Caribbean Ports« Back to Port Information
| British Virgin Islands | British West Indies | Grand Cayman | Dominican Republic | French West Indies |
| Jamaica | Netherlands Antilles | Puerto Rico | The Bahamas | U.S. Virgin Islands |
British Virgin Islands↑ Back to top
Tortola (Road Town)
Tortola, the tiny island that starts the long crescent of the Lesser Antilles, is a fragment of Britain complete with right-hand drive automobiles, elaborate teas and soft-spoken graciousness to visitors. Wander through genteel, laid-back Road Town, then select one of the marvelous beaches and enjoy the most un-British eternal sunshine. Tortola is also home to the Virgin Islands Folk Museum, where visitors can learn about the islands’ rich history.
Virgin Gorda
Two outstanding sights highlight this port of call. First is “The Baths” – unique in all the Caribbean, this natural wonder consists of giant boulders that form labyrinthine caves and clear, saltwater pools illuminated by the rays of the sun. Second is Gorda Sound, a protected anchorage known the world over by seasoned yachtsmen.
British West Indies↑ Back to top
Antigua (St. John’s)
With a beach for each day of the year, Antigua is a water-lover’s delight. It is recommended that you visit English Harbour, a superb restoration of the18th-century dockyard where Admiral Lord Nelson once ruled the British fleet. This is one of the finest historical attractions in the Caribbean. Be sure that you also visit Drake’s Seat. In an all-day port call, you’ll have time to do both this and enjoy a nearby beach.
Barbados (Bridgetown)
Barbados is set far away from most other Caribbean islands, nearly 1,000 miles east of the Netherlands Antilles chain. The Bajan British accent is very distinctive, reflecting both Great Britain and the lovely island they live on. Barbados has lovely parish churches, great manor houses and a proper Trafalgar Square. The capital, Bridgetown, is a mix of bustling activity and quaint surroundings. Visitors enjoy fine dining, miles of exquisite beaches, scuba diving, seaborne excursions and folkloric festivals.
Dominica (Roseau)
Roseau is the capital and largest city in Dominica. However, it is it important to get beyond the city to the rainforests, waterfalls, and caves that are the island’s attractions. There are excellent opportunities for hiking and the abundant marine life make it a superb area for diving and snorkeling. Common to this area are the stingray, snapper, barracuda, parrotfish, and dolphin. Equally as common are charming stilt houses and the sound of reggae and calypso music.
Grand Turk Island, Turks and Caicos Islands
Home to the Turks and Caicos’ capital, Cockburn Town, Grand Turk attracts visitors from around the globe for its pristine diving and excellent beaches. There are also seasonal whale watching, snorkeling and historical attractions which round out this Caribbean island. Landlubbers will want to visit the National Museum where you can view story of the Molasses Reef Wreck, the oldest European shipwreck (1505) discovered in the Western Hemisphere.
Grenada (St. George’s)
Called the “Spice Island” for its abundance of cinnamon and nutmeg, the spices are still sold at the waterfront market. Grenada is spicy in many other ways. St. George’s has historic buildings in brick and mellow stone, and one of the loveliest harbors in the Caribbean. The coastline is full of secluded coves, while the mountainous interior is rich in rainforests and frothy rivers.
St. Vincent and the Grenadines (St. Vincent, Mayreau, Bequia)
The hundred islands of the Grenadines are definitely off the beaten path in the Caribbean. However, the lush beauty, rugged coastline and rushing waterfalls attract many visitors to the volcanic island of St. Vincent. The island’s distinct West Indian flair combines with British customs and Gallic culture, mostly seen through the music, sports, cuisine and cultivation of its people. Mayreau, tossed like a tiny emerald among the Grenadines, is an idyllic spot where there are no cars, just one tiny village and one resort, hidden away in the palms.
St. Kitts (Basseterre)
This fertile isle is a land of rain forests, tropical flowers, and abundant sugar cane. After a stroll around the charming colonial streets and shops of the capital, Basseterre, tour the island or visit Brimstone Hill Fort, an impressive construction that is one of the wonders of the Caribbean.
