Collectively,
the islands of the Caribbean are known as the West Indies .
They can be sorted into three groups by location: the Bahamas (which some people consider too far
north to qualify as true Caribbean Islands ); the Greater Antilles; and the Lesser Antilles .
The
Greater Antilles include Cuba ,
Hispaniola (which is divided into the nations of Haiti
and the Dominican Republic ),
Jamaica and Puerto Rico . The Cayman Islands are often included in the
Greater Antilles as well, as they are located quite close to Cuba Caribbean islands are generally
made of continental rock. The Caymans and Jamaica
are popular cruise destinations, while Puerto Rico is a starting and ending
point for many Caribbean itineraries, offering opportunities to explore San Juan
The
Lesser Antilles, sometimes called the Caribees, are numerous smaller, younger
islands – some made of volcanic materials, some of coral – that form the
eastern border of the Caribbean Sea . They are
further grouped into the Leeward Islands, the Windward
Islands and the Leeward Antilles. The Leeward Islands that welcome
cruise ships include several of the U.S.
and British Virgin Islands, as well as Saint Martin, Saint
Kitts , Antigua and Barbuda ,
Guadeloupe and more. The Windward Islands
group includes the popular cruise destinations of Martinique and Saint Lucia ABC Islands – Aruba, Curacao and Bonaire – as well as
other small islands off the coast of Venezuela
To
explore the many options for cruises that will introduce you to the Antilles , Greater or Lesser, talk with Anita, your Cruise
Holidays personal cruise expert.
