Croaziera de doua saptamani in Caraibele de Est – Cum sa iti organizezi vacanta de vis din Caraibe

Do you know what has always been our dream destination, since childhood?

The Caribbean, with its gorgeous beaches surrounded by palm trees, its exotic air and tropical landscapes. It always seemed an untouchable, inaccessible and impossible place for those times.

And yet, recently, we managed to fulfill this dream. With determination, we documented, organized, and, finally, we reached the much-desired Caribbean.

 In this article, I want to show you how easy it can be to get to the Caribbean. With a little attention and good planning, you too can live this exotic experience without exceeding a surreal budget.

We share our experience with you, hoping that it will be helpful and inspire you for your next vacation in the Caribbean paradise.

About the Caribbean

The Caribbean is an archipelago of islands located between the Caribbean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean, comprising a total of over 7,000 islands, islets and reefs.

Geographically, the region is bounded by North America to the north, Central America to the west and South America to the south. Within, the islands are grouped into several regions, such as the Greater Antilles, the Lesser Antilles or the Bahamas.

Antigua
Antigua Island, Antigua & Barbuda

What is fascinating about the Caribbean? Although the exotic atmosphere is omnipresent and you can find it everywhere, each island has its own specifics and its own identity. Some islands are independent, others are part of smaller archipelagos and together form a state, and some are territories belonging to other larger countries, such as the ABC islands (Aruba, Bonaire, Curacao) which are part of the Netherlands, or Martinique, which belongs to France.

Here, you will find a cultural mix due to different influences: European, indigenous, African. The languages ​​spoken vary depending on the colonial past of each island: English predominates in the former British colonies, French is spoken on the French islands, and Spanish dominates in the Latin regions.

Pigeon Point Beach Tobago - Trinidad & Tobago
Pigeon Point Beach Tobago - Trinidad & Tobago

The Caribbean is extremely attractive when it comes to exotic vacation destinations.

Cuba, Dominican Republic, Bahamas, Jamaica, Martinique, Barbados, Antigua, Trinidad & Tobago… just a few names of famous islands and countries in the Caribbean. And if you wonder if you could visit them all in one vacation, the answer is simple… No way!

There are so many wonderful places in the Caribbean that the idea of ​​organizing a vacation can seem overwhelming. Ok, you have decided that you want to come to the Caribbean, but where do you start your search… ?

Next, I will tell you what we did it, what were the steps that helped us choose the destinations and how we opted for a cruise in the Caribbean Sea.

Plage de la Caravelle, Guadeloupe
Plage de la Caravelle, Guadeloupe

What to visit in the Caribbean

Our decision to visit this region came when we wanted an extended, relaxing holiday in a tropical climate, in a destination that combined quiet days with slower-paced exploration.

Our choice was the Caribbean, and not just any way, but on a cruise of at least 10 days.

Tobago - Trinidad & Tobago
Tobago - Trinidad & Tobago

Why a cruise? Because it offered us exactly what we were looking for: our days were active, we discovered a different island every day, where we could either relax on the beach or explore the island, and in the evening it was our time to rest, with accommodation and meals already provided.

Once we decided that we wanted to visit the Caribbean on a cruise, the tricky part came: choosing the right cruise!

Caribbean cruise

Anyone who has experience with cruise vacations already knows how varied the offers on the market are: numerous companies, routes, itineraries or activities, for all preferences.

For us, however, going on a cruise was a premiere, it was our first such experience, and we therefore needed an intense period of documentation to ensure that we were making the right choice.

Before starting the search, we prepared a short list of criteria, so that we could choose the cruise that best suited our expectations:

  • The duration of the cruise should be at least 10 days – to be able to make the most of the time spent in the Caribbean
  • As few days at sea as possible – our goal was to visit as many islands as possible, not to stay on the ship
  • Favourable port hours – the time interval in which the ship was in port had to be a good one, we avoided ships that arrived in port early in the morning and left at lunchtime, in order to have enough time on the island.
Antigua
  • Balcony cabin – yes, this point was not necessarily a necessity, but for a first cruise experience, a balcony cabin was a plus
  • Avoiding large and crowded ships – we did not want a large ship, to avoid crowds, we were looking for a more relaxed and quiet atmosphere.
Carribean
  • Reasonable budget

With these criteria written on paper, I chose the cruise offered by the company Costa Fortuna, a 14-day route, starting from the French island of Guadeloupe, and with the following itinerary: Tobago, Grenada, Barbados, St. Vincent, Martinique, Tortola, Sint Maarten, Antigua, St. Kitts.

Costa Fortuna
Caribbean Cruise - Costa Fortuna

It was the perfect route for us, every day we visited a new island, and the only day spent at sea, in the middle of the cruise, gave us the necessary time to relax and prepare for the second part of this experience.

