MSC SEASHORE: Port Canaveral (Orlando), United States - Port Canaveral (Orlando), United States - 17.12.2026. - 11 days

     Nassau is the capital city of the Bahamas, a group of islands 50 miles from the coast of Florida, named 'Baja Mar' by Spanish settlers. Christopher Colombus was one of the first Europeans to visit the islands, and called the inhabitants 'lucaiani', derived from 'lukku-cairi' in their native language, meaning people from the island.
     The first foreigners to have a substantial presence were British Lutherans who settled there after abandoning Bermuda in 1647. They made their home near Nassau, which is on New Providence Island, and developed a substantial maritime trade. The islands' commercial activities soon gained the unwanted attention of pirates, who for some 70 years terrorised the islands.
     Among the more notorious pirates were Barbanera, Morgan and Anne Booney, as well as the legendary Blackbeard. The Bahamas' close proximity to America encouraged trade between the two, particularly during the American War of Independence in 1776 and the Anglo-Spanish War. But following the American Civil War, the Bahamas suffered lengthy and frequent periods of economic downturn, which lasted until the end of World War II.
     Tourism became an increasingly important source of revenue, particularly after Castro came to power in Cuba and Americans had to look for an alternative nearby holiday destination. The Bahamas became part of the Commonwealth in 1969 and gained full independence in 1973. The capital Nassau, a fiscal haven, is rich in history, tradition, charm and folklore. Established in 1656, it has survived the colonial age, piracy and economic recession. Only ancient city walls and fortresses testify to the city's former troubles.
     A number of gardens and fountains punctuate the busy city streets, lined with a host of restaurants, bars and duty-free shops. The port is the busiest in the Bahamas, with a constant stream of yachts and passenger ships arriving and leaving. And there are a number of glorious sandy beaches nearby, both on New Providence Island and its sister Paradise Island, connected by bridge from Nassau.

     Nassau is the capital city of the Bahamas, a group of islands 50 miles from the coast of Florida, named 'Baja Mar' by Spanish settlers. Christopher Colombus was one of the first Europeans to visit the islands, and called the inhabitants 'lucaiani', derived from 'lukku-cairi' in their native language, meaning people from the island.
     The first foreigners to have a substantial presence were British Lutherans who settled there after abandoning Bermuda in 1647. They made their home near Nassau, which is on New Providence Island, and developed a substantial maritime trade. The islands' commercial activities soon gained the unwanted attention of pirates, who for some 70 years terrorised the islands.
     Among the more notorious pirates were Barbanera, Morgan and Anne Booney, as well as the legendary Blackbeard. The Bahamas' close proximity to America encouraged trade between the two, particularly during the American War of Independence in 1776 and the Anglo-Spanish War. But following the American Civil War, the Bahamas suffered lengthy and frequent periods of economic downturn, which lasted until the end of World War II.
     Tourism became an increasingly important source of revenue, particularly after Castro came to power in Cuba and Americans had to look for an alternative nearby holiday destination. The Bahamas became part of the Commonwealth in 1969 and gained full independence in 1973. The capital Nassau, a fiscal haven, is rich in history, tradition, charm and folklore. Established in 1656, it has survived the colonial age, piracy and economic recession. Only ancient city walls and fortresses testify to the city's former troubles.
     A number of gardens and fountains punctuate the busy city streets, lined with a host of restaurants, bars and duty-free shops. The port is the busiest in the Bahamas, with a constant stream of yachts and passenger ships arriving and leaving. And there are a number of glorious sandy beaches nearby, both on New Providence Island and its sister Paradise Island, connected by bridge from Nassau.

     When Christopher Columbus first laid eyes upon Jamaica he wrote in his logbook that it was 'the most beautiful island I have ever seen'. His words were not without good reason. The land of rum and reggae is a stunningly beautiful island of soaring mountains, lush hilltops, evocative swamplands and glorious tropical flora. The town of Ocho Rios sprawls along a magnificent beach and is one of Jamaica's major tourist destinations. The present bustling town was formerly a sleepy fishing village and along the coastline manages to retain some of its earlier tranquil charm. James Bond author Ian Fleming used to live in the vicinity, at Oracabessa, and references to 007 are littered throughout the town. One of its beaches is dedicated to the fictional spy and was reportedly the location for several scenes in the 007 film Licence to Kill, starring Sean Connery and Ursula Andress. The hills behind Ocho Rios are dissected by several waterfalls and not far from town are a number of plantations growing a wide range of exotic fruit. Also accessible from Ocho Rios are Dunn's River Falls, one of Jamaica's most famous sights, which plunge some 600 feet from top to bottom.
     The history of Jamaica is not unlike the rest of the Caribbean. After early Spanish occupation in the 16th Century, under which sugar cane plantations and slavery were a central factor, the island fell to the British. This period saw the expansion and development of local agriculture, including cocoa, sugar cane, coffee and tobacco. During this time the island became plagued by pirates, such as the infamous Blackbeard and 'Calico' Jack Rackham. By the turn of the 19th Century resistance to slavery was gaining ground in Jamaica, leading to a series of rebellions, the greatest of which was in 1831. Three years later, slaves in the West Indies were emancipated, heralding a gradual assertion of Jamaican nationalism, which culminated in independence in 1962. The years since have seen a huge increase in tourism to Jamaica, fuelled in significant part by its place as the home of reggae music, which has been exported all over the world by the likes of Bob Marley, Peter Tosh, Aswad and Big Mountain. The most important reggae event in the world and the biggest day in the Jamaican calendar is the annual Sunsplash Festival held on the island.