I book A LOT of Honeymoons. I get asked all the time, “Ok- expert, what did you do on your Honeymoon?!” My answer, “A little of everything.”
Our Panama Canal Cruise
We started in Miami, went through the Panama Canal, and ended up in San Diego with numerous stops along the way. We were on the Royal Caribbean Radiance of the Seas for a 14 night trip that was quite unforgettable. Our days on board were filled with big meals, daiquiris by the pool, and black jack all night. Our days off the ship were filled with adventure. My travel tip: get off the boat and do something memorable.
A cruise of this length is not to be taken lightly. It’s a long time on a ship! Though it is so nice to do this much traveling without having to cart your luggage from place to place. I really enjoyed cruising the Panama Canal. It was like doing an excursion on the boat. It took an entire day to get through all three locks of the canal. The history and engineering are fascinating. The beauty of the rain forest on both sides of the ship was amazing. You wait in line most of the day to get from lock to lock so cruising the canal is at an extremely slow speed. It was super hot but nothing a pina colada couldn’t fix! The best part was leaving the last lock. There were people in buildings cheering us on as we made our way to the Pacific. Even though I just sat by the pool all day and watched the marvel from a short distance, I still felt a sense of accomplishment. We made it!
We made the most of the time we had off the ship. We did an excursion at every stop. There is so much relaxing to do on the boat, we were fired up to take advantage of the adventure of it all.
1- First stop, Aruba. Jeep tours of the countryside are the best way to see the island. Heading out on the rough terrain after only being in the country for a mere half hour is quite an adventure. We did a lot of driving over this 8 hour tour though we saw a lot too! Stopped at some historical sites and ruins. Saw the world’s largest natural bridge that disappointingly fell one month before we were there. Though still amazing to see the size of it. We stopped for lunch and hit up some snorkeling. Finally wrapped it up at the infamous Carlos & Charlie’s, for yard glasses of tropical drinks. All in all, the jeep experience was fun and Aruba is definitely on my list to travel to again soon!
2- Next stop, Costa Rica. Zip lining is the ultimate in day trips. There are few other excursions that can compare in the adrenaline rush you get from sliding from tree to tree at dangerous heights. The scenery was incredible, lush green rain forest. Experiencing the wild life up close in their world was amazing. I loved this exact zip line tour because it offered numerous lines, I think up to 16, with the last one bringing you to the ground. As you untangle yourself from the line, you are stepping out of the forest onto the beach. I think I was just in shock at that point, the rush and the beauty of the beach was unforgettable.
3- After two rustic tours at our last two stops, after an entire day getting through the locks of the Panama Canal, we arrive in Panama City. Wow! What a city it is! We took the short tender over to walk the marina to see what we can see. To our surprise, yachts and fancy restaurants were a plenty. We spent the night eating and drinking and taking in the ocean breeze. It took us so long to get through the locks we only had a few hours to indulge. It was well worth getting off the boat and taking the tender. Panama was a pleasant surprise. Panama is on the way up in the travel industry also, with new hotels opening all the time. Can’t wait to go back!
4- Time to take on the Pacific coast of Mexico! Huatulco is cliffs, crashing waves, and certainly off the beaten path. We walked the pier, saw the beach town, and then took a double-decker boat ride to view the cliffs up close and celebrity homes. Unfortunately for us, it was a rainy day though the sites were still beautiful. There is so much more to see of this area, hopefully we will make it back soon 🙂
5- Acapulco was a busy day! We started our morning swimming with the dolphins in a water park in downtown Acapulco. I wanted to be a dolphin trainer when I grew up so I was like a little girl in a candy shop. Even though we did the dolphin swim in a pool with older dolphins, I think it was a great experience and treasure the memory and pictures we have from it. We were also able to take advantage of the water park and rides. I really don’t think they have the same safety guidelines as our water parks, so it made it that much more of an adventure! We headed back to the ship for a quick outfit change, and then hailed a cab to the cliff divers. It is the “IT” attraction in Acapulco and is well worth it. Acapulco is such a classic town. You can see why Frank Sinatra liked it so much.
6- Our last and favorite stop in Mexico, Cabo! We took the tender and headed right to the beach to rent wave runners. If you have been to Cabo, you know that stretch of beach, that the cruise boats stop at it, is not for swimming. Saying that you could just imagine how rough the waters are for wave runners. It is the best way to view the rock islands. We were able to get up close and personal with the sea lions, which was really fun. After drying off we headed downtown to Cabo Wabo to relieve our back pain from the waves with a couple tequila shots. It was Cinco de Mayo, so it was fitting 🙂 LOVE Cabo, I would own property here 🙂
There you have it! Excursions are an amazing way to get active during the day to make the night even that more romantic. I have a ton of ideas to make your Honeymoon special and memorable. Give me a ring!
Amy Seng | Wedding Group & Honeymoon Travel Specialist | 847-485-0018 | amy@destinationsbyamy.com