Aruba is a very prominent island in the chain of the caribbean islands. It has the highest rate of repeat visitors in the whole of the caribbean.With an area of 193 sq. kms, it houses many beaches most of them known world wide for their beauty.

Aruba is serviced by many airlines from the U.S, U.K and Canada. The major airport in Aruba is the Queen Beatrix International Airport.Airlines serving Aruba from the U.S are Delta airlines, American airlines, Jet Blue airlines, Miami Air, US airways, United airlines and Continental airlines.

From U.S:

Atlanta is connected to Aruba by the Delta airlines which operates flights daily.From Boston, American airlines and Jet Blue airways operates daily flights, Miami Air operates flights on Saturdays and the US airways operate on Saturdays, 

Sundays and Tuesdays.The prices of these flights for round trips is as low as $500.The United airlines connects Chicago to Aruba on Saturdays and Sundays.

Regular flights are available from New York (JFK) to Aruba.

American airlines, Delta airlines and Jet Blue Airways are the ones which service JFK. Jet Blue Airways offers cheap round trip flights for $550 from JFK.

United Airlines flights are available from Washington DC to Aruba.They operate on Saturdays and Sundays and a few other weekdays.

From CANADA:

Delta airlines, American airlines, Continental Airlines, Air Transat and Air Canada offers regular services from Toronto to Aruba. One way cheap flights as low as 200 pounds are available, While some airlines offer round trips for prices as low as 400 pounds which works out lesser than taking two individual trips. One Such is the Delta airlines which offers round trip services for as low as 397 pounds.

From the U.k:

As far as the United Kingdom is concerened, First Choice flies from Birmingham, Gatwick and Manchester on Wednesdays.

The KLM royal Dutch Airlines offers it’s regular service from these places to Aruba for prices as cheap as 550 pounds.The Delta Airlines and US Airways operate from London Gatwick to Aruba for a cheap price of 580 pounds.

From other Caribbean Islands:

Apart from flying in from a major city in the US, Uk or Canada, flights are also available for travel between the caribbean islands.This widens out the possibility of travel to Aruba by offering the option of travelling to another island and then flying from there.The American Eagle and LIAT provide these options.

On the whole Aruba is well connected to major cities and the vacation can be made much more enjoyable by booking villas or hotels before hand online. One of the best travel destinations in the world awaits the traveller!!!

I just found this book really Amazing!!! It has some great info on the ports of Caribbean. Here i give you a link to download the book.

You can have this book as your ready reckoner and don’t forget to take it along with you when you are on a Caribbean vacation. Any doubts are welcome.

The book’s description:

The book brings the best of each port and the important places in and around the port.So the main goal is to hit the hot spots within the few hours given to you. Jus go through it and you are goin to find your Caribbean tour really wonderful.

Download link

Click the download link to begin your download.

The Caribbean islands contain some of the most beautiful places for a great honeymoon. Places with mind stunning beauty and ambience await the traveller. Characterised by long white beaches and crystal clear waters they definitely are the most beautiful honeymoon destinations.

Though beauty in general is what describes the islands perfectly it is the resorts that are present in them which add to their lustre. They provide a right mix of the comforts offered by nature and by man.
Numerous resorts providing various types of services are available all along the Caribbean islands. But there are a few which stand out in the luxuries and the services they offer to the tourists.
10 such resorts are listed below:

Sandals Grande St Lucian:

Located next to the Pigeon island park in St.Lucia it is the best resort in that island. It has a 2 mile long beach and contains 284 rooms and suites, a perfect place for you to spend quality time with your partner. The place offers services like full service spa, water sports, 24 hour room service and quite a few number of pools to laze around and enjoy the sun. The packages offered are all inclusive that is the include airport transfers, taxes, food etc.. Other luxuries may be availed at extra cost.

Sandals Grande Antigua:

Located in Antigua this also comes under the category of one the best romantic getaways.
It also offers all basic services like 24 hour room service and many others.

Occidental Grand Aruba:

An ideal place for a perfect getaway in the island of Aruba. The resort is located overlooking the Palm Beach which is one of the most famous beaches in the region. Located near the airport it has about 931 rooms and suites spread across 9 stories.

