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8<br />
xxxxx cruising the caribbean<br />
island<br />
Hopping<br />
The Caribbean’s many islands present the perfect canvas for<br />
a cruise and the chance to really appreciate its diversity by<br />
taking in several destinations on one trip, says Jane Archer<br />
carlos ojeda photography<br />
I’ve just realised the plane I’ve<br />
seen in the distance is landing<br />
in Canouan, the little Grenadine<br />
island we were anchored off yesterday.<br />
Clearly we didn’t cruise very far<br />
overnight.<br />
I’m on SeaDream Yacht Club’s<br />
112-passenger SeaDream I, on a Caribbean<br />
cruise with a difference. Since setting sail<br />
from Barbados, we’ve anchored off every<br />
island we’ve visited (Martinique, St Lucia,<br />
Bequia, Canouan and today Union Island),<br />
not seen any other ships and bumped into<br />
just a handful of tourists.<br />
It’s a perfect way to enjoy the ‘other’<br />
Caribbean, the one away from the crowds,<br />
where life is unhurried and simple<br />
pleasures such as swimming, snorkelling<br />
or reading a book fill the days. I’ve visited<br />
a turtle sanctuary in Bequia, put the world<br />
to rights with Rastafarian Ezra at his beach<br />
bar in Canouan and hiked up to a fort on<br />
St Lucia’s Pigeon Island.<br />
On board I’ve tucked into some of<br />
the tastiest food afloat and passed fun<br />
evenings at the al-fresco top-of-the-yacht<br />
bar. Because there are so few of us,<br />
waiters and bar staff soon got to know our<br />
names, likes and dislikes.<br />
Whenever they see me, they veer off<br />
and return with a glass of Champagne.<br />
Extravagant? Not really. As with all drinks<br />
on SeaDream, it is included in the fare, as<br />
are tips. It pushes up the price, but makes<br />
things super friendly – and with just 112 of<br />
us on board, that is important.<br />
Market update<br />
One of the things that makes Caribbean<br />
cruises such an easy sell for agents is<br />
that there is a holiday for everyone. If the<br />
small ship, getaway-from-it-all experience<br />
does not appeal, clients have plenty more<br />
vessels and itineraries to choose from.<br />
Families can sail with Royal Caribbean<br />
International on the world’s biggest cruise<br />
ships or race go-karts on Norwegian Cruise<br />
Line vessels; there are ultra-luxury ships<br />
and sailing vessels, even cruises from the<br />
UK with P&O Cruises, Saga Cruises and<br />
Fred Olsen Cruise Lines for those who<br />
don’t want to fly.<br />
There are budget fares or all-inclusive<br />
prices with Regent Seven Seas Cruises;<br />
one or two-week voyages, port-intensive<br />
sellingtravel.co.uk
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