survive in the wild as well as abandoned pets and other animals. It was a pleasure, as we walked the sanctuary’s grounds, to see rescued brilliantly colored macaws, tapirs, monkeys, and jaguars – among these, one jaguar was rescued when his mother was killed by a vehicle when he was a baby and could not survive on his own in the wild. Back in Puntarenas after our visit to the sanctuary, we had free time to explore the waterfront and Puntarenas’ Gothic Revival cathedral.
We proceeded to two Mexican ports to round out our explorations in the Americas: Acapulco and Cabo San Lucas.
Acapulco
In Acapulco we took an included tour to see one of its world-famous highlights: the La Quebrada cliff divers! Professional divers have been leaping since 1934 from a height of 98 or 135 feet into a narrow channel bordered by the cliff. These intrepid divers must time the dive just right as the depth of the water varies from 16 to 19 feet depending on the waves. I had seen them once before several years ago during a Mexican Riviera cruise, but they were just as amazing this time! We watched, toasting with a complimentary beverage, the death-defying feat by several daring divers from one of the hotels adjacent to the cliff.
Our tour also included a charming folkloric performance, a drive by Acapulco’s legendary beaches, the Golden Zone and the Hotel Zone. We passed by the famous Las Brisas hotel, popular with honeymooners because of its views and the fact that each room has a pool. Our guide told us, “That it is a hotel where two check in and three check out!” We also made a stop at a viewpoint to take in the stunning, crescent-shaped Acapulco Bay.
Cabo San Lucas
We had been to Cabo San Lucas twice before and one of the times we booked a whale watching tour via a fast-zipping zodiac during which we spotted a blue whale and observed it at close quarters. We were able to see the whale’s enormous U-shaped mouth and the blue reflection it cast on the water, that experience would be hard to top. On this visit, our experience turned out to be just as beautiful. During a stunning sunrise, we were able to see Cabo’s picture-perfect El Arco, a natural granite arch formation where a colony of sea lions reside.
It was the perfect sight to close our visits to South and Central America and Mexico and prepare us for our five-day Pacific Ocean crossing as we set sail to Hilo, Hawaii.
Some quick superlatives:
Most delicious: The cheese soufflé in Chartreuse, an alternative restaurant on the Seven Seas Mariner.
Most exciting: Watching the Acapulco Cliff Divers.
Most delightful: Meeting our new buddy, Maria, the Colombian donkey.
Most breathtaking: The sunrise at Cabo San Lucas.
By Cruise Specialists client, Georgina Cruz
Georgina Cruz is a freelance travel writer specializing in cruises. Her work has appeared in national magazines and regional publications as well as on travel websites. She has been on more than 200 voyages including seven circumnavigations, all booked through Cruise Specialists.
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