12-Day Eastern Caribbean: Barbados, St. Lucia & St. Kitts

There is an abundance of things to see and do in the Ft. Lauderdale area: visit the newly redesigned Ft. Lauderdale Beach and cafes, stroll the historic Riverwalk, shop the luxurious stores on Las Olas Boulevard or adventure to the Everglades for an intriguing air boat excursion.

Philipsburg is the capital of Sint Maarten, the Dutch side of the Caribbean island Saint Martin. Beachfront bars line the boardwalk along Great Bay. Voorstraat, or Front Street, has duty-free shops and casinos. The St. Maarten Zoo is home to parrots, monkeys and a playground. Sint Maarten Museum displays artifacts from the indigenous Arawak people. The ruins of 17th-century Fort Amsterdam stand on a nearby peninsula.

Barbadians, or Bajans in local parlance, consider their island nation the most British of the Caribbean: Queen Elizabeth II is still head of state, and English products are stocked in many of its stores and restaurants. Barbados is known as the birthplace of international pop star Rihanna, but it has also produced some of the biggest Caribbean calypso and soca music stars. The summer Crop Over festival is a huge carnival event. With live music and crafts for sale, the popular Friday fish fry at Oistins Bay is a fun place to mingle with the locals. Centered around a waterway called the Careenage and its handsome Chamberlain Bridge, the historic center of Bridgetown, the country's capital, was granted UNESCO World Heritage status in 2011 for its wealth of British colonial architecture dating from the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries. Among the famous figures who visited Bridgetown when it was at its peak was none other than George Washington, who spent two months in 1751 in a house that still stands today, on his only trip abroad. Barbados is only 34 kilometers (21 miles) long, and even if your time is limited, you can explore much of the island using Bridgetown as your base. The less populated, rugged east coast of this coral island is strikingly beautiful and home to a number of different turtle species. The west coast, often nicknamed the "Platinum Coast," is where you'll find some of the island's most popular beaches and biggest mansions. The interior, with its 340-meter-high (1,115-foot-high) Mount Hillaby, historic sugar plantations and lush gardens, will lure you away from the beach for a few hours.

Perched on the hillsides above the Southern Caribbean Sea, Scarborough was the site of numerous territorial disputes between England, France, and the Dutch Republic; the island gained independence in 1962. Explore Fort King George, an 18th century fortification and historic and archaeological museum; discover rare flora at the Botanical Gardens and Orchid House; and shop for local crafts and taste treats at the local market.

Stunning mountain peaks, lush rainforest, and perfectly turquoise water. Discover this Caribbean gem on a Cruise to St. Lucia. This Caribbean island offers a unique opportunity to immerse yourself in the raw power of Mother Nature at her finest. On a Cruise to St. Lucia, visit the only drive-in volcano in the world, explore the natural wonders of the wild or simply relax with a good book on an even better beach. St Lucia truly has it all. Book a Caribbean cruise and discover St. Lucia's sandy white beaches, vibrant tropical foliage, and authentic island food.

St. Kitts and Nevis are a pair of islands that form a single Eastern Caribbean nation. Ripe with historical sites, the larger St. Kitts passed hands among the Spanish, French and English, with the latter establishing the strongest foothold. The architecture and layout of its capital city, Basseterre, are all typically British. And the island's sprawling, colonial-era plantations are a reminder of the tumultuous history of the tobacco, rum, sugar and slave trades that were here for generations. Beyond its rich past, St. Kitts offers golden-sand beaches for relaxing, a lush jungle interior that welcomes heart-pumping adventure, laid-back bars with fantastic sunset views and restaurants serving up über-local fare.

One of the first things you’ll notice on your Key West cruise is the colorful gingerbread wooden houses and the amazing sunsets, and the constant crowing of roosters. Hundreds of the noisy birds—along with their quieter-clucking mates—roam the streets at all hours, and are nearly as synonymous with Key West cruises as its six-toed cats, the famous furry residents of Ernest Hemingway’s mansion in the Old Town district. They’re all part of the quirky charm of the United States' southernmost point, whose compact 11 square kilometers (4.2 square miles) pack in everything from gorgeous historic architecture and spectacular fishing and sailing to a raucous party scene along famed Duval Street. All of which is truly enjoyed by vacationers who cruise to Key West, Florida.

There is an abundance of things to see and do in the Ft. Lauderdale area: visit the newly redesigned Ft. Lauderdale Beach and cafes, stroll the historic Riverwalk, shop the luxurious stores on Las Olas Boulevard or adventure to the Everglades for an intriguing air boat excursion.