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Many inexperienced cruisers or first-time cruisers are a little unsure where to go, so I have decided to talk about the various types of Caribbean Cruises to begin, as this is where most people start their cruise adventures.
Any cruise may stop at a private island owned by the cruise line or other unique stops, depending on the cruise line.
Cruise Itinerary Names, Generally
- Bahamas – often blended with an Eastern Caribbean or “Bahamas and FL” type itinerary
- Western Caribbean – Mexico gulf side and nearby islands
- Eastern Caribbean – tends more towards Puerto Rico, and southeast of there
- Southern Caribbean – Further south, usually includes at least one or more the “ABC” islands of Aruba, Barbados, and/or Curacao.
How Far They Can Reach by Sailing Days
- 3-5 night cruises usually visit the Bahamas & a private island, sometimes 1-2 stops elsewhere.
- 7 night cruises can take you from Florida to the Eastern or Western Caribbean, usually not southern.
- 8-10 night cruises are great if you’d like to visit the southern Caribbean
- 11+ nights are great if you want to visit more unusual ports of call or something else special, unique or further away.
Western Caribbean
![Western Caribbean Cruises - Cruise to Grand Cayman, Cozumel & More - Princess Cruises](https://www.princess.com/images/global/learn/cruise-destinations/caribbean-cruises/western-caribbean/snippet/more-ashore-western-cb-640.jpg)
Western Caribbean cruises tend to include most definitely some Mexico ports of call, like Cozumel, Costa Maya, Playa del Carmen, or Progreso with Cozumel being #1! They also tend to stop at these locations, which is typically about as far as you can get on a 7 night or less cruise:
- Belize’s Belize City
- Cayman Islands’ Grand Cayman at Georgetown
- Florida, USA’s Key West, Miami, Ft. Lauderdale, Tampa, or Port Canaveral (more likely from a northeast port in NY or MD)
- Honduras’ Isla Roatan
- Jamaica’s Falmouth, Montego Bay, Ocho Rios, or Port Antonio
Long Western Caribbean Cruises: Some cruise lines offer 10+ night cruises, which may combine Central American & Caribbean island ports with several days at sea.
Eastern Caribbean
![Eastern Caribbean Cruises: Cruising the Caribbean | Norwegian Cruise Line - NCL](https://www.ncl.com/sites/default/files/700x475%20magens%20bay%20shutterstock_523821157%20eastern%20carib.jpg)
Eastern Caribbean cruises go from the Bahamas/FL region to many, many ports of call around this region:
![](http://www.easybreezyjourneys.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/image-65-1024x710.png)
Destinations that are most common for Eastern Caribbean Cruises are:
- Antigua: St. John’s
- Bahamas: Freepport, Nassau or Grand Bahama
- Barbados: Bridgetown (also found in Southern)
- Bermuda
- Dominican Republic: Amber Cove, La Romana
- Martinique
- Puerto Rico: San Juan
- St. Croix, USVI
- St. Kitts: Basseterre
- St. Lucia: Castries
- St. Maarten: Philipsburg
- St. Thomas, USVI: Charlotte Amelie
- Tortola, BVI: Tortola
- Turks & Caicos: Grand Turk
Southern Caribbean
![Caribbean Cruises: Plan Your Caribbean Cruise Vacation | MSC Cruises](https://www.msccruisesusa.com/-/media/global-contents/destinations/area/caribbean-and-antilles/detail-ports/countries_detail_car_virginisland_road_town.jpg?bc=transparent&as=1&dmc=0&iar=0&mh=537&mw=806&sc=0&thn=0&udi=0&hash=D7A625FFC03F1EA5C58840290922F1A4)
Southern Caribbean cruises often include the same cruise port countries as the Eastern, such as Antigua, Puerto Rico, St. Kitts, St. Lucia, St. Maarten, & St. Thomas but also include:
- Aruba – Oranjestad
- Barbados – Bridgetown
- Bonaire – Kralendijk
- CuraƧao – Willemstad
- Dominica
- Grenada – St. George’s
- St. Lucia – Castries
- St. Vincent & the Grenadines – Bequia, Mayreau, Tobago Cays
- Trinidad & Tobago’s Tobago (Pigeon Point beach)
- Venezuela’s Los Roques Islands
Ready to plan your cruise?
If so, Easy Breezy Journeys is here to make it easy for you! Just click HERE to answer a few quick questions and we’ll get started!
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