Miami to Bridgetown

The seaport city of Miami, a hip urban centre located on Biscayne Bay in south-eastern Florida, is one of the world’s most popular vacation spots and is known as the ‘Cruise Capital of the World’. For more than two decades, the Port of Miami has been the number one cruise passenger port in the world. It is the second-largest city in Florida with a population of around 5.5 million people, and is a major centre, and a leader in finance, commerce, culture, media, entertainment, the arts, and international trade. Miami, Named after a Native American word meaning "big water," was original claimed for Spain in1566 by explorer Pedro Menéndez de Avilés. One year later, a Spanish mission was established. Spain and Great Britain successively "controlled" Florida, and finally Spain ceded it to the United States in 1821. The landscape is very flat, with the highest elevation being only 12m (40 ft ) above sea level, with an averages of about 1.8m (6 ft.).

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 going to the gym, visiting the spa, whale watching, catching up on your reading or simply topping up your tan these blue sea days are the perfect balance to busy days spent exploring shore side.

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 going to the gym, visiting the spa, whale watching, catching up on your reading or simply topping up your tan these blue sea days are the perfect balance to busy days spent exploring shore side.

Tour description San Juan, Puerto Rico Although Puerto Rico is a commonwealth of the United States, few cities in the Caribbean are as steeped in Spanish tradition as San Juan. Within a seven-square-block area in Old San Juan are restored 16th-century buildings, museums, art galleries, bookstores, and 200-year-old houses with balustraded balconies overlooking narrow, cobblestone streets. In contrast, San Juan's sophisticated Condado and Isla Verde areas have glittering hotels, fancy boutiques, casinos, and discos. Out in the countryside is 28,000-acre El Yunque National Forest, a rain forest with more than 240 species of trees growing at least 100 feet high. You can stretch your sea legs on dramatic mountain ranges, numerous trails, in vast caves, at coffee plantations, old sugar mills, and hundreds of beaches. No wonder San Juan is one of the busiest ports of call in the Caribbean. Like any other big city, San Juan has its share of petty crime, so guard your wallet or purse, especially in crowded markets and squares. Sights Old San Juan, the original city founded in 1521, contains carefully preserved examples of 16th- and 17th-century Spanish-colonial architecture. More than 400 buildings have been beautifully restored. Graceful wrought-iron balconies with lush hanging plants extend over narrow streets paved with adoquines (blue-gray stones originally used as ballast on Spanish ships). The Old City is partially enclosed by walls that date from 1633 and once completely surrounded it. Designated a U.S. National Historic Zone in 1950, Old San Juan is chockablock with shops, open-air cafés, homes, tree-shaded squares, monuments, and people. You can get an overview on a morning's stroll (bear in mind that this "stroll" includes some steep climbs). However, if you plan to immerse yourself in history or to shop, you'll need a couple of days. Alcaldía. San Juan's city hall was built between 1602 and 1789. In 1841, extensive alterations were made so that it would resemble the city hall in Madrid, with arcades, towers, balconies, and an inner courtyard. Renovations have refreshed the facade of the building and some interior rooms, but the architecture remains true to its colonial style. Only the patios are open to public viewings. A municipal tourist information center and an art gallery with rotating exhibits are in the lobby. 153 Calle San Francisco, Plaza de Armas, Old San Juan. Castillo San Cristóbal. This huge stone fortress, built between 1634 and 1790, guarded the city from land attacks from the east. The largest Spanish fortification in the New World, San Cristóbal was known in the 17th and 18th centuries as the Gibraltar of the West Indies. Five freestanding structures divided by dry moats are connected by tunnels. You're free to explore the gun turrets (with cannon in situ), officers' quarters, re-created 18th-century barracks, and gloomy passageways. Along with El Morro, San Cristóbal is a National Historic Site administered by the U.S. Park Service; it's a World Heritage Site as well. Rangers conduct tours in Spanish and English. Calle Norzagaray at Av. Muñoz Rivera, Old San Juan. Admission charged. Castillo San Felipe del Morro (El Morro). At the northwestern tip of the Old City is El Morro ("the promontory"), a fortress built by the Spaniards between 1539 and 1786. Rising 140 feet above the sea, the massive six-level fortress was built to protect the harbor entrance. It is a labyrinth of cannon batteries, ramps, barracks, turrets, towers, and tunnels. Built to protect the port, El Morro has a commanding view of the harbor. You're free to wander throughout. The cannon emplacement walls and the dank secret passageways are a wonder of engineering. The fort's small but enlightening museum displays ancient Spanish guns and other armaments, military uniforms, and blueprints for Spanish forts in the Americas, although Castillo San Cristóbal has more extensive and impressive exhibits. There's also a gift