Caribbean, Cruises This post may contain affiliate links. We may earn money from the companies, products and services mentioned in this post. Are you looking for unforgettable Caribbean cruises? Here are 20 of the best island hopping cruises for 2018. Remember back in the day when it seemed that Caribbean cruises were designed with retirees in mind? I can remember seeing photos of seniors in Bermuda shorts, laying on the deck and soaking up the sun with white hats on their heads and aviator shades covering their eyes. Well, those days are long gone, never to return. Fast forward to this time, when Caribbean cruises are the best type of vacation to have, no matter your age. Cruises are full of people from babies to centenarians and everyone in between. If you’re single and looking; single and not looking; married; engaged; divorced or a family trying to figure out how to spend your next vacation, a cruise to the Caribbean is the best bet for an unforgettable Caribbean getaway. Cruising is one of the most affordable ways to experience the Caribbean. You are provided that unique opportunity to sail the Caribbean Sea and visit several of the most beautiful islands in the world on one trip! There is also the added benefit of paying one price for the room, unlimited meals and endless entertainment and activities! There are many cruise companies which provide you with hundreds maybe thousands of options that you can select to create a cruise that’s perfect for your needs. I’ve been looking at cruises for the past few months and I’ve seen some tempting offers from the major lines such as Norwegian, Carnival and Princess. My preference for this cruise is one that departs from Florida, preferably Miami or Fort Lauderdale. Best Caribbean Cruises 2018 Here’s my pick of the most unforgettable Caribbean cruises for 2018. These suggestions cover the length and breadth of the Caribbean from the Bahamas and right away round to Mexico. You can choose a southern Caribbean cruise, an eastern Caribbean cruise or a western Caribbean cruise. Then in addition to these itineraries, you can customise your cruise with shore activities such as island tours, museum visits, snorkelling, horseback riding and picnics on the beach. I have also included 2018 Caribbean cruises on both small and large vessels to suit a range of tastes. The larger vessels carry more people and are generally more active, whilst the smaller cruises are more intimate. 1. 7 Day Eastern Caribbean From Miami, Florida Cruise Line Norwegian Boat Norwegian Escape Itinerary Embark Miami Florida; St. Thomas US Virgin Islands; Tortola British Virgin Islands; Nassau Bahamas; Disembark Miami Florida 2. 6 Day Western Caribbean From New Orleans, Louisiana Cruise Line Carnival Boat Carnival Dream Itinerary Embark New Orleans Louisiana; Costa Maya Mexico; Belize; Cozumel Mexico; Disembark New Orleans Louisiana 3. 5 Day Western Caribbean Getaway from Fort Lauderdale, Florida Cruise Line Princess Boat Crown Princess Itinerary Embark Fort Lauderdale Florida; Roatan Honduras; Cozumel Mexico; Disembark Fort Lauderdale Florida 4. 14 Day Exotic Caribbean In-Depth Cruise Line Seabourn Ship Seabourn Odyssey Itinerary Embark Bridgetown Barbados; Mayreau Grenadines; Roseau Dominica; Guadeloupe; St. Bart’s; Basseterre St. Kitts; Jost Van Dyke British Virgin Islands St. Maarten; Basseterre St. Kitts; Anguilla; St John’s Antigua & Barbuda; Guadeloupe; Fort-de-France Martinique; Kingstown St. Vincent & the Grenadines; Disembark Barbados. 5. 7 Day Eastern Caribbean From Fort Lauderdale, Florida Cruise Line Princess Ship Caribbean Princess Itinerary Embark Fort Lauderdale Florida; Princess Cays Bahamas; St. Maarten; St. Thomas Virgin Islands; Amber Cove Dominican Republic; Disembark Fort Lauderdale Florida 6. 8 Day Cuban Fusion From Montego Bay, Jamaica Cruise Line TUI/ Thomson Ship TUI Discovery 2 Itinerary Embark Montego Bay Jamaica; Havana Cuba; Cozumel Mexico; Georgetown Cayman Islands; Disembark Montego Bay Jamaica 7. 24 Night Caribbean Highlights from Southampton, United Kingdom Cruise Line Cunard Ship Queen Mary 2 Itinerary Embark Southamption United Kingdom; Funchal Madeira; Philipsburg St. Maarten; St. John’s Antigua; Fort-de-France Martinique; Kingstown St. Vincent; Bridgetown Barbados; Praia Da Vitoria Azores; Disembark Southampton United Kingdom 8. 7 Night Western Caribbean Cruise from Galveston, Texas Cruise Line Norwegian Ship Liberty of the Seas Itinerary Embark Galveston Texas; Cozumel Mexico; George Town Grand Cayman; Falmouth Jamaica; Disembark Galveston, Texas 9. 11 Day New York to Bridgetown from New York, New York Cruise Line Silversea Ship Silver Whisper Itinerary Embark New York New York; Hamilton Bermuda; Philipsburg St. Maarten; Gustavia St. Barthelemey; St. John’s Antigua and Barbuda Castries, St. Lucia; Disembark Bridgetown Barbados 10. 