Caribbean Cruises

Cruise virgins seeking winter sun or daredevils wanting offbeat adventure, the Caribbean’s 7,000 islands beckon. From French Martinique to Dutch-speaking Curaçao, Caribbean holidays are about choice. You’ll find the white sands and warm waters, but also St Lucia’s cone-shaped volcanoes, Jamaica's rainforests and Dominica’s cool café culture -and that's just for starters...

Caribbean Cruises Cruiselines
Costa ~ Crystal Cruises ~ Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines ~ Holland America Line ~ MSC Cruises ~ NCL Freestyle Cruising ~ Ocean Village ~ P&O Cruises ~ Princess Cruises ~ Regent Seven Seas Cruises ~ Royal Caribbean International ~ Voyages of Discovery ~ Windstar ~

Cruise Season
Most Caribbean cruises sail during high season (November-April), although some are year round. Unpredictable weather off season (May-October) means bargains to be had and, of course, fewer crowds.

Insider Cruise
If Jamaica and the Bahamas make you yawn, beat the crowds with a Caribbean holiday aboard a smaller ship, travelling to lesser-known islands like St Kitts, Bequia and St Vincent for isolated bays and rich local culture.

New to Cruise
First-timers on a Caribbean cruise might want to test the water on a big ship offering onboard activities and shore excursions to tried-and-tested Caribbean holiday favourites like St Thomas, Nassau, Cozumel and San Juan.

Ports of Call
Cruise west to glimpse Cozumel’s 2,000-year-old Mayan temples, Jamaica’s lush rainforest and the powder-white Cayman Islands. Or sail east to spot rare turtles in Puerto Rico, silvery waterfalls in Dominica and St Kitts’ cloud-fringed Mount Liamuiga. Further south find Grenada’s green hills, or sip rum punch on bays in Barbados and Antigua.

Setting Sail
Most Caribbean holiday itineraries are flycruises, flying from the UK to a port in the USA, Caribbean or Mexico. There are longer cruises that sail from and return to UK ports.

Top Trends
Current highlights for insiders are the unspoilt, boulder-strewn British Virgin Islands, especially Tortola and Virgin Gorda.