Sandals Royal Bahamian

It is a resort located on Cable Beach in the Bahamas. It is also an all inclusive resort. It provides the option of a private beach which contains 3 beaches on its own. Moreso like any other resort of this genre this also offers all facilities that one could ask for. It consists of 403 rooms and suites.

Sandals Regency St Lucia

It is an all inclusive resort in St.Lucia. The unique feature of this resort is that it contains 2 storey villa suites with their own private pools. This resort has about 327 rooms and suites.

Cozumel Palace

It is present very close to the main town of San Miguel and about 10 minutes from the airport. It consists of about 176 rooms and suites each of which are ocean facing. Snorkelling and Scuba Diving are available on request. All packages are all inclusive.

Rendezvous St Lucia

Tucked in the white stretches of the Malabar beach (the longest in St.Lucia) it is an intimate resort with only 100 rooms. This is a perfect place for couples who want absolute privacy. Here scuba diving is included in the honeymoon package.

Riu Palace Aruba

An alternative to the Occidental Grand in the island of Aruba is the Riu Palace. The speciality of this place is the different types of suites ( like the Jacuzzi suite) they offer.

Galley Bay Resort, Antigua

This resort is located on a beautiful beach very near to the main town of St. John. The unique feature of this resort is the Gauguin Cottages which contain a private plunge pool which occupies about one fifth of the space of the room.

These resorts are just the cream of the whole bunch awaiting a visitor in the Caribbean. All these resorts provide great honeymoon packages which is all inclusive. The meaning of all inclusive is that it includes everything from airport transfer, breakfast, hotel taxes to various activities and adventures. A few resorts offer Scuba diving and snorkelling as a part of the package while most don’t. They come at an extra cost. Rooms and suites are very comfortable with all the facilities one might need during their stay.

As a necessity couples need to provide their proof of marriage to get an all inclusive honeymoon package.Early and efficient planning will make the trip a memorable one..

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Northernmost Island in the Windward island chain with a population of 12000, 33 beaches and measuring 16 miles long and 3 miles at the widest point Anguilla definitely fits the bill for the saying-‘Big things come in small packages’.

An hour’s flight will take one from Puerto Rico to Anguilla. The one major airport in Anguilla is the Wallblake Airport AXA.Anguilla is serviced by many flight operators offering cheap flights from the U.S, Europe and Canada.But the frequency of flights is not as high as for many other islands so it is advisable to book well in advance to avoid future hassles.Travelling to either Puerto Rico or St.Martin will save a lot of money. Anguilla can be then reached by small charter flights or by ferry.

From US

American airlines offer direct cheap flights to Anguilla from Miami.Most of these flight operators offer ticket packages for to and fro journeys which will reduce the cost to a good extent.
US Airways offer cheap flights from New York and Buffalo.

United Airlines operates from John.F.Kennedy (JFK) to Anguilla. Delta Airlines also operates flights from New York (NYC) , John.F.Kennedy(JFK) to Anguilla.The price of United Airlines and Delta Airlines tickets tend to be a bit costlier than other flight operators.

Further, New York (NYC) is connected to Anguilla by Continental Airlines too.All the above mentioned flights also service St.Maarten on a much more regular basis.Winair operates daily flights from St.Maarten to Anguilla.

From Canada:

AirTransat and SkyService operate charter flights from Toronto, Vancouver, Halifax and Montreal to St.Maarten (SXM) from where a ferry can be arranged at a very low cost of $15 per person to get to Anguilla. The trip takes around 20 mins. Ferry service is available from St.Maarten till 7 pm.

Europe:

If you are travelling from Europe then Air France offers cheap flights from Paris to St.Maarten.
KLM and Air Holland fly from Amsterdam to St.Maarten.
London Heathrow, London Gatwick, Manchester, Birmingham are all serviced by KLM to Anguilla by charter flights.

Not many direct flights are available from UK to St.Maarten or Anguilla. Two ways to get to Anguilla is to travel to other major islands like Antigua, Bahamas from London and then get to Anguilla by local flights servicing the Caribbean Islands or by traveling to St.Maarten through connecting flights in the US. Both are viable.

Flights from other islands:

LIAT, BVI, American Eagle and Cubana offer services between the various Caribbean islands.
All these flights are available daily from many islands to St.Maarten.The peak season is between December and March. Tuesday is the ideal day to leave for Anguilla in a week because the fares are cheapest during that period.

