DESTINATIONS — CRUISE
Caribbean dream
Jane Archer finds
itineraries to suit all and sundry in these sunny isles
N
ame three good reasons for taking a cruise in the
Caribbean. Yep, too easy. Sun, sand and sea. But there are plenty more. You could have said the choice of small luxury yachts or big resort- style ships, vessels that offer great entertainment for families, the chance to visit numerous islands on one holiday, interesting history and culture, or fun excursions. And with more new ships and
itineraries coming along in the next 12 months, clients will be spoilt for choice. Royal Caribbean International’s
new Quantum of the Seas, which has a skydiving simulator and robotic barmen, will be sailing to the Eastern Caribbean and Bahamas from its New York base from November this year. Also in November, Princess Cruises’ Regal Princess will be sailing seven-night Eastern Caribbean
cruises after being christened in Fort Lauderdale. Some of the most exciting new
itineraries come from Thomson Cruises. This winter Thomson Dream will be sailing five different seven-night itineraries from Montego Bay, Jamaica, visiting numerous Caribbean islands as well as Panama, Colombia, Belize, Honduras and Costa Rica. Its former winter home port of Barbados is being filled by Thomson Celebration, which will be sailing three different seven-night itineraries. P&O Cruises’ Adonia will also be based in Bridgetown, Barbados, this winter, sailing 15 and 29-night Caribbean, Central and South America fly-cruises that take in the Amazon and Orinoco Rivers, Panama, and Caribbean favourites including St Maarten, Saint Lucia and Grenada. Royal Princess returns to the
Caribbean for a second winter season with new 10-day itineraries that visit the Eastern and Southern Caribbean, while SeaDream Yacht Club has more Caribbean round- trip cruises from Barbados this winter, and new itineraries take its mega-yachts back to the US Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands after a break of several years. Fast forward to October 2015, and Norwegian Cruise Line’s new Norwegian Escape will be offering year-round seven-night Eastern Caribbean cruises from its Miami base that call at Tortola in the British Virgin Islands, St Thomas in the US Virgin Islands and Nassau in the Bahamas.
1
BEST FOR FAMILIES: ROYAL CARIBBEAN INTERNATIONAL Popular holiday wisdom
maintains that if the kids are happy,
the parents will be happy too. The facilities on Oasis of the Seas – aka the largest cruise ship in the world – will certainly keep them entertained, with clubs for babies, children and teens available from dawn to dusk. After meeting DreamWorks characters – think Shrek, Princess Fiona, and Po from Kung Fu Panda – kids can go for burgers and fries in Johnny Rockets, have a go on the rock-climbing wall, Flowrider surf simulator or zip wire, and splash around in the water park. And while the offspring are having fun, mums and dads can relax in the tree-lined Central Park, grab some rays by the pool, get pampered in the spa and enjoy posh nosh in 150 Central Park. How much? From £1,064 per adult and £544 per child under 11 cruise-only for a seven-night Western Caribbean cruise round- trip from Fort Lauderdale on Oasis of the Seas departing April 11.
cruisingpower.com
9 October 2014 —
travelweekly.co.uk • 55
of the BEST
5
Caribbean cruises
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