From twitchers to hikers and from culture vultures to adrenaline junkies, a Central America cruise has something for everyone, says Heidi Fuller-Love.

Dubbed ‘the secret Caribbean’ by cruise professionals, the countries of Belize, Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Costa Rica and Panama – grouped together as Central America – offer strikingly beautiful scenery, powder-white beaches, a bewildering array of fauna and flora and much more. Cruise ships call at ports on both the Pacific west coast and Caribbean east coast of Central America.

“Too many people think of Central America and the Caribbean as just the one destination, but there is so much more to this incredible, diverse part of the world,” says Fred Olsen’s head of itinerary planning and destination experiences, Martin Lister.

“Here you can find some truly remarkable clusters of idyllic islands, each with its own culture, traditions and rich history. Plus, by adding La Romana in the Dominican Republic as a new turnaround port, we can really optimise our time in the Caribbean and offer even more of the rich and vibrant itineraries for which we are renowned.”

Wonders of the world

One of the region’s major attractions – and a wish-list destination for most cruise passengers – is the Panama Canal, one of the seven wonders of the modern world. Star Clippers UK general manager Fay McCormack says: “The highlight of our Central America sailings is undoubtedly the Panama Canal transits, between the Atlantic and Pacific oceans, passing through numerous locks and beneath spectacular bridges, with Panama’s beautiful inland scenery providing a memorable vista from the decks of the ships.”

This view is shared by another cruise line representative. “Central America is a diverse and exciting destination with so much to see and do; choosing a cruise holiday allows guests to experience the full spectrum of people, landscapes, and cultures in one holiday,” explains Celebrity Cruises’ head of sales for UK and Ireland, Nicola McNeish. “I would recommend a Panama Canal cruise to truly experience both the east and west coasts of Central America, taking in stops in Colombia, Panama, Costa Rica, Guatemala, and Mexico – the Panama Canal is definitely best experienced from the water.”

Vibrant culture also tops the list of attractions, from Spanish colonial architecture, historic palaces and forts in Cartagena, on Colombia’s Caribbean coastline, to the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Antigua, which is easily reached from the Guatemalan port of Quetzal, and the Mayan archaeological ruins Tulum, Coba and Chichen Itza, which are easy excursions from the Mexican cruise ports of Cozumel and Costa Maya.

More adventurous passengers who want to get off the beaten track should include lesser known regions such as El Salvador on their itineraries. Only a handful of cruise lines, including Princess Cruises and Azamara Club Cruises, stop at the port of Acajutla, which makes a perfect gateway for shore excursions to explore colonial architecture in Suchitoto and the ancient Mayan village of Joya de Cerén.

Nature lovers will probably put the huge conservation areas of Costa Rica Corcovado National Park on their wish list. Here there are opportunities to hike into lush jungle and the chance to spot rare and elusive creatures, ranging from sleek pumas to long-nosed tapirs. Below the water there’s plenty to see too, with many cruise ships stopping over at the Honduras island of Roatan, renowned worldwide for its pristine reefs, shipwrecks and abundant sea life, and Cozumel with its sea turtle sanctuary created by Jacques Cousteau.

“Central America is a treasure trove of adventure with cultural, historical and gastronomic gems, as well as action-packed activities that provide guests with once-in-a-lifetime memories when experienced from the sea,” says Regent Seven Seas Cruises UK senior director of sales Paul Beale.

Example itineraries

Celebrity Cruises’ 15-night Panama Canal westbound fly/cruise departs from Miami on 25 October 2019, calling at Cartagena, Colón, the Panama Canal, Puntarenas, Puerto Quetzal, Puerto Vallarta, Cabo San Lucas and San Diego. Prices from £3,869pp for an ocean view stateroom, flights included. celebritycentral.co.uk

Marella Cruises’ seven-night Exotic Explorer cruise departs from Montego Bay on 3 March 2020, calling at Belize City, Roatan, Santo Tomas De Castilla and Costa Maya. Prices from £1,352pp for an inside cabin, flights included. tui.co.uk/cruise

Star Clippers’ 14-night Panama to Antigua Island cruise departs from Balboa on 30 November 2019, calling at San Blas, Cartagena, Santa Marta, Oranjestad, Willemstad, Kralendijk, St George’s and Soufriere, among other destinations. Prices from £3,080pp for an inside cabin. starclippers.co.uk