Sheila Gnish

With travel opening up again we are finding more people that are looking to cruise for the first time.  One of the more popular areas to cruise are the Caribbean islands that mainly get divided into three categories, Eastern, Western and Southern.  

Now the Southern cruise is one of my favourites which mainly include the ABC islands which are Aruba, Bonaire and Curacao.  With this itinerary you will also usually visit St. Lucia, St. Kitts and Barbados.  Now if you only have time for a 7 day cruise then you might want to consider starting your cruise out of San Juan Puerto Rico which allows you to start your cruise further south so you are able to reach these most southern islands, unless you take a longer cruise then you could depart out of Florida, New York and other various states.

Another perk of exploring these tropical islands are the great shore excursions that allow you to really explore the islands in all their beauty.  St. Lucia is know for her famous Pitons or for incredible views while enjoying a catamaran cruise.  St. Kitts will have you seeing the Atlantic Ocean on one side and the Caribbean Ocean on the other side.  Now it's sister Island Nevis is just a short boat ride away and do not forget to enjoy a tropical drink while soaking up the Caribbean sun and the beautiful scenic views. 

We find many clients enjoy the Southern islands so much that they end up booking an all-inclusive vacation so they can go back and truly take in all the islands have to offer. Now the ABC islands are perfect at anytime of year as they are not located in the hurricane belt, so an all inclusive vacation is available in Aruba, Bonaire and Curacao at anytime of the year.

Now the Eastern Caribbean is home to some beautiful hidden gems beside the more popular destinations of Bahamas, St. Maartin, Grand Cayman Islands, Jamaica, St. Thomas with the US Virgin Islands.  

Megan's Bay beach is one of the top 10 beaches and it is located in St. Thomas, great excursion to go on and they will take you to the top of the island known as Drake's Seat.  Where Sir Francis Drake would watch for approaching pirate ships and have his hidden in coves to wait for them to approach.  From this spot you are able to see many other islands that surround St. Thomas.

St. Maartin another favorite is divided into 2 portions with the French owning the North and the Dutch owning the south, that is why you will see the island spelt differently by each country.  Now beside the gorgeous beaches and a great excursion to St. Bart's where you can usually spot a celebrity.  This island is know to many pilots, as Maho Bay is where the planes fly about 50 feet above you on the beach as they make their approach to the runway at SXM airport.  Those are memories that my family and I will not forget having that experience.

Now the Western Caribbean can have you visiting many great destinations such as Cozumel, Roatan Bay (Honduras) Belize, Costa Maya and some connect with the Panama Canal as well is you would love to have that amazing experience.

Many cruise lines have now opted to own their own island so the cruise ships can stop at Great Stirrup Cay for Norwegian or Coco Cay for Royal Caribbean and many others.  These islands have been transformed into a huge water parks or mini theme park with cabana rentals, hot air balloon rides, snorkeling and zip lining.  There is something for everyone at these beautifully transformed islands.

Now let's now forget the other most important factor.....the cruise ships themselves.  These new ships are more than a floating hotel, these ships are creatively designed with the most innovative experiences, being it an ice bar at sea, bartenders that are machines, zip lining, sky diving, walking the plank, go kart racing or simply walking through a park in the middle of the ship.  These ships are to be enjoyed, as I tell my clients the culinary experiences that they offer have a wide selection of international flavors that will have you hiding that bathroom scale for awhile, or you can hit the jogging or walking tracks, fitness clubs and then take in a broadway show at night time.  Possibilities are endless!

When you are ready to cruise just give us a call and we will find the perfect destinations and ship that will be just the right match for you and your loved ones.  Bon Voyage!