ITINERARY
ITINERARY
Bridgetown, Barbados
A hypnotic calypso isle, Barbados is the ultimate Caribbean dream. And at just 21 miles by 14 miles, the island really is your oyster. Of course, it’s most famous for…
Departs: 20:00Castries, St Lucia
St Lucia’s skyline is high rise. But it’s not the hotels that make this island look serrated against the sky, it’s the mountains. The Pitons are 2 of the biggest. Both…
Time in port: 08:00 - 18:00Show Top Things to Do
Pitons Cruise
Beaches. Mountains. Rainforests. Volcanoes. Springs. When it comes to natural beauties, St Lucia’s in a league of its own. This trip takes you on a tour of some of the island’s best bits and, because they can all be seen from the sea, you’ll get to enjoy them from the comfort of a catamaran. Setting off from Castries, you’ll glide along the island’s west coast, passing mangrove-lined beaches and lush forests. And then it’s time for the star of the show. As you enter Soufriere bay, the twin mountains of Petit and Gros Piton will rise out of the sea before you. Topping over 2,000 feet each, their summits have only been tackled by the most daring of climbers. We’ll circle the bay for some great photo opportunities, before heading to one of the scenic bays along the coast. We’ll make a quick stop, and you’ll be served snacks, drinks and get the chance to dive into the Caribbean Sea for a quick swim. Last up is Marigot, the most famous cove on the island. This was a favourite battleground of the English and French back in the 18th century and, more recently, was the setting of Dr Doolittle.
Scenes of St Lucia
This short tour packs a lot in, so it’s a good way of ticking off St Lucia’s top attractions. It begins with a scenic drive up the Morne Fortune hillside. Translated as ‘hill of good luck’, it was a key battleground during colonial times. You’ll look out over thick, green vegetation as you get higher and higher, making your first stop at the colonial-style St Mark’s House high in the hills. From here, you’ll be treated to a panoramic view of Castries’ harbour and the Caribbean Sea. Next on the agenda is St Lucia’s one-and-only rum distillery. Here, you’ll get a behind-the-scenes look at how the spirit is made, before enjoying a tasting session. Sip premium, spicy and crème liquor varieties, then head to the gift shop to pick up a bottle of your favourite. Your next stop is a viewpoint at the picturesque Marigot Bay, with its turquoise waters and velvety green hills. Last but not least, there’ll be time for a bit of retail therapy, as you call in at Caribelle Batik. This place is famous throughout the Caribbean for its batik prints, and you can see the artisans at work on the clothes and wall hangings.
Time At The Beach
Think Caribbean, think soft sands and turquoise seas. Throw in a palm tree or two and you could be in paradise. It’s true - beach-wise, you just don’t get better than this. That’s why you’ll probably want to make the most of the shoreline while you’re here. And our trip to Reduit Beach, in Rodney Bay, is a great chance to do just that. The choice of restaurants, shops and bars on offer has cemented Rodney Bay’s reputation as a top tourist spot, but Reduit Beach itself has remained pretty unspoilt. Cue clean waters, soft sands and plenty of space to pull up a sunlounger and relax, Caribbean-style. Of course, if you don’t fancy staying horizontal the whole time, there’s a good selection of watersports on offer. Or there’s a scattering of beach bars where you can chill out if that sounds just a little too much like hard work.
Pointe-A-Pitre, Guadeloupe
Flick through your French dictionary while sipping a Caribbean rum punch – Guadeloupe is where French and African influences fuse. This gorgeous spot is actually a bouquet…
Time in port: 08:00 - 18:00Show Top Things to Do
Amazing Eco Tour
You’re in the hands of eco experts on this tour. The guides – who are both licensed dive instructors and certified marine biologists – will get you exploring a couple of wildlife-packed reserves via boat. Depending on the group size, you’ll board either a smart catamaran or a small but speedy zodiac boat. First up is the tangled, atmospheric mangrove forest that lies east of Salt River. We’ll continue on to the Grand Cul-de-Sac Marin Nature Reserve, where a coral reef lays the groundwork for a snorkelling session. Regular visitors include shoals of brightly-coloured fish, neon brain coral, stripy surgeonfish and luminous parrot fish. It’s little wonder UNESCO has crowned the area a protected Biosphere Reserve. The last stop is a millpond-still lagoon. Palm trees dot the white sands – you can use your free time here to sip freshly-squeezed juice in the shade, kick back on the beach, or take a dip in the sea.
