Caribbean Cruise Holidays

The Caribbean enjoys particularly good weather when the UK is at its coldest - so why not ditch the dowdy cosy wear for your brightest cossies! Our cruise ships sail the Caribbean through the winter months of November until March. 

The Caribbean islands are split into two main time zones:

4 hours behind UK before Daylight Savings Time, and 5 hours behind during Daylight Savings Time: Antigua and Barbuda, Aruba, The Bahamas, Barbados, Bonaire, Curaçao, Dominica, Grenada, Guadeloupe, Martinique, Puerto Rico, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, St Martin, Saint Vincent, Trinidad and Tobago, Turks and Caicos Islands, US Virgin Islands.

6 hours behind UK before Daylight Savings Time, and 7 hours behind during Daylight Savings Time: Belize and Honduras 

There are several currencies in the Caribbean. Here are the currencies that you may use:

Aruban Florin (AWG): Aruba

Bahamian Dollar (BSD) (and US Dollars widely accepted): The Bahamas  

Barbadian Dollar (BBD): Barbados

Belize Dollar (BZD): Belize

East Caribbean Dollar (XCD): Antigua and Barbuda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Dominica, Grenada, Saint Vincent

Euro (EUR) (and US Dollars often accepted): Guadeloupe, Martinique, St Martin

Lempira (HNL): Honduras

Netherlands Antillean guilder (ANG): Curaçao

Trinidad and Tobago Dollar (TTD): Trinidad and Tobago

United States Dollar (USD): Bonaire, Turks and Caicos Islands, US Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico

The Caribbean is made up of thousands (approximately 7,000!) paradise islands - many of them of course are small islets, however there are 13 sovereign island nations and 12 dependent territories, all offering something unique to discover. On a Caribbean adventure with us you can explore: Antigua and Barbuda, Aruba, The Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Bonaire, Curaçao, Dominica, Grenada, Guadeloupe, Honduras, Martinique, Puerto Rico, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, St Martin, Saint Vincent, Trinidad and Tobago, Turks and Caicos Islands, US Virgin Islands

Several languages are spoken in the Caribbean - you’ll hear these languages in the following countries:

English: Antigua and Barbuda, The Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Dominica, Grenada, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent, Trinidad and Tobago, Turks and Caicos Islands, US Virgin Islands

English, French and Dutch: St Martin

Dutch and Papiamento: Aruba, Bonaire

Dutch, Papiamento and English: Curaçao

French: Guadeloupe, Martinique

Spanish: Honduras

Spanish and English: Puerto Rico 

When sailing to the Caribbean on our cruise ships you can enjoy a blissful holiday of 7-35 nights to the Caribbean. So how long do you fancy? 

Yes, with P&O Cruises you can get to paradise pronto on a fly-cruise to the Caribbean. You can fly to, and from, Barbados or Saint Lucia where you’ll meet, or depart from your P&O Cruises ship.

Imagine your dream beach, and it’ll likely be one that resembles a coastal Caribbean idyll. Perfect sunshine, warm turquoise waters, powder-soft sands and swaying palms. Bliss. But, step beyond the shore and you’ll encounter so much more too; rich cultures, tasty cuisines, unique wildlife and awe-inspiring landscapes from tropical forests, to subterranean caves, salt flats and picture-perfect towns and harbours. The Caribbean islands have it all.

Holidaying to the Caribbean with us makes it easy to discover the unique beauty of each destination. One day you could be snorkelling with inquisitive stingrays, the next zip-lining through the rainforest canopy, visiting a quaint European inspired town, or dancing the night away to calypso rhythms. And with overnight stays in Barbados and evening calls in St Lucia on selected holidays, you can soak up the sights for a little longer. 

There’s no end to the exciting things you can see and do in the Caribbean, but here’s a little suggestion of what you might enjoy: hiking to St Lucia’s lush, volcanic Les Pitons; scuba diving Barbados’ abundant waters; exploring Antigua’s 18th century Nelson’s Dockyard; perusing the colourful craft market of Tortola; and cycling past the towering sugarcane fields of St Kitts – and that’s just for starters.  

Pack as you would a regular summer holiday wardrobe; t-shirts, shorts, dresses, sunhats and sunglasses, flip-flops and water shoes. As the Caribbean islands are made for outdoor adventures, a comfy pair of walking shoes is recommended too.  

Please also ensure you have sufficient items in your hand luggage for arrival into Barbados / Antigua (for example, medication or fresh set of clothes) as luggage may not be delivered to your cabin until late in the evening and you may wish to enjoy the cruise ships facilities prior to your luggage arrival. 

With cultural influences from all over the world (Africa, India, Spain, Britain, China – to name a few), it’s no wonder Caribbean cuisine is an exciting mix of flavours. From the indigenous people to its later inhabitants, cooking traditions have been fused to create some terrific tastes like: Pepperpot, an Antiguan melt-in-the-mouth stew; Barbados’ catch of the day, flying fish – a mild white fish, marinated and grilled in lime juice; Tortolan pates – fried flatbread pockets stuffed with spiced meats or vegetables; and the Caribbean classic juicy jerk chicken – the marinade is a spicy, sticky blend best cooked on the barbecue. Yum!

The Caribbean is renowned for its wonderful weather with temperatures a balmy 24-29°C throughout the year. Our cruise ships sail the Caribbean from October to March when it is slightly cooler, drier and less humid – perfect for exploring and relaxing. 

The Caribbean's climate is a tropical one, with average temperatures typically 24-29°C - perfect bathing suit weather! Rather than the four seasons as we experience, the Caribbean climate centres on the dry season, rainy season and stormy season. Our cruise ships sail the Caribbean from October to March when it is slightly cooler, drier and less humid – ideal for relaxing and roaming amongst all of the exotic wonders, and the perfect antidote to the winter season back home.