Explore Panama City with your private expert guide, before you embark on a sailling ship to Costa Rica. Natural and man-made wonders combine on this exotic voyage of Central America. Learn about area history, flora and fauna from a local naturalist onboard your cruise vessel, which admirably bridges the gap between conventional cruise travel and private yachting. The waters of Corcovado National Park are teeming with diverse undersea life, while Golfito boasts a rainforest high above the clouds. Dive into the waters surrounding Isla de Coiba to view one of the Pacific Coast’s most amazing coral reefs. Transit the massive Panama Canal, an architectural wonder, before exploring idyllic San Blas, where Kuna Indians still fish from canoes and make their famous handstitched molas. Visit San Jose with your personal guide. Extend this tour with more private tours options in Costa Rica or Panama Canal.

Cruise Departure Dates:

Panama to Costa Rica Cruise: Nov 24, 2012, Dec 22, 2012, Jan 5, 2013, Feb 2, 2013, Feb 16, 2013, Mar 2, 2013, Mar 16, 2013
Costa Rica to Panama: Dec 15, 2012, Dec 29, 2012, Jan 26 2013, Feb 9, 2013, Feb 23, 2013, Mar 9, 2013, Mar 23, 2013

Panama City is a curious blend of old Spain, modern America and the bazaar atmosphere of the East. Most of the interesting sights are In the old part of the city with its narrow, cobble-stoned streets and colonial buildings. The old historic city with the Salón Bolivar is listed by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site. The Panama Canal, to the west of the city, is 80km (50 miles) long and draws many visitors. A train or bus ride alongside or a boat trip on the Canal itself is memorable - the scenery is beautiful, and the mechanics of the Canal equally fascinating. There is a new Panama Canal Museum in the Casco Viejo area.

You will be meet and greet by an English speaking assistant and transfered with private vehicle, and English speaking professional driver.

The Crowne Plaza Hotel Panama is a full-service luxury business hotel catering to the international traveler. This hotel has the latest information technology readily available to facilitate business transactions and work on the go for the traveling businessman: Internet access & Business Center. Fine Dining Restaurant La Galeria, with international style breakfast & lunch buffet. "Memories" Sports Bar offers a variety of national and international beverages. Also you will find 4 Meeting Rooms for business and social events. Additional features include: Modern Heliport, Indoor Parking, a Fitness Center with state-of-the-art equipment, Outdoor Pool and Social Area, a Gift Shop and Shopping Gallery.

Overnight at Crowne Plaza.

Your English speaking guide will pick you up at your hotel and take you on a private tour to Panama City and the Miraflores Locks. You will start the tour with a 30 minutes drive to Miraflores to see the huge vessels passing the Panama Canal. You will enjoy the view on the Locks from a sheltered terrace and listen to the explanations of your guide. To complete the visit of the Canal you will visit the Museum and Visitor Center at Miraflores which gives you a good idea on the construction of the Canal – a masterpiece of engineering.  After the visit to the Canal continue with your guide to the Amador Causeway, a road that connects three Islands in the Pacific Ocean and offers magnificent views on the Canal on one side and on the skyline of Panama City on the other side. The tour continues to the Casco Viejo, Panama City’s colonial quarter. At the Casco Viejo you feel set back in time as you admire the lovely colonial houses, the narrow roads and the impressive churches. After the tour, you will be transferred back to your hotel.

Overnight at Crowne Plaza.

In the morning your guide will pick you up at your hotel and take you up north towards Lake Alajuela. There you will step into small boats, which will carry you up the Rio Chagres. A fascinating and dense jungle will accompany you on your boat trip. Upriver, you will step out of the dugout canoes and enjoy a short hike (can be a bit muddy) to a beautiful waterfall in midst of the rain forest. Enjoy this tropical paradise far away from any civilization, take a swim in the refreshing pool just beneath the waterfall and submerge in this true tropical getaway. Now you are ready to visit the village of the Embera Indians, one of seven indigenous tribes in Panama. The people of the Emberá tribe will welcome you at the pier and gladly give you an idea on how they still live today. The villages chief will give you a brief explication on the history of the tribe, its traditions, cultures, believes and handicrafts. Then, a traditional lunch of fish and plantains prepared by the Embera women will be served to you. In the afternoon you will experience a traditional Embera dance and have the opportunity to shop for handicrafts. The sale of local products directly benefits the village and helps to pay the school fees for the children. You can also get a temporary Embera tattoo painted on your arm or leg.

Duration: 6 hours Includes: Transportation from and to Panama City Hotel, English speaking guide, lunch
Bring: Solid shoes, comfortable clothes, bathing suit, towel, sunscreen, sunglasses, hat, camera

Overnight at Crowne Plaza.

Embark on an exciting yet relaxing cruise adventure as you're transported between two of the great world oceans; the Atlantic and the Pacific. Departing from the North American coastline, sail the open seas aboard a luxurious oceanliner, making calls-to-port at incredible destinations both before and after you pass through the extravagant 82km lock system of the Panama Canal.

