Caribbean & Bahamas from Port Canaveral

Port Canaveral, Florida's celebrated gateway to the cosmos, pairs the drama of Kennedy Space Center rocket launches with the languid pleasures of the Space Coast. Watch SpaceX boosters return to Earth before retreating to Cocoa Beach's sun-bleached shores or the quiet streets of Cocoa Village with its farm-to-table bistros. The Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge shelters manatees and over three hundred migratory bird species within sight of the launch pads. Orlando's world-famous theme parks lie just an hour inland. Visit between October and April for the most pleasant weather.

Nassau wears its layered past lightly — pirates once commanded these shores, and the elegant colonial facades along Bay Street still whisper of British rule — but today the Bahamian capital is above all a place of cerulean water and indolent pleasure. The Queen's Staircase, 65 steps hand-carved from solid limestone by enslaved labourers in the late 18th century, and the clifftop ruins of Fort Fincastle reward those who venture beyond the waterfront boutiques. Paradise Island's Harbour island, accessible by water taxi, delivers some of the Atlantic's most celebrated pink-sand beaches. Nassau is year-round in climate; November through April brings the most reliably perfect weather.

Ocean Cay MSC Marine Reserve is a restored private island in the Bahamas Berry Islands chain, where a former sand-dredging site has been transformed into a marine conservation area with seven white-sand beaches and regenerating coral reefs. Must-dos include snorkelling the marine reserve with resident biologists, kayaking over coral gardens, and stargazing under genuinely dark Caribbean skies. Visit November through April for the most comfortable conditions.

Port Canaveral, Florida's celebrated gateway to the cosmos, pairs the drama of Kennedy Space Center rocket launches with the languid pleasures of the Space Coast. Watch SpaceX boosters return to Earth before retreating to Cocoa Beach's sun-bleached shores or the quiet streets of Cocoa Village with its farm-to-table bistros. The Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge shelters manatees and over three hundred migratory bird species within sight of the launch pads. Orlando's world-famous theme parks lie just an hour inland. Visit between October and April for the most pleasant weather.

Nassau wears its layered past lightly — pirates once commanded these shores, and the elegant colonial facades along Bay Street still whisper of British rule — but today the Bahamian capital is above all a place of cerulean water and indolent pleasure. The Queen's Staircase, 65 steps hand-carved from solid limestone by enslaved labourers in the late 18th century, and the clifftop ruins of Fort Fincastle reward those who venture beyond the waterfront boutiques. Paradise Island's Harbour island, accessible by water taxi, delivers some of the Atlantic's most celebrated pink-sand beaches. Nassau is year-round in climate; November through April brings the most reliably perfect weather.

Sacred pilgrimage island of the ancient Maya and now Mexico's most celebrated diving destination, Cozumel offers two distinct experiences in perfect combination. The vast Palancar Reef — part of the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef system — delivers some of the Caribbean's most spectacular underwater scenery, with drift diving through canyons draped in black coral and sea fans. Ashore, San Miguel's colourful streetlife, fresh ceviche, and handcrafted silver jewellery invite leisurely exploration. Diving conditions are excellent year-round, though November through April brings the clearest visibility and the calmest seas for surface excursions.

On Mexico's Southern Caribbean coast, Costa Maya blends ancient Maya heritage with turquoise Caribbean beauty in one of the region's most unspoiled cruising destinations. The nearby archaeological site of Chacchoben — its jungle-shrouded temples dating to 200 AD — rewards those who venture inland with an atmosphere of genuine discovery, far from the well-trodden ruins of the north. The protected Mesoamerican Barrier Reef, the world's second largest, offers exceptional snorkelling and diving directly offshore. November through April guarantees dry, sunny days with crystalline visibility in the water — the ideal season for exploring both reef and rainforest.

Port Canaveral, Florida's celebrated gateway to the cosmos, pairs the drama of Kennedy Space Center rocket launches with the languid pleasures of the Space Coast. Watch SpaceX boosters return to Earth before retreating to Cocoa Beach's sun-bleached shores or the quiet streets of Cocoa Village with its farm-to-table bistros. The Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge shelters manatees and over three hundred migratory bird species within sight of the launch pads. Orlando's world-famous theme parks lie just an hour inland. Visit between October and April for the most pleasant weather.