Cruises from Miami to the Eastern Caribbean

Which lines sail from Miami to the Eastern Caribbean?

• Carnival Cruise Line
  Laid-back, loud in the best way and unpretentious; flip-flops, burgers by the pool and a comedy show after dinner.
• MSC Cruises
  Modern, stylish and international, with a Mediterranean flair and an upscale enclave for those who want it.
• Norwegian Cruise Line
  Flexible and lively, with a Las Vegas-meets-resort feel; dinner whenever you want, in whatever you packed.
• Oceania Cruises
  Refined, relaxed and food-obsessed, with a country-club feel and a strong focus on the destinations.
• Regent Seven Seas Cruises
  Opulent, quietly sociable and genuinely all-inclusive; the kind of ship where you sign nothing all week.
• Royal Caribbean International
  Energetic, family-friendly and packed with headline attractions; think floating theme park with a good Broadway show at night.
• Virgin Voyages
  Adults-only and boutique-hotel cool, with a playful, sometimes cheeky edge and a late-night social scene.

Ships recently or currently deployed on this route include Allure of the Seas, Carnival Celebration, Icon of the Seas, MSC Meraviglia, MSC World America, Resilient Lady and Scarlet Lady. 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 84 degrees F Jan 84°74°
2. February: Best time, average high 84 degrees F Feb 84°74°
3. March: Best time, average high 85 degrees F Mar 85°74°
4. April: Best time, average high 86 degrees F Apr 86°76°
5. May: Shoulder season, average high 87 degrees F May 87°78°
6. June: Cruises run, average high 89 degrees F Jun 89°79°
7. July: Cruises run, average high 90 degrees F Jul 90°79°
8. August: Cruises run, average high 90 degrees F Aug 90°80°
9. September: Cruises run, average high 89 degrees F Sep 89°80°
10. October: Cruises run, average high 88 degrees F Oct 88°78°
11. November: Shoulder season, average high 87 degrees F Nov 87°77°
12. December: Best time, average high 85 degrees F Dec 85°75°

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

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

Sailings run year-round. December to April is the dry season and peak demand. The islands sit in the main Atlantic hurricane track, so June through November, and especially mid-August to mid-October, carries the highest chance of itinerary changes.

The Atlantic hurricane season runs June 1 to November 30, and the Virgin Islands and Leeward Islands lie in the path of many storms that form off Africa in late summer. Most activity falls between mid-August and mid-October. Expect possible port swaps in those months. Winter trade winds can make sea days a little bumpy on the open-ocean leg from Florida.

Where you'll stop

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

• Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas, US Virgin Islands: Magens Bay, duty-free shopping, the Skyride viewpoint and ferries to St. John's national park beaches.
• Philipsburg, St. Maarten, Sint Maarten: Beach right off the boardwalk, plus quick trips to the French side, Orient Bay and Maho Beach.
• San Juan, Puerto Rico (US): Old San Juan's forts and colorful streets are a short walk from the pier, and evening departures leave time for dinner ashore.
• Road Town, Tortola, British Virgin Islands: Boat trips to The Baths on Virgin Gorda and to some of the best sailing waters in the Caribbean.
• Basseterre, St. Kitts, St. Kitts and Nevis: Brimstone Hill Fortress (a UNESCO World Heritage Site), a scenic railway and a short boat ride to Nevis.
• St. John's, Antigua, Antigua and Barbuda: Many beaches close to port and the restored Nelson's Dockyard at English Harbour.

Before you sail from Miami

From MIA, a taxi or rideshare to the terminals usually takes 20 to 30 minutes outside rush hour. Everyone enters over the Port Boulevard bridge off Biscayne Boulevard in downtown Miami, then follows signs by terminal letter. If you are driving, put the terminal letter rather than just 'PortMiami' into your map app, since the terminals stretch along most of the island. Fort Lauderdale's airport is a workable alternative, but plan on 40 minutes to over an hour on I-95.

Each terminal has its own garage or lot on Dodge Island. Garage AA serves MSC, Garage A is Royal Caribbean's (booked through the line's parking site), and Garage B is run by Norwegian with reservations. Garages C, D and G plus surface lots D and E cover the other terminals, with Garage G serving Terminals F, G and V, and Garages J and K serving Terminal J. Rates differ by garage, so check the county's PortMiami parking page before you go. Debit cards are not accepted at the garages, oversized vehicles and RVs go to Surface Lot E, and garages are staffed from 6 a.m. to 5 p.m. on cruise days.

• Find your terminal letter in your cruise documents before you leave the hotel; Terminal AA and Terminal J are at opposite ends of the island.
• Port garages do not take debit cards, so bring a credit card or cash if you plan to park.
• On weekend turnaround days, expect a slow approach on the port bridge between about 10 a.m. and noon; arriving at your assigned check-in window helps.
• Fly in the day before. Miami weather and air traffic can delay morning flights, and ships do not wait.

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. St. Thomas, St. John and Puerto Rico are US territories, but your other stops are foreign countries with their own entry rules.

More detail: our full Miami cruise port guide and our Eastern Caribbean cruise guide.

Related routes

Also from Miami: Bahamas, Caribbean, Western Caribbean, Southern Caribbean.

Eastern Caribbean from other ports: Baltimore, Fort Lauderdale, Port Canaveral, San Juan.