3 Caribbean Island Chains To Visit With Star Clippers

14th June 2019

The Caribbean has always been a popular cruise destination. The combination of pristine beaches, fantastic weather and exciting outdoor activities makes this region infinitely appealing and, for most, the go-to holiday destination for taking it easy.

Another thing a Caribbean cruise offers is choice. And that’s exactly what you have when you decide to explore this region on board one of our fantastic tall ships. We have various different itineraries that will allow you to discover different parts of the Caribbean Sea. Here are some of the island chains you can visit.

Leeward Islands

The name of this group of islands relates to a sailing term that describes where they are in relation to the direction of the wind. Leeward means downwind from a point of reference so, as the winds in this part of the world predominantly blow from the north-east, the Leeward Islands are considered to be those northernmost in the Caribbean Sea.

This effectively splits the Lower Antilles in two, with everything above Martinique being part of the Leeward Islands. At least, that was how it was until 1940. The decision was then made to switch Dominica from the Leeward Islands to the Windward Islands.

Our Leeward Island cruises can take you to beautiful destinations like St. Maarten, Antigua and Iles des Saintes.

Windward Islands

Now that we know which the Leeward Islands are, it’s easy to see which of the Lower Antilles are considered part of the Windward Islands – or, those that were said to be in the direction of the source of the wind when Spanish colonisers first arrived here. They called the group ‘Barlovento’ – literally, Windward.

Since 1940, Dominica and any destination to the south have been labelled as the Windward Islands. Therefore, our itinerary will allow you to stop off in places such as Martinique, St. Lucia and Barbados to admire endless horizons.

Grenadine Islands

Common sense would dictate that the Grenadine Islands are part of St. Vincent and the Grenadines, but this is only partly true. Whilst the majority of the 30+ patches of land located in an almost vertical line between St. Vincent and Grenada belong to the former, the rest are actually part of the latter.

In total, nine of the Grenadines are inhabited, whilst some of the rest have been used temporarily in the past. You’ll visit some of these on board our cruises, including the breathtaking islands of Bequia and Tobago Cays. Plus, the captain, who knows these waters very well, will take you to a favourite spot of his on one of the smaller isles for a day of relaxation.

If you would like to know more about our Caribbean cruises and the islands that we visit, you can call the team on 0845 200 6145. Don’t forget, you can also speak with us through our online chat.