3 Day Southern Caribbean from San Juan, Puerto Rico Cruise Line Carnival Ship Carnival Fascination Itinerary Embark San Juan, Puerto Rico; St. Thomas Virgin Islands; Disembark Bridgetown, Barbados 11. 7 Night Western Caribbean Cruise from Port Canaveral Cruise Line Disney Ship Disney Wonder Itinerary Embark Port Canaveral Florida; Cozumel Mexico; Costa Maya Mexico; Grand Cayman Cayman Islands; Disney Castaway Cay; Port Canaveral Florida 12. 9 Day Eastern Caribbean from Boston, Massachusetts Cruise Line Norwegian Ship Norwegian Dawn Itinerary Embark Boston Massachusetts; St. Thomas Virgin Islands; Philipsburg St. Maarten; Basseterre St. Kitts; St. John’s Antigua and Barbuda; Tortola British Virgin Islands; Disembark San Juan Puerto Rico 13. 4-Day Cuba Overnight & Bahamas from Miami, Florida Cruise Line Norwegian Ship Norwegian Sky Itinerary Embark Miami Florida; Havana Cuba; Great Stirrup Cay Bahamas; Disembark Miami Florida 14. 7 Day Bridgetown to Bridgetown from Bridgetown, Barbados Cruise Line Silversea Ship Silver Wind Itinerary Embark Bridgetown Barbados; Bequia St. Vincent & the Grenadines; St. George’s Grenada; Kralendijk Bonaire; Oranjestad Aruba; Willemstad Curacao; Disembark Bridgetown Barbados 15. 5 Night Eastern Caribbean Cruise from Miami, Florida Cruise Line Royal Caribbean Ship Empress of the Seas Itinerary Embark Miami Florida; Labadee Haiti; Nassau Bahamas 16. 11 Day Jamaica to Barbados from Montego Bay, Jamaica Cruise Line Star Clippers Ship Royal Clipper Itinerary Embark Montego Bay Jamaica; Port Antonio Jamaica; Santo Domingo Dominican Republic; Gustavia St. Barth’s; Falmouth Harbour Antigua & Barbuda; Terre De Haut Iles Des Saintes; Cabrits Cominica; Marigot Bay St. Lucia; Soufriere St. Lucia; Kingstown St. Vincent; Admiralty Bay Bequia; Disembark Bridgetown Barbados 17. 12 Night Southern Caribbean Cruise from Cape Liberty, New Jersey Cruise Line Royal Caribbean Ship Anthem of the Seas Itinerary Disembark Cape Liberty New Jersey; San Juan Puerto Rico; Philipsbuer St. Maarten; St. Johns Antigua; Castries Bridgetown Barbados; Basseterre St. Kitts; Disembark Cape Liberty New Jersey 18. 25 Day Atlantic Awakening from Miami, Florida Cruise Line Oceania Cruises Ship Sirena Itinerary Embark Miami Florida; Havana Cuba; Cienfuegos Cuba; Santiago de Cuba Cuba; Punta Cana Dominican Republic; Great Stirrup Cay Bahamas; Miami Florida; St. George Bermuda; Santa Cruz de Tenerife Spain; Arrecife Portugal; Disembark Lisbon Portugal 19. 7 Night Western Caribbean Cruise Cruise Line Celebrity Cruises Ship Celebrity Equinox Itinerary Embark Miami Florida; Key West Florida; George Town Grand Cayman; Cozumel Mexico; Disembark Miami Florida 20. 8 Day Pride of Panama, from Jamaica Cruise Line Thomson Ship TUI Discovery 2 Itinerary Embark Montego Bay Jamaica; Puerto Limon Costa Rica; Colon Panama; Cartagena Colombia; Santa Maria Colombia; Disembark Montego Bay Jamaica How to Book a Caribbean Cruise Your 2018 unforgettable Caribbean cruises can be booked easily. However, the best cruises are sold out quickly, which means you have to act very quickly. Ideally, you should aim to book well in advance of your desired cruise date. A few years ago I booked a Carnival cruise for my parents and I followed these exact steps 1. Start searching for cruises early. I was interested in an April/ May 2010 cruise and I started my search in September 2008. This was a full fourteen months in advance of the cruise date. My reasoning for this was twofold. One was that I had heard that the particular cruise was extremely popular and it often sold out quickly. This turned out to be a good move, because the cruise representative told me that half of the cabins on the cruise were already sold out! The second reason was that I knew that I did not have enough money to make a lump sum payment for the cruise, so I needed a bit of time to accumulate the funds. The cruise line allowed me to pay in installments as long as the final payment was completed well in advance of the cruise date. 2. Choose your Caribbean cruise destination, preferred cruise itinerary, and ideal cruise length I decided to go with a 7 day Caribbean cruise that embarked and disembarked in Barbados. This particular cruise itinerary was one of the best on the market at that time, because the cruise ship visited a different Caribbean island every day. Cruise stops were St. Lucia, Antigua & Barbuda, Puerto Rico, St. Thomas, St. Maarten and St. Kitts and Nevis and then back to Barbados. When choosing your cruise, look for a Caribbean cruise itinerary that includes islands that you really want to visit and is the length that you desire. 