The Caribbean has become one of the world’s premier holiday destinations, with its diverse cultural traditions, gorgeous islands with their palm-fringed beaches and aqua blue seas and, of course, fabulous tropical warmth and colour. But why opt for just one island when you can experience several? Caribbean cruises provide a surprisingly economic way of getting the best (and most) out of this lovely corner of the world.
For instance, Princess Cruises offers a 9 night Caribbean Fly-cruise aboard its family-friendly Emerald Princess for just £959 per person. The itinerary includes Fort Lauderdale, Princes Quays, St Maarten, St Thomas and Grand Turk (that’s under £100 a head per night, for accommodation, travel, meals and plenty of onboard activities and facilities). Or, if you’d prefer to drive to your first port, you could opt for P&O Cruises 15 night Caribbean cruise aboard the lovely Ventura from just £1,215 per head. From Southampton, you’ll head off to Tenerife, Tortola, St Maarten, St Lucia, St Vincent and Barbados. The ship combines traditional and modern facilities, boasts celebrity chef Marco Pierre White’s first onboard eatery, and is crammed with a huge array of kids’ activities.
Cruise deals are on offer all the year round from big operators like this, as well as from other top names like Costa Cruises, Royal Caribbean Cruises and Carnival Cruises. You stand to pick up even better deals with last minute cruises, but beware: once you’ve tried cruise holidays in the Caribbean, you’re likely to want to take them more than once.