Below I will tell you in detail about the route and the activities on each of these islands. But, before that, I want to give you some tips to keep in mind when choosing a cruise in the Caribbean.

Tips for choosing your Caribbean cruise

  • Study the route – different regions of the Caribbean depending on the cruises

When it comes to cruise routes, we can say that they are divided into two main areas

    • Northeastern Caribbean – the destination of the vast majority of American cruise ships, such as Royal Caribbean or Norwegian Cruise Line. They arrive at islands that, in some cases, require a US visa, such as Puerto Rico. The islands in this region include Cuba, the Dominican Republic, Jamaica, Puerto Rico.
    • Southeastern Caribbean, with islands that belong to European Union countries or are former British colonies: Martinique, Guadeloupe, Sint Maarten, Barbados, etc. This area is also served by European companies, such as MSC, Costa, AIDA, with more affordable prices than on American ships. On this route a US visa is not required.
St Kitts
St Kitts - in the southern islands you don't need a US visa
  • Check the ratio of days at sea to days on the islands

When looking for a cruise, pay attention to the number of days spent exclusively at sea, and the days with stops in ports. If you want to enjoy the tropical landscapes and palm-fringed beaches as much as possible, then choose an itinerary with as few days at sea as possible. It would be a shame if out of 7 days of a cruise, 4 were spent just on the ship, when you actually want to discover the Caribbean, right?

    • Cruises with fewer days at sea will be those in the southern Caribbean Sea, and this is due to the short distances between the islands.
  • Pay attention to the hours of stay in ports.

A good route is also one where the ship has a convenient schedule in ports. If the ship arrives at 5-6 in the morning and leaves at 1 pm, you will have very little time to stay on the island. Ideally, you should find ships with a fixed schedule in the port. An optimal stopover would be between 8 am, after breakfast, and 5-6 pm, until sunset.

Tortola – Insulele Virgine Britanice
Tortola, British Virgin Islands - Don't forget to be back on time, cruise ships don't wait for latecomers
  • The price displayed on cruise websites is for the cheapest cabin type

When you search for a cruise on specialized websites, you will always find the price displayed for the cheapest cabin type. More precisely, the price of an inside cabin, without a window. If you want a superior cabin, with a window or balcony, the final price of the cruise can increase considerably.

Croaziera Caraibe
Caribbean Cruise - Balcony Cabins Are Considerably More Expensive Than Interior Cabins
  • Choose a Cruise Ship According to Your Needs

Also pay attention to the type of cruise ship, its size, or the different activities you can do on the ship. If you prefer a quieter atmosphere, then perhaps a small or medium-sized ship is what you are looking for. If you want a livelier vibe, with a greater variety of activities and ways to spend your time, look for large ships.

  • Don't forget about additional expenses

In addition to the cost of the cruise, consider other expenses on the ship: drink packages, alcoholic or non-alcoholic, which are optional and paid separately, internet package or excursions organized by the ship (And as a tip here, avoid excursions on the ship as much as possible, because they are quite expensive, and organize them on your own. In this article, I will show you what options you have on each of the islands visited).

Croaziera Caraibe

What to do in the Caribbean – 21 days in the Caribbean

The Caribbean is a place where, once you arrive, you will want to come back anytime. That's what we feel too, after our vacation spent in these magnificent lands.

Our vacation took place during the winter holidays, and began with a week spent on the French island of Guadeloupe, the island from which we eventually embarked on the cruise.

The cruise lasted 14 days, during which we visited 10 different islands in 9 countries, we walked, tanned, relaxed and enjoyed everything that the Caribbean had to offer, and the cruise as well.

Plage de Grande Anse, Guadeloupe

We arrived in Guadeloupe by plane, with a stopover in Paris. Both to Guadeloupe and to Martinique, the two French islands in the Caribbean from where you can board European cruise ships, you will find many direct flights from Paris.

There are 3 airlines that offer direct flights between Paris and the Caribbean (Guadeloupe / Martinique): AirFrance, Air Caraibes or Corsair. A round-trip flight ticket can start from 500 euros/person, and the flight takes around 8 hours.

We flew from Cluj-Napoca to Paris with Wizz Air, we had a night's accommodation in Paris, and the next day we flew to Pointe-A-Pitre, Guadeloupe.

Guadeloupe Island – France

Guadeloupe was, therefore, the first island visited on our trip to the Caribbean.

Guadeloupe is actually an archipelago of islands in the Caribbean Sea, which includes the main island, and several smaller islands, such as Marie-Galante, Les Saintes or La Desirade. Guadeloupe is also called "Butterfly Island", due to its shape, being divided between Basse-Terre, the "left wing", and Grande-Terre, the "right wing".

Basse-Terre (the western half) is the mountainous part of the island, known for its rainforests and waterfalls, but also for what is considered the most beautiful beach in Guadeloupe: Plage de Grand Anse.

