16-day eastern Caribbean holiday: Amber Cove & Bahamas

Your voyage begins in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. According to the popular 1960 beach movie, Fort Lauderdale is "where the boys are." The city's reputation as America's Spring Break capital, however, has been replaced with the more favorable image of a prime family tourist destination, attracting more than 10 million visitors annually. The most popular beach resort in Florida is even more rightly famed as the "Yachting Capital of the World," with more than 40,000 registered crafts calling its waters home. The city also prides itself on being the "Venice of America" with more than 300 miles of navigable waterways. Fort Lauderdale boasts world-class theaters, museums, sightseeing, and shopping. The city sits 24 miles north of Miami and is named after a series of forts built by the United States during the second Seminole War. The forts took their name from Major William Lauderdale, who was the commander of the detachment of soldiers who built the first fort. Look hard and you might find remnants of three of them today. More people seem to be interested in taking a water tour aboard the "Carrie B."

A full day at sea - time to enjoy Nieuw Amsterdam's restaurants, pools and entertainment.

Continue your voyage aboard Nieuw Amsterdam with a leisurely day at sea.

St. Maarten offers a delightful case of split personality. Legend has it that a Frenchman and a Dutchman divided ownership of the island through a walk-off: Standing back to back, the two headed in opposite directions, walking around the island until they met. Perhaps the Dutchman paused for a refreshing brew. At any rate, the French ended up claiming 21 square miles of the island to 16 square miles for the Dutch. This lively tale says much about St. Maarten's easygoing ways. No formal boundary exists between the Dutch and French sides of the island; a simple welcome sign tells you when you cross from one country to the other. But the differences are as noticeable as the spelling of the island's name. The French spell it St. Martin. And it's this split personality that lends so much to the island's charms, including an international reputation for the finest cuisine in the Caribbean.

The largest of the British Leeward Islands, Antigua (pronounced an-tee-ga) boasts one of the Caribbean's most spectacular coastlines with secluded coves and sun drenched beaches. The island's rolling hills are dotted with stone sugar mills, relics from the bygone era when sugar was king. Historic Nelson's Dockyard, where Admiral Horatio Nelson quartered his fleet in 1784, attests to Antigua's long and colorful nautical history during colonial times. And St. John's, the island's bustling capital, offers visitors a wealth of boutiques, restaurants and pubs.

Once known as a hideaway for pirates and freebooters, the British Virgin Islands (BVI) are today a lure for sun worshippers and yachtsmen alike. Constant trade winds along the Sir Francis Drake Channel make for ideal sailing conditions, while the secluded beaches, incredible vistas, and friendly inhabitants make the islands a wonderful place to visit. Tortola, the largest island in the BVI, is home to Road Town, the islands' capital. Browse the many small shops, enjoy a drink at a harbor café, or simply relax on the spectacular beach at Cane Garden Bay. The island's mountainous terrain makes for fabulous views. On a clear day, you can glimpse the U.S. Virgin Islands. For a real treat, take a ferry across the channel to Virgin Gorda, home of the famous Baths. At this unique beach, gigantic boulders create secluded coves and form picturesque grottos.

The oldest city under the American flag, San Juan vibrates to a lively salsa beat. There's an unmistakable zest in the air here. Perhaps it's the stunning natural setting: the verdant peaks, tropical forests, and gleaming white-sand beaches. Or maybe it's Puerto Rico's mix of cultures, the blend and occasional clash of four centuries of Spanish heritage overlaid with a century spent as America's only Commonwealth. Whatever the reason, San Juan is one of the most enticing ports in the Caribbean, and it only gets lovelier with age.

Another day at sea to explore the ship at your own pace.

Your ship calls at RelaxAway Half Moon Cay, Bahamas.

Your ship returns to Ft. Lauderdale, Florida.

Your ship returns to RelaxAway Half Moon Cay, Bahamas.

A full day at sea - time to enjoy Nieuw Amsterdam's restaurants, pools and entertainment.

Grand Turk, the capital of the Turks and Caicos Islands, is a small island bursting with turn-of-the-century Caribbean charm, retaining the look and feel of the Caribbean 40 years ago. Grand Turk was founded by Bermudan salt rakers some three centuries ago and its Bermudan-British-colonial architecture surrounded by colorful local dwellings make the island a treasure to visit. It is recognized as being one of the first places in the New World where Christopher Columbus landed and also gained worldwide attention when John Glenn splashed down near Grand Turk on his historic first mission to space. Grand Turk is six miles long and just over a mile wide with a population of only 6,000. It is blessed with miles of uncrowded, beautiful beaches and is close to several uninhabited cays such as Gibb's Cay, home of the stingray encounter. While there are many landside attractions to explore such as the Old Prison, Lighthouse Park, and the re-created salt salina, the real beauty of the island lies underwater. Grand Turk is world-famous for its healthy and beautiful coral reefs that surround the island, stretching almost from the coastline to the 7,000-foot vertical wall just offshore.

Your ship calls at Amber Cove, Dominican Republic.

Continue your voyage aboard Nieuw Amsterdam with a leisurely day at sea.

Your ship calls at Key West, Florida, US.

Your voyage concludes in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida.