Central America Discovery - Mexico, Guatemala, Nicaragua & Costa Rica Cruise

Find the perfect trip

12 days from

Contact us

* Current p/p indicative rate.

Overview
Highlights
Dates & Prices
Itinerary
Map
Ships

Highlights

  • Curu Wildlife Refuge: Explore the diverse habitats of Curu Wildlife Refuge on the Nicoya Peninsula. Discover tropical forests, mangroves, grasslands, and beaches while observing wildlife such as monkeys, deer, armadillos, iguanas, and birds.
  • Zihuatanejo and Xihuacan: Visit the modern beach resort of Zihuatanejo and explore the nearby archaeological site of Xihuacan. Marvel at the ancient ruins and the collection of pre-Hispanic artifacts on display, gaining insight into the region's fascinating history.
  • Acapulco: Experience the glamour and beauty of Acapulco, known as the "Pearl of the Pacific." Enjoy the city's stunning bay, rich history, and sunshine-filled days. Visit the Acapulco Historical Museum to delve into its past or go bird-watching at Coyuca lagoon.
  • Playa Flamingo and Palo Verde National Park: Relax on the picturesque Playa Flamingo, one of Costa Rica's most beautiful beaches. Take a trip to Palo Verde National Park, a birdwatcher's paradise, where you can spot a wide variety of aquatic and migratory bird species in their natural habitat.

Highlights

  • Curu Wildlife Refuge: Explore the diverse habitats of Curu Wildlife Refuge on the Nicoya Peninsula. Discover tropical forests, mangroves, grasslands, and beaches while observing wildlife such as monkeys, deer, armadillos, iguanas, and birds.
  • Zihuatanejo and Xihuacan: Visit the modern beach resort of Zihuatanejo and explore the nearby archaeological site of Xihuacan. Marvel at the ancient ruins and the collection of pre-Hispanic artifacts on display, gaining insight into the region's fascinating history.
  • Acapulco: Experience the glamour and beauty of Acapulco, known as the "Pearl of the Pacific." Enjoy the city's stunning bay, rich history, and sunshine-filled days. Visit the Acapulco Historical Museum to delve into its past or go bird-watching at Coyuca lagoon.
  • Playa Flamingo and Palo Verde National Park: Relax on the picturesque Playa Flamingo, one of Costa Rica's most beautiful beaches. Take a trip to Palo Verde National Park, a birdwatcher's paradise, where you can spot a wide variety of aquatic and migratory bird species in their natural habitat.
Ship Diana
Capacity: 192, Types: Luxury ExpeditionWheelchair accessible
Feture image for Central America Discovery - Mexico, Guatemala, Nicaragua & Costa Rica Cruise

Cruise in style on a boutique expedition ship that will take you to some of the most biodiverse marine ecosystems on the planet. Embark on this Central America Discovery cruise and experience the diversity of cultures, landscapes, and wildlife along the Pacific coastline of five countries. From the mangrove forests of Guatemala to the beaches of Costa Rica, discover a stunning and wild region. Snorkel with humpback whales in the clear waters off the coast of Mexico, or go diving with dolphins and turtles. Hike through lush cloud forests, go whitewater rafting, or simply relax on a beach and soak up the sun. This is a journey of discovery, where you will learn about the region's rich history and culture and return home with memories that will last a lifetime.

  • Curu Wildlife Refuge: Explore the diverse habitats of Curu Wildlife Refuge on the Nicoya Peninsula. Discover tropical forests, mangroves, grasslands, and beaches while observing wildlife such as monkeys, deer, armadillos, iguanas, and birds.
  • Zihuatanejo and Xihuacan: Visit the modern beach resort of Zihuatanejo and explore the nearby archaeological site of Xihuacan. Marvel at the ancient ruins and the collection of pre-Hispanic artifacts on display, gaining insight into the region's fascinating history.
  • Acapulco: Experience the glamour and beauty of Acapulco, known as the "Pearl of the Pacific." Enjoy the city's stunning bay, rich history, and sunshine-filled days. Visit the Acapulco Historical Museum to delve into its past or go bird-watching at Coyuca lagoon.
  • Playa Flamingo and Palo Verde National Park: Relax on the picturesque Playa Flamingo, one of Costa Rica's most beautiful beaches. Take a trip to Palo Verde National Park, a birdwatcher's paradise, where you can spot a wide variety of aquatic and migratory bird species in their natural habitat.

