Panama Canal Encore Collection from Seattle

Fly to Seattle for an overnight hotel stay.. Seattle is perhaps not the best-known American city for British cruisers but it is a city which has lots to offer during a one to three night stay. The shopping here is excellent, as is the dining and bars for some lively nightlife. Pike Place Market is a focal point in the downtown area and just steps away from the waterfront. Pioneer Square marks Seattle’s original downtown area dating back to 1852 and is home to art galleries, cafes, sports bars and nightclubs. The Seattle Underground Tour ($16pp) can be found here and is well worth it as you have a chance to visit eerie sunken store fronts and forgotten streets which were at the original ground level before the Great Fire of 1889. These were covered up and built on in an effort to clean up the city in the second half of the 19th century. For the best views of the city visit the Space Needle which was built for the World’s Fair in 1962. This 605 foot tower is the equivalent to 60 floors high and houses the revolving Sky City restaurant open for lunch a dinner daily. It was built to withstand winds of up to 200 miles per hour and earthquakes of up to 9.1 in magnitude!

Make your own way to the port and embark the ship.

Relax and make the most of the myriad of facilities available on board the ship, from fantastic entertainment to delicious and diverse dining options.

The cruise terminal is the next pier along to Pier 39 which is a huge entertainment, dining and shopping complex. This is situated in the heat of the famous Fisherman’s Wharf area where there are lots of bars, fishing boats and restaurants. From here you will see magnificent views of the Golden Gate Bridge and have the opportunity to take a boat trip to visit Alcatraz. Perhaps take the famous cable car over the hill to Union square – the heart of the downtown shopping area of the city.

Relax and make the most of the myriad of facilities available on board the ship, from fantastic entertainment to delicious and diverse dining options.

In Los Angeles you will be spoilt for choice. Spend some time on Venice Beach made famous by the Baywatch TV series and the setting for many films, featuring roller skaters and lifeguard huts. Visit the boutiques on Rodeo Drive and perhaps take a Movie Star tour in Beverly Hills. Visit the Chinese Mann’s Theatre on Hollywood Boulevard where you will find the Walk of Fame and see how your hands measure up to those of Hollywood stars cast in the concrete sidewalk outside the theatre. Anaheim is the Home of Disneyland and also a western style Rollercoaster park called Knotts Berry Farm. Long Beach is the final resting place of the Original Queen Mary which has been converted into a floating museum/restaurant/hotel.

Relax and make the most of the myriad of facilities available on board the ship, from fantastic entertainment to delicious and diverse dining options.

One of the premier beach resort destinations in the Western Hemisphere, Cabo San Lucas – or “Cabo” – is known for its pristine white sandy beaches and beautiful transparent waters that offer some of the best snorkelling in the Mexican Riviera.

The Colonial City on the beach! Enjoy the rich art and culture of this city that was founded in the 1500´s, and still preserves most of its historic buildings in the original architectural style. Mazatlán is one of Mexico’s most alluring and inviting beach destinations. This ‘Pearl of the Pacific’ has breathed new life into its historic centre, resulting in a wonderful colonial old town district only a short walk from a 20km-long crescent of sandy beach. There are a number of small museums or lots of boutiques.

This wonderful beach destination is surrounded by the impressive mountains of the Sierra Madre and the sparkling waters of Banderas Bay. Los Muertos beach is located next to the Old Town and is a wonderful place to watch the sun set. Here you will a variety of restaurants, bars, galleries, boutiques and souvenir shops. Las Gemelas are a pair of small beaches distinguished by their fine white sand, clear blue water and gentle onshore waves ideal for swimming, snorkelling, kayaking, walking and sunbathing under a cluster of palm trees. Perhaps climb the rocks that divide the beaches and wade through the rock pools to spot crabs and minnows. Conchas Chinas is a pristine white sand beach nestled between the lush green mountains and aquamarine ocean. Here you will be able to peer into the depths and see the wide variety of fish and sea life to be found. Los Arcos National Marine Park is situated next to Las Gemelas where there are further opportunities to boat, snorkel, or scuba dive through the deep tunnels, caves, colorful reefs and arches of these amazing islands.

Relax and make the most of the myriad of facilities available on board the ship, from fantastic entertainment to delicious and diverse dining options.

The fabulous beach of Acapulco is set on a large bay with the Sierra Madre del Sur mountains in the background. It is also famous for the iconic La Quebrada cliff where professional divers plunge 40metres into the Pacific Ocean.

Relax and make the most of the myriad of facilities available on board the ship, from fantastic entertainment to delicious and diverse dining options.

Guatemala offers superb jungle encrusted Mayan ruins, breath-taking smoking volcanoes, wildlife crammed rainforests, magnificent colonial towns and colourful ethnic people with curios customs. Antigua is the old capital and is scenically situated between three volcanoes. This world heritage site has cobbled streets, flowers, evocative ruins and fine dining. Lake Atitlan is ringed by 13 varied and colourful towns and is where Mayan traditions are at their best. Don't forget to pay a visit the local wooden god of Maximon!

Relax and make the most of the myriad of facilities available on board the ship, from fantastic entertainment to delicious and diverse dining options.

Overnight on board in port. The capital of Panama is a modern city framed by the Pacific Ocean and man-made Panama Canal. The cobblestoned centre of Casco Viejois is an architectural delight with colonial-era landmarks. Look out for bougainvillea-filled plazas lined with cafes and bars, and the neoclassical Palacio Presidencial.

One of the seven wonders of the world linking the Caribbean to the Pacific Ocean by a series of locks taking huge ships across the Central America via the Gatun Lake. A must do journey on anyone's bucket list the ship squeezes through narrow canals seemingly floating across dry land. A Journey through the Panama Canal is achieved by the ship rising up and down through huge locks between the Caribbean & the Pacific Ocean; and crossing the Gatun Lake in the middle of central America. The locks are split into three sets and incorporate two independent lanes for two way traffic. The set that carries the ship between the Caribbean Sea and the Gatun Lake comprises of three stepped tiers. The journey from the Gatun Lake to the Pacific Ocean is split into two separate sets of locks. The Miraflores locks has two stepped tiers and the final set which reaches the Pacific Ocean is a single stepped tier known as the Pedro Miguel lock.

Cartagena is a modern port city on Colombia’s Caribbean coast. At its core is the walled Old Town, with 16th-century plazas, cobblestone streets and colourful colonial buildings. With a tropical climate, the city is a popular beach destination. Reachable by boat are the nearby shores of Isla de Barú and Islas del Rosario, known for their coral reefs and scuba diving.

Relax and make the most of the myriad of facilities available on board the ship, from fantastic entertainment to delicious and diverse dining options.

This island remains part of the British Commonwealth and it is famed its Scuba diving and white sandy beaches - in particular 7 Mile Beach close to Georgetown the capital. It is also one of the few nesting grounds of the logger head turtle. One of the best things to do is snorkelling with the Sting Rays – you will not be disappointed. Try visiting Hell - a village in the far corner of the island where you will find a turtle farm. Ships generally anchor off shore here and the island is reached by tender.

Relax and make the most of the myriad of facilities available on board the ship, from fantastic entertainment to delicious and diverse dining options.

Disembark the ship after breakfast and transfer to airport for your overnight flight home.