Ten-Night Caribbean Cruise on Royal Princess
♦ Routes (free): Detailed travel itineraries in USA
A Caribbean cruise is one of the most popular cruise destinations in the world. Hundreds of ships from many cruise lines sail in the Caribbean year-round, especially during the winter months when the warm and sunny Caribbean provides a wonderful escape for everyone living in cold countries who wish to flee the cold, rain, and snow for an exotic destination with magical beaches. The standard Caribbean cruise lasts 7 nights and includes 3-4 ports in the Western, Eastern, or Southern Caribbean. In recent years, more and more companies are offering longer cruises of 9, 10, and even 14 nights in the Caribbean, allowing for visits to more islands that are further away from Florida.
This article describes a 10-night Caribbean cruise on the "Royal Princess" that departs from and returns to Fort Lauderdale, Florida. It is recommended to stay in Fort Lauderdale for at least one night before the cruise to arrive at the ship on time.
The cruise includes three sea days and six different ports in the Caribbean. Each island you reach is different in character and attractions. Some are mountainous with plenty of waterfalls, rivers, and lakes, some are desert-like, arid, and flat; some previously belonged to England, others to France or Holland, and therefore the language, customs, and even the driving direction vary from island to island. What they all share are wonderful beaches with crystal-clear turquoise waters and a wealth of sailing, diving, and snorkeling options. 10-night cruises to the Caribbean on this ship take place only during the winter months: November to March. In the spring, the ship sails to Europe, and throughout the summer months until its return to the Caribbean at the end of October, it sails various recommended routes in Europe, especially in the Mediterranean. Its twin sister, "Regal Princess," also sails in the Caribbean in winter and in Europe in summer, on a particularly recommended route in the Baltic Sea.
The Ship Royal Princess
Royal Princess is one of the large ships of the Princess company: weighing 141,000 tons, the maximum number of passengers on a cruise is 3,600 people in 1,780 rooms, including 1,070 rooms with a balcony, 314 mini-suites, and 36 suites. 1,346 crew members (half of whom are waiters, cooks, and bartenders) take care of all the passengers' needs and provide service of over five stars! The ship was launched in 2013 and renovated in 2018.
The Royal Princess has a twin sister named "Regal Princess" and a third ship from the same series, Majestic Princess, was launched in 2017, and the latest ship launched in 2021 is Enchanted Princess whose first voyages at the end of November 2021 were to the Caribbean. The last in the series is Discovery Princess which was launched in spring 2022.
Princess is the company in whose ship, named "Pacific Princess," the popular TV series "The Love Boat" was filmed. The company celebrated 50 years of activity in 2015, and it is hard to believe how much the ships have grown and improved over half a century. Today, the original "Love Boat" looks like a small tub (20,000 tons with only about 600 passengers) compared to the new and impressive ships with a massive variety of halls, pools, restaurants, and clubs. To ensure passengers remember they are sailing on the Love Boat, whenever the ship leaves port, instead of the regular horn, the ship whistles the famous nostalgic "Love Boat" theme song. Even the cheapest interior rooms are comfortable, spacious, and pampering. On a 42-inch TV screen, you can watch a selection of TV channels, plenty of full-length movies, original entertainment programs filmed on the ship, and TV series (including, of course, selected episodes from The Love Boat).
On one of the upper decks of the ship, there is a giant cinema screen with a high-quality sound system called "Movies Under the Stars," where movies, shows by famous entertainment bands, spectacular landscape images, and various trivia games are screened. During movie times, the lounge chairs become cozy beds with pillows, soft mattresses, and fleece blankets. While watching the movie, you will be offered (for free, of course) popcorn and even cookies and milk.
On the same deck, between two pools on an elevated platform that sometimes serves as a dance floor for the many celebrations held on deck, a fountain and light show integrated with music is held several times during the cruise. Another new attraction on the same deck is the SeaWalk—a walkway with a glass floor that protrudes from the ship's deck, allowing you to see the sea from a height of 40 meters as well as the lower deck and lifeboats.
Further along the same deck, called the Lido deck, you will find a rich buffet full of delicacies for the palate, where high-quality and extremely diverse meals are served at all hours of the day and evening.
In the center of the buffet is the pastry area known as The Pastry Shop, offering wonderful cakes in a huge variety.