There are no future departures for this trip at this stage.

show reverse itinerary
DAY 1 PRE CRUISE
DAY 2 PICHILINGUE (LA PAZ)
Pichilingue (La Paz) is a port and a beach resort on the eastern coast of Baja California Sur, Mexico. It is located 18 km from La Paz, the capital of the state, and it offers a variety of attractions and activities for travelers. You can sunbathe, swim, and sport fish on the sandy shore or enjoy a meal and a drink at one of the restaurants along the waterfront. Pichilingue is where you can enjoy the sun, the sea, and the culture of Baja California Sur.
DAY 3 DAY AT SEA
Sea days are rarely dull. Take the time to sit back and let the world go by. The ship’s observation decks provide stunning views of the passing ocean. A day at sea gives you the opportunity to mingle with other passengers and share your experiences of this incredible trip or head to our library which is stocked full of reference books. Get an expert’s view in one of our on-board lectures or perhaps perfect your photography skills with invaluable advice from our onboard professional photographers.
DAY 4 MANZANILLO
Nicknamed the Sailfish Capital of the World, Manzanillo is one of Mexico’s most significant port cities. As you might expect from such a moniker, most of the activities in town are centred around the water, and seafood dominates the local culinary scene. Although the city is largely a modern development, ancient history is never far away in this part of the world. We will be visiting the archaeological site, Zona Arqueologica la Campana today, which is about a two-hour drive away from Manzanillo port.
DAY 5 ZIHUATANEJO
One of Mexico’s most visited cities, Zihuatenejo is a modern beach resort with a fascinating and ancient past. Surrounded by significant archaeological sites, this morning we will be visiting Xihuacan. Opened in 2013, the area has yet to be fully excavated. The site and museum are located a little under an hour from Zihuatenejo. Here you can explore the ruins as well as visit the eight hundred plus pre-Hispanic artefacts on display.
DAY 6 ACAPULCO
Acapulco, nicknamed ‘Pearl of the Pacific’, is Mexico’s most glamorous pacific resort that rose to fame in the jet-set era of the 1950s. Located on a deep, semi-circular bay, Acapulco is located southwest of Mexico City. With an average of 360 days of sunshine per year, the weather here is famously amicable. The city originated as a port city for Spanish galleons sailing between Spain and the Far East. Learn more about the city’s past at the Acapulco Historical Museum. Or perhaps head out on a bird-watching trip at Coyuca lagoon with a local ornithology expert. Pass through lush vegetation and native flora on the lookout for some of the 250 species of birds that call the lagoon home.
DAY 7 DAY AT SEA
Days at sea are the perfect chance to relax, unwind and do whatever takes your fancy. So whether that is going to the gym, visiting the spa, trying to spot a whale from the deck, reading a chapter or two, or simply topping up your tan, these blue sea days are the perfect balance to the green days spent exploring on land.
DAY 8 PUERTO QUETZAL
The modern port city of Puerto Quetzal is situated on the Pacific coastline just south of Guatemala City. From here you can explore the World Heritage Site of La Antigua Guatemala or head out to the stunning Lake Atitlan and explore its surrounding villages. The former capital of Guatemala, Antigua, is a short distance away and definitely worth a visit. Now a World Heritage site, this beautiful colonial town has buildings that date back to the 16th century. The museums and architecture will transport you back in time through the city’s fascinating past.
DAY 9 ACAJUTLA
Originally a Mayan village, Acajutla is now El Salvador’s main export town for coffee, sugar and balsam. You can still see evidence of the area’s Mayan past in the ruins near the port. The town itself is a pleasant place to spend some time exploring the boutique shops and strolling the dark sand beaches. Further afield, we will be visiting the UNESCO-protected site of Joya de Cerén, a pre-Columbian 600 AD Maya village preserved in ash, known as the ‘Pompeii of Central America.’ We will also visit the fascinating archaeological site of Tazumal. In the K’ich’ language, Tazumal means ‘pyramid where victims are burned’. Archaeologists estimate that the area was first settled in 5000BC.
DAY 10 CORINTO
Corinto is a charming town on Nicaragua's Pacific coast in the Chinandega province. It is the country’s largest and only Pacific port, with a rich history and a diverse economy. Corinto offers a variety of attractions for travelers, such as the Iglesia Santo Tomás Apóstol, a beautiful Catholic church. The Rum Factory Flor de Caña, where you can learn about the production of Nicaragua’s famous rum and the Cerro Negro Volcano.
DAY 11 PLAYA FLAMINGO, MARINA FLAMINGO
One of Costa Rica’s prettiest beaches, Playa Flamingo is just about as picture-postcard perfect as it gets. The white sand, shell beach and serene blue sea make for a popular but laid-back holiday resort. We will be visiting the nearby Palo Verde National Park, located on the banks of the Tempisque River. A birdwatcher’s paradise, Palo Verde is the meeting place of the largest concentration of aquatic birds and migratory birds on the Central American Pacific Coast. You can spot toucan, scarlet macaws, the roseate spoonbill, wood storks, tanagers and much more here. In total Palo Verde is home to 279 species of birds.
DAY 12 PUNTARENAS
Puntarenas is a place to experience the authentic and diverse culture of Costa Rica, located on a narrow peninsula that stretches into the Pacific Ocean. Puntarenas is a popular destination for locals and tourists alike, who come to enjoy its beaches, seafood, and carnival atmosphere. Puntarenas is also a gateway to explore the region's natural wonders, such as the Tortuga, Chira, Coco islands, the Nicoya Peninsula, and the Monteverde Cloud Forest.
Please Note:
Itinerary changes and surprising experiences are part of expedition cruise life. The world has a habit of amazing us with incredible things when we yield to the unexpected. Join us with an open mind and a sense of adventure and you’ll find that this can pay off in the most rewarding ways.
Diana
Launched in 2023, SH Diana provides elegant and spacious 5-star accommodation for 192 guests in 96 spacious staterooms and suites, the vast majority with large balconies. Operated by an onboard team …

