Comprising of around 50 islands (750 if you count the \rarchipelago of the Bahamas), the Caribbean is a real \rtreasure trove when it comes to cruising. A rich \rvariety of vistas, people and places await, along with \rswaying palms and idyllic beaches of golden sand. \rThe network of islands in the Caribbean is in fact so \rextensive that it is possible to book several Caribbean \rcruises and avoid going to the same islands twice!

There are four basic Caribbean cruise routes used by \rcruise operators:

Western Caribbean Cruise Route - Departing from \rseaports in Texas, Louisiana and Florida, the Western \rRoute takes in the Yucatan Peninsula of Mexico, the \risland of Cozumel, the Cayman Islands, Jamaica, and \rany number of islands off the coasts of Honduras and \rBelize.

Eastern Caribbean Cruise Route - One of the most \rpopular Caribbean cruise routes, the Eastern Route \rtypically departs from Florida and other seaports \ralong the eastern seaboard of the United States. The \rroute calls on destinations such as Key West, The \rBahamas, Turks and Caicos Islands the Virgin Islands \r(including St. Thomas and St. Croix), and Puerto \rRico.

Southern Caribbean Cruise Route - This route \rnormally commences at San Juan in Puerto Rico, and \rtakes in many possible destinations along the Lesser \rAntilles and the Netherlands Antilles as far west as \rAruba.

Exotic/Long-duration Caribbean Cruise Route - This \rroute takes in any/all of the above destinations, \rand can sometimes end in a different place to where \rthe cruise started.

Given this broad assortment of destinations available \rin the Caribbean, it can be a bit overwhelming when \rtrying to make that crucial decision on which islands \rto fit into your itinerary. After all, you don't want \rto miss out on some true Caribbean gems, do you? So,

whether you're planning a short vacation or a longer \rcruise break away from home, here is a selection of \r'must-sees' & 'must-dos' on your Caribbean adventure.

St Croix (Virgin Islands) - Take a night kayak trip \rin Salt River National Park and visit the first \rlanding site of Christopher Columbus on his voyage \rto the New World.

Grenada - Although ravaged by Hurricane Ivan in 2004, \rGrenada is still well worth a visit for its scuba \rdiving. You can explore the largest shipwreck in the \rCaribbean here and see an underwater volcano.

St. Thomas (Virgin Islands) - The Cinnamon Bay \rNational Park offers excellent snorkeling \ropportunities. You can see a wealth of underwater \rlife in the shallow waters around St. Thomas.

Jamaica - Why not try your hand at bamboo rafting in \rMontego Bay?

Puerto Rico - No Caribbean cruise would be complete \rwithout a visit to the world famous Condado Beach on \rthe island of Puerto Rico.

Aruba - Want to find Caribbean paradise? How about \rrelaxing on one of the 365 beaches that surround the \rDutch island of Aruba.

St Kitts - Swim with the turtles in the waters around \rSt Kitts and then relax on the pink sand beaches on \rthis beautiful island.

Good luck with planning your trip and happy cruising.

John Metcalfe is the author and web publisher of A to Z Cruises your #1 \rsource
\rfor cruise information, discounts and great deals! Visit \rhttp://www.azcruises.com
\rnow to book your very own dream Caribbean Cruise vacation.