Caribbean Honeymoon Vacation

Princess Cruise line offers a wonderful honeymoon vacation amid the Caribbean islands. A romantic cruise is the best type of honeymoon because you can leave all your worries at home. After months of stressful wedding planning, husbands and wives are often feeling frazzled and exhausted. Likely, the high of being newly wed will fill them with energy to make it to their romantic vacation, but once aboard the cruise ship, the temptation to lounge in the sun with a drink in one’s hand is strong. This April, Princess will offer a 7-night cruise out of San Juan, Puerto Rico to St. Lucia, St. Thomas, Grenada, Bonaire and Aruba, which offers ample opportunities for romantic and adventurous port stop activities.

San Juan, Puerto Rico is an intriguing US territory and a popular honeymoon vacation stop. In New San Juan, you’ll find McDonald’s and American cuisine, fancy hotel resorts, business districts and trendy bars. In Old San Juan, you’ll encounter an exotic blend of Spanish, Italian and South American influences that are very much akin to Cuba. You’ll see preserved 16th century architecture, forts, antique shops, pastel buildings, cobblestone streets and stunning cathedrals. History lovers will appreciate the El Morro fort, San Cristobal Fort, La Fortaleza, Catedral de San Juan and Museo Pablo Casals. The Bacardi Rum Factory can add a little fun to your romantic weekend and, if you’re feeling lucky, try your hand at the Sheraton or Ritz-Carlton casinos. Waterfalls and wildflowers await a scenic stroll at El Yunque rainforest.

Aruba is a honeymoon vacation destination with rich cultural influences — from the Arawak Indians to the Old World Spanish and later, the Dutch. Aruba has been called “One Happy Island” and “The Caribbean’s Theme Park” because it boasts over 24 diving sites, famous shipwrecks, championship golf courses, casinos and duty-free shops featuring everything from Tommy Hilfiger to diamonds. Eager shoppers load up on British chocolates and Dutch cheeses in the gift shops here, while beach vacation-loving people sip Pink Iguanas and Balashi beer on the sandy shores. While shops and restaurants are within walking distance, the beaches are a $14 taxi ride or $2.30 bus ride away. Many cruisers like to rent snorkel equipment from Red Sail Sports at the cruise terminal (for $15), then head down to Malmok Beach to see colorful coral and tropical fish just ten feet from shore, as well as Antilla, a WWII German freighter wreck. Romantic vacation activities include horseback riding to Malmok Beach, Alto Vista Chapel or in Arikok National Park; golfing at a Robert Trent-Jones course in Tierra del Sol; parasailing at Palm Beach; and dinner at Passions on the Beach at the Amsterdam Manor Beach Resort. Real party animal couples won’t want to miss the Kukoo Kunuku party bus for dinner and a tour of local watering holes.

If you’ve seen Pirates of the Caribbean I and II, then you’ve caught a glimpse of what a honeymoon vacation in Dominica might entail. Dubbed “Nature Island,” this port stop is more rainforest, waterfalls, freshwater pools, hot springs, mango trees, ginger root and dense vegetation than it is sandy beach. Animal lovers may spot over 172 types of wild birds or 7 different types of whales off the coastline. Your romantic cruise ship will likely dock at Roseau Cruise Ship Berth, which is just steps away from unique shops, local restaurants and transportation hubs. You won’t find anything cliché or generic about the businesses here, since the locals are fierce advocates of their own distinctive cultural contributions. If you docked in Portsmouth, you’ll see some off the only white sand beaches on the island and the famous Cabrits National Park, home of a major historic battle between the French and English. Mountain biking, kayaking, whale and bird watching, scuba diving, Creole dining, hiking and swimming are some of the adventurous pastimes you may add to your romantic vacation destination package.