3. Decide who you will book the cruise with. You can choose to book your Caribbean cruise directly from the cruise line via its website or by telephone. I researched the cruise line and then selected the option to have one of the cruise representatives call me. However, you can choose to book with reputable travel sites such as Expedia, Travelocity, Orbitz and Vacations to Go. Some tour companies like TUI, have a dedicated travel suite that offers air, sea and hotel packages. There is no harm in shopping around though. You can check all of these sites to see who offers the best deals with the best amenities. 4. Create a budget for your trip Your budget may determine which Caribbean cruise you select, the time of the year that you cruise and the type of room that you can afford. Some cruises are more expensive at certain time of the year, so bear that it mind as you conduct your searches. Last minute cruise deals may be available, but you should ask about the types of rooms available and where on the ship they are located. It also does not hurt to ask what your cruise fee includes. It’s important that you find out what’s included in your cruise fee. Most cruise lines will include your room, meals and some beverages. Off the boat activities are not included, so these will be extra charges. If you can book your cruise in advance of your desired travel date, you can better plan for it and include it in your budget. My Ideal Caribbean Cruise Although I live in the Caribbean, I have not visited many of the countries in the region. My Caribbean bucket list is extremely long and getting longer as the days go by. If I had to choose from these Caribbean cruises highlighted in this article, I would choose a cruise that includes at least two of the following destinations the Bahamas, Jamaica, the United States Virgin Islands, the Cayman Islands, the British Virgin Islands and Belize. I’d also choose a cruise that’s between 6 and 9 days in length, just so that I can feel as though I thoroughly relaxed and had time away from my normal life. My preference of activities would be a relaxing catamaran cruise, an island tour or just a visit to the beach where I can swim, snorkel or just sleep under a tree. I’d also select a cruise that has a wide variety of on-board activities such as yoga, cinemas, entertainment shows and a large food court. Even though exploring is fun, I would be contented on any of these 2018 Caribbean cruises as long as I can spend some time relaxing and just enjoying every minute of doing absolutely nothing. Fruity cocktails with Caribbean flavours are my favourite beverages for a hot day in the tropics. Here are a few drinks to try on your next visit to Puerto Rico! Related Posts Unlock New Memories With Royal Caribbean Cruises From Barbados Cruise Shore Excursions in Antigua and Barbuda
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It looks like 2018 will be a pretty big year for Royal Caribbean with a lot of changes, but no change is bigger than the anticipated arrival of a new cruise ship and refurbishment of quite a few year, Royal Caribbean plans on changes to its fleet of ships and if you are considering a 2018 cruise, then you are certainly going to want to consider some of these ships that are getting new upgrades or are joining the fleet for the first is what you need to know about the cruise ships joining Royal Caribbean's fleet and which ships will be upgraded this cruise ships in 2018There is just one new ship joining Royal Caribbean's fleet in 2018, but it is going to be a big deal emphasis on "big".Symphony of the SeasIt is quite likely that of all the new ships to debut in 2018 across the cruise industry, very likely you will hear quite a bit about Symphony of the of the Seas is the fourth Oasis class ship in the fleet and will become the largest cruise ship in the world, with 16 guest decks, encompassing more than 230,000 gross registered tons and carry 5,500 guests at double occupancy across 2,759 of the Seas will feature many of the amazing features that made her sister ships famous, as well as offer own unique features. Symphony of the Seas will call home a brand new cruise terminal in PortMiami, designed specifically for this ship. The new terminal will not only look impressive, it will feature something the cruise line calls, "frictionless arrival". When guests arrive to the port, they can use their mobile phone to check-in and board the ship with just a security checkpoint between the curb and the ship. A redesigned check-in experience will eliminate lines and bypasses the counter. The new process will leverage a combination of facial