CARIBBEAN CRUISES

Find the best Caribbean cruises and ready yourself for sun-soaked destinations from Jamaica and the Bahamas to Barbados and beyond.

Enter a world of white sand beaches, picturesque bays and awe-inspiring coral reefs on one of MSC Cruises’ Caribbean cruises. Explore this paradise of sun-soaked islands on a stunning adventure, giving you time to relax in bucket-list destinations like the Bahamas, Jamaica and Barbados.

With a range of Caribbean holidays available, it’s easy to pick the best Caribbean cruise for you. Spend time on MSC Cruises’ exclusive Bahamian private island Ocean Cay MSC Marine Reserve and snorkel, paddleboard or relax on untouched beaches or in the island spa. Take in the lush natural wonders of Jamaica, let island life get under your skin in Barbados or explore exquisite stretches of sand on the Cayman Islands.

Visit Puerto Rico’s colourful towns, indulge in Mexico’s flavour some cuisine or discover the stunning mountain scenery in the Dominican Republic’s jungle-filled countryside. Whether you want to unwind in tropical splendour, see otherworldly nature up close, eat fresh seafood or experience island life, MSC Cruises’ Caribbean cruises in 2025 and 2026 are filled with extraordinary adventures to suit you.

CARIBBEAN ISLANDS

There are over 7,000 islands dotted across the mighty Caribbean Sea, and MSC Cruises can help you to easily discover the best of this diverse cluster of archipelagos, from unspoilt beaches and breathtaking natural landscapes to charming historic towns and seas rich in marine wildlife.
Cruise to Caribbean waters and discover dream destinations like the Bahamas, where you can relax on MSC Cruises’ unspoilt private island Ocean Cay MSC Marine Reserve with dreamy beaches and an island spa for the ultimate indulgent break.
Explore Mayan ruins and surfer-filled beaches on Mexico‘s stunning Caribbean coast. Acquaint yourself with island life in Jamaica, adventure through rolling tropical wilderness in the Dominican Republic or drink cocktails in Barbados – the birthplace of rum. Explore these bucket-list countries and more on Caribbean cruises in 2025 and 2026.

Bahamas Cruises

With thousands of islands fringed by alluring beaches and coral reefs, a cruise to the Bahamas is a tropical escape packed with fun, adventure and relaxation in a sunny paradise.
An MSC Cruises’ holiday in the Bahamas is the perfect way to take in all the country has to offer. Visit Nassau, the Bahamas’ biggest city, full of pretty harbours and pastel-hued shops. Enjoy the eateries and boutiques on Bay Street before haggling for local souvenirs in Straw Market. Stretch out on the secluded sands at Blue Lagoon Island or on the palm-studded oasis Balmoral Island.
Embark on an adventure to Paradise Island, where Atlantis Resort provides a 141-acre waterpark, Aquaventure, and a lagoon that’s home to sharks and barracudas. Or climb to the top of the Queen’s Staircase at Fort Fincastle for sweeping views across archipelagos. It’s all possible on a Caribbean holiday.

Jamaica cruises

A Jamaica cruise with MSC Cruises lets you get under the skin of this island nation, giving you a chance to savour its rolling green landscapes, seriously photogenic beaches and bustling towns.
The pretty port town of Ocho Rios is the perfect spot for thrill-seekers, who can kayak, bamboo raft and tube down its winding waterways and even climb its dramatic waterfalls. Make your way up the 55-metre-tall cascades at Dunn’s River Falls to be rewarded with jaw-dropping views and craft markets.
Learn about Jamaican reggae legend Bob Marley on an excursion to Nine Mile and see the mountaintop village where he was born and his burial site in an Ethiopian Orthodox-style church. Or take in the tranquil blue waters and golden stretches of sand at Oracabessa Bay, home to the villa where author Ian Fleming penned multiple instalments in his series about world-famous fictional spy, James Bond.

