Ultimate Royal Caribbean Southern Caribbean Cruise Guide
This Southern Caribbean Cruise guide gives an overview of what to expect on a Caribbean cruise, southern Caribbean cruise port guides, and general cruising tips.
I’ve grown up going on a family cruise every few years. I’ve cruised to Alaska, the Mediterranean, Antarctica, and the Caribbean multiple times.
I truly believe that a cruise is on of the best ways to travel the #1 way to see the Caribbean.
I recently took a Southern Caribbean cruise on Royal Caribbean’s Explorer of the Seas. The cruise started in Puerto Rico and visited five ports in seven days.
It was a packed itinerary, with many beach days, amazing waters, and a ton of fun on board.
Keep reading for my complete guide to a Southern Caribbean Cruise to learn how to plan one of your own!
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Reasons to Take a Southern Caribbean Cruise
As mentioned above, cruising is the best way to see the Caribbean.
With many island destinations, limited intra-island transportation, and the sunny weather, cruising is the best way to see the Caribbean in a relaxing way.
The below 7 reasons are why I recommend taking a Caribbean cruise and why I recommend visiting the Southern Caribbean specifically:
1. It’s the best way to see multiple locations quickly– on a Caribbean cruise, you will see 3-5 ports within one week. To see that many ports without a cruise would take at least double the time.
2. Unique Ports – By starting a bit more South in the Caribbean, you can get to more exotic locations, such as the ports listed below.
3. Many ports can be very difficult to get to otherwise– on a Caribbean cruise, you will visit remote islands and locations that would take multiple flights to get to. With a cruise, you go to sleep then magically wake up at the next destination instead of dealing with complicated travel days.
4. Accommodations can be hard to come by – With a cruise, you have your luxury hotel traveling with you.
5. Guaranteed great food every night – while sampling local food is a great way to travel, it can be stressful to find safe food in some remote destinations. I love coming back to a guaranteed delicious meal on the ship after a day of exploring.
6. Activities for all ages– I already said that cruising is great for all ages, and the activities on board back that up. For kids, there is a kid and teens club, a splash pad, and waterslides. For adults, there are mixology classes, karaoke, night parties, gambling, and more.
7. You can revisit your favorite ports for longer– one day is often not enough time to experience everything in a destination. Luckily, you can use a cruise to find your favorite ports then revisit them for longer on a standalone vacation.
The Best Cruise Line for a Southern Caribbean Cruise
If you are planning a Southern Caribbean Cruise, be sure choose the right cruise line. The cruise line you choose will dictate the quality of food, amenities, activities, and excursion options.
While many cruise lines operate in the Caribbean, my favorite is Royal Caribbean, hands down.
Royal Caribbean is knowing for having the largest and most innovative ships. Earlier this year, I cruised on the Harmony of the Seas which is the second largest cruise ship in the world and is absolutely incredible.
My most recent trip, on the Explorer of the seas was amazing. Although the ship lacked the crazy onboard amenities of the newer super ships, the smaller ships have their perks as well.
The recently renovated restaurants were fantastic, the venues were intimate, and the staff felt very personal. With the attention to detail and fun that Royal puts into every ship, you are guaranteed to have a great vacation.
Even better, the service on Royal Caribbean is unparalleled. Even onboard a ship of 4000+ passengers, the dining and stateroom staff memorized our names and preferences.
No request is too much for the accommodating staff, from requesting a decorated stateroom for a special occasion to ordering off-menu items at the dining room.
In addition to the best ships and service, Royal Caribbean offers amazing itineraries to popular ports with limited sea days.
Southern Caribbean Cruise Port Guides
The below Caribbean cruise port guides are based on the ports I visited on my recent Royal Caribbean southern Caribbean cruise.
When selecting activities, decide if you want to take a planned excursion or tour, or explore the port on your own.
If there is one key activity or site to see in a destination, I typically opt for a tour since it allows you to learn more in a short amount of time and takes away the stress of planning.
If a destination is known for beaches, I’ll explore on my own and spend time relaxing.
When deciding between a cruise excursion and an independently run tour, there are a few things to consider. Cruise excursions are typically more expensive, and there are limited options, but they are easy to plan, have guaranteed quality, and the ship will wait for you if you are running late.
Independently run tours are often more affordable, have more options, and have a more local presence. However, it can be difficult to coordinate your tour with the ship. I alternate between the two based on what is offered and what sounds interesting.
Below, I have broken down what to do in each port by the top activity and some other great options.
San Juan, Puerto Rico
Top Activity: Old San Juan Food and History Tour
Other Great Things to Do: Day trips on a catamaran, to El Yunque National Forest, or to a bioluminescent bay
San Juan Puerto Rico is one of my favorite embarkation and debarkation ports because it is a destination in itself.
Puerto Rico is a United States Territory in the Caribbean. Its known for rum, white sand beaches, beautiful water, and a rich culture.
If you have time in Puerto Rico before or after your cruise, I highly recommend a food and history tour of old town to get a taste of the city and the island.
For more Puerto Rico travel tips, check out my 4 day itinerary.
