Caribbean cruises: Sail with Princess Cruises for world famous beaches and unspoiled coral reef

Hop across a special selection of the 7,000-plus islands that make up the Caribbean for a cruise brimming with stunning weather, turquoise water, white-sand beaches and Caribbean culture that you’ll fall in love with.

So, whether you simply want to relax, reconnect with loved ones or just top up your tan, a Caribbean cruise is your answer.

And Princess Cruises brings you a unique Caribbean experience, with the line’s private island – Princess Cays, late-night stays in the likes of St. Thomas and St. Maarten, as well as the Rhythm of the Caribbean programme, which brings the vibrance of the Caribbean to you with music and local cuisine onboard.

There’s a reason why the Caribbean remains the top destination for cruise travellers, according to ‘The State of the Cruise Industry 2023’ report by CLIA, with Princess Cruises offering countless tempting itineraries.

And it’s not just beautiful beaches and sipping on coconuts – the Caribbean features 22 UNESCO World Heritage Sites, towering mountains such as 10,417-foot Duarte Peak and, yes, lots of rum – especially in Cuba, who produces more brands of rum than any other Caribbean Island.

In fact, Princess Cruises sails to the Caribbean year-round. December to April is the peak season for Caribbean cruising, with the best weather and local festivals occurring then.

But cruising the Caribbean in May to October comes with the benefit of quietness and increases your chance of getting a good deal – the only solution must be to cruise the Caribbean all year round (right?).

Dive into some of the stand-out reasons to cruise the Caribbean here…

Relax on the best beaches in the world

It’s not a cruise without relaxing on a beach, right?

Well, luckily for you, Princess Cruises’ Caribbean itineraries whisk you away to some of the most beautiful beaches in the world.

Take Roatan, Honduras, for example. As the largest of the Bay Islands of Honduras, this island offers warm Caribbean waters framing unspoilt beaches.

West Bay Beach in Roatan is made up of a mile-long white-sand coastline decorated with palm trees, where you can simply relax or take part in a water sports activity as you please.

We recommend going snorkelling to find fascinating coral formations which lie a short distance from the shore and – to make things even more relaxing – Princess Cruises offer transportation, with all the information you’ll need, to and from West Bay beach in a handy excursion package.

The sun worshippers amongst us can celebrate as Princess Cruises offer late night departures on selected Caribbean ports – so you can spend the entire day relaxing at the beach before enjoying a freshly-caught seafood dinner on the beachfront – are we in heaven?

One of these late-departure destinations is St Thomas, Virgin Islands – also known as the shopping capital of the Caribbean, as you can enjoy duty-free goods.

But it’s not just the shopping that will pull you in, you can embrace the laid-back lifestyle in St Thomas at the beach.

Perhaps spend your day exploring Fort Christian, the second oldest synagogue in the Western Hemisphere, then relaxing at one of the countless gorgeous beaches with scuba diving activities, or perhaps hitting the impressive golf courses before enjoying the nightlife – all made possible due to the late-night departure.

Last, but certainly not least, a must-do is Princess Cruises’ very own private island – Princess Cays in the Bahamas.

Bask in the exclusivity of a private white-sand beach party, surrounded by your fellow cruise lovers – what could be better?

And you'll be able to bring one of the best parts of your cruise along with you, your Medallion. You can use your handy wearable device to purchase items at Princess Cays without having to worry about local currency.

At 100 miles long and only two miles wide, the private resort isn’t just ‘beach’, you can indulge in a complimentary beach barbecue, browse the local craft market, play a game of volleyball and even go on a banana boat ride.

We love the idea of the 'Stingray Beach Encounter' excursion where you'll learn how to safely interact with stingrays before getting into the water to feel their silky bodies stroke against your legs, trust us – they are more friendly then they look.

And your fellow guests love this excursion, with one review reading "The stingrays were amazing! We got to touch and even kiss a stingray. I highly recommend this excursion. I would definitely do it again."

Embrace Caribbean culture and history

If you can tear yourself away from the picture-perfect beaches, the Caribbean also possesses an amazing history.

Nelson’s Dockyard is a stand-out, as Antigua’s original British maritime hub (built in 1752) which has been resorted to its former glory – perfect for cruise enthusiasts. Despite it being a British naval yard, it was built by Antiguans, serving as a base for the English naval squadron in patrolling the West Indies.

And Caribbean culture is something you’ll never forget – take Falmouth in Jamaica for example, where you can take advantage of Princess Cruises’ ‘Local Connections’ excursion ‘Local Connections: Authentic Rastafari Encounter With Cultural Expert’.

Here you can enjoy the music, art and food of the Rastafari from a member of the Rastafari community themselves. Take away the amazing message of living your life in harmony with nature as you spend the day being a part of everyday life in the village – cultivating crops and engaging in age-old crafts like drum carving and soap making. You’ll finish this excursion with an authentic ‘ital’ meal – made up of locally grown vegetables with herbs and spices, yum.

And the cultural experience isn’t restricted to off board, onboard you can look forward to the ‘Rhythm of the Caribbean’ programme, which brings the vibrance of the Caribbean to you. From mouth-watering food fresh from the island to Caribbean festivals where you can party like a local.

Explore like never before with Princess Cruises

Just picture it – zooming through the trees on a zip line from the top of Mount Isabel de Torres in the Dominican Republic or scuba diving amongst the fish in Aruba.

So, it’s no surprise that for those who love adventure and natural beauty, the Caribbean is your answer, with only around two per cent of the islands in the Caribbean being inhabited by people.

In ports of call such as Amber Cove, Dominican Republic, natural beauty appears in abundance where you can adventure to the top of Mount Isabel de Torres to admire the impressive Christ the Redeemer statue.

And in St Thomas, you can play every sport imaginable – snorkelling, golfing, hiking and sailing. For the best views, Princess Cruises brings you to Paradise Point via aerial cable car – 700 feet above the sea.

Or for those who are self-confessed hike-lovers, then we recommend you try out Princess Cruises’ ‘Rainforest Walk, Romney Manor & Caribelle Batik’ excursion in St Kitts, where you’ll discover a plethora of fascinating tropical plants on a guided hike through the rainforest, alongside batik-making and taking advantage of your knowledgeable guide before lapping up local fruit juices, fruit and pastries.

So, if you’re going to dip into the Caribbean, then go with Princess Cruises – they are called destination experts for a reason.