World Destinations in One Cruise Vacation: Cruise the Bahamas & the Caribbean
Updated: Apr 9, 2021
In a modern world that runs at breakneck speed, your vacation time is often your most precious resource: scarce, valuable and impossible to replace. When looking for places to visit that offer a glimpse of the world, the islands just off the South Florida coast as well as those that lie between the Caribbean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean provide a rich and varied getaway. The proximity to the U.S. brings flexibility and convenience for short to extended vacations.
This region holds more than sun, sand and surf. In this paradise, you will discover traces of Spain, France, Britain, the Netherlands and Africa. Each inhabited island reflects a unique and colorful history of culture influenced by natives, explorers, invaders and traders. Royalty and celebrities flock to this legendary play ground. World-class shops, entertainment and recreational activities abound here.
With a temperate climate, this exotic, tropical portion of the globe is a year-round destination. The trade winds that blow almost continually throughout the Bahamas and the Caribbean give these islands a warmth with temperatures between 70-85F degrees. The many uninhabited islands (or cays as they are called) provide a wonderful abundance of pristine beaches, clear aqua blue waters, lush horticulture, marine and wildlife.
The region provides an almost endless variety of ports for cruise ships to visit. It’s no wonder why more people take cruises to the Bahamas and the Caribbean than anywhere else in the world. With a world total close to 30 million passengers in 2019, 32% of those passengers cruised in this region according to the Cruise Line Industry Association. These figures translate into an incredibly popular vacation.
So why the appeal for cruising this region rather than approaching it by land alone? Cruises afford visits to multiple destinations while only necessitating unpacking once. A typical week long cruise allows vacationers to sample three to five different ports or islands. Travelers find that a cruise ship is a floating resort, so their vacation starts the moment they board the ship. (Compare this to the travel time spent in airports and on airplanes flying to one island.) According to the U.S. Coast Guard, cruising is the safest form of transportation and consistently has the best safety record in the travel industry.
Ships ranging from chartered luxury yachts to mega liners allow the seafaring vacationer to choose any on board experience that fits their preference. Whether it’s a full schedule of fun activities like gambling, swimming, jogging, enjoying entertainment or taking time to relax and be pampered, the choices will make every type of traveler happy. And, let’s not forget the FOOD…it’s out of this world!
Traditionally, cruise ships sailing throughout the Bahamas and the Caribbean ported out of Miami and Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. And it is still true that the vast majority of cruise lines and ships are found there. Yet, as the cruise industry expanded with more ships so has the number of home ports being offered. Cruise lines have placed ships in ports up and down the U.S. coastline in hopes that more people would take advantage of cruises that depart from ports that are within a drivable distance from home.
What does this mean to residents of states other than Florida? It means a bonanza of cruises to enjoy! They can avail themselves of cruises that depart from Jacksonville, Pt. Canaveral and Tampa, Florida. Convenient cruise ports outside of Florida are New York, New York, Baltimore, Maryland , Charleston, South Carolina, Mobile, Alabama and New Orleans, Louisiana.
Cruises are easy to plan. Unlike most land-based vacations, cruises are all-inclusive. An all around great value for the money, there are cruise vacations that include transportation, meals, accommodations, entertainment, on board activities and shore excursions. By industry surveys, cruises have a higher percentage of satisfied customers than any other vacation experience.
Allow a cruise professional to assist you with planning your cruise vacation. By doing so, you take advantage of their knowledge and expertise to guide and pair you with the right ship and itinerary. Travel agents that specialize in selling cruises can save you time, money and frustration while rewarding you with excellent customer service.
People of all ages are sailing away on the vacation of their lives. See the world. Visit the Bahamas and the Caribbean by sea!!
About the writer:
Nancy Holmes Ploener is a Luxury Cruise Advisor with Suite Dream Cruises, LLC, an affiliate of Gifted Travel Network- a Virtuoso member agency. She works one-on-one with clients who want to enjoy the journey as much as the destination. Her specialty is helping her clients see the world from the vantage of luxury cruising.