Caribbean Flair Away from the Everyday

You embark in Philipsburg, St. Maarten. Explore Great Bay Beach, then stroll along the Boardwalk with its restaurants and visit the boutiques in the city center. Discover the island's Dutch and French heritage as you begin your Caribbean cruise.

You enjoy a full day of sailing. Relax on deck and watch the crew climb the rigging, untie ropes, and hoist the sails by hand as you travel at sea.

The 'Paris of the Islands,' the 'Pearl of the Antilles,' or the 'Venice of the Tropics' – Saint-Pierre in the northwest of the French dream island Martinique has always inspired romantic comparisons. Founded in 1635, the city at the foot of the volcanic mountain Pelée flourished due to sugar and slave trade, becoming the economic and cultural center of the island. Prosperity continued until 1902 when Pelée erupted, destroying Saint-Pierre and burying 30,000 people under lava, embers, and ash. Today, the coastal town is officially classified as a 'City of Art and History': In addition to the ruins of the theater and the old church, the intricate buildings of the Chamber of Commerce and the cathedral are worth a visit.

Right in the south of the Grenadines are the Tobago Cays – four small uninhabited islands, surrounded by a protective horseshoe-shaped coral reef. The Horseshoe Reef holds the Atlantic swell at bay and its unique animal and plant life make it an ideal place for snorkelling. The lagoon between the islets shimmers in all shades from turquoise through to emerald green and invites you to take a dip at the fantastic beaches.

Two famous volcanic cones are indisputably the emblem of St. Lucia and have been designated as UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Gros and Petit Piton tower over the southern, windward side of the island and, in Soufrière, seem close enough to touch. The volcanoes have in fact long been extinct, but the sulphur springs demonstrate the power of the earth's core and still bubble up. In the Botanical Gardens, natural abundance is combined with artistic arrangements to create a colorful tropical paradise. Some people claim that Josephine, who later became Napoleon's wife, used to bathe in the little pool in the garden.

Dominica, nicknamed the Nature Isle of the Caribbean, is one of the most untouched of the Windward Islands. It boasts some of the highest mountains in the Lesser Antilles, as well as many beautiful national parks. Its interior is characterized by thick forest, where rivers plunge into the depths and tiny streams wind through the jungle. Two extinct volcanoes are at the center of the Cabrits National Park and, recaptured by nature, the former strategically important Fort Stanley appears like a picturesque backdrop in the heart of the lush woodlands.

Climbing the rigging, untying ropes, setting sails – today is all about sailing. Time to lean back and relax in the deck chair and watch the passionate crew hoisting the sails by hand.

With an area of 100 square miles and a population of only around 53,000, the Federation of St. Kitts and Nevis is one of the twelve smallest recognized states in the world. Located to the southeast, Nevis is the smaller and quieter of the two leeward islands – and a true Caribbean dream. Lush green rainforests stretch along the slopes of its extinct volcano, flowing into long sandy beaches that shimmer seductively in various shades of yellow, black and red toward the ocean. Charlestown itself is quite manageable, and offers two museums as cultural alternatives to splashing around in the warm Caribbean waters.

Dutch in the south, French in the north – on St. Maarten you will find an unusual piece of Europe in the middle of the Caribbean. Because of the natural salt deposits, the Dutch West India Company once claimed the island for itself and – according to legend – divided the island up in 1648 after a drinking competition with the French. In the colorful port city of Philipsburg, a day at the beach can be perfectly combined with a stroll through town: From the fine sandy Great Bay Beach it is only a stone's throw to the Boardwalk with its restaurants and to the boutiques of the small city center.