Why the Caribbean
More ships sail here than anywhere else, and that abundance is the point. It means short itineraries out of Florida ports you can drive to, ships of every size and price, and departures nearly every day of the week. If you have never cruised before, this is where to start.
The region splits three ways, and the split matters more than the brochures let on:
- Eastern: St. Thomas, St. Maarten, Puerto Rico. The most beach-forward route, and the shortest sailing distances, so you spend more of the week in port.
- Western: Cozumel, Grand Cayman, Jamaica, Honduras. Ruins, reefs and cenotes. Longer runs between islands mean an extra day at sea, which is a feature if you booked the ship for the ship.
- Southern: Aruba, Bonaire, Curaçao, Barbados. Drier, further, and outside the hurricane belt. Usually needs eight nights or more and departs from San Juan or Barbados rather than Florida.
What to know before you book
Hurricane season runs June to November. Sailings are cheapest in September for exactly that reason. Ships move out of a storm’s way rather than into it, so the real risk is not danger but a changed itinerary, a Tuesday in Nassau instead of the Cozumel you booked. Travel insurance that covers itinerary changes is worth more here than anywhere else we sell.
The private islands are genuinely good. Perfect Day at CocoCay, Celebration Key and Great Stirrup Cay are among the most-visited stops in this entire database, and they earn it: purpose-built beach days with the ship’s own staff and no tender line.
Book the far side of the ship. On a Western itinerary the interesting coastline tends to pass on the starboard side outbound. Ask us; it is the sort of thing we know per itinerary.