To burn off a few calories, you are required to go up one more floor to the large and sophisticated gym or another floor to the sports deck where there is a basketball court, ping pong and foosball tables, a running track, a walking track, and various fitness equipment.
The ship has several floors of decks with lounge chairs, very spacious and without crowding. Those who want to pamper themselves on a deck intended for adults only, in a private cabana with a refrigerator and private TV screen, can for an extra fee rent a particularly comfortable chair or a designed cabana on a unique deck called The Sanctuary, where drinks and appetizers are also served.
For those who prefer to be "indoors" and away from the tropical sun, there is a massive selection of cozy and pleasant seating areas, quiet or bustling—you just need to choose what you prefer.
This ship also has a pampering spa full of treatments and indulgences, for an additional fee of course.
And also a spacious casino including machines and tables, for those who have extra money left over after spending at the ports...
Princess Cruises is known for its rich and excellent food. The menu is high quality and diverse, and the service is extraordinary. Unlike many ships where dining rooms are giant and span three floors in a wide-open space, the trend on Royal Princess is toward smaller, more intimate restaurants with smaller tables (there are plenty of tables for two or four diners). You can dine at a fixed time at a fixed table or at a variable time by choice.
On the ship, there is a recommended pizzeria called Alfredo's with a rich Italian menu where you can eat without additional charge, as well as a high-quality coffee shop called International Cafe, which is open 24 hours a day and offers cakes, quiches, sandwiches, and salads. The ship also has several gourmet restaurants that require advanced booking and are for an additional fee. Every day at three-thirty, you can join (at no extra charge) a "Tea Time" where waiters in tuxedos and white gloves will serve you tea, cakes, cookies, and sandwiches with classic British ceremonial manners.
Princess is known for its wonderful desserts, and in addition to its famous soufflé served several times during the cruise at dinner, there are also unique chocolate desserts whose recipe was written specifically for Princess by one of the world's most recommended chocolatiers: Norman Love. In addition to their wonderful taste, they are designed as works of art.
The gastronomic experience does not end with meals. During the cruise, various culinary workshops are held, ranging from making chocolate and cakes to gourmet dishes typical of the chef's restaurants on the ship.
The ship has a large selection of entertainment and music shows held in several halls and clubs. In addition to the modern theater full of effects and several more intimate clubs, the Royal Princess has a TV recording studio called The Princess Live! where various TV games are held and recommended talk and entertainment shows are recorded in front of an audience. In the Atrium, which spans three floors in the center of the ship, dance parties, events, and cocktail hours take place daily.
It is recommended to take advantage of the sea days to enjoy the ship's wonderful facilities, as on port days after a day trip to a tropical island or diving and relaxing at a magical beach, you will be quite tired... The ship had two alternating routes, each reaching different islands, so those with time on their hands can do two 10-night cruises in a row and visit 12 different destinations! (On the cruise I sailed, 500 people out of over 3,000 chose to sail two cruises consecutively).
What is included in the packages purchased at Princess beyond the cruise price and how much do they cost?
Princess Cruises has updated the price and content of its Premier and Plus packages. The central change in the 2026 version is the addition of credit for shore excursions, but along with this, several small benefits that were in the previous package were removed, such as fitness classes, a juice bar, and decadent desserts.
Full details including prices in the article: Premier and Plus packages at Princess
The islands the ship reached on the voyage I took were:
Princess Cays
A private island belonging to Princess in the Bahamas where you reach a private beach for ship passengers only. Here the ship anchors near the island and passengers go to the shore using boats.
St. Thomas
The largest and most famous of the U.S. Virgin Islands. This island is a highly popular destination for Caribbean cruises and is reached by both Eastern and Southern Caribbean cruises. The best viewpoint on St. Thomas is from the top of the cable car at "Paradise Point" (Paradise Point Tramway), offering views of the center of the large city "Charlotte Amalie," the ship docks full of cruise ships and yacht moorings, and a multitude of bays, inlets, and islands.
♦ Booking tours and excursions in St. Thomas adapted for cruise ship passengers from Viator:
Including yacht trips or fast boat sailing:
Tours around the island:
♦ Trip to St. John Island - Private St John Tour including Trunk Bay
Includes pickup and return to the port. Lasts 4-5 hours. Includes a tour of the island and swimming at a lovely beach.
