Caribbean Cruise

Tue 07 Dec - Southampton, United Kingdom

Departure day. [Wed 8 - Thur 9 Dec: at sea]

Fri 10 Dec - Lisbon, Portugal

Stretched across seven hills overlooking the River Tagus estuary, Portugal’s capital city of Lisbon is a collection of cobbled alleyways, pastel-coloured buildings, ancient ruins and white-domed cathedrals. The city was decimated by an earthquake in 1755, and modern Lisbon has been shaped by that eventful day. The Pombaline architecture that now defines the city represents some of the first seismically-protected buildings in Europe. [Sat 11 Dec: at sea]

Sun 12 Dec - Funchal, Madeira, Portugal

Funchal, the capital of Portugal's Madeiran archipelago, has a timeless olde-worlde charm. Enhanced by a subtropical climate that fills this 'floating garden' with the year-round colours and perfumes of flowers and fruit, Funchal was a favourite of Sir Winston Churchill. [Mon 13 - Sat 18 Dec: at sea]

Sun 19 Dec - Philipsburg, St Maarten, Netherlands Antilles

Philipsburg is the capital of the Dutch half of St. Maarten, amicably shared between Holland and France for centuries. Front Street, Philipsburg’s long main street, is festooned with shops but the alleys and courtyards down to Back Street are also worth exploring. There are some stylish restaurants, but the Lo-Lo huts, which sell grilled chicken, fish and cakes from home-made barbecues, are great for a cheap snack of authentic Caribbean food. The charming sandy beach, studded with colourful clapboard restaurants and outdoor cafés, is accessible via water taxi.

Mon 20 Dec - Basseterre, St Kitts

With some of the oldest colonial buildings in the Caribbean, the elegant St. Kitts & Nevis capital of Basseterre is a beautiful town bursting with history. Established by the French in the 17th century, and claimed by the British following the Napoleonic War, much of Basseterre’s original Georgian architecture still stands. Worth a visit are: the domed Old Treasury Building on the waterfront (now the National Museum), the Victorian Berkeley Memorial Clock and St George’s Anglican church.

Tue 21 Dec - Basse-Terre, Guadeloupe

Basse-Terre, the main city on the island of the same name, is the administrative capital of French overseas region Guadeloupe. It is the ideal place from which to explore all of the natural beauty that the island has to offer. Separated from Grand-Terre by a narrow river, the island of Basse-Terre is an ecological paradise, with the sprawling Parc National de la Guadeloupe in the centre of the island and one of the country’s most glorious beaches in the north.

Wed 22 Dec - Bridgetown, Barbados

With its balmy climate, buzzing atmosphere, glorious azure waters and incredible beaches, Bridgetown is a tropical city that epitomises paradise. This very British Caribbean island is a favourite with tourists. The city’s streets are lined with shops, boutiques, street vendors, bars and places to eat. End of cruise and return to UK.