Sunday, April 21, 2024

Caribbean cruise guide: Best itineraries, planning tips and things to do

the caribbean cruise

The best cruise for a family with kids isn't necessarily the same as the best cruise for a couple looking for romance. Although some cruise lines operate in the Caribbean year-round, the widest selection of sailing dates and itineraries can be found between November and March. Immerse into the steel-drum rhythms of the islands on Rotterdam and Nieuw Statendam, our two newest ships. Enjoy electrifying music at Music Walk® entertainment venues and exquisite dining, along with youth activities, themed parties and more.

Ship Activities for Every Cruise to the Caribbean

Unlock some of the most incredible travel destinations. Get on island time and unwind on some of the best beaches in the world, venture deep into the rainforests, and snorkel the most vibrant reefs on a Caribbean or Bahamas cruise getaway with the whole family. You will find your favorite Caribbean cruise ports no matter what direction you go. Travel the Southern side and wander down the colorful streets of San Juan, Puerto Rico. On the Western, dive into the crystal clear waters of Grand Cayman or explore the ruins of Tulum when arrive in Cozumel.

What is the best time to cruise to the Caribbean?

When you cruise to the Caribbean, a day on the beach is a must. Use this guide to help you pick which spot to visit on your next cruise. Explore the islands from the top of the twin Pitons to the bottom of the sea with hundreds of unique shore excursions. Don your snorkeling gear and explore a shipwreck and coral reef.

Experience Caribbean Cruising With Norwegian

the caribbean cruise

Cruise ships have become, for a certain kind of hardworking family, a form of subsidized child care. Pinnacles, it is explained to me over translucent cantaloupe, have sailed with Royal Caribbean for 700 ungodly nights. Pandemic Pinnacles took advantage of the two-for-one accrual rate of Pinnacle points during the pandemic, when sailing on a cruise ship was even more ill-advised, to catapult themselves into Pinnacle status. After breakfast, I explore the ship’s so-called neighborhoods. There’s the AquaDome, where one can find a food hall and an acrobatic sound-and-light aquatic show. Central Park has a premium steak house, a sushi joint, and a used Rolex that can be bought for $8,000 on land here proudly offered at $17,000.

They already speak English better than most of the passengers and, per the Serbian lady’s sales pitch above, better understand what America is as well. Crew members like my Panamanian cabin attendant seem to work 24 hours a day. A waiter from New Delhi tells me that his contract is six months and three weeks long. After a cruise ends, he says, “in a few hours, we start again for the next cruise.” At the end of the half a year at sea, he is allowed a two-to-three-month stay at home with his family. As of 2019, the median income for crew members was somewhere in the vicinity of $20,000, according to a major business publication.

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THE 25 BEST Costa Cruises to the Caribbean (with Prices) 2024 & 2025 on Cruise Critic - Cruise Critic

THE 25 BEST Costa Cruises to the Caribbean (with Prices) 2024 & 2025 on Cruise Critic.

Posted: Thu, 18 Apr 2024 23:03:39 GMT [source]

When you cruise to the Caribbean with us, you’ll experience breathtaking beaches, natural wonders, UNESCO sites, and more. An escape to the Caribbean promises new experiences at every turn—both on board and off. Whether you're new to cruising or a hardy sailor, the Caribbean is the perfect place for a cruise vacation. If you've sailed before, there's always some destination you've never visited or an activity you haven't tried. For something a little different, try SeaDream Yacht Club for a super-small ship that feels like a private yacht, complete with an emphasis on alfresco recreation and dining. Star Clippers appeals to sailing enthusiasts with its masted ships, simple entertainment and emphasis on water sports.

Some of these sailings visit offbeat destinations like volcanic Montserrat, while others take a non-traditional southern track from Panama along the northern coast of South America. Others visit sleepier, less-frequented destinations like St. Croix, St. Barts, and Mayreau, in addition to stopping at banner spots like St. Lucia and Aruba for dramatic vistas and spectacular beaches. The Dutch island of Aruba feels like another world and offers experiences unlike anywhere else.

Vacationers from all over the world flock to the best beaches in the Caribbean for their famed white sand, dazzling multi-hued sea, and laid-back vibe. With a host of off-the-beaten-path islands, our Southern and Eastern Caribbean sailings deliver ample time for exploring. Highlights include Antigua, Barbados, Puerto Rico, St. Lucia, St. Thomas and St. Kitts. Beach, beach and more beach — Aruba is definitely a port to be in, on or near the water. It's one of the southernmost Caribbean islands, found just off the coast of Venezuela, and its location protects it from the summer and fall hurricanes that can hammer the islands to its north and east.

Best Caribbean cruise ports

Swimsuits and warm-weather clothing should top your Caribbean cruise packing list, but don't forget the sunscreen. The sun is stronger than you might expect in this part of the world, and you can easily burn during a long day at the beach if you don't apply and reapply plenty of sunscreen. Hats, sunglasses, moisture-wicking athletic clothing and your favorite cover-ups and sundresses are all must-pack items. Cozumel is an island in the Caribbean just offshore from Playa del Carmen and just south of Cancun. You can head to the beach, go scuba diving or snorkeling or head to the mainland to see Mayan cultural sites like Tulum and Chichen Itza.

Royal Caribbean would not share the current median salary for its crew members, but I am certain that it amounts to a fraction of the cost of a Royal Bling gold-plated, zirconia-studded chalice. Finally, I visit a comedy revue in an enormous and too brightly lit version of an “intimate,” per Royal Caribbean literature, “Manhattan comedy club.” Many of the jokes are about the cruising life. “I’ve lived on ships for 20 years,” one of the middle-aged comedians says. “I can only see so many Filipino homosexuals dressed as a taco.” He pauses while the audience laughs. He segues into a Trump impression and then Biden falling asleep at the microphone, which gets the most laughs. As I fall asleep that night, I realize another connection I have failed to make, and one that may explain some of the diversity on this vessel—many of its passengers have served in the military.

Sip the perfect blend of rum, mango and magic on Half Moon Cay. Our Caribbean cruises fit every schedule with convenient weekend departures and many options, from breezy 7-day getaways to extraordinary 21-day explorations. When it comes to pleasure, relaxation and reconnecting in the warm sunshine, nothing is better than a Caribbean cruise with Holland America Line. Each itinerary features one to two “formal” nights that we call Evening Chic.

He wasn’t saying “pendejo.” He was saying “Pinnacle.” The dining room was for Pinnacles only, all those older people rolling in like the tide on their motorized scooters. Because of the importance of the inaugural voyage of the world’s largest cruise liner, more than 200 Pinnacles are on this ship, a startling number, it seems. Mrs. Palo Alto takes out a golden badge that I have seen affixed over many a breast, which reads CROWN AND ANCHOR SOCIETY along with her name. “You should hear all the whining in Guest Services,” her husband tells me. Apparently, the Pinnacles who are not also Suites like us are all trying to use their status to get into Coastal Kitchen, our elite restaurant. Even a Pinnacle needs to be a Suite to access this level of corned-beef hash.

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