Caribbean Islands of West Indies

Florida Ephemera Postcards (Photo credit: UF Digital Collections)Cruising is one of the most popular and pleasurable activity among the people of Europe and especially of Caribbean Islands. People enjoy the dazzling beauty of the beaches while traveling on a cruise. You can stay on the cruise ship for maximum 14 days at affordable rates. Millions of passengers travel on cruise ships and it has become the most important and famous part of the tourism industry.
Enjoying an extensive network of Islands on a cruise ship filled with mind blowing and peaceful beauty of golden beaches and resorts gives a man the best way to relax and unwind himself. To enjoy the stunning beauty of the high Volcanoes, snowfall on the peeks and worth watching views of the sea and its shore, a Caribbean cruise takes four major routes.
The most popular cruise route among all the routes is the Eastern Caribbean cruise route. This route starts from Florida, which is a popular city of United States of America, and sails through the Key West (Tropical Islands of Bahamas), Turks, Caicos and Virgin Islands. Finally, it reaches to Puerto Rico. This route passes through the most beautiful Islands of the world. Puerto Rico is a complete package of breathtaking beauty and opportunities to pamper you. Your journey would be incomplete if you miss to visit the world's famous and beautiful Condado beach on its Island.
Second route is the Western Caribbean cruise route, which starts from the seaports of the Texas, Louisiana and Florida. The cruise ship passes through a famous country Mexico, Island of Cozumel, Cayman Islands, Jamaica and then to the beautiful coasts of Central America Honduras and Belize.
Southern Caribbean cruise route is the third route, which begins from the main port of Puerto Rico and then passing through the Lesser Antilles and Netherlands Antilles ends at the west of Aruba Island.
Exotic or long duration Caribbean cruise route is the fourth route. In this specific route, you can take any of the above-mentioned directions. It is a mixture of all the routes. You can even start your journey from where the route ended. People prefer taking this route because of the vast options of traveling.
You can select a route, which suites you and your finances. For spending the perfect holidays and enjoying the lush green beautiful sights and beaches, clean natural environment and friendly people journey on the Caribbean cruise. This will definitely fulfill your desires. Mostly routes of cruise ships return the passengers to its originating port, but some routes are longer and take several months to return on the same port. So, if you don't want to miss the charms and gems of Caribbean Islands, take an unforgettable trip on a Caribbean cruise.

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Caribbean cruise getaway?

Choose the right cruise ship
So many cruise lines travel around the Caribbean but if you want to have the best experience, of course, you would only want to go with the best. On top of the list would be the Crystal Cruises, whose Crystal Symphony and Serenity cruise ships travel around the islands of Caribbean. Another award-winning cruise line to consider would be the Cunard Cruise Lines. Its flagship Queen Mary 2 was nominated for the Reader's Choice Award for Best Caribbean Cruise. Apart from these two, you may also consider Oceania Cruise Lines, Regent Seven Seas Cruises, and Silversea Cruises. Make sure that when you pick a cruise ship, you consider factors like shore excursions, amenities and activities onboard, size of cruise ship, duration of the cruise, cost of the trip, and reputation of the cruise line.
Plan shore excursions
Speaking of shore excursions, you should also plan for the destinations that you wish to visit when you step down the ports of call. Shore excursions are a major part of the cruise vacation. Even if you deem that the cruise ship has everything you need and want, it would still be an extraordinary experience if you see for yourself the natural grandeur of the Caribbean islands. Some of the top destinations you should consider for your shore excursion include Aruba, Bahamas, Barbados, Bermuda, Cayman Islands, Dominican Republic, Jamaica, Puerto Rico, St. Barts, and U.S. Virgin Islands.
Prepare the travel documents
When going on a cruise, you would also need to prepare the right travel documents to ensure that you don't encounter any problem during your vacation. For one, you should have a passport that is at least six months from being expired. You should also have the proper visas for the country that you wish to enter. Apart from that, you would also need to have the cruise vacation itinerary and receipt along with itineraries for air travel and hotel accommodations. Moreover, be sure to get a travel insurance to ensure that you are financially protected during your trip. Since there are many types of travel insurance such as flight insurance, visitors health insurance, trip cancellation insurance, insurance for senior citizens, family insurance, insurance for people with medical conditions, and short or long term travel insurance, it is imperative that you study your options so you can make an informed choice.
Make the most of the onboard amenities
When you're still onboard, make the most out of the amenities and activities available. Sure, you would want to spend some time in the bedroom to rest but don't spend the entire day secluded in your room as you will miss lots of wonderful amenities and fun activities. Go to the fitness center to exercise, get a massage in the spa facility, dance in the ballroom, and meet and mingle with people. There is just so much to do.

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Things To Do in the Caribbean Islands

There are many islands in the Caribbean, in fact over 7000 of them. For this reason it's impossible to list all the possible things to do in the Caribbean Islands. Generally though, tourist activities will mostly involve some form of water sports or relaxation around water. Opportunities for hiking, cycling and other very active sports are also available, as well as more leisurely sports such as fishing, golfing or walking. You can even take part in extreme touristic activities in the Caribbean such as sky diving, bungee jumping and abseiling.

Water Sports

The list of things to do in the Caribbean Islands starts with all the water sports available and there are many, many options for every type of tourist. You can go diving in Curacao or Aruba, boating and parasailing in the Florida Keys where it's even possible to encounter dolphins in their natural habitat, or even snorkeling in the reefs off the coast of Florida, Cuba, the U.S. Virgin Islands and the Bahamas.

Board sports are also very popular, with windsurfing, kiteboarding and regular surfing available in the paradise of the Virgin Islands, Barbados and the Dominican Republic.

Water skiing, canoeing, sailing and scuba diving are also all very popular sports which can be done at Bermuda, the Cayman Islands, Grenada, Jamaica, St. Croix, Tortola and Tobago.

Of course, the pristine white beaches and soft sand offer relaxation opportunities such as sun bathing, swimming, beach volleyball and many others for the entire family.

Active Sports

One of the most fabulous things to do in the Caribbean Islands is to go hiking in any of the national parks located on the islands. The United States Virgin Islands National Park, which covers more than half of the island is a very popular destination as is the Arikok National Park in Aruba, which offers stunning geological formations that developed through volcanic activity in the past. Dominica is a mountainous terrain that has sometimes been called the "Switzerland of the Caribbean" and offers beautiful scenery to hike in. Norman Island, which can only be reached by private or chartered boat, is famous for its hikes that visit the famous caves of Treasure Point, some of which are large enough to be explored.

Cycling is also a very popular activity in the Caribbean. Aruba and Cuba are extremely well developed and offer stunning cycling trails that go through urban areas, sub-urban areas, national parks and even rugged wilderness.

Leisure Sports

Sports such as fishing, golfing and walking are also possible things to do in the Caribbean Islands. The Bahamas are famous for fly-fishing for bonefish, Barbados is famous for its billfish, barracuda and wahoo, while the Cayman Islands offer deep sea fishing for tuna and marlin. Islands with reefs such as the Cayman Islands and Puerto Rico offer excellent grouper and snapper catches. Swordfish, kingfish and even shark are also available.

Golfing in the Caribbean Islands is a popular activity on Aruba, Jamaica, the U.S. Virgin Islands and Grenada.

All in all, the number of sports and leisure activities available in the Caribbean is staggering.

Matt loves the warm weather and beaches of the Caribbean and has put together many Caribbean travel tips for you as well as tips for traveling to Curacao, his favorite country.

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