Grand-Terre (the eastern half) is the more touristic and commercial area of ​​the island, you will find here a lot of beaches, but also very popular resorts, such as Saint-Anne, Le Gosier or Saint-Francois.

The capital of the island is Pointe-a-Pitre, which hosts both the airport and the main port of the island.

Plage de la Caravelle, Guadeloupe
Plage de la Caravelle, Guadeloupe

Guadeloupe belongs to France, the island's currency is the euro, and the interesting part is that Guadeloupe is part of the European Union and the European Economic Area (EEA), which means that you are still within the European Union, and you can use mobile data resources from Europe here, at the same roaming costs.

What fascinated us here was discovering the Creole culture of the region: the locals have a relaxed approach to life, inspired by the "slow life". The gastronomy is influenced by Creole traditions, and some of the local dishes are bokit, chicken colombo, fish and seafood. And let's not forget the music, a central component of the Creole culture of Guadeloupe.  

Le Ti-punch - Guadeloupe
Restaurant Le Ti-punch, Guadeloupe

The easiest way to explore the island is to rent a car. We rented a car for the entire period of our stay here, from the company SIXT, picking up the car at the airport and then returning it to the port. The price for 5 days was 360 euros, including full insurance, and we also paid a guarantee of 250 euros.

What to do in Guadeloupe

  • Relax on one of the gorgeous beaches in the Caribbean, such as:
    • Plage de la Caravelle – after 3 weeks in the Caribbean, we can say that this is our favorite beach, which is why we allow ourselves to put it in first place. A not very large beach, but intimate and extremely beautiful, with many palm trees, fine sand and, of course, gorgeous turquoise water. The beach is located in the town of Sainte-Anne, you can easily reach by car, and parking costs 3 euros / day. At the entrance you will also find a few places to eat.
    • Plage de Grand Anse – a long beach with fine golden sand, surrounded by a multitude of palm trees. This is perhaps the most beautiful beach in the Caribbean.
    • Plage de la Perle – a beach as wonderful as Grand Anse, wide, with golden sand.
Plage de la Perle, Guadeloupe
Plage de la Perle, Guadeloupe
    • Plage du bourg Saint-Anne – another special beach in Guadeloupe, but more commercial, being located directly in the middle of the Saint-Anne resort.
Plage du bourg Saint-Anne, Guadeloupe
Plage du bourg Saint-Anne, Guadeloupe
    • Plage de Grande Anse, in the south of Basse-Terre island – Guadeloupe is also a volcanic island, so the presence of a beach with black, volcanic sand could not be missing
Plage de Grande Anse, sud, Guadeloupe
Plage de Grande Anse, sud, Guadeloupe
  • Explore the rainforest and visit the waterfalls of Basse-Terre
    • Don't miss Chute du Carbet, the natural park where you can take short hikes to the waterfalls in the area. Entrance to the park costs 5.4 euros/adult. And if you get here, don't miss the local restaurant Le Ti-punch located nearby, the place where I ate the best and most delicious food on the whole island.
  • Wander around the towns and resorts of Guadeloupe
    • Don't miss a visit to the port of Le Gosier, the capital Pointe-a-Pitre or the towns of Saint-Anne and Saint-Francois
  • Visit the smaller islands of the Guadeloupe archipelago
    • Ilet du Gosier – you will find boats leaving continuously from the port of Gosier
Ilet du Gosier
Ilet du Gosier
    • Iles des Saintes, with the islands of Terre-de-Bas and Terre-de-Haut. You can get here by ferry from Trois-Rivieres, with the companies CTM DEHER or Val Ferry. Terre-de-Haut is an island where cars are prohibited, which makes the experience much more interesting. Don't miss the Fort Napoleon here.
    • Marie-Galante – There are daily ferries departing to the island of Marie-Galante, either from Saint-Francois (the company Comatrile) or from the capital Pointe-a-Pitre (the companies Express del Iles, Jeans for Freedom or Val Ferry).
    • Desirade – you can get here by ferry from Saint-Francois, with the companies Comatrile or Babou One.
  • Visit a rum distillery.
  • If you arrive in Guadeloupe by cruise and have little time to spare here, then an idea might be to explore the island with a guided tour. In the port you will find different options for such excursions.

Where to stay in Guadeloupe

Accommodation in Guadeloupe depends on your needs and what you want from your vacation. The tourist area of ​​the island is in the southeast, around the towns of Le Gosier, Sainte-Anne or Saint-Francois. Here you will find the widest range of accommodations and hotels, as well as many restaurants, shops, and beautiful beaches.

If you prefer a quieter stay, then turn your attention to Basse-Terre, the green area of ​​the island, especially in the area of Deshaies Deshaies, near the beautiful Grand Anse beach.

