Like many southeast Florida neighbors, Fort Lauderdale has long been revitalizing. In a state where gaudy tourist zones often stand aloof from workaday downtowns, Fort Lauderdale exhibits consistency at both ends of the 2-mile Las Olas corridor. The sparkling look results from upgrades both downtown and on the beachfront. Matching the downtown's innovative arts district, cafés, and boutiques is an equally inventive beach area, with hotels, cafés, and shops facing an undeveloped shoreline, and new resort-style hotels replacing faded icons of yesteryear. Despite wariness of pretentious overdevelopment, city leaders have allowed a striking number of glittering high-rises. Nostalgic locals and frequent visitors fret over the diminishing vision of sailboats bobbing in waters near downtown; however, Fort Lauderdale remains the yachting capital of the world, and the water toys don’t seem to be going anywhere.

Harbour Island is a small slip of island, extending three miles from north to south and less than half a mile wide. The island at the northern tip of the much larger Eleuthera Island. Despite its small size it has about 1,700 residents and one incorporated town, Dunmore Town, named after the governor of the Bahamas John Murray, the 4th Earl of Dunmore (1785 to 1798 governorship). The island is known for its pink sand beaches – the pink comes from a microscopic organism (foraminifera) with a reddish-pink shell. Harbour Island charms every visitor, with its colorful Colonial houses and wild horses occasionally spotted running along the serene beaches.

Days at sea are the perfect opportunity to relax, unwind and catch up with what you’ve been meaning to do. So whether that is whale watching from the Observatory Lounge, writing home to your loved ones or simply topping up your tan by the pool, these blue sea days are the perfect balance to busy days spent exploring shore side.

Port Antonio, on the Northeast coast of Jamaica, is the islands third largest port, mainly for bananas and coconuts. It is also an important tourist destination. In fact, it has been featured as a model of paradise in several famous Hollywood films such as Club Paradise and Cocktail. Port Antonio was a sleepy coastal town until the 1880s, when Lorenzo Dow Baker, an American businessman, started the banana trade in Jamaica and promoted Port Antonio as a vacation spot for wealthy Americans. "Portie", as it is nicknamed, became a boom town. Even the movie star Errol Flynn was enamoured and ended up buying property here after his yacht washed ashore in 1946. Today it is still a major destination with plenty to do and see, from stunning scenery, creative arts and crafts, and cultural and historical sites.

First spotted on his fourth and final trans-Atlantic crossing in 1503 and originally named Las Tortugas by Christopher Columbus because of the many turtles he spotted on the island, Cayman Brac rears up out of the water as if surrounded by a fort. Think craggy limestone shores (although archetypal sandy beaches and blue lapping seas are assured on the north of the island), which have kept this Cayman relatively free from mass tourism. Because of her geographical location (145km from Grand Cayman) and her challenging coastal approach, life has remained very laid back here, with local enterprises being stonemasonry and fishing, although some mass tourism is being developed thanks mostly due to its pristine underwater eco-system ensuring divers and snorkellers some very special sights. The Brac, or “Bluff” has however been a magnetic pull to climbers in recent years, with over 100 sport climbs mapped out on the easterly cliff face.

Despite its rich historical past the island is assuredly modern. The middle child of the Cayman Islands, Cayman Brac is just 19kms long (although its little sister, Little Cayman is 16km, while Grand Cayman, although still small, is by far the largest at 35 km). Nevertheless, the plethora of hidden caves, nature trails and abundant wildlife both above and below the water make this little gem a paradise for nature lovers.

Days at sea are the perfect opportunity to relax, unwind and catch up with what you’ve been meaning to do. So whether that is whale watching from the Observatory Lounge, writing home to your loved ones or simply topping up your tan by the pool, these blue sea days are the perfect balance to busy days spent exploring shore side.