shop. The fort is a National Historic Site administered by the U.S. Park Service; it's a World Heritage Site as well. Various tours and a video are available in English. Calle del Morro, Old San Juan. Admission charged. Catedral de San Juan Bautista. The Catholic shrine of Puerto Rico had humble beginnings in the early 1520s as a thatch-roofed, wooden structure. After a hurricane destroyed the church, it was rebuilt in 1540, when it was given a graceful circular staircase and vaulted Gothic ceilings. Most of the work on the present cathedral, however, was done in the 19th century. The remains of Ponce de León are behind a marble tomb in the wall near the transept, on the north side. The trompe l'oeil work on the inside of the dome is breathtaking. Unfortunately, many of the other frescoes suffer from water damage. 151 Calle Cristo, Old San Juan. Admission charged. Galería Nacional. Built by Dominican friars in 1523, this convent-the oldest in Puerto Rico-once served as a shelter during Carib Indian attacks and, more recently, as headquarters for the Antilles command of the U.S. Army. The beautifully restored building contains the Galería Nacional, which showcases the collection of the Institute of Puerto Rican Culture. Arranged chronologically, the museum traces the development of Puerto Rican art over the centuries, from José Campeche and Francisco Oller to Rafael Tufiño and Myrna Báez. You'll also find a good collection of santos, traditional wood carvings of saints. 98 Calle Norzagaray, Old San Juan. Admission charged. La Fortaleza. Sitting atop the fortified city walls overlooking the harbor, the Fortaleza was built between 1533 and 1540 as a fortress, but it wasn't a very good one. It was attacked numerous times and was occupied twice, by the British in 1598 and the Dutch in 1625. When El Morro and the city's other fortifications were finished, the Fortaleza became the governor's palace. Numerous changes have been made to the original primitive structure over the past four centuries, resulting in the current eclectic yet eye-pleasing collection of marble and mahogany, medieval towers, and stained-glass galleries. It is still the official residence of the island's governor, and is the Western Hemisphere's oldest executive mansion in continual use. Guided tours of the gardens and the building's exterior are conducted several times a day in English and Spanish. Call ahead, as the schedule changes daily. Proper attire is required: no sleeveless shirts or very short shorts. The tours begin near the main gate in a yellow building called the Real Audiencia, housing the Oficina Estatal de Preservación Histórica. Western end of Calle Fortaleza, Old San Juan. Museo de las Américas. On the second floor of the imposing former military barracks, Cuartel de Ballajá, this museum houses four permanent exhibits: Popular Arts, African Heritage, the Indian in America, and Conquest and Colonization. You'll also find a number of temporary exhibitions of works by regional artists. A wide range of handicrafts is available in the gift shop. Calle Norzagaray and Calle del Morro, Old San Juan. Admission charged. Elsewhere in San Juan Casa Bacardí Visitor Center. Exiled from Cuba, the Bacardí family built a small rum distillery here in the 1950s. Today it's the world's largest, with the capacity to produce 100,000 gallons of spirits a day and 21 million cases a year. You can hop on a little tram to take an approximately 45-minute tour of the visitor center, though you don't visit the distillery itself. Yes, you'll be offered a sample. Bay View Industrial Park, Rte. 165, Km 2.6, at Rte. 888, Cataño. Museo de Arte de Puerto Rico. One of the biggest museums in the Caribbean, this beautiful neoclassical building was once the San Juan Municipal Hospital. The collection of Puerto Rican art starts with works from the colonial era, most of them commissioned for churches. Here you'll find works by José Campeche, the island's first great painter. His Immaculate Conception, finished in 1794, is a masterpiece. Also well represented is Francisco Oller y Cestero, who was the first to move beyond religious subjects to paint local scenes. Another gallery room is filled with works by artists inspired by Oller. The original building, built in the 1920s, proved to be too small to house the museum's collection: the newer east wing is dominated by a five-story-tall stained-glass window, the work of local artist Eric Tabales. There's also a beautiful garden filled with a variety of native flora and a 400-seat theater that's worth seeing for its remarkable hand-crocheted lace curtain. 299 Av. José de Diego, Santurce. Admission charged. Shopping San Juan is not a duty-free port, so you won't find bargains on electronics and perfumes. However, shopping for native crafts can be fun. Popular souvenirs and gifts include santos (small, hand-carved figures of saints or religious scenes), hand-rolled cigars, local coffee, handmade lace, and carnival masks. In Old San Juan, especially on Calles Fortaleza and Cristo, you can find everything from T-shirt emporiums to selective crafts stores, bookshops, art galleries, jewelry boutiques, and even shops that specialize in made-to-order Panama hats. Calle Cristo is lined with factory-outlet stores, including Coach and Ralph Lauren. Beaches San Juan doesn't have the island's best beaches, but anyone can rent a chair for the day at one of the public entry points.

