Your Caribbean Cruise Awaits.
Expert planning for your perfect Caribbean cruise.
From Family fun to romantic escapes, we handle every detail.
Why a Caribbean Cruise?
The Caribbean really does have something for everyone. Whether this is your first cruise, traveling with kids or even organizing a group trip, the Caribbean just hits on so many levels. From historic sites, tales of pirates and great food and drink.
What makes it special? Each island has its own personality. You have Jamaica with its incredible food and music, the Bahamas with it’s blue water, Aruba with some of the nicest people you will meet and so much more. Plus, you can snorkel and dive over shipwrecks, visit real life forts used by pirates, shop duty-free and of course sit under a palapa on a beach and completely Disconnect. This happens to be my favorite part.
The Caribbean is a easy destination which why it works for everyone. You can visit almost every island with no language barriers at all, the weather is pretty much always reliable and comfortable. Families love the variety of activities at their fingertips from swimming with stingrays and pigs, visiting distilleries and breweries or taking in some cultural foodie tours. Couples can find romance and adventure all on one stop!
Using a cruise line as your mode of transportation brings all this within you reach. With departures up and down the east coast, getting to the Caribbean is super easy. Your biggest decision is picking the cruise ship or vibe you want to experience. The Caribbean is known for being laid back, relaxing and fun so this is a great place to start.
Not to mention you can wake up in a different country when cruising!
Which Region do I Choose?
Most Caribbean Cruise Lines sail an average of 5 to 8 nights and focus on these 3 major Caribbean Regions for guests to explore and enjoy. Eastern, Western and Southern Caribbean. We have experienced each of these regions, Southern Caribbean and Eastern Caribbean are our goto for planning.
Cozumel is fantastic but Jamaica was not a destination we enjoyed so much. I did not enjoy being flooded and harrassed by vendors when navigating the cruise port. When a simple “NO” goes ignored and you are continuously harassed, your frustration takes over. We personally found the Eastern Caribbean to offer the best balance of beaches, walkable ports, and relaxing days without feeling rushed. Southern Caribbean itineraries felt more unique and culturally immersive, but usually required longer sailings and higher budgets..
No matter where you choose to cruise, give yourself plenty of time to see as much as possible at each stop. I am not a fan of short cruises and do not want to feel rushed when visiting so I would tend to lean more towards booking only 7-9 day cruises to these destinations.
Eastern Caribbean
The Eastern Caribbean is the top choice for cruisers looking for sun and sand vacations. It is also a great and easy cruise for those first time cruisers out there not knowing if they would enjoy such a vacation. You get to experience more time in each port which provides for more time shopping at the duty free or sitting on the beach on one of the regions award winning beaches. Seasoned veterans also enjoy this itinerary because of destinations like St. Maarten, St. Thomas and San Juan. This is just a example of what you can see in do in each location.
St. Maarten
Known as the friendly island, St. Maarten has so much to do and it is all packed into 1 small island with two distinct cultures as there is a mix of Dutch and French. St. Maarten is a cruise favorite for its bustling cruise port, duty free shopping and of course the beaches.
With over 37 beaches there is a vibe for everyone. You can visit the famous Maho Beach, one of the most popular attractions in the Caribbean, and watch commercial aircraft fly right overhead to land at Princess Juliana Airport, visit Orient Bay if your looking for more adventurous beach and plenty of spots to snorkel and dive to see all the Caribbean has to offer.
You cannot visit St. Maarten with out a stop at Grand Case. If you are a foodie this is your stop. Located on the French side of the island it is famous for its sandy beach, nightlife and restaurants.
St. Thomas
Magens Bay is the standout, often listed among the Caribbean’s most beautiful beaches. Did you know that St. Thomas is also home to over 40 major beaches? This makes it another top beach destination for friends and families. The more popular beaches like Magens Bay, Sapphire Beach and Coki Point get busy early so plan ahead.
After day of swimming and snorkeling, St. Thomas also offers historic sites like Fort Christian, Blackbeard’s Castle and Drakes Seat which provides with some fantastic views from high above. If time allows you can also jump on a ferry and visit nearby St. Johns as well. St. Thomas offers everything from duty-free shops to world class beaches.
San Juan P.R.
San Juan is a history buffs paradise. Old San Juan is vibrant, colorful and full of old school charm. The streets and buildings bring this area to life. Easily walkable from the cruise port, Old San Juan is chock full of restaurants and nightlife which makes it popular for all walks of life.
You can easily walk this city and find yourself relaxing at one of the many cigar lounges enjoying a hand-rolled smoke and a handcrafted cocktail or enjoy a Piña Colada from the Birthplace of said drink at Barrachina.
San Juan also has some fantastic swimming and snorkeling as well.
Southern Caribbean
Southern Caribbean is home to the ABC Islands. Aruba, Bonaire and Curacao. Aruba and Bonaire, personally, are two of our favorites. What is great about the Southern Caribbean is that it is below the hurricane belt so the weather there is usually pretty steady. The ABC islands offer visitors white sand beaches, gorgeous turquoise waters and laid back island vibes, and some friendly locals for sure!
Most visitors to the ABC islands end up coming back here to stay for long periods of time off the cruise ships they love it so much. What I love best about these islands is the weather is gorgeous year round and the islands are so easy to navigate which makes exploring on your own that much more exciting.
Aruba
Aruba is such a relaxing and easy to get to destination. One draw back when visiting by cruise ship is that grabbing a taxi can be a bit of a challenge but the reward is well worth it once you get to places like Eagle Beach, Baby Beach or my favorite is Palm Beach.
