Pride of Panama

Kora La

Our signature pan-Asian speciality restaurant makes an appearance onboard Marella Discovery. You'll find dishes created by renowned chef Ian Pengelley such as his duck and watermelon salad. The menu covers off south and east Asia, featuring dishes like Indian spiced king prawns, and Indonesian beef rendang curry. This is one of the ship's speciality restaurants, so there's a charge to dine here – plus, we recommend you make a reservation in advance.

47°

Marella Discovery’s main eatery is a big, stylish venue, finished in the colours of the sand and the sea. Daytime meals here come with a side-order of sea views, thanks to floor-to-ceiling windows, and a grand double staircase leads up to a separate eatery.

The History, Gold and Colour of Santa Marta

You’ll be an expert on Santa Marta after this tour. It begins at the city’s Gold Museum, which showcases shiny stuff hailing from pre-Colombian indigenous cultures. Afterwards, you’ll enjoy a stroll around the city with a knowledgeable guide. You’ll get a good look at the varied architecture, which tells of Spanish colonial and Republican reign. Plus, you’ll amble through sunny squares like Bolivar Plaza, where ladies lunch under the shade of leafy acacia trees. You’ll visit Colombia’s oldest church, and check out Parque Santander, a park full of mimosa trees on the outskirts of the city. La Quinta de San Pedro Alejandrino is the final stop of the day. This 17th-century hacienda was once the home of Simon Bolivar, a freedom fighter who led Colombia, Venezuela, Ecuador, Bolivia and Peru to independence from the Spanish Empire. The period artworks and furniture are real eye candy, and the garden, with its native flowers and family of iguanas, is even better.

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A Taste of Santa Marta

You’ll explore mesmerising Santa Marta on this driving tour – South America’s oldest surviving city. It’s a place of contrasts and, between high-rise hotels and glossy shopping malls, Spanish colonial buildings line up in squares shaded by acacia trees. You’ll be transported around all the big sights by coach, pausing to admire Colombia’s oldest church, and the Bolivar Plaza, a hive of lunching locals and camera-toting tourists. Your driving tour comes to a close at La Quinta de San Pedro Alejandrino, a 17th-century hacienda that once belonged to Simon Bolivar. Bolivar led Colombia’s fight for independence, and was celebrated for freeing several South American countries from the Spanish Empire. You’ll enjoy an access-all-areas visit, checking out the impressive artwork and furniture that remains since the freedom fighter’s death in 1830. The garden is the star of the show, though – it’s full of blooms, as well as a small population of iguanas.

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Historic Cartagena - Old City Walking Tour

You’ll come face-to-face with some of Cartagena’s showpieces on this tour and see why it’s old town is a UNESCO World heritage site, Things kick off with a photo stop visit to the San Felipe de Barajas. The construction of this huge fort began in 1536, and lasted for over a hundred years. But the star attraction is inside the chunky walls of the old city. Explore the Dungeons - originally built to store provisions for the troops. Now-a-days they are home to a handicraft market selling brightly decorated cloth, woodwork & woven bags made by some of the locals. Next, tour the winding streets to see the Colonial buildings, ancient churches and pretty squares. To top off your visit, head to the beautiful San Pedro Claver Church, moving on from here there'll be an opportunity to take photographs of San Francisco Javier Bastion, one of the city’s many fortifications.

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Cartagena by Horse & Carriage

See the city of Cartagena in the same way wealthy aristocrats would have once done, from the comfort of a horse and carriage. You’ll tour the streets of the old walled city, stopping to admire cobbled courtyards, flower-bedecked balconies and baroque churches. This place is home to some of the best-preserved colonial Spanish architecture in South America, so have your camera at the ready. There’ll be one guide for every seven carriages, so when we make a stop they’ll be on hand to give you the history and legend of the highlights like the Heredia Theatre, the Inquisition Palace, and City Hall. After your tour of the city, you’ll head for The Dungeons in the walled city ramparts. It’s now home to a colourful handicraft market, where the stalls overflow with wooden ornaments, pretty woven bags and traditional clothes. Get ready to haggle and you’ll get yourself some good deals.