♦ Booking from Viator: Kayaking in a mangrove lagoon and snorkeling - St Thomas Shore Excursion: Mangrove Lagoon Kayak and Snorkel Tour Pickup from the port. Lasts about 2.5 hours. There is also a walking trail option.
Island of St. John
Since I have already visited St. Thomas several times in the past, I took advantage of this stay to visit the nearby island: St. John, the smallest of the U.S. Virgin Islands, located just about a half-hour sail from St. Thomas. Two-thirds of the island are designated as a national park. The island is known for its excellent beaches with clear and calm waters. It is a recommended destination for diving and snorkeling enthusiasts. Several tours on behalf of the ship reach St. John. Particularly recommended is a tour named: St. John Scenic Cruise, Trunk Bay Beach & Snorkel reaching the most recommended beach on the island: Trunk Bay, which is undoubtedly one of the most beautiful beaches in the world!
Booking a tour from Viator - includes pickup and return to the port in St. Thomas:
♦ Trip to St. John Island - Private St John Tour including Trunk Bay
Includes pickup and return to the port. Lasts 4-5 hours. Includes a tour of the island and swimming at a lovely beach.
Dominica
Dominica is a green mountainous island full of water and vegetation, known as the "Nature Island." The island, 29 miles long and 16 miles wide, has 365 rivers (one for each day of the year) and a wealth of waterfalls and lakes. The island has several extinct volcanoes and some dormant ones, and it features natural hot springs where you can bathe. The island is rich with rainforests and spice plants such as: nutmeg, cinnamon, cocoa, coffee, and more.
Dominica has a national park spanning 17,000 acres named Morne Trois Pitons National Park. The park, declared a UNESCO World Heritage site, includes several crater lakes, waterfalls, and still-spectacular rainforests. In the center of the park is the "Emerald Pool," surrounded by ferns, dense vegetation, and orchids. It is recommended to bathe in the refreshing lake waters.
The capital of the island is Roseau, where the cruise port is located. The city has beautiful botanical gardens. Columbus also discovered Dominica on one of his sailing voyages in 1493 and named it so because he reached the island on Sunday. Over the years, the French and English fought over the island, and the English ruled it until 1978 when the island gained independence. Due to its wild beauty, the island was chosen for the filming of two "Pirates of the Caribbean" movies.
Booking tours on Dominica island from GetYourGuide.com
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Dominica is also a recommended destination for diving and snorkeling, though keep in mind that most beaches are rocky or have black sand. There are no five-star hotels on the island nor any skyscrapers; it is an authentic, safe island with friendly and welcoming residents. It is recommended to join one of the tours by NATURE ISLE EXPLORERS. A comprehensive, enjoyable, and diverse tour at an attractive price, suitable for those with limited time, is: Dominica Jewel. The tour lasts about 5-6 hours and includes snorkeling at "Champagne Reef," named after the water bubbles rising from the sand underwater (due to thermal phenomena on the island). You will experience a guided snorkeling session with a knowledgeable guide who will show you, besides the bubbles rising from the depths of the sea, plenty of fish, corals, ancient cannons, and several fascinating surprises in the depths.
After snorkeling, you will climb in a comfortable air-conditioned vehicle to the heights of the mountains on a scenic road winding through the rainforests, until you reach "Titou Gorge," one of the filming locations for Pirates of the Caribbean, where you will swim in a narrow river between towering cliffs until you reach a hidden waterfall. A refreshing and impressive experience.
The next stop is at Trafalgar Falls: a pair of impressive waterfalls surrounded by thick and wild vegetation, near which you can bathe in natural hot springs within the forest.
During the drive between the various nature destinations, you will stop at impressive viewpoints over the mountains and forests and learn much about the lifestyle on the island, the hurricanes that destroyed large parts of it, and the fruit trees and spice plants you pass. On the way back to the ship, you will pass through the botanical gardens as well as the Roseau market.
Grenada
Another green island known as the "Spice Isle." There is no need to book a ship tour. You can take a local taxi at a fixed rate depending on the duration of the trip and request a 3-4 hour tour of the island, after which you can tour near the port in the "Inner Harbour" of St. George's, the capital, where you will anchor.