We had the nicest accommodation in Guadeloupe, a typical house of the area, with a beautiful terrace and surrounded by palm trees. Our accommodation was this: Petit Havre Bleu, where we paid 100 euros/night. We had an entire house just for ourselves, fully equipped and with a swimming pool.

What we did in 2 weeks on a Caribbean cruise – Daily Itinerary

After a few days spent on the island of Guadeloupe waiting for our cruise, the long-awaited moment finally arrived, when we boarded on the ship. Let's see what we did on each of the 9 islands visited.

Tobago Island – Trinidad & Tobago

Tobago was the first island visited on the cruise. An island and a country (Trinidad & Tobago) that we never thought we would get to visit, an exotic name that we had only heard about at the Olympics. But here we are, and it was a great surprise to see how beautifully we were welcomed by the locals.

Pigeon Point Beach Tobago - Trinidad & Tobago
Pigeon Point Beach Tobago - Trinidad & Tobago
  • Tobago is a small island, the tourist part of the state of Trinidad & Tobago.
  • Trinidad and Tobago is an island country in the southeast of the Caribbean Sea, consisting of the two main islands of Trinidad and Tobago and numerous smaller islands.
  • The capital of the country is Port of Spain, located on the island of Trinidad.
  • The country's currency is the Trinidad & Tobago dollar, but you can pay everywhere with your card or directly in US dollars.
  • For the internet, we bought an e-sim on Mobimatter, from the telephone company DigiCel, which offered data packages for all the islands in the Caribbean.

What to do on Tobago Island

On the island of Tobago we came across one of the most beautiful beaches we have ever seen!

It is Pigeon Point Beach, an absolutely wonderful beach, with fine sand, palm trees, clear and turquoise water.

Pigeon Point Beach, Tobago - Trinidad & Tobago
Pigeon Point Beach, Tobago - Trinidad & Tobago

Because before arriving in Tobago we had read on the website of the Romanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs that there were travel warnings for this country, we decided to book an excursion to this island directly from the cruise.

We chose, therefore, to go to Pigeon Point Beach, and the round-trip transportation cost 50 euros/person. If we had chosen to go out to the port and look for transportation to the beach from there, it would have cost us just as much. Caribbean prices, of course…

We found a very beautiful beach, clean, full of tourists, being the place chosen by most of the passengers on the cruise. Because the perimeter of the beach required an entrance ticket of a few dollars, the locals avoided this beach.

Pigeon Point Beach Tobago - Trinidad & Tobago
Pigeon Point Beach Tobago - Trinidad & Tobago

Here you can also take a boat trip to Buccoo Reef and Nylon Pool. You will find tickets on site, or you can book them online in advance, here: Tobago: Buccoo Reef and Nylon Pool Glass Bottom Boat Tour. The price of such an experience starts from 25 euros/person.

How much did we spend in Tobago

  • Excursion purchased directly from the cruise ship to Pigeon Point Beach: 50 euros/person

Grenada Island – Grenada

The second island and country we visited on our Caribbean cruise was Grenada.

Grenada is a relatively new country, having gained independence in 1974, having been a former British colony. Grenada is also known as the “Spicy Island” due to the large amount of spices produced here, mainly nutmeg, cloves and cinnamon.

The capital of the country is St. George, and the official language is English.

Grenada

What to do on Grenada Island

We arrived at the port early in the morning, were warmly welcomed by the local hosts, and then looked for transportation to reach the points of interest on the island. Mainly, we wanted to take a tour of the capital St. George, and then get to the main beach in Grenada, namely Grand Anse Beach.

As soon as we arrived at the port, we saw signs for the tourist train or the water taxi.

Grenada

We started the day with a tour of the city of St. George with the tourist train. The capital St. George is a small city, but quite crowded and built only on the hills, and in that heat, a trip on the train sounded more than perfect.

The train also had a guide, and so we managed to find out some information about Grenada. A train ticket cost us 15 dollars / person, and the trip took about 45 minutes.

After finishing the train tour, we took a water taxi to Grand Anse Beach. Here we found a beautiful and wide beach with fine, yellow sand and warm and very blue water. Water Taxi is the fastest and easiest way to get from the port to the most famous beach on the island, just follow the signs in the port. The trip takes about 15 minutes each way, the boats leave continuously, and a ticket costs 15 dollars / person / round trip.

Grenada - Grand Anse Beach
Grenada - Grand Anse Beach

Of course, if you’re feeling more adventurous, you can also choose from other activities on the island, such as snorkeling at the underwater sculptures, a waterfall tour of the island, or a beach tour. If that sounds interesting, check out these tours:

Grenada

How much did we spent in Grenada

  • Tourist train ride: $15 / person
  • Water taxi to Grand Anse Beach: $15 / person
  • Sun loungers: $25 / 2 people
Grenada

Barbados Island – Barbados

The third stop, the third island and the third country on the cruise was Barbados.

is a former British colony, gaining independence in 1966, and with the capital in Bridgetown, the city where our ship also stopped. este o fostă colonie britanică, dobândind independența în anul 1966, si cu capitala la Bridgetown, orasul unde a oprit si vasul nostru.

