There’s nothing more luxurious than taking a cruise around some of the most beautiful islands in the world in the Caribbean.
You can be enjoying the views from your cabin balcony whilst sipping on a cocktail. Or, maybe you want to relax on the endless tropical beaches. Some people like to stay in beachfront villas in the Caribbean whereas others prefer to island hop with their cruise ship.
This is one of the best places to explore and has some of the most scenic and luxurious cruises in the world. But, if you want to visit, it can be difficult to find and choose the right one for you. After all, there are so many different packages and places to choose from.
Here are our top five cruise destinations in the Caribbean.
1. Barbados
This is one of the most popular destinations in the Eastern Caribbean for tourists and cruise ships.
The island is full of amazing beaches, rugged coastlines, and coral reefs. You can spend your time photographing the natural beauty of this island or rent some snorkelling equipment to enjoy the marine life under the water. Bridgetown has a unique British colonial history and you can see the legacy of this in the city today.
Barbados isn’t as popular as some of the islands in the Western Caribbean and is slightly more difficult to reach. This has many advantages for cruisers who can experience the island and local Bajan culture without the masses of other visitors.
2. St Kitts
St Kitts is one of the islands that get fewer tourists compared to the others. But, it’s a great place to visit and experience some of the unique history of the island.
This is one of the best places to visit for people who like history and want to see the legacy of their colonial past. You can find two of the oldest settlements in St Kitts that are around 350 years old as well as an old colonial town and fortress.
The beaches are great too and the island is quite small making it easy to get around. Many tourists like to hop on a boat to visit its sister, Nevis, that’s just a short distance away across the sea. Several ferries typically leave each day and it shouldn’t take more than an hour to reach the other side.
Most tours will only stop by here for a few hours and you need to make the time count. You can arrange a brief tour to one or both of the islands depending on how much time you have.
3. Trinidad and Tobago
Trinidad and Tobago are two island that’s a short distance from Venezuela. Apart from the beaches and water sports, this is the birthplace of Soca, one of the most popular genres of music in the Caribbean. You can be relaxing in one of the beachside bars enjoying your drinks whilst listening to some of the best and funkiest music ever.
The local food is also some of the best that you can find in the Caribbean. Vendors sell local delicacies and the tourist office on the cruise ship should be able to give you suggestions on what you should try when you visit.
The island may have a reputation for being one of the more dangerous parts of the Caribbean, but it doesn’t mean that people should completely avoid it. Cruises will usually stay here for a day and it’s easy to arrange a tour.
4. Dominican Republic
The Dominican Republic is one of the cheaper destinations in the Caribbean and is a popular stop on cruises around the northern islands. Puerto Plato on the northern coast of the Dominican Republic is quickly becoming one of the hottest destinations.
The main attraction is the Marine Park in a large lagoon where visitors can see a range of sea life in their natural environments. You can also buy packages that allow you to swim with sharks and dolphins, which most visitors claim as their favourite experience. There’s also a large water park here with huge slides that promises fun for the entire family.
When you venture out of this area, you can experience a town that has a certain level of charm. It gets fewer tourists and gives you more of an insight into the local culture. And the food and shopping are top notch too.
The Dominican Republic is also one of the best luxury honeymoon destinations.
5. Jamaica
If you have the opportunity to visit Jamaica, you shouldn’t turn it down. This is one of the more popular islands and combines beautiful beaches with a laid-back atmosphere.
There are lots of different ports that receive a large number of tourists on cruise ships. Some will only stop by for a few hours whereas other have the chance to spend a night here. Montego Bay and Falmouth are two of the most visited places for cruises.
If you get the chance, take a visit the Blue Mountains and take the chance to see the wildlife in the interior part of the island. Another popular activity that Jamaica is famous for is bird watching. This island has some of the highest numbers of endemic species in the entire Caribbean and is a birdwatchers’ paradise.
Cruising around the Caribbean is a dream vacation for lots of people around the world. But there are so many different packages and routes that it can be difficult to choose the right one for you. We hope our guide has provided some inspiration to help you find your perfect cruise to fulfil a dream vacation. if you are looking for a little more luxury view our list of the best resorts in the Bahamas.
