The most beautiful place I have been is the Hawaiian island of Maui. We watched the sunrise atop the 10,000 foot Haleakala Crater, an active but not erupting volcano. If you have ever watched a sunrise in Maui, you know how beautiful a sunrise can be. In town there was plenty of shopping, restaurants and museums. We always ate lunch at a beach side restaurant so we could scan the seas for humpback whales.

One of the best and most enjoyable cruises I have been on stopped in Belize. Belize is in Central America, west of Mexico and easy to get to. If you choose to fly it’s only a two hour flight from Miami, Houston or Dallas. The beaches are beautiful, the water is so clear you can see the fish swimming around you. The part of the trip I remember most was the five hour bus ride to see the Mayan ruins. I’m always telling the story about walking on that historic ground hundreds of years after the amazing civilization lived and died there. Also don’t miss the cave tubing, where you will tube down a seven mile partly underground river. The whole trip was very educational and most importantly a lot of fun.

On your next cruise, if you are thinking of booking an island tour. You could get off the ship, go to a safe area close to where the ship the ship is docked and find a nice tour guide to show you around. This will save you a lot of money and with any luck, you’ll get more for your money. Most of them will spend more time with you and you wont be on a bus with a hundred other people. We have great luck and great times doing this. Some might feel more comfortable going with a more organized group from the ship. Either way, have a great island tour and stay safe. We also have tips that show you how to battle jet lag, the best times to book travel and many more.