Mexico cruises

Hop on a Western Caribbean cruise to explore Mexico’s golden coastlines dotted with mangrove forests, ancient ruins and wildlife-filled bays.
MSC Cruises’ Mexico cruises sail to the most picturesque parts of Quintana Roo, the only Mexican state that borders the Caribbean Sea. Explore Cozumel, an island paradise off the coast of Playa del Carmen with ancient Mayan ruins, a dense nature reserve teeming with tropical birds and butterflies, the charming town of San Miguel de Allende packed with restaurants, shops and museums, and an island theme park, Xcaret, which boasts a tropical aquarium and subterranean ruins for swimming and snorkelling.
Cruises also call at Puerto Costa Maya, where you can venture out from the port town of Mahahual to the remote Río Bec, an ancient Mayan site which lies off the tourist trail cocooned in dense, monkey-filled jungle.

Barbados cruises

An MSC Cruises’ Southern Caribbean cruise to Barbados unearths the history, culture and landscape of an arrestingly scenic island.
Start your Barbados cruise experience in the capital, Bridgetown. Discover the town’s Parliament Buildings, The Garrison historic area – a UNESCO World Heritage Site built in 17th-century British colonial style – and the Gothic-style St John’s Parish Church, which all sit beside pastel-hued buildings and harbourside boardwalks.
Venture further afield to the Sunbury Plantation House in the Saint Philip countryside to learn about Barbados’ complex history. Adventure out to the stalactite-studded Harrison’s Cave, a network of coral caves filled with subterranean lakes, or go underwater on a submarine excursion to coral reefs. Otherwise, just sit back and relax in a chickee hut (a tropical-style shelter, sometimes with a palm roof) by turquoise waters.

Ocean Cay MSC Marine Reserve cruises

Make your Caribbean holiday completely unique by setting sail for MSC Cruises’ exclusive Bahamian private island, Ocean Cay MSC Marine Reserve. This eco-friendly idyll is perfect for all types of travellers, letting you connect with nature, embark on thrill-seeking activities or indulge in utter relaxation.
Take advantage of the island spa, which offers beachside massages, or lay back in a cabana along white sand beaches, ensuring a serene tropical escape with snacks and refreshments available from the island’s food trucks and beach bars.
Make the most of the inviting waters with snorkelling, paddle boarding and jet skiing experiences. Take in the golden sunsets via a beach picnic or on an evening paddle-board trip on the lagoon, before watching kaleidoscopic light shows at the island’s lighthouse.

A NEW WORLD OF CRUISING

Discover a world where elegant European design meets American comfort on board MSC World America, a new ship class to cruise the Caribbean

MSC WORLD AMERICA
Sail the Caribbean from Miami

CARIBBEAN PORTS

Start your tropical adventure in style with a wide range of ports available for Caribbean cruises in 2025 and 2026. You can begin your unforgettable holiday from a host of exciting cities, including New York, Miami and Port Canaveral near Orlando in Florida, and Bridgetown in Barbados.

Cruises from Miami
Caribbean cruises from Miami are a fine way to experience a magical region, and MSC Cruises’ departures from the buzzing, Floridian city ensure that the beginning of your trip is as exciting as the rest of it.
Shorter Caribbean holiday itineraries can unveil the best of the Bahamas, including MSC Cruises’ private Bahamian island, Ocean Cay MSC Marine Reserve, where you can snorkel and sunbathe on untouched beaches. Longer itineraries venture into the Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, Jamaica and the Cayman Islands. For a change of scene, choose an itinerary that visits the Mexican coast in the Western Caribbean, and get to grips with gorgeous Costa Maya and its Mayan ruins.
Cruises from Port Canaveral (Orlando)
MSC Cruises offers a range of Caribbean cruises from Port Canaveral (Orlando), helping you to explore vibrant towns, tucked-away treasures and awe-inspiring nature in a diverse, tropical region.
Holidays to Caribbean countries from Port Canaveral can feature week-long trips or shorter adventures exploring the scattered islands of the Bahamas, including MSC Cruises’ exclusive private island, Ocean Cay MSC Marine Reserve. Then there are the stunning Western Caribbean areas like nature-filled Cozumel island on the Mexican coast and off-the-beaten track locations in Honduras. Longer itineraries sail to Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic, Jamaica, the Cayman Islands and Belize.
Cruises from New York

Caribbean cruises from New York are the perfect way to island-hop around constellations of beach-lined tropical paradises, dotted casually across the turquoise Caribbean Sea. 

