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1. Jamaica

On screen: Dr. No
Location: Jamaica
P&O Cruises port: Ocho Rios, Jamaica

The 1962 James Bond film Dr. No was notable for several reasons: it was Sean Connery’s first outing as Bond; it unveiled the now-iconic theme music; and it also introduced the first ‘Bond girl’, Ursula Andress as Honey Rider. The scene in which a bikini-clad Andress rises from the sea was shot at Laughing Waters near Pearly Beach, which you can visit on the 007 Private Beach Break shore experience. The film also introduces the first Bond villainess, Miss Taro, played by Zena Marshall. Miss Taro’s bungalow in Ocho Rios is now the Couples Sans Souci resort, though the building looks substantially different in its current incarnation.

 

View cruises to Ocho Rios here.

2. St Vincent

On screen: Pirates of the Caribbean
Location: St Vincent
P&O Cruises port: Kingstown, St Vincent
 

The beauty of the Caribbean vies with Johnny Depp for the starring role in the swashbuckling Disney series, one of the most successful film franchises of all time. St Vincent was the Caribbean production base for the films, and the fictional harbour of Port Royal was built at Wallilabou Bay, a picturesque port on the island’s west coast. The set was built around the Wallilabou Anchorage hotel and restaurant, which was transformed into the fictional village, and the hotel rooms were used as green rooms for the actors. The hotel has preserved the set, and the area is open to the public to explore; you can also live out your buccaneer dreams on the Coastal Cruise and Pirate Treasure Hunt shore experience, which passes by the set.

 

View cruises to St Vincent here.

3. Antigua and Barbuda

On screen: Rio music video, Duran Duran
Location: Antigua and Barbuda
P&O Cruises port: Antigua
 

Duran Duran’s ‘Rio’ was one of the biggest songs of the 1980s, and it had a slickly produced video to match. Images of the band dressed in Antony Price suits, wind in their feathered hair as they sail across a sparkling Caribbean sea, were symbolic of the glamour of the decade. The story goes that the band was holidaying on Antigua when their management suggested filming a music video for their new single. It was shot over three days in 1982, with scenes filmed in locations such as the bay at English Harbour and Shirley Heights, which you can see on your own high-flying adventure, the Antigua by Helicopter shore experience.

 

View cruises to Antigua and Barbuda here.

4. Guadeloupe

On screen: Death in Paradise
Location: Guadeloupe
P&O Cruises port: Guadeloupe
 

BBC crime drama series Death in Paradise has been puzzling viewers with whodunits since 2011. It’s set on the fictional island of Saint Marie in the town of Honoré, but the real-life location is the picture-perfect French overseas region of Guadeloupe. Filming primarily takes place in the commune of Deshaies on the northwest coast of Basse-Terre Island. Some of the most memorable locations include the church of St Peter and St Paul (Honoré Police Station in the series), La Kaz Restaurant and Le Madras (Catherine’s Bar in the series), and the detectives’ beach shack on La Perle beach, which is a full-scale set that’s taken down and reassembled each season. The Death in Paradise Tour & Beach shore experience is a must-do, whether you’re a fan of the show or simply a fan of stunning tropical scenery. 

 

View cruises to Guadeloupe here.

5. Martinique

On screen: The Thomas Crown Affair
Location: Martinique
P&O Cruises port: Fort-de-France, Martinique

When billionaire Thomas Crown (Pierce Brosnan) and investigator Catherine Banning (Rene Russo) escape to the Caribbean in the 1999 version of this romantic crime drama, they decide to hole up in a villa on the French island of Martinique. The house in the film is located in the district of Le Vauclin, overlooking the bijou Île Petite Grenade, and in real life is allegedly owned by a family whose descendants settled in Martinique in the 17th century. Fortunately, you don’t have to be a billionaire or stage an art heist to visit Martinique and enjoy its spoils – travel a little further down the coast for beautiful beaches such as Sainte-Anne, or explore its inland tropical rainforest.

 

View cruises to Martinique here.

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