Southern Caribbean from Port Canaveral (Orlando), FL

Buckle up for big adventure on the Space Coast when you book a Carnival cruise from Port Canaveral, Florida. Fun in the sun is a mission easily accomplished in Port Canaveral: before or after your cruise, take time to blast off from the Kennedy Space Center, hug the turns in a stock car at the world famous speedway, and zoom through the screaming roller coasters of Orlando’s theme parks. In addition to all these man-made thrills, cruises from Port Canaveral depart from a coastline of sugary sand beaches and protected islands for native wildlife.

It’s hard to find a more beautiful vacation destination than the Southern Caribbean, and on our cruises to Aruba, you’re the star of that perfect snapshot. Splash and play your way across this sparkling corner of the Caribbean, or simply relax on a sun-baked beach on one of Carnival’s cruises to Aruba. The locals call it the “happy island,” and they prove it — Aruba cheerily welcomes visitors to picture-perfect strips of beach, swaths of exotic blooms, and some of the Caribbean’s top shopping and nightlife locales. Celebrate the year-round Caribbean spirit, or simply unwind to the island’s bewitching and relaxing tempo. It’s easy to find your own tropical beat when you cruise Aruba-style.

Willemstad is the capital city of Curaçao, a Dutch Caribbean island. It’s known for its old town center, with pastel-colored colonial architecture. The floating Queen Emma Bridge connects the Punda and Otrobanda neighborhoods across Sint Anna Bay. By the water is the 19th-century Rif Fort, now housing a shopping center. City restaurants serve dishes influenced by the island’s mostly Dutch and Afro-Caribbean cuisines.

Cruises to Grenada are ideal for those with a taste for nature and robust flavors. Known as the “Isle of Spice,” Grenada definitely leaves a flavor in your memories after a visit. There’s a reason for this, too… and it’s more than just the island’s role as one of the world’s most important producers of nutmeg, cinnamon, cloves, ginger and allspice. Meshed somewhere in the tropical air, the winding rivers and the fertile soil — a result of the island’s volcanic origins — is a life energy of a distinctly south Caribbean sort. On your Carnival cruise to Grenada, you’ll notice it at the beaches, hear it in the reggae and calypso, and taste it in rich local delicacies… like a dish known as “oildown” (breadfruit and fresh fish). Treat your palate — and all of your senses — to the magic of cruises to Grenada.

High tea and cricket in the afternoons remains a tradition on the very British island of Barbados, also called the “Little England” of the Caribbean. The Bajan landscape, with its breathtaking panoramas of oceans and valleys, and endless pink- and white-sand beaches, is one of the most majestic in the Southern Caribbean. Barbados is the perfect setting for snorkeling in turquoise waters, touring historic sites or taking in a round of golf.

Take a walk through St. Lucia’s landscapes of magenta bougainvillea tumbling from mossy peaks, and listen to birdsong filling the air. This is just a slice of island life that awaits on cruises to St. Lucia. With some of the Caribbean’s most dramatic scenery — from the velvety twin peaks of the Pitons to the shimmering white-sand beaches — independent St. Lucia speaks with a decidedly French lilt. Climb green-mantled mountains and snorkel in jade seas on your sun-filled Carnival cruise to St. Lucia.

Discover your own slice of paradise — the white-sand kind — when you sail on cruises to Antigua. Here, legend has it, there’s actually a beach for every day of the year. (Leap years will have to share a little.) When you cruise to Antigua, located right in the heart of the Caribbean, you can’t help but notice relics of the island’s British colonial past — high tea is an afternoon ritual and cricket is the local passion, but this independent nation’s sunny island vibe reigns supreme. Cruises to Antigua are a great way to immerse yourself in all of it — the charming English culture and the irresistible Caribbean sunshine. Best of all? A Carnival cruise to Antigua makes it all a breeze. Got all that, chap?

Explore two colorful nations on one exotic island on one vacation. Split down the middle centuries ago by two European powers, this 37-mile isle offers cosmopolitan culture, international shopping, and world-class cuisine with a laid-back Caribbean atmosphere. Cruise to St. Maarten and you’ll find the island’s natural attributes are equally fine: the rugged coastline shelters silky crescents of sand framed by green undulating hills. Enjoy the laidback vibe of the beach or put on your hiking shoes and explore ruins of historic forts. One thing’s for sure — when you cruise to St. Maarten you’ll come home with amazing memories that will last a lifetime.

Not all of St. Thomas’ treasures are buried. Most of them are right in the open on this gorgeous island, home of the infamous Bluebeard’s Tower. Whether looking for jewels, crystal, perfume and fine wines in the shops of Charlotte Amalie, or soaking up the sun on the incredible beaches, you’ll marvel at the wealth of history on this treasure-filled paradise.

If you live in the Mid-Atlantic area, might we suggest one of our cruises from Norfolk? Set sail, as thousands of seafaring Americans have, when you book a Carnival cruise from the 400-year-old seaport of Norfolk. The city is today the proud home of a sparkling waterfront filled with green parks, lively shopping malls, delicious restaurants… and even fascinating maritime museums and monuments. Before you cruise from Norfolk, you’ll find yourself near two colonial villages — Colonial Williamsburg and Olde Towne Portsmouth — plus miles of beaches, and a blooming botanical garden. So definitely make time to explore before your cruise from Virginia, and round out your vacation with some history and picturesque sightseeing. Cruises from Norfolk also come with serious seafaring credentials — the city is home to one of the best maritime academies in the country.