recognition, bar codes and beacons to make boarding fast and onboard the ship, there will be some new dining options to try, like fresh New England style seafood at Hooked Seafood restaurant, game day favorites at Playmakers Sports Bar & Arcade, or authentic Mexican fare at El Loco of the Seas will be the first Oasis Class ship to offer laser tag at sea in Studio B. An epic glow-in-the-dark laser tag experience. State-of-the-art technology and special effects will transform Studio B into the ultimate laser tag arena as family, friends and foes battle over the fate of the last planet in the of the Seas will also offer signature entertainment onboard that has distinguished the cruise line from all others. The hit Broadway musical "Hairspray" is coming back to Royal Caribbean on Symphony of the Seas. "Flight" is a brand new show in the Royal Theater that takes you through the history and future of flight. HiRo in the Aqua Theater is a new show that combines cutting-edge technology, future-forward choreography, unexpected stunts and highly innovative, physically extraordinary is plenty more to love about Symphony of the Seas, including The Perfect Storm trio of water slides, dancing robot bartenders at Bionic Bar, virtual balcony staterooms, Central Park and Boardwalk neighborhoods, and Voom high speed internet, just to name a of the Seas will debut in April 2018 and offer an initial European season prior to coming to Miami in November ship refurbishments in 2018Royal Caribbean is always looking to add more value to their ships and in 2018, four Royal Caribbean ships are getting upgrades, refurbishments and some nice is a list of what you can expect to see changed in the coming of the SeasAllure of the Seas is going into dry dock in about a week to get its propulsion fixed, which should rectify a problem that was first identified last work being done is limited to fixing the propulsion, so while the ship is getting work done, there is nothing exciting to report on when the ship returns. Of course, a fully operational propulsion system is always a good feature to have of the SeasAdventure of the Seas will undergo a 30-day refurbishment at the end of January to add new features and Caribbean will add Izumi Japanese Cuisine, new inside and oceanview staterooms and a Suite Lounge to Adventure of the Seas as part of the work being of the SeasAdding to a busy January for ship work, Majesty of the Seas will also get some work done in January 2018. Royal Caribbean has not officially announced this refurbishment, but a number of sailings have been canceled to clear time for the work to be work is to begin following the January 19, 2018 sailing and extend through all of February. The first Majesty of the Seas sailing following the refurbishment will be March 5, Caribbean has not announced what work will be done. There has been plenty of rumors floating about, but it is safe to bet the work will include some necessary maintenance, and perhaps adding of enhanced of the SeasBrilliance of the Seas will undergo a dry dock for maintenance work in the second quarter of are no sailings scheduled between Friday April 20, 2018 and Tuesday, May 1, 2018. No word on what work will be done, but it is expected to be mostly a maintenance effort to keep the ship running in great of the SeasIn April 2018, Royal Caribbean will send Independence of the Seas for an extensive refurbishment, where she will receive a number of upgrades and Independence of the Seas returns to service, she will offer these new upgrades and featuresA larger interactive aqua park, Splashaway Bay, featuring wild waterslides, water cannons, fountains, pools and drench bucketAddition of Izumi specialty restaurant with table side Teppanyaki grillsNew loungesPanoramic Ocean View staterooms to be addedImproved ice rinkRevamped Royal TheaterTrampoline ParkEscape roomLaser TagMariner of the SeasMariner of the Seas will receive a massive majover this year that will see Royal Caribbean invest over $100 million in upgrades and six-week drydock in Cadiz, Spain, will take place in May and June 2018. The updates will coincide with the June 2018 opening of the newly constructed dock at Coco Cay, Royal Caribbean's private destination, which will play a major role in the Mariner's you are wondering what work will be done on Mariner of the Seas, so are we. Royal Caribbean has not announced yet the scope of changes coming to Mariner of the Seas. Vision of the SeasVision of the Seas is scheduled for a dry dock in the fourth quarter of 2018. There appears to be a gap in sailings between November 1 and November 13, word on what work will be ship addition or refurbishment are you most excited about? Tell us in the comments!