Cruise Specialists Blog

Luxury Cruise News & Reviews

Blog Home / Cruise Destinations / Caribbean Cruise Reviews

Caribbean Cruising, Winter 2013/14, A Sampler Of Offerings

Ralph Grizzle

As we make our way through summer, many of us are already looking to prolong the blue skies and sunshine by planning to head south for the winter to the Caribbean. For the Winter 2013/14 season, there are lots of choices for those looking to get away to the sun and sand.

Big Ship Caribbean Cruising

Caribbean Princess in Roseau, Dominica.
Caribbean Princess in Roseau, Dominica. © 2010 Ralph Grizzle

Big ship cruising is all the rage this winter, and there are more choices to choose from than ever. Chief among these is Norwegian Cruise Line’s brand-new Norwegian Breakaway, which will operate 12-day voyages to the Southern Caribbean from New York along with weeklong journeys to the Bahamas and Florida. Her sister, Norwegian Getaway, will begin sailing from Miami in February 2014.

Royal Caribbean’s huge – and hugely successful Oasis of the Seas and sister Allure of the Seas each operate alternating weeklong Western and Eastern Caribbean cruises sailing roundtrip out of Fort Lauderdale, Florida. These call on popular Caribbean mainstays like Falmouth, Jamaica; Cozumel, Mexico; St. Thomas, US Virgin Islands; Philipsburg, Sint Maarten; and Nassau, Bahamas — and a few even offer a day to soak in the sun on Royal Caribbean’s private island, Labadee, in Haiti.

MSC is bringing cruising, Italian-style to Florida this winter when its MSC Divina arrives in November for a full year of homeport Caribbean cruising from Miami. The latest in the line’s feature-laden Fantasia Class cruise ships, MSC Divina will be the first ship in the fleet to homeport year-round in Miami. Her itineraries range from three-night jaunts to the Bahamas to full-blown weeklong Caribbean escapes. If you’re looking for a Caribbean voyage with a unique flair, the line is also positioning its slightly smaller MSC Musica to the Dominican Republic for the winter, where she will operate weeklong voyages departing from Santo Domingo.

Princess Cruises is deploying its new Royal Princess to the Caribbean this winter. She’ll sail to the Eastern Caribbean every week on a 7-night itinerary that calls on St. Thomas, Philipsburg, and Princess Cays, Princess Cruises’ slice of paradise in the Bahamas.

Carnival, of course, deploys most of its fleet to the Caribbean during the winter months, but the brand-new Carnival Sunshine (ex-Carnival Destiny) is the ship to watch this year. Recently refurbished and totally revamped to the point where the ship is so different from her former life as Carnival Destiny, Carnival Sunshine will spend the winter season sailing out of New Orleans on weeklong Eastern and Western Caribbean cruises.

Luxury Caribbean Cruising

Those who like small, intimate and luxurious ships won’t be left out in the cold. Nearly every major luxury operator maintains a presence in the Caribbean this year.

SeaDream I & Silver Cloud
Two luxury Caribbean vessels with differing on board lifestyles. Silver Cloud is a bit more formal than SeaDream, which emphasizes “yachting” over cruising. © 2010 Ralph Grizzle

Silversea’s Silver Spirit returns for another winter of Caribbean splendor this year, operating an eclectic array of itineraries that range from one to two weeks in length. These call on popular ports of call like St. Thomas and Philipsburg, but also make time to stop in smaller, out-of-the-way ports of call like Samana, Dominican Republic and the gorgeous Bequia, part of The Grenadines.

Silver Explorer
Silver Explorer uses zodiacs for beach landings in the Caribbean, making it possible to reach rarely visited islands. © 2012 Ralph Grizzle

Other Silversea vessels also make stopovers in the Caribbean, including the line’s Silver Explorer expedition vessel that offers one of the most in-depth programs in the Caribbean, complete with Zodiac landings ashore in ports of call that could best be described as unspoiled gems.

Seabourn Sojourn, Seabourn Spirit and Seabourn Pride all return to the Caribbean this year, offering itineraries spanning various lengths and with a focus on small, out of the way ports that the sleek ships are suited to. Although Seabourn Sojourn is one of the line’s latest-and-greatest, cruisers might want to consider sailing on the smaller Seabourn Spirit and Seabourn Pride this winter instead: both vessels have been sold to Windstar Cruises, and this will be Seabourn Pride’s last winter under operation by Seabourn.

Regent Seven Seas is sending Seven Seas Navigator to the Caribbean this winter, where she will operate voyages departing roundtrip from Miami. These can be as little as a week in duration, or as many as 24 nights of Caribbean bliss. Regent also makes it easy to enjoy your time ashore: Unlimited shore excursions are included in your cruise fare.

SeaDream Yacht Club
SeaDream Yacht Club anchors for a day of play at Jost Van Dyke in the British Virgin Islands. © 2011 Ralph Grizzle

Sailing The Caribbean

Under sail on Wind Surf. © 2008 Ralph Grizzle
Under sail on Wind Surf. © 2008 Ralph Grizzle

One great way to experience the Caribbean is to set out on a sailing cruise. One of our favorites is Windstar Cruises, which eschews US-based ports of embarkation in favor of more exotic ports of call like Bridgetown, Barbados and Philipsburg, St. Maarten.