Palm Beach is my favorite because not only is the beach crystal clear, soft sand, you also have the DePalm Pier right there where you can walk to grab a drink or lunch on the water to sit and relax. I am convinced that the Palm Beach area is why people come back to stay for weeks at a time after visiting Aruba on their cruise.
Aruba has plenty to offer with Casino’s, Nightlife, Desert Excursions, beaches and some fantastic restaurants. If you are a golfer, Aruba also has a PGA course which is a challenge.
Bonaire
Divers Paradise! I am not a diver at all but when you talk to people who want to travel or cruise here it is about the diving and snorkeling. Bonaire is known for its world class diving, snorkeling, protected reefs, flamingos and Bonaire National Marine Park.
Bonaire is easy to navigate and most people do it with renting a golf cart. If the golf carts are all rented you can find Pickup huren Bonaire. They rented us a small, air conditioned pickup truck which was the perfect size to navigate the streets and explore places like the salt flats and salt pyramids and we also found this awesome distillery The Cadushy Distillery where we experienced some tasty Cactus Liqueur’s and Rum!
Bonaire is also a super walkable port right off the ship to find everything we needed. From the ship to the rental car place was probably a 10 minute walk which was perfect for our return as we were able to park the truck and visit some local shops before calling it a day.
The Best Cruise Lines for the Caribbean
Each cruise line is remarkably different. There really is a cruise line for
everyone. We work with our clients to match their travel style to the cruise
line that best fits their need.
| Cruise Line | Luxury Level | Family Friendly | Couples/Romance | Waterparks | Budget Friendly | All-Inclusive | Overall Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Royal Caribbean |
★★★☆☆
|
★★★★★
|
★★★☆☆
|
✓ |
★★★☆☆
|
✗ |
★★★★☆
|
| Virgin Voyages |
★★★★☆
|
✗ |
★★★★★
|
✗ |
★★★☆☆
|
★★★★☆
|
★★★★☆
|
| Silversea |
★★★★★
|
★★☆☆☆
|
★★★★★
|
✗ | ✗ |
★★★★★
|
★★★★★
|
| Carnival |
★★☆☆☆
|
★★★★★
|
★★☆☆☆
|
✓ |
★★★★★
|
✗ |
★★★☆☆
|
| Princess Cruises |
★★★☆☆
|
★★★★☆
|
★★★★☆
|
✗ |
★★★☆☆
|
✗ |
★★★★☆
|
| Regent Seven Seas |
★★★★★
|
★★☆☆☆
|
★★★★★
|
✗ | ✗ |
★★★★★
|
★★★★★
|
| Norwegian (NCL) |
★★★☆☆
|
★★★★★
|
★★★☆☆
|
✓ |
★★★☆☆
|
✗ |
★★★★☆
|
| Celebrity |
★★★★☆
|
★★★☆☆
|
★★★★★
|
✗ |
★★☆☆☆
|
✗ |
★★★★☆
|
| Seabourn |
★★★★★
|
✗ |
★★★★★
|
✗ | ✗ |
★★★★★
|
★★★★★
|
| Disney |
★★★★☆
|
★★★★★
|
★★★☆☆
|
✓ |
★★☆☆☆
|
✗ |
★★★★★
|
| MSC |
★★★☆☆
|
★★★★☆
|
★★★☆☆
|
✓ |
★★★★☆
|
✗ |
★★★☆☆
|
★★★★★ = Excellent | ★★★★☆ = Very Good | ★★★☆☆ = Good | ★★☆☆☆ = Fair | ★☆☆☆☆ = Limited
✓ = Available | ✗ = Not Available or Limited
FAQ
Do I need a Passport to Cruise to the Caribbean?
Although I highly encourage all my clients to have a passport, if you are embarking on a Closed Loop Cruise, you do not need a passport. A closed loop cruise is a cruise that starts and Ends in the SAME U.S. port ( Florida, Texas, Virginia, Boston, Etc ). The Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative details this rule and states “U.S. citizens can often board a closed-loop cruise with proof of citizenship, such as an original or certified copy of their birth certificate, and a government-issued photo ID, like a driver’s license.” Again I would strongly suggest to ALWAYS Cruise with a passport.
Are the Caribbean Islands safe?
I would be lying if I said everything is wine and roses. The Caribbean is a safe travel space for sure, but you also need to use common sense and make sure you are aware of your surroundings. The Caribbean is often a Level 1 or Level 2 when it comes to travel advisories. Not all cruises goto the same locations so educate yourself and find out more information by visiting a trusted government site with ratings.
When is the best time to cruise the Caribbean?
The Caribbean’s beautiful and stable weather makes it an ideal cruise destination nearly year-round. However, travelers should be mindful of the Atlantic hurricane season, which officially runs from June 1st to November 30th, with peak activity typically from mid-August through October.
Even a distant hurricane can create rough seas and a bumpy ride. If a storm directly threatens the itinerary, cruise lines will prioritize safety by altering the ship’s course. This can lead to changes in the planned ports of call or, in rare cases, visiting a port that has been damaged by a previous storm. While cruise lines are experts at avoiding storms, flexibility is key when traveling during this season.
What is included in the cruise fare?
Your cruise fare is designed to be a fantastic value, covering all the essentials for a memorable vacation. While the exact inclusions can vary, especially with modern booking options, your cruise fare usually includes port taxes and fees, stateroom, non specialty dining meals, activities and most entertainment, gym, pools and hot tubs and basic water/juices.
What is specialty dining?
These are restaurants located on the ship that are separate from their complimentary dining options and come at a surcharge. You can purchase these pre-cruise or onboard and experience elevated dining at steakhouses, sushi, Italian, Mediterranean and other niche focused foods.