Right from December onwards to March the prices of flights, accommodation and cost of living rises steadily.Flying either in early December or early April will enable one to enjoy the weather as well save a lot of money. Likewise flying to St.Maarten and taking a ferry will save a lot of money when compared to the rare and costlier flights direct to Anguilla.

Don’t forget to book early even though you may not be traveling in the peak season, to have a peaceful vacation. Have a happy vacation!!!

One of the better ways for a great getaway in the Caribbean is to travel on cruise liners which offer worth for every bit of your hard earned money. They offer you all sorts of facilities and luxuries making you feel at home or probably better.

Cruise ships offer different packages for travellers based on the time of travel and the cost factor. The cost of a cruise travel is not far from what we pay when we go on a flight and tour on our own the added bonus being the facilities we are offered on board a liner.

There are usually two types of cruise, one the economic cruise and the other the luxury cruise. While the economic cruise is cheap it will make the traveller pay for using the various facilities on board like paying $3.50 for getting a bottle of soft drink. The luxury cruise on the other hand usually includes all facilities in its cost. The cost of such a one a may be a little high but it is far better than paying each and every time you use a facility.

Luxuries:

Cruise ships are very huge and contain all state of the art luxuries and amenities that a passenger might need. The Royal Caribbean Cruise Company specialises in providing luxuries on its liners.
Generally all the Royal Caribbean liners are equipped with the following luxuries:

A theatre with renowned artists performing shows regularly. Apart from this various music bands and DJs provide with non-stop music and partying and let you wear your party hat on.

An ice skating rink where one can learn from the experts on how to skate or to have leisure time skating not to mention the professional ice skating shows which more often than not leave the observers short of words.

Internet cafes are available for workaholic people who want to carry out their daily work even on the ship. A Library containing a large collection of books and movie cds are also present. The movies can be borrowed for watching in your own dvd player enabled private suite.

When it comes to physical activities these liners never fail to provide what our mind may want.
Fitness centres are available containing state of the art equipments like treadmills, weight machines and all other items present in any fitness centre. Apart from this they contain sauna, steam room etc. Kickboxing and other latest classes are also offered.

Jogging tracks, miniature golf courses and basket ball court add to the huge list of various facilities on board. A few liners also offer scuba diving classes and rock climbing sessions.Contributing to the relaxation of the mind and body are the spa and massage services by experts on board. You could get a facial, hair makeover or complete makeover done right in the middle of the ocean.

When it comes to the dining part these liners contain various restaurants of different styles ranging from a local Caribbean one to an Italian one. Eat outs providing snacks and different types of ice creams 24*7 are also available. Few of these restaurants are formal that is they require you to follow a specific dress code.

The night life is scintillating in the sense that every liner has night clubs, discos, pubs and bars with all types of drinks. Few even have discos dedicated only to teens.

For gambling freaks the excitement is no less with every ship having casinos.

A shopping mall, art gallery are all the other ‘extra’ things that are available on such ‘island’ ships.
In short a cruise liner is world within one which helps you maintain a clean balance between your vacation and your day to day activities all for prices ranging from a few hundred to a few thousand dollars. Details of prices and specific luxuries offered are available on the websites of cruise liners which now even offer virtual tours of their ships.

So what are you waiting for???

The Caribbean islands feature among the top travel destinations in the world. A wonderful way to spice up a Caribbean vacation is to decide to a cruise to them. Cruise ships offer the opportunity not only to enjoy the islands but also to enjoy the travel which flights don’t though they may save travel time. For people who do not have a short time frame for a vacation, a cruise is the ideal way to spend time with loved ones. They pamper you to the core that the trip on a cruise liner may linger more on your mind than the islands themselves.

Cruise ships offer all the comfort with state of the facilities like swimming pool, Jacuzzi, bars, restaurants, playgrounds, rock climbing courses and some may even have a golf course!!! The service in them is of 5 star quality and the staff there are trained to handle any type of situation be it you wanting something or entertaining your children while you and your loved one spend some quality time together. A wide variety of food items are usually available on the liner to cater to the tastes of your tongue.

Every evening on the liner is full of fun with discos and parties to make the passengers feel comfortable and to prevent any form of sea sickness. Dinners and a few other eating events require the guests to wear specific types of dresses like tuxedos, so being well aware about the practices on the ship before travelling helps to a large extent.