St. Lucia (Castries, Soufriere)
The first thing cruise guests will notice when sailing into St. Lucia’s Bay are the majestic Pitons, two 2,000-foot mountains that rise from the sea in dramatic, breathtaking fashion. Thriving coral reefs provide ample snorkeling and diving opportunities while the mountainous rain forest preserves offer superb hiking and bird watching. This is also the location of the world’s only drive-in volcanic crater. With its hot, bubbling holes of sulfuric waters, the Soufriere area has the most dramatic scenery on the island.
Tobago (Scarborough, Spanish town)
Tobago is a classic West Indian haven, the subdued sister of nearby Trinidad. When the plantation lifestyle collapsed with the world sugar market in 1888, land was sold to slaves, and over time Africans here have held on to their cultural richness. West African music, folklore and beliefs – including Obeah, the island’s magic – still thrive, as do several hundred species of tropical birds, living in virgin rain forests and along Tobago’s deserted beaches.
Trinidad (Port of Spain)
Steel drums and calypso were born here. Nature lovers will delight in the Asa Wright Nature Center and the Caroni Bird Sanctuary, two of the Caribbean’s best-known conservation centers. Port of Spain, the island’s capital city, is home to art galleries, restaurants and the National Museum where visitors can discover the country’s diverse people and culture.
Grand Cayman↑ Back to top
Georgetown
Grand Cayman is the biggest of the three Cayman Islands, which also include Cayman Brac and Little Cayman. The Caymans fully deserve their reputation as a paradise for divers: unclouded waters and a colorful variety of marine life are protected by the government. Several shipwrecks add to the underwater attractions. Seven Mile Beach, located on Grand Cayman’s western shore, is the island’s main tourist development. Golf lovers will find a beautiful golf course nearby, while sun worshippers relish some of the whitest sand in the Caribbean.
Dominican Republic↑ Back to top
La Romana
Although this destination is a relatively new one for tourists from Europe and the United States, La Romana has been attracting visitors for many centuries. The island’s earliest settlers, the Taino Indians, are thought by historians to have been a friendly, peace-loving race who farmed the land and lived quietly and simply in harmony both with nature and their fellow men. The destination is home to the 7,000-acre Casa de Campo resort.
French West Indies↑ Back to top
Fort-de-France, Martinique
This large, sophisticated island has a distinct French accent, not surprising inasmuch as this is a part of Metropolitan France though separated geographically from the home country. It offers you delicious Creole cooking and Parisian fashions in the capital of Fort-de-France. You can ride head for the beach, join an excursion to Martinique’s mountainous interior, or visit St. Pierre, formerly the island’s capital, which was destroyed completely by a volcanic explosion of Mt. Pelee that killed 30,000 people.
Pointe-a-Pitre, Guadeloupe
Tropical Guadeloupe is butterfly-shaped. Explore either wing – Grand Terre or Basse Terre – to discover plantations of bananas, lovely waterfalls and rum distilleries. Or visit Pigeon Island, extolled by Jacques Cousteau as one of the world’s best underwater sites.
Jamaica↑ Back to top
Montego Bay
The recently renovated “Mo’ Bay,” as the locals call this town, competes with Ocho Rios as the island’s most visited resort town. Montego Bay has great bars and restaurants, renowned shopping, and an endless array of leisure activities. And with the friendly hospitality of the Jamaican people, having a great time is always “no problem.” Nearby is Rose Hall Plantation, worth a visit on tour or independently.
Ocho Rios
The town of Ocho Rios, on Jamaica’s north coast, is edged with beautiful white-sand beaches and unbelievable landscapes. Contrary to popular belief, its name does not refer to “eight rivers,” the literal Spanish translation. It derives instead from the Spanish word “chorreras,” meaning waterfalls, of which Ocho Rios has many – including the famous and spectacular Dunn’s River Falls.
Netherlands Antilles↑ Back to top
Aruba (Oranjestad)
Blessed with a non-stop breeze, neat little Oranjestad reflects the Dutch passion for cleanliness. Stroll the town’s chic shops, venture out to see the wind-formed divi-divi trees, or visit an undersea garden of brilliant corals on a semi-submersible craft.