Like so many of the islands in the Caribbean, 2017’s double whammy of hurricanes Irma and Maria devastated much of St. John. However, as relief funds get funnelled into rebuilding, normality is gradually being restored, and St. John version 2.0 is emerging - bolder, brighter and better. St. John’s small size might just give it the edge over other desert islands. The US purchased the tiny landmass (at just nine miles long, the island is the smallest of the three American Virgin Islands) from the West India and Guinea Company in 1917 and it remains under US govern to this day. Historically speaking however St. John is Danish, who colonised it for almost 250 years before its sale to America. The Virgin Island Nation park covers almost two-thirds the island, meaning visually St. John is stunning, and will remain that way for generations to come. This ‘gift’ to the world comes thanks to Laurence Rockefeller who in 1956 gave the 5,000 acres of lush forest to the people of the island, with the caveat that it become a national park. Thus, velvety green hills slope into picture perfect white sand beaches, which are ringed by turquoise seas. One very definite winner of the tourism hiatus since 2017 has been the marine wildlife. Underwater life was barely affected by the storms and the subsequent lack of tourism has allowed the eco-systems to propagate. The island’s abundant coral reefs were not overly affected by the storms and today the waters are teeming with sea turtles, reef sharks and sting rays.

Cherry red roofs, yacht-sprinkled bays and a sophisticated French flavour all add to the gorgeous Caribbean allure of Gustavia. The island's capital rolls around a horseshoe-shaped harbour, where gleaming yachts hover and fancy boutiques, bars and restaurants fizz with life and clinking cutlery. Head up to red and white Gustavia Lighthouse to look down over the revered waters, which attract many a celebrity guest and diving enthusiast to these shores. Christopher Columbus was the first European to discover this volcanic island in 1493, giving it the name St Barthelemy in honour of his younger brother. The island has a unique history as a Swedish colony, following a deal with the French King Louis XVI to exchange the island with Sweden for better trading rights. It was returned to French control in 1878 and is now a French Overseas Collectivity. Learn more of the Swedish legacy at Fort Karl - which sits on a 29-metre-high hill above Shell Beach. The fort now lies in ruins, but you'll meet wandering iguanas, and the views down of sweeping sea and emerald coastline are some of the island's finest. Down below, a delightful spread of tiny pebbles and shell fragments are scattered like confetti and lapped by crystal-clear water. A little exploration uncovers countless other glorious beaches and natural wonders. Colombier Beach is a little out of the way but cradles silky-smooth sands and typically turquoise waters. If you have chance, find somewhere to settle and sip fruity rum cocktails as the sunset flares across the waves.