A few cruise liners are meant for partying people, few for families and a few for people who want to enjoy their honeymoon leisurely on a ship. So checking about the liner on its website is essential before planning as cruise companies now display almost all the information about the liners on the net.

Cruises come in various packages ranging from as low as 4 days covering about a couple of islands to about 2 weeks which is almost a whole tour of many islands. People who generally want to see many islands as a part of their tour choose these week long cruises which will include stops at major islands, beautiful beaches and of course a memorable and rocking time on the liner itself. Others who just want to take a break from their busy schedule select the cruises which last for a few days to just relax themselves and connect with nature. These will include only brief stops in about two islands.

Various companies offer cruise packages one of the most important being the ROYAL CARIBBEAN INTERNATIONAL company with about 22 operational ships it is surely one of the better cruise companies in the world with its state of the art liners equipped with all the things that our mind can imagine and yearn for.

The cost of the cruise is also moderate with 5 night/6day cruise costs ranging from USD 580 for interior rooms and USD 3580 for suites.

A 12 night/13 day cruise costs range from USD 1550 for interior rooms and USD 2370 for suites.
All rates are per person.
This works out much better than travelling by flight and touring all islands individually.

On the whole for people who have the time and the money a cruise is by far the best option for an ideal vacation be it a family or a couple.

Located to the northeast of Venezuela tucked between the Caribbean Sea and the mighty Atlantic Ocean lies the beautiful island of Barbados. With a population of 262000 and an area of 430 Km² the island of Barbados is definitely an eye catcher for people looking out for an ideal vacation. 97km of shore beauty awaits the vacationer there.

Barbados is well connected to the US, UK and Canada through its one major airport the Grantley Adams International Airport. Many flight operators offer regular services to Barbados from major cities.

From the United States:

Air Jamaica offers daily nonstop flights from New York’s JFK airport to Barbados.

The American airlines operate two non-stop flights from Miami International Airport (MIA) daily and a flight from New York’s JFK.

The Delta Airlines Operate flights from Atlanta’s Hartsfield International Airport (ATL) three times a week.

The US Airways have services from Charlotte and Philadelphia.

Apart from this The American Eagle offers one daily flight from San Juan’s Luis Munoz Marin International (SJU).

From The United Kingdom:

A variety of airlines offer services from UK to Barbados.

The British Airways operate daily flights from London Gatwick to Barbados.

The British Midland offers flights from Manchester on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays and from London Heathrow on Wednesdays and Fridays.

The Virgin Atlantic flies to Barbados daily from London Gatwick and weekly from Manchester.

The BWIA (British West Indian Airlines) offer flights on Saturday and Sunday from Manchester and from London Heathrow on Monday, Thursday and Saturdays.

Barbados is also serviced from London Gatwick and Manchester on Fridays by Excel Airways and the First Choice airlines operate flights from Manchester fortnightly on Sundays.

Apart from this the Condor airlines operate flights from Frankfurt on Fridays, Martinair from Amsterdam and Lauda Air from Milan on Wednesdays.

From Canada:

Air Canada offers daily flights from Toronto during the off-season and during the season time from December to April it operates 9 flights a week. It also operates twice a week flights from Montreal.

From other islands in the Caribbean:

Montego Bay and Kingston are connected to Barbados by the daily flights offered by Air Jamaica and Caribbean Airlines.

Caribbean Airlines also operate daily flights from Trinidad and Antigua.

Other islands like Dominica, St. Vincent, Grenada, Tobago, Cayman Islands, British Virgin Islands, Anguilla and St. Lucia are connected to Barbados by airlines like the Caribbean Star, Caribbean Sun and LIAT (Leeward Island Air Transportation)

Barbados is thus very well connected to major cities in the US, UK and Canada and finding a flight and traveling will mostly not be a problem. But airlines generally tend to change their flight time tables very frequently like every week or so and it is advisable to check out the flight schedules regularly in the air carrier’s website before planning with the trip to avoid any last minute confusion that may hamper your beautiful vacation in Barbados.

Antigua is one of the most hotspot destinations in the Caribbean. With a population of around 68000 it has the most number of English speaking people in the British Leeward Islands. It is often associated with an island close to it called Barbuda. Both these islands are serviced by one major airport in Antigua called the V.C. Bird International Airport in the northern part of the island near St.John’s.

