Optional tours are available from most ports for an additional charge.
Itinerary
Day Bridgetown, BarbadosDeparts 11:00 PM "Barbadians, or Bajans in local parlance, consider their island nation the most British of the Caribbean: Queen Elizabeth II is still head of state, and English products are stocked in many of its stores and restaurants. Barbados is known as the birthplace of international pop star Rihanna, but it has also produced some of the biggest Caribbean calypso and soca music stars. The summer Crop Over festival is a huge carnival event. With live music and crafts for sale, the popular Friday fish fry at Oistins Bay is a fun place to mingle with the locals.
Centered around a waterway called the Careenage and its handsome Chamberlain Bridge, the historic center of Bridgetown, the country's capital, was granted UNESCO World Heritage status in 2011 for its wealth of British colonial architecture dating from the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries. Among the famous figures who visited Bridgetown when it was at its peak was none other than George Washington, who spent two months in 1751 in a house that still stands today, on his only trip abroad."
Day Port Elizabeth, Bequia, St. Vincent and the GrenadinesArrives 08:00 AM Departs 05:00 PM Bequia's Admiralty Bay is a favorite yachtsman's anchorage. They ferry ashore to join the friendly, low-key locals âunder the almond tree,â the chosen meeting place. Stroll along the Belmont Walkway to the Gingerbread for homemade nutmeg ice cream, or Frangipani, run by the daughter of a former prime minister. Continue to lovely, golden Princess Margaret Beach, or round the bend to Lower Bay. Don't miss the excellent craftsmanship at the Sargeant Brothers Model Boat Shop, it's a Bequia specialty.
Day Basse-Terre, GuadaloupeArrives 08:00 AM Departs 11:00 PM Located on the smaller of Guadeloupe's two âbutterfly wingâ lobes, Basse-Terre is the capital of the French overseas department, although smaller than Point-a-Pitre on Grand Terre. It was the island's first town, founded in 1643, and Fort Saint Charles, now called Fort Delgres, was built in 1650 to protect against English attacks. Visit the Cathedral of Our Lady of Guadeloupe, with its separate Bell Tower, and the Town Hall dating from 1889, which holds seven paintings added in the 1930s and now all registered historical landmarks. The island offers many picturesque fishing villages now welcoming tourists, including Deshaise near Grand Anse beach and Saint Claude in the forested hills. The towering volcano of La Soufriere is part of the National Park, as is the Reserve Cousteau at Pigeon Island, where divers and snorkelers flock to reefs that enchanted the late undersea explorer. The towering Chutes de Carbet waterfalls are another popular natural attraction.
Day Charlestown, Nevis, St Kitts and NevisArrives 08:00 AM Departs 05:00 PM Pretty, unassuming Nevis might be the definition of laid-back. Charlestown gets excited by the arrival of the daily ferry from St. Kitts. Stroll by the Museum of Nevis History, built on the foundations of the birthplace of U.S. founding father Alexander Hamilton. The 17th and 18th centuries, in fact, were a heyday here. A group of Sephardic Jews arrived from Brazil, from where they had been evicted. They brought with them the secret to crystalizing sugar, which transformed the economy of the Caribbean. Their humble cemetery's headstones are inscribed in Hebrew and Portuguese, dating from between 1672 to 1768, during which time they made up 25 percent of the island's populace. Another nice walk is the Nevis Botanical Gardens.
Day St. Johns, Antigua and BarbudaArrives 08:00 AM Departs 11:00 PM "The former British colony of Antigua is something special. Just ask Richard Branson, Eric Clapton, Giorgio Armani and Oprah-they all have homes here. Known for its beaches-there are 365 of them, all white sand lined with palm trees-Antigua also boasts charming harbors and a countryside dotted with old sugar mills. At one time the island was a juggernaut in the sugar trade, and also produced tobacco and cotton. Today, agriculture is still important, with Antiguan sweet potatoes, black pineapples and guavas being among the major crops.
The capital city of the dual-island nation of Antigua and Barbuda is St. John's, the center of commerce, with international banks and boutiques as well as a lone rum distillery. Elsewhere on Antigua, English Harbour is of particular note for its maritime heritage, historic sites and excellent restaurants-plus, while there, you'll get to glimpse some impressive yachts as they sail in and out of the bay. The highlight is the restored Nelson's Dockyard, which features gorgeous 18th- and 19th-century architecture but also buzzes with modern eateries and shops.
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Day Carambola Beach, Saint Kitts and NevisArrives 08:00 AM Departs 05:00 PM A classic golden arc of sugary sand at South Friar's Bay, Carambola is home to the island's most luxurious beach clubs and restaurants. Umbrellas, loungers and optional water sports abound for those so inclined. Otherwise St. Kitts has other attractions, including a number of lovingly preserved plantation great houses, the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Brimstone Hill Fortress and a scenic narrow gauge sugarcane railway.
