Not sure which ports to sail to on your cruise?
For a vacation that’s supposed to be easy, sometimes cruising can mean having to make a lot of decisions. Which cruise line do you sail? Which ship do you book? What type of room do you book? And right near the top of the list… which itinerary do you choose?
There are dozens of cruise ports in the Caribbean and you can spend literally hours (or even days) obsessing over them. And when it comes to the ports, it’s something you don’t even have full control over. Unlike the ship you sail or the room you choose on the ship, you can’t select each port you visit individually. Instead, cruises have their schedules set, and you have to pick which group of stops you want to sail.
So how can you select the right itinerary for your cruise? And which ports are best for you? We have details you’ll want to know — including some thoughts on specific ports — below.
Note: For this article, we’ll focus on Caribbean ports of call, which is by far the most visited region for cruises.
Consider: Big Ports Versus Small
When helping someone pick the best ports of call for their trip, we like to start with a broad question of whether you want to visit big ports or small.
Truth is as cruising has taken off in popularity cruise ships have gotten larger, but so too have cruise ports. For instance, places like Nassau — one of the most visited ports on the planet — can welcome six ships a day and more than 30,000 passengers. Another large port is Cozumel, which can see similar numbers.
On the other end of the spectrum are smaller ports that welcome only one or two ships at a time. Places like Key West, Ensenada, and Grand Turk welcome fewer ships than the mega ports elsewhere.
What’s the difference? Large ports are often developed to cater to cruise passengers. That means they often have more things to do and see (e.g. shore excursions) than smaller ports. For instance, the lineup of things you can do in Cozumel is significantly more than that of a place like Belize City.
On the downside, bigger ports are also much more crowded and hectic. They are also less genuine in our opinion as they are built for American tourists instead of the local culture.
In general, we enjoy smaller ports more on average. That said, the things to do in bigger ports can be a lot of fun and simply won’t be as widely available in smaller ones.
Consider: Private Destinations Versus Public Ports
Private destinations in cruising have been around for a long time. It’s been a more recent trend that cruise lines have put these spots front and center with itineraries. As well, some cruise lines have pushed to transform their islands into essentially tropical amusement parks with massive pools, waterparks, and more.
There’s a big draw that’s undeniable about these private spots. First and foremost they are completely designed with cruise passengers in mind. You usually dock right at the island. There’s an amazing amount of free things to do. Food is normally included. And the entire area is walkable. In short, if you’re wanting to spend the day on a beach (and frankly, who isn’t?), then you can’t beat it. Places like Royal Caribbean’s CocoCay or NCL’s Great Stirrup Cay are extremely popular among passengers and it’s easy to see why.
On the flipside are public port stops, meaning they are not operated by the cruise line and are actual “real” places. These ports typically have a secure port area at the end of the dock that’s built for tourists, but once outside the gates you are in an authentic place.
To be sure, in the Caribbean these places still revolve around tourists. But you can get out and see some cultural and real things that private destinations won’t have. For example, we’ve swam in cenotes in Mexico and done Mayan ruin tours in Belize. You just can’t do these things at a more “sanitized” private destination. There is also more local culture to experience, although that’s not always what cruise passengers may be interested in when they take a trip.
Excursions Make a Big Difference
We’d argue that the biggest difference to whether or not you like a port you visit isn’t so much the port itself. but what you do while in port.
Most public ports are laid out the same. Walk off the ship and you’ll visit a port area that’s reserved only for cruise passengers. Having visited tons of ports in the Caribbean, these areas are often very similar. They are designed to cater to cruise passengers, which means they are clean and safe but also filled with stores, souvenirs, and not much authenticity. If you’re wanting something memorable on your vacation, it’s unlikely you’ll find it here.
What we’ve found is that even in ports that typically don’t get great reviews, it’s tough to have a bad time if you book a fun excursion.
Shore excursions give you the chance to get out of the port area and do things that you simply can’t do back home. Over the years, we’ve found it’s these excursions that are the sharpest memories of the trip while the memories of the cruises themselves may fade.
