A quick look around the whole Caribbean, one can see that there are hundreds of islands in the Caribbean, but of 40 – 50 make it to the world map. However only around 25 islands are regularly visited by the major cruise lines.
Although all islands are appealing in some way, all of them have that particular thing that makes them unique from one another. Some are better for shopping, others for beaches or scenic drives. Some are quite developed and some others are hardly developed. Some have piers that can accommodate several cruise ships at one time while others require that ships anchor up to a offshore (normally around a mile) and shuttle passengers back and forth in small, motorized launches called “tenders.” Big ships tend to visit the more commercialized, developed islands, while small ships are able to access the less-developed, off-the-beaten-path islands.
Typically, cruise lines divide Caribbean cruise itineraries into eastern Caribbean cruises, southern Caribbean cruises and western Caribbean cruises.
Big Ships Cruise Itineraries
Eastern Cruise Itineraries
Normally Eastern Caribbean cruises sail out from of Florida or the alternate home ports up the Eastern Seaboard. Common islands visits include
- San Juan (Puerto Rico),
- the U.S. Virgin Islands (particularly St. Thomas),
- St. Martin,
- Nassau or Freeport in the Bahamas
These are all very popular and busy ports most especially St. Thomas, Nassau, and San Juan. Grand Turk, located just east of the Bahamas is also showing up on some of these sailings.
Southern Cruise Itineraries
Southern Caribbean cruises normally sail out of Miami, typically sail round-trip out of San Juan or sometimes out of Aruba or Barbados. They often overlap with eastern Caribbean cruises and may visit
- St. Thomas,
- St. Martin,
- St. Lucia,
- Martinique,
- Antigua
Other visits can be
- Dominica,
- Guadeloupe,
- Aruba,
- Grenada
or one of the other islands in the Grenadines.
Western Cruise Itineraries
Western Caribbean cruises normally sail out of Miami, Fort Lauderdale, Tampa, New Orleans and Galveston. Common islands visits include
- Grand Cayman,
- Jamaica,
- Cozumel or one of the other ports on Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula.
This is a very popular trip by major cruise lines, thus you can easily see hundreds of other passengers at ports from other ships since often three or four (or more) ships will be visiting at the same time.
Lately the following are also gaining popularity.
- Belize City,
- Costa Maya (Mexico)
- Bay Islands of Honduras
- Grand Turk in the Turks & Caicos Islands
Small Ships Cruise Itineraries
Eastern Cruise Itineraries
Most small ships cruise in the eastern and southern Caribbean, where distances between islands are shorter.
Instead of Florida, they may sail out of Barbados, Grenada, St. Kitts, or San Juan and visit more remote islands.
These itineraries may include visits to St. Barts, the British Virgin Islands, and the U.S. Virgin Islands (lush St. John as well as more touristy St. Thomas).
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