So you want to go to Caribbean? There are many islands to visit, especially in the southern Caribbean region. Out of all the possible island destinations, Barbados in the West Indies is one of the most popular, and for good reason. It’s beautify white pinkish beaches meet the edge of the light blue colored Atlantic ocean, creating the well known sight of Barbados’ perfect coastlines.

Barbados cruises are a perfect way to travel to the island for the first time, with many cruise operators available, including well known cruise companies such as Carnival cruises, Crystal cruises, Orient cruises, Windstar Cruiselines, and Royal Caribbean cruises, to name but a few.

Almost all of these cruises stop at the Barbados port of Bridgetown which is situated on the West Coast area of the island. The Barbados cruise terminal, cruise port, is where all the big Barbados cruise ships stop to drop of their cargo of keen tourists, and it is located conveniently close to the capital, Bridgetown. The port is located only 14 miles away from Bridgetown, so if Barbados is your final destination on your holiday list you can spend your final hours relaxing and enjoying the full splendor of the town.

There are many tourist hotspots that everyone should visit when they get a chance – there are so many things to do that it will be nigh on impossible to do everything on a single cruise visit. Highlights include the Careenage River, the Parliamentary buildings, the Cenotaph, and the Lord Nelson statue – all of which you have probably heard of before, so there is no need to do any explaining! This is but just a small list of what the island has to offer, and you won’t believe just how much there is to do once you get there.

Depending on your age, it can be difficult to know which cruise line to choose to match your outlook on life. If you are in your 20’s or 30’s then the Carnival cruise lines will be better suited to your needs. Carnival concentrates on a younger and more active audience, with a range of fun activities on board their flagship, the “Carnival Destiny”. Recently refurbished, this ship offers a weeklong trip around the Southern Caribbean islands, stopping en route at the other following destinations: Dominica, St. Thomas, St. Lucia, Antigua, and Puerto Rico. Start and end destinations are in Barbados. Carnival are the most popular cruise company in the region, with a reputation for creating interesting and enjoyable pastimes and activities for passenger to enjoy on their cruise to Barbados. Their departure times vary slightly each year, so be sure to check the Barbados cruise ship schedule to plan your holiday around the various island locations.

Another very popular cruise from Barbados is the Princess line of cruise ships. If you in your mid 30’s and above and are looking for a touch of class and romance then choosing this cruise company is a great choice. If you are planning a romantic honeymoon then choosing the Princess line of cruises is one of the best ways to see and enjoy the island, and it is probably the most romantic Caribbean cruise from Barbados.

It cannot be overstated enough, but there really is just so much to see and do in Barbados that you will definitely want to stay for a few days if possible. If you are an active person, you will get great enjoyment from the many sports on offer, including windsurfing, scuba diving, hiking, cricket (of course), and you can even play a game of golf on the island! You will ideally want to rent a car in Barbados if you want to avoid the cruise enforced activities, and the local tourist information center on the island will be able to help you out. Find and experience one of the most perfect locations in the world – experience Barbados!

If you are planning to visit Barbados on a cruise liner, you are in for an amazing treat. The tropical island paradise has sunny beaches and coral reefs that will make you feel as though you have arrived in heaven. Arriving as the Barbados cruise terminal, in the capital city, Bridgetown, you can look forward to visiting many beautiful places on your stay.

If you are not familiar with the term stay and cruise, it means that you can spend a week or a few days cruising around in a luxury cruise ship, in this case around the Southern Caribbean islands, and then stay in a hotel much like a traditional holiday to get the benefits that staying in a conventional building offers. You will be able to soak up the atmosphere of Barbados at the same time as enjoying the amenities that are present on a modern cruise ship. It’s the best of both worlds!

Where should you stay in Barbados, I hear you ask? Well the tourism industry has been booming over here, with on average an increase of 10 percent more visitors arriving at the cruise port every year, even through the recent difficult times. The list of hotels on offer are extensive, with some of the more popular (not to mention luxurious!) choices being: Turtle beach resort, Sothern Palm, beach, Angler Apartments, Hotel Accra beach, Hotel Divi Heritage Beach, Hotel treasure beach, and, of course, the Barbados Hilton hotel. As you can probably tell from the titles of these hotels, a lot of them are located on the beachfront, and by using one of these during your Barbados stay and cruise holiday you can be sure of a much quieter and mellow atmosphere than is present on the public areas. If peace and comfort are one of the main items you are looking for, be sure to choose a Barbados beach hotel that has a good reputation.

Almost all Barbados tour operators offer cruise and stay holidays, so if you give them a call you should be able to get a good quote for fortnight’s stay plus a Barbados cruise. Don’t forget that Barbados is a luxury holiday destination, so you will be easily be able to play the tour operators off against each other if you get enough quotes. The choice of cruise liner is up to you, but Carnival Cruises comes recommended by a lot of people. As usual, it is best to indicate to the tour operator exactly what kind of vacation you are after, and they will recommend a hotel and cruise liner that will match what you are looking for. Going on a honeymoon or are you after something a little bit more romantic than a standard holiday? Tell the operator exactly what you are after and they should do their best to respect your request. You can look forward to the vacation of a lifetime in Barbados!

If you are travelling to Barbados as a holiday destination you are in for a surprise! With its calm pale blue waters and white sandy beaches, the star of this tropical island in the West Indies is rising, and it has been doing so for many years. Now is an ideal time to visit this paradise, as there are more activities and excursions available than ever before.