That’s not to say that every excursion has been a home run, but 9 times out of 10, taking an excursion is a great experience that makes ports you might not be excited about much more enjoyable.
Some of Our Favorite Ports (and Why)
Of course, we all want to know which ports are good and which ones to avoid. But the truth is that while there may be ports that are generally well liked and others that aren’t, there’s a lot of personal preference. Instead, we’ve listed some Caribbean ports that we personally enjoy and some notes as to why.
CocoCay: When it comes to private islands, right now there is CocoCay and then everything else. It offers something for everyone, whether you want to go down waterslides, just chill on a quiet beach or party in the adults-only area. As a cruise passenger, your day doesn’t get any easier. You simply walk off the ship and you can be at the beach (or pool) within minutes. Food is taken care of, and your drink package and wi-fi also work here.
Puerto Plata: Among real places you’ll visit (as opposed to private destinations), we think Puerto Plata is one of the more interesting. To be sure, it’s rustic but there is an entire town to go and explore with lots of history and culture. We’d recommend a tour to be able to take it all in within a day, and a stop at Isabel de Torres National Park is a must with the statue of Christ overlooking the town below.
Key West: Key West is one of the most unique American towns we’ve ever visited, but it took us years to get here. That’s because it’s a bit remote and hard to access unless you are specifically planning your entire vacation around visiting. But on a cruise you can get there and see everything in a day. And because of restrictions in place, it gets busy but never overrun with ships and passengers. Our favorite memory? Eating lobster pizza at the Seaside Café at the Mansion. The Mel Fisher museum is also very cool.
Catalina: Another favorite of ours is one of the absolute closest ports you can visit, but feels a world away. Catalina Island sits just 30 miles for the cruise port in Los Angeles, making it a popular stop for many California cruises. And we can see why. The main town on the island — Avalon — is straight out of a postcard. Now we will admit that there isn’t a ton for you to do here compared to a place like Cozumel, but there is enough to see to keep you busy for a day. Or if you’re like us, you’ll start researching how you can move there.
Ocean Cay: If CocoCay is a little too much for you when it comes to private islands, then MSC Cruises’ Ocean Cay may be just the thing. Instead of making the spot into an amusement park, Ocean Cay keeps things much more simple. It’s primarily a destination with tons of white sand beach to enjoy. And because only one ship docks at a time and the island is huge, it never feels crowded. We especially like that overnight stays are offered on many itineraries, giving you a chance to spend as much time as you want without feeling rushed.
Some Not-So-Favorite Ports (and Why)
Not every port can be a home run and our personal tastes means there are some that aren’t as high on our list. Do we avoid them or just stay on the ship? Absolutely not, but they simply aren’t our favorites.
Nassau: Being one of the busiest ports is exactly why we’re not huge fans of Nassau. The port seems proud of seeing records in the number of passengers per day (upwards of 30,000) and it was recently renovated to welcome those crowds. To us, it’s too busy and the ratio of people to things to do isn’t that good either. The area around the port can feel like a tourist madhouse full of people, noise, and vehicles, although we have enjoyed doing walking tours that get away from the port a little bit (Queen’s Staircase is a neat spot to visit.) Frankly, there are also worries about crime in Nassau that make some passengers nervous.
Costa Maya: Costa Maya suffers from the same thing as Nassau — the ratio of passengers to things to do isn’t in your favor. The port sits just outside of the town of Mahahual — a sleepy village right on the water. Mahahual has a laid-back feeling but when up to four mega-ships are in at once, it can feel overwhelmed with vendors asking you to come to their stores and people asking if you want a massage. As well, the beach in these spots isn’t that nice, unfortunately. Many people opt to stay in the port area where there is a massive pool, restaurants, and shops, but to us it feels too touristy for our tastes.
Freeport: This port is one where we didn’t book an excursion but definitely should have. The cruise port is in an industrial area and there is very little to see and do right near the ship. If you’re thinking “tropical paradise,” it doesn’t give that vibe. Instead, we think you should opt to see what’s available to do outside the port, keeping in mind there is nothing within walking distance.
