Wednesday, April 10, 2024

Top Cruise Destinations Around the World for Every Traveler

best cruise ports

If you are looking to escape reality a bit more, you can hop on a ferry to Nevis just 2 miles from St. Kitts. Ferries run frequently, so this is a great option as it can be easily done in a day trip while the cruise ship is in port. Tromso, Norway cruise port (Norway) records more than fourty thousand visitors every year. Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), Vietnam cruise port (Vietnam) records more than onehundret thousand visitors...

Best Homeport for Choice of River and Ocean Cruises

Walking around Willemstad is easy, and a short walk from the cruise ship. Similar to San Juan, your ship docks nearby to the downtown area that are filled with shops, markets, and restaurants. When you add in the Dutch architecture, you find a very intriguing city to explore. When selecting a cruise line for a Caribbean trip, passengers should consider their desired route and the specific amenities offered by various luxury cruise ship companies. The experience can differ greatly between Eastern and Western Caribbean cruises as well as between different cruise lines such as Royal Caribbean, Virgin Voyages and Holland America. Assessing the best ports involves considering accessibility, variety of attractions, and the quality of the experience.

San Juan: El Yunque Rainforest with Waterfalls and Hiking

Ports that consistently rank highly include Bridgetown, Barbados with its British colonial architecture, and Phillipsburg, St. Maarten, known for its dual French and Dutch cultural influences. Each destination’s unique blend of natural beauty, cultural offerings, and recreational activities ensures that there is something for every cruiser to enjoy in the Caribbean’s sun-soaked havens. Travelers looking for the best Caribbean cruise ports are met with a wealth of options. Nassau, the bustling capital of the Bahamas, offers a mix of colonial history and modern-day resort comfort.

Cruises

At one time, Royal Caribbean had plans to open a beach club in Antigua, and it's not hard to see why. The Southern Caribbean is truly remarkable when contrasted against other islands in the region. Aruba wasn't worthy of becoming a lyric in a Beach Boys song for no reason, when you see it, you'll understand why. If you venture to the French side, you'll find the capital of Marigot and Grand Case, and it's similar to traveling in Europe on a smaller scale. When you combine hundreds of years of history along with a vibrant culture, you get San Juan.

Best Destination for Families Runner-Up: The Western Caribbean

2024 Member Choice Awards Best Cruise Ports and Private Destinations - Cruiseline.com

2024 Member Choice Awards Best Cruise Ports and Private Destinations.

Posted: Wed, 21 Feb 2024 02:13:09 GMT [source]

Visitors can experience snorkeling alongside sea turtles that glide gracefully among the colorful coral reefs. This is an intimate way to observe these majestic creatures in their natural habitat, making for an unforgettable encounter. The historic city of Old San Juan in Puerto Rico greets travelers with colorful Spanish colonial buildings and cobblestoned streets.

Sampling Authentic Caribbean Cuisine

Tour operators offer trips around cruise port times, making it an excellent activity for cruise guests. Old San Juan offers a bit of everything, such as world heritage sites, the El Yunque Jungle, and pristine beaches. Vessels dock downtown, so cruise passengers can walk on cobblestone streets to the most popular attractions. Since it takes a short time to reach some eastern Caribbean cruise ports, you can opt for a sailing of under 7 days. The best cruise ports in Caribbean come down to your interests and what you prefer to do on your port day.

With so much located near the port of Curacao, you can squeeze a number of activities into a single day with a combination excursion. Take a scenic island tour to visit highlights like the Hato Caves with their underground limestone formations and pools. These tours often include a visit to a distillery where the island's namesake Curacao liqueur is distilled (do try a sample of the blue drink). You're likely to catch a glimpse of sea turtles, rays and all sorts of tropical fish and coral if you head out to Bonaire's pristine waters for snorkeling or scuba diving.