Both Wind Star and her larger fleetmate Wind Surf offer a series of weeklong Caribbean cruises that call on small, out of the way ports of call like Pigeon Island and Tobago Cays. Plus, as hybrid motor-sailing ships, the Caribbean is one of the best places to experience Windstar’s product, as favorable winds allow these ships to spend more time sailing and less time motoring than practically anywhere else.

No matter what your style is, chances are there is a Caribbean cruise that’s right for you this winter.

More from my site

  • Cruise Lines Aiding in Irma Relief EffortsCruise Lines Aiding in Irma Relief Efforts
  • Celebrity’s Solstice Class: More With All Four In The Caribbean This WinterCelebrity’s Solstice Class: More With All Four In The Caribbean This Winter
  • 2017 Grand Voyage: The Caribbean2017 Grand Voyage: The Caribbean
  • Cruising’s Comeback has a Start DateCruising’s Comeback has a Start Date

Caribbean Cruise Reviews

SEARCH ARTICLES

Article Categories

  • Cruise Destinations
    • Africa Cruise Reviews
    • Alaska Cruise Reviews
    • Amazon Cruise Reviews
    • Antarctica Cruise Reviews
    • Arctic Cruise Reviews
    • Asia Cruise Reviews
    • Australia/New Zealand
    • Baltic Cruise Reviews
    • Canada/New England Cruise Reviews
    • Caribbean Cruise Reviews
    • Cuba Cruise Reviews
    • Europe Cruise Reviews
    • Galapagos Cruise Reviews
    • Grand Voyages
    • Hawaii Cruise Reviews
    • Iceland/Greenland
    • Mediterranean Cruise Reviews
    • Mexico Cruise Reviews
    • Panama Canal Cruise Reviews
    • Scandinavia and Northern Europe Cruise Reviews
    • South America Cruise Reviews
    • South Pacific Cruise Reviews
    • Transatlantic Cruise Reviews
    • World Cruise Reviews
  • Cruise FAQs
  • Cruise Lines
    • Abercrombie & Kent Reviews
    • AmaWaterways Cruise Reviews
    • American Cruise Line Reviews
    • American Queen Voyages Reviews
    • Aqua Expeditions Reviews
    • Atlas Ocean Voyages Reviews
    • Avalon Cruise Reviews
    • Azamara Cruise Reviews
    • Celebrity Cruise Reviews
    • Celebrity Galapagos Cruise Reviews
    • Cunard Cruise Reviews
    • Cunard World Cruise Reviews
    • Disney Cruise Reviews
    • Explora Journeys Cruise Reviews
    • Holland America Line Cruise Reviews
    • Holland America World Cruise Reviews
    • Hurtigruten Reviews
    • Lindblad/National Geographic Reviews
    • Norwegian Cruise Line Reviews
    • Oceania Cruise Reviews
    • Oceania World Cruise Reviews
    • Paul Gauguin Cruise Reviews
    • Ponant Cruise Reviews
    • Princess Cruise Reviews
    • Quark Expeditions Reviews
    • Regent Cruise Reviews
    • Regent Seven Seas Cruise
    • Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection
    • Royal Caribbean Cruise Reviews
    • Scenic Eclipse Discovery Yacht Reviews
    • Scenic River Cruise Reviews
    • Seabourn Cruise Reviews
    • Seabourn Expedition Cruise Reviews
    • Silversea Cruise Reviews
    • Silversea Expedition Cruise Reviews
    • Silversea World Cruise Reviews
    • Star Clippers Cruise Reviews
    • Tauck Cruise and Tauck Land Tour Reviews
    • UnCruise Adventures Reviews
    • Uniworld River Cruise Reviews
    • Viking Cruise Reviews
    • Viking Expedition Cruise Reviews
    • Viking Ocean Cruise Reviews
    • Virgin Voyages
    • Windstar Cruise Reviews
    • Zegrahm Expeditions
  • Cruise News
  • Cruise Ports
  • Cruise Specialists Benefits
  • Expedition Cruises
  • Hosted Cruises
  • Ralph Grizzle
  • River Cruises
  • Ship Reviews
  • Solo Cruising
  • Tom Mullen
  • Tours, Trains & Resorts
    • Palace Resorts Reviews
    • Safari Reviews
    • Shore Excursions
    • Trains

ABOUT THE AUTHORS

Maggie Blehert

Her ideal travel day: venturing to a new place, learning something interesting and sharing a smile.
View My Blog Posts

Steve and Wendy Bodenheimer
Cruise Specialists Voyage Hosts reporting on their round the world journeys.
View My Blog Posts

Ralph Grizzle

The Avid Cruiser. Well-traveled and insightful. Helping you make informed cruise decisions.
View My Blog Posts

FOLLOW US ON

  • Facebook
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter