The 7 Best Caribbean Cruises to Book in 2024

Table Of Content

• Night Eastern Caribbean & Perfect DayDetails
• explore more
• Features and Coolest Things to Do on Caribbean Princess in the Caribbean
• These luxurious, intimate ships and itineraries are AFAR’s top picks for exploring the region.
• Oceania Cruises
• Night Southern Caribbean CruiseDetails
• Night Bahamas CruiseDetails

The beaches of the Caribbean are legendary for their natural beauty and tranquil turquoise waters. Relax with a tropical cocktail in your hand, swim with stingrays and sea turtles, or just take in the calming ocean air. In addition to a main restaurant and casual buffet, Rotterdam features five separate specialty dining venues — everything from a pan-Asian eatery to an upscale steakhouse.

THE 25 BEST Royal Caribbean Cruises from New York - Cruise Critic

THE 25 BEST Royal Caribbean Cruises from New York.

Posted: Fri, 19 Apr 2024 03:49:57 GMT [source]

Night Eastern Caribbean & Perfect DayDetails

All of the ships in this cruise line’s fleet offer family-friendly experiences for guests of all ages. Even little ones will find plenty of ways to play with spaces and activities designed for tots to tweens. One of the top reasons savvy travelers love cruising, though, is because of the incredible value it offers.

explore more

Once you’ve signed up, you’ll receive regular updates on all the latest offers, like deals by destination, kids sail free promotions and flash sales. Once you’ve made a reservation, you’ll also receive notifications about special offers for onboard experiences — like discounts on beverage and specialty dining packages, shore excursions, spa services, and more via My Royal Cruise. Royal Caribbean also offers deals based on departure ports and destinations, so if you’re a flexible traveler looking for great savings, you can plan your next vacation around which itineraries are on sale. Just check your email or visit RoyalCaribbean.com/cruise-deals to stay up to date on promotions, sales and special offers.

Features and Coolest Things to Do on Caribbean Princess in the Caribbean

The big-ship lines will station multiple ships in this region year-round, with additional ships swinging by during the colder months. You can find departures from ports as far west as Galveston and as far north as the New York area, but the majority of true Eastern Caribbean cruises set sail from Florida or Puerto Rico. Remove the hassle from air travel and give yourself the gift of flexibility, time and a thicker wallet with Princess EZair flights.

EXPLORE MORE

From radiant sunshine to turquoise waters, enjoy the best Caribbean cruise weather all year round when you sail to these tropical lands with Princess. Enjoy a ship full of activities for the whole family, from Broadway-style shows to Discovery’s Shark Week all summer long, your family will be engaged in the Caribbean. Go Stargazing under the stunning expanse of the night sky with Discovery at SEA, compete in a family game night, and savor the flavors of the islands together. Almost 30% of all passengers who sail with us are celebrating an important milestone in their lives.

P&O’s newest ship, the 5,200-passenger Arvia, has an onboard rum and gin distillery and sails the Caribbean with fly-cruises from Barbados or the new departure point of Antigua. Alternatively, take a leisurely round-trip sailing from Southampton with American and Caribbean itineraries of up to 65 nights. Cruisers can swim, snorkel and scuba dive, of course, but they can also kayak, snuba, Jet Ski, sail and parasail.

It offers six- and seven-night Caribbean cruises from the late fall until early spring. Viking takes an entirely different approach to no-kids cruises, catering to mature travelers craving culture and educational vacations. It also offers wintertime Caribbean cruises, though many are paired with a Panama Canal crossing.

25 BEST Caribbean Cruises 2024 (Prices + Itineraries): Cruises to the Caribbean on Cruise Critic - Cruise Critic

25 BEST Caribbean Cruises 2024 (Prices + Itineraries): Cruises to the Caribbean on Cruise Critic.

Posted: Mon, 23 Oct 2023 15:33:38 GMT [source]

Night Southern Caribbean CruiseDetails

Get Reader’s Digest’s Read Up newsletter for more travel, tech, humor, cleaning and fun facts all week long. On the Explora I, there’s a dedicated kids club, ensuring that all members of the family have fun. Immerse yourself in the culture in some of the oldest cities in the Americas — the Caribbean has been shaped by a diverse history, with Africans, Europeans and Asians all leaving their mark. See the cathedrals and Spanish colonial architecture of Santo Domingo, the lively street festivals of Barbados or the citadels and brightly colored buildings of San Juan with your cruise to the Caribbean. Read about colorful cultures, breathtaking landscapes, must-see attractions and preparation advice for cruising the Caribbean. Pamper yourself in the Lotus Spa® with a massage, facial or manicure, and feel renewed.

