South Caribbean

Fort-de-France, located on Martinique is the largest city in the French West Indies and it has personality to match. Life here is vibrant and fast-paced, and the culture is as colourful as the brightly painted shops that line the city’s cobblestone streets. Ships will dock at the port.

Top Things to Do in Fort-de-France:

• visit the Botanical Gardens
• join a rainforest hike to Absalon
• visit the Rum Distillery
• explore a banana plantation
• see the ruins of Chateau Dubuc
• take a helicopter flight over Martinique

Antigua and Barbuda beckon with their pristine beaches and vibrant history. For beach enthusiasts, Antigua presents a different shore for each day of the year, like the tranquil Half Moon Bay. Adventure seekers can explore the mysterious caves at Two Foot Bay in Barbuda, offering a glimpse into the island’s natural wonders.

History buffs will find Nelson’s Dockyard, a UNESCO World Heritage site in Antigua, a compelling visit, showcasing the island's rich naval history. For a unique experience, take a boat tour to the Frigate Bird Sanctuary in Barbuda, one of the world’s largest, to observe these magnificent birds in their natural habitat. Culinary explorers can delight in the local cuisine, with seafood and Creole dishes highlighting the islands’ cultural melting pot.

“One beach a day,” Antigua’s motto, refers to the island’s 365 beautiful beaches that are famous, secret or even set in volcanic craters. There’s a beach for every lifestyle, for those who are social and ones who seek solitude. When you arrive on an MSC Caribbean and Antilles cruise in the port of St. John’s, the capital and commercial centre of Antigua and Barbuda, embrace the city’s colourfully vi-brant houses dating to its British colonial period, along with the evocative white baroque towers of St. John's Cathedral, and the Fort James and Barrington fortresses.

The laid-back cosmopolitan city, with its distinctly British flair, is renowned for its shopping at luxury boutiques and high-end shopping malls. Beyond the city, book an MSC excursion to the historic Nelson's Dockyard in English Harbour, dedicated to Admiral Horatio Nelson, who was stationed in the West Indies be-tween 1784 and 1787.

The largest of the British Virgin Islands, Tortola is known for its shimmering beaches, oleander and hibiscus-covered mountainsides, and quaint towns tucked along coves. This early home to Blackbeard and Captain Kidd maintains its salty pirate legacy and rum-making traditions today. Ships will dock or anchor in Road Town Harbour.

Top Things to Do on Tortola:

• snorkel Anegada, the BVI’s only coral island
• hike Sage Mountain
• explore the Baths at Virgin Gorda
• take a catamaran to Jost Van Dyke Island

Road Town is located on Tortola, the largest of the British Virgin Islands. The island is known for its shimmering beaches, oleander and hibiscus-covered mountainsides, and quaint towns tucked along coves. This early home to Blackbeard maintains its pirate legacy and rum-making traditions today. Ships will dock or anchor in Road Town Harbour.

Top Things to Do on Tortola:

• snorkel Anegada, the BVI’s only coral island
• hike Sage Mountain
• explore the Baths at Virgin Gorda
• take a catamaran to Jost Van Dyke Island

Rolling golf courses unravel along pristine coastline while caves plunge deep into forest-coated mountains and fields of sugar cane wave in the sea breeze. La Romana opens up the Dominican Republic's charms and serves as a jumping-off point for the Cotubanamá National Park. Ships will dock at the cruise terminal.

Top Things to Do in La Romana:

• relax and play on Catalina Island
• spend the day in Santo Domingo
• explore the village of Altos de Chavón
• cruise the Chavón River
• tour the Dominican countryside