Adventures Around the ship - The Gulf of Mexico
24/05/2022
Adventures Around the ship - The Mexican-bay
Don't miss out when you’re cruising
from Miami toward the Bahamas.
In our next
series of articles, we would like to give you some ideas of things to see and
do around the ports of call on the ships' itineraries.
They can be
reached by foot within a maximum of 30-40 minutes from the port.
Victoria
Cruises' luxury houseboat Victoria Majestic will depart Miami in February 2023
and arrive in the picturesque Bahamas around mid-to-late March. This stretch of
waterway is roughly 160 km long, rich with white sand and intoxicating blue
waves to make someone who is more used to snow and cold at this time of year
feel like they’re in paradise.
Miami
- Florida: more Spanish than American.
- South Beach. Along its beautiful white
sandy shore, visitors are catered to by a multitude of beach bars, shops,
restaurants and water sports centers. Not to be missed for swim lovers and
those who want to meet American stars.
- Little Havana: Miami's Latin Quarter,
where, as the name suggests, many Cubans live. Walking down Calle Ocho
street, you get the feeling you're in Cuba. If you travel to Miami in
March, you can also take part in a big street festival — with music and
dancing.
- Art Deco district. At the Art Deco Welcome
Center, you can rent an audio guide to discover the nooks and crannies of
the Art Deco Quarter for yourself.
- Lincoln Road - Miami's 5th Avenue. It has
everything from Victoria's Secret to Macy's and Armani to Oakley. While
shopping, you can stop by a restaurant for a taste of fresh seafood,
tacos, gourmet pizza or Argentinian steak.
- Museums: for a complete list, visit the
MAM-Miami Art Museum, Miami Children's Museum, Miami Science Museum and
the Wolfsonian Art Museum.
Tampa
- Florida:
- Florida Aquarium: an impressive museum of
marine life.
- Henry B. Plant Museum: the Tampa Bay Hotel
has been home to the Henry B. Plant Museum and the University of Tampa
since 1933. The building, renamed Plant Hall, is a National Historic
Landmark.
- American Victory Ship & Museum:
American Victory Ship is one of only four fully-operational WWII ships in
the United States
- Glazer Children's Museum: interactive,
learning laboratory where children play, discover, and connect to the
world around them
New
Orleans - the capital of cool
Capital of
jazz, but not of Louisiana, it is also the most laid-back city in America. In
addition to its European flavor, New Orleans has a Caribbean flair that is
expressed in its celebrations, architecture and food.
The
Caribbean feel was introduced by the Spaniards and slaves brought over from the
Caribbean, as the slave supply came not directly from Africa but from the central
American archipelago.
Stylish
city, stylish inhabitants. Friendliness and laid-backness at its best, the city
is rightly called the Big Easy by locals.
- St. Louis Cathedral
- Mardi Gras World: where the real Mardi Gras
parades floats.
- Audubon Aquarium of the Americas: 15,000 hectoliter
aquatic tunnel, and marine exhibits with coral reef, sharks and rays.
- Jackson Square: the park built in 1721 is
a historic place beloved by artists.
- Hermann-Grima House: historic house museum
in the French Quarter. The meticulously restored home reflects 19th
century New Orleans. It's a handsome Federal-style mansion built in 1831
with a courtyard garden.
- Sydney and Walda Besthoff Sculpture Garden
Port
Aransas - Texas
Port
Aransas is the only settlement on Mustang Island. Located north of Padre
Island, it is one of the longest barrier islands on the Texas coast. The waters
surrounding the island include Corpus Christi Bay, the Gulf of Mexico, the
Lydia Ann Ship Channel and the Corpus Christi Ship Channel.
- Port Aransas beach
- Leonabelle Turnbull Birding Center: bird
sanctuary and nature trail
- Roberts Point Park: dolphins.
Mexico
Veracruz:
- Mexico Naval Museum: naval museum
- Acuario de Veracruz: tropicarium
- Cancun
- La Isla Berkinada: romantic lagoon easily
accessible by boat.
Cuba:
In Havana,
the museums are pretty shoddy, with tons of Castro photos and uninteresting
exhibits (e.g., a hammock Che Guevara once slept in).
It is best
to wander aimlessly with a cocktail in hand and take photos of vintage cars and
traditional Cuban buildings. For the connoisseurs, a cigar (Partagas cigar
factory) and a Cuban rum are a must.
Havana:
- National capitol building: the national
capitol building of Havana.
- Revolution Square: The main attraction is
the 109-meter-high Jose Marti monument in grey marble.
- La Cabana: a museum in an 18th century
fortress.
- Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception of
the Virgin Mary in Havana: an impressively ornate Catholic cathedral in
Baroque style.
- Malecon promenade: the 7-meter-long
coastal promenade is worth a stroll at least once, both to see the real
faces of the locals and the houses.
- Castillo de la Real Fuerza: this 16th
century star fortress is now a maritime museum.
- Statue of Christ in the Christ Park in
Havana.
- Che Guevara's house
- Real Fuerza Castle
- Habana Vieja: Havana's old town is a
UNESCO World Heritage site.
- El Ron Havana Club rum museum.
- Hemingway's cultural finds: the Nobel
Prize-winning American writer drank daiquiris at El Floridita and mojitos
at Bodeguita.
Bahamas:
Nassau:
founded in 1695 by British settlers as Charles Town (in honor of King William
III, of the House of Orange-Nassau, hence the name Nassau).
- Fort Charlotte: British colonial fortress.
- Queen's Staircase: a 66 degree walkway
that originally provided an escape route for the monarch from the fort
above. The staircase was carved from solid limestone by 600 slaves between
1793 and 1794.
- Ardastra Gardens and Wildlife Conservation
Center: zoological and botanical garden
- Atlantis Resort & Casino
- Crystal Cay
- Junkanoo Expo
- Pompey Museum (Vendue House)
- Roselawn Museum
Author: Vivien H.
24/05/2022
