Barbados to San Juan Cruise: Christmas in the Caribbean

Arrive in Barbados and transfer privately to Wyndham Grand Barbados for your first night. With the cruise beginning tomorrow, the evening is deliberately left open — time to settle into the warmth, walk along the coast and begin the journey at an easy pace.

Enjoy a relaxed morning before transferring privately to the port and boarding Silver Nova. Settle into your Classic Veranda Suite as the ship leaves Barbados and begins its journey north through the Lesser Antilles.

Silversea is one of OROKO’s trusted cruise partners, and the strength of this particular route is its variety. Seven islands are brought together over eight nights, with only Christmas Day spent entirely at sea. Onboard, Silver Nova brings all-inclusive dining and drinks across eight restaurants, the Otium Spa and a private veranda for every suite.

Sail into one of the Caribbean’s most recognisable landscapes, where the twin Pitons rise dramatically from the sea above Soufrière. Inland, rainforest, volcanic springs and old cocoa estates reveal another side of Saint Lucia beyond its beaches.

Explore the volcanic landscapes of Sulphur Springs, walk through tropical gardens towards waterfalls or take to the water for views of Gros and Petit Piton from the coast. The island’s cocoa heritage can also be discovered through estates where cacao is still grown and transformed locally.

Bequia is one of the smallest islands on the route and one of its most characterful. Colourful houses climb from the waterfront at Port Elizabeth, while quiet bays, sailing boats and forested hills give the island an intimacy increasingly difficult to find elsewhere in the Caribbean.

Spend the day sailing through the Grenadines, snorkelling in clear water or exploring Bequia’s small communities and beaches ashore.

Christmas Eve is spent in Grenada, where the colourful harbour of St. George’s gives way to a mountainous interior of rainforest, waterfalls and spice estates. Nutmeg, cinnamon, cloves and cocoa have shaped the island for centuries and remain woven into everyday life.

Head inland to discover its spice and cocoa traditions, visit waterfalls surrounded by tropical forest or explore the calm waters before returning to Silver Nova for Christmas Eve onboard.

Christmas morning begins with nothing on the horizon but open Caribbean water. With the ship at sea for the entire day, there are no transfers, schedules or sightseeing to consider.

Breakfast overlooking the ocean can become a long lunch, followed by time beside the pool or at Otium Spa. Dining is at the heart of Silver Nova, with eight restaurants ranging from Italian and French cooking to Silversea’s destination-led S.A.L.T. programme, with drinks included throughout.

Arrive in Martinique, where French and Caribbean influences meet against a landscape of rainforest, volcanic peaks and tropical gardens. Fort-de-France brings colourful markets and Creole architecture, while beyond the capital the island becomes increasingly green and mountainous.

Explore the rainforest around Mount Pelée, discover the island’s historic rum estates and distilleries or follow the coastline towards fishing villages and sheltered bays.

St. Kitts carries its history visibly, from the colonial architecture of Basseterre to old sugar estates scattered across its green interior. Brimstone Hill Fortress rises high above the coast, with views stretching across the Caribbean towards neighbouring islands.

Explore the UNESCO-listed fortress and former plantation landscapes, travel through the island’s tropical interior or spend the day around its beaches and coastline.

The final island call brings you to St. Thomas, where steep green hills descend towards yacht-filled bays and clear Caribbean water. Charlotte Amalie retains traces of the island’s Danish colonial past, while beyond the town lie beaches, viewpoints and neighbouring islands easily reached by boat.

Sail through the surrounding cays, snorkel in sheltered bays or explore the island ashore before returning to Silver Nova for your final evening.

Arrive in San Juan and disembark Silver Nova. Transfer onwards for your return flight, or extend the journey with a few nights in Puerto Rico.

For those staying longer, Old San Juan makes a natural final chapter, with its pastel façades, blue cobblestones and Spanish fortifications overlooking the Atlantic.