The island is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the region, being visited mainly by Americans. And as a curiosity, Barbados is the place where the famous singer Rihanna was born and spent her childhood.

is a former British colony, gaining independence in 1966, and with the capital in Bridgetown, the city where our ship also stopped.

What to do on Barbados Island

Barbados is famous for its beautiful beaches, with turquoise water and white sand, and the most accessible beach for most tourists disembarking from the ship is Carlisle Bay Beach. The beach is located quite close to the port, at a distance of about 3 kilometers.

From the port, you can choose to get here by taxi ($ 5 / person), or directly on foot, as we did. You walk along the promenade on the seashore, and then directly through the center of Bridgetown, which is an opportunity to visit the capital of the small country.

But, if staying at the beach all day is not for you, here are some other activities you can do in Barbados:

Cat am cheltuit in Barbados

Nothing. Apart from a beer / juice / water, on this island we didn't need money for transportation or excursions, and that's because we walked to the center of the capital Bridgetown, and then to Carlisle Bay Beach.

is a former British colony, gaining independence in 1966, and with the capital in Bridgetown, the city where our ship also stopped.

St Vincent Island – St. Vincent & The Grenadines

The fourth stop on the Caribbean cruise was on the island of St. Vincent, in St Vincent and the Grenadines.

A tiny country, with only 110,000 inhabitants, made up of 32 islands, only a few of which are inhabited.

St Vincent – St. Vincent & The Grenadines

The main island, which we also arrived at, is St Vincent, and the capital is Kingstown.

The entire island has only two main roads:

    • Leeward Highway – the road that crosses the west of the island (in practice, it is not a highway, but a simple one-way road)
    • Windward Highway – the road in the east of the island, named so because of the air currents coming from the Atlantic Ocean

What to do on St Vincent Island

What did we do in St Vincent? We booked a guided tour on TripAdvisor and set off on a short drive around the island, crossing the west coast of the island, the road called Leeward highway.

St Vincent – St. Vincent & The Grenadines

We stopped at various viewpoints, from where we could admire the entire panorama of the archipelago of islands. But the main destination of the tour, and also the most famous tourist attraction in St. Vincent, was the filming set of the movie "Pirates of the Caribbean". Did you know that most of the sequences in "Pirates of the Caribbean" were filmed in St. Vincent and the Grenadines? We didn't know, and we were pleasantly surprised to discover the places where famous actors like Johnny Depp and Orlando Bloom came.

Then we arrived at the most famous beach in the west of St Vincent: Buccament Bay. On St Vincent the beaches are with black sand and don't seem as spectacular as the other Caribbean beaches we had seen until then. But, on the other hand, the island is very green, with extremely rich vegetation!

The excursion booked was this: Pirates of the Caribbean Movie Site and Beach Guided Tour. It cost us $40/person, the tour lasted about 4-5 hours, and we were driven in a van with only 5 seats. We recommend the experience and the guide if you end up in St. Vincent.

How much did we spend in St. Vincent

St Vincent – St. Vincent & The Grenadines

Martinique Island – France

We then returned to France, and again to the European Union, more precisely to the other French island in the Caribbean, Martinique. An island that seemed to us more developed, richer and with a better infrastructure than the other islands we visited in the Caribbean.

Martinique

Martinique can also be a gateway from Europe to the Caribbean. As a French territory, the island is served by numerous direct flights from Paris, operated by AirFrance, Air Caraibes or Corsair.

Martinique has approximately 400,000 inhabitants, a quarter of whom live in the capital Fort-de-France alone, a cosmopolitan city with a very touristic and nicely laid out centre, an elegant waterfront and many restaurants and shops.

Martinique

Insula face parte din spatiul economic european SEE, asa ca, la fel ca si in Guadaloupe, si aici iti poti folosi resursele roaming din tara fara probleme. Moneda oficiala este euro.

Vulcanul Pelee este reprezentativ pentru Martinica, fiind cel mai inalt punct al insulei, cu aproximativ 1400 metri altitudine. În urma cu un secol vulcanul Pelee a erupt, distrugand un oras întreg si omorând toți locuitorii, 30.000 de oameni. Acel oras a fost Saint-Pierre, care era si capitala insulei la acel moment. Ulterior eruptiei vulcanului, capitala Martinicai s-a mutat la Fort-de-France.