Barbuda can be reached from V.C.B airport either by chartered flights or by boats.

Various airlines offer non-stop, direct flights from the U.S, Europe and from other Caribbean islands.

Air Canada offers nonstop service from Toronto weekly (Saturday, Tuesday).

The American Eagle (American airlines) offers nonstop services to Antigua daily from San Juan and Puerto Rico via major cities like New York and Miami. Options of choosing for a direct flight from major eastern cities in the U.S with stops are also available.

The British West Indies Airways offers direct flights from New York, Toronto and Miami.

Continental Airways operates flights from Miami and Newark while the Delta Airlines offers flights from Atlanta.

Philadelphia, Charlotte and Baltimore are connected to Antigua by the U S Airways.

As far as Europe is concerned The British Airways and the British West Indian Airways connect London to Antigua.

British Airways flights operate on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Sunday.

The Virgin Atlantic Airlines operates thrice a week flights from London, Gatwick to Antigua on Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays.

The Excel Airways flights fly to Antigua on Mondays from London, Gatwick.

BMI airways offer Friday flights from Manchester.

Apart from this Frankfurt is connected to Antigua by the Condor Airways on Fridays, and Lauda Airways connect Italy to Antigua on Thursdays and Saturdays.

The BWIA West Indian Airways offers daily flights from Barbados and Trinidad.

As far as flights from Antigua is concerned various airlines offer services from Antigua to other Caribbean islands.

The Carib Aviation offers flights to islands in the Eastern Caribbean. It provides an option of choosing between 5, 7 and 19 passenger planes.

While the Caribbean Star Airlines operates to a few nearby islands the LIAT offers flights throughout the Caribbean.

These flights can be booked through the internet or through phone.

TIP: While traveling to places like the Caribbean, traveling in the off season period may reduce the air fare by around 50%.So while planning a trip to places like Antigua it helps if you are flexible with the dates and always ensure that you have made all arrangements like accommodation before you leave for your trip to ensure a hassle free and memorable vacation.

An ideal vacation requires an ideal place. A place where you can connect with nature, enjoy her beauty, her variety and at the same time feel pampered, comforted and cared for. One such ideal getaway are the Caribbean islands. Packed with beauty they offer you one of the best experiences of your lifetime. The most important part will be the selection of an ideal place to stay where you can be away from the hustle and bustle of the city traffic and chaos, where you can spend quality time with the ones you love and most importantly relax yourself. Caribbean villas offer you all of them at one go. Situated in most scenic spots of the Caribbean they offer visitors privacy, beauty, comfort and all facilities. Villas can be bought or rented, renting being the most preferred one because buying one turns out to be a costly affair. Renting offers you all the facilities of the villa till your time of stay.

Villas are usually big measuring usually a few thousand square feet. None of the hotels can offer this much space for a single person or a family at low costs leave alone the scenic beauty that villas offer.

Villas may not offer you the everything at your beck and call but they allow you to cook your own food in the kitchen and if you want to avoid cooking you are allowed to hire a chef to cook the food you like. As far as the shopping goes villas are usually situated in places where towns are minutes away.

The most important feature of villas is the privacy they offer to visitors. Secluded as they are villas offer you a private swimming pool, a private bar and sometimes they come with a private beach for you laze out under the sun with your loved ones.

As far as the adventure goes some villa packages come with snorkeling, scuba diving or a trek in the woods nearby. Few even offer you yachts so that you can go on a small cruise.

A variety of villas are available ranging from one bedroom to six bedrooms or even to the extent of holding a marriage party.

The cost of villas vary depending on the island, the luxury and services it offers and of course its location in the island. Generally the cost of a two bedroom villa ranges around

$300 per night, with all its facilities. With increase in size, the cost increases proportionately. Renting a two bedroom villa will work out to the same cost as renting a room in a hotel except that a villa offers you much more privacy and space. But the most important thing is to look for all that the price of a villa includes. Sometimes certain facilities, luxury taxes and other taxes may increase your bill.

Planning is essential for a memorable stay in any Caribbean villa. The first thing is to decide an island and then to look out for your kind of villa which will suit your taste and your purse. A travel agent or websites may help you with that. Once you have planned your travel and booked your villa there is absolutely nothing that can stop you from having a rocking vacation!!

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