St Thomas US Virgin Islands
Top Activity: Beach Day at Magen’s Bay
Other Great Things to Do: Snorkeling, food tour, day trip to St John
St Thomas is one of three US Virgin Islands. It’s a great cruise port for a beach day or snorkeling. The island is popular for tourists with great resorts, high end shopping, and reputation for being safe.
My favorite thing to do in St Thomas is spend the day at Magen’s Bay, which happens to be one of my favorite beaches in the world.
Check out my one day St Thomas itinerary.
St Kitts & Nevis
Top Activity: Cockleshell Beach & Reggae Beach Bar
Other Great Things to Do: Snorkeling, day trip to Nevis, scenic railway
St Kitts and the neighboring island of Nevis is a lush, jungle island. One of the most popular activities on the island is a scenic railway tour.
However, it is a bit overpriced, so I recommend a beach day at the Reggae Beach Bar at Cockleshell Beach. This beach bar is my favorite I’ve been to, with fantastic service and great drinks.
Antigua and Barbuda
Top Activity: Dickenson Bay Beach Day
Other Great Things to Do: Half Moon Bay, Fryes Beach, Shirley Heights
Antigua is known for having 365 beautiful beaches around the island. There are a lot of great options, listed above, but my favorite is Dickenson Bay.
It’s the perfect combination between white sand, clear water, moderate crowds, and beach amenities such as bars and chairs.
St Lucia
Top Activity: Catamaran Tour to the Pitons
Other Great Things to Do: Zipline tour, snorkeling
Of these cruise ports, St Lucia is one of the most popular standalone tourist destinations. The best thing to do in St Lucia is a catamaran tour to the Pitons, iconic twin mountains on the coast of the island. On the tour, you will tour the island then board a boat for snorkeling, beach time, and lunch.
Barbados
Top Activity: Snorkeling
Other Great Things to Do: Hiking, biking, rum tasting
Barbados is a great port for snorkeling, especially if you want to see turtles. This snorkel tour will visit two locations near each other.
One location is known for sea turtles and the other is a shipwreck. The snorkeling sites will be crowded, but there is plenty of space and plenty of fish for everyone.
See my complete Barbados cruise port guide
St Maarten / St Martin
Top Activity: Beach Day at Friars Bay
Other Great Things to Do: Snorkeling, Maho Beach, Orient Beach
St Maarten or St Martin is a half Dutch and half French island. Its easy to travel between both sides, and the island is small enough to see both in one day.
The most popular beach on the island is Maho bay, where you can watch planes land at the international airport. I prefer Friar’s bay on the French side of the island for a more relaxed beach day.
Read my complete post about St Maarten here!
What to Pack for a Caribbean Cruise
Daytime – During the day on a cruise, you will either be onboard at sea or exploring a port.
During sea days, I spend most of my time at the pool, so pack a swimsuit with a cute cover up to wear when heading inside for activities or dining.
In port, shorts and a tank top with sneakers or sandals is great depending on if you are doing adventure activities or casual exploring.
Dinner Attire – Dinner most days is casual attire, but there are some dress code requirements.
For the main dining room or specialty dining, men should plan to wear a collared shirt, and women should plan to wear a sundress or nice blouse.
Formal Attire – A 7-night cruise often has two formal nights that fall on the sea days. For formal night, men should wear slacks and a sport coat and women a nice dress with heels.
If this doesn’t sound fun to you, plan to visit a casual dining option on those nights instead and you can wear what you want.
Other Packing Essentials – in addition to clothing, I recommend packing the above essentials for your cruise. Items such as the hat, sunscreen, and water are helpful with the hot sun.
The portable charger and waterproof case will keep your phone dry and charged on long port days. The book will keep you entertained on pool days, and the towel clips will keep your towel from blowing around.
The Imodium and bug spray will protect you from bad water and mosquitos in port, respectively.
Check out my complete packing guides for more outfit ideas: Men’s Packing Guide & Women’s Packing Guide.
General Caribbean Cruise Tips
If you follow this Southern Caribbean cruise guide, you are setting yourself up for a perfect vacation. The below tips are other tidbits I’ve learned over the years that can make your trip even more enjoyable.
- Book a balcony cabin so you can wake up with a view of port or the ocean
- Download the Royal Caribbean app to manage your onboard calendar and book activities
- Get the onboard drink package if you plan to drink 5 or more drinks per day to save money and make you trip feel truly all-inclusive
Between these port guides, cruise line suggestion, and packing tips, planning a southern Caribbean cruise will be a breeze. If you have more questions, comment them below!
Related Posts:
- Royal Caribbean Western Caribbean Cruise Tips And Itinerary
- What To Wear On A Caribbean Cruise – 7 Day Cruise Packing List
- Cruise Outfits For Men | What Should Men Wear On A Caribbean Cruise?
- What To Do In St Maarten On A Cruise: One Day Travel Guide
- What To Do In St John’s Antigua | Cruise Port Guide & One Day Itinerary
- Bridgetown Barbados Cruise Port Guide And Perfect One Day Itinerary
- The Best Excursions In St Lucia & A One Day Itinerary
- St Kitts Cruise Port Guide & One Day Itinerary
- One Day In St Thomas Itinerary & Other Helpful Travel Tips
- 4 Day Puerto Rico Itinerary | San Juan Travel Guide
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