About the cruise

Set sail for the balmy shores of the Caribbean on this 22-night adventure to paradise. On your way, you can enjoy a day in Vigo. Lose yourself in its historic heart, amongst the narrow cobbled streets and alleyways, or follow the pilgrims to the impressive cathedral of Santiago de Compostela. Your first stop in the idyllic Caribbean is Antigua, an island fantasy made real. You will find charming people, flawless weather and an attitude towards life that is totally relaxed. Even Nelson’s Dockyard, where Horatio once served, seems charming and peaceful now. With a different beach here for every day of the year, you are bound to discover the perfect spot to soak up the sun. Tortola is the largest of the British Virgin Islands, and even more easy-going. Her sister island, Virgin Gorda is famed for the Baths - a collection of vast boulders, which, tumbling into the sea, form a series of grottoes and rock pools to explore. The mother colony of the Caribbean, St. Kitts was colonised by the British as early as 1623, although we argued over the island with the French until 1783, when it was officially declared British.

St Lucia’s thrilling blend of Caribbean, African and French cultures, is unique. This blend of cultures means that the people here are chic, worldly-wise and savvy. Even the food reflects the island’s mixed parentage, with luscious local ingredients being given a spicy Creole twist. It also has a landscape of wild untamed beauty, with mountains, forests and rivers culminating in the dazzling emerald spires of Les Pitons. Dominica was so named because Columbus discovered the island on a Sunday. When he arrived it was populated by Carib Indians and today around 3,000 Caribs still survive on Dominica, living a traditional life on a special reserve. The most easterly island in the Caribbean, Barbados is the quintessential calypso isle. Fine beaches and body-heat waters, you would expect, more surprising though, is the strong British influence. While reggae may be the national music, cricket remains the national sport. The capital of Madeira, Funchal, has an abundance of natural delights with a picturesque backdrop of imposing mountains and deep valleys. Famed for its scenic splendours, stunning clifftop waterfalls, verdant pine forests and flora-covered mountains. You will arrive back in Southampton on Sunday 9 November.