The Travel & Leisure Magazine Cruising Feature May/June 09
6 pages
Published by
Travel & Leisure Magazines Ltd
Copyright :
All rights reserved
I
f you’ve ever dreamt of sailing
through a perfect tropical paradise
with beautiful cobalt blue waters
dotted with sleepy, sun-kissed isles
of dazzling white sand, then come to
the Caribbean.
One of the best ways to discover...
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I
f you’ve ever dreamt of sailing
through a perfect tropical paradise
with beautiful cobalt blue waters
dotted with sleepy, sun-kissed isles
of dazzling white sand, then come to
the Caribbean.
One of the best ways to discover this idyllic collection of 7,000 islands, stretching from
the tip of Florida southwards to the coast of
Venezuela, is on the water, reflecting the rich
maritime history of this corner of the globe.
Cruise the Caribbean Sea and you’ll be
following in the footsteps of legendary
explorers, bloodthirsty pirates and swashbuckling naval heroes.
After all, Christopher Columbus first
dropped anchor in these parts during the 15th century as he searched
for the New World, and he has been
followed by a long line of
adventurers ever since.
But today’s visitors are seeking
riches of a different kind.
Many are
now arriving on the steady stream of cruise
ships that now ply these waters, making the
Caribbean the most popular – and at times the
most crowded – cruising ground in the world.
For British cruisers, the Caribbean is the top
cruising spot after the Mediterranean, attracting around 230,000 passengers each year.
The region’s tropical climate and sheer
beauty of its surroundings coupled with the
wide choice of islands where ships can moor
up has proved to be an intoxicating mix that
few cruise lines can resist.
Such popularity takes it roots from the era
of American Prohibition in the 1930s when
short booze cruises to the Bahamas
became all the rage.
The Caribbean
cruise market has grown steadily
ever since, accelerating in the last
decade as the global cruising boom has taken hold.
As a result, there is a staggering choice of cruises and
ships to be had.
Where to cruise
Caribbean cruises cover three areas: eastern
Caribbean, western Caribbean and southern
Caribbean.
The eastern Caribbean is the most popular; here you’ll find the largest choice of voyages which typically call at islands such as
Barbados, St Lucia, St Kitts, the British
Virgin Islands and Grenada.
Western Caribbean voyages concentrate
on Jamaica, Cuba, the Dominican Republic,
Mexico and other Latin America countries;
while southern Caribbean itineraries will generally include Costa Rica and the Netherlands
Antilles islands of Aruba, Bonaire and
Curacao.
Many of these cruises also transit
the Panama Canal.
The length of such sailings can vary greatly.
Some cruises can be little more than weekend breaks, lasting just two or three days and
only having time to visit the Bahamas.
Most commonly, they last one or two
weeks, which gives passengers plenty of
opportunity to experience several different
islands.
Cruises that traverse the Panama Canal
into the Pacific or cross the Atlantic between
the Caribbean and Europe can span three
weeks.
Atlantic sailings take place in spring
and autumn as ships are re-positioned for the
28 TheTravel& LeisureM agazine M ay/June2009
Nowhere conjures up the spirit and romance of a cruise holiday
more than the Caribbean, with its intoxicating cocktail of
island delights.
Our own Caribbean Queen, Sara Macefield,
guides you through the multitude of choices…
Princess Cruises
Calypso
cruising
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