Day Philipsburg, Sint MaartenArrives 07:00 AM Departs 11:00 PM "This Leeward island has been famously bisected into French and Dutch territories since 1648, and is referred to both as Saint Martin and Sint Maarten. In their respective capitalsóMarigot and Philipsburgóthere are ancient stone forts and candy-colored buildings lining winding streets. The Dutch side has a slightly larger population but is a bit smaller, at 34 square kilometers (13 square miles), versus the 53-square-kilometer (20-square-mile) Saint Martin.
Named for its founder John Philips, Philipsburg, the capital of the Dutch side, has some excellent international art galleries, thumping discos and popular casinos. Farther afield are beautiful beaches and a seemingly endless array of nature conservancies. With them come extensive opportunities for adventureóhiking, biking and zip liningóand amazing wildlife sightings in the sea, on land and in the sky."
Day Sopers Hole (Frenchmans Cay), BVIArrives 08:00 AM Departs 05:00 PM This snug harbor at the West End of Tortola is the classic Caribbean yacht haven, tucked between the high ground of West End on one side and Frenchman's Cay on the other. It was a notorious den for pirates in the past, who used the high ground to watch for naval ships or potential victims. The marinas and resorts were hard hit by hurricanes Irma and Maria in August and September 2017. But most services have been restored and the community is eager to welcome visitors again. Check on the progress at Pusser's Landing, the multi-service home of the famous wood-distilled rum and the Painkiller cocktail, which is good even if you're not in pain. There are numerous restaurants, cafes and bars providing hospitable rest stops for people-watching and yarn-spinning.
Day Basseterre, St Kitts and NevisArrives 08:00 AM Departs 06:00 PM "The Beautiful Sisters," St. Kitts and Nevis are separated by a two-mile-wide strait but joined together as an independent island nation. Known and loved for their sleepy pace, these islands are awakening to become an "in" place among well traveled North Americans and Europeans. A small, green volcanic speck in the blue Caribbean, St. Kitts offers quiet beaches, remnants of the old British plantocracy, and dreamy days under silk-cotton trees, soothed by the scents of flamboyants and frangipani. The native Arawak and Carib Indians called St. Kitts the fertile isle, and until as recently as 2005, the island was still dependent upon sugar for a large segment of its economy.
Day Terre-de-Haut, Iles des Saintes, GuadeloupeArrives 08:00 AM Departs 05:00 PM The Iles des Saintes, a tiny cluster of islets off the southern coast of Guadeloupe is what the doctor ordered, if he ordered an unspoiled Caribbean experience. No franchise duty free, no big hotels, no casinos. It is what much of the Caribbean used to be like. Stroll around the little town of Bourg de Saintes. Shop for real French cosmetics from the sidewalk vendors. Grab a seat and a beer and revel in the weather and the pace of the past.
Day Castries, Saint LuciaArrives 08:00 AM Departs 11:00 PM So you think you've "done" the Caribbean? St. Lucia kindly asks you to think again. With mountain peaks, plunging valleys, lush rain forests, historic sites, tropical flora and fauna and the world's only drive-in volcano, this island of 165,000 residents is more than just pretty palm-fringed beaches along a turquoise seaâthough there happen to be plenty of those, too. No wonder France and England battled for nearly 200 years to control this sun-kissed island. Wayfarers arriving these days have less nefarious plans and want only to preside over St. Lucia's legendary natural wonders and eco-adventures. Choose a heart-thumping hike up the Pitonsânamed a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2004âor a treetop tram ride over the flower- and bird-filled rain forest. Humdrum may be hard to find, but there are plenty of warm welcomes from friendly locals. The island's eclectic culture and history are shared daily through the Creole patois spoken in markets and on street corners, in the French names of colorful fishing villages and in savory recipes infused with African, French and Carib heritage. And have we mentioned the sublime sunsets? Some Caribbean islands really do have it all.
Day Saline Bay, Mayreau, St. Vincent and the GrenadinesArrives 08:00 AM Departs 05:00 PM This wonderful hike-with-a-difference takes you from one idyllic beach and bay to another, enjoying magnificent views of the Tobago Cays, and passing through one of the quaintest and friendliest villages in the Southern Grenadines.
Day Bridgetown, BarbadosArrives 07:00 AM "Barbadians, or Bajans in local parlance, consider their island nation the most British of the Caribbean: Queen Elizabeth II is still head of state, and English products are stocked in many of its stores and restaurants. Barbados is known as the birthplace of international pop star Rihanna, but it has also produced some of the biggest Caribbean calypso and soca music stars. The summer Crop Over festival is a huge carnival event. With live music and crafts for sale, the popular Friday fish fry at Oistins Bay is a fun place to mingle with the locals.
Centered around a waterway called the Careenage and its handsome Chamberlain Bridge, the historic center of Bridgetown, the country's capital, was granted UNESCO World Heritage status in 2011 for its wealth of British colonial architecture dating from the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries. Among the famous figures who visited Bridgetown when it was at its peak was none other than George Washington, who spent two months in 1751 in a house that still stands today, on his only trip abroad."