Diana

Length 125 metres
Launched 2022/23

Launched in 2023, SH Diana provides elegant and spacious 5-star accommodation for 192 guests in 96 spacious staterooms and suites, the vast majority with large balconies. Operated by an onboard team of 140 she provides a high level of personal service, exploring the Mediterranean and its famous sites of antiquity.

Now sit back, relax and take a moment to get to know this amazing new ship, purpose-designed for our unique cultural expedition cruises.

Named after the Ancient Roman goddess of light, the moon, hunting and the wilderness, SH Diana been specially designed for worldwide cruising to explore the most inspiring and inaccessible places on earth. Building on the outstanding amenities of her sister ships, she adds a dedicated Multifunctional Room next to the Observation Lounge, a Private Dining Room for special occasions, and two tenders which bring guests a comfortable alternative to Zodiacs for expedition landings. A Polar Class 6 ice-strengthened hull combines with extra-large stabilisers to make your journey as comfortable as possible.

SH Diana has been designed for immersive experiences, with extensive outside deck areas, multiple observation points and bright, open and relaxing public spaces with unobstructed views.

The pleasure and safety of our guests is paramount at all times, cared for by our attentive crew and seasoned expedition leaders. Cutting edge hygiene technology protects the health of all on board to the highest standards and includes air conditioning with UV sanitisation systems.

SH Diana’s 96 staterooms , including 11 suites, are each a superbly comfortable home from home and all feature panoramic sea views, a flame-effect fireplace, original works of art, plush couches, premium pocket sprung mattresses, en-suite bathrooms with glass-enclosed rain showers, and Egyptian cotton towels, bathrobes and sheets. A pillow menu offers customised head and neck comfort during rest, while a large flat screen TV, espresso machine with Illy premium coffee, tea making facilities with the finest Kusmi teas, and a minibar with refreshments enhance relaxation at any time. In-room dining is of course available at all hours.

Wheelchair access

Guests who use wheelchairs must bring their own, as we have only a small number of wheelchairs stored onboard for emergencies. To ensure ease of movement on the ship, wheelchairs and mobility aids must be no wider than 65cm. All mobility or medical equipment brought on board must be capable of being carried safely and must be declared before sailing. To ensure that all guests can safely evacuate during an emergency, guests requiring a wheelchair can only be accommodated in our ADA-accessible cabins.

We offer an Oceanview and a Balcony stateroom on Diana. These staterooms are specifically designed to be completely ADA compliant and have a fully operable wheelchair-access wet unit.

Diana has two lifts, serving every passenger deck apart from the Stargazing top deck, which is, therefore, more difficult to access, as are the Aft Marina and Swan’s Nest forward observation platform. Also, we don’t have special equipment to access the swimming pool, jacuzzi, or sauna. Otherwise, the ship is entirely at your disposal.

Many of the expeditions ashore in remote places are by Zodiac. Boarding these boats and returning aboard can present challenges for wheelchair users, as can navigating uneven terrain. These challenges are by no means always insurmountable, though, and our highly experienced crew is trained to provide reliable advice and assistance. They will make every effort to ensure wheelchair-using guests enjoy a memorable experience at each destination. Our general guidance, however, is to recommend wheelchair users travel with a companion for their ease and enjoyment.

If you prefer to remain aboard, our panoramic interiors and ample open decks ensure an immersive, intimate experience of your inspiring surroundings.

Cabin layout for Diana
Overview
Highlights
Dates & Prices
Itinerary
Map
Ship

12 days from Contact us

Find your favorite region