The Caribbean Sea and its many Islands conform one of the most desirable destinations for cruise travellers. Not only there is decision making involved in which ship to choose, but also what itinerary to do.

The Caribbean Sea is divided into different zones; Eastern and Western Caribbean being the most popular ones for first time travellers. One should research the ports of call before booking a cruise trip because different destinations offer different activities to choose from, such as snorkelling, shopping, swimming or sailing.

The Eastern Caribbean offers a wide variety of ports of call to stop and visit. There are so many islands that not being able to see one from the ship rarely happens. Because the islands are relatively close together, this allows for shore excursions to be generally organized around beach and water activities.

The Eastern Caribbean has become one of the most popular routes for cruise ships in the Caribbean. The most popular port of call for a 5 night Caribbean cruise is the Bahamas, but longer cruises add other destinations such as: St. John, St. Thomas, St. Maarten and Puerto Rico to their itineraries.

For a first time cruise traveller, a short cruise through the Eastern Caribbean would be the best way to experience life on a ship.

The most popular Western Caribbean ports of call for cruises are Playa del Carmen or Cozumel, in Mexico, the Dominican Republic, Jamaica, Belize or Costa Rica. Since these are located quite apart from each other, there is more time at sea, leaving less time to spend in port or at the beach. Having said this, because in the Western Caribbean ports of call are sometimes on the mainland, the excursion options are more varied than in the Eastern Caribbean; one can still scuba dive and enjoy the beach while also exploring Mayan ruins and hikes in the forest.

So, whether you are a first time traveller or an experience cruise lover, which ever direction you choose to travel in the Caribbean Sea you’ll always find blue seas, sunny beaches and an infinite variety of ports of call to visit and enjoy.