A choice of these routes allow you to set sail on the perfect Caribbean holiday from one of the most exciting and attraction-packed cities on the planet. After that flurry of action, make relaxation your goal on an itinerary exploring the coastlines of the Bahamas, including MSC Cruises’ private Bahamian island Ocean Cay MSC Marine Reserve. Or let your adventure take you to other Caribbean hotspots, such as the US Virgin Islands, St Maarten, Antigua and Barbuda, Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic. 

Cruises from Bridgetown
Barbados’s capital city, Bridgetown, is your gateway to the Southern Caribbean. MSC Cruises provides a range of options from this port, letting you visit numerous island nations and lining up the ultimate Caribbean holiday.
Pick a Southern Caribbean cruise that sails to traditional coastal towns and relaxing beaches, taking in idyllic locations like St Maarten, Antigua and Barbuda, Guadeloupe, St Kitts and Nevis, Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic, the British Virgin Islands and Saint Lucia. Alternatively, opt for shorter itineraries that focus on Grenada, Martinique, St Vincent and the Grenadines.
Antille Cruises
Caribbean cruises
Caribbean from New York

VIEW ALL CARIBBEAN & SOUTHERN CARIBBEAN PORTS

  • Basseterre, Saint Kitts and Nevis
  • Belize City, Belize
  • Bridgetown, Barbados
  • Cartagena, Colombia
  • Castries, Saint Lucia
  • Charlotte Amalie (St Tomas), United States
  • Colón, Republic of Panama
  • Costa Maya, Mexico
  • Cozumel, Mexico
  • Falmouth, Jamaica
  • Fort de France, Martinique
  • Freeport, Bahamas

CARIBBEAN CRUISES FAQS

Cruises to Caribbean destinations make for a seriously rewarding trip at any time of year. Many passengers may choose to plan their Caribbean holiday to coincide with the region’s dry season, which takes place between November and March. Various events and festival also take place during this period, such as Antigua and Barbuda Independence Day on November 1 – which features parades and street parties filled with food, drink and music – and Grenada Sailing Week in January, an exciting event on the sporting calendar that’s also lots of fun for spectators.

But, with plenty of itineraries to pick from across the entire year, cruise holidays to the Caribbean’s many enticing countries are an enticing prospect in any month.

The Caribbean has a tropical climate, meaning Caribbean cruises are generally hot and sunny all year round. In the dry season, which generally falls between November and March, there is less humidity and rainfall, and temperatures are slightly cooler, making this a good time to visit if you’re looking to avoid hotter spells. In the wetter season, which usually falls between May and October, temperatures are higher with greater humidity and some periods of thundery showers.

MSC Cruises’ holidays to the Caribbean embark from a range of ports in the USA and Barbados, which can be reached easily with Fly-Cruise packages, meaning it’s simple and easy to book a Caribbean holiday to suit you.

The main embarkation ports for a Caribbean cruise with MSC Cruises are New York, Miami and Port Canaveral (Orlando) in Florida. For Southern Caribbean cruises, the main embarkation port is Bridgetown in Barbados.

MSC Cruises’ Fly-Cruise packages let you begin your holiday from a regional airport close to home, making your holiday smooth and simple from the outset. Fly to Miami from UK airports including London Heathrow, London Gatwick, Newcastle, Manchester, Aberdeen, Belfast, Edinburgh and Glasgow. Or fly to Bridgetown, Barbados, from London Heathrow to cruise around the Southern Caribbean with ease.