Best Cruise Ports In The Western Caribbean

Buck Island Reef is officially a national monument, and the 19,015 acres of land and sea lie just off the north shore of St. Croix. A typical shore excursion features a 45-minute bus ride across the island, followed by a 40-minute scenic powerboat cruise out to the reef. Shore excursions to Tulum are popular from Playa del Carmen, but you can get there from Cozumel as well. Your best bet here is to take in some of the area's diverse marine wildlife. Our favorite option is snorkeling and swimming with sea turtles in the protected waters of Akumal Beach. One of the best ways to see Aruba is with a tour that hits island highlights and offers some beach time.

Freeport: Snorkeling Excursions to the Coral Reefs

best cruise ports

The best time to book an Alaska cruise is when a cruise line first opens bookings on that sailing, often more than a year in advance. You'll have your pick of itineraries and cabins — balcony cabins are popular in this scenic destination — and often the best fares. Sitka is as much a working fishing town as it is a tourist destination. Sitka's Russian heritage also sets it apart from other Alaskan ports on your cruise itinerary.

There are over 1,200 cruise ports in the world so even the most frequent of cruisers won’t get to visit them all. However, there are some cruise ports that stand out from the rest as being truly stunning. These cruise lines, especially on their newer ships, offer something for everyone — as well as a higher caliber of onboard dining than on the cheapest cruises. Glacial ice carved this passageway long ago, and today, cruise ships and fishing vessels thread their way through the islets and channels to see some of the most spectacular natural sights in the world. Alaska may be one of the most beautiful places in the world, but it's rugged and can be tricky to get around.

Get our daily email for the latest in travel, flight deals, and howto save on your next trip. Get our daily email for the latest in travel, flight deals, and how to save on your next trip. Out of all the islands in the Caribbean, St. Lucia is the one that keeps calling me back. Curacao is a constituent country of the Netherlands and the Dutch influence definitely shows.

Magens Bay, one of St. Thomas’s most famous beaches, is known for its mile-long stretch of white sand and crystal clear waters. Other popular beaches include Sapphire Beach, Lindquist Beach, Coki Point Beach, and more. The Caribbean has a tropical climate with a pattern of a wet and dry season. The best time of year for cruising with favorable weather is typically from December to April, during the dry season.

Most sail along the Inside Passage, a maritime route along the state's southern coast (and into British Columbia and Washington state) that weaves around the area's thousand islands. Some venture farther north into the Gulf of Alaska; these are often one-way cruises that begin and end at the ports near Anchorage. Nearly every major cruise line has a presence in Alaska from May through mid-September, with some offering sailings as early as April or as late as October. Cold temperatures, icy waters and a long snowy season are not conducive to early spring and late fall cruises. Cozumel – One of the most visited cruise ports in the Caribbean, you can rent a jeep and drive the loop to experience all that the island has to offer.

Cruise site's reader survey names Port Canaveral as best U.S. port - Florida Today

Cruise site's reader survey names Port Canaveral as best U.S. port.

Posted: Thu, 04 Jan 2024 08:00:00 GMT [source]

While many cruise ports can feel hectic, you'll find that Roatan is serene. But if staying near the port doesn't appeal to you, opt for a day-long island tour that will take you around the perimeter of the island. From Bordeaux to Porto to Vienna, the list of potential destinations on European river cruises tend to encompass at least one wine region and a gastronomic capital or two.

Affordable outdoor cliffside massages are also available for parents to unwind. We could go on (SeaWorld, Orlando Pride, Kennedy Space Center… ) to explain why Port Canaveral is one of the best cruise ports. Just like Galveston and New Orleans, Port Canaveral is a cruise port you’ll want to spend a few pre- or post-cruise days exploring. According to Cruise Radio, the Central Florida port currently homeports Disney Cruise Line, Carnival Cruise Line, Royal Caribbean, and Norwegian Cruise Line ships year-round.

Despite this division, St. Maarten is known for its beautiful coastal lagoons and stunning beaches, making it a must-visit destination for any Caribbean traveler. Philipsburg is a great location to come back and enjoy an all inclusive Caribbean getaway. Many Caribbean ports also offer water taxis, presenting an enchanting alternative to explore surrounding areas. These boats grant direct access to beaches and neighboring islands not immediately accessible from the main port. Turks and Caicos are renowned for their crystal-clear waters and vibrant marine life.

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