Beaches, Shopping, Bits of History Characterize Caribbean Islands

Days 9-14, 2025 Caribbean Holiday

Monday to Saturday, Dec. 29, 2025-Jan. 3, 2026; Saint Lucia, Sint Maartin, Antigua, Grand Turk and Half Moon Cay, Bahamas.

This week proves I’m the party pooper on this cruise. While we’ve celebrated Christmas, New Year’s and just the fun of the Caribbean, I’ve tended to go to bed early, enjoying these island ports more from the ship than from land, and just rest and relax.

It’s a port-intensive itinerary (similar to my fall in the Mediterranean), so during this second week of the holiday voyage we only had one sea day, which fell on New Year’s. I haven’t been to many of these Caribbean ports in years, so while my sisters and nephew spent port days snorkeling and enjoying the beaches, I reacquainted myself with the pier areas.

I can understand why many people say that Caribbean islands all seem the same. If you just walk off the ship, their sanitized shopping areas selling jewelry, duty-free liquors, fragrances, t-shirts and souvenirs are all familiar.

But if you did deeper, you’ll find something unique in each location. Almost 40 years ago I joined friends in charting yachts to sail through the Grenadines. The charter firm was based in St. Lucia’s secluded Marigot Bay, where it is rumored that the British fleet hid from the French navy in the 1800s. The writer James Michener described it as “the most beautiful bay in the Caribbean,” and I would have to agree. Further south on the island you’ll find towering volcanic mountains known as the Pitons.

On Tuesday we docked in Philipsburg on the Dutch half of St. Maartin, where in the past I have enjoyed sailing on 12-metre yachts that once vied for the America’s Cup. That tour filled up this year long before I started planning. A taxi or bus can take you to the French side of the island, which has a completely different atmosphere. But if you just stay in St. Maartin’s cruise port (which I did), with six ships carrying about 17,000 passengers, it looks very similar to the piers at Castries, St. Lucia; and St. Johns, Antigua.

I found a quiet place to sketch.

And then there is Grand Turk, where you only need take a short walk down the single pier to the usual duty-free and jewelry stores and Starbucks, leading to Margaritaville with its pool, restaurant, cabanas and sandy beach.

It’s easy to miss what, to me, is one of the highlights of Grand Turk. Turn right as you leave the pier, behind the Ron Jon Surf Shop, and you’ll see a full-size replica of Friendship 7, the Mercury space capsule that carried Astronaut John Glenn for his historic three orbits of the earth. Following his splashdown in the Atlantic nearby, he spent several days at the U.S. Air Force base on Grand Turk. The display details the flight and the early U.S. space program.

My first visit to Holland America’s private Caribbean beach, Half Moon Cay, was more than 20 years ago. It was our final stop today on this cruise, and for once I headed ashore on one of the first tenders.

It’s changed a lot over the years, and this year the sound of generators fought with music at some parts of the beach. What once was almost a mile-long expanse of undisturbed beach is now lined with single- and two-story cabanas, clam shells and hundreds of lounge chairs. There is little natural shade. I sketched a little (but doubt it’s a scene I will finish) and headed back to the ship, leaving the rest of the family to enjoy swimming and sunning.

Meanwhile, we’ve had no lack of opportunities to keep busy on the ship. In addition to the standard special Pinnacle Grill and Canaletto meals, we indulged in a Morimoto pop-up dinner and a New Year’s Day brunch in the Pinnacle, where we made good use of the advertised unlimited mimosas.

The New Year’s Eve party at the Lido Pool – complete with repurposed Christmas tree decorations — lasted well beyond midnight, I hear. I didn’t make it that late. Once I’ve seen the televised fireworks from the Sydney Harbour Bridge, I give myself permission to consider the new year celebrated.

This morning the holiday decorations have disappeared, packed away to go into storage on land for a year, I assume.

There is a certain energy on board among the crew in preparation for the 133-day Grand World Voyage that starts tomorrow. In the morning, Eloise and Zan will head to their respective homes, while Elaine and I move into a shared ocean-view stateroom for the world cruise. I’m not used to sharing my space, but we will make it work.

Of course, we can’t wait to see all the world cruise regulars who will join the handful of us already on the Volendam.