By Sarah Greaves-Gabbadon
CJ Travel Editor
The best Caribbean ports don’t just give you a sample of the culture of the larger destination, they also provide worthy “shopportunities” at every price point. So if you want a tangible reminder of the terrific time you’ve had topside, pull into one of these ports, where world-class shopping is just steps from the gangway. Here are the Caribbean’s best cruise ports for shopping.
Charlotte Amalie, St Thomas The Caribbean’s most popular cruise port also has the largest concentration of duty-free shops, most along Droningens Gade, where purveyors of jewelry, crystal, perfume and leathergoods converge. But don’t miss the arcades that lead off the main street because they’re troves of art, craft and whimsical gifts.
Bridgetown, Barbados An easy walk from the terminal, the island’s busiest shopping thoroughfare, Broad Street, is lined with duty-free boutiques and department stores such as the venerable Cave Shepherd. And just minutes away, luxury retailers (think Breitling, Cartier, Jaeger-LeCoultre and Louis Vuitton) can be found at Limegrove, an open-air shopping mecca in Holetown.
George Town, Grand Cayman You’ll have to tender into town but once you get there, the shops that line the main drag, Harbour Street, are poised to tempt you. And less than a 15-minute drive away, Camana Bay, a mixed-use shopping, residential and commercial village just outside the capital, will tempt you further with its posh boutiques and weekly farmers’ market.
Another favorite: the Coat of Arms boutique in Gustavia.
Gustavia, St Barth Passengers on small ships disembark at this petite port and are immediately treated to a trove of high-end stores along the waterfront Quai de Republique, where Hermes, Longchamp, and Vuitton vie for your vacation funds. Ten minutes’ drive away in St. Jean, you can spend any remaining cash in a clutch of stylish boutiques.
Philipsburg, St Maarten The Dutch-side terminal boasts all the big names in duty-free port shopping, and on the French side, the open-air waterfront market in Marigot will charm the euros right out of your pocket.
Nassau, Bahamas From Prince George Wharf it’s just steps to Bay Street, the capital’s shopping hub. Those in search of even more shopportunities should hop the 10-minute water taxi to Paradise Island, where there are more stores to be conquered at Atlantis’ Crystal Court Shops and at the burgeoning luxury shopping destination at the Baha Mar.
Ocho Rios, Jamaica The pier at this classic cruise port leads straight into Island Village shopping center, which is itself along Main Street, where you can’t walk two steps without bumping into a souvenir store, duty-free shop or craft market.
Above: San Juan, Puerto Rico
San Juan, Puerto Rico The capital’s cruise terminal is smack in the center of Old San Juan, a cobblestoned historic district where you’ll find several stores selling everything from duty-free jewelry to rum, artisanal soaps and original art. Luxury lovers should catch a cab to Avenida Ashford in Condado, where Cartier, Gucci and Ferragamo reign. And there’s something for everyone at Plaza Las Americas (the Caribbean’s largest) and the Mall of San Juan (Puerto Rico’s newest.)
Basseterre, St. Kitts While it’s still a bit under the radar, St. Kitts’ 27-acre Port Zante has become an increasingly popular port of call for destinations like Royal Caribbean. And it’s easy to see why, thanks to a suprisingly large collection of top-level duty free shopping.
Terre-De-Haut, Guadeloupe You’ll feel like you stepped into a French-Caribbean fairytale when you land on this tiny island. But the charming boutiques that line the tiny waterfront village’s streets – not to mention the ladies dressed in national costume selling fresh-baked pastries from straw baskets – make it feel a little like a shopper’s dream, too.