Cruises to the Caribbean and cruises to Southern Caribbean destinations with MSC Cruises visit a vast range of inviting ports in each of the many nations of the region. Ports visited across the spread of itineraries include Ocean Cay MSC Marine Reserve in the Bahamas, Nassau in the Bahamas, Ocho Rios in Jamaica, Georgetown in the Cayman Islands, Cozumel in Mexico, Bridgetown in Barbados, San Juan in Puerto Rico, Pointe-à-Pitre in Guadeloupe and Fort-de-France in Martinique.

All these ports are destinations in themselves and can be enjoyed as part of any Caribbean holiday, before sailing on to the next inviting stop.

The cost of a Caribbean cruise will vary depending on the itinerary, length of the cruise and the type of cabin chosen, but it’s well worth remembering that MSC Cruises offers a huge selection of itineraries to suit all budgets.

With so many Caribbean cruise deals available for all tastes and price ranges, it’ll be a breeze to find and secure your dream Caribbean holiday, whatever you’re planning on spending

For MSC Cruises’ Caribbean cruise holidays, it’s recommended to pack casual wear for daytime attire on board the ship, as well as a few more ‘polished’ or smarter looks for some evening dining occasions and events. Formal attire is also recommended for gala nights and themed parties, to allow you to really get into the spirit of the occasion. Bathing suits, workout/sports kit and comfortable shoes are also recommended to get the most out of the many amenities onboard your ship.

When embarking on shore excursions in the Caribbean, bring clothing that’s suitable for both warm and cooler temperatures. Clothing that offers adequate sun protection is recommended, as are light layers, including long-sleeved shirts, breathable trousers and light jumpers. Bathing suits, sun hats, sunglasses and waterproof sandals are recommended to enjoy beach destinations in the region, plus trainers or comfortable walking  shoes for more active or nature-focused excursions.

MSC Cruises offers a range of itineraries for its Caribbean cruises, stretching between three and 21 nights, therefore providing plenty of flexibility. Shorter itineraries mostly focus on a smaller number of destinations and are ideal if you’re short on time or just want a quick jaunt to a beautiful location. Longer itineraries, meanwhile, offer a more leisurely pace and opportunities to fully immerse yourself in the Caribbean’s most beautiful settings. With so many options to choose from, there’s sure to be an itinerary to suit your schedule.

A number of currencies are used across the Caribbean’s various territories. The official currency in the Bahamas is the Bahamian Dollar, the Mexican Peso is the currency in Mexico, in Jamaica the currency is the Jamaican Dollar, the Dominican Republic uses the Dominican Peso, the currency in the Cayman Islands is the Cayman Islands Dollar and Barbados uses the Bajan Dollar. In Puerto Rico the official currency is US Dollars, and in fact, some other countries in the Caribbean will also accept US Dollars, although you may receive change in the official currency of the region you’re visiting.

Most Caribbean nations use either Eastern Standard Time (EST) or Atlantic Standard Time (AST). This means that the majority of Caribbean countries are either four or five hours behind Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) or British Summer Time (BST) in the UK.

A Caribbean cruise with MSC Cruises transports guests to an array of bucket list-worthy destinations. Consider beginning your perfect Caribbean holiday by visiting the Bahamas, and take a trip to Ocean Cay MSC Marine Reserve (MSC Cruises’ exclusive Bahamian private island) for a true taste of paradise. Here, it couldn’t be simpler to live out those beach dreams, whether that’s a peaceful paddleboarding session or sitting back on the sands with a cocktail. Mexico, meanwhile, offers centuries of cultural discovery, including Mayan ruins, and first-rate cuisine. Jamaica provides ample natural wonders, like the stunning Dunn’s River Falls, which can be zip-lined over if you’re feeling adventurous.