The Caribbean is an area dotted with islands, located
south of the Gulf of Mexico off the southwestern coast
of the United States. From Cuba in the west all the way
to Barbados in the east, you could spend weeks on a Caribbean
vacation discovering all its charms. Start with a leisurely
cruise from Miami, Florida and make your way south to
experience the Latin Americas of the seas.
Cuba is the largest yet least developed place in the
Caribbean Islands. If you enjoy going off the beaten path
and exploring then Cuba is a great way to begin any Caribbean
adventure. Havana 's crumbling edifices and antique cars
give this city a distinct historical charm. With Havana
being a port city for cruise Caribbean, cruise in with
some of the popular Caribbean cruise ships like Carnival
Cruise Line, Celebrity
Cruise Line, Disney
Cruise Line, Holland
Cruise Line, Princess
Cruises, Royal
Caribbean, and Windstar.
South of Cuba lies the island of Jamaica.
The port of Kingston is must on your Caribbean cruise
holiday. From the Botanical Gardens to the Friday Night
Jam, there is just an abundance of things to see and do
in Kingston. Scuba
diving is often overlooked, due to the rich cultural
offerings, but a great variety of diving sites exist here,
from wrecks
to reefs. Most Jamaicans are very friendly and welcome
an opportunity to tell you more about their Island. Their
heavy accent is not that hard to understand and the locals
like it when you try to learn the Jamaican Patois that
they speak.
Hispanola is the name given to the Island that is now
home to Haiti on the
west and the Dominican
Republic in the east. The hues of the deep green palm
trees set against a deep blue sky make this island is
a feast for the senses which is quickly developing into
a respected and delightful vacation site. There are nearly
1000 miles of impeccable beaches, which provide miles
and hours of tropical diversions for swimmers and sun
worshippers that come here on their cruise vacation Caribbean.
The Taino Indians shared a similar fate as their cousins further west in Puerto Rico after Columbus arrived here in 1492, suffering from disease and persecution. But today the ethnic mix of African, Indian, and Spanish adds to the vibrant culture that has evolved in the Dominican Republic.
Further to the east lies
Puerto Rico, whose names means rich port in Spanish.
There are actually three Islands that make up Puerto Rico.
There are two small islands of its Eastern Coast named
Culebra, which means snake in Spanish, and Vieques.
San Juan is the capitol of the Northern coast, and it
is where many ships stop on their cruise Caribbean. Whether
you like to stroll casually through narrow cobbled lanes
or you prefer enjoy a spicy dinner with Salsa Dancing
afterwards, San Juan can suit your interests.
If you enjoy nature you can book a tour to Indian Ceremonial sites or El Yunque rainforest. Learn about the history of Puerto Rico and witness amazing vistas of Sam Juan Bay from El Morro, a forbidding 6 story fort that was begun in 1539 to protect Old San Juan from the countless attacks it suffered.
From Anguilla to
Grenada stretch a
chain of smaller, but equally impressive islands. The three islands of St.
Thomas, St. Croix,
and St. John make
up the US Virgin Islands.
No passport or Visa is needed here. Here you can find
the only underwater US National Monument - the Buck Island
Reef on St. Croix. St. Thomas boasts one of the most popular
Caribbean cruise ships port destinations - Port Charlotte
Amalie. Here, the pastel hues of the houses contrast sharply
against the bright green foliage. There is a relaxed feeling
here yet there is always something to do - you can wander
down one of the shaded alleyways and discover various
types of duty-free shopping in tastefully converted old
Dutch warehouses.
Whether you go to Junkanoo in Grand
Bahamas Island, Carnival in Martinique,
or continue further south to the lush water filled paradise
of Grenada, with its sulfur springs and its natural abundance
of rivers and waterfalls, you will never cease to be amazed
when you cruise Caribbean.
