14 nætter fra Bridgetown, Barbados med Seabourn Ovation

Barbados has retained many of the trappings of its British colonial heritage. Judges and barristers wear proper robes and wigs, police don helmets styled after London bobbies and cricket remains a national passion. Barbados also has all the sporting appeal of the rest of the Caribbean, with pristine beaches, powerful surf and crystal clear waters. Brightly colored homes and hibiscus flowers mingle with mahogany trees and English churches dating back to the 17th century.

Delightful Willemstad is the capital of the five-island Netherlands Antilles, which in turn are part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. Gabled buildings bring to mind Dutch cities, while working windmills dot the countryside, helping to provide the island with much-needed fresh water. Two bridges connect Otrobanda and Punda, the city’s two halves. The Queen Emma Pontoon Bridge, now exclusively a foot bridge, was built in 1888. The imposing Queen Juliana Bridge arches over the channel, providing the link for motor vehicles. Shoppers will find no shortage of temptations here, while those so inclined will find excellent scuba diving opportunities.

Den hollandske indflydelse hænger stadig ved Aruba, idet øen var en del af de Hollandske Antiller indtil uafhængigheden i 1986. Denne milde caribiske ø er i sandhed ø af kontraster. Dens tørre indre er fyldt med kaktusser og vindblæste divi-divi-træer, mens afsides bugter og sandstrande former dens kyst. Arubas lange og farverige arv reflekteres i dens dialekt, der kaldes Papiamento og er en kombination af spansk, fransk, portugisisk, hollandsk, afrikansk og engelsk.

Santa Marta er Colombia’s charmerende “ædelsten”. Øen har selvfølgelig det varme caribiske hav og de hvide sandstrande, men øen er også elsket og kendt for den fantastisk Sierra Nevada bjergkæde som tårner sig over den.

Cartagena er en by der ligger ved Atlanterhavskysten i det nordlige Colombia. Cartagena beskyttes af en bjergkæde og bugten Bahía de Cartagena, som ligger i læ af de øer, der afgrænser bugten mod havet. Cartagena går for at være den bedst bevarede by i hele Colombia.

The Dominican Republic’s capital is the largest city by population in the Caribbean region. It is also the oldest continuously occupied European city in the Americas. It was founded in 1496 by Bartolomeo Columbus, and named La Nueva Isabel after his royal Spanish patron. The settlement became the gateway to the Americas for the Spanish conquest, and most of the expeditions that delineated the rest of the New World originated there, taking advantage of the deepwater delta of the Ozama River. Today the city’s Colonial Zone is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and contains a remarkable legacy of 16th Century buildings, including the first cathedral in America, Catedral de Santa Maria la Menor; the first monastery, Monasterio de San Francisco, the first castle, Alacazar Colón and the first fortress: Fortaleza Ozama. The Museo de Casas Reales is another treasury of significant buildings. The Dominican dictator Trujillo renamed the city after himself between 1936 and 1961, but it regained its previous name following his assassination. The city is a fascinating and colorful place, revealing a vibrant hybrid culture with recognizable influences from native Taino, African and European ancestry. Many visitors purchase souvenir jewelry created out of the fossil amber mined on the island of Hispaniola, which the Dominican Republic shares with the nation of Haiti.

Catalina Island, known locally as Isla Catalina, is an island wildlife reserve located off the south-east corner of the Dominican Republic, near La Romana. A relaxing patch of inhabited paradise, it offers long beaches of powdery white sand, fringed by palm trees. Its diverse eco-systems include sand dunes, mangrove forests and coral reefs. The surrounding seas are rich with many species of birds and fish.

Les Trois-Îlets is a town on the Caribbean island of Martinique. It’s known as the birthplace of Joséphine, Napoléon Bonaparte’s first wife. Her family’s sugar plantation is now the Pagerie Museum, with childhood mementos and a love letter from Napoléon. Nearby, exhibits at the Maison de la Canne detail how sugar cane shaped Martinique’s history. North, Pointe du Bout is a water-sports hub with boutiques and cafes.

Barbados has retained many of the trappings of its British colonial heritage. Judges and barristers wear proper robes and wigs, police don helmets styled after London bobbies and cricket remains a national passion. Barbados also has all the sporting appeal of the rest of the Caribbean, with pristine beaches, powerful surf and crystal clear waters. Brightly colored homes and hibiscus flowers mingle with mahogany trees and English churches dating back to the 17th century.