Transfer to Colon by private vehicle and professional driver.

Welcome aboard!
Take some time to get settled into your cabin, as well as explore your cruise vessel's facilities. Tonight's welcome dinner will create an ideal environment to meet some of your fellow cruisemates.

Port charges for your multi-day cruise are included.

The Wind Star, a sailing cruise ship renovated between 2003-2007, crosses between Istanbul and Athens throughout the season. The ship carries 148 guests, and cabin accomodation is made up of 74 total staterooms: 73 deluxe ocean-view staterooms and one deluxe owner’s cabin with a dining/sitting area. Some staterooms offer a third berth and some side-by-side staterooms offer an adjoining private door. On board facilities include 3 restaurants, lounge, casino, piano/pool bar, watersports platform, saltwater pool, hot tub, gym, spa, library, infirmary with physician.

Overnight at Windstar Wind Star (7N).

The San Blas Islands of Panama is an archipelago of 365 islands off the north coast of the Isthmus, east of the Panama Canal. Home to the Kuna Indians, they are a part of the comarca Kuna Yala along the Caribbean coast of Panama.

Overnight at Windstar Wind Star (7N).

Early this morning you will begin your passage through the remarkable Panama Canal. A marvel of modern engineering, the 82km lock system spanning the continental divide is a journey for the modern explorer.

Overnight at Windstar Wind Star (7N).

Today is a full day spent at sea, cruising toward your next destination of Isla De Coiba, located off the coast of Panama. Spend some time using the various recreational facilities aboard your ship, or relax in the company of your new cruise friends.

Overnight at Windstar Wind Star (7N).

Coiba is the largest island in Central America, located off the Pacific coast of Panama's province of Veraguas. It is one of the last places in Central America the Scarlet Macaw can be found in large numbers in the wild. The island is about 75% forested with a large fraction standing as ancient forest. Coiba Island is home to rare plant species found only on the island, as well as tree species that have long disappeared from the mainland due to deforestation and overharvesting.The island was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 2005.

Overnight at Windstar Wind Star (7N).

The port town of Golfito (literally meaning 'little bay') is located in Puntarenas Province on the southern Pacific Coast of Costa Rica, near the border of Panama. The town lies on a narrow strip of land between the eponymous bay and a hill and consist of two parts, the town proper and shopping area to the south, and a residential area near the port. From the northern section, which was the old United Fruit Company headquarters, trails go up to the Refugio Nacional de Vida Silvestre Golfito (Golfito Wildlife Refuge) on the hill, which extends across to the other side of the bay and is part of the National Parks of Costa Rica. With some of the highest storied rainforests in Central America (30 - 45 metres), most of the coastal lowlands surrounding the town are characterized by tall evergreen forest.

Overnight at Windstar Wind Star (7N).

Bahía Drake (Drakes Bay) is a small bay on the north side of the Osa Peninsula on the coast of southwestern Costa Rica. The main attraction is Corcovado National Park, it occupies about a third of the peninsula, and this is known for being one of the largest and without human intervention park of the country, there are a lot of endemic species, also the efforts made by the Costa Rican government through the MINAE for the preservation of this area are really admirable, the private enterprise has been really helpful in these conservation efforts. The area has been accessible only by sea until recently, and consequently remains a largely pristine low-land tropical rainforest. It is one of the last such remaining areas on the Pacific coast. Since about 1990, eco-tourism has been the principal economy of the area.

Overnight at Windstar Wind Star (7N).

San José was founded in 1737 and is a pleasant mixture of traditional and modern Spanish architecture. Places of interest include the Teatro Nacional, the Legislative Assembly building, and the Parque Central, east of which is the Cathedral. The National Museum and the Museum of Gold are also worth a visit.

This morning you'll disembark from your cruise ship in Puerto Caldera, Costa Rica. Bid farewell to your fellow cruisemates as your voyage has come to completion.

Meet your driver for a private transfer to San Jose.

Poas Volcano Private Tour: Admire the impressive and imposing crater of the volcano, which is 2,708 m (1.7miles) above sea level. On the way to the volcano, there will be a stop for a brief explanation on Costa Rica's "grain of gold", coffee. The trip then continues as you pass by strawberry fields, ferns, and flowers before arriving at the volcano where you will have time to observe the main crater and sulphur fumaroles.

The Intercontinental Real is situated in Escazu, a bustling region filled with activity and a promising shopping area within walking distance. The hotel consists of 260 rooms, each with plush bedding and feather pillows. Dining takes place at any of the three restaurants, where one may watch the chef work with lobsters and steak galore, or perhaps cosy up over pasta in an intimate Italian atmosphere next door. Needless to say, there is always something to do at the Intercontinental Real, so put some time aside for the spa and massage treatments, or perhaps just relax in the Jacuzzi.

Overnight at Intercontinental Real.

Enjoy a private airport transfer with vehicle, and professional driver. The transfer is approximately 30 mins (22km/14mi).

 End of itinerary.

Overnight at Depart .