Cruise Description

9 Night Cruise sailing from Miami roundtrip aboard Explora I.

Highlights of this cruise:

Miami
Miami in Florida is located on the southeast tip of Florida. Miami is best known for its sunny weather, golden beaches and lively nightlife. Also known as the 'Gateway to the Americas', the 15 miles of glorious beaches make Miami popular with all ages, attracting a broad spectrum of tourists.

Tourist attractions include Miami's Miracle Mile - one of Miami's major shopping regions, the Miami Freedom Tower, Miami Metrozoo - one of the finest wild animal parks in America and the Miami Seaquarium - a 38-acre complex of huge saltwater pools.

Miami has a range of communities and districts, amongst them is Downtown Miami, a vibrant and diverse area of Miami, filled with clothes and jewelry shops, restaurants, cafés and fast-food stands. Miami South Beach Area (SoBe) is one of Miami's most exciting areas and is full of art galleries, stylish diners, Art Deco buildings, glorious beaches and many of Miami's top nightclubs.

San Juan
San Juan is a major port and tourist resort of the West Indies and is the oldest city under the U.S flag. The metropolitan area known as San Juan has 3 distinct areas: Old San Juan, the New San Juan, and other outlying communities, the most important: Río Piedras, Hato Rey, Puerta de Tierra, and Santurce. The old part of San Juan was founded in 1521 and is now officially declared a National Historic Zone. Many 16th- and 17th-century buildings have been restored and refurbished in the original Spanish style. This part of the city boasts many shops, restaurants, art galleries and museums.

New San Juan is connected to the old town by a narrow neck of land, and modern architecture has flourished in recent years. In the sophisticated areas of Condado and Isla Verde, are glittering hotels; flashy, Las Vegas-style shows, casinos and discos. The Botanical Gardens are worth visiting. A bay cruise is also available, which offers excellent views of the city. El Yunque, east of the capital, is a 28,000-acre rainforest (with over 240 species of trees) and bird sanctuary. It is the only tropical rainforest in the US National Forest System and is located in the Luquillo Mountains.

Road Town
The British Virgin Islands, about 50 (mostly uninhabited) islands and cays, are one of the Caribbean's most popular destinations. Road Town, the capital city, is a favorite stop for experienced cruise ship passengers. Popular activities include sailing around the myriad islands, diving over wrecks, snorkelling, walking empty beaches, and watching the sunset. Steeped in the history of the British Navy, the islands are ringed by shipwrecks; the most famous of these - The RMS Rhone - is now a national marine park, and a favorite scuba diving point.

Road Town is home to the beautiful J.R. O'Neal Botanic Gardens which wind through close to three acres of indigenous and exotic plants, trees and herbs. The capital is also brimming with restaurants, shops, and is the site for the hospital, government administration offices and official Governor's House with its historical museum. Just behind Waterfront Drive is Main Street, which still has many historic buildings and churches, charming cafes, and curio shops as well as the Virgin Islands Folk Museum.

Ferry service to the outer-islands is convenient and economical, but outer-island air service is limited.