Martinique - Plage du Carbet volcanic beach near Pelee volcano
Martinique - Plage du Carbet volcanic beach near Pelee volcano

What to do on Martinique Island

During the cruise ship route we had two stops on the island of Martinique. At the first stop we decided to explore the northern part of the island, more cultural, greener and with volcanic beaches, and later, on the second visit, to reach the Caribbean beaches in the south of the island.

Our recommendation is, if you arrive in Martinique, to rent a car, it is the simplest, easiest and most convenient way to get to the places you want to visit. Unfortunately, we did not plan our visit in advance and we did not find any cars available for rent in Martinique, so we had to organize ourselves differently.

For the northern part, we turned to a group excursion, found by chance in the port. The trip lasted 5 hours, cost 40 euros/person, and had stops at important tourist spots on the northern part of the island: the Eglise du Sacre Cour de Balata church, the Cascade de Saut Gendarme, the Depaz rum distillery, the volcanic beach Plage du Carbet near the Pelee volcano, we passed by the town of Saint-Pierre, and a banana plantation. The same trip, purchased directly on the ship, would have cost us 80 euros/person.

If in the north we find only volcanic beaches, the southern part is represented by beautiful beaches, typical of the Caribbean, with fine, golden sand, such as Grand Anse d’Arlet. You can get here by rented car, by taxi (just be careful that the distance from the port to the beach area in the south is quite large), or, cheaper, by public water transport from the port of Fort-de-France to Les Trois-Ilets – Marine de La Pointe du Bout, and from there by taxi to the desired beach.

Also, do not miss a walk through the capital Fort-de-France, which is absolutely delightful! Of all the port capitals visited on this cruise, Fort-de-France seemed to us by far the most developed, cleanest and most modern city.

How much did we spend in Martinique

  • Group excursion to the north of the island: 40 euros / person  

Unfortunately, the weather did not allow us to reach the south of the island. Otherwise, we would have needed a few tens of euros for transportation from Fort-de-France to Grand Anse d’Arlet.

Tortola Island – British Virgin Islands

The second week of the cruise began with the island of Tortola in the British Virgin Islands, islands that belong, as the name suggests, to Great Britain.

Tortola – Insulele Virgine Britanice

The capital of the BVI (British Virgin Islands) is Road Town, on the island of Tortola. The official currency is the dollar.

What to do on Tortola Island, in the British Virgin Islands

Do you know what is representative of Tortola? The tourist cars, those jeeps with large passenger trailers, that drive tourists around the island.

Tortola – Insulele Virgine Britanice

It is the best way to discover Tortola, these were the means of transport that we used, and which we recommend to you too, for convenience, but also for the experience. These cars act as both taxis, you can choose to get to different beaches with them, but you can also do tours of the island.

We did both!

We started our day with a two-hour tour of the island, which cost us 20 euros/person, negotiated price from 30 euros. We had stops at various panoramic points, at a small rum distillery and at one of the most beautiful beaches on the island, Cane Garden Bay Beach.

If you get here, avoid booking the tours directly from the cruise ship. For the same tour, with the same type of car, duration and stops, on the ship they asked for 79 euros/person. In the port, on site, the cost of such a tour is 25-30 dollars and there are countless cars that start continuously, full of tourists.

After the tour we decided to take a taxi (actually, another passenger jeep), to another popular beach in Tortola, Long Bay Beach. The taxi price was 24 euros round trip / person.

Long Bay Beach, Tortola – British Virgin Islands
Long Bay Beach, Tortola – British Virgin Islands

Other famous attractions in the British Virgin Islands are Smuggler’s Cove, on the west side of Tortola, or Soggy Dollar Bar, on Jost Van Dyke island.

How much did we spend on Tortola, British Virgin Islands

– Island tour with group excursion: 20 euros / person

– Taxi round trip to Long Bay Beach: 24 euros round trip / person

Sint Maarten Island – France / Netherlands

Soooo… we’ve finally reached the planes!

Or as we call it, the island of St Maarten. 🙂

St Maarten
St Maarten

St Maarten is one of the places we were looking forward to visiting on this cruise, and that's because of its famous beach where planes land above people. And for us, big fans of air travel as we are, this experience was very high on our list.

The name of the island, St Maarten or St Martin, changes depending on the country you look at it from. The island is divided into two, the southern part, St Maarten, belongs to the Netherlands, with the capital in Philipsburg, and the northern part, St Martin, belongs to France, with the capital in Marigot.

St Maarten
St Maarten

If you arrive here, keep in mind that St Maarten, although part of the Netherlands, does not belong to the EEA, so you will not be able to use roaming services as cheaply as in Europe. For the internet, we bought an e-sim from Mobimatter, from the telephone company DigiCel, which offered data packages for all the islands in the Caribbean.

What to do on Sint Maarten Island

For convenience and flexibility, we chose to rent a car for the day spent on this island. There are various car rental agencies in the port, and we rented one for 100 euros / day, from the Hertz company. Perhaps if you organize yourself in advance and book in advance, you can find it cheaper.

