Want an easy, cheap way to travel internationally? Cruise the Caribbean.
Nearly every time Kristin Chapman takes a cruise, she heads to the Caribbean.
The 38-year-old medical librarian has been on more than a dozen cruises, and itineraries packed with a variety of tropical destinations in the region have kept her coming back.
“What I really found enjoyable about the Caribbean was it really does give you the longer port days because the islands are so close together,” said Chapman, who lives in Connecticut. “It does make you feel like you have had more of an experience in where you're going, rather than the days at sea that you have in between different islands (on some other cruises).”
Caribbean cruises offer an easy, often affordable way to travel internationally from the U.S. “It’s a great way to check off a bunch of countries on your map,” Mike Harris, director of sales at online travel agency The Cruise Web.
Why are Caribbean cruises so popular?
Caribbean itineraries are the default choice of many cruisers – and with good reason.
“Specifically, for the American market, it’s close to home,” said Harris. Cruise lines sail to the Caribbean from ports in cities ranging from Miami to Baltimore to New York City. “These are domestic ports that a lot of the country can drive to,” he added.
Once travelers set sail, there is something for everyone. “The versatility of the Caribbean is what makes it unique,” Harris said. That’s true of both the wide range of cruise lines operating there – including post-COVID-19 newcomers like Virgin Voyages – as well as its mix of beaches, cuisine, history, adventurous activities like cave tubing and zip lining and nightlife.
That combination of factors has proven increasingly compelling to guests. Demand for Caribbean cruises was up nearly 5% in the first two quarters of the year compared to the same time in 2019, according to Cruise Lines International Association, the industry’s leading trade organization.
The Caribbean’s market share in the industry is also at 44%, an increase from 34% in 2019, said Michele Paige, CEO of the Florida-Caribbean Cruise Association.
Pro tip: Cruises that leave from the Caribbean, like a Carnival Cruise Line sailing Chapman took from San Juan, Puerto Rico, tend to have fewer sea days and maximize your time in port.
When is the best time to take a Caribbean cruise?
The region has long been seen as a “warm weather destination” where travelers can go to escape the cold, according to Paige.
But in recent years, more lines have begun offering Caribbean sailings all year. “They have year-round great weather, but it’s more than just the weather,” she said.
Still, Harris said passengers will find the most variety of ships there from November through March. “You'll get the big contemporary ships, you get the medium premium brands, but you also get the very small deluxe and luxury brands that are going to very small, exclusive islands that a lot of people just haven't heard of,” he said.
In the summer, smaller ships typically reposition elsewhere – like Alaska or Europe – and the Caribbean is mostly populated by big ships catering to families with kids out of school.
(Click here for USA TODAY’s cruise line guide).
Are Caribbean cruises expensive?
Because so many itineraries are offered throughout the year, Harris said travelers can often find cheaper sailings than in some other destinations. “You can find a Caribbean cruise for as low as $60 a day, all the way up to $2,200 a day just depending on the experience you’re looking for,” he said.
These items are banned on cruises: Read this before you pack
Upcoming Caribbean cruises
◾ Royal Caribbean International’s Independence of the Seas ship will sail a four-night Eastern Caribbean itinerary departing Nov. 15. The cruise will sail round-trip from Miami with a stop in Labadee, Haiti. The fare starts at $272 per person based on double occupancy, according to the line’s website.
◾ Norwegian Cruise Line’s Norwegian Sun ship will sail a 12-day Caribbean cruise round-trip from Baltimore, departing Dec. 9. The cruise will stop in San Juan; Philipsburg, Sint Maarten; Basseterre, Saint Kitts and Nevis; Saint John’s, Antigua and Barbuda; Saint Thomas in the U.S. Virgin Islands; Tortola in the British Virgin Islands and Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic. Cabins start at just under $849 per person based on double occupancy, according to the line’s website.
◾ Carnival Cruise Line will offer a round-trip six-day Western Caribbean sailing from Galveston, Texas, leaving Dec. 10. The sailing on the line’s Carnival Dream ship will visit Costa Maya and Cozumel in Mexico, as well as Belize. Available cabins currently start at $809 per guest based on double occupancy, according to Carnival’s website.
◾ Silversea Cruises’ Silver Dawn ship will depart on a 10-day cruise from Bridgetown, Barbados, to Fort Lauderdale, Florida, on Jan. 26. Passengers will visit Bequia in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines; Castries, Saint Lucia; Saint John’s; Gustavia in St. Barts; Saint Thomas; Spanish Town in the British Virgin Islands; and San Juan. Fares currently start at $5,350 per guest based on double occupancy, according to the luxury line’s website.
Nathan Diller is a consumer travel reporter for USA TODAY based in Nashville. You can reach him at ndiller@usatoday.com.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: How Caribbean cruises offer easy, affordable international travel
