Day 1 : New Orleans

Unique in all the world, the lacy Creole look and carefree bon temps atmosphere of the Big Easy set it apart. Walk the balconied streets of the French Quarter to Audubon Park, sip chicory coffee and bite into a snowy beignet at Cafe du Monde, or recapture the antebellum gentility of Creole mansions and plantation homes in the surrounding parishes.

Day 2 : At Sea

Day 3 : Cozumel/MEXICO

Sitting just off the gorgeous Yucatan coast, Cozumel revels in its mythic white-sand beaches and world-class coral reefs. Yet Cozumel is also the last stronghold of the Mayas, who settled the island in 300 A.D. Residents still speak Maya, and sometimes wear traditional Mayan clothing. Nearby stand the great pyramids and temples of their ancestors.

Day 4 : Grand Cayman

Survey the neatly shuttered shops for bargains, or the twisted rock formations known as "Hell." But there's nothing hellish about the white-sand heaven of Seven Mile Beach. Sample the rum distilled here and be sure to visit the world's only sea turtle farm.

Day 5 : At Sea

Day 6 : Merida/MEXICO

In the province of Merida.

Day 7 : At Sea

Day 8 : New Orleans

Unique in all the world, the lacy Creole look and carefree bon temps atmosphere of the Big Easy set it apart. Walk the balconied streets of the French Quarter to Audubon Park, sip chicory coffee and bite into a snowy beignet at Cafe du Monde, or recapture the antebellum gentility of Creole mansions and plantation homes in the surrounding parishes.