Island Princess: 12-Night Caribbean - Southern

Fort Lauderdale cruise port, officially Port Everglades, is one of the busiest cruise ports in the world and the closest major competitor to PortMiami, just 25 miles to the south. It sits on the southeastern coast of Florida across the cities of Fort Lauderdale, Hollywood, and Dania Beach.

Aruba's capital sits just 15 miles off the Venezuelan coast, and it's one of the southern Caribbean's most popular cruise stops for good reason. Five berths across three air-conditioned terminals handle up to five ships at once, with water depths of 32 to 36 feet.

You've probably seen photos of Willemstad even if you don't realize it: that row of pastel-colored Dutch colonial buildings along the Handelskade is one of the most photographed waterfronts in the Caribbean. It's been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1997.

St. Lucia is one of the Caribbean's most topographically dramatic islands, defined by the twin volcanic peaks of the Pitons rising sharply from the southwestern coast. The Castries cruise port sits on the island's northwest side, with ships docking at either Pointe Seraphine (a duty-free shopping complex within walking distance of downtown Castries) or the La Place Carenage terminal on the opposite side of the harbor.

Barbados cruise port is in Bridgetown, the capital of the easternmost Caribbean island. Bridgetown Port (Deep Water Harbour) sits just outside the city's UNESCO-listed historic center, with modern terminal facilities including 21 duty-free shops, restaurants, car rental agencies, and a tourism office.

St. Maarten cruise port is one of the busiest in the Caribbean, with ships docking at the A.C.