• June 18, 2021

Caribbean Tours: Basics of Popular Caribbean Itineraries

Different people have different ideas about what the real vacation is for them, but a cruise, or two, a year is definitely something worth planning and budgeting for. Have you never been on a cruise? No problem. Just take some time to research and you will find the best deal on excursions to the Caribbean for you and / or your family.

Caribbean cruises are the most popular among first-time travelers. The reason is obvious: the Caribbean is one of the top ten tourist destinations in the world due to its palm-fringed beaches and turquoise sea, some of the calmest waters in the world, and they suit all budgets.

When choosing a cruise, the first thing to consider is the itinerary. The most common excursion itineraries to the Caribbean are: East, West or South. There are also cruises to the northern Caribbean, but with less interest.

Excursions to the Eastern Caribbean

Most of them last 7 days with Florida as the embarkation point.

The islands are relatively close to each other, so there are many port activities, an ideal route if shopping is one of your favorite activities. Many islands are beautiful, most of them are small and in almost all there are beautiful beaches and different natural attractions.

The usual islands / ports of call: Nassau (Bahamas), St. Thomas, St. John, Puerto Rico, St. Maarten, Grand Turk, Turks and Caicos

Excursions to the Western Caribbean

Ships for this route depart from Florida, New Orleans, or Texas.

The seas in the western Caribbean tend to be calmer and the ports of call are quite diverse, as they are sometimes on the mainland and sometimes on larger islands, making it a great experience for first-time travelers. Most ports of call are further apart, so you can expect more days at sea and fewer days in ports or on beaches. There is a good chance that you will visit some Mayan ruins in Mexico or hike through the rain forests.

The usual islands / ports of call: Cozumel, Costa Maya (Mexico), Grand Cayman, Key West (Florida), Dominican Republic, Jamaica, Belize or Costa Rica.

Excursions to the southern Caribbean

The boats for this route usually embark from San Juan (Puerto Rico), sometimes from Florida, and are usually longer than the traditional 7 days; Most of the time, these cruises last 9-11 days. As in the Eastern route, the islands are many and very close together, so there are many ports. Since they offer more biodiversity and have less cruise ship traffic, they are ideal for snorkelling and diving. Some of the most beautiful islands here are known as “ABC” islands: Aruba, Bonaire, Curaçao, and at least one of them is usually included on the cruise route. In general, this route offers a more limited selection of dates and boats, and prices are usually higher than with an eastern or western route.

The usual islands / ports of call: Aruba, Bonaire, Barbados, Curaçao, Grenada, Saint Lucia.

All that said, just one more note for beginners: Caribbean tours are truly an exceptional experience, and you can’t go wrong with whatever choice you make.

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