Explore Central America

Our ship the Norwegian Getaway left the Port of Miami setting off on a new adventure with the first stop in Costa Maya, Mexico.  As we left the port, everyone was having a great time as we ventured through the breathtaking scenery of the tall buildings of Miami and the beautiful blue water of the very southern part of Florida.  

Roatán is an island in the Caribbean, about 65 kilometres off the northern coast of Honduras. It is located between the islands of Útila and Guanaja, and is the largest of the Bay Islands of Honduras. 

Welcome to Roatan Island!  Our ship arrived in the Port of Roatan...

Say "hello" to Costa Maya, Mexico - a small tourist region in the state of Quintana Roo, Mexico where the official language is Spanish but many speak English and they are very friendly to all who come to enjoy the beauty and the beaches of the Caribbean.

It’s no wonder Roatan is becoming increasingly popular as a stopover for cruise ships.  The  pristine white sandy beaches, colorful coral reefs and lush tropical foliage have made this a day tripper’s paradise. 

Roatan Bay is the most popular bay in Honduras it is located in Roatan, the biggest of the Bay Islands of Honduras.

Roatán is an island in the Caribbean, about 65 kilometres off the northern coast of Honduras. It is located between the islands of Útila and Guanaja, and is the largest of the Bay Islands of Honduras. The island was formerly known as Ruatan and Rattan.

We boarded our tour bus to experience the laid-back way of life on this tour and the happenings on this incredible island.

This was a tour coming out of Miami, Florida on our cruise of June 12, 2016. Everyone was enjoying the Norwegian Getaway as we cruised out of the port through the beautiful waterway, passing huge tall buildings lining the waterway of Miami with hundreds of beautiful yachts and sail boats. Cruising all the way down the waterway from the Port of Miami to make our way to the Atlantic Ocean.  What a thrill with all the people enjoying the water, the great breeze and the music!

On our first day here we did the glass-bottomed boat, the Chocolate Factory and the Ivory store. 

The next day we were off to another adventure in Belize which is a Caribbean country located on the northeastern coast of Central America. Belize is bordered on the northwest by Mexico, on the east by the Caribbean Sea.  

Our first stop was to ride on a glass-bottom boat...

An unforgettable ride on the Coral Reef Explorer Glass Bottom Boat; on this glass-bottom boat and SemiSubmersible tour, you can see the Coral Reef without getting wet! Sit 6 feet below the crystal clear water in A/C comfort and glide through over 1 mile of Roatan's most precious resource . . . the Coral Reef and to see what goes on in the water looking through the glass windows!

We listened to your tour guide describe the fantastic marine life and beautiful coral formations. 

The glass bottom boat tour was a great way to see a spectacular reef. The staff was friendly and helpful and the facilities were in great shape. We saw lots of fish - fish of all sizes and a couple of divers.  

And there were so many photos taken of the fish and coral reef of all sizes - posted on our 30-minute movie/download.

Belize is a nation on the eastern coast of Central America, with Caribbean Sea shorelines to the east and dense jungle to the west. Offshore, the massive Belize Barrier Reef, dotted with hundreds of low-lying islands called cayes, hosts rich marine life.

Belize’s jungle areas are home to Mayan ruins like Caracol, renowned for its towering pyramid; lagoon-side Lamanai; and Altun Ha, just outside Belize City. 

Altun Ha, The Ruins, Belize, Mayan city Costa Mayo, ancient Mayan city, Creole villages, Belize City are all the different places you can visit on your cruise.

For many years Chacchoben, remained silent as evidence of the greatness of the most brilliant civilization of the new world, today Chacchoben has become the most visited ruins site in Costa Maya.

Early Mayans were predominant in this area from 200 BC to 900 AD.  The ruins in Chacchoben were constructed by the Mayans in the 4th century.  They include magnificent stone structures and pyramids.

Our trip to the Chacchoben ruins took approximately an hour to drive through the back roads  as we saw how the islanders lived - but it was worth it to see one of the top attractions in Costa Maya.

Deep in the Mexican jungle, Chacchoben is among the most famous ruins in Cozumel. These ancient pyramids have been excavated and restored, and now stand as testament to the myths and rituals of the mysterious Mayan peoples - an ancient sacred Mayan site.  

It was so amazing to stand there and look up at those great creations that were still standing after this many years.  I just kept taking pictures all the time I was there and I'd like to share them with on our 30-minute download - you'll also be amazed!

For many years Chacchoben, remained silent as evidence of the greatness of the most brilliant civilization of the new world, today Chacchoben has become the most visited ruins site in Costa Maya.

Explore Chacchoben's ritual heart, a space once reserved for elaborated ceremonies and now yours to discover. Experience the world of the ancient Maya and understand their vision of the universe while you enliven your senses with the sounds of nature.

Chacchoben's surrounding jungle is characterized by many species of fauna such as, deer, peccary, armadillo, gray fox, spider monkey and howler monkey. Deeper into the jungle it's possible to find species like jaguar, ocelot, puma and tapir.  We saw a few monkeys chattering in the treetops!