Seven-Night Eastern Caribbean Cruise with Stops at St. John’s, San Juan, and Nassau

The eastern Caribbean contains a cluster of islands famous for their beautiful white-sand beaches, warm waters, and spectacular marine life. The tropical scenery and Caribbean’s highly regarded tourist industry make the region one of the world’s top vacation destinations for families and couples alike. On this seven-night luxury cruise, you’ll visit Antigua, Barbuda, and Puerto Rico before heading to the Atlantic to stop in the Bahamas. This getaway includes all meals aboard the ship, and guests can choose from more than 30 various excursions along the way. Click here to see the itinerary and some of the optional excursions.

The MSC Poesia will depart from Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, on Saturday, April 6. You’ll spend the next two days at sea en route to St. John’s, Antigua. With two pool areas, a gaming casino, a zen garden, and a 12,000 square-foot spa, the ship provides plenty to do—and that’s not even mentioning the five restaurants, which serve a wide range of cuisines. Daily shows and performances also keep guests entertained.

Day 3: St. John’s, Antigua, and Barbuda

The tour starts with a visit to St. John’s, the first European settlement on the island of Antigua, dating back to the mid-17th century. According to the locals, there are 365 beaches scattered across the island—one for every day of the year—and many of them are clustered around the bays near St. John’s. From these powder-white stretches of sand, you can admire views of the surrounding cliffs and lush tropical landscapes.

Optional Excursions: The Antigua Highlights tour takes guests to Nelson’s Dockyard, a beautifully restored, 18th-century naval station named after the legendary British officer Admiral Lord Nelson, who lived there for a few years. You could also swim with stingrays in their natural environment or go horseback riding along a Caribbean beach.

Day 5: San Juan, Puerto Rico

San Juan is home to some of the Caribbean’s best-preserved Spanish architecture, including three major fortresses and several 16th-century homes. You can explore Old Town’s cobblestone streets and colonial-era plazas. San Juan is also a great spot to sample authentic Latin American cuisine, such as mofongo, a mix of mashed plantains, garlic, and chicken.

Optional Excursions: The only tropical rainforest in the U.S. National Forest system, El Yunque National Forest features waterfalls, wild orchids, and unique petroglyphs, which you’ll see during a 4.5-hour driving tour. More active pursuits include a river kayak tour through protected mangroves, and a ziplining canopy adventure through tropical forests.

Day 7: Nassau, Bahamas

This bustling port city on the Bahamas’ New Providence island is a potpourri of pink, Georgian-style buildings, twinkling casinos, and acclaimed seafood restaurants. There are more than a dozen white-sand beaches on Nassau Paradise Island, where you can snorkel through shipwrecks and miles of offshore coral reefs.

Optional Excursions: The Discover Atlantis excursion includes a guided tour through The Dig, an underground replica of ancient Atlantis, which is lined with huge windows so you can see the sharks, barracuda, and other marine life outside. You could get an even closer look at native sea creatures during a dolphin-swim adventure at Dolphin Cay.