Carnival Conquest - January 11, 2027 (11 Nights)

Not only is Miami the starting point for a good number of cruise vacations to the Caribbean and elsewhere, it is a vibrant city offering visitors countless recreational and sightseeing opportunities. When arriving for a cruise from Miami, take the time to explore the city, its beaches and its historical neighborhoods. The tourist options are far too numerous to mention in detail, but plan on a fun-filled day in South Florida before or after the cruise itself. Besides, part of the fun of traveling is the attractions found everywhere the plane touches down, and Miami will not disappoint those who take a day or two to explore its many wonderful secrets.

There is a large cruise port facility on the waterfront directly in front of the central business district. Passengers arriving in Miami via ship can literally walk to the center of downtown, but will likely have a free shuttle service available as part of their cruise itinerary. Taxis, public bus service and even rental cars are available at the docks, and there is a visitor information center in the main terminal.

Miami is known for its historical neighborhoods and the most famous district in the city is the Art Deco district, located along the South Beach waterfront area from 6th to 23rd Streets and containing a number of antique shops, art galleries and remodeled buildings. There are also a collection of fine - and funky - restaurants in the vicinity, along with souvenir shops selling outrageous t-shirts, anti-fashion outerwear and every type of shoe and boot found on the planet. The Coconut Grove district is one of the oldest in the city and has a huge number of residences and other structures dating back a century. There are also museums, including the very nice Vizcaya Museum, a Renaissance-style estate, and small clothing boutiques that are located on nearly every street corner. Along SW 8th Street is the delightful area known as Little Havana, where tourists watch handmade rolled cigars being completed at several different shops, and where one finds the Cuban Museum of the Americas. If renting a car, visitors will enjoy driving across the bridge to Key Biscayne where the famous Miami Seaquarium is located at 4400 Rickenbacker Causeway.

There is no end to the fine dining opportunities in Miami, and the cuisine varies from traditional American to European Continental, West Indies barbeque and Cajun. The outdoor patio at La Marea at the Tides at 1220 Ocean Avenue provides an open air dining experience and is a favorite for people watching. On SW 8th Avenue in Little Havana there is scrumptious fare at the Versailles Restaurant, offering such delicious courses as picadillo, ropa vieja and other spectacular entrees known throughout the Caribbean but new to many visitors. And there are plenty of Burger Kings and Outback Steakhouses in Miami, as both of these popular chains have their world headquarters in Florida.

Walking distances in downtown are not great, but to see the sights one should consider a car rental. There are free shuttles for passengers arriving at Miami International Airport in connection with their cruise, but these buses take visitors only to downtown or to the docks. Public buses are numerous and connect all the outlying neighborhoods, and the taxi drivers are familiar with all the popular boutiques and restaurants in the South Beach area.

The port area is quite large and passengers should become familiar with the area where their ship is docked; most cruise packages have a detailed port map sent to all passengers. ATMs are found outside any downtown bank branch, and most of the popular restaurants, museums and hotels have bilingual staff. Spanish is spoken by a good percentage of the local population as either a first or second language, and for those needing to communicate home and are not carrying a cell phone, Internet cafes are found throughout the South Beach and Art Deco districts. And be prepared for rapidly changing weather when visiting Miami. Rain, wind, scorching sun and ground fog can all be experienced in as little as two hours.

St. Thomas is one of four major islands that make up what is called the US Virgin Islands (USVI). The capital of USVI is Charlotte Amalie and it is located on St. Thomas island. The population of St. Thomas is around 51,000 and it makes up almost half the population of all the US Virgin Islands combined. St. Thomas has a wonderful historic district, sunny beaches, unique culture shops, museums, gardens and a variety of restaurants to choose from. It's a highly attracted tourist island, visited by individuals, groups and families from US and all over the world.

The cruise ship that visits St. Thomas will either dock at Havensight or Crown Bay. Havensight is the first choice, but ships may dock at Crown Bay as well. If there are already 6 cruise ships docked in St. Thomas, which may happen from time to time, your ship may be anchored in the harbor. In that case, you'll be transferred to the center of Charlotte Amalie, from which you can start exploring all that St. Thomas has to offer.