Which itinerary is best for you will depend primarily on which port you want to depart from and how long a vacation you can take. Once you see the options that fit your parameters, you'll want to look at how many port stops versus sea days an itinerary has and which specific islands you'll visit. Plus, cruise ships can change course to avoid bad weather, such as hurricanes, so you can salvage your beach vacation when a storm is headed toward a particular island by cruising to a different one. If you booked a land-based stay, you'd be forced to cancel — or hunker down and wait for the rain and winds to pass.

The largest of Honduras' Bay Islands, it's the launching point for excursions to see the marine life off the second-largest coral reef in the world. Kayak through mangroves, zip-line above the jungle, or tip-toe across a 237-foot-long suspension bridge while observing the island's considerable array of wildlife at Gumbalimba Park. And while the beaches are pretty, you might want to skip them unless you're the only ship in port. On a Royal Caribbean Caribbean cruise, you can see towering mountains like Petit Piton in St. Lucia, explore Belize’s lush rainforests, and admire Jamaican waterfalls and the coral reefs of Bonaire. You can also soak up some sun on Royal Caribbean’s private island in the Bahamas, CocoCay.

There's also an entire museum devoted to amber and some of the most underrated beaches in the DR. One of TravelAwaits writer Peggy Cleveland’s favorite cruise lines, Holland America Line is also a favorite of our readers. With spacious, comfy ships, award-winning service, delicious dining, and plenty of activities, it is easy to see why. Cleveland recently got to sample the world-class dining on Holland America’s new ship, Rotterdam.

In terms of water activities, you can swim with the rays at Stingray City, or take a dive to explore the Kittiwake, one of the coolest shipwrecks in the Western Hemisphere. Caribbean Princess is prime for those who seek a more refined atmosphere but don't want to sacrifice fun. It’s a ship with glamorous décor and panoramic views, yet passengers can still enjoy fun favorites like Movies Under the Stars and a bar-lined, high-energy atrium that hosts activities, music and dancing. There's also the occasional pool game; just don't expect any belly flop contests.

With award-winning onboard programs, regional cuisine from world-class chefs and celebrations of Caribbean life, Princess makes your ship a destination all its own. See the kids’ vlog of their experiences in Camp Discovery and adventures ashore, and watch the parents tackle cruise myths in their vacation recap. Ships are filled with stylish, adult-oriented bars promising a hopping scene late into the night as well as hipster venues like a colorful karaoke lounge. Onboard entertainment is inventive and often edgier than what you might see on traditional-style cruises.

Some itineraries also include a "Pixar Day at Sea," which features a day of playing, dancing, swimming and dining with your favorite Pixar characters. Prices start from $2,959, double occupancy, and include taxes, fees and port expenses. There are plenty of ways to get more bang for your buck when you sail on a Royal Caribbean cruise. Every ship in the fleet offers a range of delicious complimentary dining options, but you can dig into even more crave-worthy flavor by purchasing a Specialty Dining Package for less ahead of your cruise. Add a Specialty Beverage Package — which includes unlimited alcoholic beverages, soda, and more — and your experience is as close to all-inclusive as it gets. And with so many complimentary shows and attractions onboard, you can easily fill every sea day without spending a single dollar extra.

Geneva-based MSC Group, which also owns European cruise line MSC Cruises, launched Explora Journeys this year in an effort to bring the casual luxury resort experience to the high seas. The cushy Nautilus Club is equipped with foosball and the latest generations of video games and VR consoles, with activities such as technology tournaments, plus discussions on ocean conservation. Cruise the entire length and breadth of the region with family-friendly Carnival, which sails year-round to the southern, eastern and western Caribbean. The line also has a wide range of departure points including the islands of Puerto Rico and Barbados and mainland ports in Florida, which are ideal for linking to a land-based stay in the Sunshine State.

On select days when the ship is anchored (not docked at a pier) — and the weather, government regulations and planets align — passengers can enjoy varied water sports like stand-up paddleboarding, kayaking and swimming right off the back of the ship. You can also lounge on a float or admire the glittering, yacht-dotted harbor from a large foam flotation island. This exquisite itinerary to the Southern Caribbean on Adventure of the Seas® routes you to the farthest corner of the Caribbean for some of its best beaches.