For those without a car, there is the possibility of guided tours or taxis. A tour of the island starts from 35 euros and can also be taken online, from here: St. Maarten Half-Day Tour of French & Dutch Sides. The tour covers the entire island and stops at major points of interest, such as the Maho Beach or Orient Beach.

Although St Maarten is a small island and the distances are short, the traffic is quite slow. The car rental representative suggested that we travel around the island clockwise, just to go in the opposite direction of the traffic, and that's what we did.

We did, thus, the complete tour of the island, stopping at the most beautiful beaches on the island:

🔹 Maho Beach, the beach where the planes land

🔹 Baie Rouge Beach, a wild beach with golden sand

🔹 Orient Beach, the busiest and most touristy beach on the island, the place where most cruise ship passengers arrive

And we ended the day with a visit to the capital Philipsburg, the port where our ship had also stopped.

Philipsburg, St Maarten
Philipsburg, St Maarten
Philipsburg, St Maarten
Philipsburg, St Maarten

The most famous and popular place on the island is by far Maho Beach, the place where planes land and take off very close to the tourists who take pictures with the planes in the air. However, if you get here, I recommend you check the app or website flightradar.com, to see the time at which planes land or take off, especially the large ones.

How much did we spend on the island of Sint Maarten

– Rental car: 100 euros

St Maarten
St Maarten

Antigua Island – Antigua & Barbuda

Did you know that Antigua has 365 beaches, one for every day of the year? And that they are all at least as beautiful as the one in the pictures?

Antigua
Antigua

The island of Antigua, in the state of Antigua & Barbuda, was one of the pleasant surprises of this cruise. A very lucky island and country, if we consider its small size and the large number of superb beaches and paradisiacal landscapes.

The country has a population of approximately 100,000 inhabitants, the official language is English, and the capital of the country is St. John’s on the island of Antigua, the city in whose port the cruise ships also stop.

Antigua
Antigua Island, Antigua & Barbuda

What to do on Antigua Island

What to do on an island with 365 beaches? Go to the beach, of course!

Some of the famous beaches, where tourists generally go, are: Ffryes Beach, Dickenson Bay Beach, Darkwood Beach. From the moment you get off at the port, you will be approached by numerous taxi drivers who can take you to the desired beach, you just have to decide which one you want to see.

We chose Dickenson Bay Beach to spend our day. We arrived quickly with a taxi taken from the port, for $ 5 / way / person, and on the beach we rented two sun loungers for $ 22.

On the way back, we lingered a little in the capital St. John’s. We found a very pretty and charming port here, with many shops and colorful houses. And what’s more impressive? In Antigua, we caught the most cruise ships docked in one place, 5 in number, and the view with all the ships beautifully lined up was truly spectacular!

Antigua
Antigua

How much did we spent in Antigua

– Taxi to Dickenson Bay Beach: $5/way/person

– Sunbeds: $22 / 2 sunbeds with umbrella

St Kitts Island – St. Kitts & Nevis

The last island discovered on the Caribbean cruise was St. Kitts.

St. Kitts and Nevis are two small islands in the Caribbean, which together form a single country.

St Kitts
St Kitts

We arrived by cruise ship on the main island of St. Kitts, more precisely in the capital Basseterre.

The country has a total population of 50,000 inhabitants, and the official language is English.

What to do in St. Kitts

We knew that St. Kitts is not necessarily an island known for its beaches, but more for its mountainous terrain and green landscapes, being a volcanic island. That is why we decided to go on a tour of the island, an excursion that we took directly from the port and for which we paid $ 25 per person.

For 4 hours, the duration of the tour, we had different stops: at panoramic points, at the Black Rocks, at a rum distillery, and most importantly, the place we wanted to see on this island: Timothy Hill, the panoramic point with a beautiful view of the Atlantic Ocean on one side, and the Caribbean Sea on the other.

Timothy Hill, St Kitts
Timothy Hill, St Kitts

The main tourist attraction of this island is the ride on a panoramic train, a train used in the past to transport sugar cane. It is certainly a unique experience, but those who want this adventure should know that it is a rather expensive activity. Tickets for this tour could only be booked through cruise ships, and the price per person was 155 euros, in our case.

How much did we spend in St Kitts

– Island tour with group trip: 25 dollars / person

St Kitts

Internet in the Caribbean

We managed to use the internet throughout our stay in the Caribbean, regardless of the island we ended up on. We got a signal everywhere, and the internet speed was decent.

In Guadeloupe and Martinique, islands that belong to France and the European Economic Area (EEA), we were able to use data resources in roaming mode, at the same costs as everywhere in Europe.

