| Comprising of around 50 islands (750 if you count the | | | | Given this broad assortment of destinations available |
| archipelago of the Bahamas), the Caribbean is a real | | | | in the Caribbean, it can be a bit overwhelming when |
| treasure trove when it comes to cruising. A rich | | | | trying to make that crucial decision on which islands |
| variety of vistas, people and places await, along with | | | | to fit into your itinerary. After all, you don't want to |
| swaying palms and idyllic beaches of golden sand. The | | | | miss out on some true Caribbean gems, do you? So, |
| network of islands in the Caribbean is in fact so | | | | whether you're planning a short vacation or a longer |
| extensive that it is possible to book several | | | | cruise break away from home, here is a selection of |
| Caribbean cruises and avoid going to the same islands | | | | 'must-sees' & 'must-dos' on your Caribbean |
| twice! | | | | adventure. |
| There are four basic Caribbean cruise routes used by | | | | St Croix (Virgin Islands) - Take a night kayak trip in |
| cruise operators: | | | | Salt River National Park and visit the first landing site |
| Western Caribbean Cruise Route - Departing from | | | | of Christopher Columbus on his voyage to the New |
| seaports in Texas, Louisiana and Florida, the Western | | | | World. |
| Route takes in the Yucatan Peninsula of Mexico, the | | | | Grenada - Although ravaged by Hurricane Ivan in |
| island of Cozumel, the Cayman Islands, Jamaica, and | | | | 2004, Grenada is still well worth a visit for its scuba |
| any number of islands off the coasts of Honduras | | | | diving. You can explore the largest shipwreck in the |
| and Belize. | | | | Caribbean here and see an underwater volcano. |
| Eastern Caribbean Cruise Route - One of the most | | | | St. Thomas (Virgin Islands) - The Cinnamon Bay |
| popular Caribbean cruise routes, the Eastern Route | | | | National Park offers excellent snorkeling opportunities. |
| typically departs from Florida and other seaports | | | | You can see a wealth of underwater life in the |
| along the eastern seaboard of the United States. The | | | | shallow waters around St. Thomas. |
| route calls on destinations such as Key West, The | | | | Jamaica - Why not try your hand at bamboo rafting |
| Bahamas, Turks and Caicos Islands the Virgin Islands | | | | in Montego Bay? |
| (including St. Thomas and St. Croix), and Puerto Rico. | | | | Puerto Rico - No Caribbean cruise would be complete |
| Southern Caribbean Cruise Route - This route | | | | without a visit to the world famous Condado Beach |
| normally commences at San Juan in Puerto Rico, and | | | | on the island of Puerto Rico. |
| takes in many possible destinations along the Lesser | | | | Aruba - Want to find Caribbean paradise? How about |
| Antilles and the Netherlands Antilles as far west as | | | | relaxing on one of the 365 beaches that surround the |
| Aruba. | | | | Dutch island of Aruba. |
| Exotic/Long-duration Caribbean Cruise Route - This | | | | St Kitts - Swim with the turtles in the waters around |
| route takes in any/all of the above destinations, and | | | | St Kitts and then relax on the pink sand beaches on |
| can sometimes end in a different place to where the | | | | this beautiful island. |
| cruise started. | | | | Good luck with planning your trip and happy cruising. |