Caribbean Cruise: the Antilles aboard small premium ships

There are many ways to discover the islands of the Caribbean. There is only one we dislike: being washed up on a small cay alongside four thousand others, its magic already gone the moment a floating tower block appears on the horizon. And so we travel with small ships and few guests.

The Star Flyer lies at anchor a respectful distance off the White Bay of Jost Van Dyke, her silhouette slender against the light. The tender carries us to the beach, stepping out into ankle-deep water, warm fine sand underfoot, the sea turquoise. The crew has long since set up a barbecue, and three hundred metres on the Soggy Dollar Bar is pouring its famous Painkiller. In the late afternoon the last transfer brings us back aboard. In the soft evening light the anchor comes up, the sails fall, and the ship sets her course into the evening.

This is how we most love to travel, whether under sail or aboard a small cruise ship. The Caribbean is not one region but an arc of hundreds of islands, each with its own language, its own music, its own rum. Antigua with its 365 beaches and historic English Harbour. St. Barth, where French elegance meets Caribbean ease. The Grenadines with the Tobago Cays, an anchorage among the reefs where the water is so clear you can see the seabed beneath the ship. Bequia, Les Saintes, the Pitons of St. Lucia rising straight from the sea. These are places a large ship greets only from afar.

This is precisely what the small ships are made for. Silversea and Ponant sail the Caribbean with vessels for a few hundred guests, not a few thousand. That changes everything: they berth in smaller harbours, go ashore where the megaliners cannot reach, and return in the evening to a ship that feels more like a yacht than a holiday resort. Ponant brings French style and a cuisine that deserves the name; Silversea the quiet, all-encompassing luxury where everything is already included before you think to ask.

The routes mostly run from Fort-de-France, San Juan or Bridgetown through the Lesser Antilles, over a week, some longer, up to a good fortnight. The finest time is the European winter, from December to April, when the trade winds blow here and the fog settles back home.

Why book with ivent-sailing

With "Caribbean cruise" in particular, the web blurs everything into a mass product. We do the opposite: no surcharge over the cruise line, but independent advice and an honest word on which small ship suits you.

Fair prices

You pay not a single euro more than with the cruise line. We have agreed a commission with our partners.

Independent advice

We recommend the voyage that suits you, because we have no ship of our own to fill. In our consultation we can go into the small differences that make the experience yours.

Travel-security certificate under German law

With us you receive a travel-security certificate and book with insolvency and consumer protection under German travel law.

All-round package

If you wish, we arrange the whole experience including travel there and back.

The queens of the Caribbean: under sail

The Caribbean is the classic trade-wind cruising ground, and nowhere are the tall ships more beautiful than here. Aboard the Sea Cloud II and the Sea Cloud Spirit the crew still climb into the yards and set the sails by hand, canvas by canvas; when the ship then lies off the Grenadines under full sail, you understand why some guests never want to travel any other way.

The Royal Clipper of Star Clippers, the largest sailing ship in the world, sets her sails from the deck by winch: up to 5,000 square metres of canvas, more than half a football pitch. In a good following wind she makes up to 17 knots, around 30 kilometres per hour, and presents an overwhelming sight. Alongside her, the elegant yachts of Sailing Classics.

This is sailing cruising: the comfort of a small luxury ship, carried by the trade winds.

More in our sailing world: Caribbean Sailing Voyages.

Tell us what you dream of

Which ship, which route, which season, we settle that best in conversation. Without obligation and free of charge, and you book secured by the travel-security certificate under German law.

Your expert

Kristina Karg

Good to know

When is the best time to travel for a Caribbean cruise?

The European winter, December to April. It is dry, the trade winds blow pleasantly and the islands show themselves at their best. The main departures fall between December and March.

Which cruise lines sail the Caribbean with ivent?

As a cruise, chiefly Silversea and Ponant with small premium ships for a few hundred guests. Under sail, the tall ships of Sea Cloud, Star Clippers and Sailing Classics.

How does this differ from a large Caribbean cruise?

Our ships carry a few hundred guests rather than several thousand. They call at smaller islands and bays, feel more personal on board, and avoid the crowded megaliner harbours.

Which islands and harbours will I see?

Depending on the route, among them Antigua, St. Barth, St. Martin, Guadeloupe with Les Saintes, Martinique, St. Lucia with the Pitons, Barbados, the Grenadines with Bequia and the Tobago Cays, as well as the British Virgin Islands.

How long does a voyage last?

Usually seven nights, with longer variations of up to around eighteen nights.

What does a Caribbean cruise cost?

Voyages start from around EUR 2,380 per person; the price depends on the ship, the cabin category and the season.

Can I also experience the Caribbean under sail?

Yes, aboard the tall ships Sea Cloud and Royal Clipper and the yachts of Sailing Classics as a sailing cruise. More in our sailing world (Caribbean Sailing Voyages).

Caribbean Cruise