Natural Sanctuaries & Heritage of the Caribbean

From $5,120 per person

8 days

Ship: Le Champlain

Natural Sanctuaries & Heritage of the Caribbean
Ponant

On this 8-day all-new cruise aboard Le Champlain, you will sail the Caribbean Sea discovering the lush landscapes of Central America, exploring the region’s historical cities to learn more about their history, sharing with the local populations and creating unforgettable memories. From Willemstad, the capital of Curaçao, set sail for Santa Marta. Located on the north of Columbia’s Caribbean coast, this seaside resort is an infinite source of wonder, with its lush tropical forest, beautiful fine sandy beaches and Pre-Columbian treasures. Then, you will visit the city of Cartagena de Indias in Colombia. Its port, fortress, and historic monuments, listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, offer many noteworthy sights. Next, you will discover the golden sand and crystal-clear waters of the coral islets of the San Blas Islands. The Kuna live among the palm trees and pirogues; this people perpetuate, among other things, the traditional craft of molas, weaved textiles in sparkling colours. San Lorenzo’s Fort is your final port of call before Colón. Admire this unusual fortress built by the Spanish Crown to protect transatlantic trade. Now classified as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, it is an exceptional example of military architecture from the 17th and 18th centuries.

Journey Summary

  • Day 1 - Nov. 26, 2025, Wed. - Willemstad
  • Day 2 - Nov. 27, 2025, Thu. - At Sea
  • Day 3 - Nov. 28, 2025, Fri. - Santa Marta
  • Day 4 - Nov. 29, 2025, Sat. - Cartagena
  • Day 5 - Nov. 30, 2025, Sun. - Cartagena
  • Day 6 - Dec. 1, 2025, Mon. - San Blas Islands
  • Day 7 - Dec. 2, 2025, Tue. - Fuerte San Lorenzo
  • Day 8 - Dec. 3, 2025, Wed. - Colón

Detailed Itinerary

Day-by-day description of your cruise and cruise activities.

Day 1 - November 26, 2025

Willemstad

Dutch settlers came here in the 1630s, about the same time they sailed through the Verazzano Narrows to Manhattan, bringing with them original red-tile roofs, first used on the trade ships as ballast and later incorporated into the architecture of Willemstad. Much of the original colonial structures remain, but this historic city is constantly reinventing itself and the government monument foundation is always busy restoring buildings in one urban neighborhood or another. The salty air causes what is called "wall cancer" which causes the ancient abodes to continually crumble over time. The city is cut in two by Santa Anna Bay. On one side is Punda (the point)—crammed with shops, restaurants, monuments, and markets and a new museum retracing its colorful history. And on the other side is Otrobanda (literally meaning the "other side"), with lots of narrow, winding streets and alleyways (called "steekjes" in Dutch), full of private homes notable for their picturesque gables and Dutch-influenced designs. In recent years the ongoing regeneration of Otrobanda has been apparent, marked by a surge in development of new hotels, restaurants, and shops; the rebirth, concentrated near the waterfront, was spearheaded by the creation of the elaborate Kura Hulanda complex.There are three ways to cross the bay: by car over the Juliana Bridge; by foot over the Queen Emma pontoon bridge (locally called "The Swinging Old Lady"); or by free ferry, which runs when the pontoon bridge is swung open for passing ships. All the major hotels outside town offer free shuttle service to town once or twice daily. Shuttles coming from the Otrobanda side leave you at Riffort. From here it's a short walk north to the foot of the pontoon bridge. Shuttles coming from the Punda side leave you near the main entrance to Ft. Amsterdam.

Day 2 - November 27, 2025

At Sea

Day 3 - November 28, 2025

Santa Marta

Day 4 - November 29, 2025

Cartagena

Cartagena's magnificent city walls and fortresses, now a UNESCO World Heritage Site, enclose a well-restored historic center (the Cuidad Amurallada, or walled city) with plazas, churches, museums, and shops that have made it a lively coastal vacation spot for South Americans and others. New hotels and restaurants make the walled city a desirable place to stay, and the formerly down-at-the-heels Getsemaní neighborhood attracts those seeking a bohemian buzz. The historic center is a small section of Cartagena; many hotels are in the Bocagrande district, an elongated peninsula where high-rise hotels overlook a long, gray-sand beach.When it was founded in 1533 by Spanish conquistador Pedro de Heredia, Cartagena was the only port on the South American mainland. Gold and silver looted from indigenous peoples passed through here en route to Spain and attracted pirates, including Sir Francis Drake, who in 1586 torched 200 buildings. Cartagena's walls protected the city's riches as well as the New World's most important African slave market.

Day 5 - November 30, 2025

Cartagena

Cartagena's magnificent city walls and fortresses, now a UNESCO World Heritage Site, enclose a well-restored historic center (the Cuidad Amurallada, or walled city) with plazas, churches, museums, and shops that have made it a lively coastal vacation spot for South Americans and others. New hotels and restaurants make the walled city a desirable place to stay, and the formerly down-at-the-heels Getsemaní neighborhood attracts those seeking a bohemian buzz. The historic center is a small section of Cartagena; many hotels are in the Bocagrande district, an elongated peninsula where high-rise hotels overlook a long, gray-sand beach.When it was founded in 1533 by Spanish conquistador Pedro de Heredia, Cartagena was the only port on the South American mainland. Gold and silver looted from indigenous peoples passed through here en route to Spain and attracted pirates, including Sir Francis Drake, who in 1586 torched 200 buildings. Cartagena's walls protected the city's riches as well as the New World's most important African slave market.

Day 6 - December 01, 2025

San Blas Islands

The San Blas archipelago is located off the Caribbean coast, east of Colon, and is made up of 365 islands that range in size from tiny ones with a few coconut palms to islands on which hundreds of Kuna Indians live. Only about fifty are inhabited. The Kuna rule the San Blas Territory with internal autonomy, and have tightly preserved their language and cultural traditions over the centuries despite influences from European colonies. In addition to their own language, Spanish is widely spoken and many men work on the mainland, but live on the islands. Women wear costumes with unique designs based on local themes, geometric patterns, and stylised fauna and flora. The island of El Porvenir is one of the main seats of government for the Kuna Indians. Many Kunas from the other islands came to settle on El Porvenir, bringing with them their traditional arts and crafts, including the famous molas. These intricately hand-sewn designs are made by the women of the tribes as part of their blouses and dresses. With the increased tourism, molas are now a favoured souvenir and craft item for visitors.

Day 7 - December 02, 2025

Fuerte San Lorenzo

Day 8 - December 03, 2025

Colón

The provincial capital of Colón, beside the canal's Atlantic entrance, is named for the Spanish-language surname of Christopher Columbus, though the Americans called it Aspinwall in the 19th century.. The city was founded in 1850 by Americans working on the Panama railroad and named Aspinwall for one of the railway engineers. Following completion in 1855, Colon gained in importance, which was furthered by the plans for an isthmian canal. During the time of the French canal attempt, a fire in 1885 burned the city nearly to the ground and left thousands of people homeless. Colon was rebuilt in the architectural style then popular in France. Buildings from that era plus the ones constructed by Americans between 1904 and 1914 are still in use today, although the majority is on the verge of collapse. In addition to its importance as a port, Colon boasts the world’s second largest duty-free zone, known as Zona Libre, which is contained in a huge fortress like, walled-off area with giant international stores. However, most of the merchandise is sold in bulk to commercial businesses throughout the country.

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Nov 26, 2025

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