Lonely Planet Cruise Ports Caribbean

From mountain peaks to shimmering reefs, spicy salsa rhythms to deep rolling reggae, pirate hideouts to sugar-sand beaches, the Caribbean is a dizzyingly diverse region to explore on a cruise ship.

Cruise the Caribbean and discover a joyous mosaic of islands beckoning paradise hunters. Its a lively and intoxicating profusion of people and places spread over 7000 islands (fewer than 10% are inhabited). But, for all they share, theres also much that makes them different. Can there be a greater contrast than the bustling capital of San Juan in Puerto Rico and the largely undeveloped hideaway of St John in the US Virgin Islands? Or between booming British-oriented St Kitts and its sleepy Dutch-affiliated neighbor Sint Eustatius, just across a narrow channel?

Set sail on azure seas and dock near dazzling white beaches and verdant forests so vivid youll need sunglasses to avoid hurting the eyes. Dive below the waters for a color chart of darting fish and corals. Feel the sand between your toes at any one of a thousand picture-perfect beaches. Outdoor-adventure enthusiasts make a beeline for unspoilt islands such as nature-lovers Nevis near St Kitts or the diving around Grand Cayman and Curaao.

You can find any kind of island adventure here. You can choose to relax on the sand or the ship, party at a resort, explore a new community, hop between islands, discover wonders under the water or catch a perfect wave above, revel in a centuries-old culture (and sway to some of the worlds greatest music while youre at it), and then run off to find your inner pirate

Just about anything is possible in the Caribbean.

Half French, half Dutch, all Caribbean

Within walking distance of St-Martins dock in are world-class beaches lined with shops, restaurants, and bars, as well as a historic district that can easily be explored with only a day in port. A ferry from the cruise port to the seafront shopping district makes St-Martin particularly accessible. Locals are exceptionally friendly, and the absence of street and beach peddlers makes the port experience a breath of fresh sea air.