Western Caribbean cruises

Caribbean Transport: What’s Best for You?

Published May 10, 2017 | By Clark Norton

Terre de Haute, Iles des Saintes in the French Caribbean, is an idyllic spot open only to small ships. Photo by Catharine Norton

For your next trip, should you take a cruise, a train, a plane, drive a car — or try something different, like taking a cargo ship or long-distance passenger ferry?

That depends to a large degree on where you’re going and what kind of travel experience you hope to have. Different areas of the world — as well as differing expectations — lend themselves to different forms of transportation.

In this series, we’ll take a look at different options for getting around various areas of the world — starting with the Caribbean.

Navigating The Caribbean

This one is easier than most, or so it seems at first glance.

If you’re headed to one island in search of a beach resort or some cultural… Continue reading →

The Spicy Allure of Caribbean Cruising

Published September 7, 2016 | By Clark Norton

The Royal Clipper in full sail. Photo courtesy of Star Clippers.

Star Clippers” Royal Clipper in full sail through the Caribbean. Photo courtesy of Star Clippers.

If romance is the universal language — and who says baby boomers have lost their sense of romance? — a Caribbean cruise is sure to spice it up with a potpourri of accents:

Perhaps a dose of “Yeah, mon” Jamaican hospitality one day, a Dutch treat on St. Maarten on another, and a dash of French joie de vivre on St. Bart’s on a third.

Or you could go British on Grand Cayman or all-American with a Spanish twist in Puerto Rico.

Stir in the Caribbean’s trademark turquoise waters, soft breezes, palm-fringed beaches, steel-drum beats, and alluring tropical ambiance, and you have the recipe for an unforgettable voyage.

Decision Time

Still, Caribbean cruises are as varied as the islands themselves, so you’ll need to make some decisions.

One is the itinerary.

Caribbean islands are… Continue reading →

Posted in Baby boomer travel, Beaches, Boat travel, Caribbean, Cruises, Islands | Tagged Caribbean cruises, Caribbean Sea, Eastern Caribbean cruises, Leeward Islands, small-ship cruises, Southern Caribbean cruises, Western Caribbean cruises, Windward Islands | 4 Comments

According to government and private surveys:

Leading-edge baby boomers (born between 1946 and 1955) and seniors account for four out of every five dollars spent on luxury travel today.
Roughly half the consumer spending money in the U.S.--more than $2 trillion--is in the hands of leading-edge baby boomers and seniors.
Baby boomers (born 1946-1964) travel more than any other age group.
When asked what they would most like to spend their money on, baby boomers answered “travel” more than any other category, including improving their health or finances.