♦ Tours in Grenada from Viator adapted for cruise ship passengers:
Including pickup and return to the cruise port:
Further information on Grenada can be read in the article: Tour on Grenada Island.
♦ Bonaire
Bonaire is a small island located just 50 miles from the shores of Venezuela, one of the three Dutch ABC islands (it is the B, of course) in the Southern Caribbean. A wonderful island for eco-tourism enthusiasts, known for its flamingo sanctuary at Goto Lake but primarily considered a paradise for divers and snorkelers and as one of the best places in the world for diving. Only 14,000 residents live on the island, most of Dutch or German descent. It is an arid and flat island where the main vegetation is cacti. There is no rainy season on the island, and temperatures are warm and comfortable year-round, ranging between 26-30 degrees Celsius. The official currency of the island is the US dollar. The cruise ship dock is located in the center of Bonaire's capital city, Kralendijk. On the main street near the dock, there are several pubs, restaurants, and primarily souvenir shops and a small artists' market.
Tours adapted for cruise ship passengers - including pickup and return from the port: In the article about Bonaire
♦ "Little Bonaire" Klein Bonaire
Near the island, about a fifteen-minute boat ride from the cruise dock, is a small island called "Little Bonaire" (Klein Bonaire), which is a nature reserve with no hotels, restaurants, or services but with wonderful beaches and a reef surrounding the entire island rich in fish of all sizes and species, and also a sea turtle sanctuary. In fact, all the water between Bonaire and Klein Bonaire is a marine nature reserve called Bonaire National Marine Park. You can take a Water Taxi from the city center to the small island, but it is best to take a ship tour named: Klein Bonaire, Water taxi, Beach Break & Swim, where you will sail from the cruise port dock directly to Klein Bonaire on a boat named Kantika Too.
For about two hours, you can swim, walk on the island, and primarily snorkel along the reef near the beach, rich with corals and fish. A wonderful experience for snorkeling enthusiasts.
Those who are not snorkeling fans but still want to see the variety of fish and corals can join a one-hour glass-bottom boat cruise in the marine national park. You can also join a kayak tour in the mangrove forest (trees growing in salt water), which is also part of the marine nature reserve.
Aruba
One of the most popular and recommended cruise ports in the Southern Caribbean, a sunny desert island full of cacti and primarily: wonderful beaches with golden sand and quiet, warm turquoise waters, along with plenty of hotels, resorts, and shopping centers.
♦ Booking tours and excursions on land in Aruba from Viator:
Adapted also for cruise passengers - with pickup from the port:
Recommended tours in Aruba including water or sailing:
With pickup from the port except for the catamaran cruise:
The best way to discover the island is by a guided ATV tour.
You can ride an ATV as a single or as a couple. The ATV tours include driving among rocks, sands, and wild landscapes in the northeastern part of the island. Some reach a small church named "Alto Vista" (Alto Vista Chapel) surrounded by cacti and wind-swept Divi-Divi trees.
From there, you continue to a wild beach surrounded by cliffs where there is a natural bridge named: Baby Natural Bridge
You stop at the remains of a building named: Bushiribana Ruins, used by Dutch gold prospectors on the island. Nearby is the "Wish Garden," where thousands of small stone towers are located. Anyone who wants their wishes to come true builds a small tower of stones on the beach, with each stone symbolizing a wish.
From there, you continue on a winding path between hills and sand dunes in an adrenaline-filled ride to the "Natural Pool," adjacent to a wild and stormy beach. The pool is surrounded on all sides by rocks and cliffs, allowing you to refresh safely (if the sea is not too rough) in quiet seawater surrounded by views of towering rocks from which impressive waterfalls flow after every wave. Fish of all sizes also swim leisurely within the pool.
After swimming and observing the bay and modern windmills, you return driving between cacti, desert vegetation, rocks, cliffs, and also villas of local residents.
It is recommended to take advantage of the hours left until the sailing time to spend in the magical "Palm Beach," rent a lounge chair and water mattress near one of the beautiful hotels, and vacation on a beach full of palms and options (parasailing, banana boats, kayaks, and more).
After all the wonderful ports where you tour, spend time, and vacation day after day, there is nothing like two final days at sea to enjoy the ship's wonderful facilities, enjoy the shows, movies, amusements, amazing sunsets, and of course—the food... and plan what your next cruise will be on one of the Princess ships.
