Caribbean Cruises

The lush, blue Caribbean is one of the most desirable areas for a cruse because the waters are calm and the variety of islands is endless. Until the 1970s, the major cruise lines embarked in New York and this necessitated several days at the beginning and end of each Caribbean cruise to be spent in the rougher waters of the Atlantic Ocean. During the winter, the Atlantic Ocean is especially choppy making it unlikely you'll be able to sit comfortably on the deck until the cruise ship sails past Cape Hatteras.

Fortunately most Caribbean cruises depart from ports around Florida and the Gulf Coast so you'll not only arrive at your destination sooner but you'll also enjoy smoother sailing. Caribbean cruises departing from these ports of call offer instant sun and the opportunity to visit more ports because it won't take a few days to cruise up and down the Atlantic seaboard as it did when Caribbean cruises left from New York. Seven day cruises can make a stop every day and two week cruises can make 12 to 15 ports of call.

Each Caribbean island has its own individual qualities and no two are the same. In Bermuda, Barbados, Grenada, Jamaica, and the Bahamas you'll find natives who speak English with a British accent. While in Martinique, Guadeloupe, St. Barts, and St. Martin, you'll find friendly people who speak French as their native tongue. Spanish is spoken in Puerto Rico, Santo Domingo, and Caracas.

Which of these islands you'll enjoy most on your Caribbean cruise depends on your individual tastes. Most Caribbean cruises make certain to stop at one port known for its swimming, one known for its shopping, and one known for its gambling. But a few things you're likely to find in common at all the ports you visit on Caribbean cruises are duty-free shopping and beautiful beaches. Rather than quickly choosing a public beach, you might want to consider one of the private beaches offered by one of the large hotels. You'll be able to make a quick change and enjoy all the amenities the hotel has to offer as well as the beach.

The Bahamas is one the more popular destinations on Caribbean cruises. The Bahamas consists of hundreds of islands extending off the coast of Florida down to Haiti. The most popular ports by far on Caribbean cruises are Nassau and Freeport which are on Grand Bahama, the most populous and developed island in the Bahamas. Several of the cruise lines have purchased and developed pristine "out-islands" of the Bahamian coast where their cruise ships can stop for snorkeling and beach parties.

This is but a small taste of what to expect on Caribbean cruises. There are so many beautiful islands and sights to see that it would be easy to spend several months on Caribbean cruises and never get bored.