If there is a destination that shows no sign of going out of fashion, it is for sure the Caribbean. Like a 'little black dress', its seven hundred island chain (north and east of the sea it is named for), continues to lure us back.
Blazed year round in sunshine, the islands are a masquerade of colour and sometimes costume, a carnival of cultures, languages and stirring rhythms. The line up of beaches, untamed, lapis lazuli, pink, black, calm, white, soft or wild is enviable. Where beach shack bars rewards your nose with the mouth-watering smell of BBQ from one morning to the next.
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There is a way to check these islands off your list. And that is, island hopping cruise style with MSC Cruises. They have got the Caribbean covered. And in possibly two or three or five or more cruises aboard one of their ships, following a process of eat, sleep, drink rum and repeat, you too will have the Caribbean covered. Like a multi-destination holiday but on a cruise. That is, without the repeated work of packing, unpacking, airport queues, or the misadventures of delayed flights and lost luggage.
On an MSC cruise, you sail from island port to island port with renewed wanderlust. Sipping on Martinis and strawberry daiquiris from dusk 'til dusk. Steak at dinner, lunch, or is it breakfast? Because no one cares. Days, times, they all roll into one. But whichever it is, it's always with a side helping of sea views.
And your next Caribbean getaway is only a cruise ship away from one of these ports.
New York, NEW YORK
You've always known you can cruise to the Caribbean from Miami. But did you know you could do that from New York too? Bermuda, Bahamas, some of the pretty islands you'd visit on a seven or fourteen-night cruise from here. As New York is one of six ports MSC Cruises has adopted for your getaway to the Caribbean.
With New York's world fame as 'the city that never sleeps', this metropolis will wink at you as your ship sails in or out of its port. Drawing your attention to its dazzling sky scrapers, art galleries and museums.
New Yorkers, you'd be smart to choose this port for embarking or disembarking on your next Caribbean cruise. It's in your back yard, plumb in the city of Manhattan. And for visitors to the Big Apple, Times Square and Central Park, a leisurely stroll away.
MSC's Meraviglia is the megaship, your equivalent of a city at sea with accommodations for over five-thousand passengers taking you there. And from April 2023, MSC Meraviglia sails year-round from New York to the Bahamas and the Caribbean.
A Formula One fan? Or ever dreamed of visiting a private island? Then race to your hearts' content onboard one of two Formula One virtual reality racing simulators. And, too, visit MSC's private island, Ocean Cay. A cruise on any of these itineraries ticks both boxes. New Yorkers do yourself a 'no-fly' cruise to the Caribbean? Search MSC cruises from New York.
Fort de France, MARTINIQUE
Martinique has got that French Island mystique. And MSC Cruises wants you to uncover their secrets sailing on one of their seven-night itineraries out of this Caribbean French Isle.
On Martinique, their rum distilleries are almost headline acts. With at least eleven distilleries on the island, this is your chance to discover the process of making your favourite tipple. Start your visit on Martinique with an MSC cruise distillery tour. At the end reward your palate with a sample and your home bar with a purchase. Do not over look other local highlights of Biere Lorraine a light beer found island-wide or tablette coco (mounds of grated coconut and sugar), that packs a sugar rush.
Catch a 'Quadrille dance' if you can or relax at a beach bar to some zouk music. Being French, these islands look to Europe but have that Caribbean flair.
MSC Seaside, one of MSC's top ten ranked cruise ships with its Venchi 1878 Chocolate Bar, award-winning pan-Asian venues by chef Roy Yamaguchi and 2 full-sized bowling alleys, is the ship you'll be cruising on. Pull up anchor on an MSC Cruise from Martinique
Bridgetown, BARBADOS
Cruised out of an American port? Try starting your MSC cruise bang in the Caribbean. Doing so equates to more island hopping and fewer sea days. Barbados is where you'll want to go for the ultimate in Caribbean Island hopping.
There's no ticking off of islands in The Beach Boys', Kokomo song, but this fourteen-night itinerary will see you sun yourself on at least ten Caribbean islands. St Lucia, St. Kitts, St Maarten. Dominica, Antigua, Grenada, just some of the islands you'll go. Some more renowned, some less so.
And though Barbados is an island famed for beautiful beaches, it is Crane Beach, with its pink sands that will beckon. Harrison's Cave, another top island attraction. You'll hit all your adventurous notes with this one.
And if, in between the island hopping, you want to kick back, take it really slow, there's one of two bowling alleys, Broadway-style shows, or, indeed, take in the smell of a fresh pot of coffee from your sea view-fronted balcony onboard MSC Seaside cruise ship. Get more of your Caribbean Island cruise, with a Cruise from Barbados on MSC's 14-Night Caribbean itinerary.
Miami, FLORIDA
Said to handle some four million passengers a year, PortMiami is a byword for cruise travel. Everyone has their favourite cruise port and this port sits firmly as a cruise passenger favourite. Its fame worldly as the 'cruise capital of the world', with terminals forever transiting passengers, its berths home to many a cruise line.
Less than ten miles east of Miami International Airport, this cruise terminal's location has a view of the high rises of Bayside Market Place. Stroll this lively marina's many shops, bars, cafes and restaurants. The latter three provide the addition of open-air dining to enjoy the bright blue skies and Miami sunshine. Museum lovers should seek out Perez Art Museum nearby.
From PortMiami, three of MSC's ships - Divina, Magnifica and Seascape set sail for the Caribbean.
Onboard the family friendly MSC Divina, a 4-D theatre and a 22,500 square foot Aqua Park makes for great entertainment.
MSC Seascape is the newest MSC megaship in the Caribbean. And as a megaship it does multi-storey water parks, VR motorbikes and a Robotron rollercoaster ride. Just don't try taking it on after a meal in one of the ship's eleven eateries.
Not in the habit of cruising with the megaship crowds, MSC Magnifica, the fourth and largest ship in the MSC Musica class is the one. If you are not going to miss mega amusement parks, a plethora of eateries to choose from and the sometimes forever queues, Magnifica with its just over three thousand passenger capacity has an itinerary you can choose from.
Go on, choose an itinerary, choose a ship from the award winning PortMiami.
For cruises departing to the Caribbean, MSC offers a choice of six ports. The other two being Pont a Pitre, Guadeloupe and Port Canaveral, Florida but all are strategic in their location and world class in their service.
Have I left you wide-eyed at a list of Caribbean Islands you can now check off? Or intrigued at all the ports you can now start your Caribbean cruise from?
Miami looks set to remain a firm favourite but which of these six departure ports would you be willing to give a try for your next top up of a Caribbean tan? Choose your port, decide your itinerary, let MSC Cruises cruise you to the Caribbean in 2023 and 2024.
And from now until the end of June, free balcony upgrades on selected sailings!