Pointe-a-Pitre Bike Tour
For a different way of exploring a port of call, try one of our bike tours. This way, you can really get to know a destination and see the places that bus tours can't reach. You'll be led around by a guide, who'll give you the lowdown on all the sights.
Bequia, Grenadines
Pronounced ‘beck-wye’, this tiny island is still fairly untouched by tourists, and unspoilt by nature. Its coastline is fringed with sleepy, golden beaches that are backed…
Time in port: 08:00 - 18:00 | Tender to shoreShow Top Things to Do
Mustique Magic
The 1400-acre island of Mustique has pulled in more than its fair share of A-listers over the years – everyone from Amy Winehouse to the Queen and Prince Philip has been spotted on its pristine sands. On this tour, we’ll see its charms for ourselves. After boarding a catamaran, we’ll speed away from Bequia, passing the Flintstones-like houses in Moonhole and coasting along the southern edge of the island. Once we arrive at Mustique we’ll have a coastal tour of the island, taking in its lush green valleys and hideaway coves and learning a bit about its history and famous residents. There may also be an option to take an hour-long taxi tour of the island, visiting the gingerbread-style primary school and the famous Cotton House Hotel, and spotting a couple of celebrity homes. When it’s time for lunch, we’ll head to Basil’s Bar and Restaurant – a Mustique institution. After some free time for shopping and sunbathing, we’ll board our boat and head back to Bequia.
Caribbean Pirates Sailaway
You'll board the traditional island schooner Scaramouche for a tour around the coast of Bequia, past the famous Moonhole cave-home area, and on to a tiny, uninhabited rocky island, which was the local whaling station until recently. You'll drop anchor here for 30 mins or so, you can snorkel from the ship, go ashore and explore, or just chill out on the shady decks of the schooner. You'll set sail again heading to for your second stop in the fabulous turquoise waters, with time for a swim at a magnificent white-sand beach before your schooner takes you back to your cruise ship. Caribbean music, rum punch and soft drinks served by the friendly local pirate crew will make this tour unforgettable.
St George's, Grenada
Grenada can’t fail to spice things up. It’s known as the ‘Spice Island’ after all. Wherever you head, the fragrant scent of ginger, almond, nutmeg and vanilla follows…
Time in port: 08:00 - 18:00Show Top Things to Do
Rhum Runner
On the Rhum Runner, life is one big Caribbean party. It’s a catamaran-style cruise where steel drums and rum punch are the order of the day. First things first, you’ll set sail along the Spice Island’s gorgeous coastline with a guide giving you snippets of Grenada’s history as you go. You’ll enjoy free-flowing rum punch as you gently bob across the waves to Morne Rouge Beach, where you’ll have some free time to sunbathe. On the return trip, meanwhile, the fun really begins. They crank up the music for the Rhum Runner Limbo Competition, and serve a light snack of fruit, cheese and crackers along with more rum punch and soft drinks. This is most definitely the life.
The Spice Island
Do you want to see all the main highlights this island has to offer? After enjoying a picturesque panoramic drive along the west coast of the island, we’ll head to Dougaldston Estate where the fun begins with an introduction to the famous spices that make this island one of the top spice suppliers in the world. The tour then continues to the breathtaking views over Grenada’s Grenadine islands, once home to the Carib Indians on the island. Then we’ll continue to the River Antoine Rum Distillery for some sampling before a delicious Creole lunch is served at the plantation restaurant. Then, time to sit back and relax as we take a gentle drive through rainforests and over mountains, with a stop at Etang Lake and the famous Annandale falls along with a little free time at the stunning gardens.
