16 Night Cruise sailing from Los Angeles to Ft Lauderdale aboard Silver Spirit.

The newest vessel in the Silversea family, Silver Spirit offers the distinctive luxuries and celebrated lifestyle Silversea guests adore, plus enticing enhancements including Stars Supper Club, an Asian-themed restaurant, an expansive 8,300-square-foot spa, a resort-style pool, four whirlpools, and the largest suites in the Silversea fleet - 95% with private verandas.

Highlights of this cruise:

Los Angeles
Few cities in the world capture the imagination the way Los Angeles does-from the bronze stars in the sidewalk along Hollywood's Walk of Fame to the spandex-clad in-line skaters zipping along the Venice Boardwalk. Visitors flock to Hollywood in search of film and television stars; to Beverly Hills for a glimpse of glamour and privilege; and to the beaches all along the coast, where the sunny, laid-back California good life is alive for all to see. Looking at a map of Los Angeles, first-time visitors are sometimes overwhelmed. Here's some advice: relax, do your best to accept the traffic, and set your priorities. Los Angeles is as much an idea as it is a physical city. It sprawls across 467 square mi, and no single locale-whether it be Hollywood, downtown, Beverly Hills, or the Venice Boardwalk-fully embodies L.A. It's in the mix that you'll discover the city's character. We've tried to identify a few of the highlights.

Cabo San Lucas
At the Baja peninsula's southernmost tip, fishing aficionados, golfers, and sun worshipers gather in Los Cabos, which sits like a sun-splashed movie set where the desert and ocean collide. Outrageous, action-packed Cabo San Lucas is the Cabo you see on MTV. It's spring break here year-round, making it the preferred home base for the let-it-all-hang-out crowd. Cabo San Lucas offers rowdy nightlife, a slew of trendy restaurants, and lively beaches. A major sportfishing fleet is headquartered here, cruise ships anchor off the marina, and there's a massive hotel on every available plot of waterfront turf. A pedestrian walkway lined with restaurants, bars, and shops anchored by the sleek Puerto Paraiso mall curves around Cabo San Lucas harbor, itself packed with yachts.

Acapulco
Acapulco has managed to age gracefully over the years even as it's grown into a city of a million inhabitants. Care is lavished on its upkeep. The natural harbor of Bahia de Acapulco (Acapulco Bay) is the city's centerpiece. By day this stretch of the Pacific, 433 km (268 mi) south of Mexico City, is a deep tempting blue; at night the water flashes and sparkles with city lights.

Puntarenas
Costa Rica's major Pacific port on the Gulf of Nicoya is renowned for its unspoiled nature and beautiful scenery, and is a convenient departure point for trips into Costa Rica's interior. Volcanic beaches along the coast give way to verdant jungle and coffee plantations further inland.

Discovered by Columbus in September of 1502 during his last voyage, the region was named Costa Rica (Rich Coast) because of unfounded rumours of vast gold treasures. Coffee actually turned out to be the nation's most valuable product, with much of the country's economy centred around the treasured beans. Eco-tourism is rapidly becoming a major player in the economy as well, as visitors are increasingly attracted to this land of fascinating flora and fauna.

Costa Rica is Central America's most stable democracy, boasting a high literacy rate and standard of living. In 1948, the army was abolished, replaced by a very efficient-looking, khaki-clad Civil Guard. Ticos, as locals are popularly called, are known for their friendly and outgoing attitude. The capital, San Jose, lies in the Central Valley at an altitude of 3,450 feet (1,052 metres), a scenic 2-2.5-hour drive from Puntarenas.

Cartagena
Ever wonder what the "Spanish Main" refers to? This is it. Colombia's Caribbean coast invokes ghosts of conquistadors, pirates, and missionaries journeying to the New World in search of wealth, either material or spiritual. Anchoring this shore is Cartagena-poetically, and officially, "Cartagena de Indias" (Cartagena of the Indies). Founded in 1533, it was one of Latin America's most magnificent colonial cities. Gold and silver passed through here en route to Spain, making Cartagena an obvious target for pirates, hence the construction of its trademark walls and fortresses. Outside the Ciudad Amurallada (walled city) lie the less historic (but no less interesting) beaches and water excursions. If Colombia conjures up images of drug lords and paramilitary guerillas, think again; security is quite visible (without being oppressive) here in the country's top tourist destination. Take the precautions you'd follow visiting any city of 800,000 people, and you should have a grand time.

Ft Lauderdale
What began as a trading post along the banks of the New River at the turn of the last century has turned into a popular resort, an affluent yachting capital and an enterprising city. Crisscrossed by 300 miles (483 km) of navigable waterways, Fort Lauderdale is popularly known as the Venice of America. Water plays such an integral part that the area is home to 100 marinas and boatyards and more than 42,000 yachts. In addition, there are miles of palm-shaded sand beaches that run parallel to the coastal highway A1A.

The downtown area is comprised of modern bank buildings and towering glass edifices. A recent multimillion-dollar beautification program did much to enhance the town centre and beach areas with landscaped parks and promenades. Along Las Olas Boulevard there are trendy shops, art galleries and several restaurants, offering both inside and outdoor dining. The eastern end of Las Olas meets the oceanfront, where resort hotels, restaurants and plenty of shops overlook the beach.

For a unique introduction to the Venice of America, you may want to take one of the yellow and green water taxis. This convenient local transport makes numerous stops along the Intracoastal Waterway and the New River, bringing you within short distance of shopping, dining and local attractions. Another option to see Fort Lauderdale from the water is on one of several sightseeing boats. These delightful cruises can be booked from locations at the waterfront and the Riverwalk area. They meander through the main waterways and past magnificent mansions owned by wealthy local families and celebrities from around the country and abroad.