The Top 5 Small Ship Cruises in the Caribbean

The floating cities that are today’s cruise ships definitely have their place in the Caribbean, of course. But sometimes we long to experience the simple pleasures of sailing: the thrill of dropping anchor in a small, out-of-the-way port and leisurely discovering its ins and outs for ourselves. But since we’re still waiting for Aunt Doris to bequeath us that 150-foot yacht, we’ll make do by booking passage on of one of the specialty cruise lines that ply the region, carrying mere hundreds (as opposed to thousands) of passengers to untrammeled ports. CJ Travel Editor Sarah Greaves-Gabbadon brings you the Caribbean’s best small small-ship cruises.

Seabourn You’ll explore petite ports such as Jost Van Dyke in the British Virgin Islands; Vieques and Gustavia in St. Barths aboard this fleet of luxurious ships with a maximum capacity of 600 passengers. We’ve got our eye on Seabourn Odyssey’s 20-day sailing, which departs Miami on December 17 and calls at islands including Guadeloupe, Virgin Gorda and Mayreau.