Starwind Snorkelling
Sightseeing doesn’t have to involve long walks and tired feet. For a more relaxing tour of Grenada, sign up for this snorkel cruise combo. You’ll get to lie back and enjoy the sun while someone else puts in all the legwork. Things kick off at St George’s Harbour, where you’ll board the 'Starwind Catamaran'. From there, a trip along Grenada’s west coast is in store. As you sail past honey-coloured sands and lush forested hills, a guide will be on hand to help you decide where to point your camera as they explain what’s what. Next up is one of the highlights of the day – a snorkelling stop at Flamingo Bay. Underwater treasures are in no short supply here, with corals, reefs and neon fish battling for your attention. Later, you’ll anchor at Grand Anse beach, a postcard-pretty stretch of coast that was made for swimming and sunbathing. After a bit of time spent soaking up the sun, it’s back onboard for the return trip.
Scarborough, Tobago
A bustling city seeped in history, Tobago’s capital offers up a snapshot of days gone by. Sprawled over the hillside, it’s overlooked by the Fort King George, a 17th-century…
Time in port: 08:00 - 18:00Show Top Things to Do
Tobago South
This tour offers up Tobago’s natural beauty and history rolled into one. After travelling through Scarborough, you’ll arrive at the Mysterious Tombstone, the burial place of an 18th-century woman called Betty Stivens. Her gravestone bears an enigmatic epitaph, which has puzzled people for over 230 years. You’ll also see nearby Fort James, built by the Latvians in the 1600s to guard Great Courland Bay. Next comes a drive along Mount Irvine Road, following the scenic northwest coast to the famous Mount Irvine Bay Hotel and Golf Club. Its undulating fairways are carved from an old sugar plantation and serve up wonderful panoramas over the Caribbean Sea. From here, it’s on to Store Bay, one of Tobago’s most beautiful beaches, where white sands mingle with glossy palms, crab-n-dumpling stalls and light blue seas. We'll also call in at Fort King George. Built by the British in the 1770s, its old buildings and cannons sit in manicured lawns high above Scarborough, giving you breathtaking views over the coastline and capital.
Glass Bottom Buccoo Reef
Basking off Tobago’s west coast, Buccoo Reef is probably the most spectacular of its kind in the Caribbean – it’s even warranted a visit from Jacques Cousteau. It’s also a snorkelling hotspot, which is what this trip is all about. After leaving Scarborough, we’ll drive you to Pigeon Point beach, a long ribbon of palm-fringed sands. Here, you'll step off the Pigeon Point where you’ll board your glass bottom boat. Gaze at the tropical aquarium below as your captain points out the best of the underwater life during your short journey. Then, once you reach the reef, it’s up to you what you do – you can relax on board or explore with a snorkel. Waft through the technicolor corals and crowds of reef fish – it’s an extraordinary undersea world. You might even be joined by a giant turtle or two. Next, it’s on to the Nylon Pool, a coral sandbank washed by electric blue shallows. You’ll have some time to swim in the waist-deep waters here before your boat returns you to Pigeon Point and your coach. Your snorkelling equipment is provided, so all you need is your swimsuit, sun cream and towel.
Beach Break
Of all the beaches fringing Tobago, Pigeon Point is probably the most beautiful. With its porcelain-white sands, fluttering palm trees and baby blue waters, it’s a Caribbean dream come true. And on this beach transfer, you’ll have a good part of the day to make the most of this corner of paradise. After a short drive, you’ll be taken to the beach, which operates as a resort and comes complete with a restaurant, bar, restrooms and thatched huts sprinkled along the shore. It’s just a matter of soaking up the sun, strolling along the jetty and swimming in the bath-warm seas – they’re teeming with brilliantly-coloured fish. If you’re feeling adventurous, you’ll find watersports like kayaks, jet-skis and banana boat rides to hire at one end of the beach, as well. After a few hours spent relaxing it’s back aboard for your return trip.
Bridgetown, Barbados
A hypnotic calypso isle, Barbados is the ultimate Caribbean dream. And at just 21 miles by 14 miles, the island really is your oyster. Of course, it’s most famous for…
Arrives: 08:00