Sep 5, 2014
Gary Bembridge author of "The Cruise Traveler's Handbook" provides another 60-Second Cruise Tip. For more visit http://www.60secondcruisetips.com and subscribe free to the podcast on iTunes, Stitcher Radio and TuneIn Radio.
Cruising the Caribbean
The most popular cruise region is the Caribbean. Many ships sail
out of Florida, mostly Miami and Fort Lauderdale, although there
are frequent cruises from other USA ports - and occasionally from
Europe.
East Caribbean cruises go to islands like Saint Maarten, Saint
Thomas, and Antigua. Western ones visit places like Cozumel, Grand
Cayman, and Jamaica. Cruise lines often alternate these routes
offering back-to-back trips around the region.
Here are some considerations when choosing a Caribbean cruise:
• Ports can get busy with
thousands of cruise passengers visiting at one time. This is
especially common on the northerly islands close to Florida like
Puerto Rico, Saint Thomas and Saint Maarten when seven or more
ships can be there together. I prefer cruises to the more southerly
islands such as Barbados, Dominica and Saint Lucia as they tend to
be quieter and offer a more genuine Caribbean experience.
• Check if the islands you are
visiting are owned by the cruise line and uninhabited. These are
purely entertainment destinations and you are not seeing authentic
destinations.
• Do more than just beach and
catamaran excursions and see some cultural and historical
attractions to appreciate the differences between the islands.