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 going to the gym, visiting the spa, whale watching, catching up on your reading or simply topping up your tan these blue sea days are the perfect balance to busy days spent exploring shore side.

Bright and brilliant colours coat the waterfront buildings of Willemstad, gleaming attractively below the generous Caribbean sun. The capital of the Carribean island Curacao, Willemstad is famous for its technicolour UNESCO World Heritage Site city centre, and a narrow channel connects the sea with the Schottegat harbour, which expands inland like a blooming flower. Settled by the Dutch in the 1630s, they brought colourful architecture, lavish red-roofed mansions, and gorgeous European-style waterfront buildings to this beautiful Caribbean island. Watching over the entrance to this luxurious port is Rif Fort - a 19th-century fortress, which looms above the Sint Anna Bay channel. From here, wind your way to the Queen Emma Bridge - a pontoon bridge known as the Swinging Old Lady, which was built in 1888 to connect Otrobanda and Punda. Enjoy the wonderful views of Willemstad's lavish, pastel-coloured Punda waterfront set before you. Visit the small boats that pull up side by side to sell juicy fruits and vegetables, in a floating market on the waters below. At sunset, the gingerbread stretch bathes in lights, glowing evocatively as the last of the evening's light ebbs away. Wander Willemstad to discover the lemon-shaded Mikve Israel-Emanuel Synagogue, said to be the oldest synagogue in the Americas, see the historic liqueur distillery or head for Queen Wilhelmina Park - where the letters 'DUSHI' are spelt out in a standing sign. You'll hear this word a lot - the island's favourite way of describing the little things that make life worth living. The beaches of Curacao are certainly 'dushi', with tempting sandy curves on practically every corner. Snorkel in the turquoise waves, among dashing fish life and sleek sea turtles.

Kralendijk, Bonaire The first inhabitants on Bonaire were the Arawak Indians. Then in 1499, Amerigo Vespucci discovered Bonaire and claimed it for Spain. Because the island had no gold nor sufficient rainfall to develop agriculture, the Spaniards forced the native Indians into slavery on the large plantations of Hispaniola, resulting in the almost depopulation of the island. In 1526, the governor of Bonaire decided to bring in laborers from Venezuela and, with the help of the local Indians, he began to raise cattle. Within a few years, cows, sheep, goats, pigs, donkeys and horses were being raised on the island and became valuable for their hides. Along with stock farming, sea salt was being recovered in artificial salt pans on the southern end of the island and salt soon became a precious commodity. Over the next few centuries, convicts from Spanish colonies in South America were brought to the island and small settlements were begun. In the 17th century the Dutch arrived on Bonaire. Self-rule was granted by the Netherlands in 1954 but it remained a Dutch protectorate. Thanks to its abundant bird life and beautiful coral reefs, Bonaire began to emerge as a holiday resort. Hotels began to open and the airport, originally constructed in 1955, was expanded in 1972 to support the increase in visitors. Today, Bonaire is well known to scuba divers and bird-watchers. There is little agriculture and most of the island is covered in scrub and cacti. Going Ashore at Bonaire Pier Information The ship is scheduled to dock at Kralendijk North Pier. The town centre is within walking distance from the pier. Shopping Most of the shops are located on Kaya Grandi, Bonaire's main street, and its adjacent streets. Bonaire is not a major shopping center but you will find many small stores selling good quality watches, gold jewelry, Dutch cheeses and fine china. Look for local arts and crafts with an ocean theme. The local currency is the Netherlands Antillean Florins (NAFl). U.S. dollars are also widely accepted. Cuisine The ethnic diversity of the island's culture has led to a wide variety of tastes and cuisines that include French, Chinese, Continental, Thai and Italian. Many restaurants offer theme buffets such as Tex-Mex or island barbecues. Barhaps, or snack bars, are popular as are restaurants that offer tabletop grilling. Local restaurants feature freshly caught seafood and seafood gumbos or goat stew. Other Sights Washington Slagbaii National Park Once a plantation producing divi-divi trees and aloe, the park is now a model of conservation designed to maintain fauna, flora and geological treasures. Scuba Diving If you are interested in setting up a dive, please see the Tour Manager on board the ship who will be pleased to make the necessary arrangements for you. Private Arrangements For those guests interested in touring at your leisure, we are pleased to offer Silver Shore Privato - both half-day and full-day private arrangements by private car or van. You may book this in advance at Silversea.com or it may be purchased on board, subject to availability. Other private arrangements for independent sightseeing may be arranged by emailing Concierge@silversea.com.