There are many historic sites and beautiful beaches to visit while at St. Thomas. Walking around is a great way to experience the island and take in the beautiful surroundings. Fort Christian at Charlotte Amalie is a historic site that allows visitors to climb its tower to get a great view of the city. Haagensen House is a museum and garden site that also has an antique store. Coral World, a marine park, can be enjoyed by people of all ages. There are also many shopping malls and stores where you can buy all kinds of souvenirs. In fact, shopping is a very popular activity in St. Thomas because most of the purchases are duty-free.

There are many restaurants located on St. Thomas Island. Cuzzin's Caribbean, Cafe Amic, Gladys', Greenhouse Bar and Restaurant, Virgilio's, Marisol, Herve Restaurant and Wine Bar and Craig and Sally's are a few places that people often rave about. They include Italian, Middle Eastern, American and Indian cuisines. The variety of restaurants allows visitors to have a great selection of dining experiences. The wine menu is also extensive, making it a pleasurable experience for couples and groups.

Unlike the rest of the United States, drivers must drive on the left side of the road. However, it may be slightly confusing because cars exported to the US Virgin Islands have the standard steering column on the left side. If travelers are not interested in driving themselves, the cheapest transportation in St. Thomas is the use of the open air cabs, or safaris. They cost only one dollar and pass by drop off locations every five or ten minutes. Taxi cabs for local destinations are rare, but there are shuttle vans that charge from three to five dollars from town to town. Renting a car can be cheaper for family vacations; they start at around 35 dollars a day.

The average temperature in St. Thomas is in the high 80s and low 90s, which makes it a wonderful destination spot to visit all year round. Since St. Thomas is a US territory, the official language is English and the currency is the US dollar. Should you want to use the Internet, you'll find many internet cafes in the center of Charlotte Amalie. One of the more popular ones is the Beans, Bytes and Websites Cafe located in Royal Dane Mall.

Bridgetown, the capital of Barbados, was settled in 1628 by Charles Wolverstone, a British representative for a group of merchants in London. English sailors originally landed on the island of Barbados three years earlier, claiming the island for King James I as a possession of England. There were traces of earlier settlement, but the area was largely abandoned other than an aged, crude bridge that spanned the swamp situated in the center of town. This is where the town got its name. Today Bridgetown welcomes visitors from around the world with beautiful sights and plenty of duty free shopping.

Cruise ships dock at the Bridgetown Cruise Terminal located roughly one mile to the west of Bridgetown at Bridgetown Port or Deep Water Harbor, as it is known. You can begin your shopping before you even leave the port at the shopping mall located on site.

In Barbados there are many historical sites to visit and plenty of places to shop and have fun. One place you may want to visit is the Bayshore Complex, just outside of Bridgetown, that offers plenty of history and shopping with a lovely beach area just a short distance off the courtyard. Another place that you should try to see is the Parliament building in Bridgetown that dates back to the late nineteenth century and presents a lovely example of architecture from that period. The Parliament building also contains the Museum of Parliament depicting the history of the island as well as the National Heroes Gallery featuring the profiles of some of the most distinguished citizens of Barbados throughout its history. On another note, for those who are interested in going to beaches, Payne's Beach and Brighton Beach are the most famous and popular beaches in Barbados. Those who are nature buffs should visit Welchman Hall Gully national park which has many interesting animal species and is a great place to spend some time. Barbados is also famous for its 3 botanic gardens - Orchid World, Flower Forest and Andromeda Botanic Gardens - which are definitely worth a visit if you can find the time.

When visiting Barbados, be sure to sample the rum punch! The birthplace of rum, Barbadians make a delicious rum punch that is the perfect complement to an afternoon at the beach. Also, be sure to sample the local cuisine while visiting. Seafood is a staple of the area and there are a number of wonderful beach front cafes and restaurants where you can sample the local delicacies. Prices vary from reasonable to high-end so there is something for everyone. Many restaurants offer intimate seating on the beach with beautiful views of the Caribbean.

Transportation in Bridgetown is readily available. Upon arrival, there are taxis posted at the port waiting to take you around the island. You can also rent a car or ride the bus, which is a very inexpensive mode of transportation. The downtown area of the city of Bridgetown is also pedestrian-friendly and only around a one mile walk from the port.

The currency in Barbados is the Barbadian dollar with an exchange rate of around $1.99 in local currency to $1.00 U.S. dollar. Most merchants, however, will accept U.S. dollars. Should you need to use the Internet to check your email or to call someone outside of Barbados, you can do it right at the port, at the Telephone Center.