The chance to explore a little of the world is something that most people are seeking when they go on a cruise, and cruises in the Caribbean visit some of the wonderful and varied islands that can be found here.Most cruise ships will sail around the eastern or western Caribbean islands and both have a lot to offer. To the east Martinique with its diverse opportunities, along with Barbados which is one of the Caribbean’s leading tourist destinations. To the west, the wonderful calm Bahamas, laid back Jamaica and the Dominican Republic with its fascinating blend of cultures involving Spanish, African, Taino and European.
The Bahamas is one of the most popular ports of call for cruises through this region. There is so much here that can be done in just a day that you may find it hard to choose between swimming with dolphins in Nassau, or spending the day bird watching, snorkelling amongst the fantastic ocean life with it’s vivid colours, or partying on the beach with fire dancing, limbo contests and good food. Puerto Rico is home to the rainforest where there are more than 240 species of plants and wildlife to be seen including wonderful orchids and giant ferns. The rainforest is close enough to the port to make day trips into its edges quite easy, and with it being at the edge of the island, there are also some spectacular views to be seen out over oceans off the north east coast.In the Dominican Republic you’re likely to dock in one of two places, either the Don Diego Quay near to the old town area of Santo Domingo, or Puerto Plata. In Puerto Plata, the amber museum in town houses some amazing pieces of old amber including one with a petrified lizard in it. There is also the San Felipe Fort to see here as well. The old town area of Santo Domingo is a wonderful place to walk around, alternatively there are all sorts of other excursions you could take including golfing, fishing, or even scuba diving.
St Kitts is home to several places of interest. The Caribelle Batik at Romney Manor offers a unique shopping experience, and the Brimstone Fortress about nine miles outside Basseterre is well worth the trip. Set in a national park landscape there are some absolutely breathtaking views to be seen of the surrounding islands. The ‘Sugar Train’ is the last working vestige of the sugar industry here. Today it takes passengers on a three hour trip making a thirty mile circle around the island while you hear stories and songs of the people who worked the sugar plantations and factories in the past.Around the Caribbean there is so much to see and do that you couldn’t cover it all in one holiday. There is the famous MacIntosh plantation where anthurium is grown on Martinique, and the unique rock formed baths of the British Virgin Islands which are so popular with snorkelers. Nelson’s dockyard in Antigua and jeep safari’s through the rainforests of St Lucia. It is all this and more which keep cruise visitors to the Caribbean returning again and again.