Everyone knows that you can get cruises to Barbados, but did you know that you can also find many independent cruises as well? Tiami cruises allow you to spend a day on one of 5 catamarans on the island, and on this cruise from Barbados you will also be treated to a relaxing day out on one of these spacious vessels, including a luxury lunch which is rated as being 5-stars. You will also get the chance to swim with the much-loved sea turtles of the island, and do a little bit of snorkeling on the side to add to your already loaded itinerary.

You really do have to see the amazing and awe-inspiring scenery as you take in this dream trip, soaking up the rays as you do so. Do not worry if a day in the sun does not appeal to you, since there is ample shade provided in the luxury cabin on-board, where you can relax with friends and family – with a drink from the indoor bar of course!

If lunch does not appeal to your tastes, perhaps because you are more of a night person, or maybe because you are looking for something a little bit more romantic, then you should look to the Evening Sunset cruise, which takes place a little bit later (hotel transfers are included), so that you can watch the sun go down from the sky as you stand on-deck with your choice of deliciously refreshing cocktails in hand. There are many Caribbean Barbados cruises but very few of them can match what is surely a day and night to treasure.

The Tiami cruises are one of the most popular tourist attractions on the island, so it is in your best interest to book early to avoid disappointment. You can contact the Tiami team on (246) 427-7245.

Another up and coming catamaran cruise operator that is rapidly gaining in popularity is Calablaza catamaran cruises – this offers much the same deal as Tiami, but this operator restricts the number of passengers to 12 per ship. This is ideal if you want something a little bit more personal to add to your holiday.

A catamaran cruise is a MUST HAVE when it comes to your vacation – there are many other cruises in Barbados, but there are none that are quite as memorable!

If you are new to the cruise industry and are planning your very first cruise to the Caribbean, there are a few pointers that you should know about. Barbados is one of the killer destinations in the cruise industry because it is frequently associated with luxury and comfort, something which is also associated with cruises in general. So the two go hand in hand and make a good partnership.

If you are a first timer to cruises in general then you should know what a cruise typically involves. Typically, the cruise ship will stop at one or two destinations, allowing you to visit them and get a brief look at the sights and attractions, before coming back on-board for your accommodation at night. The cruise activity organizer will plan out your daily activities if you wish, with day trips and other things to do being entirely optional. Cruises are a great way to get a little taste of what destinations offer, and many people return to their favorite destinations for a traditional holiday in a later year if they particularly enjoy it.

Moving on to Barbados companies specifically, the nation is particularly well services by all of the Southern Caribbean cruise operators and it may also feature as a one off destination on some Eastern Caribbean ones too. Royal Caribbean and Carnival cruises are the best known ones. Before contacting the company, you should know in advance what extras you desire in your cabin. A lot of cruise ships do not have televisions in each cabin, for example. This may come as a surprise if you are used to the comforts of a modern hotel. But if you call up and specifically ask for one, the company will usually locate you in a cabin that has does have a flatscreen. You should not have to pay for anything else on top of the main price – entertainment, meals and short-stay activities should all be covered under the ticket price.
In Barbados you will find the atmosphere to be so relaxed compared to western countries. The residents there all seem to have a relaxed “it can wait till tomorrow” attitude. The cruise should be able to help you out for any of your Barbados rental needs, for example if you need to hire a car or a villa out (although this is probably better suited to cruise and stay holidays) – the cruise director should be able to arrange everything for you! So take a step forward and look for your first holiday in the tropic escape that is this beautiful island. When you are spending time on butterfly beach or Paynes bay on a gorgeous sunny day you will be glad you took your first of many Barbados cruises.

Many people often ask what most optimal time is to vacation in the Southern Caribbean islands, of which Barbados is a part of. The answer depends on a lot of distinct factors, but it can be broken down further if you were to rephrase the question and direct it back at yourself – best time for what? Ask yourself if you are really looking for the cheapest time to travel to this amazing tropical escape or if you are looking for the time when the weather is best, and the days are longest.

If you are looking for the best deals on travelling there ,  then look for deals on offer from the major cruise operators during the hurricane season. Now don’t worry, you are unlikely to encounter any hurricanes in Barbados –they only appear every 26 years or so, and even then it is highly unlikely that if one were to form, it would pass directly over the island. Take advantage of fact that almost all tour operators drop their prices on Barbados cruises due to the incorrect public perception that Barbados is likely to be hit by one.  The main reason for this is that they are too far East for the storms to still have any power by the time they get to the island.

Barbados in a tropical island very close to the equator, so the days are always bright and sunny no matter what time of the year you visit, with equal lengths of the day being bright and dark respectively.  The trade winds that blow constantly on the island mean that you should never feel too hot and uncomfortable.

So it really is down to what the best time of the year suits you time wise. I’ve listed the events below that usually take place each year; you can use this to determine if there is anything you would like to visit:

January: Jazz Festival, African Dance festival, Barbados Windsurfing championship

March: Opera season, Barbados Gold Cup,

April: Fish festival, Senior games (over 40’s only!), Barbados reggae festival

May: Twenty20 Cricket Tournament – this will be busy!  , Sol Rally

July: Crop over carnival, water party

August: Kadooment Day, Hockey festival,

November – Rum and beer festival, surfing championships, Cricket Legends of Barbados International Cup

December – Christmas & marathon run

So, as you can see, there is never a month that goes by in Barbados without something going on. Barbadians love their festivals, and their sporting events – take a cruise to Barbados this year and join in on the fun!