Bonaire
Spectacular underwater beauty prevails, along with white beaches and a breathtaking collection of ocean-carved rock formations. Bird watching is at its best here. You can see one of the loveliest and largest flamingo colonies in this hemisphere as well as Caribbean parakeets and Bonairean “lora.” Outstanding opportunities for snorkeling and diving abound here, amid one of the Caribbean’s richest collections of marine life.
Curaçao (Willemstad)
Curaçao is the largest of the Netherlands Antilles, 38 miles long and seven miles wide. Its varied landscape is filled with rolling hills, pastures, towering cacti, divi-divi trees and salt flats. Today, Curaçao is noted for the easygoing tolerance and harmony of its people. Curaçao is still closely tied to the Netherlands. Dutch and the local Papiamento (developed from a mixture of African, Portuguese, Jewish, Spanish, Dutch and English) are the official languages.
St. Barts (Gustavia)
St. Barthelem, its proper name, has a chic French style that appeals to the rich and famous. There are ruins of four guardian fortresses as you stroll Gustavia’s few streets. You could travel a short way to Corossol to shop for hand-woven fabrics made from fan palm fronds, or head out to one of the beaches for some fashionable relaxation.
St. Maarten (Phillipsburg)
St. Maarten and St. Martin share a single island of only 40 square miles in size. In 1649, this island split in two, with the Dutch inhabiting the southern portion of the island and the French inhabiting the north. There are two capital cities, one for the Dutch side, and one for the French. Phillipsburg, St. Maarten, is the largest city on the island, and among the top destinations for cruise-ship passengers. On the French side of the island is Marigot, St. Martin, which is reminiscent of a small French seaside village.
Puerto Rico↑ Back to top
San Juan
The fortress of El Morro guards the harbor against long-gone Sir Francis Drake and his British privateers. The colorful streets of Old San Juan retain the Latin flavor of its seafaring past when this was the heart of the Spanish Main. Sample the many varieties of rum made here, or indulge in an icy treat made from fresh tropical fruit.
The Bahamas↑ Back to top
Eleuthera
Famous for its rosy-pink beaches, sickle-shaped Eleuthera is long and lean. Although new resorts have sprung up, the island’s little towns of Spanish Wells and Rock Sound still retain their charm. Natural attractions like Boiling Hole and Glass Window are
Grand Bahama Island (Freeport)
Grand Bahama offers visitors a wealth of attractions. You can try your luck at one of two casinos, enjoy a day of shopping at the 10-acre International Bazaar or nearby Port Lucaya, visit the lush Garden of the Groves, go deep-sea fishing or discover life beneath the sea on a snorkeling or scuba diving excursion. Here you also have the opportunity to swim with dolphins at the Underwater Explorer’s Society, which is accredited by the Alliance of Marine Mammal Parks and Aquariums.
New Providence Island (Nassau, Paradise Island)
New Providence Island is one of the over 700 coral-based islands that comprise The Bahamas. However, its capital, Nassau, is perhaps best known to cruise vacationers. Only about 100 miles from Miami, Nassau is a city known for its architecture of Victorian mansions, cathedrals and 18th-century forts. Nassau also offers its visitors several casinos, a variety of white-sand beaches, and excellent shopping opportunities along Bay Street and at the city’s famous Straw Market.
U.S. Virgin Islands↑ Back to top
St. Croix
Old plantation windmills dot the landscape, and the island’s Dutch heritage can be found in the towns of Christiansted and Frederiksted. One of the most spectacular attractions is Buck Island, home to the only underwater U.S. National Monument. There are also the shops of Christiansted. With beautiful beaches, distilleries making Cruzan rum and one of the Caribbean’s finest golf courses, St. Croix has much to offer the cruise passenger.
St. Thomas
St. Thomas and its capital, Charlotte Amalie, is the busiest shopping center in the Caribbean. More than 10 cruise ships a day steer into the port at St. Thomas. In addition to the busy shopping and cultural center located in and around Charlotte Amalie, more than half of the island is located within the environmentally protected Virgin Islands National Park. The island’s Magen’s Bay has been rated as one of the 10 most beautiful beaches of the world.
Some content provided courtesy of CLIA (Cruise Line International Association)