Cruises from Miami to the Southern Caribbean

Which lines sail from Miami to the Southern 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 Carnival Celebration, 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 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 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. 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 Miami cruise port guide and our Southern Caribbean cruise guide.

Related routes

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

Southern Caribbean from other ports: Fort Lauderdale, San Juan.