Caribbean and Bahamas from Galveston

With the second busiest port in America, Galveston has been coined the "Queen of the Gulf." Seafood lovers will covet the oyster and shrimp culinary specialties of this island with over 30 miles of sandy beaches. Keep your eyes on the water! Bottlenose dolphin sightings are quite common in Galveston Bay. A strong sense of community is shared by the locals who take pride in their town and cultural festivities. Galveston is home to an impressively large collection of 19th-century buildings and the city is awash with restored homes from the Victorian era, in addition to nature parks and colorful oleanders.

With the second busiest port in America, Galveston has been coined the "Queen of the Gulf." Seafood lovers will covet the oyster and shrimp culinary specialties of this island with over 30 miles of sandy beaches. Keep your eyes on the water! Bottlenose dolphin sightings are quite common in Galveston Bay. A strong sense of community is shared by the locals who take pride in their town and cultural festivities. Galveston is home to an impressively large collection of 19th-century buildings and the city is awash with restored homes from the Victorian era, in addition to nature parks and colorful oleanders.

Laid-back coast with sandy beaches & waterfront eateries, plus diving around offshore coral reefs.

Laid-back coast with sandy beaches & waterfront eateries, plus diving around offshore coral reefs.

Setting foot on Isla de Roatán, off the coast of Honduras, is like entering an incredible work of art where the mountainous lush green junglescape meets the glorious blue sea, and deep coves hide pirates of the past. Roatán, after all, was at one point home to more than 5,000 pirates. Largely untouched, Roatán is known for its barrier reef, fishing and diving cultures. The island offers easy access to beautiful beaches and its coral reef, a sanctuary for snorkelers and divers exploring the bounty of its marine life. You’ll arrive on an MSC Caribbean and Antilles cruise into Coxen Hole, the capital of the island, aptly named after the pirate who anchored his ship here at the end of the 17th century. Head off the beaten track to explore the picturesque fishing villages of Punta Gorda, with its Garifuna people, descendants of island Caribs and African slaves, and Oak Ridge, a village on stilts only accessible by boat. Here in an exclusive Martha Stewart excursion curated for MSC, you’ll learn about the local fishing culture, taste local delicacies and explore the island’s waterways and mangroves. For something more adventurous, book one of several MSC excursions that will have you darting across suspension bridges, zip lining through jungle canopy and mingling with monkeys, toucans, parrots and many other birds that inhabit the local forests. Seeking more vibes? Head to popular West Bay for excellent cocktails, beautiful beaches, shopping and entertainment that livens the atmosphere in the rhythm of Caribbean music.

Setting foot on Isla de Roatán, off the coast of Honduras, is like entering an incredible work of art where the mountainous lush green junglescape meets the glorious blue sea, and deep coves hide pirates of the past. Roatán, after all, was at one point home to more than 5,000 pirates. Largely untouched, Roatán is known for its barrier reef, fishing and diving cultures. The island offers easy access to beautiful beaches and its coral reef, a sanctuary for snorkelers and divers exploring the bounty of its marine life. You’ll arrive on an MSC Caribbean and Antilles cruise into Coxen Hole, the capital of the island, aptly named after the pirate who anchored his ship here at the end of the 17th century. Head off the beaten track to explore the picturesque fishing villages of Punta Gorda, with its Garifuna people, descendants of island Caribs and African slaves, and Oak Ridge, a village on stilts only accessible by boat. Here in an exclusive Martha Stewart excursion curated for MSC, you’ll learn about the local fishing culture, taste local delicacies and explore the island’s waterways and mangroves. For something more adventurous, book one of several MSC excursions that will have you darting across suspension bridges, zip lining through jungle canopy and mingling with monkeys, toucans, parrots and many other birds that inhabit the local forests. Seeking more vibes? Head to popular West Bay for excellent cocktails, beautiful beaches, shopping and entertainment that livens the atmosphere in the rhythm of Caribbean music.

