Experience one of the top bucket list cruises and a great engineering feat of the 20th century with the spectacle of huge ocean-going ships squeezing through narrow locks. Get your holiday off to a great start with a pre-cruise stay in Florida or on the pacific coast of the USA. Compare the beaches of the Caribbean with those on the Mexican Riviera and sample the diverse cultures of central America in Columbia, Panama and Guatemala. These itineraries offer a fabulous range of travel experiences with lots of extras included for lasting memories.
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.
Room Only
This centrally located hotel is ranked in the top 18 out 107 hotels in Seattle and has been chosen for easy access from the airport on the Sound Transit Light Link Rail transit system which takes just 38 minutes and costs just $3.50pp. The hotel is just a two-minute walk from the station and a six-minute walk from the famous Pike Place market. From crystal chandeliers to fresh flowers to complimentary Wi-fi internet access, the Mayflower Park Hotel offers the quintessential Seattle experience. It is centrally located next to Westlake Shopping Centre and the Monorail to Seattle Centre. It was recently presented the prestigious “Best Historic Hotel†award and is also home to award-winning cocktail bar Oliver’s and Seattle’s Mediterranean restaurant Andaluca.
Norwegian Cruise Lines
Norwegian Encore is the line’s seventeenth ship and has been designed for the ultimate cruising experience .Custom-built for the spectacular, Norwegian Encore follows in the success of her sister ship Norwegian Bliss featuring the largest competitive race track at sea and an enhanced open-air laser tag course.
Stateroom Accommodation
Each stateroom has private en-suite facilities, tea and coffee making facilities, air conditioning, flat screen cable TV's, vanity area, hair dryer, telephone, refrigerator with minibar and free room service. Haven Suites include private access to the Haven Courtyard complex; this has a private beach club style ambiance on two decks including a sun deck, pool, hot tubs, fitness centre and sauna. There is also the exclusive Haven restaurant and the opportunity to dine in your Haven Suite served by butlers and white tablecloth service. The purpose built single interior studios have revolutionised the cost for single cruises and feature double beds, one way glass windows and exclusive key-card access to the Studio Complex and Studio Lounge with bar.
Dining Options
With 28 dining choices and 21 bars on-board foodies and cocktail connoisseurs will be able to dine, sip and savour to their heart’s delight with the breadth of dining and bars. New on board is the Texas Smokehouse, Q, where guests are able to tap their boots to the beat of live contemporary pop country music as they indulge in authentic Texas barbeque. Travel south-of-the-border with Los Lobos, a new restaurant serving elevated Mexican cuisine. In a new complimentary dining concept, The Local offers guests pub fare in a relaxed neighbourhood atmosphere 24 hours a day.
Daytime and Evening Entertainment
Put the pedal to the metal with a two-level electric-car race track. After working up a sweat, guests aboard Norwegian Encore can cool down at the ship’s expansive pool and sundeck featuring two spacious pools and six infinity hot tubs that scale the side of the ship. The ship’s Aqua Park also includes two multi-story waterslides. Not for the faint of heart, the high-speed Ocean Loops free fall slide includes two exhilarating loops, one that extends out over the side of the ship and a second see-through loop that stretches down to the deck below, sure to offer a wet and wild ride. The tandem Aqua Racer slide allows guests to race side-by-side on inner tubes for more than 360 feet, with a translucent section that provides stunning ocean views as guests twist and turn to the finish line.
Fly from the UK to Seattle, USA
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!
Day 2; Seattle, USA
At Sea
Relax and make the most of the myriad of facilities available on board the ship, from fantastic entertainment to delicious and diverse dining options.
San Francisco, USA
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.
At Sea
Relax and make the most of the myriad of facilities available on board the ship, from fantastic entertainment to delicious and diverse dining options.
Los Angeles, USA
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.
At Sea
Relax and make the most of the myriad of facilities available on board the ship, from fantastic entertainment to delicious and diverse dining options.
Cabo San Lucas, Mexico
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.
Puerto Vallarta, Mexico
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, colourful reefs and arches of these amazing islands.
Manzanillo, Mexico
Manzanillo is a port city with two bays - Bahía de Manzanillo and Bahía de Santiago. Here you will find some great beach which are a haven for water sports. There are numerous coral reefs and shipwrecks which make fabulous dive sites. This area is also great for deep-sea sportfishing with marlin in abundance.
Acapulco, Mexico
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.
At sea
Relax and make the most of the myriad of facilities available on board the ship, from fantastic entertainment to delicious and diverse dining options.
Puerto Quetzal, Guatemala
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!
At Sea
Relax and make the most of the myriad of facilities available on board the ship, from fantastic entertainment to delicious and diverse dining options.
Puntarenas, Costa Rica
Aptly named “sandy point” in Spanish, Puntarenas is a coastal region that features mountains, rainforest, and some of the best beaches in Central America. It sits on a sliver of land and beach that stretches into the Gulf of Nicoya, directly across from the Nicoya Peninsula. It's bordered by Panama to the south and is a gateway to Costa Rica's other regions and destination attractions. Visit Tortuga Island with its’ white-sand beaches or the nearby rainforest with skywalks, zipwires and cruise along the River Eco.
At Sea
Relax and make the most of the myriad of facilities available on board the ship, from fantastic entertainment to delicious and diverse dining options.
Panama city, Panama
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.
Panama Canal, Panama
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, Colombia
Cartagena is a modern port city on Colombias 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 Bara and Islas del Rosario, known for their coral reefs and scuba diving.
At Sea
Relax and make the most of the myriad of facilities available on board the ship, from fantastic entertainment to delicious and diverse dining options.
At Sea
Relax and make the most of the myriad of facilities available on board the ship, from fantastic entertainment to delicious and diverse dining options.
Fly from Miami, USA to the UK
Disembark the ship after breakfast and transfer to airport for your overnight flight home.
Prices are subject to availability and change. Offer and prices can be withdrawn at any time without any notice. Prices are per person based on two sharing a room. Carry-on and checked baggage restrictions vary by airline and may incur an additional charge.
Virgin Voyages
May 2025 - Sep 2025
Virgin Voyages
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