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 going to the gym, visiting the spa, whale watching, catching up on your reading or simply topping up your tan these blue sea days are the perfect balance to busy days spent exploring shore side.

With beautiful seascapes, lush vegetation and intense natural ingredients, the Isle of Spice has the perfect recipe for a flavourful visit. A true sensory experience, St George's is famous as the world’s second-largest exporter of the spice, nutmeg. Just as much of a treat for the eyes as it is for the palate, its jungled mounds, idyllic white-sand beaches, and turquoise Caribbean seas are a glorious sight to behold. Thrilling waterfalls pour through the rainforest, while banana and cocoa groves spread wildly across the island. Grenada’s capital rolls down to an attractive waterfront decorated with pretty floral buildings, Georgian architecture and picturesque terracotta roofs. Breathe in deep at the spice market, where the freshest ingredients fill stalls. Heaps of fresh nutmeg, vanilla pods, cinnamon and cocoa beans all add to the colourful mosaic. Dip into the waters of Bamboo Waterfall, or venture to Grand Etang, to explore the rich and fertile interior of this scenic island, where mischievous mona monkeys explore treetops and a collapsed volcano holds the waters of a glorious caldera lake. If all of that exploring sounds like hard work - don’t worry, the island is skirted by some of the Caribbean’s dreamiest visions of seaside luxury - from famous natural beauties like Grand Anse Beach to secret stretches hidden amongst the palm trees. Soak in the vivid colours, best enjoyed with an iced cocktail and a taste of the locally distilled, spiced rum punch.

Bridgetown, the captivating capital of Barbados, combines faded colonial history, captivating tradition, and vivid white beaches plucked directly from your richest imagination of Caribbean perfection. Recently listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site, thanks to its beautifully preserved colonial architecture, Bridgetown’s mask of modernity covers a core of complex history and fascinating culture. Sherbet coloured buildings line up to overlook the waterfront of the Constitution River at the ‘The Careenage’ - where gleaming ships bob on the blue water, and peaceful strolls along a wooden boardwalk await. Stop for a sobering moment at the commemorative plaque honouring the people traded at this spot, when Bridgetown was the British Empire’s most important harbour, and first stop on the Transatlantic Slave Trade crossing. Just five minutes’ stroll from here is Carlisle Bay - a postcard-perfect place where you'll find crystal-clear, turquoise seawater glowing in the Caribbean sun, and a mile of soft white powder sand. A treasure trove for divers, the shipwrecks scattered below the shallow water’s waves are now inhabited by turtles and swirling, rainbow-coloured tropical fish. Head to the backstreets, where street food vendors serve up spicy chicken soup, barbecued pigtails and thirst-quenching coconut water. There are bargains aplenty to be had on Broad Street, where duty-free malls and souvenir stalls cram together, vying for your attention. Roebuck Street is the spot where one of the Caribbean’s favourite drinks, rum, was discovered - having been created here from the by-products of the island’s booming sugarcane trade. Nowadays, it’s lined with bars splashing every variety of the deliciously spicy dark libation imaginable into glasses. For a touch more culture, visit one of the oldest synagogues in The Americas - Nidhe Israel Synagogue, which was built in 1654. The adjoining museum tells the story of Barbados’ Jewish immigrants, who were instrumental in the island’s development.