This is the perfect introductory cruise for Caribbean newcomers. It offers a taste of everything you’d expect in the tropics. During the golden age of seafaring, European nations battled for their place in the sun, leaving cultural footprints wherever they landed. There’s evidence everywhere you look. The sleepy Dutch islands reveal a gold-mine of artifacts and legends for divers and history buffs … The British colonies exude an air of relaxed sophistication amidst a tropical explosion of foliage and elegant architecture … And only the French isles greet the day with croissants and espresso. Chic boutiques and cafés line the avenue where the village baker sells warm baguettes for holiday-makers to whisk away on scooters. Geographically, the islands are as different as mangos and coconuts. Some are volcanic; bursting from the sea, their peaks are perpetually shrouded in clouds. Other islands are mountainous and smothered in rainforest; while Anguilla’s silken beaches barely rise above the waves.

Anguilla
This is where the slogan “life’s a beach” was coined. Anguilla’s thirty-three powdery white-sand beaches are excellent for walking, swimming or simply sipping rum daiquiris. The water in Anguilla is phenomenal: fading from cobalt blue to jade green to pale turquoise, the colors are otherworldly. You can stroll for miles and not see another soul ... truly blissful.

Nevis     Tours & Excursions
Almost completely circular, Nevis’ green slopes rise in sweeping curves to the central and only summit. From a distance, Nevis looks like a snow-capped mountain, but it’s just clouds and mist hovering around Nevis Peak. Charlestown is a well-preserved village: plantation estates and eighteenth century buildings decorated with gingerbread trim tell the story of a bygone era. An interesting zoning law states that no buildings may be taller than the palm trees. We love that!

Saba     Tours & Excursions
Welcome to the perfect hideaway! This should be the island for anyone enrolled in a witness protection program–no one would ever find you here! The island shoots 800 feet straight out of the sea, girdled by a sheer wall of rock. The aforementioned cliffs are one of Saba’s incredible natural features. There is no shoreline: hence, no beaches. Visitors come here for the hiking, diving, bird watching, and hammock lounging. Saba’s “Stairwell” hikes are famous. One such hike scales 1,064 stone steps to the crest of Mount Scenery at 2,855 feet.

Sint Maarten     Tours & Excursions
You’re not seeing double, Sint Maarten/Saint Martin is home to two sovereign nations. The Dutch side offers water sports, gambling, and duty-free shopping. Cross the invisible border to the French side where you can dine at quaint bistros or leisurely stroll the beaches–averting your eyes if au naturel is not your style. Be active or simply let the jasmine breeze melt your cares away on this tropical island that’s twice-as-nice.

St. Barthelemy (St. Barts)     Tours & Excursions
When touring this arid and hilly island, you might dine alfresco at a village cafe or at a beachside table for “deux.” You’ll feel every bit the foreigner here as French is the lingua franca. Buzzing scooters topped with tanned twenty-somethings on their way to the beach look more like tourists at the French Riviera. And, at times, you’ll think you never left the Mother Country: French food, wine, fashion and all things imported (including rumbling Peugeots) grace the landscape. St. Barts is a quintessentially chi-chi, celebrity island–a totally different Caribbean experience.

St. Kitts     Tours & Excursions
This is one of the last places in the world where the rainforest is expanding! Unlike other islands where traditional lifestyles have been stamped out by mass tourism, St. Kitts boasts a thriving West Indian culture. Her lush and forested slopes rise gracefully to mist-shrouded peaks. A worthwhile site for history buffs, the imposing 17th century fortress (Brimstone Hill) looms over green fields of sugar cane and banana trees. The capital, BasseTerre, is a bustling hub and interesting mish-mash of architectural styles.

Tintamarre
A deserted island all to yourself? We found one, and the beach is an ideal setting for Windjammer’s Rum Swizzle soirée. This beautiful beach has been molded into a perfect crescent shape by eons of caressing waves. If curiosity gets the better of you, take a walkabout and you’ll discover that the island is home to a large colony of hermit crabs. Where do you think we get them for our crab races? Animal activists need not worry: we handle crabs with love, and we always set them free.

St. Eustatius (Statia)
Between 1493 and 1700 Statia traded hands among rivaling European powers 22 times. The leeward coast is littered with hundreds of shipwrecks, and divers are still finding artifacts. Tiny Statia functioned as a Dutch trading post and was one of the richest ports in the Americas. The least known of the Dutch Windward trio, Statia is the sleeper. The main town of Oranjestad has a couple of oceanfront pubs and not much else–but therein lies its charm. Hikers have the unique opportunity of exploring the crater of an extinct volcano named The Quill.