Learn More About Caribbean Cruises
What better place to totally relax on a cruise than in the Caribbean islands! The daily temperatures in the glorious Caribbean are typically steady in the high 70s and low 80s, so sailings take place year round. Whether you choose a cruise to the eastern, western or southern Caribbean islands, you're in for a tropical treat. Western Caribbean cruises often dock Grand Cayman, where you find seven-mile beach, one of the most beautiful stretches of white sand in the entire Caribbean. Jamaica is also a popular island destination, with ports of call in Montego Bay, known for its sun-kissed beaches, or Ocho Rios, where visitors flock to Dunns Rivers Falls to climb the rocks and get wet in the 600-foot cascading waterfall. Ships also make stops along the Yucatan Peninsula and Cozumel in Mexico, and may dock in Costa Rica, Belize or Panama. Sailings to the Eastern Caribbean islands might include Puerto Rico, the American and British Virgin Islands and St. Maarten/St. Martin. San Juan, Puerto Rico, is rich in Spanish history, with its colonial fortress, El Morro, and sixteenth-century buildings in Old San Juan that are painted in bright Easter-egg colors. St. Martin is the French side and St. Maarten is the Dutch side of the island that offers four-wheeling Jeep excursions, an entertaining Butterfly Farm or shopping at exclusive boutiques in Marigot. St. Thomas is part of the U.S. Virgin Islands, and the main port is Charlotte Amalie, named for a Danish queen. From here you can take an authentic submarine ride, a helicopter tour above and around the island, or ferry over to St. John. Finally, the Southern Caribbean islands are also known as the "ABC islands": Aruba, Barbados and Curacao. These exotic locales are not far from the coast of South America, they're close to the equator, boasting incredible tropical climates. Steady trade winds help cool the islands in the heart of the summer.