I’m back this week to talk about some of my favorite cruise ports of call in The Caribbean. My favorite, or one of my favorite ports, is St. Maarten! The island is divided into the French side and Dutch side. Word of advice if you don’t want to visit a topless beach stay away from beaches on the French side. Your cruise ship will dock on the Dutch side. As you get off the ship, once you walk down the pier there is a beautiful beach right there where you can spend the day! It offers great views all around, you can even watch the planes fly in and out of the airport, which come incredibly close to the beach. Most cruise lines offer excursions that will take you shopping, sightseeing, and to the beach, which is a great way to get an overview of the island. There are also tours available where you can go to a tasting at the local rum distillery, dabble in perfume making, embark on a snorkeling or scuba adventure, or quench your desire for thrill on a jet ski. Each cruise line will offer slight variations in what tours are available, but will all offer at least what I’ve listed here. You can also choose to book a tour ahead of time or sometimes even the day you arrive with a local tour company. Just be careful booking on your own if something happens and your cruise itinerary changes you may not be able to get a refund, so always check cancellation/rescheduling policies before booking.
Another favorite is Curaçao, which is part of the ABC islands off the coast of Venezuela, and is often a stop on a Southern Caribbean itinerary. The pastel architecture in the capital city of Willemstad, where you dock is beautiful. Multiple beaches are found here tucked into coves, which makes for calm water to spend your day relaxing on.
Heading to the Western Caribbean? Costa Maya is definitely one of my favorites. When we were there we took a trip to see some ancient Mayan ruins and then spent the afternoon having lunch and relaxing at the Blue Lagoon. The sites here were breathtaking. Right off the ship there is also a nice area to go shopping, swimming, or enjoy a nice drink or two.
Most cruise lines also have their own private islands in both the eastern and western Caribbean. Royal Caribbean's island of Cococay and Labadee are perfect for a day of fun and relaxation.
When we pick out what cruise we want to go on, we definitely focus on what ports the ship is stopping at. We either pick a port that has a new destination, which has gotten hard after all the cruises we’ve been on, or we try to pick an itinerary that stops at one of the above favorites. Honestly, though, you can’t go wrong. Each port is full of amazing sights, delicious food, and lots of shopping!
Until next time,
Your Bibbidi Bobbidi Bestie,
Holly
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