Cruises from Fort Lauderdale to the Southern Caribbean

Which lines sail from Fort Lauderdale to the Southern Caribbean?

• Celebrity Cruises
  Stylish, relaxed and adult-leaning; good food, good cocktails and a calmer pool deck than the big family brands.
• Disney Cruise Line
  Polished, family-first and full of Disney magic; character moments by day, Broadway-quality shows by night.
• Holland America Line
  Gracious and unhurried; live music at night, a good book by day and plenty of ocean views.
• Princess Cruises
  Relaxed, welcoming and dependable; a comfortable middle ground between mass-market buzz and premium polish.
• Royal Caribbean International
  Energetic, family-friendly and packed with headline attractions; think floating theme park with a good Broadway show at night.
• Silversea Cruises
  Quietly elegant and well-traveled, with butler-level service and a strong sense of place.
• Viking
  Quiet, elegant and intellectually curious; think a stylish Nordic hotel where the evening entertainment might be a history lecture.

Ships recently or currently deployed on this route include Celebrity Xcel and Oasis of the Seas. Deployments change season to season, so we confirm the ship for your dates when we quote.

When to go

1. January: Best time, average high 87 degrees F Jan 87°77°
2. February: Best time, average high 87 degrees F Feb 87°77°
3. March: Best time, average high 88 degrees F Mar 88°78°
4. April: Best time, average high 89 degrees F Apr 89°79°
5. May: Shoulder season, average high 90 degrees F May 90°80°
6. June: Shoulder season, average high 91 degrees F Jun 91°80°
7. July: Cruises run, average high 90 degrees F Jul 90°80°
8. August: Cruises run, average high 92 degrees F Aug 92°81°
9. September: Cruises run, average high 92 degrees F Sep 92°81°
10. October: Shoulder season, average high 90 degrees F Oct 90°80°
11. November: Shoulder season, average high 89 degrees F Nov 89°79°
12. December: Best time, average high 87 degrees F Dec 87°78°

• Best time
• Shoulder season
• Cruises run
• Few or none

Temperatures in Fahrenheit, long-term averages. Climate source.

Sailings run year-round, with the most choice from November through April. Aruba, Bonaire and Curacao sit south of the main hurricane track, so they see fewer storms than islands farther north, but itineraries that include the Windward Islands are still exposed from June through November.

Atlantic hurricane season runs June 1 to November 30. Aruba, Bonaire and Curacao are rarely hit directly, but the Windward Islands (Grenada, St. Vincent, St. Lucia, Barbados) can be, and routes from Florida pass through more exposed waters. The ABC islands are hot and dry year-round, while the Windward Islands get frequent passing showers, especially from June to November.

Where you'll stop

Itineraries vary by line and length. These are the ports the Southern Caribbean cruises most often visit:

• Oranjestad, Aruba: Eagle Beach and Palm Beach, dependable sunshine and an easy, walkable downtown next to the pier.
• Willemstad, Curacao: A UNESCO-listed historic waterfront with pastel Dutch colonial buildings and a floating bridge, plus reef snorkeling.
• Kralendijk, Bonaire: Shore diving and snorkeling in a protected marine park, right from town.
• Bridgetown, Barbados: Calm west-coast beaches, rum heritage and a UNESCO-listed historic center; a common start and end port.
• Castries, St. Lucia: Tours to the Pitons, sulfur springs, rainforest and Marigot Bay.
• St. George's, Grenada: Grand Anse beach, spice estates, waterfalls and the underwater sculpture park.

Before you sail from Fort Lauderdale

There are three gated entrances: SE 17th Street at Eisenhower Boulevard, State Road 84 at Spangler Boulevard, and I-595 East at Eller Drive. At the checkpoint, every passenger and visitor 18 or older shows a government-issued photo ID, and cruisers also show cruise documents, so have them out before you reach the gate. From FLL it is a short taxi or rideshare ride. From Miami, allow 30 to 45 minutes on I-95, more in traffic.

Broward County's Port Everglades runs the garages and lots. The Heron Garage serves Terminals 2 and 4, the Palm Garage serves Terminals 19, 21, 25, 26 and 29 (with a shuttle to Terminal 29), and surface Lots A through D cover the rest, including Lots B and C for Terminal 18. The port does not take reservations or prepayment; the clock starts when you pull a ticket. As of October 2026 the port lists a maximum daily rate of $25. Both garages have a 7-foot clearance, and limited spaces for RVs and trailers up to 24 feet are available by calling the port's parking office.

• Every adult in the car, including the driver dropping you off, needs a photo ID at the port gate.
• Match your garage to your terminal number: Heron for 2 and 4, Palm for 19 through 29, surface lots for Terminal 18.
• Pick-up drivers can wait in the port's free cell phone lot instead of circling the terminals.
• If you are flying out after your cruise, FLL's proximity makes a midday flight realistic, but leave time for customs and terminal traffic.

Documents: Cruises that begin and end at the same US port are "closed-loop" sailings. U.S. Customs and Border Protection says US citizens on a closed-loop cruise can re-enter the United States with a birth certificate plus a government-issued photo ID, and children under 16 need only proof of citizenship such as a birth certificate (most lines want an original or certified copy, not a photocopy). CBP also warns that the countries your ship visits may still ask for a passport, and cruise lines can set stricter rules than the government does. We recommend a passport book anyway: if you miss the ship or have to fly home early from a foreign port, you cannot board an international flight without one, and a passport card works only for land and sea crossings. Non-US citizens, including green card holders, have different rules. Check current requirements with your cruise line and the State Department before you sail. Cruises that start in Barbados or end at a different port from where they began are not closed-loop, and you will need a passport book to fly to and from the islands.

More detail: our full Fort Lauderdale cruise port guide and our Southern Caribbean cruise guide.

Related routes

Also from Fort Lauderdale: Bahamas, Caribbean, Eastern Caribbean, Western Caribbean, Panama Canal, Transatlantic.

Southern Caribbean from other ports: Miami, San Juan.