21 Night Cruise sailing from Boston to San Diego aboard Veendam.

Grandly proportioned and recently enhanced, the ms Veendam offers an onboard experience defined by spacious comfort and the latest Signature of Excellence features and amenities. Guests aboard the ms Veendam will not only enjoy elegant dining rooms, a $2 million art and antique collection, wide teak decks and spacious staterooms - many with private verandahs - but also new and exciting venues, stateroom options along with a complete update to all stateroom furnishings.

Highlights of this cruise:

Boston
There is no better way to get a sense of the Revolutionary struggle that changed our nation's destiny than with a stroll along Boston's Freedom Trail. Along the way: Paul Revere House, Old North Church, the Old State House and Faneuil Hall, gathering place of the early revolutionaries. Farther afield: Lexington Green, where the minutemen and redcoats first skirmished, and bewitching Salem.

Ft Lauderdale
There is an abundance of things to see and do in the Fort Lauderdale area: visit the newly redesigned Fort Lauderdale Beach and cafes, stroll the historic Riverwalk, shop the luxurious stores on Las Olas Boulevard or venture to the Everglades for an intriguing air boat excursion.

Key West
Key West is where Florida makes its last ragged stumble into the celadon waters of the Gulf of Mexico. The water and the climate have been drawing visitors for centuries, from Ponce de Leon to Harry Truman to writers like Ernest Hemingway and Tennessee Williams. Somehow, the writers managed to get some great work done, and their legacy lives on. Area highlights for cruise visitors include the Ernest Hemingway House (full of many-toed cats), McCoy Indigenous Park (full of rescued marine animals), and numerous local beaches (full of vitamin D). Try Fort Zachary Taylor, South Beach, or Higg's Beach.

Georgetown
The western end of Grand Cayman Island contains one of the most delightful cities in the Caribbean. Underwater. In the shallow waters West Bay, you can swim into Stingray City, where the rays will let you touch, feed, and hold them. About a mile west, on the other side of the island, lies Seven Mile Beach, an emblematic stretch of Caribbean idyll. And just south is Georgetown, the country's capital. The town is a crayon box of shops (look for a piece of colorful Caymanite or black coral), restaurants, and history, including the Cayman Islands National Museum and the Maritime Treasure Museum. The harbor offers endless water activities for cruise guests, including snorkeling, scuba diving, and glass-bottom boat tours.

Cartagena
Privateers loved Cartagena, the chief Spanish port in New Granada (today's Colombia). Sir John Hawkins besieged the city in 1568 and his nephew, Sir Francis Drake, sacked it 18 years later. In response, Spain poured millions into the port's defense, building the fortifications that are today a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The town the walls protected is also part of that World Heritage designation. Cruise visitors can walk those deeply textured alleyways today through some of the best-preserved colonial neighborhoods of the Americas. When you're ready for a change, there are beaches ready to hand. Bocagrande is busy and close to the city. Playa Blanca is south across the bay and quieter. Both are lovely.

Puerto Caldera
It's hard to throw a stick in Costa Rica and not have it hit a national park. The city of Puerto Caldera, on Costa Rica's Pacific coast, has a number of them within easy reach for cruise visitors. Just to the south, Carara is a mecca for birders, especially those chasing the scarlet macaw. Poas Volcano is inland, and rises to nearly 9,000 feet. See it before it blows again. Barra Honda contains a series of limestone caves. Palo Verde preserves one of the last tropical dry rainforests in Central America. Arenal has the most active volcano in the country. Tapanti contains species of orchids discovered only in 2009. Grab your hiking boots and a pair of binoculars. It's all a feast, wherever you go.

Puerto Quetzal
In the cultured little country of Guatemala modern Maya still weave their stories on backstrap looms, and the great stone temples of Tikal stand in silent testament to ancient Mayan ingenuity.

Puerto Chiapas
Puerto Chiapas is the Pacific gateway to the Mayan world. Just north of the Guatemalan border on southern Mexico's Pacific Coast, the port is the starting point for excursions to the ruins at Izapa. Founded around 1500 BCE, Izapa is noted for its large, intricately carved "Tree of Life" stone. Nearer port, explore San Cristobal de Las Casas cathedral, journey to a rainforest, or shop for local handicrafts like stone carvings or colorful textiles. Or, simply wander the beaches and take in the untamed and exotic surroundings.

Huatulco
Everything you ever wanted in a seaside resort: warm sun, sandy beaches and nine beautiful bays rimmed in every shade of blue. Nearby: low-growth caducifolia jungles teeming with birdlife and the nesting grounds of endangered sea turtles.

Puerto Vallarta
Puerto Vallarta squeezed into the thin space between Banderas Bay and the verdant folds of the Sierra Madre. It's no longer the well-kept secret of the artists, writers and Hollywood stars who first "discovered" it in the 1960s, but "PV" (as it is affectionately known) still retains the essence of the fishing village it once was. Viejo Vallarta, the old town, is a mix of red-tiled buildings, cobbled streets, chic shops and busy open markets. Other highlights include Mismaloya Beach, Gringo Gulch, and Conchas Chinas, the Beverly Hills of Vallarta. Head inland for more adventure, up into the rugged canyons and luxuriant jungles of the mountains.

San Diego
Beautiful, brilliant San Diego has the sun, the beaches, and the climate to die for. But don't let that fool you - the city is a power. It's the sixth-largest city in the U.S. and a center for military industry, trade, and biotechnology. Of course, it's a great place for cruise visitors. The San Diego Zoo is one of the world's best. Balboa Park is both a natural space and a collection of wonderful museums. Old Town is a colorful gaggle of shops and restaurants. Oh, and the beaches: Coronado, Mission Beach, Pacific Beach, La Jolla. The forecast is for a high of about 75 degrees. Every day. Sigh.