The San Andres and Providencia archipelago comprises Colombia's Caribbean islands, lying some 290 miles north of the South American coast. Palm-dotted San Andres is only eight miles long and two miles wide. It is noted for beautiful sand beaches, crystal-clear waters and good diving sites. At one time the island belonged to Britain and, according to local lore; it was a favorite hideout for the legendary pirate Henry Morgan. In 1822, San Andres came under the control of Colombia. In recent years the original population has greatly increased due to unrestricted immigration from the mainland. There are also Chinese and Middle Eastern communities. The official language is Spanish but English is widely spoken, especially in shops and hotels. The island is best seen via the scenic ring road that offers views of coves, beaches and palm groves. In the interior stands a Baptist church dating from 1847, and the attraction at the southern end is the Hoyo Soplador, a geyser-like hole where the sea shoots jets of water intermittently into the air during the right wind and sea conditions. On the island's northern tip lies the main town and commercial center, known by the same name as the island. San Andres Town is surrounded by beaches, with small hotels lining the waterfront. Being a duty-free zone, the town often gets crowded with Colombian shoppers who come from the mainland looking for foreign-made goods at duty-free prices. To reach the town from the tender landing requires an approximate 20-minute taxi ride. However, it is not uncommon for drivers to choose the longer way around the island for a higher fare. From the downtown waterfront, boats offer trips to Johnny Cay, a tiny island just a stone's throw across from town and known for its powdery white sand beach and rustic, laid-back atmosphere. San Andres Island’s main attraction is its location off the beaten track, as well as pretty scenery, sandy beaches and clear, warm waters. Tourism infrastructure is limited. Pier Information The ship is scheduled to anchor off El Cove. Guests will be taken ashore via the ship's tenders. The landing site is about a 20-minute drive from San Andres Town. There are plenty of taxi drivers offering their services. Please be sure to agree on the fare before setting out (the one-way fare should be around $30). Keep in mind that not all taxi drivers speak English. Shuttle buses are not available. Shopping Most shops in town carry duty-free imports. At New Point Plaza you will find shops selling local souvenir items and jewelry including emeralds. Some stores close between 12:30 p.m. and 3:00 p.m. The local currency is the peso. Many shops will accept U.S. dollars and major credit cards. Cuisine Outdoor cafés are available in town if you fancy a cold drink or a quick snack. Other Sites All of the island’s sights are covered on the San Andres Island Drive. Beaches Swimmers, snorkelers and sun seekers will find beach facilities right in town. One of the hotels also features water sport rentals. Johnny Cay can be reached via local boats departing from the waterfront. However, be aware that winds are fairly strong between November and January, which may cause delays for your return boat ride. There are no tourist facilities on Johnny Cay. Private cars/vans are not available in this port, except for taxis.

Christopher Columbus became Costa Rica's first tourist when he landed on this stretch of coast in 1502 during his fourth and final voyage to the New World. Expecting to find vast mineral wealth, he named the region Costa Rica ("rich coast"). Imagine the Spaniards' surprise eventually to find there was none. Save for a brief skirmish some six decades ago, the country did prove itself rich in a long tradition of peace and democracy. No other country in Latin America can make that claim. Costa Rica is also abundantly rich in natural beauty, managing to pack beaches, volcanoes, rain forests, and diverse animal life into an area the size of Vermont and New Hampshire combined. It has successfully parlayed those qualities into its role as one the world's great ecotourism destinations. A day visit is short, but time enough for a quick sample.

Translated as Mouths of the Bull, Bocas del Toro is both a province and an archipelago in the northwest Caribbean Sea in Panama. The archipelago contains 10 larger islands (including the main Isla Colon, where the town of Bocas del Toro is situated), 50 cays and 200 tiny islets. The region contains Isla Bastimentos National Marine Park, Panama’s first national marine park that covers over 32,000 acres and protects forests, mangroves, monkeys, sloths, caiman, crocodile and 28 species of amphibians and reptiles. The park also contains Playa Larga, an important nesting site for sea turtles. With all there is to see in this region, visitors should also pause to enjoy the pristine white beaches lined with palm trees that lie all along the surrounding clear waters of the Chiriqui Lagoon