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Caribbean Cruises - Ports of call

Antigua

In 1784, Admiral Horatio Nelson chose Antigua, situated in the centre of the Leeward Islands, as the base for Great Britain's Caribbean Fleet. It is hard not to see why, as the island boasts a varied coastline with secure docking points, a protective coral reef and steady trade winds. Add to that shimmering sandy beaches, bright sunshine and a laid-back attitude and it is no surprise that Antigua, together with its smaller sister island Barbuda, is today one of the Caribbean's most popular tourist spots.

Along with the uninhabited Redonda Island, Antigua and Barbuda form a tiny nation with a population descended largely from African slaves and a mix of Europeans. Visitors flock to enjoy the stretches of beach and miles of excellent hikes on Antigua, the protected nature reserve of Redonda, the exclusive resorts and superb bird sanctuary on Barbuda, and world-class snorkelling and scuba diving among wrecks along the nation's coral reefs. The warm winds that Nelson relied on to bring his ships safely into harbour now contribute to one of the world's biggest maritime events, Sailing Week.

The nation's largest city is the popular cruise destination of St John's, situated on Antigua. With a strong maritime history, the city is filled with related attractions and also offers visitors a chance to shop, dine and unwind. Codrington (named after sugar plantation Christopher Codrington) is Barbuda's main city and acts as a base for explorations of the many coastal shipwrecks, as well as the island's frigate bird population. Ultimately, however, visitors to this island nation come to enjoy the expanse of sandy beaches and the unique atmosphere of the Eastern Caribbean.

Barbados

Barbados, the pearl of the Caribbean, is the eastern-most Caribbean island. It is actually an enormous and ancient coral reef that was formed approximately one million years ago. It has been dubbed 'the real fantasy island', an appellation that points to its exotic resorts and glorious beaches. It enjoys 340 days of sunshine a year, numerous well-developed amenities, a throbbing nightlife and friendly inhabitants, making it one of the most desirable holiday destinations.

The islanders call themselves 'Bajans', West Indian by descent, although largely shaped by English custom and culture. These 'influences' pervade much of the island, most evident in the Anglican stone churches (the island is divided into numerous parishes) and in the many cricket games played on the village greens. The 'Little England' legacy dates back to colonial days when the sugar industry reigned supreme. Barbados gained self-government in 1966, and now tourism rather than sugar is the mainstay of the local economy.

The island is a pear-shaped, 20-mile (32km) stretch of soft coral, which is permeated by water and over time has formed fascinating underground caverns. The coral reefs enveloping most of the island entice tourists to its picturesque shores.

St Kitts and Nevis

The twin-island nation of St Kitts and Nevis, situated in the Leeward Islands of the eastern Caribbean, is shaped rather like a tennis racquet and ball - the larger St Kitts is separated from its ball-shaped southern counterpart, Nevis, by a two-mile (3km) channel called The Narrows.

At first glance, the small, sleepy islands appear to be forgotten in time, a pair of quiet, lush and natural islands that convey nothing of their former prosperity and turbulent history. From their wealthy position as the most illustrious sugar colony in the Caribbean in the early 18th century they became the centre of conflict as European powers fought for control of the islands, and the surrounding waters were irresistible attractions for pirates who lay in wait for the riches transported on the merchant ships.

Today the population consists mainly of descendants from the slaves who were shipped from Africa to work the sugar plantations, and vestiges of splendid estates from their heyday as a playground for the elite are all that remain as a reminder of the infamously profligate way of life of the rich and famous of days gone by.

These islands have become the tourist pearls of the Caribbean, valued today more as a tropical paradise than a major sugar producer, with clear and inviting waters, sandy beaches and a natural splendour to stun even the most avid city slicker. Together with a diverse range of activities, historical sites, and the charm of their two capital harbour towns, the volcanic islands are a seductive blend of colour, sunshine and luxurious relaxation.

St Lucia

St Lucia is indeed a Caribbean dream: a small, lush tropical gem of an island that is still relatively unknown and undeveloped, although it does offer a good variety of accommodation for tourists, including a few discreet resorts. St Lucia is one of the Windward isles of the Lesser Antilles, situated midway down the Eastern Caribbean chain between Martinique and St Vincent, just north of Barbados. It is tiny - only 27 miles (43km) long and 14 miles (23km) wide, shaped like an avocado.

The volcanic island's main landmarks are the Pitons, two soaring peaks on its southern coast that rise up from the sea and shelter magnificent dense rain forest where wild orchids grow and brilliantly-plumed tropical birds abound. The Creole people of the island are as warm as the tropical climate, and visitors are treated to plenty of smiles as they make the most of the island's natural beauty and secluded golden beaches, where coral reefs beckon snorkellers and scuba divers.

Most visitors are day-trippers who arrive on cruise liners at the island's main port, Castries, and generally do little more than shop for souvenirs. Those who have time to explore, however, are enchanted by the walks, cycling trails and natural beauty spots on the island, including the fascinating Soufriere volcano, with its bubbling sulphur springs.

The island has been left with a distinct French flavour, although its earliest colonists in the 17th century were British. The colonial history of the island, first settled by Arawak Indians around 200 AD, is a long saga of battles for control between the French and British. Britain eventually won the war in 1814, and granted independence under the Commonwealth to St Lucia in 1979.

St Maarten/St Martin

Visiting St Maarten/St Martin is a unique experience: it is an eastern Caribbean island divided between two sovereign states, France and the Netherlands, with an unpoliced border cutting through its southern portion, allowing you to sunbathe in the French St Martin in the afternoon, and stroll over to dine in Dutch St Maarten in the evening.

The French and the Dutch have shared this Caribbean gem peacefully for more than 350 years ever since, as legend has it, a gin-drinking Dutchman and wine-imbibing Frenchman walked around the island to see how much territory they could claim for their country in a day. The Frenchman gained two-thirds of the island, but the Dutch maintain that their representative claimed the prize part of the property.

The island is renowned as being the gourmet capital of the Caribbean. The small island's main attractions are shopping, relaxing on the beach or dipping in the clear turquoise waters; there is little of historic, cultural or architectural interest or natural attractions beyond the sand and sea.

Turks and Caicos

The friendly Turks and Caicos islanders, known as the 'belongers', rely almost solely on tourism for their livelihood and therefore welcome visitors to this Caribbean British Crown Colony with open arms.

The 'TCI', as the archipelago is known colloquially, is situated at the end of the Bahamas chain, 575 miles (925km) southeast of Miami, Florida. The Turks, with their dry, scrubby landscape, are divided from the more lush Caicos Islands by the Christopher Columbus Passage.

The pristine white beaches, vast coral reefs and crystal clear warm waters that surround this set of eight inhabited islands and numerous deserted cays draw holidaymakers in. Everyone leaves smiling and de-stressed, and most return again and again to enjoy the tranquillity of this tropical island paradise.

Other ports of calls include:

Bonaire, Curacao, Ocho Rios (Jamaica), Grand Turk, Grenada, Tortola, St Vincent, Catalina Islands, Tobago.

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