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Panama Canal Tour

Built between 1904 and 1913, the Panama Canal is one of the world’s greatest feats of engineering. Connecting the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, the construction of this narrow, 80 kilometre-long waterway claimed over 20,000 lives – a clue to the monumental scale of the task. On this trip, you’ll witness this incredible construction first-hand, sailing the canal to where it meets the Pacific. To begin with, you’ll head inland and board the ferry, which will carry you along the canal. Complete with comfortable seating and open decks, it’s perfect for watching the passing scenery. You’ll start by sailing through the Gaillard Cut, the part of the canal that crosses the Continental divide and presented the biggest challenge during construction. Then, enjoy the views as you pass through two locks, each of which uses 197 million litres of water to operate. After crossing Miraflores Lake, you’ll then sail under the famous Bridge of the Americas out into the Pacific – look downwards and you’ll see the fresh canal water mingling with the salty ocean. Back on dry land, a bus will then return you to ship. Lunch on the ferry is included in the trip.

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Panama City Tour

Panama is the only place in the world where you can stand on the shores of the Atlantic and Pacific in less than an hour. And on this trip to Panama City that’s exactly what you’ll get to do. After setting off by coach at noon, you’ll arrive in this fascinating city, whose skyscrapers loom over the Pacific. Your sightseeing starts with a chaser of history – a visit to the ruins of Old Panama. Follow your guide around the crumbled walls and old cathedral tower, tracing the story of the original city, which was built by the Spanish in 1519 and destroyed by fire in 1670. Next, continue to Casco Antiguo, the old quarter of the new city, which was constructed after the first capital was destroyed. This atmospheric district is UNESCO-protected and woven with cobbled streets, churches and sunny plazas. See the Metropolitan Cathedral, whose belltowers are inlaid with mother-of-pearl, and admire the grand palaces and flower-festooned townhouses. Last but not least, you’ll walk along Las Bovedas, a historic walkway lined with plaques chronicling the history of the Panama Canal. Finally, enjoy some light refreshments before heading back to ship.

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Veragua Rainforest Experience

On this tour, you’ll go one step further than simply walking through the rainforest, getting a real insight into the research that goes on behind the scenes. The National Institute of Biodiversity is a world-renowned research and conservation organisation that discovers never-seen-before wildlife each year. Today, you’ll pay the centre a visit to find out what happens on a daily basis. It all kicks off with a hike through the Veragua Rainforest. You’ll discover some of the newest protected areas, passing through snake, butterfly and frog exhibitions. Next up, you’ll climb onboard an aerial tram, gliding through the rainforest canopy and enjoying panoramic views of the jungle below. Check out the 300-year-old trees and exotic wildlife as a guide fills you in on their stories. You’ll disembark at the river to head off on the ‘trail of the giants’ – so-called because of the sky-high trees that line the paths. You can also look forward to a photo stop at the 65-foot Puma Waterfall.

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Adventure Canal & Veragua Rainforest Experience

If you want a closer look at the exotic Costa Rican wildlife, this is the perfect way to spend a day. To begin with you’ll visit the Tortuguero Canals, a labyrinth of lakes and channels that wind their way through the Tortuguero National Park. The scenery here is nothing short of spectacular. Cue twisting branches overhanging with vines, and bamboo stalks lined up like soldiers along the water’s edge. As you move through the canals, look out for monkeys, toucans and herons. You may even spot a croc or two lurking in the undergrowth. After your water-based tour, you’ll head to the Veragua Rainforest. Here, state-of-the-art aerial trams await you, ready to whisk you high into the air for unspoiled views over the virgin rainforest below. You’ll also get to see it all on foot, with a guided trek through the snake, frog and butterfly exhibitions. These sections are run and protected by the National Institute of Biodiversity, a conservation organisation that discovers new wildlife every year. The tour ends with a behind-the-scenes look at the works of the INBio, and you’ll visit the organisation’s centre to check out some of the latest finds.

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Kora La

Our signature pan-Asian speciality restaurant makes an appearance onboard Marella Discovery. You'll find dishes created by renowned chef Ian Pengelley such as his duck and watermelon salad. The menu covers off south and east Asia, featuring dishes like Indian spiced king prawns, and Indonesian beef rendang curry. This is one of the ship's speciality restaurants, so there's a charge to dine here – plus, we recommend you make a reservation in advance.

47°

Marella Discovery’s main eatery is a big, stylish venue, finished in the colours of the sand and the sea. Daytime meals here come with a side-order of sea views, thanks to floor-to-ceiling windows, and a grand double staircase leads up to a separate eatery.