MS Europa La Guaira - Acapulco

MS Europa La Guaira to Acapulco - courtesy of Hapag Lloyd CruisesA paradise of nature awaits you at the end of the Panama Canal. Untouched landscapes enthral with their exotic nature, lead you, accompanied by the calls of the macaws, deep into a world above whose green canopy a great heritage rises into the sky: the pyramids and temples of the Maya. Long-forgotten masterworks of a culture whose skills and knowledge captivate us even today. Sights to which there is only one response: simply divine.. A 15 day /14 night cruise itinerary

Highlights

La Guaira (Caracas)/Venezuela - A brief transfer takes you from the airport Maiquetia to the harbour city of La Guaira for embarkation on the EUROPA.

Willemstad/Curaçao - The Queen Emma Bridge swings to the side, and the “Amsterdam of the Caribbean” appears before your eyes. Curaçao’s capital is a wonderful example of Dutch colonial architecture and has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1997. But not only the canals and gabled houses under the Caribbean sun are alluring: Isolated sandy beaches and outstanding areas for snorkelling* promise many beautiful hours on this ABC island, which you can even explore on a bicycle*.

Cartagena/Colombia - The old ramparts proudly march around the historical city centre and remind visitors of the days when the pirates of the Caribbean despaired of ever taking the immense fortress. Even today, the splendid palaces of the nobility, churches and colonnades bear witness during a city sight-seeing tour* that this UNESCO World Heritage Site was once one of the most important ports of the Spanish colonial empire. After leaving Cartagena, travellers soon discover primal fishing villages and old mangrove forests which can be explored wonderfully by canoe*.

El Porvenir (San Blas)/Panama - Here, in the middle of the Caribbean Sea, is the home of the Kuna, who maintain their old traditions on the dream islands covered in palm trees. Their colourful, handmade blouses, the molas, are famous far beyond the borders of the archipelago and could possibly be a wonderful souvenir of your meeting with these proud people.

Puerto Limon/Costa Rica - The home of coconut palm trees, wonderful orchids, innumerable butterflies, birds and monkeys will leave the hearts of nature-lovers pounding harder. Taking the bustling Caribbean port city as your starting point, head out on excursions* beyond the roads, deep into a fascinating world of nature accessible only to the determined. Or take a cable car trip* for unique views out over the dense rainforest. Strawberry poison-dart frogs and sloths live in Cahuita National Park*. Hike through a forest, the likes of which you have almost certainly never seen before.

Passage through the Panama Canal - Almost 51 miles of waterway and three lock systems take the EUROPA from the Atlantic to the Pacific - a sea-goer’s experience straight across Central America.

Isla de Coiba/Panama - More than 10,000 years ago, the largest island in the American Pacific drifted away from Panama and developed into an untouched natural paradise whose Coiba National Park* has been classified as a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2005. Primordial tropical rainforests are here the biotope for endemic flora and fauna. One of the largest maritime national parks in the world, it is also home to a gigantic coral reef. Dive into a breathtaking experience.

MS Europa itinerary map courtesy of Hapag Lloyd CruisesPuntarenas/Costa Rica - The provincial capital is the outpost of a green jungle wonder which stretches behind endless beaches along the Pacific coast. Take a boat trip* on the Tarcoles River and listen to the tropical birds which share their mangrove territories with the crocodiles, or enter the nature preservation area Carara*, unique on the border between the tropical rainforest and the dry forest. Rare red macaws and sloths are among the sights visitors will never forget.

Puerto Quetzal/Guatemala - Step into this country of pivotal history at Guatemala’s largest Pacific port. The high culture of the Maya has left a unique symbol of power behind in the middle of the jungle: the National Park Tikal*, once the largest city of the Maya and UNESCO World Heritage Site. The ruins of the pyramids and temples rise majestically above the green rainforest and invite visitors to climb to the roofs, where priests and lords once ruled over a population as large as 55,000. The climb to the top of the 210-foot-high “Temple IV” takes the longest - but it rewards you richly with a stunning view over all of Tikal. The ruined city of Copan*, also UNESCO World Heritage Site, is today in Honduras and was once the “Athens of the Maya” with immense architectural riches. Here you will stand in amazement before the “Hieroglyphic Staircase”, a monumental Maya history book made of stone; the delicate characters are distributed among 64 steps. The colonial past and the country’s present are demonstrated by Guatemala City and the UNESCO World Heritage Site Antigua Guatemala*, the old Spanish colonial city which was abandoned in 1773 after two earthquakes, but delights visitors today with its flair.

Huatulco/Mexico - Small, secluded bays, white beaches accessible only by boat* - spend memorable hours on the coast of Huatulco. Or conquer the realm of the Zapoteca, Mixteca and Aztecs: a plane will take you to Oaxaca* and then onto the archaeological digs at Monte Alban - one of the largest pyramid complexes in Mexico.

Acapulco/Mexico - The protected stretch of beach of the Princess Hotel* will become your 5-star retreat on the Mexican Pacific coast and the marvellous end to a fantastic cruise. After a final overnight stay on board, your plane home will be waiting - or the exciting post-arrival programme Mexico City and the Land of the Maya* with the impressive UNESCO World Heritage Site Chichen Itza on the Yucatán Peninsula.

Daily Itinerary

  • Sat 01/05 In La Guaira for embarkation on the EUROPA - La Guaira (Caracas)/Venezuela, departure 9:00 pm
  • Sun 01/06 Willemstad, 8:00 am - 5:00 pm
  • Mon 01/07 Relaxation at Sea
  • Tue 01/08 Cartagena, 8:00 am - 6:00 pm
  • Wed 01/09 El Porvenir, 8:00 am - 2:00 pm
  • Thurs 01/10 Puerto Limon, 6:00 am - 4:00 pm
  • Fri 01/11 Passage through the Panama Canal, daytime
  • Sat 01/12 Isla de Coiba, 8:00 am - 4:00 pm
  • Sun 01/13 Puntarenas, 8:00 am - 6:00 pm
  • Mon 01/14 Relaxation at Sea
  • Tue 01/15 Puerto Quetzal, 7:00 am - 12:00 midnight
  • Wed 01/16 Relaxation at Sea
  • Thurs 01/17 Huatulco, 6:00 am - 8:00 pm
  • Fri 01/18 Acapulco/Mexico, arrival 1:00 pm - Overnight stay on board
  • Sat 01/19 Acapulco Sight-seeing with lunch, transfer to airport

Also tagged with: Cruise Expeditions, North America, South America, Central America, Venezuela, Mexico, Panama, Deluxe Cruises, Hapag Lloyd, MS Europa, World Cruises


Vantage World Strongly Recommends Insurance for all your Travel Programs

Insure My Trip We provide, through TravelSafe Insurance, one of the nation's largest and most respected providers of travel insurance, a TravelSafe Custom Plan, where you decide the benefits YOU want and the levels of protection YOU desire including access to their 24-hour emergency assistance service from anywhere in the world. Click the link below the Plan Benefits table for plan details.