Itinerary
Day 1 : St. Maarten
Dutch St. Maarten is a great place to stop just to shop. Its capital is Philipsburg and fills a narrow stretch of land between Great Bay and the Great Salt Pond. It is a bustling center of international trade with lively shopping streets, cafes, and hotels. Strangely enough it has two main streets called Front Street and Back Street.
On Front Street, which is the main thoroughfare, duty-free shops line the road as far as the eye can see. These duty-free shops offer everything from Italian leather goods and Japanese cameras to native crafts. Don't be afraid to venture the alleyways that will lead you to arcades and courtyards filled with flowers.
The Courthouse is the most prominent landmark on Front Street. It is a grand white wooden structure topped with a cupola built in 1793. Front Street also includes the Simartin Museum so that visitors can get and excellent introduction to local St. Maartin history. There are also historical forts that are monuments to Philipsburg's strategic importance in St. Maarten's history.
Philipsburg has not been left behind in the time, however. It has combined its historical legacy with 20th century excitement. Since its waterfront has become a popular stop for cruise ships, the shore of this town is covered with restaurants, cafes and nightclubs that offer entertainment well into the night.
Day 2 : At Sea
Day 3 : At Sea
Day 4 : St. Kitts
This fertile isle is a land of rain forests, tropical flowers, and abundant sugar cane. After a stroll around the charming colonial streets and shops of the capital, Basseterre, tour the island or visit Brimstone Hill Fort, an impressive construction that is one of the wonders of the Caribbean world.
Day 5 : Dominica
Day 6 : Guadeloupe
Day 7 : Martinique
Day 8 : Barbados
The Bajan British accent is very distinctive, reflecting both the Scepter'd Isle and the lovely one they live on. Barbados still has lovely parish churches, great manor houses and a proper Trafalgar Square along with white-sugar beaches and waving fields of cane.
Day 9 : St. Vincent
Day 10 : Guadaloupe
Day 11 : Marigot/ST. MARTIN
Day 12 : St. Kitts
This fertile isle is a land of rain forests, tropical flowers, and abundant sugar cane. After a stroll around the charming colonial streets and shops of the capital, Basseterre, tour the island or visit Brimstone Hill Fort, an impressive construction that is one of the wonders of the Caribbean world.
Day 13 : At Sea
Day 14 : Aruba
The tiny island of Aruba is the smallest of the ABC Islands, which include Barbados and Curacao. Aruba lies about 15 miles north of Venezuela and has limited vegetation. The landscape consists of cacti and the curiously wind-bent divi divi trees. You may also be interested in climbing atop some of the huge boulders and exploring some of its caves. Of course, the main attractions to this island are its magnificent beaches against the turquoise waters full of spectacular marine life, which lure scores of sunbathers, snorkelers, and divers each year to the island.
Though small, Aruba has room for some luxury as well. If you travel along Palm Beach, you will find the several miles of this white sand lined with a string of hotels with glitzy casinos, restaurants and exotic boutiques. The crystal-clear waters of this beach are ideal for swimming and all kinds of watersports. However, if you prefer to stay dry, you are more than welcome to enjoy Aruba''s exotic underwater world from the glass bottom boats or on a submarine excursion.
Day 15 : Curacao
The ship passes through a channel in the reef, into a broad, perfectly protected natural harbor. This is Willemstad, where Dutch gingerbread houses, superb shopping, excellent restaurants and bustling casinos abound. Nature buffs will love the exotic plants and tropical birdlife of Christoffel National Park. And don''t forget to sample the famous Cura�ao liqueur, still made here.
Day 16 : At Sea
Day 17 :
Day 18 : Barbados
The Bajan British accent is very distinctive, reflecting both the Scepter'd Isle and the lovely one they live on. Barbados still has lovely parish churches, great manor houses and a proper Trafalgar Square along with white-sugar beaches and waving fields of cane.