A forty-kilometre-long island directly off the coast from Playa del Carmen, Isla Cozumel is a renowned cruise-ship call: nearly every day, up to ten cruise ships dock at one of the island’s three dedicated piers, all just south of the only town, San Miguel. A holiday to Mexico with MSC Cruises will present you with restaurants, souvenir shops and jewellery stores, all along the malecón(Av Rafael Melgar) in downtown San Miguel. If you fancy a museum, the attractive Museo de la Isla de Cozumel has small displays of the flora, fauna and marine life of the island, as well as a good collection of Maya artefacts and old photos. If you’re not a diver, there’s a certain appeal in wandering the relaxed inland blocks of San Miguel, away from the piers, spotting Maya ruins and birds (the Maya called the island cuzamil – “land of the swallows”) in the dense forests and being the only person on the windswept eastern beaches. Midway across the island, San Gervasio is the only excavated Maya site on Cozumel. With several small temples connected by sacbeob, or long white roads, it was one of the many independent city-states that survived the fall of Chichén Itzá, flourishing between 1200 AD and 1650 AD. As part of a larger nature reserve the site is worth a visit for the numerous birds and butterflies you can spot early in the morning or late in the day. Another place to visit is Xcaret, a surprisingly pleasant theme park: it offers all the Yucatán’s attractions in one handy place, with a museum, a tropical aquarium, a “Maya village”, a beach, some small authentic ruins, pools and more than a kilometre of subterranean rivers down which you can swim, snorkel or float. On the other hand, neighbouring Xplor is dedicated to ziplines and other outdoor adventure.

A forty-kilometre-long island directly off the coast from Playa del Carmen, Isla Cozumel is a renowned cruise-ship call: nearly every day, up to ten cruise ships dock at one of the island’s three dedicated piers, all just south of the only town, San Miguel. A holiday to Mexico with MSC Cruises will present you with restaurants, souvenir shops and jewellery stores, all along the malecón(Av Rafael Melgar) in downtown San Miguel. If you fancy a museum, the attractive Museo de la Isla de Cozumel has small displays of the flora, fauna and marine life of the island, as well as a good collection of Maya artefacts and old photos. If you’re not a diver, there’s a certain appeal in wandering the relaxed inland blocks of San Miguel, away from the piers, spotting Maya ruins and birds (the Maya called the island cuzamil – “land of the swallows”) in the dense forests and being the only person on the windswept eastern beaches. Midway across the island, San Gervasio is the only excavated Maya site on Cozumel. With several small temples connected by sacbeob, or long white roads, it was one of the many independent city-states that survived the fall of Chichén Itzá, flourishing between 1200 AD and 1650 AD. As part of a larger nature reserve the site is worth a visit for the numerous birds and butterflies you can spot early in the morning or late in the day. Another place to visit is Xcaret, a surprisingly pleasant theme park: it offers all the Yucatán’s attractions in one handy place, with a museum, a tropical aquarium, a “Maya village”, a beach, some small authentic ruins, pools and more than a kilometre of subterranean rivers down which you can swim, snorkel or float. On the other hand, neighbouring Xplor is dedicated to ziplines and other outdoor adventure.

With the second busiest port in America, Galveston has been coined the "Queen of the Gulf." Seafood lovers will covet the oyster and shrimp culinary specialties of this island with over 30 miles of sandy beaches. Keep your eyes on the water! Bottlenose dolphin sightings are quite common in Galveston Bay. A strong sense of community is shared by the locals who take pride in their town and cultural festivities. Galveston is home to an impressively large collection of 19th-century buildings and the city is awash with restored homes from the Victorian era, in addition to nature parks and colorful oleanders.

With the second busiest port in America, Galveston has been coined the "Queen of the Gulf." Seafood lovers will covet the oyster and shrimp culinary specialties of this island with over 30 miles of sandy beaches. Keep your eyes on the water! Bottlenose dolphin sightings are quite common in Galveston Bay. A strong sense of community is shared by the locals who take pride in their town and cultural festivities. Galveston is home to an impressively large collection of 19th-century buildings and the city is awash with restored homes from the Victorian era, in addition to nature parks and colorful oleanders.