For all the other islands, we bought an e-sim on Mobimatter, from the phone company DigiCel, which offered data packages for all the Caribbean islands, in different combinations. Use the code DENIS39489 for 50% cashback on your first order on Mobimatter.

For example, this package valid for most of the Caribbean islands visited on this cruise, of 10 GB, for 30 days, costs $40. It is not cheap, indeed, but for us it was essential to be permanently connected to the internet, and this was the best solution.

Tips about the Caribbean Islands

  • On all the islands we visited, we were able to pay directly in euros or dollars, we didn't need to get local money. On the islands that belong to European countries, such as Guadeloupe, Martinique or St Maarten, it is advisable to pay in euros. On the other hand, on all the others, the dollar is the basic currency, and the conversion is also better in dollars.
  • In many places we were able to pay by card, such as in shops or restaurants, but cash is still mandatory, especially for excursions or taxis taken from the port.
  • As much as possible, do not purchase island excursions from the cruise ship. These are generally much more expensive than what you find on the spot. Yes, it may be more convenient to call the agents on the ship directly and after disembarking at the port, get directly on the shuttle bua and start the excursion. It's less hassle that way. But, with a minimum of organization and research in advance, you will see that on most islands you will find the exact same excursions organized by locals, at much lower prices. For example, on the island of Tortola in the British Virgin Islands, the same excursion, with the same stops, and the same duration, on the boat was 80 euros / person, while we took it directly from the port for 20 euros / person. The only island where, in our case, we found the same price offered by those on the boat as we had found on the spot was on the island of Tobago, where a round-trip taxi to Pigeon Point Beach costs 50 euros / person, the same as on the boat.
Carribean

How much did our Caribbean vacation and cruise cost

And now comes the interesting part, where we list all the expenses incurred on the Caribbean cruise. We will leave aside the costs of our stay in Guadeloupe before boarding the cruise, where we spent a few days relaxing on the island, because we want, in the end, to present you with a clearer picture of the actual costs of a Caribbean cruise.

So, let's start:

Cruise

    • Official price of the cruise, for 2 weeks during the New Year's Eve period, for a room with a balcony: 3900 euros / 2 people (1950 / person)
    • Other expenses on the ship (full internet package for two devices, additional drinks, trip to the island of Tobago): 1000 euros (500 euros / person)

Flight

    • Paris – Pointe-a-Pitre (Guadeloupe): 900 euros / person / round trip
    • Cluj-Napoca – Paris: 200 euros / person / round trip (checked luggage included)
    • Accommodation Paris 86 euros / 2 people
    • Accommodation Beauvais 83 euros / 2 people

Islands

    • Guadeloupe: 100 euros / rental car (per day)
    • Tobago: : Excursion to Pigeon Point Beach, 50 euros / person
    • : Tourist train ride: 15 dollars / person, Water taxi to Grand Anse Beach: 15 dollars / person, Sun loungers: 25 dollars / 2 people – Total: 70 dollars / 2 people Plimbare cu trenuletul turistic: 15 dolari / persoana, Water taxi spre plaja Grand Anse Beach: 15 dolari / persoana, Sezlonguri: 25 dolari / 2 persoane – Total: 70 dolari / 2 persoane
    • St Vincent: : Guided tour (the purchased excursion was this: Pirates of the Caribbean Movie Site and Beach Guided Tour): 40 dollars / person
    • Martinica: Group excursion to the north of the island: 40 euros / person 
    • Tortola: : Island tour with group excursion: 20 euros / person, Round trip taxi to Long Bay Beach: 24 euros round trip / person – Total: 44 euros / person
    • Sint Maarten: 100 euros / rental car (per day)
    • Antigua: Taxi to Dickenson Bay Beach: 5$ / way / person, Sunbeds: 22$ / 2 sunbeds with umbrella – Total: 52 dollars / 2 people
    • St Kitts: : Island tour with group excursion: 25 dollars / person

Internet

– $40 / e-sim on Mobimatter, from the DigiCel phone company, which offered data packages for all the Caribbean islands, 10 GB / 30 days ($80 / 2 people)

The total amount for the cost of the cruise and the activities on the islands, was 8000 euros / 2 people, approximately 4000 euros / person.

Additionally, I paid for the accommodation in Guadeloupe, a typical house of the area, with a beautiful terrace and surrounded by palm trees Petit Havre Bleu : 550 euros / 5 nights. And the car rented in Guadeloupe, from the Hertz company, for which we paid 300 euros / 5 days. Which brings the total price paid for this vacation to 8800 euros / 2 people, or 4400 euros / person.

We are curious, what do you think of this amount, for a 3-week vacation in the Caribbean on New Year's Eve, two of which are spent on a cruise ship, in a balcony cabin? Is it a lot, is it a little?

We are waiting for your opinions in the comments!

Plage de Grande Anse, Guadeloupe

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