Tropical Shores followed by Exotic Islands Cruise

Day 1 - Barbados

Arrive: Sun 08 December 2024 / Depart: Sun 08 December 2024

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 its palm-fringed beaches, but there’s more than talcum powder sands here. We’re talking a duty-free shopping scene. Gorgeous green countryside. And sights that are second to none. In a coconut shell, it’s the small island with a big fan base.......

Day 2 - Castries, St. Lucia

Arrive: Mon 09 December 2024 / Depart: Mon 09 December 2024

This truly tropical isle is one of the prettiest in the Caribbean. Think glossy rainforests showered in sunbeams. Vivid yellow banana plantations. And striking, syrup-coloured sands that simply demand your tanning time. The coral reefs are out of this world, too. Be dazzled by the rainbow of colours hidden beneath the waves, then let the St Lucian sun gently dry your skin. For a paradise escape, this place comes up trumps every time.......

Day 3 - At Sea

Day 4 - Willemstad, Curacao

Arrive: Wed 11 December 2024 / Depart: Wed 11 December 2024

This little Dutch island is slowly beginning to creep onto the tourist radar, and for good reason. It offers up an unbeatable mix of footprint-free beaches and pretty colonial towns. The storybook port of Willemstad leads the pack, with its candy-coloured, red-roofed houses that gild the downtown area. It’s such an impressive sight, UNESCO have even granted the town a place on its World Heritage list.......

Day 5 - Oranjestad, Aruba

Arrive: Thu 12 December 2024 / Depart: Thu 12 December 2024

Nowhere showcases Aruba’s Dutch roots quite like Oranjestad. With its gable-topped houses and colonial clock towers, the island’s good-looking capital is like a little slice of Amsterdam. Of course, it’s got some only-in-the-Caribbean touches, too. Palm trees flutter in the breeze. Hourglass-fine sands stretch on for miles. And colourful wooden huts serve up a winning combination of fresh seafood and strong rum cocktails.......

Day 6 - Bonaire

Arrive: Fri 13 December 2024 / Depart: Fri 13 December 2024

If you’re in any doubt concerning what Bonaire’s all about, just look at an island number plate – above every registration number you’ll find the words ‘Divers’ Paradise’. This island in the Leeward Antilles is consistently rated as one of the best dive and snorkelling destinations in the world. Shipwrecks, tropical fish and seahorses are ripe in the waters that surround the island. Above the waterline, meanwhile, there are wild flamingo herds to see and craggy national parks to explore.

Day 7 - St Georges, Grenada

Arrive: Sat 14 December 2024 / Depart: Sat 14 December 2024

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 you. Plus you can see cinnamon, cocoa beans and every tropical fruit imaginable growing here. Alongside its basket of goodies, this lush landscape hides Bounty-like beaches, mountain ranges and thick rainforests. And don’t miss a wander around St George's, one of the Caribbean’s prettiest harbours, with its pastel-coloured buildings, cobbled streets and even the odd lipstick-red London phone box.......

Day 8 - Barbados

Arrive: Sun 15 December 2024 / Depart: Sun 15 December 2024

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 its palm-fringed beaches, but there’s more than talcum powder sands here. We’re talking a duty-free shopping scene. Gorgeous green countryside. And sights that are second to none. In a coconut shell, it’s the small island with a big fan base.......

Day 9 - At Sea

Day 10 - St John's, Antigua

Arrive: Tue 17 December 2024 / Depart: Tue 17 December 2024

If you’re a big fan of the beach, prepare to lose your heart to this place. Antiguans like to boast they have a different one for every day of the year. Without doubt, porcelain, palm-fringed sands and still turquoise waters are the star of this island show. But that’s not all Antigua’s got to boast about. Get ready for towns in a rainbow riot of colours. Quiet countryside that slumbers in the sunshine. And cuisine as sublime as those moon-white shores......

Day 11 - Philipsburg, St Maarten

Arrive: Wed 18 December 2024 / Depart: Wed 18 December 2024

Two flags rule over this tiny isle – the French and the Dutch. Philipsburg is the Dutch capital and the place to head for a serious shopping splurge. Marigot, meanwhile, is the French capital, where you can divide your time between bistros and boutiques. Add to the mix dreamy Caribbean coves, kaleidoscopic reefs and lashings of sunshine and you’ve got all the ingredients for tropical bliss.......

Day 12 - Road Harbour, Tortola

Arrive: Thu 19 December 2024 / Depart: Thu 19 December 2024

Nature’s the star attraction in the British Virgin Islands. We dock at Tortola, the biggest isle. Here, ancient rainforests hog the limelight, beautiful botanical gardens vie for your attention, and opal-white beaches like Apple Bay and Smuggler’s Cove really steal the show. It’s wild. It’s wondrous. It’s waiting.......

Day 13 - Basseterre

Arrive: Fri 20 December 2024 / Depart: Fri 20 December 2024

One of the British Leeward Islands, St Kitts is one of the Caribbean’s pearls. Once an illustrious sugar colony, it now focuses its efforts on being a tropical paradise. And it excels in every sense, with its seductive blend of blonde sands and duck-egg blue seas. Away from the shores though, you’ll find plenty of historic sights to tick off your checklist. Or why not pop across to the neighbouring island of Nevis, which is just three kilometres over The Narrows channel?......

Day 14 - Point-a-Pitre

Arrive: Sat 21 December 2024 / Depart: Sat 21 December 2024

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 of islands. There’s a scattering of little ones but the two main players are Basse-Terre and Grande-Terre. Together, they’re shaped like a butterfly resting quietly on the sun-blushed Caribbean. As famous for its sugar and rum as it is top dive sites and sparkling sands, this place will sweep you off your feet…

Day 15 - Barbados

Arrive: Sun 22 December 2024 at 07:00 / Depart: Sun 22 December 2024

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 its palm-fringed beaches, but there’s more than talcum powder sands here. We’re talking a duty-free shopping scene. Gorgeous green countryside. And sights that are second to none. In a coconut shell, it’s the small island with a big fan base.......