Bahamas and Caribbean from Miami

Miami is called the gateway to the Americas, and it’s indeed a very glamourous global city to explore at the start or end of an MSC Caribbean and Antilles cruise. Home to many cultures, the city of Miami sizzles with flavours from the Americas, beginning with Cuba and the Little Havana neighbourhood – one of the most historically significant places, while Wynwood is famous for its wall art and Puerto Rican history.

Across Biscayne Bay lies the city of Miami Beach, home to the world-famous South Beach. An MSC-arranged guided private tour opens up a world of possibilities for you: enjoy the beach, take in the city’s Art Deco architecture and enjoy a drink on legendary Ocean Drive, where you can people watch, and perhaps spot a celebrity. If time permits, take a stroll on artsy Lincoln Road packed with street side cafes and shops.

Facing the MSC Cruises port in downtown Miami is Bayside Marketplace – a lively commercial centre that is a staging area for boat tours of Miami. Seeing the city from the water, with its impressive skyline and waterfront mansions, is an experience in itself. The downtown area also boasts the dazzling Performing Arts Centre, the Museum of Science, the Pérez Art Museum Miami (known as the PAMM), scenic Bayfront Park and the arena where the 3-time NBA champion Miami Heat basketball team plays.

Miami is renowned for its shopping. Hop on a tour to see the major city sights followed by retail therapy at one of Miami’s largest and newest shopping malls: Dolphin Mall. With more than 240 retail outlets, you’re bound to need a bit of room in your luggage for your purchases. Luckily, there are several luggage stores at the mall to fill that need.
Head west past the city into untamed wilderness on an MSC excursion into the Everglades. At this national park where water is the central feature, unlike any other in North America, nature enthusiasts can hop on an airboat tour through the swampland and waterways to spot alligators and a variety of birds.

Les Français et les Néerlandais revendiquent l’île de Saint-Martin. Les autorités signèrent un traité en 1648 qui divisa l’île entre ces deux pays, bien que les deux côtés aient des caractéristiques culturelles différentes. Mais ce sont ces distinctions qui font la grâce de ce refuge des Caraïbes, qui vient s’ajouter au charme de certains des plus délicieux plats de sa cuisine réputée dans le monde entier. Entre la Grande Baie et le bassin de Great Salt, la capitale hollandaise Philipsburg occupe une petite étendue de terre, et deux rues principales, Front Street et Back Street qui traversent la ville. Front Street est l’artère principale, mettant en vedette l’architecture traditionnelle antillaise et ses boutiques de duty free ainsi que des marchandises importées et de l’artisanat autochtone.

Saint-Thomas est la plus fréquentée des trois îles Vierges américaines. Avec 28 miles carrés (45 kms²) de collines verdoyantes et de plages de sable fin, St. Thomas et l’île voisine de Saint-Jean reçoivent près de 1,7 million de visiteurs par an. Elle est la deuxième plus grande et la plus sophistiquée des îles Vierges de par une forte influence danoise particulièrement visible à Charlotte Amalie, ville principale et capitale. Initialement appelé Taphaus, ou Tap House, elle porte désormais le nom d’une ancienne reine du Danemark. Les sites historiques de l’île ne doivent pas être négligés. Son histoire mouvementée remonte au moins à plusieurs milliers d’années. Les premiers Indiens disparurent lors de la colonisation de St. Thomas par les Danois durant laquelle ils laissèrent leur marque à bien des égards.

San Felipe de Puerto Plata est la capitale de la province de Puerto Plata, sur la côte nord atlantique de la République dominicaine. La ville est surtout connue pour ses plages. Le long front de mer de Playa Dorada est bordé de stations balnéaires et d’un terrain de golf de 18 trous. Le vieux centre de la ville, qui date de l’époque coloniale, est dominé par la Fortaleza San Felipe, une forteresse espagnole du 16ème siècle qui abrite aujourd’hui des objets historiques et militaires.

Miami is called the gateway to the Americas, and it’s indeed a very glamourous global city to explore at the start or end of an MSC Caribbean and Antilles cruise. Home to many cultures, the city of Miami sizzles with flavours from the Americas, beginning with Cuba and the Little Havana neighbourhood – one of the most historically significant places, while Wynwood is famous for its wall art and Puerto Rican history.

Across Biscayne Bay lies the city of Miami Beach, home to the world-famous South Beach. An MSC-arranged guided private tour opens up a world of possibilities for you: enjoy the beach, take in the city’s Art Deco architecture and enjoy a drink on legendary Ocean Drive, where you can people watch, and perhaps spot a celebrity. If time permits, take a stroll on artsy Lincoln Road packed with street side cafes and shops.

Facing the MSC Cruises port in downtown Miami is Bayside Marketplace – a lively commercial centre that is a staging area for boat tours of Miami. Seeing the city from the water, with its impressive skyline and waterfront mansions, is an experience in itself. The downtown area also boasts the dazzling Performing Arts Centre, the Museum of Science, the Pérez Art Museum Miami (known as the PAMM), scenic Bayfront Park and the arena where the 3-time NBA champion Miami Heat basketball team plays.

Miami is renowned for its shopping. Hop on a tour to see the major city sights followed by retail therapy at one of Miami’s largest and newest shopping malls: Dolphin Mall. With more than 240 retail outlets, you’re bound to need a bit of room in your luggage for your purchases. Luckily, there are several luggage stores at the mall to fill that need.
Head west past the city into untamed wilderness on an MSC excursion into the Everglades. At this national park where water is the central feature, unlike any other in North America, nature enthusiasts can hop on an airboat tour through the swampland and waterways to spot alligators and a variety of birds.