Grenada cruises are almost always done by large ocean liners that make other port calls throughout the Caribbean with home ports either in Miami, Florida or New Orleans, Louisiana. You can also cruise to Grenada from other nearby island nations such as Trinidad and Tobago and Martinique or from mainland Venezuela on the northern coast of South America. If you don’t have the time for these, you can enjoy Grenada cruise excursions that last for a day or only a few hours.

More and more popular are Grenada cruises that are also vacations lasting several days, and are onboard various kinds of sailing ships and yachts sleeping from two to eight passengers. These are usually booked by small groups and individuals who want a few days of idyllic and relaxed boating combined with snorkeling, visits to pristine beaches, and a little sightseeing in the inland of the islands. Some of the yacht owners combine short cruises with stays on land, generally in charming little bed and breakfasts or fully self-catering vacation rentals.

A cruise to Grenada most often involves visiting the main island and docking near the capital city of St George's. This is the only port capable of accepting the large cruise ships carrying hundreds of passengers each. These ships typically dock for only a single overnight or two overnights at the most. While there, they offer their passengers a variety of Grenada cruise excursions (either onshore or on water) that last from only a couple hours to a full day. A typical shore excursion might include a hiking visit to the highlands, lush rainforest, and sparkling waterfalls of Grand Etang National Park. Other excursions might include sightseeing in St George's, a visit to the nation’s oldest rum distillery for a glimpse into Grenada's history, or just free time to laze on Grand Anse Beach. Grenada cruises might also be timed to coincide with festivals and other important island events, such as the traditional Carnival (held in August) or the Grenada Sailing Festival (held in January).

Grenada Map

If you are on a smaller sailing ship or yacht, you can sail into Carriacou Island and into tiny Petite Martinique Island. Both of these have marinas suitable for small ships. These ships are small enough that they can also access the secluded coves and beaches of the many uninhabited island, some of which are not much more than rocks jutting out of the sea. Grenada cruise excursions with an emphasis on scuba diving often visit these areas. Particularly popular with scuba divers is the stretch of water between Carriacou and the main island. A good portion of this is the marine part of Levera National Park. Some of the tour and cruise operators operate nighttime visits to Levera Beach during the leatherback turtle egg laying and hatching seasons.

If your cruise to Grenada is from another sovereign nation, you must call first at St George's or Carriacou Island. These are the only two ports with customs and immigration facilities to process foreign boats. Here, you can receive the proper paperwork to proceed to the nation’s other islands.